- Minimalism sounds simple.
No pun intended.
What's so difficult about putting one word on a page?
It is indeed simple.
One single word on a page can be aggressive and bold.
That single element becomes the most important message.
There's nothing to impede or compete with it.
So why doesn't all design have one word or image
on a page or screen alone?
That's where the hard part is.
It sounds good in theory, but it takes courage to stop
and let it be that simple.
First, if you approach a project with the goal of it
having a minimalist style, it will fail.
As with most design, layering a look or form
on top of an idea is as meaningful as cake frosting.
Minimalism is a process, not a look.
Your approach is to identify the concept
and manipulate form for the best communication.
Following a minimalist process,
if the solution requires one single word,
you stop adding beyond that one word.
The point is not to eliminate everything,
but to take away elements until there is nothing more
than necessary.
Like working with extremes and negative space,
the most challenging task is stepping away
when you complete the design.
My process is reductive.
During my exploration, I'll try multiple iterations
with different forms.
Then I ask, "What is adding to the communication
"and what is taking away?"
No element is just there, neutral.
Every image, shape, and text has to have a purpose.
When I've reached a place where I'm sure
nothing is left to remove, I remove more.
It might be too far, but I won't know
until I try it.
I based my design for the AIGA conference identity
on the idea of minimalism.
I believe that conference graphics have become overwrought,
and were more about flash and dash than function.
I eliminated any unnecessary forms
and focused on the viewer's experience.
It was more important for the information to be precise
than someone calling it groovy.
I worked with one typeface and a minimal color palette.
I used scale as the primary tool to create drama.
And it's tempting to add more color and other typefaces,
but I lived with it for months.
The conference attendees would only see it online
with invitations, or at the conference.
So I stuck to my rules.
The result was a clear and simple design solution
that stood out in the clutter of the environment
of complex conference graphics systems.
Minimalism relies on rules.
I assigned strict parameters
to the AIGA conference identity.
In other instances, the rule may be let something be
what it is, with no manipulation.
A poor photograph is allowed to be a poor photograph.
The typography is direct and unadorned.
The viewer is left to assign meaning to the design.
The designer has stepped aside and allowed the content
to do work.
Minimalism is a robust approach to stand out
in the chaos.
Most designers veer away from it, as it is uncomfortable.
That paired with the client asking
why he or she can't add more makes it a real challenge.
But if you commit to communicating the message
as clearly with as few distractions possible,
minimalism makes perfect sense.
The resulting design will have strength and confidence,
rather than a piece containing everything
but the kitchen sink.