1. Illustrations
1. What is an illustration?
An illustration is a picture used to explain a piece of text. "Cihai" explains: "Refers to the pictures attached to books and periodicals. Some are printed in the middle of the text, and some use inserts to supplement the text content or to appreciate the art." This explanation is mainly for the illustrations in books. Definition is a narrow definition. There are many applications of illustrations. In flat works such as advertisements, magazines, manuals, posters, books, and packaging, anything used for "explanation" can be counted as an illustration. There are many forms of illustration, including characters, free form, realistic techniques, black and white, color, materials, photos, and computer production. As long as it can be formed into a "graphic", it can be used in the production of illustrations. .
2. Characteristics of illustrations
Illustrations have a strong commercial nature, and their outstanding features include attracting attention and shaping the image of the product (creating a good image in the minds of consumers) , and another one is graphic recording. When something is difficult to explain with words, we can choose to use pictures to express it. It is very intuitive. We often say "pictures and text" in order to make the boring text more lively, so that we will not feel bored when reading it, and we can also guess the general content of the article through the content conveyed by the picture. structure.
3. Application scope of illustrations
Publications: Illustrations used on book covers, book inner pages, book jackets, book content supplements, etc. Including illustrations used in editorials such as newspapers and magazines.
Commercial publicity: graphic advertising - including illustrations used in newspaper advertisements, magazine advertisements, signboards, posters, leaflets, and TV advertisements; commercial image design: product logos and corporate images (mascots) ; Product packaging design; packaging design and illustrations - consumer guidance, product descriptions, instructions for use, charts, catalogs... Film and television multimedia: character and environment art settings or interface design in film and television dramas, commercials, the Internet, etc.
Game design: game promotional illustrations, game character settings, scene setting animations, comics, cartoon animation original painting settings, comic design, cartoon design. Basically all commercial paintings can be included in the category of illustrations. .
The two major types of illustration applications in the field of graphic design, the ones we are most exposed to are literary illustrations and commercial illustrations.
Literary illustration - a visual art form that reproduces the plot of an article and embodies the literary spirit.
Commercial illustration - a form of image expression that combines art and commerce to convey product information for companies or products. The illustrator obtains related remuneration and gives up the ownership of the work, retaining only the right of authorship, which is a commercial transaction.
2. Graphic design
1. What is graphic design?
The definition of graphic design generally refers to artistic and professional nature, with "visual ” as a means of communication and performance. Create and combine symbols, pictures, and text in a variety of ways to create visual representations that convey ideas or messages. Graphic designers may use professional skills in typography, visual arts, page layout, etc. to achieve the purpose of the creative plan. Graphic design usually refers to the process of production (design), as well as the final completed work.
2. Characteristics of graphic design
Means - design is an intermediary. It cannot be designed for design. Its core is to simplify the relationship between people and people in the world. The relationship with society, people and nature is a simple subjective and objective interactive relationship, which ultimately conveys the designer’s intention.
Subjectivity - Graphic design is a subjective behavior of designers. They use what they feel as the subject matter, express the design intention through visual means, use pictures to speak, and use vision to convey the spirit.
Objectivity - The premise of design is to strive to find things that enable people to communicate with each other.
Design is understood through people's vision. To put it bluntly, design is actually the art of converting a literary language into a graphic language.
Creativity - the essence of design lies in creation. Simply put, it is to cleverly combine the content to be conveyed with the carrier of conveyance through images, and integrate all elements into a form of conveyance. Alan Fletcher said: "Apart from ideas, all that is left to do in design is coloring."
3. Application scope of graphic design
Logo design (classification of logos, functions, categories and characteristics of logos, design concepts, expression techniques, combination forms, logo design basic principles, the difference between trademarks and logos)
Business card design (color use in graphic design, size of business cards, characteristics of business card production in different industries)
Promotional foldout design (layout composition Application in graphic design, principles of layout composition, forms of layout composition, production of covers and inner pages)
Album design (basic knowledge of binding design, necessary elements of binding design, format size of binding design With specifications, binding, binding design content and functions)
Corporate image identification system (VI) design (basic knowledge of VI, specific components of CIS, the importance of excellent VI to the enterprise, the basics of VI design Principles, VI design process)
Packaging design (overview of packaging design, general packaging design process, packaging design plan, basic elements of packaging design, packaging form)
3. Similarities and Differences between Illustrations and Graphic Design
1. Differences between Illustrations and Graphic Design
The general characteristics of illustrations and designs are also mentioned above. Illustrations are highly ornamental. Generally speaking, they have three functions and purposes: first, as a supplement to text; second, to allow people to obtain the satisfaction of perceptual knowledge; third, to express the artist’s aesthetic concepts, expression skills, and even expressions. The artist's world view and outlook on life. Modern illustrations are very functional, and deviation from the pure art purpose of visual communication often weakens the function of modern illustrations. Therefore, the design should not allow the subject of the illustration to be ambiguous. It must be based on clarity, simplicity and accuracy. The basic appeal function of modern illustrations is to convey information to the audience in the most concise, clear and clear way, arouse their interest, strive to convince them of the conveyed content, and readily accept the propaganda content in the aesthetic process, inducing them to take the final decision. action.
Design has distinct practical value. The emergence and development of design are accompanied by commercial activities and emerged with the fierce competition in the commodity economy. Design embodies multi-level rational thinking. On the premise of embodying design concepts and functions, it produces various products through the comprehensive level of industrialized production such as science and technology, materials, processes, and mechanical processing to ultimately satisfy consumers in the whole society. Material needs and spiritual needs essential for survival. Therefore, design is material, utilitarian and practical. It cannot be completed entirely based on feelings, but needs to accept and obey the consumption needs, cultural tastes and living habits of the vast number of consumers. For example, the entire process of various electrical appliances from design to production, and then from market to consumer use reflects the need to consider various factors such as design, planning, market, consumption, production, cost, corporate culture, brand, design trends, Issues such as design style and fashion trends, find the best expression method, and turn the designer's vision into a reality that consumers can accept and adopt.
2. The most common points between illustration and graphic design
Although there are various differences between illustration and graphic design, it cannot be denied that illustration and graphic design belong to the same category. The roots and vines of the melons are inextricably linked. Their essence is centered around visual art and beautifying the lives of the public. For example, the origins of early illustration and graphic design are very similar in artistic rules and basic characteristics, and they were both driven by the development of printing.
Or, whether it is illustration design or graphic design, you must have certain basic art skills, that is, painting knowledge of sketching, coloring, and sketching. Only with these necessary painting knowledge can you express various forms of modeling and improve your image. Thinking ability, abstract thinking ability, abstract expression ability, aesthetic ability of form, etc. This also means that sketch teaching plays a very important role. Further training in painting will be provided through the study of design sketches, design sketches, design renderings and other courses. These courses are an indispensable part of cultivating the design awareness and design expression ability of an illustrator or graphic designer. Although graphic design only requires mastering the operation of software, if you lack basic art training, lack certain design capabilities and aesthetics, you will not be able to design good design works.
In short, only by correctly understanding the origin and mystery, characteristics and mission, similarities, differences and contrasts, integration and development of illustration and graphic design can we have an objective, profound and scientific understanding of the relationship between the two. know.
Expand knowledge: Does graphic design include illustrations?
Including
Graphic design involves a very wide range and can be said to be the basis of all designs.
The design here does not refer to explicit work such as posters, book layout, ranking films, etc., but represents a kind of thinking.
A different perspective - design thinking, looking at commonly used design concepts: points, lines, and surfaces. After learning design composition and design thinking, you can use dots and lines to deconstruct objects or abstract concepts in the real world.
For example, art is the surface, design is the line, graphic design is the point, and LOGO, fonts, illustrations, etc. are the fulcrum. They are all creations of different shapes and colors using design thinking, design form, and design psychology.
If you want to develop in the direction of illustration, learning about design composition will be very helpful.
1. The richness of graphics
2. The rationality of composition
3. The layering of colors
4. The theme Compatibility
At present, the domestic illustration industry is in a state of brutal growth, and the subject of illustration is also in its infancy. Many high-quality illustration resources are promoted by practitioners who have returned from studying abroad.
Because the development system and business system of illustration abroad are very mature, and the integration of industry and academia is close.
Therefore, the subject can refer to domestic and foreign illustrations, or ancient and modern illustrations, and compare them horizontally and vertically.
Of course there are many branches in illustration, it depends on which direction you want to develop. If it is a flat style, it requires a strong sense of design and form.