A favorite designer of mine.

Massimo Vignelli is in my list of top 5 designers, easily.

Now, I know...that is like saying, basketball players have a lot to learn from Magic Johnson. Obviously they are great and recognized as such. But it would be a huge misstep to not acknowledge the influence that they have had on not just my development but on the entire craft itself.

When I was younger, still in high school. Like most designers, I did not understand the full implications of typography and how powerful it is. I readily skipped over it in favor of illustration every time. I watched a well known film "Helvetica" which gave a discussion of not just the specific typeset and its history. But also addressed designers who did and did not use it, their work and the importance of type in design.

The film (at the time) seemed a bit boring, was type really that important?

This was the start of need to learn all about type. I got into college and started my design studies and I did not know where to start learning about type. With the help and direction of some awesome professors I dove headfirst. Low and behold, in my first type class we watched the same film "Helvetica". It was that much more interesting at that point in my life. Such a great film and only gets better. (I may watched it probably 2 more times throughout my life.)

In that film Vignelli had a huge part in the narrative. He is considered to be THE best designer for Helvetica usage. His designs showed the entire breadth of creativity and type usage. Even though he considered only about maybe 5 types were worthy of any usage at all. And he seemed to mostly use 3.

The usage of white space, scale, color, type/layout.....was just amazing, groundbreaking and ultimately legendary.

He was able to communicate so many different things while showing such restraint all whilecreating some dynamic iconic designs.

I refer back to his work time and time again in order to better my own type setting skills. To try and learn from one of the very best is always a great way to learn.

If you are already very familiar with his work.....then go back to it...take notes...study it, if you somehow aren't....do the same.

Write more.

I think there is something amazing about someone who can write well. The way they can communicate exactly what they want to say, the choice of words....it is a true talent that often gets overlooked. Especially for those of us who are in the visual creative department.

First it is hard to find a dumb person who can write really well. They usually run hand in hand. That is not also to say that all smart people are good writers. But I would bet on the former as opposed to the later. So being able think and problem solve the issue of written communication makes you that much more valuable. At the end of the day, what are we as creatives? We are communicators and problem solvers. But instead of using sentences we use other visual means to solve the problem. So in my mind...it only makes sense that they would have a carry over from one to another.

Secondly, it is just an amazing skill to have. People pay big bucks if you can write well. Many of us are caught up in the kerning, tracking, white space....the photography, type setting and all the other things involved in putting together good designs. When it comes to communicating to others, especially clients....this is where we usually fall behind. It is tough to live just off your ability to design and have them speak for yourself. So it is important that we learn how to write so we can effectively convey what we have to say. At the very base of it, if you are missing out on this skill you simply leaving money on the table.

Whitespace is your friend.

A lot of designers are constantly fighting the the urge to "fill the space". When composing a layout, poster etc. We try to use whitespace to help improve the composition to communicate as best as possible.

I look at whitespace like I look at a good type family. When they are used, a great type does not sit on top of the plane but it sits inside of the plane. Not sitting over or covering the space but inhabiting the  space and sharing it with the emptiness.

I scale that up to composition elements when applicable. When designing a layout I try to make sure the headers, body text etc simply do not just take up space over the plane. But these elements sit inside of the plane themselves, creating a relationship between elements and empty space.

These empty spaces are vital to the compositional flow of any look and learning how to use space to direct the eye is super important to any successful solution. Some designers and even clients get aggravated with too much or little white space because "There is to much blank space, you hardly did anything etc." Now maybe they are right...that is another issue altogether. But let us just say they are wrong. Whitespace that is used correctly can be hard to come by and makes a design stronger. So to get to the best solution which looks like minimum work sometimes requires massive amounts of work to get there. Simple does not always mean easy.

Taking time to learn how to dictate a viewers eye and command a composition is going to pay great dividends in the long run. Learn when a design is too busy or maybe when there is too much space. The constant battle of balance is what we are left with.

"Less is not always more, just enough is more." Milton Glaser.