- Being a good designer
is like playing different roles as an actor.
You must be obsessed with the smallest detail
but see the biggest picture.
You must rigidly adhere to rules passed down for centuries
but ignore them when you want.
We've covered a variety of tools, processes, and rules
to create a dynamic layout.
And now, I'm going to suggest you ignore all of that
and explore when breaking those same rules can work.
Think of it this way.
It's a good idea to know how to swim
before jumping off a high cliff into the sea.
Let's tackle these one at a time.
First, the primary goal is to communicate the message
as dynamically and clearly as possible.
Throwing caution to the wind to be the grooviest cat
on the block isn't good enough.
What about the rule to focus on legibility?
The topography on the website for the Afropunk Festival,
sits right on the edge of being illegible,
but it creates a dynamic rhythm
with repeating shapes and stroke weights.
Nice and clean Helvetica here would have nothing to do
with the energetic contact.
Then there are the rules about consistency,
maintain one or two typefaces
with minimal size changes to create harmony.
But again, what happens if one ignores that
and uses dozens of typefaces?
Here, the variety and matches the content
and exhibition of handcrafted lettering signs.
The color palette of autumn tones
keeps the poster from being chaotic.
We strive to maintain strong grids on a layout
so that the elements will all relate.
Techs should be set with one alignment,
flush left, centered or justified.
But here, using all different axis
with every element shouting for attention
and corny sales techniques,
such as all caps and multiple exclamation points works.
The website is so over the top, it's entertaining and funny.
I love this piece by Coby Franco,
for a series of lectures,
classic rules for hierarchy,
a large image, headline and supporting text is thrown out.
Instead, Franco creates a magnificent information graphic,
that gives the viewer all the information they need
in a colorful mosaic.
When I'm stuck and having trouble with an idea,
I sometimes think, what is the absolute worst
and most wrong thing I could do?
This helps me break away from any restrictions
I'm placing on myself.
The goal doesn't change to communicate an idea clearly,
but stretching the rules can lead to a unique solution.