COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNICATION DESIGN: Introduction Since the beginning of communication, people have been transmitting information in a form

of images (signs). Starting from the drawing on wall cave', these communication changed/evolved through the history as materials have been explored and technology innovations. In modern & post modern time, mass communication through graphic (signs) has been extensive with art and technology. The new medium (television, computers) changed the way as human have been communicating.

Defining Communication Design The discipline of communication design, compare to other are not as established fields in science, engineering and education disciplines also communication design has not been as clearly defined. This mean that there has not many research in this field, but that the term communication design itself is used as synonymous to terms such as graphic design, visual communication, visual communication design, and graphic communication. One of the earliest mentions of the term communication design was in 1983 by Patrick O. Marsh, in his book Messages that Work: A Guide to Communication Design. Marsh wrote that the communication design model consists of a source, a message and a receiver. He based his model on: a synthesis of several diverse disciplines, theories and points of view. Chief among these are concepts contributed by McLuhan (hot and cool media, 1964), Shannon and Weaver (mathematical information theory, 1949), Shroeder, Driver, and Streufert (environmental complexity, 1967), Neisser (cognitive psychology, 1977), Miller (Information Chunk, 1967), and the rich tradition of classical rhetoric (Marsh, 1983, p. xvi-xvii) However, after 1997, communication designer Jorge Frascara, extensively and systematically divided visual communication design as a sub-field of communication design. According to Frascara: The term visual communication design is subject to a long series of interpretations. The different definitions of the word design in everyday

language have contributed to a lack of precision in understanding the job of the visual communication designer. Design is generally understood as the physical product derived from the activity, but the activity itself is often overlooked. (Frascara, 2004, p.4) Jan Van Toorn written a similar fear, at the Design beyond Design symposium in 1997: People have become so obsessed by the shell of the product that the complexity of the action of design in production, distribution and consumption is reduced to the order of the decorated egg. (Toorn, 1998, P.156) Frascara therefore proposes the following definition: To propose a working definition for now, I would say that visual communication design, seen as an activity, is the process of conceiving, programming, projecting, and realizing visual communications that are usually produced through industrial means and are aimed at broadcasting specific messages to specific sectors of the public. This is done with a view toward having an impact on the publics knowledge, attitudes, or behavior in an intended direction. (Frascara, 2004, p.2) Now a day visual communication is a special medium that is unique than any other methods of communication, such as speaking and writing. Visual communication happens with the help of graphic design.

Design & The Designer(a few definitions) The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers defines graphic design as a generic term for the activity of combining typography, illustration, photography and printing for purposes of persuasion, information or instruction. (The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers (World of Art, Alan Livingston , Isabella Livingston, Thames & Hudson, 2003)

Graphic designers translate concepts and ideas into a visual representation, by organizing and connecting elements into a structure. This arrangement of elements is done with an intended effect in mind, a goal. Since the communication between designers

and viewers has defined purposes, design is essentially rhetorical. This intentional and deliberate production of meaning is the rhetorical function of graphic design. According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts or AlGA, "graphic design is the profession that plans and executes the design of visual communication according to the needs of the audiences and in the context for which communication is intended, and graphic design consists from several elements (line, shape, mass (size), texture and color) that used to create visual message". The American Institute of Graphic Arts describe graphic design as a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. The designer works with a variety of communication tools in order to convey a message from a client to a particular audience. The main tools are image and typography, (Sharon Helmer Poggenpohi, 1993). Graphic design has no ideology of its own, but it has results. It acts as a social amplifier of the messages, attempting to tell well what someone has to say (Moles 1989. p. 122) The video game industry is part of visual communication in todays new media age, as it is becoming increasingly clear that video games are a significant (and growing) part of the daily lives of many individuals. So it is producing it own of video game culture & communication. Many statistics show this flow of video game culture: Sixty-five percent of American households play computer or video games. The average game player is 35 years old and has been playing games for 13 years. Sixty-three percent of parents believe games are a positive part of their childrens lives. In 2006, the entertainment software industry's value added to U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $3.8 billion. The industry also makes a disproportionate contribution to the real growth of the nation as whole. For example, in 2005-06 the industry's contribution to real growth exceeded its share of GDP by more than four to one.

Computer and video game companies posted records sales in 2007. The industry sold 267.8 million units, leading to an astounding $9.5 billion in revenue. (From GrabStats.com 2008, Retrieved April. 14 , Video Game Industry Statistics., 2009 )

These statistics, which are a evidence that video games are becoming a part of American culture that cannot be ignored the digital games, including simulations and virtual worlds, have the potential to be an important teaching tool because they are interactive, engaging and immersive activities. As WILSON .T. SEBASTIAN thesis proved that Indian animation products currently under production like Pancha tantra, Tenali Rama, Chhota Birbal and others do make significant viewership dent (like the localization of Star Plus channel being a perfect example for mantra of success) and also manage to pull off merchandising and licensing deals thereby recovering costs and making good profits. In this scenario, the researcher envisages that there will be space for at least 50 large studios to provide at least 4 hours of programming content per day. (Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Calicut University Kerala 2010) Embedded deep in our cultural heritage are gems like Jataka, Panchatantra, Mahabharata and Ramayana. These stories lend themselves naturally and beautifully to animation. Besides history and mythology, each region has its own local folk tales history. All these being just the tip of the proverbial ice bergs, which is already happening. Our entire cultural heritage gets overwhelmed and lies buried and forgotten forever. Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Calicut University Kerala 2010 Adrienne Shaw in his research paper write, Much like cultural studies, the study of video games has relied on borrowing techniques from other disciplines, including anthropology, economics, philosophy, psychology, film studies, and so on (Boellstorff, 2006; Loftus & Loftus, 1983; Mortensen, 2007; Myers, 2003). Although they are both interdisciplinary fields, however, game studies has not drawn deeply as it might from cultural studies, particularly its critical and reflexive tendencies though notable exceptions do exist (see Kline, Dyer-

Witheford, & De Peuter, 2003; Mayra, 2008). This is problematic as cultural studies could help video game studies approach the field in very productive ways. (Games and Culture , Adrienne Shaw, 2010: online May 2010)

Interacting with visual makes visual communication the reliable medium of communication. All these visual that we saw were arranged artistically and objectively to communicate to us. It is done with the help of graphic elements. These all elements have unique inherent mode and characters that related to human psychology, for example Red signify luck or courage, circle defines unity or lines used to guide the eyes. Our basic need in 21st century is to learned and know how to use visual communication.

Bibliography: From GrabStats.com 2008, Retrieved April. 14 , Video Game Industry Statistics., 2009.. A study on the impact of computer animation on children in three cities of kerala (Calicut, Cochin & Tvm), Wilson .t. Sebastian, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Calicut University Kerala 2010 Games and Culture , Adrienne Shaw, What Is Video Game Culture? Cultural Studies and Game Studies, 2010 5: online, May 2010 Games and Culture, Gordon Calleja, Digital Games and Escapism, published online 7 May 2010. Andreas Jahn-Sudmann and Ralf Stockmann, Computer Games as a Sociocultural Phenomenon, 2008, Georg-August University of Gttingen, Jon Dovey and Helen W Kennedy , Game Cultures Computer Games as New Media, Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education, 2006. David Michael & Sande Chen, Serious Games: Games that Educate, Train and inform, Thomson Course Technology, Aphra Kerr , The business and culture of digital games, SAGE Publications, 2006 The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers (World of Art, Alan Livingston , Isabella Livingston, Thames & Hudson, 2003