what makes good design?

Seriously,

I mean for us designers we would state the bigwigs in the industry like Apple, Ikea, saatchi and saatchi.

They give good design.

That does not answer the question thoroughly.

Because there are those gray areas that include designers who do not come from such large companies but work either freelance or are just starting out.

Are they lousy designers than? Did those months of internship and years in school teach them nothing about design?

Obviously not, if you have an eye for detail and sense of color and feel of aesthetics. You can produce good design.

Not great but good.

You probably need years and years and years and years of experience before becoming great.

So now I just talk about how to be good because I have not yet achieved greatness. And I am still learning and growing as a designer. However I have opinions about what constitutes good design and I shall share it.

Does good design mean piling on brushes, effects, dropshadows and all the rest technology can provide?

Some clients think so.

I speak from recent experience in which a client emailed me and stated that my design was too clean and did not look "professional" enough. Ouch.

But that is his opinion and he is entitled to it.

It led me to think of what makes good design?

Does it mean that just because a designer does not pile on the effects it means they are bad designers?

I beg to differ. Clients should understand that when they hire a graphic designer they are not hiring a executor of special effects; they are hiring a designer.

Someone who looks at things an artist would and than execute it accordingly whether they use zen minimalism or eccentric color.

Here is a list of good design done by various artists and they are varied yet none can be said to be bad design. Simplicity can work and most of all humor.

Who could resist Homer stealing an Apple shaped pastry?

Hello Kitty. The logo is so simple but its massive popularity in the world particularly Japan cannot be denied.

Everyone has tried Campbell soup sometime in their lives. Its a simple soup can but its tasty and the label on the can is a classic even Naomi Campbell super model has a comment about Campbell soup cans.

And if you love vintage Penguin & Pelican book covers this flickr set is worth a perusal.

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I shall leave you with that to look at.

Goodnight and remember the sky is the limit when it comes to designing. What constitutes good design? that is something every serious designer should ask themselves.

For me it is simple, memorable and well loved. That, is good design.