Imagery Basics

Using images is not always required to use in design. In fact, some of the most amazing designs that I have seen use typographic skills alone to bring in the emotion and the tone. However, selectively chosen photography or images can create an high visual impact for the design, adding tone, volume, emotion and an overall deeper level of understand well beyond of what a headline or a paragraph can do.

The first set of images or colors you should find is the background color. Some people prefer it to leave it blank, some might add a little flare to there project and add some sort of color that will be in high contrast with the text (so it can be read). The images can also work as sketches in a sense that even if you don’t know what images you want exactly you can simply write down the images you want to have there, then go through stock websites and find them.

Perhaps something will strike you and you’ll want to combine typography and imagery together. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful pieces done when typography was mixed with the image to create something unrealistic but very original at the same time.

Imagery places a big role in projects, but sometimes they aren’t needed. You need to choose very carefully what images you want to show because even though you might be getting what you’re talking about, the audience might not. If you get to a point where you are doubting something, then ask your peers or mentors, its always great to have a second opinion on something that you might not be comfortable with.