The design-principles tag has no wiki summary.
27
votes
5answers
2k views
How often is the Golden Ratio actually used in modern design?
The Golden Ratio is the stuff of legend (and I believe some derision if Pepsi's latest logo change is of any indication) and is purported to have been used in many famous projects. My question is ...
19
votes
4answers
341 views
Should in-house clients receive native files to make their own changes?
I am the in-house designer for a company that employs 8 marketing managers. These marketing managers are the ones that supply me with the lion-share of my projects.
However, more and more, the ...
17
votes
8answers
846 views
What are common mistakes that you see in “professional” designs? [closed]
This might be too subjective but I'm curious about other peoples' experiences. Mods, please close if this is too far into "not a real question" territory.
I see many questions on this site about ...
15
votes
4answers
458 views
How to direct users eyes on a website
There is a common principle in photography that a photo should lead the viewer's eyes. This is frequently accomplished with a line that runs across the photo. Recognizing how the observer will scan ...
11
votes
1answer
245 views
How can a design be balanced and yet have a focal point?
The concept of a focal point seems to be a fundamental one in web design, yet doesn't a focal point mean a page cannot be balanced?
Surely by definition a focal point means that the page's 'weight' ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Why do newspapers use multiple columns?
This might not be the right place to ask, but I was wondering why newspapers use multiple columns? Does it take up less space, or is there a visual reason?
9
votes
2answers
666 views
Why all the hate? --Two spaces after the period
The nuns enforced it with a ruler: two spaces after a period at the end of a sentence. I, along with many others do this instinctively. Why is this considered incorrect/improper in printed materials ...
8
votes
4answers
413 views
How would I know how good of a designer I am?
To me my designs looks good, at least for some months.
But to others not so much.
I want to go freelancing but I don't want to be a bad designer.
So how do I find out if my logo/website/business ...
8
votes
3answers
661 views
Is there a trend away from left aligned web site designs?
Most web sites that I see are centered, and I'm wondering if there's some sort of unwritten (or written) trend away or against left aligned sites?
7
votes
1answer
363 views
How important is the visual flow of an interface?
I recently had a conversation with a friend about the design of an installer application. I pointed out that its visual flow was confusing. It led my eyes from the left to the right and then up to the ...
6
votes
3answers
256 views
Seeking advice to improve the design of my minimalist calculator
A while ago, I built a count down timer app based on a designer's free giveaway. It turns out users like it and it is even mentioned on beautifulpixels.
This time I'm building a calculator named ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
What are the traditional rules for drop shadow direction / light source?
When creating a drop shadow for objects, what is the traditional / classic "rule" for the offset direction? I see so many that are down and right, which results in the light source coming from the top ...
5
votes
3answers
272 views
Is there something like smashing magazine.com for the Print Industry?
I know the print industry isn't probably changing as much as the web stuff nowadays but Im just wondering were do print graphic designers get their inspiration, latest news and that kind of stuff.
...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
Adobe Illustrator vs Adobe Indesign for brochures
You may know me (not that I am worth knowing) from my first question. I am a noob in web design, graphic desgin, font theroy, color theory, guess all of the mixes that are crucial. My expertise ...
5
votes
4answers
379 views
Making an Effective Menu
I am making a menu for an indie game and I'm not quite satisfied with my results. The menu itself needs two text fields (one to enter your username and the other for your password) and two buttons. ...
5
votes
2answers
296 views
Infographics smoothing and shadows : background or ressources ?
i'd like to know if there are resources or background knowledge on the new tendency to smooth the lines/outlines and add gradients and shadows to information graphics. For example, on the new version ...
5
votes
1answer
89 views
How can graphic design be more accessible for people with disabilities?
I've noticed that, when talking about accessibility, guidelines and articles often refer to web design, but only in rare occasions I've seen graphic design (print in particular) being targeted as ...
5
votes
4answers
391 views
Designing and prototyping for iPad
I have to do some prototyping for an iPad app, and just realized why I was having so much trouble: this is an iPad app. I am used to design website pages/templates, computer interfaces, etc.. I have ...
4
votes
4answers
746 views
What makes a design professional?
Can anyone define why something might not look "professional"?
What differentiates between professional/unprofessional designs?
I have clients who have said my design does not look very ...
4
votes
3answers
306 views
Is there a short authoritative reference of basic design rules and principles?
As a web developer, I often find myself working with different non-professional self-called designers. In such situations, I often have to explain them the most basic rules and principles about the ...
4
votes
4answers
3k views
What is the best resolution to work at for Android devices?
I am trying to design an app for Android devices, but they come in all sizes and stuff... with different resolutions and its a bit confusing. What is the best way to do it?
Work at the biggest ...
4
votes
3answers
418 views
How to improve my timeline graphic ?
so I'm making this graphic to explain a game mechanic and my problem (middle example) is that Aiming and especially Firing do not clearly appear as being main timespans (yellow and orange) but subsets ...
4
votes
2answers
155 views
What special requirements need to be considered for outdoor banners?
I am wondering where to even begin to find a place that could print something durable like a 13' x 30' banner to go on the side of a building. Is this even possible? Is a vinyl banner the best option? ...
4
votes
3answers
82 views
How do you call “Charte Graphique” in English?
This is not really a translation question - more of a designer vocabulary.
How do you call the set of visuals, logos, designs, colors, fonts... that make a whole design project?
In French we would ...
4
votes
2answers
103 views
What does an artist who wants to learn graphic design need to know?
There's a (very popular) question that discusses tips and resources for learning graphic design already, but it's from the perspective of programmers who want to get in the game.
I have a friend of ...
3
votes
3answers
350 views
Need help with logo design and its transparency
I have given money to a company to design a logo. The designer will be using Corel Draw, and he was saying that he will give me the cdr file.
Now I am confused about how many files he should give me. ...
3
votes
3answers
12k views
Can you convert a neon RGB color to CMYK for printing?
I have a logo that was done with RGB colors, now I have to work with this logo to do something for printing purpuses, the problem is that in the RGB version of the logo I have a shade of green I ...
3
votes
2answers
476 views
Designing in Black & White
I have to design flyers for someone, which will be printed in black and white (low budget thing). My problem is, I am used to design with colors, to use colors to direct the focus, to emphasize ...
3
votes
3answers
180 views
Should I place the border above or below header to separate sections?
If the content is split into several sections, and each section has a header, should I put border below or above the header?
The “border below” approach seems prevalent (see Google, Wikipedia) but ...
3
votes
1answer
192 views
Graphic design/color compositions for waveform presentation
I have a dashboard of data, on which one of most important elements is a waveform of medical data (a real-time stream, in most cases it would be ECG waveform).
I am looking for a way to present this ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
How can I use design to teach history to 8th graders?
I want to use graphic design and website design to teach history to 8th graders, so kids can express what they have learned about history and use their knowledge to teach others. I also want to use ...
3
votes
1answer
137 views
Beginner Web Designer [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Tips and sources for beginning designers
For some time now I have been strugling with my inability to create my own web designs. I am a pretty decent coder but I always ...
3
votes
1answer
172 views
What are the correct set of principles of Design ?
I have started the design learning road from scratch using Teach Yourself Graphic Design: A Self-Study Course Outline. In the first section it mentions design principles.
The first link : Principles ...
2
votes
3answers
352 views
which is the most smallest character or image which can represent coding
I am designing a logo and i almost filled all space because i want to keep it very simple.
Now i want to put something in there which can represent that we do coding or atleasy signifies coding or ...
2
votes
2answers
89 views
What are some basic guidelines to make a website look nice?
I'm building a website for a client. I look at it and it just doesn't look cool. It gets the job done, which all of the websites I've built get the job done. But I don't think I've ever built anything ...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
What type of information should a logo display, or what makes a great logo?
For example, for a tech company, should one be able to look at a logo and immediately see 'tech company', or whatever niche that company may provide\service? Also, is the color scheme important as ...
2
votes
4answers
66 views
How do I decide how many columns to use in my grid?
I'm trying to create a UI design for my 1024x768 screen.
I know there's a grid system out there. I've read about the benefits, etc. I understand, I think from a fundamental level, why I need to use ...
2
votes
3answers
138 views
How much effort should I put in to optimizing (cutting up) images for the web?
I often get designs from our artists which contain large complicated images that can be turned into a background-color, some tiling, and overlaid smaller images. The problem is, doing this often takes ...
2
votes
2answers
234 views
Are there some standard sizes when it comes to square page layouts?
I am designing this luxury product catalogue and I was thinking to make the pages square so it would somehow be a little more unique and stuff...
The way I have it set up now is 8in x 8in(about 20cm ...
2
votes
2answers
137 views
Drafting Designs - Do you start from paper first, or straight on the computer? [closed]
When you are initially drafting the design for something, do you usually start from the paper first and draw thumbnails of the design, or straight on the computer first?
2
votes
2answers
324 views
What is corporate identity and what does it contain?
As question explains, I did a search on the web and didn't find a suitable answer, even in wikipedia.
Can anyone please explain it to me?
2
votes
1answer
221 views
How can i write company name characters with wave form like shown below [closed]
I want to write my company name in different syyle.
Is it possible that i can write company name "Amoeba" with these type of waveforms.
or at least i can design letter "A" only using these wave ...
2
votes
2answers
123 views
Working with alignment and balance
I know this is all subjective, but I'm hoping there are general principles here that will mean this is a valid question.
Take a look at the layout below. In the past (before I tried to learn about ...
2
votes
1answer
190 views
design standards for html5 applications for mobile phones
When designing an HTML5 UI for a mobile html application (non native) that is expected to run on Iphone, Android and possibly more platforms,
Will you design it based on Iphone standards? Android ...
2
votes
1answer
130 views
Theorical Colors ranges - Color Theory
I'm looking for specific ranges of colors here.
I want the range (in Hexa or RGB) for warm colors and cool colors, active and passive colors for exemple:
Warm color from #DD6421 to #FF0000 (random ...
1
vote
5answers
3k views
how to add one smart object in multiple files in photoshop?
I know I can do multiple iterations of the same Smart Object within the SAME document and have it change all instances, but what about Smart Objects placed across DIFFERENT documents? That would be ...
1
vote
2answers
309 views
Meaning of logos for companies/organisations
I have been wondering , while designing a logo for an organisation/company what all should be taken into consideration and what all tools should be used.
For e.g can you tell me the reason behind the ...
1
vote
3answers
311 views
Need Guidance on making Logo design [closed]
I have been thinking for a long time but still could not get an idea on how to design my logo.
Basically, I need to mix a hexagon picture (or more hexagons) and the letter 'A' together.
Does anyone ...
1
vote
2answers
63 views
Dark Theme vs Light Theme in Web Applications
I am designing a theme for our web application & I really like the new Adobe Photoshop layout (which is dark, though not black), so I took the cue & created my own dark layout. However, our ...
1
vote
3answers
156 views
How do so many app menus get that finished textured look?
I don't know how to describe it but how do you create that nice textured look with css?
Seen in the background:
Also seen a bit on the left hand dark navigation of:
Thanks for your help
...
