Book Description
Approach page design in a revolutionary new way! Unlike other graphic design books, The Elements of Graphic Design reveals the secrets of successful graphic design from the unique perspective of the page’s "white space." With the help of carefully selected examples from art, design, and architecture, the role of white space as a connection between page elements is thoroughly explored. Clear, insightful comments are presented in a dynamic page design, and interactive design elements, thought-provoking captions, and scores of illustrations challenge designers to "think out of the box." This unique resource is guaranteed to inspire more creative and thorough thinking.
From the Publisher
Looking At Your Work with Critical Eyes; 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
From the Inside Flap
"Whether you’re looking at a well-designed poster, book, magazine, ad, or Web site, it’s fascinating to see how the same principles of good design apply. Alex White has created an entertaining guide."—Alexander Isley, Founder, Alexander Isley Inc. "Alex White provides a comprehensive and coherent guide to recognizing and creating effective graphic design. A strong section on typography, including a glossary and bibliography, will prove useful even to the grizzled, embittered old pro."—Daniel Pelavin, Founder, Pelavin Design; and President, the Type Directors Club "Fluid, thorough, and immensely informative, Alex has written a primer of graphic design bound to become required reading."—Brian Diecks, President/Creative Director, The Diecks Group "The need to master white space is essential to graphic designers. This is an insightful and inspirational exploration of one of design’s most critical elements."—Susan Cotler-Block, Chair, Communication Design Department, Fashion Institute of Technology
About the Author
Alexander W. White is an accomplished graphic designer who has shaped the visual design of nineteen magazines and twenty identity programs and been a consultant to numerous publications, art directors, and editors. He has taught design at the Hartford Art School of the University of Hartford for fifteen years and has lectured widely on typography and design to professionals in corporations and at conferences. The author of Type in Use and How to Spec Type, he lives in New York City.
Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type SYNOPSIS
Writing for graphic designers, art directors, and students, White (a seasoned graphic designer and educator) offers a method for successful designs for maximum reader comprehension. He demonstrates how to use scale, color, and position to guide the reader's eye through levels of importance. Other concepts include employing white space, using display and text type, and defining dominance in images and text. Imaginative analogies and hundreds of illustrations help demonstrate White's methods. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, OR
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
For those in need of concentrated curriculum, this volume by graphic designer White (Type in Use) provides a crash course in the fundamentals of graphic design. The book begins with a refreshingly concise overview of the communicator's job, then elaborates on what White considers the seven design components: unity, gestalt, space, dominance, hierarchy, balance, and color. While one would be hard pressed to take issue with the perspectives advanced here, readers may wish that White had taken more of his own advice. The book's jam-packed pages, crammed with diminutive (and sometimes dubious) examples, are a bit daunting. A book half as dense and twice as large would have provided a much more compelling demonstration of White's ideas. Though focusing more narrowly on information design, Edward R. Tufte takes a similar instructional approach in his gorgeous Visual Explanations; Philip Meggs's History of Graphic Design is also highly recommended. Design professionals may find the occasional kernel of wisdom in White's book, but those new to the profession will benefit most. For larger public libraries or libraries serving design programs.-Phil Hamlett, Turner & Assocs., San Francisco Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Art & Photography
Book Info
