Short Term Training for Graphics Design

Based on July 2023 Occupational Standard

By Fana Training and Research Center

Module Title: Basic Design Concept Development

Module code: CTP GRD2 M02 0723

Nominal duration: 40 Hours

Prepared by: Ministry of Labor and Skills

July, 2023
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Page 1 of 27 Ministry of Labor and Skills Solid waste collection Curriculum Version - 1
May,2021
 Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENT...............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................4
Unit One: Preparation for production.........................................................................................6
1.1 Concept of Layout Design............................................................................6
1.2 Principles of layout design and composition...................................................6
1.3 Layout design elements................................................................................9
1.4 Designing layouts with grids.........................................................................9
1.5 Designing production plan..........................................................................12
1.6 Graphic Design Process..............................................................................12
Self-Check 1..................................................................................................................................15
Unit Two: Producing and checking finished artwork................................................................3
2.1 Introduction to basic Photoshop tools.............................................................3
Self-Check 1..................................................................................................................................14
Reference........................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Ministry of Labor and Skill wishes to thank MoLS experts, regional Labor and Skill bureau, Regional
TVET bureau Universities, TVET Colleges TVT trainers and University lecturers’ industry experts who
contribute their time and professional experience to the development of this curriculum for Photo Images
Production and Preparation.
We would like also to express our appreciation to the Ministry of Labor and Skill, for their technical and
financial support and workshop facilitation of this training module development.
INTRODUCTION
Graphic design as the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books. This
definition is true, but it doesn’t provide much context. Graphic design is a skill, but it’s not limited to
advertisements, magazines, and books. Graphic design can be physical, digital and anywhere in-between.
Because of this abstractness and versatility, graphic design goes far beyond simply combining text and pictures.
In the same way, Graphic design focuses on communicating a message visually. Each project a graphic designer
works on will have a unique message and a desired result from that message. The message may be to provide
information, invoke thought, sell a product or even stimulate meaningful conversation. Graphic design is all
around you. It’s about expressing an idea in the best way using visual story telling. This may sound simple, but
it requires problem solving, communication, attentiveness, patience, and most importantly a good grasp of the
project’s desired result.
The popularization of social media and the advancements in technology have sparked curiosity about graphic
design. The ability to easily share information is leading to an increasing number of artists looking to share their
work and engage with new audiences. Technology provides opportunities for the most novice of art lovers to
share their artwork. Unfortunately, the ease of sharing information has led to an over saturation of artwork
throughout the design community. The over saturation of artwork makes it difficult to stand out and gain
recognition; making the study of graphic design essential for success. This series will serve as an overview of
graphic design and the elements of good design. The upcoming trainings will cover software component of
graphic design and its individual role in producing the finished product.
This module is designed to meet the industry requirement under the graphics design field occupational standard,
particularly for the unit of competency: GRAPHICS DESIGN.
This module covers the units:
 Preparation for production
 Produce and check finished artwork
Training Objective of the Module to:
 Understand graphics software
 Use software for production of graphics objects
Module Instruction
For effective use this modules trainees are expected to follow the following module instruction:
1. Read the information written in each unit
2. Accomplish the Self-checks at the end of each unit
3. Perform Operation Sheets which were provided at the last of units the module
4. Read the identified reference book for Examples and exercise
Unit One: Preparation for production
This unit is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following content coverage and
topics:
 Concept of layout design and prepress process
 Designing production plan
This unit will also assist you to attain the learning outcomes stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this learning guide, you will be able to:
 Define basic Concepts of layout design
 Identify designing production elements

1.1 Concept of Layout Design

Layout design is a fundamental branch of graphic design that concerns the arrangement of text and visuals. The
effectiveness of every type of design, from print to web, is largely influenced by layout. An effective layout not
only looks attractive, but also helps the viewer understand the message the design is conveying. In other words,
understanding layout is key when it comes to creating user-friendly, engaging designs, particularly in the realms
of web design and advertising.
Layout design refers to the arrangement of visual elements within a grid in order to convey a particular
message. The latter part of this definition is key. If a layout doesn't read well to the viewer, the design is
ineffective, no matter how trendy it looks.
Grids are useful in layout design because they help structure and organize content. Although grids are invisible
in the user-facing design, it’s easy to tell at a glance whether a layout follows a grid system. Later on, we’ll
discuss grids in more detail and look at some real-world examples of grids in action.
1.2 Principles of layout design and composition
Layout is interwoven with other fundamental principles of graphic design, such as color, contrast, repetition,
texture, and typography. Layout design also encapsulates the principles of:
 Hierarchy,
 Balance,
 Alignment,
 Proximity, and
 Space.
Let's take a look at these elements in more detail so that we can better understand how each contributes to
effective layout design.
Hierarchy
In design, hierarchy refers to the order of importance of the elements in a layout. One way to create hierarchy is
through size. In general, the largest element in a design is the most important, followed by the second largest,
and so on. The reason larger elements are more important is that they’re the first to draw the eye.

Another way to create hierarchy in a design, without manipulating size, is through contrast. Elements with
higher contrast stand out among lower contrast elements. A third way to create hierarchy is through the
positioning of elements. An element that stands alone draws more attention than a group of elements, even if
they’re all the same size and contrast level.
Balance
Balance is intrinsically appealing to the human eye. Therefore, it makes sense to create balance in graphic
design. A balanced layout incorporates either symmetry, asymmetry, or radial symmetry. Symmetrical and
asymmetrical balance are the most common in design and the easiest to achieve. Radial symmetry can work
well in print, but is harder to pull off on a website.
Alignment
There are two types of alignment in design: Edge alignment and center alignment. Edge alignment is when
elements are aligned to the top, bottom, left, or right edge of a layout. Left alignment is typically used for text
because we read text from left to right (in English). Center alignment is effective for smaller text sections, such
as a title or blurb, as well as images, icons, and other visuals.

Left alignment (L) center alignment (R) Right alignment (R)

Proximity
Proximity refers to elements that are positioned together or otherwise connected visually. In design, proximity
is important because it informs the viewer which elements are related to one another. Unrelated elements should
be spaced apart in order to avoid causing confusion.

Space
Space is important in a layout because it helps separate and organize different elements. In a grid, space
typically fills the gaps between columns, or gutters. But space can also draw attention to the elements that it
surrounds. When creating a layout, it’s essential that different elements have enough breathing room in order to
avoid overwhelming the viewer with too many competing elements.

Space between sections in a layout

 1.3 Layout design elements
In graphic design, layouts may contain a number of different elements. Below are some of the most common
design elements that contribute to layout:
Text: Text elements include titles, headings, and paragraphs. In text-heavy designs, these elements should be
laid out in an intuitive way that's easy to read.
Images: Photographs and other visuals, such as illustrations, help to break up text and communicate certain
messages. They are particularly effective at engaging viewers through emotion.
Lines: Lines are used to divide sections. They can also add emphasis to text.
Shapes: When used well, shapes add a touch of flair and personality to a layout. Rectangles and circles are the
most common, but there are many ways to get creative with shapes.
White space: As we discussed, adding space between sections of a layout prevents the user from getting
overwhelmed or fatigued when viewing a busy design.
The format and context of a design determine how these elements are implemented in a layout. For instance,
websites are typically text and image heavy. In contrast, advertisements are primarily image focused with a
minimal amount of text. When deciding how to balance the different elements of a design, it’s essential to
always consider the context and user experience. A website user, for example, is typically searching for
information or inspiration, and is willing to spend a minute or two to browse a webpage. Contrast this to
someone scrolling past an ad in their Facebook feed. If the ad doesn’t immediately grab their attention, the
opportunity is lost.

1.4 Designing layouts with grids

Design elements are arranged in some sort of grid in order to create a layout. The benefit of grids is that they
help create a balanced, organized layout. This makes the content flow more intuitively, and in turn creates a
better user experience.
The most common type of grid used in graphic and web design is the column grid. A column grid consists of a
row of vertical sections with space in between them. The space in between the columns is the gutter. Space can
also surround the edges of a grid, creating margins.
The number of columns in a column grid can vary. However, a good rule of thumb is to use 12 columns. The
reason is that we can easily divide 12 columns into various smaller sections. For example, you could have two
large columns containing six columns each, or four columns containing three columns each, and so on. This
divisibility allows for a lot of flexibility in the layout of a design.
In order to better understand the value of grids and how they’re used in design, it’s helpful to look at some
examples. Below are a few well-balanced designs in the print and digital world that utilize a column grid.
The Rule of Thirds
A helpful technique for creating effective layouts is to implement the Rule of Thirds. This rule is very simple,
yet highly effective in creating balance in a layout. To implement it, simply divide your layout into three
columns and rows. The lines create guidelines for any linear elements in the design. The points where the lines
intersect form the focal points of the design.
In the below examples, we see how the laptop in the left photo loosely follows the left vertical and bottom
horizontal lines. The point where the center of the laptop meets the coffee cup forms the focal point of the
image.
In the right image, the woman’s body and laptop follow the guidelines of the 3 x 3 grid. Both of these images
also effectively utilize empty space to draw more attention to the main focal points.
Although the Rule of Thirds is commonly associated with photography, we can implement it in our layout
designs as well. It’s especially useful if we’re struggling to create a balanced layout with our grid. Below are a
couple examples of landing pages that successfully create balance through the Rule of Thirds. As you’ll see,
this rule isn’t an exact science, but it can provide some guidance when designing a layout.

Creating rule of third

Step 1 In Photo-shop, press in a key board Ctrl + K to open your Preferences.
Step 2 Click on Guides, Grid & Slices from the list on the left and change the settings for the Grid section as
follows:
Gridline every 100 percent,
Subdivisions 3, and click OK.
This creates a grid that divides the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically.

Step 3 turn on the grid by pressing in a keyboard Ctrl-‘(apostrophe), a rule-of-thirds grid will be superimposed
over the image. The working page looks like as follows:
 1.5 Designing production plan
As a Graphic Designer/Production, you will perform graphic design, assist in product design, and help in the
release of printed materials for your businesses. You will work with other designers and artists to set production
timelines and produce printed materials. You need to have computer skills, creativity, time management, and
determine the message behind the design. You will usually design for magazines, newspapers, direct mail
literature, and marketing campaigns. You may also work for computer system design services or Web design
companies.

1.6 Graphic Design Process

Graphic design is a critical visual communication tool marketers use to convey key messages about a brand that
resonate with target audiences. It’s all about producing visual assets that are eye-catching, on-brand and aligned
with specific messaging.
The graphic design process, then, is what a designer follows to bring design ideas to life while serving a client’s
end goals.
As a creative process, designing graphics involves equal parts of “creative” and “process.” In other words, a
graphic designer will adhere to logical, step-by-step procedures all the way to completion. Creative ideation and
original design work fit into this process. But they’re not the only skills or considerations that result in
successful design. The graphic design process involves a great deal of communicating, critical thinking and
problem solving, too.
The Graphic Design Process in 6 Steps
Whether you produce the graphics for an in-house marketing team, or you’re a graphic designer serving a big
book of clients, you and your collaborators will benefit from a clear production and approvals process. No
matter how skilled you are at creating visuals, refining your graphic design process can streamline cross-team
workflows and help you arrive at a more successful end result, faster.
Here’s how to turn a concept into a compelling visual communication tool, from the creative brief to the
finished product:
1. Build Out the Creative Brief
Before you get going with digital drawing tools, the first step in your graphic design process should be
establishing the creative brief. Also called a design brief, this document will capture all of your client’s wants
and needs and other key project specifications.
your creative brief should address:
 Company information (e.g., mission, offerings, unique value proposition).
 Brand guidelines.
  Target audience.
 Asset type (e.g., logo design, …)
 Purpose of the asset and how it fits into the overarching marketing campaign.
 Initial design concept or creative direction.
 Production-related design specifications.
 Delivery format and file type.
 Project timeline, with key milestones.
 Budget or cost of the design work.
Review the project intake form with all key stakeholders to ensure all the important details are captured and
everyone is on the same page.
2. Research the Design Ecosystem
Now that you know your creative mission, it’s time to start your preliminary visual exploration. During the
research stage, spend time:
 Understanding the specific product or service you’re representing.
 Examining competitors’ design work.
 Assessing your brand’s market positioning and differentiating qualities.
 Exploring other visual content your target audience consumes, beyond your niche.
 Considering how you might apply color theory and design trends.
 Gathering inspiration images and building out a moodboard.
Research is an important part of what a graphic designer does. You’ll use your findings to inspire original ideas,
solidify the overall design approach with other stakeholders and back up the design decisions you make later on.
3. Develop and Refine the Graphic Design Concept
Armed with your design brief and a wealth of information from the research process, it’s time to start building
out the framework for what the asset will ultimately look like.
Depending on what you’re working on, the concept development and refinement stage may involve sketching
out thumbnails, mockups or graphic elements. Larger and more significant projects, like an abstract or text
logo development and web design, may require more fine-tuning and several iterations before moving into
production.
4. Create the Design
Once all stakeholders are in agreement and you have all that you need to proceed with the design, it’s time to
execute the project.
During the design stage, a graphic designer will be expected to implement best practices related to the use of
color, typography, the hierarchy of information and positive and negative space. They’ll also put technical skills
to the test, using the right graphic design software and other applied productivity tools to get the job done in the
most efficient way possible.
Before sending off your design, conduct a self-critique and examine your work with an editing eye. Are there
any design elements that seem out of place? Does your visual hierarchy support the goals outlined in the
creative brief?
5. Collect and Implement Feedback
The feedback stage involves a series of smaller steps that ensure quality control and perfect alignment with your
stakeholders’ vision.
Depending on what type of team you’re working with, this part of the graphic design process may look
something like this:
 Submit the design work for internal review.
 Make any requested changes.
 Present the updated design to your client or other decision-makers.
 Explain how your design decisions align with the creative brief and the direction you agreed on.
 Gather feedback from all stakeholders.
 Confirm your next steps.
 Make the requested changes.
 Present this new version to the rest of the team.
From there, rinse and repeat until you’ve reached the final version and there are no outstanding change requests.
6. Finalize and Deliver the Design Assets
Now that you’ve gotten final approval from all stakeholders, you’re ready to deliver the assets in the appropriate
formats. Package them up so they’re ready for production and can be easily implemented into whatever digital
or print format your recipients need.
Your creative brief should articulate what deliverables you should share. For instance, you should make sure to
send the asset in the correct file types and sizes so no changes are needed later on. Helping your recipients avoid
the hassle of modifying the files or asking for further support can make for a better experience for everyone
involved.
 Use Photoshop application for graphic design
Unit Two: Producing and Checking Finished Artwork
This unit is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following content
coverage and topics:
 Basic Photoshop tools
 Using of basic tools
This unit will also assist you to attain the learning outcomes stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this learning guide, you will be able to:
 Identify Photoshop tools
 Create own objects

2.1 Introduction to basic Photoshop tools

As we discuss before, Photoshop provides various types of tools. So, some of the commonly used tools are:
1. Move tool
This tool is used to move the selected area or the entire layer simply by dragging it with your mouse or
using your keyboard arrow keys. Using this tool, you can move the selected area anywhere in the
image according to your requirements. By default, this tool moves the selected area and if the area is
not selected, then it will move the entire layer. You can select move tool from the tool palette or just
hold down the Ctrl key in windows.

Example:

Step 1: Open an image in Photoshop.

 Step 2: Select the part of the image that you want to move using any selection tool.
Step 3: Select the Move tool from the tool palette.
Step 4: After selecting the move tool just hold the left click on your mouse and drag the selected section.
And put that selected part to anywhere in the image. That’s all you have to do to use this tool.

2. Rectangular Marquee tool

This tool is also a selection tool. Using the Rectangular Marquee tool, you can make a rectangular-shaped
selection or geometric shapes. You can select the Rectangular Marquee tool from the tool palette.

Example:

Step 1: Open the image in Photoshop.

Step 2: Select the Rectangular Marquee tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: After selecting the Rectangular Marquee tool just hold the left click on your mouse and drag on the
image layer, then it will create a rectangular selection on the image layer and that’s all you have to do to use this
tool.
3. Lasso Tool
This tool is also a selection tool. This tool allows you to draw a freehanded choice border around the object you
wish to pick out in your image. You can select the Lasso Tool from the tool palette or the shortcut for the lasso
tool is L.

Example:
Step 1: Open the image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the Lasso Tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: After selecting the Lasso tool now click on the image from where you want to draw and just draw a
selection with the help of the cursor just like drawing on paper with a pencil by pressing the mouse pointer. On
releasing the pointer our drawing will turn into a selection like as shown in the below image and that’s all you
have to do to use this tool.
4. Crop Tool
This tool allows you to choose an area of an image and discard everything outside this area. It also
straightens photos in Photoshop. The cropping process does not alter the size of the image content. It is a non-
destructive tool, and you can also choose to retain the cropped pixels to optimize the crop boundaries later. You
can select the Crop Tool from the tool palette.

Example:
Step 1: Open the image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the Crop Tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: After selecting the crop tool you will get a rectangular box on your image using this rectangular box
you can adjust the size of the area that your want to crop and that’s all you have to do to use this tool.
5. EyeDropper Tool
In Adobe Photoshop, the eyedropper tool is one of the easy-to-use tool. It is generally used by digital painters,
editors, and other people who use Photoshop. This tool is used to select a color from an image or any Photoshop
document and add them to your Swatches panel.

Example:
Step 1: Open the image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the eyedropper Tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: After selecting the eyedropper tool, put your mouse over the image and click to pick the sample image.
A ring will appear on the screen like as shown in the below image and that’s all you have to do to use this tool.

6. Patch Tool
This tool is used to remove spots and marks from the images. Or in other words, It is used for painting and
retouching images like removing big scar or an oversized space of skin. This tool is generally hidden behind the
Healing Brush tool within the Tools panel.
Example:
Step 1: Open the image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the Patch Tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: After selecting the patch tool, draw a circle on the area that you want to remove and drag that circle to
the new area, and when you release your mouse you will see the changes. Like as shown in the below image
here we remove the hole from the leaf using this tool.

7. Brush Tool
The brush tool is the most commonly used tool in Photoshop almost every Photoshop user uses this tool. This
tool is just like the brush in the real world. It is used to paint canvas in Photoshop.

Example:
Step 1: Open the image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the Brush Tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: Now we select green color(or any color) from the palette.
Step 4: After selecting the brush tool just hold the left click on your mouse and drag over the image. It will start
painting and that’s all you have to do to use this tool.
8. Clone Stamp Tool
This tool is helpful once you have to copy the same detail and color from one part of a picture to a different
space image. With this tool, you’ll be able to use an associated empty layer to keep your retouching break away
the most image

Example:
Step 1: Open two images in Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the clone stamp tool from the tool palette.
Step 3: After selecting clone stamp tool, now position the cursor over the section that you want to clone(in
image 1) and then press Alt key in windows or option key in mac to define the clone source. After defining the
clone source now place your cursor on the section(in image 2) where your want to paint the cloned pixel and
then start painting.
9. Eraser Tool
This tool is the most commonly used tool in Photoshop. It will create clear constituents or match them to the background
image color. Or in other words, this tool is used to change the color of the pixels either in the background color or to a
transparent.

Example:
Step 1: Open Photoshop.

Step 2: Select the eraser tool from the tool palette.

Step 3: After selecting the eraser tool, just simply hold left click of your mouse and erase the area that you
want to remove from your image like as shown in the below image:

10. Gradient Tool

This tool allows you to form a gradual transition between two or additional colors by exploiting the Gradient
Tool. This tool may be applied to any designated space of a picture. If no space is chosen, the gradient is
applied to the whole layer.

Example:
Step 1: Open Photoshop.
Step 2: Select the gradient tool from the tool palette and apply the gradient effect on your image.
Layers
Photoshop works on a system of layers, which are like sheets of transparency. When you place objects on a
layer, they become part of the layer, just as if you had drawn on a transparency with a marker. If two objects are
on the same layer and you want to move them closer to each other, you need to cut them out with the lasso or
marquee tool and physically move them together. If they are on different transparent layers, however, all you
have to do is move the layers with the move tool until the objects are closer to each other.

To see all the layers in your document, go to Window > Show Layers. Here are the layers for the image on the
left. The eye icon on the left indicates that the layer is visible. Click on the eye to make a layer invisible. Select
a layer and then click the trash icon at the bottom to delete a layer. Click and drag on layers to change their
stacking order.
Working with Photoshop file
Photoshop is RASTER graphic software, which means it is used to edit the raster graphics. In this article, we
will learn how to create a new file, opening an existing file, and saving the existing file.
Creating a new file
In Photoshop, we can create a new file using the following steps:
Step 1: Open Photoshop.
Step 2: Go to the menu bar and click on the file
Step 3: When you click on the file option a drop down menu will appear on the screen. So, in this menu
select New option.
Step 4: When you click on the New option a popup window will appear, as shown in the below image. It will
contain different options/settings for the new document, like you can set the name, height, width of the
document, etc. according to your requirements.
Step 5: After completing the setting for the new document click on the create button.

Now you are ready to do your artwork.

Opening an existing file

To open the existing file in Photoshop, follow the following steps:

Step 1: Go to the menu bar and click on the file

Step 2: When you click on the file option, a drop down menu will appear on the screen. So, in this menu
select Open option.

Step 3: When you click on the Open option a popup window will appear, as shown in the below image. It will
contain all the files present in the specified folder on your computer.
Step 4: Choose the desired file from the window and then click open.

Saving a File
In Photoshop, we can also save our documents in different types of file formats. Photoshop supports 15+ file
formats and some of the commonly used file formats are:
  .PSD: It stands for Photoshop Document. It is the native file format of Photoshop and preserves layers,
colors of the image, etc. You can use this format when you want to share the document with other
Photoshop users or you want to save your document in the native format.
 .JPG or .JPEG: It stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It is the most commonly used file
format. Such types of files are generally used by the photo labs to print and view images or you can
attach JPEG files with the emails. Almost every browser or software supports this format.
 .PNG: It stands for Portable Network Graphics. It is also a commonly used file format. It supports all
color modes, 24-bit images, and transparency.
 .BMP: It stands for bitmap. this format is generally used when you want to add images to system
resources, such as wallpaper, etc.
 .GIF: It stands for CompuServe GIF. It is also a popular file format. It indexed color, animated images,
and supports the smallest file sizes.

Reference
Adobe Photoshop Help. 2022 adobe company web site [Link]
Adobe Photoshop CC Classroom in a Book (2015 release) 2016 Adobe Systems Incorporated and its
Adobe illustrator Help. 2022 adobe company web site [Link]
Adobe Illustrator CC Classroom in a Book (2019 Release) by Brian Wood ([Link])
Ebikapade Amasuomo and Jim Baird. 2016. The Fundamentals of Graphic Design. Published by AVA
Publishing SA Rue des Fontenailles 16 Case Postale 1000 Lausanne 6 Switzerland
Gavin Ambrose and Paul Harris. 2009. The Fundamentals of Graphic Design: Published by AVA Publishing
SA Rue des Fontenailles 16 Case Postale 1000 Lausanne 6 Switzerland.
Rune Pettersson.2023. Graphic Design. Sweden, Tullinge: Institute for Infology.
Steve bark. 2012. An introduction to adobe Photoshop. ventus publishing licensors. All rights reserved
Viraj Circar and Veena Sonwalkar. 2020. An Introduction to Graphic design.
 Participants of this Module (training material) preparation
No Name Qualification Field of Organization/ Mobile E-mail
(Level) Study Institution number
1 Leyouwork Tadesse A Bachelor of Ministry of Culture 0929131555 leyouworktadessesisay@[Link]
Sisay Visual Arts and Sports m
and Design
2 Andualem Tirit A Bachelor of Ministry of Culture 0918196347 [Link]@[Link]
Ejegayehu visual and and Sports
literary Arts

Page 1 of 27 Ministry of Labor and Skills Solid waste collection Curriculum Version - 1
May,2021