/ xhtml
XHTML is the language of websites. Unless you are working entirely in Flash, a web design is not a website until it is coded in XHTML (or HTML, if you are old fashioned).
It may seem odd to suggest that web design starts with code, but an understanding of XHTML (and Javascript) enables a designer to fully take advantage of the interactive and modular nature of this medium.
/ grid
XHTML and The Grid are a match made in heaven!
The Typographic Grid is a geometric framework that designers can use to achieve visual balance or tension. And while, on the surface, grid-based design may appear to limit creative possibilities, The Grid can also be used to strengthen unconventional and assymetrical arrangements.
/ type
The histories of type and graphic design are inextricably linked. And to many, the advent of writing and visual symbols was the beginning of graphic design.
Typography is the not-so-secret weapon of most graphic designers. Whether it be proper kerning of a headline, or custom fonts in logos, type holds many of the keys to design mastery.
/ brand
A successful brand conveys the spirit and relevance of an organization.
But the real challenge of branding is to create a brand that sits confidently among its peers. For profit-driven organizations, a brand should acknowledge its peers, but also distinguish itself.
/ color
Strangely, color is one of the most elusive aspects of graphic design. Perhaps this is because there is no standard emotional response to color. And while it is safe to say most people enjoy color, the pragmatic side of design often limits what colors can be used. And for this reason, color restraint might well be a cornerstone of graphic design.
