Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Appendix B
Causin' Some Trouble
If a design doesn't feel good in your heart, what
the mind thinks doesn't matter.
April Greiman
Graphic designer, author, and educator
When and Why to Challenge Anything in This
Rules in graphic design exist as guidelines to help establish a way to evaluate what's
good and what's not; but, more importantly, they serve to help designers avoid problems
that interfere with communication. It is often said, however, that rules are made to be
broken, and this is never truer than in design. No two projects are alike: every project
comes with different requirements, different messages and ideas that must be expressed,
and different—sometimes very specific—audiences. No design approach is ever out of
bounds or “illegal”—thou shalt not, on pain of death. In breaking rules, it is important
for designers to understand what a rule means and, most importantly, what will happen
when the rule is broken. Some rules are less flexible than others; for example, a really
dark gray word printed on an even darker background will likely be illegible or close to
it. This is not to say that making some type difficult to read can't be an appropriate part
of the design; it's just a matter of context: Is making type difficult to read appropriate
to that project, and why? Which type elements will be difficult to read? When breaking
a rule, there is likely to be a trade-off—something will be gained, and something lost.
The designer must decide whether the sacrifice is acceptable and ultimately be prepared
to accept the consequence of the decision. Once a designer feels confident that he or she
understands how the rules work and what the effects of breaking them will be, a designer
must decide why, when, and how. Some of the greatest innovations in graphic design will
happen when the designer knowingly—and intelligently—throws the rule topic away.
Don't expect theory to determine how things look.
Michael Rock
