Graphic Design

**Erica Johnson** · July 29th, 2006, 06:41 PM

Hi. I have been checking out some of the sub-forums and learning and reading, but I have a question. I was wondering if you guys ever discuss graphic design or concentrate on that? I am looking to start putting my art towards things like logos, web designs, t-shirt designs, cd covers, and various advertisements. I will freelance my skills by starting an amateur company, meaning just me and whoever I decide to work with, some business cards, and a fresh bank account, hehe.

I would like to know if there are any fellow graphic designers here. I have been acquired to design for a clothing company and I would ALSO like to know if anyone has any knowledge about taking your art to t-shirts, hats, and other forms of clothing. Do you know of any good sites? I am basically just providing the art and they will do the rest, but I would like to learn about this process because I love fashion and would like to start designing art for that. I don't know if this is the type of forum for this subject, but I figured that you all covered graphical design here as well.

Thanks.

**Jason Rainville** · July 29th, 2006, 06:55 PM

Graphic design student here

Go ahead and post anything you have. Just because a lot of the people here haven't been through design training does NOT mean that they can't give very useful advice.

Afterall, when it comes down to it most of the basics for illustration (I use the term broadly) and graphic design are pretty much the same - value, colour, unity and (most importantly) creative IDEAS are discussed here at length in all sorts of threads.

**Erica Johnson** · July 29th, 2006, 06:59 PM

Truuuuee. So, I post and people basically tell me if it is crappy, cool, what can be done to make it better, and what I need to work on overall in my art and what is fine?

I will get to taking care of putting some of my work here. Oh, that's cool you are a graphic design student, good luck with it.

**Jason Rainville** · July 29th, 2006, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Erica Johnson

Truuuuee. So, I post and people basically tell me if it is crappy, cool, what can be done to make it better, and what I need to work on overall in my art and what is fine?

I will get to taking care of putting some of my work here. Oh, that's cool you are a graphic design student, good luck with it.

Thanks

Oh, just make sure you put your work in the right section. If it's a workl in progress, isn't done, sketches WIP section. If you want to get some honest and tough feedback for it, critique center. Head to the finally finished only if you're confident your work is top notch.

**Dile_** · July 29th, 2006, 08:05 PM

And if your going to update frequently, start a sketchbook

Im looking forward to see some work from you

**Ilaekae** · July 30th, 2006, 11:40 PM

Little late in welcoming you, Erica, so...welcome.

There are a number of Design students and professional designers here. There's even a retired one, but he's an asshole, so don't listen to him. Just post your stuff. You'll get good crits, bad crits, questions and sometimes laughter. They all help.

...and from what I've seen of your posts so far, you don't have to worry about anything. You sound like you actually have your shit together.

**jock13** · July 30th, 2006, 11:46 PM

i just got accepted to a class exactly for this.

**timpaatkins** · July 31st, 2006, 01:46 AM

Hi Erica, Dad Illaekae Is right (as usual) post sutff, and youll get good crits!
I do freelance GD (degree), coming over to the Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC) to study fine arts for a few years (hopefully melding the more abstract and conceptual in to the corporate stuff le learnt at Berghs, and getting some killer contacts in the fashion industrie), so anything I can help you with I will!

**Jabo** · July 31st, 2006, 05:10 AM

Hi there,

Discussing graphic design in such places as art forums is - to tell the truth - wrong. Even the best illustrators and artist are sometimes the worst graphic designers. This occurs in photography as well. Some great photos, but no clue about type, layout and color. You will often run into places where everyone thinks he can do design, using photoshop and oher "pro" equipment, because he/she can beat nice illustrations out of it. What you get is below-average, but with lensflares and funky typefaces that make a type designer vomit.

If you're seeking comments on your graphic design... Well. There are few resources on the web. Forums dealing with graphic design are full of wannabes aswell, but with a really aggressive and egoistic accent to it. Also, it's hard to tell good from average gd if you're not into it for some time. Best thing to do is grab some design magazines and keep reading them. This is for beginners of course, I couldn't find info about what and how long you've been into.

**Ilaekae** · July 31st, 2006, 09:52 AM

Jabo, I really have to disagree with you here at least in part. Yeah, some of the worst design I ever saw in my life came from a few professional illustrators, generally because they're so damn close-minded they "don't know why they should waste their time studying shit like basic layout, press prep and typography instead of drawing." But...I just told our young friend there are people here who DO work in that end of the field, and a search of the pros here would support that, not to mention the students that pop in and out.

There are also people here who are not only competent graphic designers, but also sustain a solid and respected reputation in both the illustration and fine arts fields. Just because MOST people choose to do only one thing doesn't mean EVERY ONE does it. In fact, for the record, since this a forum for Concept Art (Sorry...I still think that is the dumbest fuckin' term ever invented by man...), even the pure illustrators here are technically "outsiders."

Basically, what I'm saying is that there are quite a few people here more than qualified to crit her work. And for a forum that holds such high regard for the "fundamentals" and professionalism, I couldn't think of a better place to come for a crit. Sure beats the hell out of going to some so-called design forum where some half-assed brat who thinks doing all his clients' work to look like 40's matchbook covers is trendy is going to be squeeking judgement on her portfolio...

**strych9ine** · July 31st, 2006, 10:07 AM

I'm a designer, so it becomes a large part of what I show in my sketchbook too. For some of us, design is inseperable from our art regardless of what boundry lines it falls between (illustration, fine art, graphic and web design). I pop a lot of that shit in my sketchbook, there are people here who feel the same way about it so you will get some feedback.

**entdroid** · July 31st, 2006, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Jabo

Even the best illustrators and artist are sometimes the worst graphic designers.

And that's why there should be more graphic design posts here

All the areas that you mentioned are related, and each one could benefit a lot of learning from the others: I'm a graphic designer and have learned a lot from these boards, and I've seen GD influence in many of my favourite illustrators and artists' work.

**Jabo** · July 31st, 2006, 10:22 AM

Ilaekae: I didn't mean to suppose that there are no skilled gds here at CA. But I'm sure an unexperienced person might get alot of wrong suggestions before there's someone who is experienced enough to give a good crit. It's not really a question of people having skills in graphic design, it's about the right or wrong place you can come to.

Nevertheless, if you – Erica – would like to receive some crit or comments about your work, take my word as an invitation to do so and expose. I'm rather into layout, picture editing and type tho, so illustrative graphic design is probably not what I should comment about.

**GriNGo** · July 31st, 2006, 11:52 AM

Welcome Erica, another Graphic Design student here is willing to help you out

**Erica Johnson** · July 31st, 2006, 12:47 PM

Hey, I just read the whole thread, including my posts, haha.

Anyway, my point is that I read ya'll's replies and have some comments:

First, thanks for taking the time to reply and giving me welcomes and advice. Appreciate it.

Ilaekae: Thanks, I will watch out for the retired old fart.

I agree that I think the term "concept art" is a misleading term at times in terms of this site 'cause this site is much more than that. But, you know, I have to respect the CA Gods.

Strychnine: I will check out your sketchbook, thanks for replying and letting me know you got some related work in your SB.

Tim: That sounds interesting, good luck with it. That is an always fun to view, abstract graphic design. The world needs it.

Jabo: I actually understand what you mean. I would like to visit graphic design forums, sites, and read magazines, but I don't know where to find any of those. However, the reason I am content learning more from here in relation to graphic design is because people have talent here and an eye for attractive and convincing art and that is what my goal is in everything I do, so you know, it's all good. Do you happen to know of any good sites or information on designing images for clothing and that process?

Entdroid:Yea, I've noticed that about various artist and illustrations as well. Sometimes they may feature some type or you can see the emphasis on layout or something like that. It adds a different feel to some things.

Jabo: Thanks. I like to study layout, type, picture editing in more depth also. I always want to learn more. I wish they had some tutorials here about stuff like that, but I do respect the fact that maybe that isn't an area they want to develop here.

Gringoloco: I will remember that!

If anyone has any more information about the fashion aspect of creating art and then transfering it to clothing, then I would appreciate it. You know, something as simple as developing a dope design and then selling it to an interested label/company.

I am going to start a sketchbook.

**Jabo** · July 31st, 2006, 01:04 PM

Yeah, a sketchbook would be really helpful to understand what you do and how you do it (technically speaking).

About the links: The only graphic design site I visit is probably the biggest in germany, but only for technical questions. Again, it's german, so i guess it won't help you.

About Clothing: Well, that's all very technical. You have to know how the cloths are gonna be produced. Either by screen printing (or silk printing, don't know what is right in english) or by weaving. I don't have any informations about weaving, but for screen printing, wikipedia is a good start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silkscreening

One moment... am I understanding right? You want to PRINT your artwork on clothes? Or do you mean you want to design clothes? That's a major difference

Just thought I'd ask before writing about the screenprinting-methods...

**Erica Johnson** · July 31st, 2006, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Jabo

Yeah, a sketchbook would be really helpful to understand what you do and how you do it (technically speaking).

About the links: The only graphic design site I visit is probably the biggest in germany, but only for technical questions. Again, it's german, so i guess it won't help you.

About Clothing: Well, that's all very technical. You have to know how the cloths are gonna be produced. Either by screen printing (or silk printing, don't know what is right in english) or by weaving. I don't have any informations about weaving, but for screen printing, wikipedia is a good start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silkscreening

One moment... am I understanding right? You want to PRINT your artwork on clothes? Or do you mean you want to design clothes? That's a major difference

Just thought I'd ask before writing about the screenprinting-methods...

LOL What makes you think I don't speak German? My sister-in-law is actually German.

Assume nothing grasshopper.

Oh, I said, "I am having my designs printed and wanted to know more about the process." So nah, not looking for info on designing the cuts, styles, and what not of clothes, but more info on the process of designing a graphic and then putting it on something like high-quality t-shirts, shirts, hats, socks, shoes. Such as, first I design and then how is the best way to present my finished design to the company, what are some good tips on scanning and stuff like that.

Thanks again!