Lines can be delicate or aggressive, directional or meandering, representational or abstract. Lines do much more than delineate a shape. They have rhythm. They have motion. They can fill space, enclose space, or create negative space.
Let’s talk about white space—or more accurately, negative space, because it doesn’t have to be white.READ MORE
One fundamental design principle is hierarchy. A design should have one dominant feature. One thing that catches the attention of your audience. Subordinate to that can be one or two or several supporting concepts. If they’re still looking, the next level is to add details. You might have additional levels in your hierarchy. At the lowest level is the fine print that has to be there—but you don’t care if it gets read.READ MORE
What does a musical composer know about creativity that he can teach the rest of us? Robert Fritz knows enough to be able to say, “You can be the predominant creative force in your own life.” My own experience bears this out.READ MORE
When in the beginning stages of a design, I recommend using descriptive words before you settle on colors and imagery. READ MORE
Have you ever been confused by a piece of technology? We know electronics can be complicated, but what about the shower in a hotel room? If you have failed to figure out how something works, you are not dumb. The fault is with the designer! Don Norman is an advocate of user-centered design and has lent his expertise to Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, and others. His book The Design of Everyday Things is a classic, and a comprehensive introduction to design thinking.READ MORE
A prolific and groundbreaking designer, Saul Bass designed posters for the film industry, including many Hitchcock films. His clients loved his kinetic hand-lettering so much that they asked him to create movie title sequences. His breakthrough approach turned a boring list of credits into a mini-film that set the emotional tone for the feature that followed.READ MORE
The restrooms got a major makeover at LaGuardia Airport, reports the Wall Street Journal:READ MORE
The line between back-end and front-end programming is not always distinct. Many times programmers have to make design decisions on the fly. This guide is intended to help avoid the worst transgressions. As with all rules, there are exceptions—but leave those up to the professional designers.