The Non-Designer's Design Book

I used this book for a graduate education course toward my masters degree. THis book is a gold mine of tips to make your documents look better and have that quality that makes people want to read them. The author is obviously an authority in her field. I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to add some visual flair to their documents, such as secretaries or especially teachers. ( )

A great book that serves its purpose well. Unlike some other design books, which shall remain nameless, everything is presented a clear and precise manner. ( )

A quick, enjoyable read. Practices what it preaches: great layout and concepts are illustrated by the book's content itself. 'Non-Designer's Type Book' has better focus on type, but this one touches on a few things. ( )

Robin Willams' (the author, not the actor/comedian) "The Non-Designer's Design Book" provides a decent introduction to the design world for someone who, like me, has some idea of what good design is but doesn't know how to use that information. Her book presents four design principles that everyone already uses subconsciously, giving them names and making them easier to understand and to identify. Contrast, making items or text that are different really stand out from one another on a page; Repetition, using a visual element over and over to create continuity; Alignment, connecting items and text visually on a page to create good flow; and Proximity, placing related items near each other on a page. And rather than simply stating that these are the principles, Williams includes dozens of everyday examples to re-enforce their usage.

Typeface-thesis.jpgThe second section of the book deals with typefaces -- the Oldstyles, the Moderns, the Scripts, the differences between Serif and Sans Serif and Slab Serif -- and how to use them effectively to make a newsletter or invitation more eye-catching. Taking the image to the left as an example, those four typefaces look too much alike. Combining them onto a single page makes them almost indistinguishable from one another. Why not increase the size of one typeface to show how different it is? Or change the weight (or boldness)? Or how about a different color? The eye will be drawn to it and then want to read what comes immediately after.

It all seems pretty simple after reading Williams' book. Not that I'm going to drop everything to create a 20-page, 4-color catalog any time soon. But at least I can make my newsletters a cut above the rest. ( )

Don't be a wimp.

At least, that's what Williams tells us just about every other page. You'd think it would get annoying, but it doesn't.

That's premise of the Non-Designer's Design Book, which was written to help us every-day average Joes not make ridiculous layouts that will be so horribly ugly that they will blind passing children and puppies, or something.

I found this book to be a great help, explaining many things I didn't even learn when I was editing (and winning state-wide awards for editing, writing and laying out) a newspaper. Just don't tell anybody, okay?

This book, complimenting Williams' "The (computer system you're using) is Not a Typewriter" books, takes your through what makes layout work, and what makes it aesthetic. You know an ugly ad when you see it, and after reading this book, you'll not only know WHY it's hideous, but also what they could have done to make it better.

Do you need the Non-Designer's Design Book? Well, if you're a professional designer, you won't. Also, if no other person will ever see your design work, you also won't. But if you're anything less than a professional (or even a professional with some level of curiosity), and you're making things that the public will see, it would benefit you greatly to invest in this book (and for heaven's sake, stop using Comic Sans!). ( )