Graphics is ‘graphikos’ in Greek. It refers to designs, visual images or something that is written on paper, canvas, screen, wall or stone for entertaining, information or illustration. Graphics usually is a combination of text, illustration and color. Line arts, drawings, diagrams, photographs, graphs, symbols, numbers, images, geometric designs are some forms of graphics. . In art, graphics is different from painting, it being mostly comprising of lines. When used in artworks, graphics greatly increase the appeal. Graphics are generally used in websites, brochures, books, posters, flyers and they supplement text, conveying information. Computer graphics are the images that are produced in a computer and they are one of the five key elements of multimedia technology.
Graphics are used in business to create charts and tables and for advertising, increasing the appeal. The popularity of magazines like TIME and Newsweek has been due to their use of graphics. Graphics are being used since the prehistoric times, when they were found in boulders, ivory, bones, antlers and cave paintings. Stone tablets and cylinders of those times depicted graphics-for inventory and record keeping purposes. Graphics play their role in royalty free works.
Drawing is one form of graphics. It is done by a tool by applying pressure or by moving the tool on a surface. Without the use of tool, the drawing is art. When it is required to discern large quantity of data or to establish the relation between different parts of data, graphs are the ideal form of graphics. Line art represent two or three dimensional objects and it is generally straight or curved lines drawn against a background. It is drawn without gradations in shade or color. Woodblock printing includes images and its main techniques are engraving, etching and woodcut. An illustration can be a painting, photograph or drawing, a visual representation that expounds a poem, story or other textual information. An illustration that has a social or political message is an editorial cartoon or political cartoon.
Aldus Manutius, April Greiman, Paul Rand and William Caslon are some of the graphic designers who have been famous. Today more experts are opting to sell stock graphics.
