Good and Bad Graphic Design

I chose this image to show good graphic design through its combination and use of type and image. The image itself instantly draws you in through the complete juxtaposition between the media used and what is created. By creating a grenade out of balloons straight away creates interest, due to its unusual combination. The image does shoe the message and the campaign clear, yet it is not obvious until the type is read. The type, written as if written by a child, explains the image, simply and obviously. The whole work is completed by the final bit of type, informing the audience of how they can help and the ‘War Child’ logo. This work informs and explains whilst using clever imagery and a well worked typeface. It is this combination of type and image, as well as the function of the piece that makes it a good piece of graphic design.

I found it harder than I had previously thought to find an example of bad graphic design, without venturing down the tacky, amateur route that you come across when you Google ‘bad graphic design’. The piece I chose to show bad graphic design was created for Microsoft to advertise their Xbox 360. The reason I thought this was bad graphic design was because of the layout, composition and information. The photograph itself is uninteresting and does not engage the viewer, the type and language is difficult to read and doesn’t work with the picture, the layout of the type appears wrong and poorly situated to me and the information is not well written and accessible to the reader. I also chose this as an example of bad graphic design as I expected something much more innovative, engaging and interesting from a company as big as Microsoft.