Mini-review & Competition: White Space Is Not Your Enemy

Who's this Book for?

The books is for the "beginning" visual communicator. Whether you're already a media pro or hoping to be one soon, it is your introduction to graphic design and layout. White Space is Not Your Enemy covers the basics quickly without being too boring.

What You Will Learn from This Book:

This beautifully illustrated, full-color book covers the basics to help you develop your eye and produce attractive work. Topics include:

• The basics of effective design that communicates its intended message
• Pre-design planning
• 13 Layout Sins to avoid
• Basic typography
• Working with color
• Storyboarding for video, Web, and presentions
• Information graphics
• Mini Art School-all the basics in one chapter
• Outputting your work
• Finally-the basics of layout, design, and visual communication for print and web in one easy-to-digest book!
• "Try This" sections in each chapter include fun, hands-on activities to develop skills.
• The companion web site includes text and photo support material; video clips that put the principles in practice; interactive multimedia components; and links.

Competition:

Our friends from Focal Press are giving away 5 free books. All you need to do, to enter the competition is to continue the following line: "A beginner's Guide to Communicating Visually through Graphics, Web and ..."

Send your answer to this e-mail address, before Wednesday the 16th of March 2011. Don't forget to include your post address and phone number (required for international shipping) in the e-mail.

Chapter 1: What is Design?

Making Visuals & type play nice in space

• Form follows function in design
• Design drives visual culture
• Graphic design communicates
• Make picture & 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 Work-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: visuals
• Step 4: cutline
• Step 5: headline
• Step 6: copy
• Step 7: tags
• Final thoughts
• Try this
  

Chapter 4: Lauout sins

13 amateur errors

• Sin No.1: things that blnk. Incessantly
  
• Sin No.2: wraped 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: windows & 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: prespective
• Principle No.7: unity
• Try this
  

Chapter 6: What is 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
• Choosing & using fonts
• Applying additional font styling
• Typesetting for extended amounts of copy
• 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 Basic

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
• Alternatives to photos
• Try this
  

Chapter 11: The Scoop on Infographics

Maximum information in minimum space

• A terse history of infographics
• You mights need an infographic if...
• 21st 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
• 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 the 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