Visual and Communication Design Notes

Graphic Design

The use of images, typography, and technology to communicate ideas for a client or to a particular audience.

Petroglyph

A carving done in rock, usually done in ancient times.

Pictograph

A picture used as a symbol in writing.

Iconic

Possessing established and widely recognizable characteristics.

Papyrus

A material on which to write prepared from thin strips of the pith of the papyrus plant; used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.

Abstract

Imagery that departs from recognizable images of the natural world.

Calligraphy

The art of emotive or carefully descriptive hand lettering or handwriting.

Illuminated manuscripts

A hand-lettered text with hand-drawn pictures, often embellished with gold to make the pages glow.

Typography

The art of designing, arranging, and choosing type.

Typeface

The design of lettering that can include variations such as extra bold, bold, regular, light, italic, condensed, etc.

Font

The variations of a typeface.

Serif

A slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter in certain typefaces.

Sans Serif

A font without serifs.

Logo

A graphic image used to identify an idea or entity, short for 'logotype'.

Illustration

Images created to inform and embellish the printed page.

Illuminated character

Highly decorated letters found at the beginning of a page or paragraph.

Layout design

The art of organizing type, logos, and illustrations to optimize communication.

Advertising Design

A design specifically created to sell a product or service.

Product Design

Design that blends user needs with business goals to help brands make consistently successful products.

User Interface (UI) design

The design of the on-screen visuals necessary to use and operate computer software and applications.

User Experience (UX) design

A design process whose sole objective is to offer a pleasant experience with a product or technology.

Augmented Reality

The rendering of digital images or data onto real-world objects.