Class 12 Graphic Design NCERT

The way we understand design and the role of a designer in the contemporary society is an outcome of industrial revolution which led to mechanisation of the workforce through the use of machinery. The design as a specialised field of activity has evolved over a period of time. However, apart from its industrial role we now discuss design within the ambit of cultural, social and economic phenomena where the designer plays a significant role.

The word ‘design’ is used in two senses: design as a noun means an artifact, entity or an image that has significance in terms of beauty (aesthetics), function or purpose (teleology) or meaning (semiotics) while design as a verb denotes activity of making such artifacts or bringing such entities or images into existence.

Irrespective of one’s drawing aptitude, we all know it is an amusing and a rewarding activity. Drawing, however you know is an essential discipline in certain professions as well. In all fields of visual arts like design, architecture, media and fine arts there is this common assumption that before making anything it is first ‘drawn’ or ‘planned, refined and perfected at drawing’ that is, before it is made.

Colour is the most essential component of visual experience. It is the specific perceptual characteristic of visual experience that we refer by a colour name like ‘red colour’, ‘green colour’ and so on. In the XI standard textbook on Graphic Design, basic concepts of colour such as colour hue, colour intensity, colour value, colour saturation etc. have been already introduced.

We have studied that a sensible arrangement of components makes a design functional and attractive. We also know that to select and to arrange is to compose. A composition can be two dimensional, three dimensional or temporal. A good composition, like an organic entity does communicate and offer a unique experience of its own. At one level it effectively communicates the message and at another it aesthetically influences the viewers.

Typography is the science of using letter forms for communication. We use letter forms extensively in our daily life, in various media like newspapers, signages, application forms, letters, notebooks, textbooks, currency notes, posters, tickets, SMS, email etc. A very large number of digital fonts are available for a graphic designer to use in design projects.

While making a design, certain things need to be taken care off, so that the design fulfils the need for effective communication besides being attractive and beautiful. While embarking on the making of the layout, one needs to understand the message and for whom it is intended.

Graphic designers work with visual images, either for print media or for digital media. With the advent of computers, most of the graphic designer’s work is being done using computers. From graphical point of view there is a vast difference between images on paper such as drawings, sketches or photographs and images that you see on the screen of the computers.

Traditionally media meant print, radio, television, cinema and outdoor advertising. But over a period of time it has changed very much. Today almost anything that can reach and influence prospective consumers or public at large is defined as media. These days advertisers depend a lot more on digital media.

Campaign is typically a military term used for a well organised course or a series of action. It means strategic planning for all round action as was done for a war, taking into account attacks on surface, from air and sea, by the army, air-force and navy. Similarly, in an advertising campaign a multi dimensional strategy is planned by using different media. Design for an Advertising Campaign is not only to create a beautiful layout for the sake of aesthetics or creativity, it should also be useful.

There are many different ways to augment actual advertising and marketing techniques. That means such efforts by any company don’t directly sell a product or service, but promote it nevertheless. Either the publicity materials carry a line saying that...’this programme is brought to you by the makers of...’ followed by the product name.

With the advent of the Information Technology (IT), there was a great revolution in media. For the first time in the history of ‘communication media’, the traditional ‘passive user’ was bestowed with the power to control and dictate the media. User-control and ‘Interactivity’ has become critical factors in digital communication. As a result, there was an emergence of new concept called Interaction Design. It has become the most important component of media.