Graphic Design The New Basics

How do designers get ideas? Perhaps they spend their time searching for clever combinations of forms, fonts, and colours inside design annuals and monographs of other designers’ work.

newbasics

But, here’s something for those looking to challenge the cut-and-paste mentality. In Graphic Design: The New Basics, Ellen Lupton, best-selling author of such books as Thinking with Type and Design It Yourself, and design educator Jennifer Cole Phillips refocus design instruction on the study of the fundamentals of form in a critical, rigorous way informed by contemporary media, theory, and software systems. It is meant to inspire more thought and creativity.

“Even the most robust visual language is useless without the ability to engage it in a living context.” 

Through visual demonstrations and concise commentary, the book looks at structures ranging from point, line, and plane to scale, hierarchy, layers and transparency.

Diagramming Process

Diagramming Process: Charles Eames drew this diagram to explain the design process as achieving a point where the needs and interests of a client, the designer, and society as a whole overlap.

 

“Choose your corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely and to the best of your ability and that way you might change the world.” ~ Charles Eames

 

 

There aren’t any exercises or demonstrations involving parody or cultural critiques, rather the book shows how to build richness and complexity around simple relationships. The book is both informative and inspirational.

Review by Shilpa Raikar.

I LIKE you! (3.4)

Clip Art Graphic of a Yellow Residential House Cartoon CharacterSetting up his profile

Saying NO for his mobile

Moo LIKES Random House

for his weekend at the boathouse

 

photo (14)In the latest post

About the book LIKED the most

A comment from Mush

Makes Moo gush

“Love makes our friends a little dearer.
Love brings us all a bit nearer”

Tune in tomorrow for the final instalment of love.

Words and design work artfully together

I have always loved design. When I was a young I loved to sketch and colour; and my teacher submitted my paintings to art exhibitions and competitions. So, you may be surprised that as an adult I decided to pursue a career as a copywriter.

But, writing and design aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s always surprised me to witness more art directors turn into creative directors, rather than the other way around. But, voila the exception! Perhaps, it helps that to also be able to think visually. So much for the left brain vs. right brain theory. My personal reading list is eclectic: while I devour books on writing, I also am attracted to books on design and art.

IUsedToBe_HighResCove_334So, when i came across the book I Used to Be a Design Student by , I was intrigued. It’s a compilation of 50 graphic designers as they analyze their design work “Then” and “Now”. The book offers a rare chance to read what graphic designers feel about their career path.

What I love is the advice that each designer offers. Inspirational quotes have a way of putting things for you in perspective, especially when you are bogged down by the endless advertising deadlines.

Shout out loud when your idea
is good, shut up if not +
Don’t take yourself too seriously 

Andreas Gnass

Learn to learn + 
Don’t be arrogant

Martin Lorenz

One can never say something
won’t work until they have done it +
Don’t be afraid to fail

Renata Graw

Work your ass off +
Don’t be an asshole 

Andreas Gnass

When a book reads as well as it looks and feels, it’s a Think Blink for me.

4.5/5 Think Blinks