happyspot

Graphic design has been likened to a wine glass. When we drink wine we barely notice the glass it’s served in. It’s the same with graphic design: people absorb the messages that graphic designers use their skill, training and ingenuity to make, yet rarely stop to think how the message is constructed or how it affects the viewer.

This is a great analogy for graphic design. And, of course the same can be said good web design.

For me this also crystallises what I consider to be the difference between ‘design’ and ‘decoration’. It’s the reason that I contend that ‘fashion design’ and ‘interior design’ are less exacting disciplines than ‘product design’ and user interface design’.

Marketing partner, Claire Scaramanga hit’s the nail on the head when it comes to networking:

I don’t go to these events with a mission to give my card to as many people as possible. I go with a mission to meet interesting people who can possibly help me at some time and who I can also help.

It has always bothered me at networking events when greasy people push their greasy business cards at you, while all the time trying as hard as they can to dis-engage in conversation because they’ve got a full box of cards in their greasy pockets and they haven’t fully ‘worked the room’.

As evidenced on my visit to Croydon today; Ikea have started to migrate from the beautiful Futura (top) to the downright nasty Verdana (below) for their corporate communications.

This is a shame, for me one of the small (only?) joys in shopping in Ikea has been the elegant signage* and consistent typography that seemed to neatly sum up a paired down Swedish aesthetic.

Not for much longer.

Verdana is an ugly font. It was specifically designed by Microsoft for use on computer displays. It’s wide proportions, loose letter-spacing and large counters may aid legibility on screen, but it looks dreadful in print and signage.

Oh well. Let’s hope they don’t change Billy bookcases.

*They do also use a kind of brush-script font for “special offers” – also horrible.