Expression of commercial arts in graphic design

Expression of commercial arts in graphic design

Introduction

Art and graphic designers present ideas through conceptual and visual communication. Rand (2014, p.9) states that the main aim of designing is to persuade or inform viewers of beautiful and useful ideas. Designing is simply the way of organizing appropriate things, particularly in artistic works. Design works achieve its objectives by providing a suitable solution to a problem. Design constitutes of different fields of communicating with particular audiences. The design fields include graphic, web, multimedia, environmental, and industrial design. Considering graphic design as an expanded field in arts, it constitutes of things that people view and read to get a clear understanding of the designer’s idea. Visual models include juxtapositions, metaphors, rhetoric, collages, and montages (Ambrose and Harris, 2006, p.7). However, graphic designers play the role of creating web sites, books, brochures, billboards, commercials, advertisements, signs, packages and posters (Landa 2010, p.2).

As discussed by Landa (2010, p.3), a commercial poster is a type of advertising design. An advertising design involves the development and creation of a particular verbal and visual messages presented to the audience to inform, convince, promoting and motivating people about an idea or brand. In the early years, posters are tools used for spreading information. Even though technology has led to the establishment of online and television advertisements, posters remain the most appropriate tool in visual communication. The reasons as to why posters are good in conveying messages, posters are useful in the announcement and cheap to print. Designers use posters in public relations activities and publications considering all perspectives, including a multi-billion advertisement or local bake marketing.

Additionally, a printed poster for commercial use has visual language; hence, it communicates more than words alone (Arntson 2011, p.8; Dominiczak 2017, p.1312). A time, poster design can deliver the opposite to the intended message, thus destroying the cause of the idea or image of a corporate. Therefore, people critically view and study arts or shapes to draw beautiful and useful information depending on how they interact and understand images on billboards and copies. Hence, it is appropriate for graphic designers to understand, apply and express different elements and principles used in designing activities, and to transfer the relevant message to the audience thus, achieving the client’s objectives.

Designers disseminate information and act as a central part of producing and marketing consumer goods. As the world evolves, so is the designing process. Design workers need to understand different changes in their roles through technological and customer perception. In artworks, the designer focuses on achieving satisfactory audience needs. Since commercial posters are mediums to marketing activities, designers today are becoming flexible and competent in reaching complex advertising roles in marketing campaigns. Although the designer may not only apply personal aesthetic senses to suit audience requirements, the design elements and principles must apply.  Also, for rewarding work, the designer must focus on audience preference, thus create and direct appropriate visuals to targeted clients (Rand 2014, p.9).

Dominiczak (2017, p.1312) opines that a poster conveys its message through its photos and the text’s visual aspects. To design a non-contradicting commercial poster with adequate visibility, the graphic designer needs to follow the poster’s rules of balancing the use of graphics and texts. A poster is required to communicate the value of the advertised product to the audience in the most precise and prominent way. Importantly, the idea in a poster should persuade the audience providing reasons to buy.  A design worker can win the perception of the audience by using powerful graphic design principles to communicate. In order to express the aim of design work, including visual communication virtually, designers combine the message intention and the problem-solution using the category of one or more designing elements and principles (Landa 2010, p.2). Creativity in design works depends on the typography skills applied to achieve the visual interest and clarity of ideas. A designer well presents specific expressions about the target information by selecting appropriate audience, concept, context and application. A viewer gets attracted to a poster when the artist work consists of properly applied font, line spacing, alignment, contrast and variation. Mainly the designer focuses on arranging flowing ideas through a visual hierarchy, describes Landa (2010, p.50). In addition to the elements and principles of graphic design, the created poster should stay attached to the value of the product advertised. Hence, the designer should maintain the style, colour, personality and the logo of the product

Elements of graphic design

Graphic designing and appropriate typographic selection result in the phrasing of an eye catching and an easy to understand commercial poster. Posters are composed of words, symbols, arrangements, graphics, and colours. The purpose of designing an advertisement is to portray thoughts and culture. In today’s developing world, designers link the traditional design criteria with new technology to meet clients’ requirements. Importantly the designer should correctly choose an idea or information to include in a poster. Also, knowing the target market is necessary for the designer to construct appropriate words. The designer is required to select a proper location for the poster to attract the attention of your market. Finally, message conveyance is relevant in persuading and informing the target audience about an idea. The tone, attitude, audience and personality will help a designer to strategically select the right font and text for effective visual communication (Landa 2010, p.50). Therefore, the elements necessary in designing work involve the headline, body, and signature of the poster.

Moreover, appropriate timing, creativity and organization contribute to successful visual communication. The hierarchy of visual communication in creating commercial posters is an essential concept. By organizing visual hierarchy in posters, the designer persuades the viewer to recognize information on the banner; thus, delivering the commercial message appropriately.

Creative concept

Any graphic designed projects start with a broad idea that the designer interprets and narrow it to a way that the audience can easily understand. If the designer is responsible for idea generation, the professional should think of a strategic concept that will persuade the audience. The designer must relate the idea with the preference of the targeted audience. On the other hand, the client provides a designer with a brief to guide on what the poster should inform the audience. The marketing and operational managers construct the information, in a brief considering the objectives of a corporate. The brief consists of the target audience, the problem, opportunity, market positioning, promotions, brand character, mandatory elements, and the deadline for the design. Designers are required to transform clients’ or corporate problems into images and texts that will persuade consumers’ perception. In this case, the art worker needs to analyze the brief and provide a solution to the problem. Appropriately, the client’s idea must be respected and considered but questioned if it is inappropriate.  The steps to create a strategic approach include examining insight materials relating to the idea platform and writing a draft of the idea. Words are used in generating concepts in terms of word maps, lists, associations, and mergers.

Images and graphics

Images and graphics play the role of captivating the mind of targeted audiences; thus, selling the product in a poster. The use of weak and non-attractive images while creating posters results in potency loss. Even from a distance, the potential audience is likely able to notice a model used in individual posters. Studies show that a poster developed with texts only may look dull to the viewers, designers, and the community as a whole. An attractive poster should include images and graphics, such as diagrams, photographs, and charts. A creative designer uses graphics in developing commercial advertisements, either printed or digital, to engage the attention of the targeted consumer. It is necessary not only to include graphics and images in poster designing, but it is relevant for an artist to reinforce the content appropriately. Designers develop advertisement posters using certain graphic elements such as artwork, photographs, diagrams and charts depending on the preference of the idea. The designer needs to apply creativity and innovative approaches to compete in the marketing of the product in a poster. Therefore, an attractive poster will contain only one or two combined graphic basics depending on the purpose of the design.

When interpreting the concept in a poster, an audience draws enough information from a single image within a short time compared to texts and audios. The use of images results in demanding an immediate response. When designing a picture to include in a poster, the designer needs to consider the demographic characteristics of the target audience; thus, to avoid alienating the viewers with inappropriate information. Also, the mood portrayed in an image should match with the message of the client or designer. Examples of mood perceptions to include are positive, provoking, warning, aggressive, and soothing. To make a commercial poster visually dominating, the designer has to crop the image. Cropping changes the focus of an idea by creating greater emphasis. Designers remove the unnecessary in an image and the background issues resolved.

Photographs are necessarily used in poster generation to enhance the clients’ message relating to the purpose of the design. The photo in the poster should be aesthetically appealing to the targeted audience. This means that the design should have proper focus, resolution, contrast, and exposure. When taking appealing photos, designers use good and clear cameras. Among the captured photos, the designer selects one of the best and includes it in a poster. Then the designer uses the imaging software programs in computers to edit the selected photo. Today’s technology has advanced photography processes, such that the designer can use the HD photography. HD photography helps in taking a series of images and instantly compares how each photo looks after the inclusion of all other details in a poster.

Furthermore, a poster can contain specific types of diagrams to convey a message to the audience. Diagrams in commercial posters are included to represent the designers’ ideas, structure, and procedures. The appropriate charts that show creativity in graphic design include the use of models and flowcharts. In digital and printed posters, technology, including software programs, helps designers achieve their objectives efficiently. Designers use Visio, a computer program, to create appealing banners. Apart from using the 3-D flowcharts in creating commercial posts, designers  use the 2-D diagrams because they are accessible for the potential consumers to read and interpret. Also, artworks are included in posters to sell content. The example of arts designed using a computer program comprises of logos and cartoons. The designer can also hand draw or sketch a painting depending on the skill level.

Images and graphics in a poster have a relationship with the designer’s or client’s content. Designing large diagrams enhances the readability of consumers, even from a distant. Designs are aesthetically appealing and eye catching to the viewers. The description, flowcharts, and artworks are labelled in a way that the audience can easily read, interpret or understand.

Colour

Colour is an influential element in poster making. In designing scenarios, colour filters the perception of humanity following people’s responses learned culturally and naturally. Colours are used as shortcuts to provide the right emotional features to audiences. Designers use appropriate colouring aspects to solve packaging, advertising, and marketing problems. Colour promotes visual communication; hence, graphic designers can employ appropriate colour presentations on commercial posters to convey the relevant message to the targeted audience. Since colour filters the human nature of people and the way they view the world, colour perception also contributes to art communication. These perceptions include colour saturation, brightness, and hues (Rider, 2010, p.6).

There are two categories of colour hues, including short and long-wavelength tones. The long-wavelength shades, for example, red and yellow, stimulate audience preferences compared to short-wavelength colour hues, including green and blue colours, as discussed by Rider (2010, p.9). Designers focus less on their choice in terms of colour selection in creating posters. They choose appropriate colours that match the needs of the commercial advertisements to satisfy the client, audiences and the community as a whole. In different public posters, long-wavelength colors are used to inform or persuade targeted audience on issues such as brake lights, dangerous animals, and fire alarms. Although people like the red colour most, its message is difficult to understand and interpret. The red colour is mainly used in sports activities, to show romance, happiness, sad incidents, and victory (Rider 2010, p.10). Besides, the yellow colour is used in poster graphic design to portray joy, and its brightness is appealing, though many designers less likely to use it in artworks. The blue colour is just fresh and less attack someone’s heart. Depending on the target market, blue represents the happy states and relaxing scenarios (Rider (2010, p.10). In concepts relating to traditional preferences, the blue colour is preferable. Finally, the designer can include a green tint while creating a commercial poster to express relaxing states. Rider (2010, p.11) explains that an audience understands or interprets a sign with green colours as one of the original concepts. Apart from dazzling and decorating posters, colours are included in intellect and enlighten people. A high skill level is required in applying colours in signs. The designer needs to incorporate the tint, hue, chroma, and shade of colours in different arts. In advertising posters, colours relate designers and audiences in intelligent and chatty manners.

According to Rider (2010, p.17), colour is used appropriately in commercial posters for it markets the concept. Rider claims that colour sells but better product marketing, the designer needs to use the right colour. An audience likely gets attracted to the colour in a poster; thus, it grabs and holds viewers’ attention and helps in their memory. It is easy for a person to remember a particular colour in a poster compared to the images, graphics, and words used. Therefore, in graphic designing of commercial signs, the application of colour saturation and brightness is appropriate since they relate to culturalistic nature and audience perceptions. Henceforth, instead of choosing different colours randomly, a designer must be decisive and proactive about the types of colour hues to include in a poster.

Texts

The visual communication gap between the audience and the designer is bridged through the use of effective typography in creating posters. Primarily, Forlizzi, Lee and Hudson (2003, p. 379) explain that texts are included in digital and printed posters to express effective content, to create a conceptual framework, and also to capture consumers’ attention. Different text displays in banners represent different messages. For instance, the designer can decide to convey questioning or loud messages to consumers. Henceforth, to express loudness in a poster, the designer uses the texts with changing the type size and weight. Another example is the expression of the questioning poster; the final word of the included text included is displayed in an upward movement (Forlizzi et al., 2003, p. 379).

As described by Forlizzi et al. (2003, p. 379), in art and design works, texts included are in the form of individual letters, words, phrases, or sentences. Any visual kind employed explains the appearance and the message on the poster. Creative designing focuses on the categories of text display, including the fill, edge, pose, and form. Narrowing down different concepts, the designer can use one of the typographic ways. The printed form includes font size, face, width, and style. A designer can decorate the letters in a text display using different appealing colours, patterns, transparency, and texture.

On the other hand, it is appropriate to include the typographic edge quality in designing commercial posters (Forlizzi et al., 2003, p. 379). Designers engage the client and the community and select the type and background of the text, the smoothness, and focus.  Finally, the typographic pose of the version determines how the audience will perceive the message in a poster. In this case, the designer thinks of the text position focusing on the horizontal and vertical coordinates, and how the text rotates or distorts in a given space.  The path, pace, and duration of transitional forms of wording in posters matters depending on the type of graphic design constructed. Therefore, creativity in text display requires designing skills where one considers combining the transitional text forms with one or two text categories, hence transitional and visual communication.

Fonts

The right fonts used in designing commercial posters create the right atmosphere for the target audience. A designer selects appropriate typography and combines it with other elements of arts to conjure up emotions and enhance the theme of the advertisement. It is necessary to use typography in designing commercial posters, which include changing of particular posts, thus, creating more visual diversity. For the primary information such as time and slogan of the advert in a poster, it is appropriate to use the primary font that communicates sounding. Other included words are secondary information, and the designer should use the less flashy fonts. It is necessary to choose a font that suits the message conveyed in a poster because different typefaces portray different moods and personalities. In this aspect, the designer can figure out what the font is explaining if it fits the purpose of the design, so will it inform and persuade the audience appropriately.

The main concern in designing is to select an appropriate font, but avoid using personal preferences. The process of combining fonts is suitable for creating commercial posters. Using an appropriate combination is very trick that can either complement or clash the idea of the designer. A graphical combination of fonts follows the trial-and-error experiment since the designer crushes personal preferences, instincts and critically observes font combinations that will match the happy mood. Consequently, the design professional mixes up fonts with differing appearance but share something in common. For example, a typeface can have an open san and oxygen font that are entirely different but share the boldness character. Separate structure and font-weight give combination font design cohesion. Therefore, a font combination criterion enhances visual hierarchy, thus directing the audience eye on the essential focal point in a poster.

Shapes

In graphic design, forms are figures used in constructing appealing illustrations, logos, and other design basics. A professional designer decides to use shapes in creating posters to add content interest and strategically organize elements. Depending on the target audience, shapes are used to draw viewers’ attention and thus used in invoking feelings and symbolizing meanings. In art and drawing, there are three types of shapes that include organic, geometric and abstract shapes. The main known shapes are the geometric shapes that are typically rounded or sharp-cornered. Geometric shapes include circles, diamond, squares, rectangles, and triangles. The designer can select various geometric shapes to include in a poster depending on the theme of the design. Also, there are abstract shapes that are easily recognized but are not real. The geometric shapes are used in logo designs since they are multidimensional, freeform like, and with cloudy formations. Symbols, alphabet glyphs and icons are examples of abstract shapes. The organic shapes are known as images drawn by copying things of nature.

A designer successfully conveys the message to its audience by using shapes properly in creating posters. The shape elements such as the colour form, size, and characteristics determine the mood of the content in a commercial poster. Audiences perceive round, curved and soft shapes differently from sharp-cornered shapes. Depending on the demographic characteristics of the audience, for example, women, the designer uses round and curved shapes to draw the company’s logo to create a relaxing mood. Forms are included in the space layout or for the header part. Designers add emphasis on content moods by including shapes in graphic patterns. Professional designers achieve the design goal when they focus on what impact can space between shapes cause to the information conveyed. For instance, a graphic designer should alter shapes within a design to enhance an eye-appealing poster.

Line

In graphic design, lines are essential elements used in creating posters. The line in a banner connects two points. A designer uses lines to separate ideas, organize information, suggest, express and direct emotions of the client to the audience. Lines divide the space and directing the eye to the essential information in a poster. To persuade public posts viewers, designers use lines to create strategic rhythm. Majorly, lines separate different elements of graphic design employed in a particular commercial poster. The features include the headings and the side panels; thus, constituting hierarchy and organization for a straightforward interpretation of the message conveyed.

Subsequently, lines in a poster can be horizontal, curved, vertical, or diagonal with any width. The designer can decide to use a horizontal zigzagged line that is continuous, broken or implied to deliver a specific type of message to certain audiences. The use of lines in graphic design depends on the moods of the idea generated, and the goal for creating the poster. The designer combines the use of lines with appropriate images in poster making. The lines are either dynamic or static, necessary in creating invisible pathways, thus grabbing the viewers’ attention. Henceforth, a professional designer defines the path of movement in a generated content before starting to design a poster to achieve the desired mood.

Space

In the graphic design of posters, space the blank area between design elements. Sometimes the empty region in a layout plays a role in information perception as it does for essential features included. Spaces link and also separate different parts in a plan. Design professionals use narrow and wide spaces to connect and separate graphic elements, respectively. The appropriate consideration of new regions in a poster results in the creation of motions, rhythm, and direction of the content. To generate sounding spaces on the content page, the designer focuses on the types of elements to include in a poster and the strategic arrangement of this element. The importance of creating whitespace in a banner is to increase the legibility of the content. It is also to improve the hierarchy and create much emphasis on the mood. Finally, whitespace develops graphic elements.

Logo

Every corporate has a trademark that identifies and distinguishes it from other organizations. The mark of identity is what is known as the logo. As the clients want a message to reach the target audience, the designer must consider and respect the logo of an organization. Logos are made up of pronounceable words, letter marks or symbols. Apart from other elements design, a logo needs to its own designing merits. The logo must look beautiful, appropriate, original, and well designed.

Scale

The way the audience view and interpret the content in a poster depends on the designed scale type. The range used in designing is very different from the size. While explaining scale, the designer directly relates different elements of creating in a page, for example, the shapes and grid. An audience focuses much on a particular scale displayed at a relatively larger compared to others in a poster. Hence, scales create an appropriate visual hierarchy in graphic designs.

Composition

In graphic design, Ambrose and Harris (2006, p. 146) describe the term layout as the final appearance of a poster following the way images, texts, and other graphics are arranged on a page. Either the passive and active region in a poster grabs the attention of the audience depending on one’s’ preferences. After combining all the graphic elements appropriately, the designer needs to view the sign and analyze the information conveyed to see if it fits the client’s idea and the purpose of the design. A good design should have elements that relate to each other, providing the audience with one cohesive picture and information. The designer also needs to see if the layout page dominates or emphasizes the client’s idea. In this aspect, the focus is on the vital contrast generated from the image, style and colour in a poster. The distinction is the main point of focus while viewing an image. After including all the design pieces, the audience, client and the community should perceive harmony from the poster content.

Innovative graphic design

Corporate, targets the effectiveness of branding a product to create a tremendous competitive advantage. Graphic designed commercial posters alone will not sell the product not unless it is combined with marketing and communication strategies. In today’s life, innovative thinking is necessary for graphic design practices to suit consumers’ lifestyles and interests. By using appropriate commercial posters, a company moves from chaos to effective communication with its audience. It is the responsibility of design professionals to analyze a brief and creatively construct an idea that matches with graphic design elements to convey messages to potential consumers. The creativity is used with modern technology to create compelling content that persuades audiences, as discussed by Ma (2014, p. 111).

Additionally, creative design involves a thoughtful and purposeful plan for creating content. Since the graphic elements are included in commercial and any other poster to express clients’ and designers’ ideas and to transfer information to the audience. The corporate and advertising institutions explain their plans and visions to the community at large. Therefore, the success of designing activity depends on the formation of the design elements process combined with innovative thinking. According to Ma (2014, p. 111), designers need to discover new trends in graphics and artworks and further create unique and appealing ideas. There are various benefits of innovative thinking in the designing sector. First, creative thinking enhances the designer’s innovative capabilities.  Also, the development capacity and originality in graphic works are improved through innovative thinking. However, the essential aspects that designers think of include how to learn and apply discoveries and creation in photographic works; ways of creating posters that are aesthetically emotion and appealing; and how to develop commercial posters with persuading and informing messages to suit the audience. In the modern designing sector, Ma (2014, p. 112) explains that professionals focus mainly on image thoughts in conveying content to the public. Hence image and graphics are used as tools and materials to create appropriate content. The graphic design relies mainly on innovative thinking. Since in the early years, artists used ink to draw and design attracting images; today, the design has changed drastically. In order to maintain the track or artistry and graphic design, designers combine the traditional practices of artwork and design with the current fashion style, thus satisfying the preferences of the audience, suggests Ma (2014, p. 112). Henceforth, the combination of old and new graphic design with innovative thinking results in unity and harmony in such perspectives.

Commercial posters in graphic design have information that is perceived in innovative criteria by applying abstract or image thoughts, analytic or intuitive ideas, and inspiration and creative imaginations. However, designers use their original thoughts in identifying and analyzing problems and hence create logical and appropriate solutions. According to Ma (2014, p. 113), the use of interpreting and intuition thought designers could generate compliments and connections in concepts, thus grabbing the audience’s attention. On the other hand, the creative nature of the graphic designer should employ convergent and divergent thoughts. In this aspect, the designer expand the concept and analyze it from different directions or perspectives, thus creating appropriate solutions. Also, designers should employ traditional researching and exploring methods to find answers to particular problems. The use of associative thoughts helps the designer create concepts that draw perceptual imaginations from its audience. Finally, in designing commercial posters, design workers should include images and graphics that have inducing factors, inspiring the target audience (Ma 2014, p. 113).

Conclusion

Human beings generate and process information from two perspectives. The perception drawn from images, graphics and shapes on a page or layout depends on the surrounding. The elements of design used in creating posters relate to people’s preferences and understanding. Designers’ work is changing as the lifestyle and interest of people change. Hence, design workers are focusing on learning and discovering new features and taste of audiences and thus create unique and appealing designs to persuade and inform viewers. The cultural way of understanding different shapes, lines, texture, contrast, colour, images, and diagrams assist designers in relating the content with viewers’ nature. Black lines show the narrowness of the concept. Thick or bolded lines explain the ideas that are close and persuading. Hence, using lines of different sizes and colours to convey different interpretations, creates a strategic graphic design. Also, designers include different signs and symbols to communicate visually and explain their cultural context and personal experiences. Audiences perceive information when they first see any mark as an object on the surface of a page. The brightness, saturation and contrast of the image and graphics in a poster make the viewer interpret the content of the designer critically. Therefore, designers ensure they balance the use of elements and principles of design work to enhance cohesion and avoid misinforming the viewers. Furthermore, graphic design relies not on design education, but one’s creativity state to discover and create appealing features. Innovation in design work is a crucial factor, but the designer must combine innovative thinking with designing principles.

References list

Rand, P., (201)4. Thoughts on design. Chronicle Books.

Arntson, A.E., (2011). Graphic design basics. Cengage Learning.

Dominiczak, M.H., (2017). Posters: Interfacing Art, Science, Commerce, and Entertainment. Clinical chemistry, 63(7), pp.1312-1314.

Landa, R., (2010). Graphic design solutions. Cengage Learning.

Rider, R.M., (2010). Color psychology and graphic design applications.

Forlizzi, J., Lee, J. and Hudson, S., (2003), April. The kinedit system: affective messages using dynamic texts. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 377-384). ACM.

Ambrose, G. and Harris, P., (2006). The visual dictionary of graphic design. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Ma, Y., (2014), June. Innovative Thinking Plays Important Role in Graphic Design. In 2014 International Conference on Education, Management and Computing Technology (ICEMCT-14). Atlantis Press.