Texture as Visual Element of Graphic Design

 Texture as Visual Element 

of Graphic Design 

I Lead in.

A) Look at the photo below. What materials or surfaces can you see? How would the surface feel if you touched those materials/objects? Use the prompts

I think it is______

If I touch it, it would feel ______ (smooth, rough, etc.)

B) What materials or objects do you associate with the adjectives below?

texture	material or object
fluffy	cat’s fur
soft
smooth
glossy
silky
velvety

II Pronunciation focus. Look at the phonetic symbols [g] and [dʒ]. How do you pronounce them? Put the words in the list the correct column based on the way you pronounce the underlined letters. Watch to the video, listen to the pronunciation and check your answers. Practise pronouncing the words.

graphic; image; generated; organic; geometric; generally; triggers; biological; grain; typography; engage

[g]	[dʒ]
go	agent

III Watch the video  above and fill in the gaps with the words from the list. There are some words you don’t need to use.

feel; emotions; paintings; combination; emotions; senses; emotions; biological; abstract; pleasantness; visual; attract; skin; reflex; surface; abstraction; stars; complex; graphic; image; wood; smell

So texture is the way the 1)______ feels or is perceived to feel. Texture is used to create a 2)______ tone and can influence the look and 3)______ of a piece of graphic design work. Texture is used to 4)______ or repel interest to an element depending on the 5)______ of the texture. Now in design there are two types of texture: 6)______ texture and pattern texture.

 Image texture is generated from a 7)______ of organic or geometric shapes and colour. Image texture can be simple or 8)______ and generally appears random to create a particular look and feel. Image texture tantalises the 9)______, the eye likes to look at image texture. Image texture can be like the sense of 10)______ and touch, you can't see anything in particular in it but overall it triggers feelings or 11)______ and sensations of touch. Now image texture can be environmental, 12)______ or man-made. Here are some examples in the PDF of image texture. Environmental texture can be 13)______, grain, sand, water, stone to the 14)______ in the sky. Biological texture can be 15)______, fur, feathers and animal prints. Man-made texture can be 16)______, illustrations, dies, cloths, paper, typography, photographic effects and so on. Because of image texture’s 17)______ nature with the ability to trigger feelings, 18)______ and excite the senses, image textures can be used to engage and add distinct visual tone to a piece of 19)______ design work.

IV Watch the part of the video and mark the sentences as True (T) or False (F). Correct the false statements.

1. So texture is the way the surface feels.

2. Texture is used to create style in a piece of graphic design work.

3. Texture is used to attract interest to an element of design.

4. In design there are two types of texture: imagination texture and pattern texture.

5. Image texture combines organic or geometric shapes and colour.

6. Image texture is complex and organized.

7. Image texture can be artificial or man-made.

8. Environmental texture can be metal, sand, water, stone.

9.  Skin and fur are examples of biological texture.

10. Animal fur prints are examples of man-made texture.

11. Man-made texture includes paintings, illustrations, typography, photographic effects.

V Pronunciation focus. Look at the phonetic symbols [g] and [dʒ]. How do you pronounce them? Put the words in the list the correct column based on the way you pronounce the underlined letters. Watch to the video, listen to the pronunciation and check your answers. Practise pronouncing the words.

pattern; generate; organic; shape; manufactured; generally; appear; formation; tantalise; emotional; abstract; decoration; branding; brand; wrapping; paper

[æ]	[eɪ]	[ə]
cat	gate	sofa

VI Watch the video above and choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

So next is patent/pattern/lantern texture. Pattern texture is again generated from organic/organism/organically or geometric shapes and coloured/colourful/colour, though pattern texture is mostly manufacturer/manufacturing/manufactured. Patterns can be simple or complex/duplex/complexity, but unlike image texture that generally appears atom/random/randomly, patterns appear more structured. Here are some examples in the PDF of pattern texture. Repeating a formation of shapeless/shape/shaping and colour will result in a pattern texture. Repeating a globe/slogan/logo in a formation will result in a pattern texture.

Like image texture, pattern texture also tantalises the senses/senseless/sensible but in a different way. Patterns trigger our visualize/visually/visual senses rather than emotional senses, perhaps because pattern is more structured and less abstract/abstraction/strict. Pattern is more about visual recognition due to the shaped/sharp/shapes that repeat themselves, because of this in design pattern texture is used and works well as decoration/dedication/decorative. A good example of this is in branding. Pattern creates a very distinct outlook/look/looking and feel. And because of its repetitive nature/feature/future, a brand can use this visual design element as a way to decorate and make you remember their trending/brand/branded.

Another example is gift wrapping pepper/papered/paper. Now have you ever asked yourself: “Why is gift wrapping paper mostly patterns rather than just a single imagine/image/imagination? And why do people spend so much money/honey/monetize on it?” One could conclude that the repetition of bright colours and images site/decide/excites the visual senses.

VII Watch the part of the video and answer the questions.

1) How do designers create patterned texture?

2) Are patterns structured? Can patterns be complex?

3) What effect do patterns have on our feelings and emotions?

4) Where do designers use patterns?

5) Why is it a good idea to use patterned textures in branding?

6) Why are patterns important for wrapping paper?

VIII Fill in the gaps with the missing letters. Watch the video and check.

Now s_me of the most _con_c styles, er_s of d_sign, fashion tr_nds and soc_ _l mov_m_nts have been d_fined by their t_xt_r_s. Ex_mples being B_uhaus patterns, ne_cl_ssical patterns, art deco textures, psychedelic textures of the s_v_nties, pop textures of the e_ght_es and hip textures of the n_n_t_es.

IX OVER TO YOU.

A) Look at the examples of textures below. Decide if they are image textures or pattern textures. Are the textures examples of a certain era of design or fashion trend (for example, neoclassical patterns)?

b) Find examples of different textures. Get ready to comment on what you like or dislike about the textures. In what designs would you use those textures?

Find  examples of: 1) image textures: biological, environmental, and man-mad; 2) pattern texture; 3) Bauhaus pattern; 4) neoclassical pattern; 5) art deco texture; 6) psychedelic pattern.

c) Find an example of wrapping paper you like. Explain what you like about it.

d) Find an example of pattern used in branding.