Great lessons!
1. Comps/Mocks never look right when coded and uploaded. There’s always changes required due to limitations concerning browsers, programmers, color and consistency.
2. Some people don’t “get” Helvetica. Other people saw the movie and think they do and but then hate it because they think they get it and but then judge it because of same.
3. Wireframing is an essential part of web design that I haven’t dedicated enough obsession over.
4. Making a “product” or “package” requires immense planning and foresight and dedication and fortitude and attitude and reevaluation.
5. I tried to make a wireframing package for mass consumption and realized I should wireframe the wireframe package before diving into the design stage.
#5 is also true for development – or, frankly, creating anything. It’s my overarching rule when starting a project.
I couldn’t agree with #1 more….
One thing that I’m learning more and more, too, is to get plenty of feedback from a variety of people. It always makes what I’m doing BETTER.
1. Bringing up Josef Muller-Brockmann in a social situation in like wearing skinny jeans with accompanied wilderness beard. People think you’re a poser.
2. Josef Muller-Brockmann if brought up in a social situation makes you a poser.
3. YUI bases their grid system on a 950px standard width. You can’t equally split the grid in three using 20px of padding. I hate it worse then Michael Bay if he had Ron Howards love child.
4. Colors are hard. Details are good. Gradients are for interfaces. Photoshop CS4 has issues. Fireworks is like, “really dude, maybe I should give it another shot.”
5. FFFFOUND! is like Gods Hammer if on impact it made you understand your creative inferiority.
About The Author
I'm a graphic designer and sometimes writer living in Anderson, South Carolina. I serve as the Design Director for NewSpring Church. I love Jesus, my wife, Levi's Jeans, good Tex-Mex, and 8oz glass bottle Coca-Cola Classic. On good days I love them roughly in that order. Email me.
Five Design-Related Lessons I’ve Learned Lately
Fri 02/06/09
1. Consistency in the little details begets consistency in the overall impact.
2. Wayfinding arrows should never point to the text.
3. Sweat the kerning on your type, or it’ll eventually drive you crazy when it’s physical.
4. Scale matters, especially with signage, so do your homework.
5. Design is more about thought process than implementation. Think before you computer.