JRN 302: Introduction to Graphics and Visual Communication- Alignment, PS Demos

Thursday, 9/17/15

Class Objectives

Lecture Alignment PS Demos: Warning on Transforms, Guides, Rulers Work on your logo

Homework assignments Logo assignment due by the end of class, on Tuesday,

9/29/15

Alignment and Novice Designers

New designers tend to put text and graphics on the page wherever there happens to be space, often without regard to any other items on the page.

Goal of alignment is to NOT place anything arbitrarily on the page Every item should have a visual connection with

something else on the page Alignment helps you organize and unify a design.

Best practices- work with guides!

Alignment

Can do with forced visual alignment Such as with text

Or with invisible alignment The viewer fills in the

alignment on his/her own… enough design elements present that allow this

Edge Alignment

Line up edges Any object with flat edge(s) can be used for

edge alignment. Rectangles are especially well

suited for this since they have four flat edges and 90 degree angles to align

But can line up other edges and angles as well

Center Alignment

Pick an axis and align shapes to it

Vertical alignment works with symmetry

This is the weakest type of alignment… what does that mean? Weak alignment = lower

design grade.

Alignment in PS

Work with guides (created from rulers) <View <Rulers

Can’t pull diagonal guides – can create a layer with lines on it… line tool is behind shape tool (pay attention to fill and stroke).

Or with alignment buttons (from PS tutorial 3) “Box out” your logo

Everything lines up to something else So do not just put a symbol and text and have

them not aligned to each other or integrated in some way

PS Demo: warning about distortions When draw or transform something, it is critical

you do not SKEW/DISTORT anything Hold that shift button down!! NEVER adjust by moving middle handle!!

If, in you logo design, something is skewed, points will be deducted

So circles should be circles, people should be normal looking

Repeat: Never, never, never skew or distort a logo or anything in a logo that shouldn’t be distorted

Alignment and your logo

The most important design principal for your logo is alignment Pull guides (from rulers) in Photoshop and line

elements up with them You determine how and where to align

symbol/shape with text

In PS, pull guides and then go to <Show <Hide Guides