Hello and welcome to this beginner's
guide series to graphic design.
From what graphic design is, skills to be a graphic designer, design theory, education you need,
equipment you need, to the graphic
design portfolio and interview advice,
this series is for anyone at any level.
So if you're interested in graphic design
and considering becoming a graphic designer,
join me as I discuss series of 
graphic design topics.
So you're interested in graphic design,
perhaps considering becoming a graphic designer
and looking to learn more
in this video I'm going to discuss what
graphic design is. Now a lot of people on
my channel have asked me this question
mainly youngsters and people who are
thinking about pursuing graphic design
and want to know what graphic design 
is and if it's right for them.
Now I have often found this a really
hard question, as it does not really have
a simple answer without some
degree of explanation.
Now if you google this it 
will tell you that:
'Graphic design is the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines or books
So quite a simple and accurate explanation there, though I happen to think there's
more to it than that.
In this video I'm going to attempt to answer this question and give you my take on it from my experience.
so what is graphic design?
Well let's start simple.
So with graphic design we have two things:
We have graphic and design.
Graphic is visual, which is associated with art, imagination and expression, involving many mediums such as drawing painting engraving or lettering given clear and explicit detail.
So the graphic part of graphic design is made up of visual elements, the building blocks of design.
The basic visual elements that combine to create graphic design include the following:
Line, Colour, Shape, Texture, Space, 
Form and Typography
Through the harness of our artistic
expression we choose these visual elements and arrange them on a surface in a layout
to convey an idea.
Now the second part is design, which is to decide upon the look and function of something before it is made.
So design is thinking, problem 
solving and practicality.... theory.
In graphic design there are rules that can be considered.
These rules are called 'The principles of design'.
These principles all have a
relationship between each other
and appear in every well designed 
piece of work you see.
So the design principles make the 
design in 'graphic design'.
A good grasp of design theory will mean there is 
always substance behind your work.
The key principles of design are:
Contrast, Hierarchy, Alignment, Balance, Proximity, Repetition, Simplicity and Function.
When we bring both the visual elements and the design principles together we have graphic design.
Graphic design is not drawing,
graphic design is not painting, graphic
design is not creating a poster
or a quick logo on your computer,
these things are the means to the end
and are skills in their own right.
Graphic design is not about making
things look pretty,
graphic design is the organisation and 
presentation of information,
developed through a creative process 
for a particular function.
In graphic design we must first understand information, a message or a brief
and then research, think, imagine and develop and create a solution, a concept in order to
communicate that information, tell a story, 
a message or idea in a visual way.
It's only once we have a solid idea developed through the design process we can use our skills with
layout, colour, typography and creative 
tools to bring that idea to life
Once upon a time that would have been
with just the aid of a pencil or a paint brush on paper.
Today it's all those things and more. Today we also have cameras, computers and printers,
since the invention of the print press
which enabled reproduction on a mass scale
graphic design has been used to
communicate and spread messages worldwide.
Through the evolution of technology, 
today we are surrounded
by an abundance of visual communication. 
Today graphic design is implemented across a
broad spectrum of media both print 
and digital such as:
Advertising, Branding, Web design, Interface design, Magazine layout, Paper engineering and packaging, TV, Motion graphics, Infographics, Signage, Art and
Installations and Digital art.
If you are looking to pursue a career in graphic design you will inevitably end up creating work across one of those sectors.
Over many decades in the past
graphic design has shaped culture
through pop art, political art and  commercial art.
Today graphic design has a big commercial side, it's associated heavily with commerce and
used to sell and advertise things, but
that's not all it has to be.
The power of graphic design to inform, influence and instruct on a commercial level can also
be used to educate and inspire a generation
I believe graphic design is the unity of two opposing forces, artistic expression and practical application,
design theory.
As a graphic designer these two forces will always be at odds with each other in your mind.
when you can harness these two 
forces together in harmony,
then you can create great visual
communication.
So that's an introduction to what graphic design is. For any of you that were unsure of what graphic design is.
I hope that has helped to explain.
In this video I mentioned that graphic 
design is made of two things
visual elements and design principles.
Over the next seven episodes i'm going
to talk more about design theory and
talk in detail about 'Visual elements'
that make a piece of graphic design work. In the next video I'm going to start by talking about 'Line'
as a visual element and graphic design,
so see you in the next video!
