Week 01 · Fundamentals of Imagemaking图像制作基础
Why study graphic design?学习平面设计的意义
Graphic design is in a period of rapid expansion and innovation. Designers are tasked with deciding how a message will look and be conveyed, as well as what the message says and even if it should be said at all. As a graphic designer, you have the power and responsibility of the ideas and objects that shape our culture. You will develop skills to create beautiful objects, make meaningful messages, to be persuasive, grow businesses, inspire emotional responses, and make ideas accessible to others. Graphic design is a dialogue with the world, leaving a record of that dialogue for later generations.
平面设计正处于快速发展和创新的时期。设计师的任务是决定信息的呈现方式和传达方式，以及信息的内容，甚至是否应该传达。作为一名平面设计师，你拥有塑造我们文化的思想和物体的权力和责任。你将发展技能来创造美丽的物体，传达有意义的消息，具有说服力，促进业务增长，激发情感反应，并使想法易于他人理解。平面设计是与世界的对话，为后代留下对话的记录。
As a graphic designer you will be able to apply your expertise to a variety of fields, giving you a broad range of career, creative, and intellectual options. Because of the diversity of applications of graphic design, there is no such thing as a typical design practice!
作为一名平面设计师，您将能够将您的专业知识应用于多个领域，为您提供广泛的职业、创意和智力选择。由于图形设计的应用多样性，不存在典型的设计实践！
This course, as well as the other courses in the Graphic Design Specialization, are meant to be general introductions to the topic and are suitable for students with little to no experience in design. Knowing how to create and deliver strong, compelling visual messages is beneficial for a person working in any field, from education to business to technology. Students with more design experience may also get a lot out of these courses—there are plenty of additional assignments and resources to supplement your existing knowledge.
这门课程，以及图形设计专业中的其他课程，旨在对主题进行一般性介绍，适合那些在设计中几乎没有经验的学生。了解如何创造和传达强大、引人入胜的视觉信息对任何领域的工作者都有益，从教育到商业再到技术。有更多设计经验的学生也可以从这些课程中获得很多收获——有很多额外的作业和资源来补充你的现有知识。
At the end of this course (in Week 4), we've included some resources for pursuing additional study opportunities in graphic design as well as tips to assemble your design portfolio.
本课程（第 4 周结束）结束时，我们提供了一些资源，用于追求图形设计方面的进一步学习机会，以及如何组装您的作品集的技巧。
Why studying software is not graphic design 为什么学习软件不是图形设计
Software knowledge is not the same as graphic design knowledge. As a graphic designer, you will use and develop practical skills, like craft and software knowledge, in concert with conceptual skills, historical knowledge, typographic acumen, research ability, and more. Graphic design is a process, not specific software!
软件知识不同于图形设计知识。作为一名图形设计师，你将结合概念技能、历史知识、排版敏锐度、研究能力等，使用和发展实用技能，如工艺和软件知识。图形设计是一个过程，而不是特定的软件！
Graphic designers are not necessarily reliant on any single technique or software, though it is true that the contemporary graphic designer is deeply rooted in advancing design technologies. The continued use of centuries-old technologies, such as calligraphy or letterpress printing, exists simultaneously with work on the most advanced web and mobile applications. Graphic design is broader than any specific technology, software, or medium.
平面设计师并不一定依赖于任何单一的技术或软件，尽管当代的平面设计师深深植根于设计技术的进步。数百年的技术，如书法或凸版印刷，与最先进的网络和移动应用程序的工作同时存在。平面设计比任何特定的技术、软件或媒介都要广泛。
This course, Fundamentals of Graphic Design, as well as the other courses in the Graphic Design Specialization, focus on the key concepts of making strong, informed design work regardless of what software you use. While you may need to use software to complete some assignments, these courses are not focused on teaching you how to use those tools. More information on software requirements are outlined in each course.
这门课程，《图形设计基础》，以及图形设计专业中的其他课程，都专注于制作强大、有信息量的设计作品的关键概念，无论你使用什么软件。虽然你可能需要使用软件来完成一些作业，但这些课程并不专注于教你如何使用这些工具。有关软件要求的更多信息在每个课程中都有说明。