- Just because you design or work with a typeface, it doesn't make you a typographer
- It's ok to break the layout grid sometimes
- Hand rendered work is just as important as digital
- Experimentation is key
- Never overcomplicate an idea. Usually the simplest concept will turn out best
- Legibility vs Readability - does it need to be readable to be legible?
- Colour doesn't necessarily have to be used - black & white is good too
- Designing to a low colour palette is a good idea. Two colours + stock.
- Focal points, information points & where the eye is drawn
- For large quantities of text, leading is important.
Expanded & research:
1. Just because you design or work with a typeface, it doesn't make you a typographer
Working with type on a regular basis may give you an insight into how each letter works, how the specific typeface works/what the characteristics & appropriate time to use it is, but it doesn't make you a typographer. The same goes for designing a typeface. Creating one typeface doesn't make you an expert in the area. Designing & creating a typeface is something anyone can do these days with the right tools at their disposal.
Definition of a typographer: Traditionally, the typographer was someone with specialised knowledge about typefaces.
Definition of a typographer: Traditionally, the typographer was someone with specialised knowledge about typefaces.
2. It's ok to break the layout grid sometimes
Grids are there for a reason, they help create layouts that are balanced and work well. They are key for good design. However, sometimes breaking the grid is necessary.
Examples of grids over design from 'Grid Systems: Principles of Organising Type' (Kimberly Elam)
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/04/14/designing-with-grid-based-approach/
http://www.designersinsights.com/designer-resources/using-layout-grids-effectively
http://www.thegridsystem.org
Examples of grids over design from 'Grid Systems: Principles of Organising Type' (Kimberly Elam)
Designs ignoring the grid:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/04/14/designing-with-grid-based-approach/
http://www.designersinsights.com/designer-resources/using-layout-grids-effectively
http://www.thegridsystem.org
3. Hand rendered work is just as important as digital
Digital work may look cleaner, smoother & more professional, but it doesn't have the ability to have the same quirky and personality as hand rendered/hand drawn design. Sometimes digital work isn't necessary. It may be quicker, but it doesn't make the work any better. Hand rendered work gives a more personal approach and shows the amount of work that has gone into each piece.
Digital work may look cleaner, smoother & more professional, but it doesn't have the ability to have the same quirky and personality as hand rendered/hand drawn design. Sometimes digital work isn't necessary. It may be quicker, but it doesn't make the work any better. Hand rendered work gives a more personal approach and shows the amount of work that has gone into each piece.
http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/koen-taselaar
http://speckyboy.com/2010/11/29/the-beauty-of-the-hand-drawn-typography-trend-in-design/
http://speckyboy.com/2010/11/29/the-beauty-of-the-hand-drawn-typography-trend-in-design/
4. Experimentation is key
Without experimentation and risk taking, design wouldn't be anywhere. It might not always work, but then you learn from your mistakes and know what not to do next time. Experimentation is what moves design forward, and moves your design skills forward as well.
http://www.syntheticautomatic.com
http://www.lyndiparrett.com/ETC_experimental_type.html
http://www.okaygreat.com/tag/experimental/
Without experimentation and risk taking, design wouldn't be anywhere. It might not always work, but then you learn from your mistakes and know what not to do next time. Experimentation is what moves design forward, and moves your design skills forward as well.
http://www.syntheticautomatic.com
http://www.lyndiparrett.com/ETC_experimental_type.html
http://www.okaygreat.com/tag/experimental/
5. Never overcomplicate an idea. Usually the simplest concept will turn out the best
Simple concepts can be built up to create something incredible. Simple designs are usually the ones which are remembered. If you have a concept which is too overcomplicated and needs a lot of explaining, you're not doing the job. Clear communication is key, so something which needs explaining and is confusing to everyone but the designer is not what you should ever do. Just a simple concept can create many different opportunities and go in a lot of directions, a lot more than an overcomplicated one, which will probably end up being very limited.
Simple concepts can be built up to create something incredible. Simple designs are usually the ones which are remembered. If you have a concept which is too overcomplicated and needs a lot of explaining, you're not doing the job. Clear communication is key, so something which needs explaining and is confusing to everyone but the designer is not what you should ever do. Just a simple concept can create many different opportunities and go in a lot of directions, a lot more than an overcomplicated one, which will probably end up being very limited.
6. Legibility vs Readability - does it need to be readable to be legible?
Legibility & readability are two very different things, although they are very interlinked. Something can be legible but not necessarily readable. Readability is more applicable to large sets of text, whereas legibility is applicable to everything. Legibility is how much you can distort/transform something and still make it known what it is. As long as the basic shape is still there, it is still legible. Readability is a lot more defined, it is about how easy it is to read a piece of text, how clear it is.
Legibility & readability are two very different things, although they are very interlinked. Something can be legible but not necessarily readable. Readability is more applicable to large sets of text, whereas legibility is applicable to everything. Legibility is how much you can distort/transform something and still make it known what it is. As long as the basic shape is still there, it is still legible. Readability is a lot more defined, it is about how easy it is to read a piece of text, how clear it is.
7. Colour doesn't necessarily have to be used - black & white is good too.
Although colour adds another dimension to design and makes certain parts stand out, it is not always necessary. Black and white design can have as just much impact as something in full colour. To use colour a designer must be confident in colour theory and how each colour works together, what each colour does to one another and how to apply it properly. Black and white design gets rid of that uncertainty and makes things simpler. It maybe helps make the focus about the design, not about the colours used in the design.
Although colour adds another dimension to design and makes certain parts stand out, it is not always necessary. Black and white design can have as just much impact as something in full colour. To use colour a designer must be confident in colour theory and how each colour works together, what each colour does to one another and how to apply it properly. Black and white design gets rid of that uncertainty and makes things simpler. It maybe helps make the focus about the design, not about the colours used in the design.
8. Designing to a low colour palette is a good idea. Two colours + stock.
Printing is expensive. Each colour adds another plate, meaning more cost. Designing to a limited palette can make the work more creative. As there is a limitation to colour, it makes you think a lot more about the design itself and the impact you need it to make and how you need to make that. It also means you have the opportunity to experiment with different stocks as well.
Printing is expensive. Each colour adds another plate, meaning more cost. Designing to a limited palette can make the work more creative. As there is a limitation to colour, it makes you think a lot more about the design itself and the impact you need it to make and how you need to make that. It also means you have the opportunity to experiment with different stocks as well.
9. Focal points, information points & where the eye is drawn
Focal points are the most important points of a piece of design. It is the point where the eye is drawn first, so this needs to be where the most important information is. The title, main image, main message, depending on the use of the design. Usually the centre & top centre are the main points. After that there are information points - the points the eye goes to afterwards. So these points need to have the secondary part of the design, the navigation bar, subheadings, search bars to name a few.
Focal points are the most important points of a piece of design. It is the point where the eye is drawn first, so this needs to be where the most important information is. The title, main image, main message, depending on the use of the design. Usually the centre & top centre are the main points. After that there are information points - the points the eye goes to afterwards. So these points need to have the secondary part of the design, the navigation bar, subheadings, search bars to name a few.
10. For large quantities of text, leading is important.
Without the appropriate leading, text becomes hard to read. Leading is the space between each line in a block of text. If the leading is too small, the eye will jump from line to line and become tired easily. Along with this, the point size and amount of words on each line also affects how tired the eye gets. If there is too many, or too little words on a line, it makes the eye tired. Too many little words means the eye is constantly going from line to line to read the text, instead of spending an adequate amount of time on one line, and vice versa for too much text on a line.
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