Which to Choose?

Ideally, deciding which type of design to pursue will be based on experience. Even if you create your own personal projects, try creating some print pieces (such as your own business card) and websites (create a mockup of your online portfolio). See what you enjoy, and learn more about it! Think about the differences in this article and what you’d like to focus on.

Learning both print and web design will make you even more marketable. In today’s job market, listings often ask for a focus on one, but knowledge of both. As a freelancer, being able to offer a client a full marketing package, with print materials and a website to match, will only help to grow a business and build an impressive portfolio.

NOTES:

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*Flash websites: flash is a multimedia technology used for creating animations and interactive websites. Web developers often use Flash to add dynamic content that is not possible with HTML or other scripting languages. Some examples include splash screen animations, YouTube videos, and interactive song playlists.

3. Choose the correct word or word combination to complete the sentences:

1. As a print designer you may work on…

1. business cards and logos;

2. flash websites;

3. banner advertising.

1. As a web designer you may work on…

1. magazine advertisements;

2. business cards and logos;

3. standard HTML websites and flash websites.

1. In print design physical properties such as … can help you achieve your design goals.

1. clear navigation;

2. texture and shape;

3. animation and sound.

1. In web design such properties as … can help you achieve your design goals.

1. colors and lines;

2. texture and shape;

3. animation and sound.

1. The differences in layout start in the available … to create your design.

1. material;

2. software;

3. space.

1. Dealing with color it is important to understand each of the color model and spaces, such as …

1. HTML and CSS;

2. RGB, CMYK and HSV;

3. CAD, GIS and DTP.

3. Read Text III, be ready with the annotation.

Text III logo and website design

Logos: to create a “brand” for a company is to create their image, and to promote that image with campaigns and visuals. Working in branding allows a graphic designer or design firm to get involved with many aspects of the industry, from logo design to advertising to copywriting and slogans. The goal of a brand is to make a company unique and recognizable, and to project a desired image. Over time, a brand can make a company a household name, and identifiable by a simple shape or color. To create a brand for a company, a designer needs to fully understand the goals of the organization, the industry as a whole, and working with design to create the appropriate materials to represent that company.

When working in branding, a designer can expect to work in:

• Logo design.

• Business card design.

• Letterhead design.

• Packaging.

• Copywriting.

• Writing slogans.

• Advertising design.

• Typeface design.

• Research.

• Marketing.

Examples of branding are all around us. The NBC peacock, the UPS brown truck and Nike’s “just do it” are some of the most famous examples. They are so recognizable that we don’t need to hear a company name to know what they are. Online brands such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube are more recently developed but now just as recognizable. Logos on your favorite products, the packaging they come in, and the slogans that represent them are all examples of branding.

Website design, while a relatively new industry, is now an essential part of a company’s image, brand, and advertising, marketing and public relations campaigns. The side of web design that would be considered graphic design is the creation of the actual look and feel of a website. Many web designers are also involved in web development, creating the functionality behind a working website. Even if someone wants to just focus on the design side, an understanding of the technology behind websites is essential to create designs that are both attractive and functional.

Work for web designers can include:

• Designing websites to hand off to developers.

• Designing web banner ads.

• Creating animated flash websites.

• Creating mockups and site wireframes.

• Understanding web technologies.

• Understanding browser and operating system differences.

• Working closely with web programmers.

For someone working on the design side of website, Photoshop is the most popular software. Often a designer will create one or several layouts in Photoshop and hand them off to a developer, who will create a working site based on them. For those continuing into the development side, products such as Dreamweaver, GoLive, and countless HTML and CSS editing programs can be used.

There are often differences between web designers and programmers, each with their own goals in mind. Web designers are looking to create the most beautiful site possible, while programmers want something fast and functional. Being a great web designer means understanding both sides, and creating websites that look good and that are designed with function in mind (therefore avoiding these differences). While the ability to code by hand may not be necessary, it is important to know what types of layouts are feasible, how they will appear in different browsers, and what typefaces and color combinations work well on screen rather than on paper. These types of questions make web design an interesting and challenging profession.

3. Give your opinion about creating logos and websites in our country. Discuss your ideas with your partners using the active vocabulary and the phrases of expressing opinion in the Appendix.

3. Read Text IV and give a brief summary of it.