Be A Fine Art Photographer

March 25th, 2012 by No comments »

How do you proceed to grow and develop as a Fine Art Photographer? Basically, regular use of your camera with deliberate intent, while paying attention to the following, is what brings it about.

1. PURSUE THE GOAL: to make images that stir the viewer’s thinking and emotions.

2. DEVELOPE YOUR ‘SEEING’ SKILLS: its the first and most important skill that you need to learn.

‘Seeing’ exercises: Set aside 45 minutes from time to time around your home, with your camera and a subject that has your sustained interest. Relax for a few minutes then start taking pictures. Study part of your subject for a moment or two, then re-focus on another part of your subject and study it for a while. Become aware of colors and shapes. See how many details you can find. Then note the following:

* Personal responses : You’re ‘tuning in’ to your feelings/thoughts to locate the subject matter, or portion of it, with most personal interest for you.

* Impression : look at your chosen subject matter, or any part of it, and see it simply as a geometric shape or an arrangement of geometric shapes. Note the position where things look most graphically appealing.

* Expression : What does the subject matter seem to express in the way of:

- Sensation; rough/smooth? hot/cold? sharp/dull? hard/soft? moving/still? Etc.

- Emotion & Mood: love/hate? joy/sadness? anger/delight? peace/turmoil? Tranquility/disturbance? Respond with your perceptions of sensation and emotion.

* Meaning : What ideas does the subject matter seem to suggest? Respond with your intellect.

*Subject Theme: In view of your personal responses, the graphic impression, what is expressed and seems to be said, decide upon a subject theme, the main idea/feeling you wish to convey to the picture-viewer.

3. DEVELOPE NEW FRESH WAYS OF ‘SEEING’: You can get into a visual rut of looking for the same old subject matter and then photographing it in the same old way, producing yet again the same old kind of pictures, etc. You become bored, and find yourself in the doldrums. When this happens, or better yet, before it happens, you need to know what to do about it.

A good way to break habitual ‘seeing’ rules that gain unwanted control over your picture-making is to, first of all, write them down. Next, with list in hand, make about 40 pictures while deliberately contradicting your visual ‘habit’ rules.

When you examine the resulting images keep an open mind. Remember, you’re looking for new ideas so look for either images you strongly like or dislike. Then take some time to figure out in each case what makes you feel that way, and how you might go about making more similar-but-improved pictures. Bear in mind, you want to be sensitive, and open, to chance.

Finally, be sure to apply the new things you learn as soon as possible. And remember that the exercise above, for thinking and ‘seeing’ in new ways, can be done almost any time and anywhere, not just when you’re taking pictures. Performing this exercise from time to time will keep you out of a rut in your fine art photography and also help you find new ways of ‘seeing’ and making fine art photographs.

4. DEVELOPE YOUR IMAGINATION: making fine art photographs involves the use of free imagination; Enrich your imagination by going to art galleries and studying art in various media, and noting your Personal Responses, the Graphic Impression, Expression and Meaning. Practice pre-visualizing before going out to take pictures; imagine yourself taking pictures, see the resulting pictures, fantasize photo-adventures, etc. Start a train of photo thought just before going to sleep and then ‘sleep on it’. In these ways you can develop your imagination.

5. PRACTICE ISOLATING AND CHOOSING: making fine art photographs also involves:

Isolating – separating the various parts of the subject matter from the whole; looking at a subject and noting: 1) what evokes your ‘personal responses’ 2) what constitutes the elements of ‘impression’, ‘expression’, and ‘meaning’. You can, and should, try to improve in your abilities to isolate by means of practice, and you can practice almost anywhere, anytime.

Choosing – picking out the essential subject matter elements from everything else, in order to bring about the most effective arrangement within the picture, through camera position, focal length, depth of field, shutter speed, over/right-on/under-exposure, etc

6. INCORPORATE ‘EXPRESSION’ AND ‘MEANING’:

With regard to your subject matter’s inherent ‘expression’ and ‘meaning’, it comes about through symbolism. You need to become acutely aware of the symbolism(s) inherent in any subject matter. Such are called ‘symbols of content. ‘You also need to become aware of those symbolisms that can arise within your picture because of the way you choose to photograph the subject matter, ‘symbols of style’. The symbols of ‘content’ and ‘style’ have to work together. An analogy; the words of a marriage proposal (content) and the tone/inflection of voice used (style) must go well together, being ear-pleasing (‘impression’), having appropriate feeling (‘expression’), and clearly expressed thoughts (‘meaning’), for effective communication of a main, central idea – ‘will you marry me?’ (‘subject theme’).

Expression: Bear in mind that people in general respond with different sensations/emotions to different shapes, textures, lines, tones, colours, patterns, etc on the basis of qualities they perceive in them. Thus, a picture of snow can express the sensation of cold or the emotion of sadness. There is something inherent in the snow’s shapes or color that evokes a sense of coldness, or sadness. Through color and shape, etc we recognize the expression of sensations and feelings or moods. Whenever something draws your interest, try to notice first the inherent expression. Respond to your subject matter with your perception of sensations, emotions and moods.

Meaning : Not only do people respond with perception of different sensations/emotions to the visual elements in subject matter, but they also respond with perception of different ideas about them. Thus, a picture of a mountain may suggest ideas such as majesty, permanence or isolation. So, try to notice inherent meaning in your chosen subject matter. Respond mainly with your intellect to this aspect of the subject matter.

7. EXERCISE CONTROL BY AWARENESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY’S UNIQUE PROPERTIES: There are a number of fundamental characteristics of photography that distinguish it from other visual media, and you need to be aware of them when making pictures:

a. An existing object always in front of the camera.

b. Ability to precisely render detail.

c. Choice of the moment of picture taking.

d. The speed of exposure.

e. Can take advantage of fortuitous events.

f. Complete dependence on light

g. Camera sees some objects differently from the human eye, because we mentally correct distortions while the camera does not.

h. Different camera lenses see space in different ways.

As a fine art photographer you must examine the picture carefully through the viewfinder in order to preview what the camera will record and be sensitive to any elements that will not be recorded as the eye perceives them. Then you can consider whether or not they need to be corrected and, if they do, how to go about doing it.

8. EMPLOY THE BASICS OF GOOD COMPOSITION: The fine art photographer’s thinking and efforts to visually arrange a picture’s various elements within the camera’s view-finder, according to the principles of visual design to effectively communicate what he sees, feels, and thinks, in connection with the subject matter, doing so simply, freshly, and to as many as possible.

Elements: The graphic components, basic visual things, that make up a picture. Keep in mind that each of these elements not only contributes to the ‘impression’ of a picture but also to the ‘expression’ and ‘meaning’ as well. The components are:

Lines, Shapes, Tones, Colors, Mass, Space, Texture, Perspective

Principles: The basic guidelines that need to be applied in making a fine picture:

Subject Theme: The paramount principle. At the very outset of making fine art photographs the selection of an appropriate ‘subject theme’ is essential. It is a thematic idea which can readily underlie the subject matter, and is developed or elaborated upon in a picture of the subject matter. Making an extended,detailed, and specific word description of things is the quickest, most helpful, and practical means of deriving an appropriate subject theme.

Order: Organization of the picture to bring about simplicity and clarity to the overall impression,expression, meaning and subject theme.

Dynamics : contrasts of any sort produce tension, and bring dynamics into a picture; a sense of force,vitality, life, etc; much of it is already present in the the subject matter with all of it’s inherent contrasts (inlines, shapes, tones, colours, etc) – the challenge is simply to control, direct and organize them.

Dominance: some aspect of the composition influences it more strongly than all other aspects. The dominant part of a photograph is often called the centre of interest.

Balance: there are two kinds of balance; symmetrical(formal) – conveys regimented formality, stiffness, staticness, etc, and asymmetrical(informal) – is more dynamic, with tension between objects of different size, colour, shape, etc. Balance may be achieved either through the ‘impression’ of objects in the picture,or through their ‘expression’ and ‘meaning’ in the picture.

Proportion : has to do with the relative size of objects in the picture space. The proportion of space allocated to a major object in relation to that given a minor one

Pattern/Rhythm: are closely related. A pattern is a specific configuration of visual elements – a design. Rhythm involves repetitions of a pattern, at regular intervals. It brings both order and a sense of the dynamic to a picture

Deformation : the deforming (altering the overall shape) of visual elements which makes them unstable,creating tension. It can also create perspective (the impression of depth) in the picture or subject matter.Both camera position and lens choice affect deformation strongly.

9. USE VARIOUS APPROACHES, TYPES AND AVOID THE PITFALL OF FORMULAS

Picture Approaches: there are three basic approaches to composing fine art photographs:

- The Introspective approach: in which primarily your personal feelings and ideas for the subject matter determine the picture’s design and composition.

- The Extrospective approach: in which, regardless of your natural response to the subject matter, you’re guided solely by the subject matter’s inherent visual characteristics in determining picture composition.

- The Ambispective Approach: an approach which is some combination of the two foregoing approaches. It is the best approach and the one to use most often.

Picture Types: A fine art photograph may be one of the following types as determined by the artist:

- Documentary; the picture’s emphasis is on simply portraying the subject matter, transmitting visual information about it as accurately as possible.

- Interpretive; the picture’s emphasis is on conveying the artist’s feelings and thoughts about the subject matter, which can result in a very impressionistic image.

- A Combination; picture emphasis is some combination of interpretive and documentary

Picture Formulas: Do not turn your fine art photography into a set of technique formulas. It will stifle intuition, and emotional input, and put technique ahead of ‘expression’ and ‘meaning’.

10. WATCH FOR THE INTERESTING AND PRACTICE COMPOSITION: Always watch for things that excite your interest. When something does so, examine it closely and begin verbalizing, ‘What is it that attracted me?’ Visually explore the subject matter and give thought to the subject matter’s impression, expression, and meaning, etc, all the while verbalizing to yourself as you do so. Decide on a picture-making approach and a particular picture-type.

With the ambispective approach you will proceed by crystallizing and condensing:

1) your personal thoughts and feelings about the subject matter;
2) what is the most graphically appealing aspect of the subject matter;
3) what the subject matter inherently expresses; and
4) what the subject matter inherently says, into a concisely worded subject theme, while seeing in your mind’s eye a final picture which nicely and effectively conveys it. Your chosen subject theme serves as your primary guidance for all of the compositional efforts that follow.

11. CONTINUALLY MAKE PICTURES: The most important thing you can do with your camera is use it. By shooting a few minutes every day, you’ll develop your skills and abilities as a fine art photographer, and soon have an extensive collection of fine art photographs. Otherwise, you will lose your skills and ability. To have the joy of doing good work, and growing as a fine art photographer, you have to continually make pictures!

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Why Bother with Art Colleges?

March 21st, 2012 by No comments »

If you are pretty talented at art you might not even consider going to Art College. Why should you, anyway? You can draw like the masters: Boticelli, Michaelangeo, Da Vinci. There wasn’t a landscape scene your brushes didn’t like, and there wasn’t any portrait you couldn’t draw. You can sketch anything that exists!

But as with any talent, you must have realized that this is one big world we live in. There is always room for improvement, and although your work might speak for itself, a degree behind you may be just what employers are looking for. Therefore, you muster all your reserves; you pack your easel, your brushes, and your palette and head north to the nearest art college.

1. Good choice?

Art school will definitely benefit you as an artist. Your innate talent will benefit from the proven concepts and techniques you can learn here. It may be that you already know the basics and the techniques of your art. Rest assured that there are always things the art school can teach you that you won’t already know.

Art school also develops in its students a love and appreciation for the different forms of art. It opens to the student new vistas of learning and expressing. Even if only for that reason, Art school would be worth every penny.

2. Who Is Art School Suited For?

Artists are a rare kind. They seem to be able to create masterpieces without complicated theories and computations. It’s as if they are moved by instinct to draw, paint, and create visually pleasing artworks. Some artists, when asked about their artwork, would simply shrug and say they didn’t know what motivated them, and they just felt like painting it. Art school should not aim to correct this freewheeling style of artistry. It should, however, provide the basic techniques and theories on art and creativity. Instead of suppressing natural skill, it should develop and enlighten it by explaining the concepts behind art. Unlike what most people think, there truly is a science behind art.

Artists sometimes just create art. But after Art College, they come to a realization of theories behind what they have done by instinct. Fundamental theories can only improve and supplement the talent students have.

3. What to Learn?

When choosing an Arts College, look into the nature of its programs.

- Is it solely a graphic design school or does it offer courses in other specific areas? 

- Is this school well-known for its emphasis on its programs?

- Is the school recognized internationally?

- Is the class size large or small?

- How many years will the program be in total?

- Does the school provide any statistics or downloadable documents outlining the percentage of its graduates that are now working in their chosen field?

4. Specialize!

Remember that the subject of art is not just a big blob with the label art. It is composed of numerous subcategories and specializations. You need to choose a specialization because if you don’t, your skills will be diffused trying to learn the many branches of art. Try to improve the most at the area of your interest. It could be painting, sculpture, digital arts or others.

5. Be The Best

Also, look into whether the school participates in any graphical arts competitions or has accomplished anything of renown in the industry. This is a sure sign of their commitment to the arts and the education of its students. One of the best things one can get out of Art College is exposure to competition and industry standards. Such competition pushes one from being complacent. If you are to be a better artist, you should never be satisfied with what you already know. You should grab the opportunity to learn new and exciting things.

6. Conclusion

Your education might be the most important investment you make in your life. Without proper training, your chances at success are greatly diminished. A proper Art college will certainly train you and equip you with the tools needed to make it big in your profession.

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Graphic Design Schools Teach Digital Design

March 20th, 2012 by No comments »

Digital design has become one of the most popular career choices, and graphic design schools can give you the skills and technological expertise you need to be a professional graphic designer. Graphic design training will show you how to use the latest design software to create visual effects for movies, websites, video games, and other visual media. Your graphic design course will most likely cover digital art production, digital publishing, website design, interactive media design, 2D and 3D computer graphics, DVD authoring, vector graphics, animation, image processing, and much more.

The various graphic design schools are housed in vocational schools, community colleges, and two- and four-year institutions. College degrees in graphic design can include the Associate of Arts in Visual Communication; the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Graphics, and Multimedia; or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication. An associate degree would be sufficient for most technical positions; however a bachelor’s degree is often required for the more advanced, specialized positions.

Well-trained graphic designers will easily find employment in the fields of art and design. Jobs are available in printing and related support activities; book, newspaper, periodical, and directory publishing; specialized design services; or advertising and related services. Graphic designers are often utilized in the area of engineering services, or for scientific, management, or technical consulting firms. Graphic designers commonly develop computer graphics for websites, computer systems design firms, and motion picture production firms.

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Visual Graphic Arts – Cloud Sculpting with Lasers – The Future is Here

March 16th, 2012 by No comments »

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, indeed, we have taken this common phrase and used it in our daily lives, as we talk with friends and family. The visual arts a much like this. What do I mean by visual arts? Well, things like architecture, photography, paintings, and cloud sculpting with lasers. What? Come again, what the heck is cloud sculpting with lasers you ask? Assuming you know what clouds are and lasers are it is self-explanatory right? Sure it is, but it’s nothing you have ever seen so now I have indeed, piqued your curiosity.

Yes, that was the point of course, so you are intrigued by this concept are you? Well, I know I was when I first learned of it. It seems some University Students playing around with lasers under a research grant from the military were testing these low powered lasers and noticed that they could drill holes in the clouds and cause them to swirl, yep, you guessed it, just like a kid playing with finger paints, probably one of the first visual arts you learned, they wrote their names in the clouds.

And folks that is how laser cloud art came to be. After some practice they could draw on the clouds slightly and someone figured out that if they set up a computer to a mechanism they could use a graphic arts program and a CADCAM to design something and have the laser, well, do its thing on the cloud and draw a picture. So, this is how cloud laser art was able to prove its usefulness.

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Graphic Designer

March 15th, 2012 by No comments »

So you think you want to get a Graphic Design job? Have you already been to school, or been employed as a Graphic Designer and you are looking to further your prospects, or you are just getting your toes wet and thinking about going to a graphic design school. Well if you have never been explored this world before, there are a few things you may need to think about…

Graphic design refers to a number of different artistic talents which mainly focus on visual communication and presentation. Combining symbols, images and/or words in order to create visual representations of ideas and messages.

Graphic design uses come in all different shapes and forms. Web pages, business cards, magazines, product packaging, logos, and advertisements are all put together by graphic design. The list goes on and on and is practically endless.

What kind of graphic design job are you interested in? Do you actually want to work for someone else, or would you rather freelance? The parameters of being in graphic design are not just cut and dry, there are several career opportunities to choose from.

Art Director – usually makes decisions on the visual elements of a project, selects the models, art, pops, colors, and other elements. Make sure production artists and illustrators complete their work on time and to specifications and satisfaction. A lot of time is typically spent doing supervisory and /or administrative work.

Creative Director – is in charge of the team that produces the artwork to be displayed on products or in different campaigns. The team consists of the artists: the art directors, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, copywriters, and production artists, and also usually a production staff. They help to inspire or initiate creative ideas to fit the clients’ wants and satisfaction. Usually is promoted from the art director or copywriter position.
Art Production Manager – oversees the production aspect of art to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness. They generally supervise the artists or advise the supervisors of the artists.

Layout Designer – deals with the structure and the layout of images and text in a pleasing format for printed media. Work generally includes layout of brochures, magazine work, flyers, books, CD covers, posters and similar projects.
Brand Identity Design – is concerned with the visual aspects of a company or organizations brand or identity. Designing the visual element that represents how a company wants to be seen, it is the companies visual identity, and is how a company illustrates its ‘image’.

Logo Designer – using their own creativity along with marketing strategy will find an appropriate image that their client can use to represent what they are trying to encourage, sell or what they are. Sketches or graphically designs a symbol, set in specific typeface or font, and arranges in a unique way, with distinct colors, shapes, and designs to represent what a company,organization, agency, or service wants.

Illustrator – conceptualize and create illustrations in either two dimensional or three dimensional images. An illustrator consults with the clients in order to determine what illustrations will best meet the story that they are trying to tell. Or what message they are trying to communicate.

Visual Image Developer/ Photo Editing/ Photographer – editing and bringing their visions to life through advertisements, magazine layouts, billboard, logos, and just about any thing else you can think of that uses photography. Although these skills may require technical knowledge, graphic design skills may be applied as well. Most photographers tend to freelance.

Multimedia Designer – are graphic designers for motion. They also may image edit, sound edit, program, or compose multimedia. Generally found in such career fields as television or film production, animation, audio production, and set design.

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Art Deco Movement – The Foundation Stone of Modern Art

March 12th, 2012 by No comments »

‘Art Deco’ was a mainstream international design movement, spreading over a span of fourteen years, from 1925 to 1939. It played a crucial role in the development and the progression of Modern Art. The Deco Movement embodied a blend of the different modern decorative art styles, largely from 1920s and 1930s. These styles were the derivatives of several state-of-the-art painting philosophies of the twentieth century, including ‘Neoclassical,’ ‘Constructivism,’ ‘Cubism,’ ‘Modernism,’ ‘Art Nouveau,’ and ‘Futurism.’ The Deco movement influenced various decorative arts, such as architecture, interior designing, industrial designing, and visual art forms like fashion, painting, graphic arts, and cinema.

The term ‘Art Deco’ was coined in an exhibition, ‘Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes,’ held in Paris, in the year 1925. The exhibition was organized by some French artists to promote the creation of a new genre of art, adapted to the contemporary lifestyle, a distinct sense of individuality, and fine workmanship. The organizers of this exhibition were the members of the society, ‘La Societe des artistes decorateurs,’ including, Hector Guinmard, Eugene Grasset, Raoul Lachenal, Paul Follot, Maurice Dufrene, and Emily Decour. The term ‘Art Deco’ however, gained widespread recognition only in the year 1968, when art historian Bevis Hiller, came out with his popular book, ‘Art Deco of the 20s and 30s,’ and organized an exhibition, ‘Art Deco,’ at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

This movement was distinguished for its abstraction, manipulation, and simplification of defined geometric shapes, and a vivid use of colors. The bold color schemes and blending curves were the focal points of the true ‘Deco’ creations. The so-called ‘ancient arts’ of Africa, Ancient Egypt, and Aztec Mexico, prominently inspired this movement. In the age of machines and streamline technology, the use of materials, such as plastics, enamels, harden concrete, and an unusual type of glass, ‘vita-glass,’ greatly affected the movement. There is sufficient evidence to indicate the employment of materials, like aluminum, stainless steel, lacquer, inlaid wood, along with exotic materials, like zebra and sharkskin.

The Empire State Building, famous for its pyramid-like structure, and the Chrysler Building, known for its multi-arched dome, are the living examples of the ‘Deco’ style. The movement even outlined the fashion industry of Paris in the 1920s. The dresses sported large chromium buttons, head-hugging cloche hats worn with huge fur collars, dangling earrings, and so called ‘bobbed hairstyles,’ all amounting to completely new and revolutionary look. The BBC Building in Portland Place and the basement of the Strand Palace Hotel, London are the examples of the pure ‘Art Deco’ style. The popularity of this movement took a beating during late 30s and 40s, but regained its lost sheen with the surge in the following of ‘graphic designing’ in the 1980s.

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If Art is Your Passion, Fetch Out a Career in Graphic Design

March 11th, 2012 by No comments »

Hey have you loved painting since childhood? If you have an affinity towards painting, fetch out a lucrative career in graphic designing. This field has vast scope in today’s world. It is fun too. Graphic design is a field which encompasses a vast creative spectrum. This field will give you a scope to turn your passion into your profession. Can it get any batter?

Some Career Scopes In This Field

CREATIVE / ART DIRECTOR: these people are in charge of art work. They create these. Their works are displayed in magazines, on bill boards, on the web, or even on products. An entire team may consist of several people artists, graphic designers, photographers, copy writers, production people etc. it is the responsibility of the art director to ensure that all the people of the team are working properly and on time. He has an immense part to play in creating graphic arts.

He has the authority to select models for the project. Other things like the props that are going to be used, the colors, and several other things are chosen by him. In order to be an efficient art director, you need to receive good training in graphic design. This is because the art director himself needs to do certain designing on his own. However, art directors are mostly given supervisory responsibilities over a team.

People, who are art directors, have received formal training in advertising and in graphic design. They are trained to plan, design and direct the print ads. They are also trained to run a 360 degree ad campaign. A director must have creative skills as well as business skills in order to be successful.

Ad directors get employment in ad agencies, in firms etc. Their approximate salary is $50,000 – $80,000 per annum.

LAY OUT ARTISTS: layout artists deal with the print media. They are concerned about the structures, the layout of the images, and the texts. The articles they work on comprise of magazines, broachers, posters etc.

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An Eye on Graphic Design

March 8th, 2012 by No comments »

We find it mandatory to say that graphic design, this late specialty, quick in its development, related to all walks and activities of life, this only comprehensive technical specialty due to its relation with a piece of information and technology, we know it by its many names besides graphic design, for it is a design of a piece of information and design of communication means. All of these names refer to the extent of its development as an independent science, the task of which in to find solution to problems in the field of promotion, presentation or communication. Therefore, it is the language of time, a language that is not stationery or static, but developing and keeping pace with the changes of time thus, we find that graphic design is in need for a qualified and developing cadre able to deal with modern life requirements in a language that has a brief, simple and direct message, we acknowledge also the relationship of graphic design with writing, printing and publishing since its origin and it is an innovative work that couples word with shape using art and technology as a means of communication which begins with a message innovated by a designer that develops to become a means of visual communication beyond words and excels them with control of color, letter, picture and ideas through the designer’s imagination and production of media through which he can convey the desired message to the crowd.

Hence, its importance emerged to play an important role in modern life and to be a critical factor in promotion, media and other means in fast conveying a piece of information to community dominated by speed that excels the speed of light, therefore, it becomes fast in changing due to its relation with community. We find ourselves in front of the fact of graphic design origin and its development stages. Through reading its history, we have been able to know the stages it had gone through since its beginning at the early of 19th century and how Europe was its first home and the role played by some of the pioneer designers, each in his specialty, through developing its tools and techniques besides knowing its means which developed and multiplied after the first poster and book. Further, we know the factors that made it an independent science in addition to its influence by the late artistic trends.

I talked about the relationship of graphic design with special techniques confined with printing which developed to visual media and become conclusive of multi phenomena that get developed by the development of modern technology, therefore, graphic design changes into a knowledgeable science with a constant developing concept. This reflects the limits of the classical concept of graphic design and the development in what is called net vacuum which brings back to the mind the necessity of assessing the individual skills and characteristics of cadres in this field in addition to limiting the classical concept of the term graphic design as being fictitious and imaginary though organizing theoretical or imaginative factors to produce them by the use of different techniques that suit the production mechanism, so, production may be one of the media contained in graphic design.

The close relationship of graphic design with printing can not be ignored; therefore, I would rather clarify a misunderstanding that confuses between graphic design and graphic art and the role of each of them. Relying on this definition, we were able to clarify the role played by the graphic designer who uses design factors in an idea and prepares a special design for each media depending on its end i.e., what printing style he will use, keeping in mind that the success of printing depend first on the designer.

All of this makes us ask, is graphic design philosophy able to, through imagination and fiction, face the challenges of the information time in an effective way? For sure, the answer is determined by the fact that a designer should have absorbed the product of his time concerning information in on effective way and he has to develop his fictitious impression of the piece of information in order to produce it in a form that suits his time and his requirements. I also talked about how graphic design deals with given material and information and how to manage each of them to realize the required message.

We can not talk about technology without talking about computer which since its beginning has an important influence on the development of performance of graphic design since 1970 outside the Arab World and at late 1980′s in the Arab World. By nature, the availability of computer makes available many programs that serve graphic design at all levels besides the innovation of the internet. The computer has helped a lot in developing the abilities of designers as well as introducing the attribute of speed performance through a group of solutions special to picture, letter, shape and color.

We can not deny the importance of developing means and curricula of graphic design besides diversifying them in order to cope with the speed of its development and not to forget the requirements and the development of the market. The academic process should depend on time requirements determined by the constant developing technology and the requirements of time. Therefore, the goals of innovative work combined with designer’s competency and qualification are the basis on which planning strategy depends to prepare study plans that motivate and activate creative thinking and relate it to information technology relying on the different levels of human knowledge and scientific programs supporting the principle of how to understand and apply comprehensively graphic design program in order to protect it from short term programming relying in this respect on the designer’s material cognitive theory, the language, how to talk and his ability to know how to deal with time changes, technologies, training and qualification for what is in the future concerning the stages of human knowledge developments, developed curricula and programs that are subject to constant development.

Thus, the nature of graphic designer work is different from other professions not only because it is the most innovative field through the approach of dealing with a piece of information and visual communication means but also through the different standards constituting the work scene which follow a special innovation and an advanced approach to realize the goals of this innovative work as well as the competence and qualification of the designer. Graphic designer is not only an artist but also a technician who is able to make use of the available programs and their techniques in order to fulfill the task he is charged with. As a result, he is a designer who, through his imagination, reaches the crowd, promotes his imagination, reaches the crowd, promotes and presents through effective implementation with little technical exaggeration to realize successful work.

The fact is that graphic design is firm in its core, developing in its tools which needs close follow- up and cadre distinguished with a lot of knowledge in the field of arts, psychology, marketing, knowledge and information techniques. It is considered the assistant partner of technical development in terms of computer, the internet or programming and its systems. We find it developing in the ways of presenting its different media which come in the form of stationery, poster, brochure, flyer, catalogue, directed post, pamphlet, website and other large group of media.

The core of graphic design is the design foundation factors and their theories and philosophy which are constant any whereas the variable is the style of implementing the design, the form of the medium and the tools of implementation which have moved to the practical side of using computer and a large group of programs that deal with picture, hand writing and color. The development of the ways of promotion, presentation and communication besides the diversity of their developed forms, all depend on digital media.

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Career in Graphic Arts

March 5th, 2012 by No comments »

Graphic arts refers to the artistic interpretation and creation of design through artistic expression. In other words, graphic art is the art of visualizing ideas. Graphic artists use their creativity and talent to design, display, advertise, package and promote. Graphic design is seen everywhere in the world around us – from books and magazines, food products, cars, household appliances, clothing, computers, and everything in between.

A graphic artist is also often referred to as a graphic designer. He or she uses a diverse range of media to create designs and visually convey a message or an idea to the public. Since the aim of a graphic designer is to enhance the image and saleability of a product, the work profile could encompass designs for websites, logos, stationery, print material, advertisements, films and videos, posters, brochures, and other promotional materials. Responsibilities could also include overseeing layouts during printing of magazines, books and newspapers, designing sets for theatre and film and even furniture design. Many graphic designers still use traditional tools such as pencil, ink and paper but more and more now rely on computer aided technology and the latest design software to enhance their work.

Graphic artists are required to hold a Graphic Arts degree or a diploma in Graphic Design, Visual Art or Commercial Art. In addition to this, hands-on experience is necessary along with a portfolio full of ideas and work. A graphic artist needs to be independent and self motivated and possess the imagination and creativity to deal with a range of subjects and products. A close attention to detail and an instinct for color, shape and form is essential. A good graphic artist would be one with an exposure to a wide range of media and communication techniques. He or she will be fluent in handling all sorts of tools, techniques, drawings and models. Graphic designers need to evaluate their customer’s needs and must be adept at all sorts of sales and marketing strategies. Therefore, a comprehensive knowledge of theory and methodology is required to excel in this type of career.

Today, good Graphic Design Programs mix creativity with technology and business skills. Course material should include (among others) – Web page design, Flash, Typography, JavaScript, Web Animation, Photoshop, Illustrator, Pre-press Operations, Internet Management, Marketing, Computer Fundamentals, and Desktop Publishing.

Graphic designers have the choice to work alone or as a part of a large design team. They could opt for consultancy services or freelance work if they do not want to be tied down to a particular design studio or advertising agency. Media opportunities for graphic artists could be found in print, packaging, movie, video, television or radio. Graphic artists can be employed by magazines or newspapers, books, advertising agencies and graphic design firms as well as non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, companies and for specific events.

A career in design could lead to various positions in the field of graphic arts such as Art director, Directors – state, motion picture, television, radio, Visual artists, Animators, Children book illustrators, Commercial and industrial designer, Fashion designer, Interior designer, Set designer, Painters and illustrators, Cartoonist, comic book artists, Camera operator, television, video or motion picture operators, Desktop publisher, Composing room supervisor and Online producer.

And as the years go by, jobs for graphic designers are only expected to rise and individuals with experience in animation and Web design will have the best opportunity to qualify for the newer job positions being created in the fields of technology. A career in graphic design is assuredly fast growing and one that is becoming more and more competitive with every passing day. People now recognize the earning potential of such a career and the flexibility and independence offered by the choices within this field. Whether you work full-time in a small studio or large agency or freelance full-time on your own terms, the bottom line is that graphic arts is a great choice for people who need to express themselves creatively and earn well at the same time.

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M C Escher – The Genius Pioneer of Mathematical Art

March 1st, 2012 by No comments »

Maurits Cornelis Escher, Mauk, or M. C. Escher was a famous Dutch graphic (woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints) artist born on June 17, 1898, to a civil engineer George Arnold Escher and his wife, Sara Gleichman, in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. In 1903, Eschers moved to Arnhem, where the artist learnt carpentry and piano, until the age of 13. His schooling lasted from 1903-18. His family stayed in a magnificent home named “Princessehof,” now a museum to display his works. Recognized as one of the world’s most celebrated graphic artists, MC Escher was a genius in ‘Mathematical Art.’ Millions all over the globe appreciate the founder of ‘Tessellation,’ Escher.

Following an aborted effort to become an architect, Escher acquired his graphic skills in 1919, at the School for Architecture and Decorative Arts in Haarlem, under Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita. Owing to poor academic grades and an innate aptitude for drawing & designing, M.C. Escher adopted ‘Graphic Arts’ as his career line. After gaining experience in drawing and woodcuts, the artist left the school in 1922 to explore Italian and Spanish countryside. This year Escher drew his first artwork consisting of eight human heads displayed on eight different planes.

In Italy, he met Jetta Umiker, whom he married in 1924 and had a son from. Around this phase, landscape sketching was the artist’s fancy. Eschers stayed in Rome until 1935. Owing to Mussolini induced political upheaval; the couple went to Switzerland and stayed there until 1937. Escher’s date with the mathematical exploration of images began in 1936, while he was in the Mediterranean. In 1937, the family moved to Ukkel, Belgium. “The Transformation Prints (Metamorphosis I, Metamorphosis II and Metamorphosis III – woodcut-1937),” “Still Life and Street (lithograph-1937),” and “Sky & Water I (woodcut-1938),” are some of his famous works of this phase. Then, owing to World War II, the family settled in Baarn, the Netherlands in 1941. The same year M.C. Escher wrote a self-help paper, “Regular Division of the Plane with Asymmetric Congruent Polygons,” which helped him with ‘Crystallography.’ “Reptiles (1943)” and “Drawing Hands (lithograph-1948)” were his popular creations of this phase.

Roughly overlooked until the 1950s, M.C. Escher started gaining prominence and fame for his practically unfeasible structures, such as “Relativity (1953-lithograph).” In 1956, he acquired a global standing for his first exhibition by fetching the Knighthood of the Order of Orange Nassau. This year the genius also flirted with infinity in two-dimensional plane. The visualization and the application of a strong arithmetical element in his artworks always baffled as well as pleased his critics & mathematicians, as the artist’s formal education in mathematics was limited to schooling level. In 1958, the artist presented another paper, “Regular Division of the Plane.” Splendid “Circle Limit III (1959),” “Ascending and Descending (lithograph-1960),” and “Waterfall, lithograph-1961,” are his proud creations.

With time, M.C. Escher’s works started showing the strong influence of the geometrical drawing. They captured the essentials of non-Euclidean geometries. Mesmerized with paradox, “impractical” figures, and design of Roger Penrose, Escher developed a new style, resulting in many of his fascinating works of art. Escher’s mathematical artwork comprised of the geometry and the logic of space in the purview of hyperbole and topology. He mostly drew cones, spheres, cubes, rings, columns, and spirals, while exploring their interlocking imagery as well. In 1970, the Eschers moved to Laren.

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