What is design?
- Design is the process by which ideas, messages and information may be presented to a viewer by means of various techniques, mediums and imagery.
- Design should come from inside. It is more of a heart-felt thing than a conscious application of rules. However, using the rules and info you will learn in this class will make your heart-felt designs more technically accurate, more pleasing to the eye and hence, more successful.
- Craftsmanship is the single most important thing a designer can have in their list of skills. It allows your work to be presented in a professional fashion. If your work is technically and asthetically pleasing but has fingerprints, hair or a general unclean feel...you get the idea.
- Technique. This refers to your use of ALL of the principles learned in this class. If you are a naturally talented artist but fail to grasp or use basic design techniques your project will fail to be as effective as possible.
- No Fear! A designer should always push the envelope and try new things. Don't ever settle for what you feel is the safe answer. Don't ever do just enough to please your instructor or client. Nine times out of ten “safe” is boring.
- Often you will find that the simplest idea is best. Always try to keep it simple.
- You should understand the basic ideas and principles behind design and composition. The parts should always equal the whole. Do your best to make sure that all of the design principles you use work together correctly.
- Solving Design “Problems”. Try not to think of design projects as “problems”. We deal with enough problems these days…instead try to think in terms of a solution.