Hi Bärbel, I do production graphics work for interfaces as well as interaction design. I've done some print-based graphic design also. We won't go into my coding background here.
For print-based design, there is so much focus on materials, color correction, resolution, layout, brand. There are some universal design concepts you can carry over into interface or web design work, but much you should leave behind. For instance, I've seen companies pick rich Pantone colors for their brand that have lots of black in them. These colors look great on t-shirts at the Gap or printed on glossy stock, but may not carry over well to the screen, where they can look murky and dull. Where print-based design often has you working on large formats (300dpi A3 flyers), when you do graphic work for screen interfaces you often must work with exceptionally tiny canvases (14x14 pixel icons, etc.). For print graphics, you and your print shop work close for the first couple of jobs to get color correction right through the entire cycle. On screen, you may have your own monitors calibrated, but nobody else will, and what you create can look wildly different on any three random screens you bring it up on. Still, it is a natural transition to grow interactive design skills from an existing strong graphic design base. Some of the ways you can do this might include: - Take classes in Flash or HTML/CSS and get some practice in a supportive environment. - Volunteer to help someone with a project. They might be HTML/Flash person, you can do screen graphics. Join an open source team. Help a charity. - Create a new skin for a reskinnable application like Winamp. Go the distance and do all new buttons, meters, indicators, etc. - Create a great portfolio website to display your print work. All the above cover dip-your-toes-in-the-water skills for print-based graphic design moving to screen-based graphic design. Another option that seems widely respected by the members of this list is to do graduate study in product design, interaction design, or human factors. Your existing graphics background and skills plus a masters degree in one of the related design fields will make you an interesting job candidate. I hope this is helpful, Michael Micheletti On Dec 13, 2007 4:59 AM, aleaylin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hey Hey, > > Currently, I am thinking about >>how<< does graphic design(ers) > change into interface / interactive media based design(ers), > or is it for you still the same apparently fitting in different media? > ________________________________________________________________ *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
