TABLE OF CONTENTS

white space is not your enemy: a beginner’s guide to communicating visually through graphic, web & multimedia design

acknowledgments

preface

chapter 1

what is design?

making visuals & type play nice in space

»  form follows function in design

»  design drives visual culture

»  graphic design communicates

»  computers democratized graphic design

»  the www changed all the rules

»  graphic design is planned

»  make pictures & words work together in space

»  know the rules. break the rules if you have a reason.

»  try this

chapter 2

step away from the computer

for research & brainstorming

»  research

»  brainstorming

»  sketches

»  try this

chapter 3

i need to design this today

the works-every-time layout

»  why the works-every-time layout works

»  parts of the works-every-time layout

»  final thoughts

»  try this

»  the works-every-time layout: a gallery

chapter 4

layout sins

13 amateur errors

»  sin no. 1: centering everything

»  sin no. 2: warped or naked photos

»  sin no. 3: too many fonts

»  sin no. 4: bulky borders & boxes

»  sin no. 5: cheated or missing margins

»  sin no. 6: stairstepping

»  sin no. 7: 4 corners & clutter

»  sin no. 8: trapped negative space

»  sin no. 9: busy backgrounds

»  sin no. 10: tacky type emphasis

»  sin no. 11: bad bullets

»  sin no. 12: widows & orphans

»  sin no. 13: justified rivers

»  try this

chapter 5

mini art school

the elements, principles & theories of design

»  element no. 1: space

»  element no. 2: line

»  element no. 3: shape/form

»  element no. 4: size/scale

»  element no. 5: color

»  element no. 6: texture

»  element no. 7: value

»  principle no. 1: focal point/emphasis

»  principle no. 2: contrast

»  principle no. 3: balance

»  principle no. 4: movement

»  principle no. 5: rhythm/pattern

»  principle no. 6: unity

»  gestalt theory

»  try this

chapter 6

layout

where to put visuals & type for impact

»  how do i know where to put stuff?

»  where do i put the rest of my stuff?

»  creating hierarchy

»  layouts with multiple topics on the same screen or page

»  multiple-page layouts

»  exit here

»  try this

»  layout ideas you can swipe: beyond the works-every-time layout

chapter 7

type

what you don’t know can hurt you

»  font, typeface, font family, glyph

»  font categories

»  choosing & using fonts

»  applying additional font styling

»  typesetting lengthy copy

»  taking a page from newspaper design

»  type: not just for reading anymore

»  icing on the cake

»  try this

»  what you need to know about logo design

chapter 8

color basics

choosing & using color

»  the power of color: impact, organization & emotion

»  color theory

»  how to choose color: working the color wheel

»  how to choose color: culture

»  how to choose color: history

»  how to choose color: nature

»  tips for designing with color

»  color technology: that’s not the color i chose. what happened?

»  working with screen color

»  specifying color for print

»  color rules!

»  try this

chapter 9

adding visual appeal

working with photos & illustrations

»  image content

»  resolution, file format & size

»  choosing more than one photo

»  ethics of shooting & editing

»  diversity as craft excellence

»  where to get photos

»  where not to get photos

»  alternatives to photos

»  try this

chapter 10

infographics

maximum information in minimum space

»  a terse history of infographics

»  you might need an infographic if…

»  where do infographics come from?

»  multimedia infographics

»  graphics packages

»  designing infographics

»  try this

chapter 11

storyboarding

planning visual storytelling

»  getting started

»  framing the shot

»  perspective

»  pov

»  camera angle

»  movement

»  continuity

»  transitions

»  lighting

»  type

»  audio

»  after the storyboard

»  try this

chapter 12

multimedia components

sometimes more is more

»  thumbnails, storyboards & site maps

»  working with images

»  video clips

»  animation

»  apps and plug-ins and widgets, oh my!

»  multimedia storytelling

»  try this

chapter 13

designing for the web

starring on the small screen

»  what to expect when working with websites

»  how the web works (the 5-second version)

»  designing for the web

»  designing web pages & websites

»  a website isn’t always the best tool for the job

»  keep on your toes

»  try this

chapter 14

fit to print

an overview of papers & printing

»  plan ahead for printing: choosing paper

»  types of printing & printers

»  get a printing estimate

»  prepare your document for printing

»  what to give the printer: a checklist

»  now what?

»  other things your printer can do

»  try this

chapter 15

conclusion

now that you know enough to be dangerous, thanks for stopping by

»  everything is changing

»  there’s nothing new under the sun

»  sometimes you just need to hire a professional

»  words of encouragement

glossary

index

For more content please visit the companion site: http://www.whitespacedesignbook.com

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