Important rules to live by (or design by):
- Have a concept: having clear message is crucial. Without it there's no life to the design.
- Use two typefaces families maximum: having too many typefaces can be distracting. It can also hurt the unity of the design
- If you can do it with less, then do it: Speak with simplicity. The message of the design comes through faster and if done effectively can be profound and moving.
Rules that need practice:
- Negative space is magical, create it--don't just fill it up: I tend to forget that negative space can be a useful tool and I'll try and think about it more actively.
- Be universal; remember, it's not about you: It's good to take pride in what you've designed. But as a result one can become attached to the design. Remember that the design is for the masses.
- Look to history, but don't repeat it: Great works of years past are just that, the past. It's fine to pay tribute through hints, but a new design shouldn't be a mastercopy.
Rules to ignore, or at least not be adamantly against:
- Symmetry is the ultimate evil: I don't believe that symmetry is wholly evil. Sure a design can be dynamic through asymmetrical orientation, but sometimes I prefer a purity and balance brought about by symmetry.
- Create images--don't scavenge: Sometimes a designer is not the best photographer. Manipulating the image may not always work. I believe that if you can get the image to work with your design, then use it.
- Type is only type when it's friendly: What if you want to use type as shapes alone? Thinking past legibility and focusing on the form of a letter can be interesting. Effective cropping, layering, etc. has aesthetically pleasing possibilities.
Audience Personas
persona 1: conflicted space
Jake is a 19 year old aspiring writer who is living on his own for the first time in Austin, TX. After graduating high school, Jake attended college for a semester before deciding it wasn't right for him. Jake spent a good part of his childhood traversing many states with his father, who was a traveling musician. Eventually, in his early teen years, his family settled in Wichita. Early on, Jake discovered his love for writing and experimented with various compositions on a regular basis. He soon realized, however, that there a number of greater career opportunities in larger communities such as Los Angeles or New York. With many aspirations taking up Jake's spare time, he enjoys a lifestyle that only requires basic essentials like cheap and easy meals, an extremely modest living arrangement, and clothing for function rather than style. Aside from writing, playing a game of pickup soccer, or having deep philosophical conversations, Jake has taken up various job opportunities in order to raise the proper funds to pursue his dreams.
persona 2: isolated combat
George is a 13 year old of the suburban lifestyle in Stevenson Ranch, California. Like many boys his age, George enjoys many activities. He plays football for his middle school and enjoys playing video games like Halo: Reach or Starcraft II when not studying or practicing. Appearance is not a huge issue for George, whose mother often buys him clothes from supporting his favorite sports teams or cartoons. His grandfather is a WWII veteran and his father is a policeman, and as a result George has become a recent war-buff. Some of his friends have recently gotten into the world of airsoft gunplay, which simulates firefights with plastic BBs in lieu of bullets. Though George can sometimes be temperamental and easily frustrated, he finds solace in the physical activities of football and airsoft. In addition, George loves comics and graphic novels after appreciating the artistry found in his expansive video game collection. He'll often doodle concept characters when sitting in class or riding the bus to his football games.
persona 3: celestial obscurity
Matthew is a 23 year old recent college graduate from Iowa City, Iowa. He comes from an agricultural family, and was always fascinated with seeming unnoticeable things outside the farmland. From the inner workings of clocks to the veins in leaves, Matthew had a large interest in the minute. An activity he always did throughout his childhood was to get large star maps and connect the stars like dots to create neat images and forms. Though he didn't ever play sports competitively, he often watches for his fascination of the tactics and strategy behind them, often looking for the logic and probability of many of the actions. After acquiring his degree in mechanical engineering, George is planning on backpacking through Europe for a time before he starts pursuing a career.
No comments:
Post a Comment