contents

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

♦ 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

♦ thumbnail 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

♦ step 1: margins

♦ step 2: columns

♦ step 3: visual

♦ step 4: cutline

♦ step 5: headline

♦ step 6: copy

♦ step 7: tags

♦ final thoughts

♦ try this

chapter 4

layout sins

13 amateur errors

♦ sin no. 1: things that blink. incessantly.

♦ sin no. 2: warped photos

♦ sin no. 3: naked photos

♦ sin no. 4: bulky borders & boxes

♦ sin no. 5: cheated margins

♦ sin no. 6: centering everything

♦ sin no. 7: 4 corners & clutter

♦ sin no. 8: trapped negative space

♦ sin no 9: busy backgrounds

♦ sin no. 10: tacky type emphasis: reversing, stroking, using all caps & underlining

♦ 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 of design

♦ element no. 1: space

♦ element no. 2: line

♦ element no. 3: shape

♦ element no. 4: size

♦ element no. 5: pattern

♦ element no. 6: texture

♦ element no. 7: value

♦ principle no. 1: focal point

♦ principle no. 2: contrast

♦ principle no. 3: balance

♦ principle no. 4: movement

♦ principle no. 5: rhythm

♦ principle no. 6: perspective

♦ principle no. 7: unity

♦ try this

chapter 6

what is a grid?

& when do i need one?

♦ grid vocabulary

♦ creating & using a grid

♦ other approaches to designing a grid

♦ breaking the grid

♦ try this

chapter 7

layout

where to put your type & visuals for impact

♦ how do i know where to put my stuff ?

♦ where do i put the rest of my stuff ?

♦ order & organization

♦ layouts with multiple topics on the same screen or page

♦ multiple-page layouts

♦ exit here

♦ try this

chapter 8

type

what you don't know can hurt you

♦ font, typeface, font family, glyph

♦ font categories

♦ choosing & using fonts

♦ applying additional font styling

♦ typesetting for extended amounts of copy

♦ taking a page from newspaper design

♦ type: not just for reading anymore

♦ icing on the cake

♦ try this

special section: what you need to know about logo design

chapter 9

color basics

choosing & using color

♦ the power of color: impact, organization & emotion

♦ how to choose color: culture

♦ how to choose color: history

♦ how to choose color: nature

♦ how to choose color: color science & the color wheel

♦ color technology: that's not the color i chose, what happened?

♦ working in cmyk color space

♦ working in rgb space

♦ tips for designing with color

♦ color rules!

♦ try this

chapter 10

adding visual appeal

working with photos & illustrations

♦ image content

♦ resolution, file format & size

♦ choosing more than one photo

♦ ethics of editing

♦ diversity as craft excellence

♦ where to get photos

♦ where not to get photos

♦ alternatives to photos

♦ try this

chapter 11

the scoop on infographics

maximum information in minimum space

♦ a terse history of infographics

♦ you might need an infographic if…

♦ 21^st century multimedia infographics

♦ graphics packages

♦ ethics

♦ designing infographics

♦ try this

chapter 12

storyboarding 101

planning visual storytelling

♦ getting started

♦ framing the shot

♦ perspective

♦ pov

♦ camera angle

♦ movement

♦ continuity

♦ transitions

♦ lighting

♦ type

♦ audio

♦ after the storyboard

♦ try this

chapter 13

multimedia components

sometimes more is more

♦ working with images

♦ video clips

♦ working with audio

♦ animation

♦ interactive multimedia

♦ try this

chapter 14

designing for the web

starring on the small screen

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

♦ what to expect when working with web sites

♦ designing for the web

♦ preparing simple graphics for the web

♦ designing web pages & web sites

♦ other design considerations

♦ a web site isn’t always the best tool for the job

♦ multimedia web sites

♦ keep on your toes

♦ try this

chapter 15

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 16

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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