Corporate Design Re-educating
mattjp18 (45 pencils) | Fri, 2008-02-08 20:51Hi, I have a question. I'm work at a large corporate firm as a graphic designer, and I find that people always want to add way to much text, content to their designs. I'm looking for some tips on how to maybe gently educate the importance of simplicity in design in order to get a point across. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Matt
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
On a piece of white Bristol board, take a cleanly-chiseled marker and quickly sketch a few simple geometric shapes, taking care to leave lots of white space. Add some basic text. Keep it neat.
On a second piece of Bristol, same size, same white, take a bunch of cheap fingerpaints and splatter them all over the board--make it a real mess. Hang both "rendered" boards for all to see. Label one, COMPOSITION I, the other COMPOSITION II. Find out which rendering the client likes best. If they like the clean look then you can probably guide them towards the corporate look.
However, if they like the splattered fingerpaints, then you have a whole other ballgame on your hands. Send in the pinch hitter.
ttfn!
3dogmama
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber
Refer them to two sources, a children's book and War and Peace. Ask them which one they remember best after reading both. A light bulb will go off over their heads. :)
Too much content robs the reader of their precious time and most will ignore an ad with that much content. A picture says a 1000 words but too many words and your message gets lost.
Think of the "I have a dream" speech, The Gettysburg Address, etc. They can be boiled down to their essence with their titles. Design does this, distills and communicates a message but causes further information to be internalized automatically by the viewer, not to be forcefed, as your bosses are pushing for.
I'd submit good ads to them as examples, other companies in your field perhaps, and they will begin to see that overly wordy ads don't show anything (ie. sell) they just tell. And that's boring!
A great article from AIGA in pdf format regarding design and its importance:
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/what-every-business-needs
And some great ads here:
http://adsoftheworld.com/
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
Whoa. Forget my response. Nato's suggestions make far more sense.
I am operating way outside of the box tonight.
Cheers.
ttfn!
3dogmama
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber
Now I DEFINITELY want to hear what you were going to say. :)
----
Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
----
Dirt and Rust
I think I said enough already tonight--you did catch my TFS comments, didn't you? Tells you the frame of mind I'm in. Good night to work on the novel.
Cheers.
P.S. War and Peace is heavy. Some kid lit is unforgettable too.
Shel Silverstein--one of his poems that inspires me:
Listen to the mustn’ts, child.
Listen to the don’ts.
Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...
Anything can happen, child.
Anything can be.
ttfn!
3dogmama
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber