DESIGN CONCEPTS

Elements

Line – Mark made by a painted tool on a surface that describes a shape/outline (can be thick/thin or include actual, implied, horizontal, diagonal and contour lines
Shape – Flat, enclosed area that has two dimensions (length and width)
Space – Refers to the area that a shape/form occupies
Texture – Describes the way a surface feels or how it is perceived to feel through the implied uses of media (degree of roughness/smoothness of an object)
Colour – Part of light
3D Form
Tone

Principles

Balance
Emphasis – Contrast and proportion
Dominance
Unity (proximity and repetition
Pattern
Movement

Typography

Typeface – Font
Size – How big/small
Alignment – Placement of text relative to the margins
Format – Overall typographic and spatial schema
Spacing – Refers to the consistent degree of increase (or sometimes decrease) of space between letters to affect density in a line or block text

Compositional rule

Reading gravity – Start at top left and move across and down the page, obeying ‘reading gravity’
Rule of thirds – The way you read
Form of content
Form – Refers to the work style, technique and media used, and how the elements of design are implemented
Content – What is being depicted

HARDWARE

Hardware components of a computer system

CPU
CPU Cooler
Motherboard
Memory
Storage
Video card – GPU
Power supply
Peripherals

CPU

Central Processing Unit
Brain of the computer
Purpose – To process data
Core of every computer, without it no PC can function
Coordinates the hardware components

Lookups

Storage device

RAM – Random Access Memory
Volatile memory (temporary)
Stores data you are working on
When all of the RAM is in use, your computer performance will start to slow down

HDD – Hard Disk Drive
Hold long term data storage
Main storage device in the computer – all data files and applications software are stores on it

External storage – Connected to the computer with a cable plugged into a suitable interface such as an USB port

Portable hard disks
Magnetic tape
Memory stick/flash drive
Solid state memory cards
DVD or CDs

Types of memory storage

Primary – RAM & ROM
Also know as the main storage or memory
Area data is stored for quick access
RAM synonyms for primary or main storage

Secondary
Cannot be processed by CPU direct, must be copied into RAM
Secondary memory devices: Hard disk, Floppy disks, Optical drive

Purpose of ROM – Store BIOS instructions

Types of peripheral devices

Output

Printer
Extra screen
External hard drive
Printer
Camera
Scanner
Webcam
Extra keyboard
Speakers
External CD
Mouse
Joystick

Types of computer systems

Desktop systems

PC (Personal computer)
Laptop
Mobile devices

Tablets
Mobile phones (Smart)
Black berry

Server

Client server
Peer to peer

Purpose of an Operating System (OS)

Software
Manages computer hardware/software resources
Provided common services for computer programs

Types of operating system

Windows
Mac OS
Android
IOS
Linux

Functions of an operating system (OS)

Provide a user interface
Manage the computers memory
Manage the hardware

Intellectual property

Term that describes the application of the mind to develop something new or original
IP can exist in various forms – New invention, brand or artistic creation

Types of intellectual property

Patent – Patent Act 1990
Domain names
Trademarks – Trademark Act 1995
Designs – Design Act 2003
Copyright – Copyright act 1968

Ways of acknowledging an IP owner

Crediting
Referencing – Bibliography
Foot noting

APPLICATION SKILLS

Vector graphics

Use of geometric primitives

Points
Lines
Curves
Shapes
Polygons

Computer graphics metafile (. cgm) - Standard file format for 2D vectors

Scalable vector graphics (. svg) – Image format for 2D graphics which supports interactivity and animation

Graphical interchange format (. gif) file

Small web animations
Limited colour
Small, fast loading graphics for the web

Raster