Design Elements, a Graphic Style Manual [REVISED EDITION] by Timothy SamaraThis updated version of Rockport's bestselling Design Elements offers expanded and updated content in a new, cleaner format for easier navigation. Author Timothy Samara has added more than 50 new diagrams and more than 100 new images of real-world projects with an increased emphasis on web and environmental design projects. The 20 Rules for Good Design has been revisited and expanded to 25 Rules. The book covers all the design fundamentals from working with grids, color application, typography, imagery and how to put it all together. Expansion and new material includes: -Composition/layout, visual hierarchy, -Form and composition in relation to concepts and meaning-Color psychology and narrative-Color coding-Reference palettes for time periods, cultures, and businesses-Special color and printing techniques-Combining type styles, editorial text setting issues, plus-Web-related type style and hierarchy issues-Strategies for using photography; design drawing; medium and meaning; pictorial and non-pictorial -image-making options; semiotics, symbolic and metaphorical image use; type as image-Making type and imagery work better together-Finding flexibility in design systems-The design process, from creative concept development and practical work-flow standpoints...-Plus a complete project case study with major decision-moments keyed to respective sections Being a creative designer is often about coming up with unique design solutions. Unfortunately, when the basic rules of design are ignored in an effort to be distinctive, design becomes useless. In language, a departure from the rules is only appreciated as great literature if recognition of the rules underlies the text. Graphic design is a "visual language," and brilliance is recognized in designers whose work seems to break all the rules, yet communicates its messages clearly.This book is a fun and accessible handbook that presents the fundamentals of design in lists, tips, brief text, and examples. Chapters include Graphic Design: What It Is; What Are They and What Do They Do?; 20 Basic Rules of Good Design; Form and Space-The Basics; Color Fundamentals; Choosing and Using Type; The World of Imagery; Putting it All Together? Essential Layout Concepts; The Right Design Choices: 20 Reminders for Working Designers; and Breaking the Rules: When and Why to Challenge all the Rules of this Book.
ISBN: 9781627880572
Publication Date: 2014-04-01
How Posters Work by Ellen Lupton (Editor); Caitlin Condell (Text by); Gail Davidson; Caroline B. BaumannHow Posters Work is more than a standard exhibition catalogue. Conceived as a useful and illuminating primer in visual thinking, it explores principles of design through a range of historical and contemporary works, uncovering ideas relevant not just to the design of posters but to 2D design more generally. How Posters Work has a unique focus on visual language. Rather than provide a history of the genre or a compilation of collectibles, the book is organized around active design principles. Concepts such as "Simplify," "Focus the eye," "Exploit the diagonal," "Reverse expectations," and "Say two things at once" are illustrated with a diverse range of posters, from avant-garde classics and rarely seen international works to contemporary pieces by today's leading graphic designers. Illustrated with over 150 works from the collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, How Posters Work provides a stunning education in seeing and making, demonstrating how some of the world's most creative designers have mobilized principles of layout, composition, psychology, and rhetoric to produce powerful acts of visual communication
ISBN: 9780910503822
Publication Date: 2015-05-26
Graphic design: The new basics by Ellen Lupton; Jennifer Cole PhillipsHow do designers get ideas? Many spend their time searching for clever combinations of forms, fonts, and colors inside thedesign annuals and monographs of other designers' work. For those looking to challenge the cut-and-paste mentality thereare few resources that are both informative and inspirational. InGraphic Design: The New Basics, Ellen Lupton, best-selling author of such books asThinking with Type andDesign 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. Through visual demonstrations and concise commentary,The New Basics shows students and professionals how to build interest and complexity around simple relationships between formal elements of two-dimensional design such as point, line, plane, scale, hierarchy, layers, and transparency.The New Basics explains the key concepts of visual language that inform any work of designfrom a logo or letterhead to a complex web site. It takes a fresh approach to design instruction by emphasizing visually intensive, form-based thinking in a manner that is in tune with the latest developments in contemporary media, theory, art, and technology. Colorful, compact, and clearly written,The New Basics is the new indispensable resource for anyone seeking a smart, inspiring introduction to graphic design and destined to become the standard reference work in design education.
ISBN: 9781568987026
Publication Date: 2008-03-20
Visual Design Solutions by Connie MalamedEnhance learners' interest and understanding with visual design for instructional and information products No matter what medium you use to deliver content, if the visual design fails, the experience falls flat. Meaningful graphics and a compelling visual design supercharge instruction, training, and presentations, but this isn't easy to accomplish. Now you can conquer your design fears and knowledge gaps with Visual Design Solutions: a resource for learning professionals seeking to raise the bar on their graphics and visual design skills. This informal and friendly book guides you through the process and principles used by professional graphic designers. It also presents creative solutions and examples that you can start using right away. Anyone who envisions, designs, or creates instructional or informational graphics will benefit from the design strategies laid out in this comprehensive resource. Written by Connie Malamed, an art educator and instructional designer, this book will help you tap into your creativity, design with intention, and produce polished work. Whereas most graphic design books focus on logos, packaging, and brochures, Visual Design Solutions focuses on eLearning, presentations, and performance support. Visual Design Solutions includes practical guidelines for making smart design choices, ways to create professional-looking products, and principles for successful graphics that facilitate learning. Ideal for instructional designers, trainers, presenters, and professors who want to advance from haphazard to intentional design, this book will help them realize their design potential. Gain the knowledge and confidence to design impressive, effective visuals for learning Increase learner comprehension and retention with visual strategies offered by an expert author Serves as a reference and a resource, with a wealth of examples for inspiration and ideas Addresses an intimidating topic in an informal, friendly style In four parts, the book provides a thorough overview of the design process and design concepts; explores space, image, and typography; and presents workable solutions for your most persistent and puzzling design problems. Get started and begin creating captivating graphics for your learners.
ISBN: 1118863569
Publication Date: 2015-04-13
Visual Language for Designers by Connie MalamedWithin every picture is a hidden language that conveys a message, whether it is intended or not. This language is based on the ways people perceive and process visual information. By understanding visual language as the interface between a graphic and a viewer, designers and illustrators can learn to inform with accuracy and power. In a time of unprecedented competition for audience attention and with an increasing demand for complex graphics, "Visual Language for Designers" explains how to achieve quick and effective communications. This book presents ways to design for the strengths of our innate mental capacities and to compensate for our cognitive limitations. "Visual Language for Designers" includes: -How to organize graphics for quick perception -How to direct the eyes to essential information -How to use visual shorthand for efficient communication -How to make abstract ideas concrete -How to best express visual complexity -How to charge a graphic with energy and emotion