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There are some basic concepts that apply to website design regardless of the client, specifics, industry, etc. Surprisingly enough, if you stop and think about it, most of these concepts relate to almost any kind of ‘art’ or design created for a marketing purpose, whether web or print. Basically, the concepts involve being artistic while &hellip.
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Graphic Design – Taking Inspiration
There are some basic concepts that apply to website design regardless of the client, specifics, industry,
etc. Surprisingly enough, if you stop and think about it, most of these concepts relate to almost any kind
of ‘art’ or design created for a marketing purpose, whether web or print. Basically, the concepts involve
being artistic while maintaining the focus on designing for a marketable purpose. This often involves
maximizing the space available, but without cramming it – maximizing the impact, not the content or
imagery! It’s best to have the focus on a single element in the design and, if circumstances permit, have
an auxiliary design based on the central focus.
Here are some amazing designs that have served their purpose
through history and why they worked!
Nirvana’s Nevermind album art made history, for a few simple
reasons.
1. The concept is innovative, original and unheard of. To me, it
conveys the idea of people bringing their kids into a world where they
drown while being baited by money. Maybe deeper than they
intended, but it works.
2. The design is uncluttered. Just the artist name on the bottom in a nice font, and an underwater
wavy effect added to the font of the album name. Perfectly done.
3. Apart from words, even the design is fairly uncluttered and aesthetically pleasing, testimonial to the
fact that sometimes less is better!
Ah, The Goldfinch. On first look it seems as though the book is tearing – that’s just the perfection of the
design.
1. The book looks like it’s tearing. That alone automatically draws your hand to
it when you’re walking through Barnes & Noble! If it draws your hand to it,
you will probably lift it up when you realize that the cover is just meticulous
artwork!
2. The cover is relatively empty apart from the focus – the bit of the opening in
the paper where the Goldfinch is visible.
3. The effects used go well. The entire homemade, meaningful feel about the
cover just works flawlessly, sending the message, “you can’t see much here;
open up and you can”.
Perhaps one of the most meaningful posters of all time, this one is a winner from
every angle.
1. How you choose to interpret the splitting of the body into blood
red petals is up to you, but the sheer artistic nature of it draws
eyes and keeps them long enough to make a significant and
memorable impact.
2. Standard rules were followed – limited wording, restricted to the
bottom, and a central focus without too many jarring ideas on a
single page.
3. The contrast of the red against the black and white draws a stark
and significant connection. Using this in graphic design can be
immensely helpful to draw a reader or viewer’s attention to or
away from a specific aspect.
Sometimes, the web designers can break their heads on these kinds
of things, but the answers are really just right in front of you. You can
get inspiration from so many places and things if you look around – again, something us graphic designers
have very little time to do in between coffee breaks and staring at the computer screen!