After the unheralded launch of the blog that shall come to be known as Beyond Typography I thought I'd start by setting out my philosophy on design.
Everybody has an opinion on design, and, like music, everybody thinks they know what is good or bad. I just think it is a matter of taste.
I prefer not to think of good design or bad design, but effective and ineffective. That is, does it do what it's supposed to do and is it pleasing to the eye?
I've been working in magazine design for nearly 15 years, and an effective magazine layout is one that enables the reader to get the information they need easily, in an attractive way. It draws the reader in. Those criteria will change according to the readership. A b2b magazine with an international audience will have a different approach to a London-based, consumer mag aimed at the youth market. The design will be different, but an understanding of the end-user is essential, which will enable the designer to tailor the look and feel of the final product.
Taste changes. Therefore trends (both cultural and fashion) change. Also, for an international market, cultural sensitivity must be factored in. For example, it may be ok to lay out a page with the text jumping all over the place and illustrated by a scantily-clad young lady if the target audience is twenty-something male living in London, but is not a good idea if the reader is a an elderly businessman, who has English as a second or third language, based in the Middle East.
It's important to keep abreast of these trends. I'm attending a design conference in New York over the next few days and I hope to be able to blog about my learnings and experiences.
Comments