However, not everyone who is given a design assignment is a graphic designer. Not everyone has gone to school to study the art of placing images and setting type. Not everyone relishes critiquing every billboard and advertisement. On the other hand, everyone at one time or another has had to create a document that is composed and proportioned well -- if only a resume or a yard sale flyer.
Remember what I said in Lesson 1: that the purpose of design is to convey information. The first thing we do to accomplish that goal is to group common elements. The next step is to align those elements.
Repetition of style doesn't apply only to chapter headings and books, though; it's everywhere. Take, for example, the IBM television commercials that aired over the past year. The advertisement is black and white with the exception of two "IBM blue" horizontal bars sitting at the top and bottom of the screen. At times, smaller blue bars race through the screen, simulating (or reinforcing ) the IBM blue striped logo.
In any basic color theory class, you learn that combining different colors can lead to interesting visual juxtapositions. Think about some of the common color combinations that are used in our day-to-day lives. Green and red are used for Christmas while violet and yellow are often used for school colors and for Easter.
Now that you know the basics of type and a few definitions, you are ready to take the next step. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the purpose of design is to convey information, and it is especially important that your type doesn't hinder the message. There are times, of course, when type is set as a graphic element rather than to be read, but we are not concerned with that use of type here.
Printing can be a confusing process because there is so much information out there. But I have one final piece of advice: Don't worry about it. Know as much as you can and just ask questions if you don't know. Be informed and be willing to listen. This process will be much more pleasant for both you and the people you work with if you start with an open mind and ready ear.
Computer animation is a large and growing field, and people want different things from it; this FAQ tries to cover all bases, and as a result is rather thin on many of them!
