Design. What is it, really?
Good design doesn’t just look good. Good design is purposeful…it accomplishes a goal. It makes an impact on somebody…causes them to think… causes them to act. That’s it in a nutshell. If you want the long version, keep reading.
“Design is where science and art break even.”
We refer to it as “smart design”. Because what some don’t understand is that effective design is not just “pretty fonts and bright colors and voila!” Rather, it’s first having some understanding of human nature, of psychology, of sociology, of culture… of the underlying mechanisms that cause people to do what they do. What makes people tick? What will cause a person decide to do something? What will cause someone to react with excitement? With indifference? What compels YOUR audience to action? It’s a science of studying people.
Past that is the physiological aspect: the science of perceiving. The brain interprets in a fraction of a second what the eye picks up. And the brain — many times unbeknownst to our conscious mind — makes a determination based on that visual data. It’s how we get first impressions, it’s how stereotypes are formed, it’s how we make split-second reactive decisions. Our brains are funny. We don’t always understand them, but they drive us. And since, I’ve heard, about half of our brains are dedicated to processing visual information, what we see drives us. Neuroscientists say that we are unaware of 95% of our brain’s processing (meaning we are only conscious of 5% of our brain’s activities — our conscious learning, decision-making, and thoughts). This means design has incredible power to impact us on a nonconscious level — more than some of us may realize!
This leads us to our two core belief about smart design:
- It must be based on a solid foundation (your brand)
- It must be goal-oriented (have a purpose)
This is why we take a strategic approach toward design. Our brand consulting services exist to make sure we have a strong foundation to stand on! And they allow us to work together with our clients to make sure we’re both working toward the same goal.
Design is aesthetic.
Is art itself a science? That’s debatable, but it is necessary to have an understanding of fundamental design principles: balance, contrast, color, etc.; as well as the ability to effectively utilize them to create something. Some people may know how to use desktop publishing software, but just like using a hammer doesn’t make us carpenters, using Microsoft Publisher does not make someone a designer. Without design fundamentals and ability, you just can’t have good design.
Science + Art + Creativity = Design that makes an impact
Design should be purposeful, it should be striving towards your ultimate goal. Effective design causes something to happen. Subject matter is important, and what makes it memorable, provocative, or unique is the approach that is taken towards communicating it.
This is where n•Vision Designs comes in. We help you to realize your vision, at times when you don’t know how to make it a reality, you don’t know what your options are, or you don’t know how to best communicate with your intended audience. We believe that smart design can make an impact. We believe there is so much unrealized potential in brands today because they just don’t know how to tap into it. But if you do, the possibilities are amazing.
And that, friends, is where art and science break even. n•Vision that.