Web Design

Definition:

While design is the art and process of combining individual elements of design (lines, shape, texture, color) into a pleasing arrangment, Web Design is the art and process of creating a single Web page or entire Web sites and may involve both the aesthetics and the mechanics of a Web site's operation although primarily it focuses on the look and feel of the Web site - the design elements.

Some of the aspects that may be included in Web design or Web production are graphics and animation creation, color selection, font selection, navigation design, content creation, HTML/XML authoring, JavaScript programming, and ecommerce development. Web design is a form of electronic publishing.

"Graphic design, desktop publishing, and Web design are different and not-always-distinct disciplines in the broader field of visual communications." — Desktop Publishing and the Internet

"Although desktop publishing and Web design have a common ancestry, they aren't the same. Yes, there are certain similarities — such as text, graphics, color, page composition, and the need for clear navigation -- but Web design has its own set of challenges and design parameters." — Similarities and Differences in Print and Web Design

"While it is possible, with CSS, to get very precise layouts, but it will never be as precise as print." — Web Design is Not Print Design

"Most designers don't try to cover all of it. Instead, they focus on one or two areas where they can excel and work with other people on the rest. But the good news is that there is always going to be something new to learn." — What is Web Design?

"When building a website there is a process that most designers use. This process covers all the steps from deciding on a website to building it and putting them live." — Web Design Process

Also Known As: web publishing | web production | internet publishing | graphic design | electronic publishing

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Design Phase

Prior to the actual creation of the document is the design phase. This is an on-going process but initially it involves determining the basic form of the desktop publishing document. Some of the sub-tasks involved in the design phase will overlap with other stages of the desktop publishing process. Although presented step-by-step, desktop publishing is not an entirely linear progression. You'll find yourself going back and forth many times between tasks and between each phase.

Do the following tasks, as required. You'll find corresponding tutorials, exercises, or resources for further study, as available. Items marked with an * are not yet in lesson or tutorials format but do provide informational resources. Document format decisions
Identifying the form and function of your document
What are you going to design? Conceptualization/Layout Options
This is where you develop ideas for layouts, try out themes, brainstorm on how to best present information.
Thumbnail Sketches
Visual Signposts Color selection
Color Basics for Print and Web
* Color Symbolism
* Color Palettes
Extend Color Use with Spot Colors
Easy Ways to Get Color Without a Color Printer Font selection
Number of Fonts
Fonts for All Caps
Headlines
Body Text Image selection
Amount of Clip Art
* Graphic Images Types
Rights Controlled/Custom Artwork
Frames, Boxes, Borders
How to Use Pictures of People

The desktop publishing really gets underway in the next phase as you set up your document based on the decisions made during the design phase.

Next Phase > Document Setup

The Desktop Document > Design Phase

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Graphic Design vs. DTP

Graphic design and desktop publishing share so many similarities that people often use the terms interchangeably.

There's not really anything terribly wrong with that but it is helpful to know and understand how they differ and how some people use and confuse the terms.Answer: The short answer: graphic design jobs involve the creative process of coming up with the concepts and ideas and arrangements for visually communicating a specific message desktop publishing is the mechanical process that the designer and the non-designer use to turn their ideas for newsletters, brochures, ads, posters, greeting cards, and other projects into digital files for desktop or commercial printing

While desktop publishing does require a certain amount of creativity, it is more production-oriented than design-oriented.

Graphic designers use desktop publishing software and techniques to create the print materials they envision. The computer and desktop publishing software also aids in the creative process by allowing the designer to easily try out various page layouts, fonts, colors, and other elements.

Non-designers also use desktop publishing software and techniques to create print projects for business or pleasure. The amount of creative design that goes into these projects varies greatly. The computer and desktop publishing software, along with professionally-designed templates, allow consumers to construct and print the same type of projects as graphic designers although the overall product may not be as well-thought out, carefully crafted, or polished as the work of a professional designer. Graphic design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication.

Desktop publishing is the process of using the computer and specific types of software to combine text and graphics to produce documents such as newsletters, brochures, books, etc.

Graphic design and desktop publishing are often used interchangeably but, in part because it is an activity also used by non-designers, desktop publishing is often considered a lesser activity than graphic design. In truth, the two are separate but intertwined disciplines.

Not everyone who does desktop publishing does graphic design, but most graphic designers are involved in desktop publishing - the production side of design. The term desktop publisher can refer to a designer or a non-designer but it often carries negative connotations of an amateur.

Some graphic designers are quite vocal about their distaste for desktop publishing, which is somewhat amusing since much of what they do does involve desktop publishing. What they are really upset about is not desktop publishing itself - it's an invaluable part of the entire graphic design process - but rather the misuse (real or perceived) of desktop publishing software by non-designers.

All the FAQs: Career & Business | Software | Design & Layout | Graphics | Type & Fonts | Prepress & Printing

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Graphic Design Basics

Get a better understanding of the basics of graphic design by studying the elements and principles of graphic design that govern effective design and page layout. Graphic design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication. Designers achieve their goals by utilizing the elements and principles of graphic design.

By following each of two learning paths on these concepts of graphic design basics and their application in modern desktop publishing, those with no formal graphic design training can improve their page layout and text compositions.

Although individual lessons within these two Graphic Design Basics classes can be taken out of order, I recommend following the lessons sequentially to get the full benefit.

1. Elements of Graphic Design Basics Classes The building blocks of design are defined and illustrated in these lessons and exercises - including lines, shapes, and texture. Explore each element individually and as a part of the whole.

2. Principles of Graphic Design Basics Classes Learn how to use alignment, contrast, white space, and other principles of graphic design to create effective page compositions through these graphic design lessons and exercises.

How to Do Desktop Publishing > Graphic Design Tutorials > Graphic Design Basics > Graphic Design Basics Course

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Graphic Design vs. DTP

Graphic design and desktop publishing share so many similarities that people often use the terms interchangeably.

There's not really anything terribly wrong with that but it is helpful to know and understand how they differ and how some people use and confuse the terms.Answer: The short answer: graphic design jobs involve the creative process of coming up with the concepts and ideas and arrangements for visually communicating a specific message desktop publishing is the mechanical process that the designer and the non-designer use to turn their ideas for newsletters, brochures, ads, posters, greeting cards, and other projects into digital files for desktop or commercial printing

While desktop publishing does require a certain amount of creativity, it is more production-oriented than design-oriented.

Graphic designers use desktop publishing software and techniques to create the print materials they envision. The computer and desktop publishing software also aids in the creative process by allowing the designer to easily try out various page layouts, fonts, colors, and other elements.

Non-designers also use desktop publishing software and techniques to create print projects for business or pleasure. The amount of creative design that goes into these projects varies greatly. The computer and desktop publishing software, along with professionally-designed templates, allow consumers to construct and print the same type of projects as graphic designers although the overall product may not be as well-thought out, carefully crafted, or polished as the work of a professional designer. Graphic design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication.

Desktop publishing is the process of using the computer and specific types of software to combine text and graphics to produce documents such as newsletters, brochures, books, etc.

Graphic design and desktop publishing are often used interchangeably but, in part because it is an activity also used by non-designers, desktop publishing is often considered a lesser activity than graphic design. In truth, the two are separate but intertwined disciplines.

Not everyone who does desktop publishing does graphic design, but most graphic designers are involved in desktop publishing - the production side of design. The term desktop publisher can refer to a designer or a non-designer but it often carries negative connotations of an amateur.

Some graphic designers are quite vocal about their distaste for desktop publishing, which is somewhat amusing since much of what they do does involve desktop publishing. What they are really upset about is not desktop publishing itself - it's an invaluable part of the entire graphic design process - but rather the misuse (real or perceived) of desktop publishing software by non-designers.

All the FAQs: Career & Business | Software | Design & Layout | Graphics | Type & Fonts | Prepress & Printing

View the original article here