In the article Twenty Rules for Making Good Design, David Jury acknowledges the fact that rules can be broken but not ignored "In the end, you will decide how and when to apply the rules, or not, as well as understand the results of either course of action."
The 20 rules stated in the article:
1. Have a concept
2. Communicate don't decorate
3. Speak with one visual voice
4. Use two typeface families maximum. OK, maybe three
5. Use the one-two punch!
6. Pick colors on purpose
7. If you can do it with less, then do it
8. Negative space is magical- create it, don't just fill it up!
9. Treat the type as image, as though it's just as important
10. Type is only type when it's friendly
11. Be universal; remember that it's not all about you
12. Squish and separate
13. Distribute light and dark like firecrackers and the rising sun
14. Be decisive. Do it on purpose- or don't do it at all
15. Measure with your eyes: design is visual
16. Create images- don't scavenge
17. Ignore fashion. Seriously.
18. Move it! Static equals dull
19. Look to history, but don't repeat it
20. Symmetry is the ultimate evil.
The 3 most important rules to me are:
1. Have a concept.
This seems like it deserves a duh! after it but often times I jump into a project and forget to really ever come up with a solid concept.
2. Negative space is magical- create it, don't just fill it up!
Often times negative space is overlooked, but it is a major part of design.
3. Symmetry is the ultimate evil.
"Symmetry shouts very loudly that the designer is lazy and likes to let the format do the designing."
The 3 I need to practice more are:
1. Communicate- don't decorate.
"It's all well and good to experiment with shapes and details and cool effects, but if you simply spackle them all over without considering what they mean and how they support or take away from the message you end up with a jumbled mass of junk that no longer qualifies as design.
2. Use two typeface families maximum. Ok, maybe three.
Sometimes I just get caught up in type and I throw in way too many typefaces and way too many different type sizes.
3. Treat the type as image, as though its just as important.
This is a huge problem for me. I am constantly guilty of spending all my time with the image and then the type becomes a last minute decision. It is very stupid to ignore type in a design, when type has so much to offer.
At this point in my education I do not feel comfortable breaking the rules yet. When the time comes that I can fully justify breaking a rule, I will do it gladly.
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