The Playground
CELEBRATINg • EXPERIMENTING • TEACHING • ECHOING • SPOTLIGHTING • GLOSSARY • SHARING • GIVING + CONNECTING
CELEBRATING
EXPERIMENTING
TEACHING
ECHOING
SPOTLIGHTING
GLOSSARY
SHARING
GIVING AND CONNECTING
The Basics: Negative Space
Negative space, also known as white space, is the area around, between, and within design elements that is left empty or unmarked. It is the space that is not occupied by any visual or textual content. Negative space is an essential element of design, and it can be just as important as the positive space occupied by actual design elements.
Generate (pause) edit
It's difficult to generate ideas and edit at the same time because these are two very different modes of thinking. When generating ideas, it's important to allow yourself to think freely and explore different possibilities without self-criticism or judgment. This means letting your thoughts flow without worrying about whether they're good or bad, practical or impractical, or whether they fit within a particular framework or structure.
presenting creative
Overall, presenting creative design concepts should be a fun and engaging experience. Remember to keep it simple, use visuals, show passion, be open to collaboration, focus on the big picture, and be confident.
DESIGN HEROES: John Cage
John Cage was an influential American composer, philosopher, and artist known for his avant-garde approach to music and art. In his book "Rules and Hints for Students and Teachers," Cage shares a series of principles and strategies for creative work, collaboration, and learning. Below is a sampling of Cage’s wisdom.
The creative brief
At The Design Guild, every project we work on begins with a creative brief. The creative brief is a crucial document in the graphic design and copywriting process. It serves as a roadmap for the designer and copywriter to understand the project's objectives, target audience, and the overall tone and style of the project.
The power of place-branding
Place branding is a relatively new concept that has gained popularity in recent years. It is the practice of creating a positive image and reputation for a location, such as a city, town, region, or country. Place branding involves a strategic approach to municipal communications that attract visitors, businesses, and investment, and to create a sense of pride and belonging among residents.
DESIGN HEROES: Saul Bass
Saul Bass is a name that has become synonymous with movie title design. He is perhaps best known for his iconic opening sequences for films such as Vertigo, The Man with the Golden Arm, and North by Northwest, to name just a few. But Saul Bass was much more than just a designer of film titles. He was a graphic designer, filmmaker, and artist who had a profound impact on the way we think about design and visual communication.
THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
Through the use of balance, contrast, emphasis, unity, and proportion, designers can create visually appealing and effective designs that communicate the intended message. These principles are an indispensable aspect of graphic design and are used to produce effective designs across a variety of mediums.
THE ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
In design, the elements are the fundamental components that make up every composition.
DESIGN HEROES: Luba Lukova
Lukova's work is characterized by its powerful and thought-provoking messages. Her designs often tackle complex social and political issues such as human rights, war, and the environment. She uses a minimalist style, focusing on simple but effective imagery to convey her ideas.
CAMPAIGNS THAT CONNECT
If you are not able to work with The Design Guild here’s a DIY primer to produce and launch your own communications campaign.
The Land of Make Believe
The Land of Make Believe is the poster that hung over my bed until I was ten…
An Invitation to Play
Thank you for showing the interest and curiosity to click and land here.
Over the time of Covid, we had the opportunity to slow down, to reflect, to be still. Out of that grew perspective and new insights about what we do, what we have been building for ten years now…
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Come play with us. It’s an experiment. It’s not like any other blog around, but we think it has potential. We don’t know for sure where it is going, but we are jumping in anyway and we want you to help us shape what this will be. We are really hoping for two-way communication.