🖌️ Applied Art

3.1Introduction about Applied Arts (based on graphic design)

Applied art is art made for a practical purpose — art that "applies" to a real-world function. Graphic design is a major branch of applied art because every design exists to communicate, sell, inform, or identify something.

Applied art vs Fine art

Branches of Applied Art

• Graphic design — print & digital communication.
• Industrial design — products, objects (chairs, cars).
• Interior design — spaces.
• Fashion design — clothing.
• Architecture — buildings.
• Textile design — fabric patterns.
• Animation and motion design.

3.2Differences Between Painting and Graphic Design

What they SHARE

• Both use the same elements — line, shape, colour, composition, contrast.
• Both require an eye for aesthetics and cultural taste.
• Both rely on the same natural principles (balance, harmony, rhythm).
• Many graphic designers are also painters — skills transfer.

3.3Popular Works in Graphic Design

World-famous

• "I ❤️ NY" — Milton Glaser (1977). Still in use 50 years later.
• Nike "Swoosh" — Carolyn Davidson, 1971, paid $35.
• Apple logo — Rob Janoff, 1977 (rainbow), simplified later.
• Coca-Cola wordmark — Frank M. Robinson, 1886.
• London Underground map — Harry Beck, 1931 — classic information design.
• "Obama Hope" poster — Shepard Fairey, 2008.
• Helvetica typeface — Max Miedinger & Eduard Hoffmann, 1957.
• Penguin Books cover system — Jan Tschichold — disciplined, consistent book covers.

Legendary designers to know

• Paul Rand — IBM, ABC, UPS, Westinghouse logos.
• Saul Bass — film titles (Psycho, Vertigo), AT&T logo.
• Milton Glaser — I ❤️ NY, Bob Dylan poster.
• Massimo Vignelli — American Airlines, NYC subway map.
• Stefan Sagmeister — music, branding.
• Jessica Walsh — branding, &Walsh studio.

Nepali context

• Gorkhapatra masthead — long-standing identity of Nepal's oldest newspaper.
• Nepal Airlines logo, Nepal Rastra Bank identity.
• Everest calendar art — tradition of annual Nepali calendars.
• Folk illustration — Paubha, thangka (cross-over into graphic illustration).
• Works by senior Nepali designers and illustrators in publications and advertising.

3.4General Knowledge of Press, Computer and Photography

Press (printing)

• Offset printing — most common for newspapers, books, magazines. High quality, economical for large runs.
• Digital printing — no plates; good for short runs, posters, labels.
• Flexography — on packaging, plastic, labels.
• Screen printing — t-shirts, signs.
• Letterpress — old, now boutique/premium invitations.
• Key press terms: CMYK, bleed (3–5 mm extra outside the cut line), trim, registration marks, GSM (paper weight), DPI (300 DPI for print), spot colour, Pantone.

Computer (for a designer)

• OS — Mac or Windows.
• Software — Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Freehand/CorelDRAW, Figma.
• Peripherals — graphics tablet (Wacom), colour-calibrated monitor, printer, scanner.
• File formats — raster: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD. Vector: AI, EPS, SVG. Layout: INDD, IDML, PDF.
• Storage — cloud backup (Google Drive, Dropbox) + local.
• Resolution — 72 DPI for screen, 300 DPI for print.

Photography

• Exposure triangle — Aperture (f-stop), Shutter speed, ISO.
• Composition rules — rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, symmetry.
• Types relevant to media: news, portrait, product, event, documentary, food, fashion.
• Photo file workflow — RAW → edit in Lightroom/Photoshop → export JPG/TIFF → place in InDesign.
• Colour management — RGB workflow, convert to CMYK at press time.
• Ethics — news photos can be cropped and colour-corrected but not manipulated to mislead.

3.5Common Graphic Design Forms (overview)

Quick tour — each is covered in depth in Chapter 4. Here's just enough to recognize them and answer short questions:

• Dummy — a blank mock-up of a publication showing page count, size, folds. Printers use it to plan.
• Layout (साजसज्जा) — the arrangement of text, images, and space on a page.
• Letter formatting / Typography — choice and arrangement of type.
• Illustration (दृष्टान्त चित्र) — drawn/painted imagery, original artwork.
• Book cover — the first impression of a book. Front + spine + back as one composition.
• Logo — a mark/emblem that represents an identity.
• Poster — a single-sided large print for events, films, awareness.
• Calendar — months + days + artwork; Nepali calendars often have cultural themes.
• Sticker — small adhesive design; promotional or decorative.
• Packaging — everything about how a product is wrapped: box, label, seals.