Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
gin? Would the first and most important piece of information sit at the top of the page
and the least important at the bottom? In some cases this might be appropriate, but
designing with structure, a grid and hierarchy does not mean that information cannot
be presented to your audience in a dynamic and exciting way.
Having established a hierarchy and grid, we can begin to explore how we work
with them visually and creatively. This will involve adding some of the ingredients
we have mentioned before: scale, weight, colour, tone, space, graphical elements
(shapes/lines), placement and, in some formats, sound and movement. The selection
of typeface is also a key factor in the appearance, functionality and successful com-
munication of information. Fonts are designed for specific functions (display, text)
and many with a suggestion of a 'personality' or character attached to them. A
typeface may have a large 'family', meaning it is produced in different 'cuts' (roman,
italic, light, medium, bold, etc.), so a single font can offer the potential to create a
clear hierarchy if utilized effectively.
