Picture book
Lesson 2
Graphic design techniques
Introduction
In this lesson you will have a look at some of the techniques used by designers when they create illustrations and graphics.
You will learn how to distinguish between these techniques and how to apply them to your own illustrations.
Watch the video, for an introduction to the lesson.
Understanding the tasks
Rating the tasks
This lesson contains a few activities. Each activity will have one or more tasks. These tasks have been given a rating.
Some of the tasks in this lesson are must do. These are important to help you understand the introductory ideas or skills.
Have a go at the should do tasks and reach out to your friends or teacher if you need some advice. These will usually take a bit longer to complete than must do tasks.
Could do tasks will probably take you some extra time and might need you to get creative or problem solve. We strongly encourage you to try these.
Activity 1 - Illustrating using digital tools
Task 1 - Creating digital illustrations
Watch the videos on using Microsoft Paint 3D and Google Slides to apply the skills of illustrating with visual design elements. You can follow along with this process by pausing the video.
Use Microsoft Paint 3D and Google Slides to create a digital illustration of the image you drew in Activity 3, Lesson 1 (the difference between loud and quiet).
Allow 30 minutes for this task.
If you do not have access to Microsoft Paint 3D or Google Slides check out the options in the drop down menu below.
What if I am not using a Windows device? How can I complete this task?
If you do not have a Windows device with Paint 3D, you can still create digital illustrations with either your Apple device, or your Chromebook.
For the basics of digital illustrations with these apps, select from the drop-down menu:
Keynote: Watch the Keynote: Drawing Tools video on YouTube
Google Slides: Watch the Creating a Comic Strip Using Google Slides video on YouTube
Note: If you have access to Adobe software and already know how to use it, or another peice of drawing software you can always use that instead!
Task 2 - Visual storytelling
Watch the video Visual Storytelling ft. Matt Stanton to learn about layout and design.
Demonstrate your understanding of the information provided in the video by typing the correct answer next to the definitions below.
Ch. 8: Visual Storytelling ft. Matt Stanton
Duration: 3:56
Activity 2 - Layout
Layout is the process of arranging visual elements like text, images, and shapes on a given page.
Layout design is important for any project that conveys a message through eye-catching visuals such as a picture book.
Task 1 - Graphic design techniques
Watch the Adobe Design Principles videos, about:
understanding the rule of thirds
understanding emphasis and contrast
the principles of proportion in action
to understand how these are used when creating illustrations.
Demonstrate your understanding of the key terms used in the videos, by completing the drag the words interactive below.
Understanding the Rule of Thirds | Adobe Design Principles Course
Duration: 1:09
Understanding Emphasis & Contrast | Adobe Design Principles Course
Duration: 1:14
The Principles of Proportion in Action | Adobe Design Principles Course
Duration: 4:08
Task 2 - Check your understanding
Check your understanding of the graphic design techniques by completing the image drag and drop interactive.
You need to match the image with the technique.
There is more than one example for each technique.
Hint: If you are not sure about one or more of the techniques, watch the videos in Task 1 again.
Activity 3 - The good, the bad and the ugly
Task 1 - Graphic design in advertising
Graphic design is used every day in advertising
Evaluate the advertisements below with regard to:
visual design elements (language, colour, tone, line work, texture, text size)
graphic design techniques (rule of thirds, proportion, emphasis, contrast).
Use the Evaluating graphic design in advertisement Google Slides template to rate each element and justify your scores.
Click on the button above to open a new tab and view the Google Slides.
Click on the Use Template button to create a copy for you to edit.
Note: while we have linked to the pages above, any other pages or other material linked to beyond these pages are not endorsed by the department.
Task 2 - I can do better
Choose one of the advertisements from Task 1.
Make three recommendations to the advertising company which could help improve the advertisement's impact on its target audience. These recommendations could be about the visual design elements or graphic design techniques.
Re-design the advertisement in Paint 3D or Google Slides using the visual design elements and graphic design techniques you have learnt about.
Handing in your work
Don't forget to hand in the work you completed today!
Your teacher will have told you to do one of the following:
Upload any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your Learning Management system (MS Teams, Google Classroom for example).
Email any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your teacher.
Make sure you keep any handwritten work you did in your exercise book or folder as your teacher may need to see these when you are back in class.
Banner image from How many mice make an elephant? (c) Pan Macmillan. Used with permission.