Hi. I’m Andrew

The design of boarding passes makes me want to scratch my eyes out

This funny yet painful piece of reality goes out to all my fellow designers.

 

View more presentations from Jon Tan.

Design is 80% science and 20% art. It can sometimes seem that the reverse is true, but understanding a few rules and methods can help demystify the discipline.

This talk dives straight into the science of design with a quick-fire grounding in the techniques that help create good interfaces. From using the golden ratio in layout and Fibonacci numbers in typography, to brand design and art direction, it covers it all in tasty, bite-size pieces that will retain their flavor long after the session is done.

Uplifting the lives of our fellow countrymen is a good thing. Honing the skills of the children to become full-pledge creatives is truly a great thing.

Good luck to Ferdinand Center for the Creatives.

I am often told that the work in our web design portfolio looks clean and simple. Yet, in truth, the simplicity and good taste that are hallmarks of good web design are not easily acquired. It is the result of constant refinement, practice and experience. There is no substitute for practice. Even naturally gifted individuals must practice to produce the best results.

Have you ever observed a great athlete at the top of his game? He or she moves with finesse and precision that seems effortless. They are efficient, moving and scoring with a grace that makes the game look easy. However, it is not easy. What they accomplish is mastered only after years of practice, practice, practice. That grace and economy of motion is the result of much hard work.

Great art may look simple. The sketches of Leonardo Da Vinci are made with rudimentary tools of charcoal and paper. Yet, his renderings of simple curves and shading expertly capture the human form. His ability to evoke the personality of his subject is evidence of a masters' touch. That touch was acquired through hard work, repetition and refinement.

Good web design is the result of much hard work. That simple truth is often not obvious to many individuals who want to become web designers. Six months or a year of education in web design basics will not produce a good designer. Like a good athlete, accomplished web designers are driven to constantly improve their craft. The desire to become better must be matched with continuous effort. A school can only provide the tools. A good student must be driven to master them.

Along with constant effort, continuous observation is essential. What is in good taste? What is appropriate? What communicates best? You derive answers to those critical questions by observing the interplay of people and culture. Studying good design in other disciplines such as architecture and print design will enable you to use the same principles in your work as a web designer. Even nature can be a wonderful teacher. When you see great design, learn to instinctively ask why. The principles behind its' success become obvious with a practiced eye.

“Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated.” Paul Rand, one of the great graphic designers of the twentieth century made that insightful comment. It is true. Simple design is complicated. The complexity lies not in the final product, but in the work required to achieve good design. Doing the hard work is the secret to good web design.

Then again, my personal equation on achieving good design is this:

Constant Practice + Efficient Mastery + Keen Observation + Passion Driven + Hard Work Execution = Good Design if not Great

When designing a Web site, most web designers give a lot of attention to two major factors: the design (choice of graphics) and the content. But what about the colors? This is one of the most important things to consider when designing your site. The colors of your Web site are important because they will define the mood and emotions of your visitors as well as reflect your identity and image branding.

Color is symbolism. We say someone who is jealous is "Green with envy". Someone who is sad is said to be "Blue." When we are angry, we see red." Colors affect us psychologically. They can stimulate our appetite or suppress it. They can make us happy, excited, angry or sad. Let's take a look at colors and what they mean to your visitors. Then we'll discover the different color combinations and how they apply to your Web site.

Warm Colors

Red: Red is one of the most powerful and attention-getting colors. Red symbolizes passion and fire, love and lust. It has been proven to raise blood pressure and cause perspiration. Red reflects energy and can motivate an individual to take action. It can also symbolize war, violence, blood, and aggression.

Pink, however, is the softer side of red. Pink is romantic, calming and feminine.

Orange: Vibrant and warm, orange is associated with autumn, pumpkins and Halloween. It inherits many of the traits of red, but is less passionate. Orange has been known to stimulate the appetite. As a citrus color, it can also symbolize health.

Yellow: Yellow symbolizes sunshine and warmth. It can mean hope, light and energy. On the other hand, it can mean weakness or illness, or symbolize cowardice.

Cool Colors

Green: Green signifies health and growth (vegetation) and wealth (money). Green symbolizes spring, renewal, and fertility. It can also mean jealousy or inexperience.

Blue: Blue is one of the most calming colors and is associated with the sky and the sea. It is considered to be a "safe" color and signifies intelligence, reassurance, and trust. Blue has also been known to be an appetite suppressant and can signify depression and sadness.

Purple: The combination of red and blue, purple is one of the most intriguing colors and symbolizes creativity. Purple is spiritual and mysterious. Deep purple is associated with royalty and richness while
lavender is associated with romance and nostalgia.

Neutral Colors

Black: Black can represent power, elegance, and sophistication, but it can also represent death (Western culture), evil, anger and sadness.

White: White represents cleanliness, purity, and spirituality. It represents life and marriage in Western cultures, but it represents death in Eastern cultures.

Grey: Grey is the combination of black and white. It is a conservative color. Grey can symbolize security, maturity and reliability, but it can also signify gloominess and sadness.

Brown: We like to classify brown as a "special" color. Sometimes brown can be used as a neutral and sometimes as a warm color. Either way, brown represents credibility and stability, the hearth, home and the earth.