Umpamakan anda ingin mengumumkan, menginformasikan atau menjual sesuatu, menghibur atau membujuk seseorang, menjelaskan suatu sistem yang rumit atau mempertunjukkan suatu proses yang panjang dan berbelit-belit. Dengan kata lain, anda mempunyai suatu pesan yang harus dikomunikasikan. Bagaimana anda “mengirimkan” itu? Mungkin anda bisa menceritakan atau bertutur kepada setiap orang satu persatu atau menyiarkan dengan radio atau pengeras suara. Namun yang anda lakukan itu adalah komunikasi lisan. Sementara jika anda menggunakan media visual atau rupa seperti poster, mengetik surat, menciptakan logo perusahaan, iklan majalah, atau cover album DVD dan sejenisnya, walaupun sekedar menggunakan printout komputer dan didalamnya secara pasti menggunakan format visual, maka yang anda lakukan sudah dapat dikatakan sebagai sebuah kerja desain grafis.
Dari segi keilmuan, hakekatnya desain grafis adalah salah satu bentuk dari ilmu seni rupa terapan. Dalam prosesnya diberikan kebebasan kepada sang desainer atau perancang untuk memilih, menciptakan dan mengatur elemen-elemen rupa dasar seperti garis, warna, bidang, raut, tekstur, value serta bekerja berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip dasar desain diantaranya adalah balance/keseimbangan, rhythm/irama, emphasis/penekanan dan unity/kesatuan. Desainer juga bekerja dengan didukung beberapa aspek lain seperti pemahaman dalam mengorganisasikan proses kreasi dan memiliki kemampuan dalam menyampaikan atau menangkap pesan. Pesan-pesan tersebut digarap oleh desainer dalam sebuah karya yang bertujuan untuk diproduksi atau dikomunikasikan melalui berbagai media.
Desain grafis adalah sebuah proses kreatif yang mengkombinasikan seni dan teknologi dalam mengkomunikasikan gagasan. Desainer bekerja dengan seperangkat ‘alat’ untuk menyampaikan pesan yang berasal dari sumber pesan atau client kepada audience. Beberapa perangkat yang digunakan antara lain gambar, ilustrasi, lukisan, photography, huruf, angka, grafik dan atau image yang telah di-generate oleh beberpa aplikasi komputer. Desainer membuat, memilih dan mengorganisasikan semuanya atau sebagian dari element dan perangkat tersebut ke dalam sebuah bidang yang dinamakan “white space” dan selanjutnya disampaikan kepada publik sebagai sebuah media komunikasi.
Desain grafis memiliki beberapa macam basis karya dengan melihat komposisi elemen-elemen yang terdapat dalam karya tersebut, diantaranya adalah:
Desain berbasis Image
Desainer membangun image yang merupakan representasi dari gagasan pribadinya atau client bisnisnya. Image sangat kuat untuk dipercaya dan merupakan alat komunikasi yang dapat mempengaruhi, mampu menyampaikan tidak hanya informasi tetapi juga suasana hati dan emosi. Orang akan bereaksi terhadap image secara instinktif berdasar pada kepribadian mereka, asosiastif berdasarkan lingkunganya, dan experientatif akibat pengalaman sebelumnya.
Desain Berbasis Image
Image diambil dengan berbagai cara dan teknik yang disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan aplikasi dan media. Di dalam Desain berbasis Image, hal utama yang harus diperhatikan seorang desainer adalah memahami bahwa image-image yang diekspose harus membawa keseluruhan pesan, untuk itu terkadang desainer memberi sedikit teks untuk bantuan. Karena setiap image yang tampil merupakan bahasa yang harus disampaikan, maka pada sebuah proses eksekusi sebuah image, seorang desainer juga harus memahami bagaimana pentingnya memanajemen kepekaan terhadap calon penerima pesan, sehingga desainer tidak membabi buta dengan mengandalkan selera estetisnya belaka dalam menampilkan image tersebut. Bukankah sebuah gambar dapat memunculkan ribuan makna dan maksud? Maka, arah dari maksud tersebut harus dapat tersampaikan dengan image yang dieksekusi oleh desainer.
Desain berbasis Type
Dalam beberapa hal, para desainer bersandar pada teks untuk menyampaikan suatu pesan, tetapi mereka menggunakan kata-kata dengan cara yang berbeda dari tatacara yang biasa dilakukan oleh para penulis. Bagi para desainer, mereka melihat visual teks adalah sama pentingnya seperti maksud atau arti dari teks itu sendiri. Format visual teks, baik tipography yang dicetak atau penulisan buatan tangan, memiliki fungsi yang sama yaitu untuk melaksanakan fungsi komunikasi dan seorang desainer pasti sadar bahwa keberadaaan teks harus memiliki fungsi readibility/keterbacaan. Teks juga dapat menghentikan perhatian pada suatu maksud tertentu dan mengidentifikasi sebuah makna pada suatu tampilan visual. Namun keterbacaan teks akan diolah oleh desainer tidak hanya mengandalkan arti sebuah teks secara leksikal saja atau hanya sesuai dengan tata bahasa saja , tapi juga menyebutkan maksud atas peranan teks itu sendiri secara fisik. Sebagai contoh, kita tidak akan menemukan dalam sebuah kemasan pasta gigi yang menuliskan merk-nya dengan menggunakan teks bergaya ‘Stencil’, karena image Stencil font identik dengan style Army Look.
Hampir semua desainer sepakat bahwa penggunaan teks sebagai sebuah tampilan visual dengan tanpa mengabaikan fungsi keterbacaan adalah penting. Mari kita perhatikan pada suatu “halaman umum” yang didalamnya tercetak sebuah teks, pernahkah muncul sebuah pertanyaan, apakah kerja desain grafis dilibatkan didalam merancang halaman yang nampaknya sederhana seperti itu? Pikirkanlah, apa yang anda akan lakukan jika anda diminta untuk mendesain kembali halaman itu. Akankah anda merubah jenis typeface atau ukurannya? Akankah anda membagi teks ke dalam dua kolom yang lebih ramping? Bagaimana dengan garis tepi dan pengaturan jarak antar paragrap? Akankah anda menekuk atau memberi spasi pada setiap paragrap atau mungkin memulai dengan perubahan teks berupa rekayasa tulisan hias? Apakah anda akan memberikan kekuatan pada teks dengan dengan cara memberi nomor, jumlah halaman atau penulisan teks tertentu pada setiap bab? Akankah anda merubah sebuah terminologi dengan cara membuat cetak tebal pada teks tersebut, atau barangkali menggunakan huruf italic/miring dan atau huruf yang bergaris bawah? Adakah hal lain yang dapat memberikan kekuatan dan tekanan dalam sebuah perubahan yang anda pertimbangkan, atau seberapa kuat teks-teks ini akan mempengaruhi reaksi para pembaca? Perlu diketahui, bahwa semua pertanyaan diatas dilakukan dan dijawab oleh Designer pada saat memulai pekerjanya hingga proses evaluasi sebelum teks-teks itu diputuskan untuk dikomunikasikan.
Desain berbasis Type
Desain berbasis Image dan Type
Para desainer sering mengkombinasikan antara tipography dan image untuk mengkomunikasikan satu pesan pada audience. Eksplorasi dengan berbagai kemungkinan kreatif yang dipresentasikan dalam kombinasi tipography (teks dan sebagainya) dan image (fotografi, ilustrasi, dan seni rupa), bertujuan memberi tampilan serta informasi yang lengkap. Sehingga para desainer tidak hanya menciptakan kesesuaian antara ‘letterforms’ dan image belaka tetapi juga untuk menetapkan keseimbangan terbaik diantara keduanya.
Desain berbasis Image dan Type
Desain berbasis Simbol, Logo dan Logotype
Simbols dan logo adalah hal yang spesial, berbentuk informasi yang sangat ringkas dan berfungsi sebagai ‘identifers’. Simbol adalah reperentasi abstrak dari gagasan atau identitas tertentu. Logo adalah visual dalam format simbolis yang berfungsi mewakili konsep-konsep atau kelompok tertentu. Logotypes adalah identifikasi-identifikasi baik konsep maupun kelompok yang visualnya didasarkan pada suatu deretan kata atau teks yang dirangkai khusus. Beberapa identitas merupakan ‘hybrid’ atau kombinasi antara logotypes dengan simbol. Dalam menciptakan ‘identifiers’, desainer akan menetapkan sebuah visual yang jelas dan sesuai dengan visi dan misi sebuah korporasi, kelompok, konsep atau gagasan sehingga terwakili dan sesuai dengan masing-masing tujuannya.
Desain berbasis Simbol, Logo dan Logotype
Desainer Grafis, Sumber Pesan dan Audience
Pada suatu pihak, sebuah sumber pesan terkadang terlalu dekat dengan isi pesan itu sendiri, tentunya mengandung unsur subyektifitas yang sangat tinggi, sehingga perlu dicari cara untuk dapat memperkenalkan dan memahamkan pesan-pesan tersebut. Audience, pada sisi lain, adalah sebuah komunitas kompleks, yang sangat luas dan memiliki macam ragam karakter. Hal itu berdampak langsung dengan bagaimana cara atau mekanisme dalam mengkomunikasi pesan-pesan tersebut. Lebih dari itu, pada umumnya sukar untuk membuat audience menjadi bagian dari proses komunikasi.
Berbeda dengan sumber pesan dan audience, para desainer grafis belajar bagaimana cara membangun sebuah pesan dan bagaimana cara menyajikan itu dengan sukses dan baik. Karena para desainer grafis adalah mata rantai diantara sumber pesan dan audience, mereka memiliki dua sisi pekerjaan yang harus dilakukan. Pertama, mereka bekerja dengan sumber pesan (dalam hal ini adalah client) untuk memahami isi dan tujuan pesan. Kedua, bekerja sama dengan peneliti-peneliti pasar dan spesialis-spesialis lain bahkan dengan kondisi riil dari masyarakat untuk memahami sifat alami para audience
Versi Inggris
Is Graphic Design? Suppose you want to announce, inform or sell something, amuse or persuade someone, explain a complicated system or demonstrate a process that is long and convoluted. In other words, you have a message that must be communicated. How do you "send" it? Maybe you can tell or speak to each person one by one or broadcast by radio or loudspeaker. However you do it is oral communication. Meanwhile, if you use visual media such as posters or likeness, typing letters, creating corporate logos, magazine ads, or DVD album covers and the like, although simply using a computer printout and in it is definitely using a visual format, then you do have to say as a graphic design work.
In terms of science, graphic design per se is one form of the science of applied art. In the process given freedom to the designer or the designer to select, create and manage basic form elements such as lines, colors, fields, look, texture, value and work on the basic principles of design include balance / balance, rhythm / rhythm, emphasis / emphasis and unity / unity. Designers also worked with the support of several other aspects like understanding in organizing the creative process and have the ability to convey or capture the message. The messages are produced by designers in a work that aims to be produced or communicated through various media.
Graphic design is a creative process that combines art and technology in communicating ideas. Designers working with a set of 'tools' to convey the message that comes from the source message to the audience or client. Some devices are used, among other images, illustrations, paintings, photography, letters, numbers, graphics and or images that are generated by computer applications beberpa. Designers create, choose and organize all or part of the element and the device into a field called "white space" and subsequently delivered to the public as a medium of communication.
Graphic design has several kinds of base paper with a look at the composition of the elements contained in these works, including:
Image-based design
Designers build the image which is a representation of the idea of personal or business client. Image is very powerful to be trusted and is a communication tool that can influence, able to convey not only information but also moods and emotions. People will react to images instinctively based on their personalities, based asosiastif lingkunganya, and experientatif due to previous experience.
Image-Based Design
Image taken with a variety of ways and techniques that are tailored to the needs of applications and media. Inside the Image-based design, the main thing that must be considered a designer is to understand that the images are exposed must carry the entire message, for it sometimes gives designers a bit of text to help. Because every image that appears is the language that must be delivered, then in an execution process an image, a designer must also understand how important managing sensitivity to the candidate receiving the message, so designers do not blindly rely on mere aesthetic tastes in the display image. Would not a picture can bring thousands of meaning and purpose? Thus, the direction of intent should be conveyed to the image that is executed by the designer.
Type-based design
In some ways, the designers relied on text to convey a message, but they use words differently from the usual procedures undertaken by the authors. For designers, they see the visual text is as important as the intent or meaning of the text itself. Visual format of the text, either printed or written tipography handmade, has the same function is to implement the communication function and a designer must be aware that the existence of the text must have a function readibility / legibility. Text can also stop attention to a particular purpose and identifying a meaning to a visual display. But the legibility of the text will be processed by the designers do not just rely on the lexical meaning of a text only, or only in accordance with the grammar, but also mentions the intention of the role of the text itself physically. For example, we will not find in a bottled brand of toothpaste that wrote it using the text style 'Stencil', because the image is identical to style fonts Stencil Army Look.
Almost all designers agree that the use of text as a visual display with readability without sacrificing function is important. Let's look at a "public page" in which a printed text, have appeared to a question, whether the graphic design work involved in designing a seemingly simple page like that? Think, what would you do if you were asked to redesign the page. Will you change the typeface or type size? Would you divide the text into two columns are more slender? What about the margins and spacing between paragraphs? Will you bend or give space to each paragraph or may start with changing the text in the form of decorative paper engineering? Are you going to give strength to the text by giving the number, the number of pages or writing a particular text in each chapter? Would you change the terminology in a way to make the text bold, or perhaps using italic letters / or italics and underlined letters? Is there anything else that can provide power and pressure in a change that you are considering, or how strong these texts will influence the reaction of readers? Please note, that all the above done and answered by the Designer at the start of their workers until the evaluation process prior to the texts it was decided to be communicated.
Type-based design
Image-based Design and Type
The designers often combine tipography and image to communicate a message to an audience. Exploration with a variety of creative possibilities that were presented in combination tipography (text and so on) and images (photography, illustration, and fine arts), aims to provide a display as well as complete information. So the designers did not just create a match between 'letterforms' and the mere image but also to establish the best balance between them.
Image-based Design and Type
Symbol-based design, logo and logotype
Simbols and logos are special, a very concise form of information and serves as a 'identifers'. Symbols are reperentasi abstract of a particular idea or identity. The logo is a visual format that functions representing symbolic concepts or specific groups. Logotypes are identifications both concept and visual groups based on a series of words or text that specifically arranged. Some identity is a 'hybrid' or a combination of logotypes with the symbol. In creating 'identifiers', designers will set a clear visual and in accordance with the vision and mission of a corporation, group, concept or idea to be represented and in accordance with their respective objectives.
Symbol-based design, logo and logotype
Graphic Designers, Resources Messages and Audiences
On one hand, a source message is sometimes too close to the contents of the message itself, certainly contains elements of subjectivity which is very high, so it is necessary to find a way to be able to introduce and understand the messages. Audience, on the other hand, is a complex community, a very spacious and has a wide variety of characters. It has a direct impact to the way or mechanism in communicating those messages. More than that, in general difficult to make the audience become part of the communication process.
In contrast to the message source and audience, graphic designers learn how to construct a message and how to present it successfully and well. Because graphic designers are the link between the source of the message and audience, they have two sides work to do. First, they work with the source of the message (in this case is the client) to understand the content and purpose of the message. Second, working with market researchers and other specialists and even with the real conditions of society to understand the nature Is Graphic Design? Suppose you want to announce, inform or sell something, amuse or persuade someone, explain a complicated system or demonstrate a process that is long and convoluted. In other words, you have a message that must be communicated. How do you "send" it? Maybe you can tell or speak to each person one by one or broadcast by radio or loudspeaker. However you do it is oral communication. Meanwhile, if you use visual media such as posters or likeness, typing letters, creating corporate logos, magazine ads, or DVD album covers and the like, although simply using a computer printout and in it is definitely using a visual format, then you do have to say as a graphic design work.
In terms of science, graphic design per se is one form of the science of applied art. In the process given freedom to the designer or the designer to select, create and manage basic form elements such as lines, colors, fields, look, texture, value and work on the basic principles of design include balance / balance, rhythm / rhythm, emphasis / emphasis and unity / unity. Designers also worked with the support of several other aspects like understanding in organizing the creative process and have the ability to convey or capture the message. The messages are produced by designers in a work that aims to be produced or communicated through various media.
Graphic design is a creative process that combines art and technology in communicating ideas. Designers working with a set of 'tools' to convey the message that comes from the source message to the audience or client. Some devices are used, among other images, illustrations, paintings, photography, letters, numbers, graphics and or images that are generated by computer applications beberpa. Designers create, choose and organize all or part of the element and the device into a field called "white space" and subsequently delivered to the public as a medium of communication.
Graphic design has several kinds of base paper with a look at the composition of the elements contained in these works, including:
Image-based design
Designers build the image which is a representation of the idea of personal or business client. Image is very powerful to be trusted and is a communication tool that can influence, able to convey not only information but also moods and emotions. People will react to images instinctively based on their personalities, based asosiastif lingkunganya, and experientatif due to previous experience.
Image-Based Design
Image taken with a variety of ways and techniques that are tailored to the needs of applications and media. Inside the Image-based design, the main thing that must be considered a designer is to understand that the images are exposed must carry the entire message, for it sometimes gives designers a bit of text to help. Because every image that appears is the language that must be delivered, then in an execution process an image, a designer must also understand how important managing sensitivity to the candidate receiving the message, so designers do not blindly rely on mere aesthetic tastes in the display image. Would not a picture can bring thousands of meaning and purpose? Thus, the direction of intent should be conveyed to the image that is executed by the designer.
Type-based design
In some ways, the designers relied on text to convey a message, but they use words differently from the usual procedures undertaken by the authors. For designers, they see the visual text is as important as the intent or meaning of the text itself. Visual format of the text, either printed or written tipography handmade, has the same function is to implement the communication function and a designer must be aware that the existence of the text must have a function readibility / legibility. Text can also stop attention to a particular purpose and identifying a meaning to a visual display. But the legibility of the text will be processed by the designers do not just rely on the lexical meaning of a text only, or only in accordance with the grammar, but also mentions the intention of the role of the text itself physically. For example, we will not find in a bottled brand of toothpaste that wrote it using the text style 'Stencil', because the image is identical to style fonts Stencil Army Look.
Almost all designers agree that the use of text as a visual display with readability without sacrificing function is important. Let's look at a "public page" in which a printed text, have appeared to a question, whether the graphic design work involved in designing a seemingly simple page like that? Think, what would you do if you were asked to redesign the page. Will you change the typeface or type size? Would you divide the text into two columns are more slender? What about the margins and spacing between paragraphs? Will you bend or give space to each paragraph or may start with changing the text in the form of decorative paper engineering? Are you going to give strength to the text by giving the number, the number of pages or writing a particular text in each chapter? Would you change the terminology in a way to make the text bold, or perhaps using italic letters / or italics and underlined letters? Is there anything else that can provide power and pressure in a change that you are considering, or how strong these texts will influence the reaction of readers? Please note, that all the above done and answered by the Designer at the start of their workers until the evaluation process prior to the texts it was decided to be communicated.
Type-based design
Image-based Design and Type
The designers often combine tipography and image to communicate a message to an audience. Exploration with a variety of creative possibilities that were presented in combination tipography (text and so on) and images (photography, illustration, and fine arts), aims to provide a display as well as complete information. So the designers did not just create a match between 'letterforms' and the mere image but also to establish the best balance between them.
Image-based Design and Type
Symbol-based design, logo and logotype
Simbols and logos are special, a very concise form of information and serves as a 'identifers'. Symbols are reperentasi abstract of a particular idea or identity. The logo is a visual format that functions representing symbolic concepts or specific groups. Logotypes are identifications both concept and visual groups based on a series of words or text that specifically arranged. Some identity is a 'hybrid' or a combination of logotypes with the symbol. In creating 'identifiers', designers will set a clear visual and in accordance with the vision and mission of a corporation, group, concept or idea to be represented and in accordance with their respective objectives.
Symbol-based design, logo and logotype
Graphic Designers, Resources Messages and Audiences
On one hand, a source message is sometimes too close to the contents of the message itself, certainly contains elements of subjectivity which is very high, so it is necessary to find a way to be able to introduce and understand the messages. Audience, on the other hand, is a complex community, a very spacious and has a wide variety of characters. It has a direct impact to the way or mechanism in communicating those messages. More than that, in general difficult to make the audience become part of the communication process.
In contrast to the message source and audience, graphic designers learn how to construct a message and how to present it successfully and well. Because graphic designers are the link between the source of the message and audience, they have two sides work to do. First, they work with the source of the message (in this case is the client) to understand the content and purpose of the message. Second, working with market researchers and other specialists and even with the real conditions of society to understand the nature 
