Once I had started studying design, reading the paper or a magazine was never the same. I couldn’t open it without looking at what typeface was used, the underlying grid structure and the advertising. Years later, I worked in a studio that specialised in packaging design and a visit to the supermarket became a field trip. How does shape, materials, colour and typography affect a purchasing decision? How does design persuade? If you ask family and friends it has become an annoying trait, but we can learn a lot about design simply by looking at the visual communication that surrounds us. In fact a lot of books on graphic design are awards books or annuals i.e. photographs of work rather than textbooks. 

‘Graphic Design – the basics’ will examine the core principles of design, giving you the understanding and confidence to analyse the visual communication you encounter every day. I want to open your eyes. It will help you produce more effective visual communication, but the saturday paper will never be the same again.