Portfolio Creativity Blog Post 1

This week, I did a creative exercise found in the book:

"CAFFEINE FOR THE CREATIVE MIND" by Stefan Mumaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield.

The exercise can be found on page 100.

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Instructions:

Laws are here for our protection. They bring order in an otherwise chaotic environment. Most laws are based on written, definable foundations, but some are what sports folks refer to as "unwritten" laws. "Unwritten" laws aren't true laws, but you still should obey them. For instance, in baseball, if you're winning by 15 runs in the top of the ninth inning, you should not steal a base. It's not against the rules, but it's showing up the other team, and thus qualifies as something you probably shouldn't do. In our creative lives, we rarely run across any formal laws, written or unwritten, but what if we had to create a set of "unwritten" laws for our work environment? That's your task today. Create 5 unwritten rules for graphic design.

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1. White Space Is Not Wasted Space

Negative space is not "empty", it gives designs room to breathe.

2. If Everything Stands Out, Nothing Stands Out

Hierarchy is essential.

3. Typography Can Speak More Than the Words Do

Fonts carry personality and meaning.

4. Trends Fade, Clarity Lasts

Designs built on clarity, balance, and purpose will remain effective long after the fad passes.

5. Your First Idea Is Rarely the Best One

Iteration leads to better solutions.

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This exercise was meant to make you think beyond the technical side of design and into the "unwritten rules" that creative professionals follow.

Although some of these items may actually appear in graphic design books, these are the first five things that came to mind that Mr. Williams has repeated more than once. (Along with C.R.A.P.)

I will use these items in designing future projects along with numerous other good habits I have learned in this course.

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