Digital images are known as bitmap or raster images and vector images. Raster images are for photos and include file types; jpeg, png, gif, tiff, psd and pdf. These file types are resolution dependent. Vector images are for logos, solid graphics and type. They are made and stored as mathematical equations and are not resolution dependent. Vector file types include ai and svg.

Designers have a strong working knowledge of image file type, image size, resolution, mode and how to work with images for print and screen-based presentations.

The learning for this Key Knowledge point is in a page on images and file types is accessed by clicking the link below.

Presentation formats may be print or screen-based designs. They may be two or three-dimensional. Presentation formats for communication design include posters, packaging, magazine layouts, maps, info-graphics, web pages, logos, menus, branding, typography. Those for industrial and environmental design include isometric and planometric drawings, 3rd angle orthogonal drawings and plans and elevations, perspective drawings and models.

The learning for this Key Knowledge point is in a page on presentation formats is accessed by clicking the link below.

The art of writing with type in visual communication is called typography. You will be familiar with type settings in Microsoft Word like font size, bold font, alignment and colour. However, these features are only scratching the surface on the control professional designers have over type.

In this section you will learn about how to 'set' type, how to control its tone and voice and do a range of tasks to ensure you are proficient in typography when you reach your assessment task.

The learning for this Key Knowledge point is in a page on type is accessed by clicking the link below.

Type and images are used together to convey particular moods and emotions.  This is an important part of communicating visually. You will have learnt how to control how type speaks by adjusting type face weight, size, tracking and leading in the previous activity, so now we should learn how to make photos speak in the same ways.

In this section you will find a range of tasks to ensure you are proficient in colour grading images when you reach your assessment task.

The learning for this Key Knowledge point is in a page on images is accessed by clicking the link below.

How do designers use principles of design and layout to arrange type and images on a field? Are there any rules and conventions that are used to organise space? Did you know that the ways components are arranged on paper is just as expressive as the components themselves?

Layout, the art of arranging type and image in space is as old as type. Beginning in the Renaissance in the 1400s, artists have been searching for the ideal perfect proportions to guide compositions. Thanks to their hard work we now have the modular grid. Even this website employs this system.

The conventions of layout are extremely important to Communication Design. Once students learn them, they will see design differently. They will carry these skills with them right to the end of year 12.

In this section you will find a range of tasks to ensure you are proficient in composition and layout when you reach your assessment task.

The learning for this Key Knowledge point is in a page on images is accessed by clicking the link below.

Typefaces are original artistic designs. There is a whole field of design for type called typography. People can spend their entire professional life designing type as a typographer. Several large firms own the licence to reproduce and sell ranges of typefaces.

Before we go any further we need to distinguish between professional or commercial and student, hobby or personal use of type.

As students we need to understand that professional designers make money from their designs. Their designs carry words in various styles of type. Professional designers need to purchase licensed copies of every font they use. Often fonts are purchased exclusively for a client. Professional designers cannot use free for personal use type faces. Fonts are expensive, if you click on the image at right you will see that each weight in Helvetica Neue is about AUD$50. This makes the entire font of 109 weights and widths well over $5000!

Photos are works of art. Yet designers need photos continually. Professional designers generally have three choices when they need an image;

• First, they can shoot the image. This is often impractical as time spent away from the studio is money lost. Plus they may not have the latest equipment, know how or access to locations and models.
• Secondly, they can commission a professional photographer. Costly, but designers will expect them to have the latest professional equipment, studios, know how and access to locations and models.
• Thirdly, designers can use stock images. These are images owned an image bank company and sold to designers for use in web and print. They may seem expensive at first but considering the time it would take to shoot them, they are far cheaper for designers than commissioning their own photography.

Students are faced with similar choices.

• By far the best option is to shoot their own images. Remember professional quality is not required in student work.
• Secondly, they may be able to buy licensed stock images for individual projects. Subscriptions to applications or your school may have access to certain stock libraries.
• Never, use an image from an internet site in an original design. Even with acknowledgement it cannot become part of another design.

For student research, you may copy text or image with proper, consistent acknowledgement. Cite the actual site from where you found the content, the author, photographer, studio and/or art director (where possible), the date the resource was made and the date it was accessed.