What Is Graphic Design Part 2

Graphic Design is communication. Look up Graphic Design and I promise communication is just as present as shapes or images.
A brief history of graphic design dates back unto the prehistoric times with cavemen drawings, using those drawings to communicate an idea.

Here is some brief history of the beginning of branding with Graphic Design from http://www.designhistory.org/Symbols_pages/Branding.html

"By the 1970's businesses were convinced of the advantages of a comprehensive professional image, or corporate identity, in the market place. Graphic designers were engaged to design logos as well as write and produce standards manuals that instructed corporate employees in the proper application of the logo, recommended typographic treatments and color palettes."
The components of a successful Graphic Design piece is using the Principals of Design and the Elements of Design. The Principals of Design include Contrast, Alignment, Repetition, and Proximity.

Next with all of the Principals of Design congruent now step it up to use the Elements of Design. Line, Color, Shape, Texture, Size, Space, and Value can be used to take a great design to an amazing design. 

Being a graphic designer takes much understanding of what Graphic Design is and what the client is looking for. Being a graphic designer is more than just putting images together to make something. It's using the elements of design to make that "something" stand out. It's explaining why you chose the colors, shapes, and type. My t-shirt design I wanted to stand out. I wanted the megaphone in the first design to be red because red stands for energetic and having a megaphone in your hand requires you to be energetic and graphic design is a megaphone for ideas. I chose a megaphone because it's manual. You have to turn on the megaphone in order for it to be useful to project your thoughts and words. You have to turn on your understanding of graphic design in order to successfully communicate what you are trying to do. The next t-shirt I wanted to create my own type in order to show that the design has to be original. The diamonds are coming out of the megaphone because the speaker has to be perfectly clear in their communication. I wanted those colors of yellow and blueish greenish because when those colors are put together it means peaceful and creative. Both aspects you need to understand with graphic design. 

What Hollywood Taught Me About Leadership

This past Thursday during a study hall we had the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker, Ben Hopper, from Kansas State University talk about something that was near and dear to his heart. Leadership. This seminar was important for high school students to listen to because in a 21st century program leaders need to step up and understand how to be a leader and one of the forms that we watch is movies. Ben Hopper did an excellent job at using movies, vocabulary, and engaging topics for high schoolers to understand and take away from. I am excited to be a part of the K-State Family that puts a high price on leadership.