COMPREHENSIVE

GUIDE TO ADVANCING
t

AS A GRAPHIC
DESIGNER
 INSTRUCTOR

t
Xaydar jama
Brand Identity Designer || Graphic Design Coach

@xaydartech

@xaydartech

@xaydartech
 COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO
INTRODUCTION TO
ADVANCING AS A t GRAPHIC DESIGN
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 1

Design theory and

COMPREHENSIVE foundation
GUIDE TO  Principles of design
ADVANCING AS A  Color theory
Typography theory
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
t 
 Layout theory
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 2

Essential graphic
COMPREHENSIVE designer tools &
GUIDE TO software's
ADVANCING AS A
• Computer and equipment
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
t

• Photo editing Software

• Vector based software
• Layout Software

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 3

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO Learn to create
ADVANCING AS A in-demand design
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Projects
t

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 4

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO
Find a supportive
ADVANCING AS A t design Community
GRAPHIC DESIGNER + Inspiration

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 5

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO Train & Develop
ADVANCING AS A t Your
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eye For (Good)
Design

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 6

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO
ADVANCING AS A Conclusion
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
t

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHIC DESIGN

Graphic design ?

Graphic design is a creative art that involves

combining images, typography, and other visual
elements to convey ideas, messages, and
information.

Graphic design involves both creative and th

technical skills.
Designers need to have a good understanding of
color theory, composition, typography, and the
principles of design. Additionally, they often use
graphic design software such as Adobe Creative
Suite (including Photoshop, Illustrator, and
InDesign) or other tools to bring their creative
ideas to life.
 INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHIC DESIGN

Graphic design ?

Graphic
It means visual,
So, the graphic part of graphic design is made up
visual elements and is the building block of th
design.
The basic visual element that combines to create
graphic design include the following:
Line, Color, texture, Shape, Space, layout,
typography .
 INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHIC DESIGN

Graphic design ?

Design t
Is to decide upon the look and function of
something before it’s made. So, design is
thinking and problem solving.
 INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHIC DESIGN

Design theory

Design theory is the asking and answering of the

question “ Why am I designing it this way? ” If you can’t
answer that question at every stage of the design
process, you probably need to do a bit more thinking
t
 1

Design theory and

COMPREHENSIVE foundation
GUIDE TO  Principles of design
ADVANCING AS A  Color theory
Typography theory
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
t 
 Layout theory
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 2

Essential graphic
COMPREHENSIVE designer tools &
GUIDE TO software's
ADVANCING AS A
• Computer and equipment
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
t

• Photo editing Software

• Vector based software
• Layout Software

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 3

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO Learn to create
ADVANCING AS A in-demand design
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Projects
t

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 4

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO
Find a supportive
ADVANCING AS A t design Community
GRAPHIC DESIGNER + Inspiration

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 5

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO Train & Develop
ADVANCING AS A t Your
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eye For (Good)
Design

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 6

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO
ADVANCING AS A Conclusion
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
t

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 1.1
PRINCIPLES OF
DESIGN
DESIGN THEORY AND
FOUNDATION 

Balance
Emphasis
 Contrast
 Principles of design t  Movement
 Color theory  Harmony
 Typography theory  Repetition
 Layout theory
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

BALANCE
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

BALANCE
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

UNBALANCE
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Emphasis

You will read this

Before you read this
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Emphasis
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Contrast

Contrast

Contrast
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Movement
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Movement
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Harmony

Good Harmony

Lack of harmony
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Repetition
 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

Repetition
 1.2

COLOR THEORY
DESIGN THEORY AND
 Intro to Color theory
FOUNDATION  Hue, Saturation, Value
 Color wheel
t
 Principles of design  Color Harmony
 Color theory  Color psychology
 Typography theory  Color Temperature
 Layout theory  Color Modes
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 COLOR THEORY

COLOR THEORY

Everywhere we look, we see color.

It's an important part of life and also plays an
important role in design.
Colors can help us to decide what food we
can eat. th
It can alert us of danger.
And it also helps us make choices throughout
the course of our day.
Understanding color and the way that we see
color will help you become a better designer
and artist.
 COLOR THEORY

COLOR THEORY

So, what exactly is color?

It is the property of what we see when we
interact with light and other objects.
Now let’s go over some basic terms to help
you better understand about color theory. th
 Hue
 Saturation
 Value
 COLOR THEORY

COLOR THEORY

 Hue
The name of the color like: red, blue, green, yellow,
orange
 Saturation
Refers the intensity or purity of hue th

High saturation means the color is really bright.

Desaturation Means the color looks washed out
 Value
Is refers the degree of lightness or darkness of a hue
This value shows you a full range of values
i. Shade Hue produced by adding black
ii. Tint Is a hue produced by adding white
iii. Tone Is a hue produced by adding grey
 COLOR THEORY

Color wheel

The color wheel is a chart representing the

relationships between colors. Based on a circle
showing the colors of the spectrum originally
fashioned by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666, the color
wheel he created serves many purposes today.
Painters use it to identify colors to mix and th
designers use it to choose colors that go well
together.
 Primary Colors:
 Secondary Colors
 Tertiary Colors
 COLOR THEORY

Color wheel

• Primary Colors:
Yellow, red, blue Color Primary
• Secondary Colors Wheel colors
Orange, Violet, Green
• Tertiary Colors
Yellow orange, Red orange
Blue violet, red violet
Blue green, yellow green

Secondary Tertiary
Colors Colors
 COLOR THEORY

Color Harmony
Color Harmony
Color harmony is the base of any design and artwork
because designers use these color relationships to
convey messages and create a particular look:
I. Complementary color schemes use two opposite
colors on the color wheel.
II. Monochromatic color schemes use three different
values of the same color.
III. Analogous color schemes use three adjacent
colors on the color wheel.
IV. Split complements is a color scheme using one
color scheme uses two colors across the color
wheel .
V. Triadic color schemes use three evenly spaced
colors on the color wheel.
VI. Tetradic color schemes use two complementary
pairs.
 COLOR THEORY

Color Harmony

Complementary color schemes use two opposite

colors on the color wheel :

Blue violet, Yellow orange

 COLOR THEORY

Color Harmony

Monochromatic color schemes use three different

values of the same color.

Red
 COLOR THEORY

Color Harmony

Analogous color schemes use three

adjacent colors on the color wheel.

Blue-Green, Green, Yellow-Green

 COLOR THEORY

Color Harmony

Split complements is a color scheme

using one color scheme uses two colors
across the color wheel

Blue, Yellow orange, Red orange

 COLOR THEORY

Color Harmony

Tetradic color schemes use two complementary

pairs.

zz

Blue, red, green, yellow

orange
 COLOR THEORY
Color Psychology

Color psychology is the study of color’s impact on human

behavior. It aims to understand why and how different hues
affect our feelings, behavior and decision-making processes.
Red: excitement, strength, love energy
Orange: confidence, success.
Yellow: creativity, happiness, warmth, cheer.
Green: nature, healing, freshness, quality.
Blue: trust, peace, loyalty, competence
Pink: Compassion, sincerity, sophistication, sweet.
Purple: royalty, luxury, spirituality, ambition.
Brown: dependable, simple
Black: security, dramatic
White: clean, honest Gray: Lonely, fresh, good
COLOR THEORY
RED
• Excitement,
• Strength,
• Love
• Energy
COLOR THEORY
Orange
• confidence,
• success,
• Bravery
• sociability
COLOR THEORY
Yellow
• creativity
• happiness
• warmth
• cheer
COLOR THEORY
Green
• Nature,
• Healing,
• Freshness,
• Quality
COLOR THEORY
Blue
• Trust,
• Peace
• Loyalty
• Competence
COLOR THEORY
Pink
• Compassion
• Sincerity
• Sophistication
• Sweet.
COLOR THEORY
Purple
• Royalty
• Luxury
• Spirituality
• Ambition.
COLOR THEORY
Brown
• Dependable
• Simple
COLOR THEORY
Black
• Security
• Dramatic
COLOR THEORY
White
• Clean
• Honest
COLOR THEORY
Gray
• Lonely
• Fresh
• Good
 COLOR THEORY

Color Temperature

Color temperature refers to how warm or cool a color is,

depending on where it's situated on the color wheel.
Colors in the yellow, orange and red spectrum are warm,
while colors in the green, blue and violet spectrum are
cool.

Cool Colors: Warm Colors:

Violet Yellow
Blue-Violet Yellow-Orange
Blue Orange
Blue-Green Red-Orange
Green Red
Yellow-Green Red-Violet
COLOR THEORY
Cool Picture
COLOR THEORY
Warm Picture
 COLOR THEORY

Color Modes

RGB and CMYK are modes for mixing color in graphic design. As a quick reference,
the RGB color mode is best for digital work, while CMYK is used for print products.
RGB: red green blue
CMYK: cyan, magenta, yellow, key
 1.3
TYPOGRAPHY
DESIGN THEORY AND THEORY
 Typefaces and Fonts
FOUNDATION  Common Types of Typefaces
t  Kerning
 Principles of design  Tracking
 Color theory
 Leading
 Typography theory
 Layout theory  Hierarchy
 Anatomy of Typography
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

First of all, typography is the art or

technique of display. Words are text and
are readable, digestible and appealing
way.
Typography plays one of the biggest roles
in design by setting the mood and tone. th
You only need to kwon a little to make a
big difference in the stuff you do every
day.
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY
Typefaces and Fonts

Typefaces are (the design of the characters) and fonts are

(the digital files that contain the typeface design).
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

Common Types of Typefaces :

a) Serif
b) Sans serif
c) Display
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY
POPULAR SERIF TYPEFACES
Serif
Have little strokes called serifs attached to the • Times New Roman
main part of the letter. • Baskerville
• Garamond
• Georgia
• Cambria
• Bodoni MT
• Bookman Old Style
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY
POPULAR SANS SERIF
TYPEFACES
Sans serif
Don’t have that extra stroke-hence the name,
which is French for “without serif” • Open Sans
• Lato
• Roboto Condensed
• Montserrat
• Poppins
• Raleway
• Oswald
• Helvetica
• Arial
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

Display :
Display typefaces come in many different
styles, like Script, blackletter, all-caps and plain
fancy, because of their decorative nature
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

Kerning:
is the spacing between Specific characters.
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

Tracking
the amount of space between the letters of
an entire word in equal increments.
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

Leading
Is the space between lines of text also known
as line spacing.
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

TYPOGRAPHY THEORY

Hierarchy
Is used to guide the reader’s eye to whatever
is most important, in other words it shows
them where to begin and where to go next,
using different levels.
 TYPOGRAPHY THEORY
ANATOMY TYPOGRAPHY
 1.4

LAYOUT THEORY
DESIGN THEORY AND  Proximity

FOUNDATION  White space

 Alignment
t
 Principles of design  Contrast
 Color theory  Hierarchy
 Typography theory  Repetition
 Layout theory
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 LAYOUT THEORY

LAYOUT THEORY

Proximity
Objects that are close together are perceived
as being related. So if you want people to
understand that two things are related, place
them close to each other
 LAYOUT THEORY

LAYOUT THEORY

White space
White space is an important part of every composition.
Now, this doesn't mean literal white space; it just
means negative space, like the spaces between your
content, between lines, and even the outer margins.
 LAYOUT THEORY

LAYOUT THEORY

Alignment
Alignment is something you deal with all the time, even if you
don't realize it. Whenever you type an email or create a
document, the text is aligned automatically. arrangement in a
straight line or in correct relative positions.
 LAYOUT THEORY

LAYOUT THEORY

Contrast
Contrast simply means that one item is different from another.
To create contrast in the example below, we've used color, more
than one style of text, and objects of differing sizes.
 LAYOUT THEORY

LAYOUT THEORY

Hierarchy
Is used to guide the reader’s eye to whatever is most important,
in other words it shows them where to begin and where to go
next, using different levels.
 LAYOUT THEORY

LAYOUT THEORY

Repetition
Repetition is a reminder that every project should have
a consistent look and feel. This means finding ways
to reinforce your design by repeating or echoing certain
elements.
 1.5

Design Thinking
DESIGN THEORY AND  Empathize
FOUNDATION  Define
 Ideate
tZ
 Principles of design  Prototype
 Color theory  Test
 Typography theory
 Layout theory
 Design Thinking

GRAPHIC DESIGN
 Design Thinking

Design Thinking

it’s about the designer putting themselves into the shoes of

the person who is going to interact with their design.

Design Thinking Makes You Think Outside the Box

Design Thinking

Empathize

Empathize – Understanding people

Empathy is vital to the design thinking process. It allows
designers to step outside their own biases to figure out
exactly what the user wants.
Design Thinking

Define

Define – Figuring out the problem

They need to define the problem that needs to be solved
through their design.
Design Thinking

Ideate

Ideate – Generating your ideas

They need to brainstorm several ideas of how to solve these
problems.
Design Thinking

Prototype

Prototype – Creation and experimentation

Decide what these ideas will look like and build them
Design Thinking

Test

Test – Refining the product

The intended audience tests the design to discover what did
and didn’t work.
 2

ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE DESIGNER TOOLS &
TO BECOMING SOFTWARE'S
A GRAPHIC DESIGNER t • Computer and equipment
• Photo editing Software
• Vector based software
• Layout Software

GRAPHIC DESIGN
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

Considerations When Purchasing a Computer

Purpose: Determine the primary use of the computer. Are you buying it for general use, gaming,
professional tasks like video editing or graphic design, or specific software requirements?

Operating System: Decide whether you prefer Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Processor (CPU): Look for a processor that offers the performance you need

Memory (RAM): Ensure that the computer has enough RAM to handle your tasks smoothly.

Storage: Choose between a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or a Solid State Drive (SSD).

Graphics Card (GPU): If you're gaming or working with graphics-intensive tasks like video editing
or 3D .

Display: Consider the size, resolution , screens under 10 inches are not recommended the bigger
the screen the more you can see your project without having to zoom in to see details.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

COMPUTER

PC OR MAC
With Macs costing 2x or sometimes even 3x the
price of a comparable windows computer cost
can be a factor in choosing which way to go.
There is a reason why Macs are more costly,tht
they use better materials for construction,
have better support and an easier to use UI
with less downtime due to virus or “bugs”.
Windows are very affordable though and run
all other design programs with ease.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

COMPUTER

Screen Size
screens under 10 inches are not recommended
the bigger the screen the more you can see your
project without having to zoom in to see details

14-16
12-13 inches
Under inches
10 inches
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

COMPUTER

minimum software requirements

RAM
4GB is minimum for running Design programs 8GB is recommended I personally recommend
16GB for those who plan on having multiple design programs open at the same time.
Processor
Core i5 or i7 , processor with 64-bit support, 2 GHz or faster processor
Storage (SSD)
3GB or higher I personally recommend at least 100 GB or higher hard drive storage.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

COMPUTER

External Hard Drive

using an external hard drive for backup is one of
the best protective measures one can take to
secure their data.
Antivirus software
Antivirus products work by detecting, quarantining
and/or deleting malicious code, to prevent
malware from causing damage to your device
Desk and chair
A standing desk and chair can encourage you to
be less sedentary, help reduce back pain and even
decrease your risk of illness.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

SOFTWARE

There are many choices when it comes to learning

design software.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is software that is

extensively used for raster image editing,
graphic design and digital art. It makes
use of layering to allow for depth and
flexibility in the design and editing
process, as well as provide powerful
editing tools, that when combined, are
capable of just about anything.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

Adobe Illustrator

This software is among the most helpful

for professionals, designers, and artists. It
provides various tools for creating
websites, logos for various brands, video
games, and print. This is vector-based
software in which we can easily scale up
the image without degrading image
quality.
ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER TOOLS & SOFTWARE'S

Adobe InDesign

Users utilize Adobe InDesign to create

digital and print media documents, design
posters, annual reports, magazines, and
various other projects. Tools provided with
this software allow a user to create reports
easily
 3

Learn to create
COMPREHENSIVE in-demand design
GUIDE TO Projects
ADVANCING AS A t • Graphic design project types
GRAPHIC DESIGNER and niches
• Graphic design job options

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Learn to create in-demand design Projects

Graphic design project types

Learn to create in-demand design Projects

Graphic design job options

Freelance designer
You are your own boss with freelancing. You may
work for one larger client or work with many
clients at the same time. Pay can be
unpredictable so there is added risk for
freelancers
Perfect For:
You are your own boss with freelancing. You may
work for one larger client or work with many
clients at the same time. Pay can be
unpredictable so there is added risk for
freelancers.
Learn to create in-demand design Projects

Graphic design job options

In-house designer
In-house graphic designers work full for one
company and help to maintain the company’s
visual brand across multiple channels including
digital and print items.

Perfect For:
Those who like working with the same brand each
day. Things are steady and pay is consistent and
that makes you feel good
Learn to create in-demand design Projects

Graphic design job options

Ad agency designer
Working for an ad agency gives you a nice blend
between in-house designers and freelancers as
you get to work with multiple clients and different
projects.
perfect for:

Those who prefer a fun creative work environment

and those who like to work with larger teams on
bigger projects.
 4

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO Find a supportive
ADVANCING AS A t design Community
GRAPHIC DESIGNER + Inspiration

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Find a supportive design Community + Inspiration

Design Community + inspiration

Where to post projects and find other designers

Behance.com
Freepick.com
Pinterest.com
shatterstock.com
google.com
youtube.com
Facebook.com
Intagram.com
 5

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO Train & Develop
ADVANCING AS A t Your
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eye For (Good)
Design

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Train & Develop Your Eye

Look for
inspiration t

outside of
your niche
Train & Develop Your Eye

Study the
principles of t

design
Train & Develop Your Eye

Break down t

other
designs
Train & Develop Your Eye

Pay t

attention to
the details
Train & Develop Your Eye

Observe
everything t

around you
through a
design lens
Train & Develop Your Eye

Bonus Tip:
Practice t

what you
observe
Train & Develop Your Eye

https://shape.method.ac/

https://color.method.ac/

t
https://bezier.method.ac/

https://cantunsee.space/
 6

COMPREHENSIVE
GUIDE TO
ADVANCING AS A t
Conclusion
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Conclusion

Conclusion

َ َ
َ َ ‫ما‬ َّ
َ ‫ن إال‬ َ
ِ ‫إلنسا‬ َّ َ
َ ‫وأن ل ْي‬
ِ‫س ل‬ َ
Conclusion

Conclusion

‫نظرية المزرعة‬
Conclusion

Conclusion

1. First of all, list your goals for learning or studying graphic design

2. Research the software you need to have

3. Research equipment and list what you need to purchase

4. Finding places of community and inspiration

5. There is no free lunch , Work hard ……

"Congratulations,
you have officially WELCOME TO
become a graphic THE WORLD
designer." t OF
GRAPHIC
DESIGN

GRAPHIC DESIGN