Book Description
Publisher comments
Designers Train Their Inner Judgement with Alexander White’s New Graphic Design Primer
Since graphic design went mainstream, lots of highly creative talent has found its way into the industry. Yet when it comes to the quality of today’s design work, the absence of solid aesthetic judgement is often painfully evident.
Boosting the critical and creative sensibilities of design students, self-made designers, and routine-trapped professionals is the goal of THE ELEMENTS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN, a new book by the highly respected graphic designer and design educator Alexander White. In this incisive text, generously illustrated by 350 examples from art, architecture, pop culture, advertising and editorial design, the author demonstrates how imaginative thinking and the lessons gleaned from the best design can lead to quantum leaps in one’s design work.
The foundation of White’s approach to design is the element of space and its counterpart, negative or "white space." With convincing arguments, the author shows that thinking about page design from the point of view of "solids and voids" opens the doors to new, more efficient design solutions.
"The single most overlooked element in visual design is emptiness," the author observes. "The lack of attention it receives explains the abundance of ugly and unread design . . . [Emptiness] is more than just the background of a design, for if a design’s background alone were properly constructed, the overall design would immediately double in clarity and usefulness."
White’s stimulating comment provides beginning designers and professionals with fresh insights into creative, quality-driven design. Readers will learn to
THE ELEMENTS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN teaches designers how to
- Understand the principles of great page design
- Train theirs mind to see form more accurately and more critically
- Develop a sophisticated sense of the seven design components
- Make type choices that are driven by legibility and readability
- Sensitize themselves to seeing space
- Use space to make their design look more active
In addition, THE ELEMENTS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN boasts striking two- and four-color illustrations, a textbook-example page layout, and a detailed chapter on design history. CONTACT: Birte Pampel, 212.777.8395, ext. 13; bpampel@allworth.com
