Design theory and fundamentals

gnolan

I asked this question in another thread but never really got an answer. Can anyone recommend some good reading with relation to design layout, theory, fundamentals etc?

It doesn't have to be directly related to web design but it would be nice to have some kind of crossover where the same principles apply.

The reason i ask this is because i often find myself drawing a blank when trying to decide not only how to layout my webpage but actually designing elements, backgrounds and their textures, proportionality and lots of other stuff.

I think i'm average enough when it comes to HTML and CSS but think i'm coming up short with the fundamentals of design.

OctavarIan

Non-Designer's Design Book is a good entry point.

Don't Make Me Think should be mandatory reading.

Making and Breaking the Grid is a decent book for layout.

Typographic Design and Thinking with Type are both good for typography.

A good way to learn that you can incorporate into your daily routine is to start deconstructing everything you see. For example I design newspapers and cannot look at one without mentally breaking the layout down into columns, modules, baselines, hierarchy, typography, etc. Start doing this with websites, posters, brochures, etc. Every so often you'll see something that makes you go 'a-ha!' and you can learn from it and figure out why they did that. Over time you'll build up a visual vocabulary of techniques to apply to your own designs.

You'll also start noticing irritating little mistakes everywhere, so it's a blessing and a curse :pac:

tricky D

Design in a general sense is about addressing problems, issues and the like, in your solutions. In web design, it's more than just visual matters (along the lines of what OI listed), as it extends to processes, functions, requirements and a long list of 'matters to be considered' that are part of good practice.

Pixelcraft

tricky D wrote: »

Design in a general sense is about addressing problems, issues and the like, in your solutions. In web design, it's more than just visual matters (along the lines of what OI listed), as it extends to processes, functions, requirements and a long list of 'matters to be considered' that are part of good practice.

I'd disagree with your distinction between design and web design. Design whatever medium is always about function & form

What OctavarIan suggested isn't merely visual fluff - most of those books deal with problem solving- e.g. Typography is more than just making a site's type look nice, grid systems are essential to layout.

tricky D

Pixelcraft wrote: »

I'd disagree with your distinction between design and web design. Design whatever medium is always about function & form

I don't reckon we are in disagreement at all:) Apart from the matter of web design, like any other design discipline, being a subset of design, I wouldn't say there's any particular distinction at all.

Pixelcraft wrote: »

What OctavarIan suggested isn't merely visual fluff - most of those books deal with problem solving- e.g. Typography is more than just making a site's type look nice, grid systems are essential to layout.

Again, I don't think we disagree. The thrust of my point is that web design isn't just the visual, but also needs to include addressing non-visual matters like processes and so on.

richie lighting

Hi

Can any one give some advise as to where is a good place to study lighting design??

Would be very great full

Cheers
Richard

Trojan

richie lighting wrote: »

Can any one give some advise as to where is a good place to study lighting design??

This forum is for software and web design discussions.

Try asking your question on the Interior Design & Decoration forum.