Description
Book SynopsisWhere do design principles come from? Are they abstract rules established by professionals or do they have roots in human experience? And if we encounter these visual phenomena in our everyday lives, how do designers use them to attract our attention, orient our behavior, and create compelling and memorable communication that stands out among the thousands of messages we confront each day? Today's work in visual communication design shifts emphasis from simply designing objects to designing experiences; to crafting form that acknowledges cognitive and cultural influences on interpretation. In response, Meredith Davis and Jamer Hunt provide a new slant on design basics from the perspective of audiences and users. Chapters break down our interactions with communication as a sequence of meaningful episodes, each with related visual concepts that shape the interpretive experience. Explanatory illustrations and professional design examples support definitions of visual concepts and discus
Trade ReviewA great reference text for all graphic design students. Effectively places many of the main theoretical principles that lie behind successful design outcomes. Clearly links theory to practice in a single accessible volume and a great reference source for either a practical or theoretical module. * Anthony Roocroft, University of Bolton, UK *
Table of ContentsForeword CHAPTER 1 – The importance of form The relationship between form and context: Goodness of fit Form and meaning A little bit of history: Twentieth-century attitudes toward “good form” New practices: The changing context for contemporary design The shift in attention from artifact to experience How this book is organized
CHAPTER 2 – Getting attention Introduction Contrast Figure-Ground Camouflage Color Size constancy Scale Proportion Proximity Focus Layering Symmetry/Asymmetry Closure Continuity Series and Sequences Pattern Rhythm and Pacing Motion Summary
CHAPTER 3 – Orienting for use and interpretive behavior Introduction Affordances Channel Medium and Format Feedback Wayfinding Mapping Hierarchy Reading Pattern Grouping Edge Relationships Direction Point of View Summary
CHAPTER 4 – Interpreting, interacting, and experiencing Introduction Legibility and Readability Denotation and Connotation Framing Abstraction Icon, Index, and Symbol Materiality Substitution Metaphor Parallel Form Appropriation Ambiguity Cognitive Dissonance Summary
CHAPTER 5 – Extending and retaining meaning Introduction Schemas and Stereotypes Narrative Archetypes Mnemonics Chunking Redundancy Graphic Identity Branding Summary
CONCLUSION Bibliography Index
