What is Graphic Design?

Introduction

For our first sketch in our sketchbook, we had to draw something that resembled graphic design or what it meant to us. We were then to use the seven key elements of graphic design: lines, color, texture, size, shape, space, and value. Regarding my sketch, I chose some logos that I see very often.

Artistic POV

I chose the eCommunication logo, because, of course, we are in eComm. Plus, when I was sketching, right in front of me was the logo... so it inspired me to draw it. This is an example where you notice graphic design like that. Second, I chose the Nike logo because I wear a lot of Nike gear and my soccer uniform is made by Nike. Then I drew the Adidas logo because I've always liked Adidas and their gear. Also, they are a German company and my dad was born in Germany so I like Adidas because of it. I used the Under Armour logo because I wear their clothing a lot and they are a very famous brand with a surprisingly simple logo. You might ask, "Why did Colin use the Umbro logo?" Well, I don't wear their gear or anything very much to be honest. But, they were my first soccer cleat brand so it means something to me. Finally, I designed the Amazon logo because there are billions of things to buy on their website and their logo is creative. I used colors according to the color of each logo, but then used yellow as a neutral background color to make the logos stand out more. As a border, I colored black around the focus point of the design.

7 Elements of Graphic Design

Starting off with lines, I decided to have lines surrounding central portion of the design to outline it and make it bold. Of course, I already talked about color but made the logos their own color with add yellow as a background color. Regarding texture, I tried to make the outline of each logo more bold and thick than the coloring of it to make it stand out. The size of the logos also came into play, where I tried to make them close to the same in size. I tried to make the logos as close to the shape they are as possible, and decided to surround the drawing with a rectangle. I allowed for some space between logos as well. And finally, going with a lighter yellow background made the logos stand out more and the element that shows this is value.

The Process

First, I had to figure out how to make the logos all fit on the design and decided the best way to do this was to make them smaller, adding a border on the outside. I sketched the logos with pencil and then outlined most of them in black. Finally, I colored them in according to what the logo looks like. I liked my Adidas logo and Under Armour logo because they are simple yet effective. I also liked putting the border around it. All in all, the process was somewhat longer than I expected but came out as a good result.