Journey from Concept to Creation

  Of course, I was thinking about how these high school students could have REALLY impressed me if only they had been reading my blogs! Hopefully next year’s students are reading?

  One thing that really impressed me, in addition to the SWOT analysis, was that they mentioned running television spots in the “early fringe” time period. Plus, they actually spoke in terms of FREQUENCY! – gasp! They also referred to radio formats as Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), Adult Contemporary (AC), Album Oriented Rock (AOR), etc. They certainly knew how to impress the Adman with advertising industry terminology.
    Regarding my blog topic -- I am convinced that there are gazillions (possibly even googillons) of dollars totally wasted by those who are not educated on a few basic principles of media planning and buying. I have heard comments from inexperienced prospective clients (who could use a lesson or two from high school DECA kids) that go something like, “We think we should buy 30 spots on WXYZ TV.” After recovering from my “client from hell red flag alert,” I attempt to educate them. Puhleeze listen carefully -- it AIN'T about how many spots you are buying! 30 spots on one station is NOT the equivalent of 30 spots on another. Plus, different dayparts (Early Fringe vs Primetime for example) can reach dramatically different numbers of viewers! It IS about how many impressions (as measured by ACNielsen) you are making on your target market (reach). And it is also about reaching your target market a sufficient number of times (frequency).
   This leads to the basic, fundamental formula of broadcast media buying – Reach x Frequency = Gross Rating Points (GRP’s). So, when establishing a broadcast television media budget, it is prudent to first determine the average cost per rating point (CPP) for your target market in your market(s) -- as defined by the Nielsen Designated Market Area (DMA). Then determine how many impressions you can afford to make with sufficient frequency (generally a minimum of three times). Then figure on the conversion rate (generally in the two or three percent range) that is typical for your industry…while considering the added value of BRANDING your product or service in the market.
  Now, when I hear something like, “We are budgeting for XXX GRP’s per week, based on the average CPP of $XXX (according to SQAD) in the target DMA for our Adults 25-54 demo…” I am as pleased as a DECA student after winning first place in the DECA ICDC awards session at the Georgia Dome in the Advertising Campaign category... celebrating by getting wet from the fountains at the Centennial Olympic Park after visiting the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke... with a front row seat at the NBA playoffs in the Phillips Arena watching the Atlanta Hawks beat the Boston Celtics... while enjoying Georgia peanuts and a Coke... with tickets for the studio tour at CNN..followed by tickets for "The Lion King" at the Atlanta Civic Center... or perhaps another show at the Fabulous Fox Theater...or Six Flags over Georgia...or the Stone Mountain Laser (and fireworks) Show? -- While it may sound like alphabet soup to you -- to the seasoned media professional it is music to the ears…

To be continued...

   So....here are some general tips for specifying type. They are in no particular order as none is necessarily more important than another. Remember that these are just basic guidelines...as you become more practiced as a designer, you can start to break some (but not all) of the rules.

• *  Ideally, stick with the same type family for any given job. Get variety by changing the size and blackness -- and by using condensed and expanded versions and italics.
• *  While it is permissible to mix a body face with a headline face, stay away from mixing two headline faces.
• *  Constrain mixing to two faces -- three at the most.
• *  Typestyles designed during the same time period do not necessarily go together… the character of the letters are a much better barometer to use when mixing types.
• *  Old style Romans and Modern Romans do NOT go together and should never be combined.
• *  Typestyles with different “x-heights” provide different degrees of weight when set as body copy. They can be used to help balance your layout...just as the "weight" of the letters.
• *  Sans serif fonts can be used with almost any other typestyle. They are considered to be a neutral fonts.
• *  Sans serifs should NOT be mixed with slab serif fonts.
• *  Type mixing is mostly a matter of having good taste and artistic talent.
• *  As a general rule, only mix types that are either very similar or very dissimilar. Others will appear to the reader as being convoluted – as if something is amiss.
• *  When using colorful type, go a little larger and fatter than using black to compensate for the lack of darkness.
• *  Never use small, weak serifs when reversing type or for use in Standard Denition video. Sans serif fonts are preferable in these applications.
• *  Consider the use of ligatures, especially in headlines and logotypes. They can sometimes provide a more artistic or cleaner look. (Assuming the chosen font supports them, they can be found in the Character Map (Windows) or Key Caps (Apple) or by selecting “automatic ligature substitution” in your application.)
• *  Explore the character map (Windows) or key caps (Mac) for special characters that aren’t available via the keyboard… learn the keyboard shortcuts for frequently used special characters.
• *  Avoid script and cursive fonts that were designed to mimic handwriting. None of these fonts can adequately mimic handwriting and they only look phoney.
• *  Generally, avoid using the Old English font. It is difficult to read and it tends to attracts attention to itself at the expense of the message.
• *  For web design work, consider using Georgia (serif) and/or Verdana (sans serif). These FREE, high x-height fonts were designed to be legible on computer screens. They also work well with video monitors. For other suitable fonts, look for high x-heights, extended versions and “hinted” fonts. Bitstream, ITC and Monotype offer fonts with hinting.
• *  Roman (serif) fonts are considered to be easier to read when used as body copy. The serifs form an “imaginary” line, helping to hold the eye on the line as it is read from left to right. Most magazines use Roman typefaces exclusively for body copy.
• *  When working with type, “being different” is not a virtue. Through habit, readers are accustomed to seeing certain standards in typography. Change, in this case, can result in lower readership and/or legibility.
• *  Break paragraphs into columns no more than 39 lower-case characters wide. The bigger the type, the wider the columns can be.
• *  Drop caps can also be used to help draw the reader into your body copy, easing the reader from larger headlines to the body copy. But, the drop cap must be unied with the copy in terms of tone and mood. (Some designers consider drop caps as being dated.)
• *  Take “quality time” to manually kern your headlines. Kern them so that they are optically balanced. Properly "kerned" headlines are the mark of a true professional.
• *  As a "rule of thumb" – leading should be 120% of the point size.
• *  Use “hinted” fonts when possible.
• *  In the early stage of type specication, rst think in terms of classications or categories of type, (Gothic vs. Roman. Old-style Roman vs Transitional Roman)… then narrow it down to a specic typestyle.
• *  In addition, I suggest that you get into the habit of looking at the work that is out there… and consider the type choices that were used… and why.
• *  If you cannot nd a specic type name, it may be listed under a different name as different vendors often have equivalent fonts under different names. Apparently, it is easier to copyright typestyle names than the actual designs themselves.
• *  User proper typesetting conventions – real typographic “curly” quotation marks, real EN dashes (hyphens separating numbers, etc.) and REAL EM dashes (longer marks separating thoughts – most page layout programs will convert these automatically when you type two subsequent hypens (which is proper when using a standard typewriter).
• *  When doing layouts, it is a good idea to look at pages “in context.” For example, if you are doing a DVD cover, do each panel independently as it will be viewed by the purchaser of the DVD. If a magazine ad, you may want to position it in an actual magazine to see how it will look in-context as well. This may affect your choice of fonts and/or the relative point sizes, etc., of the work.

 

   Alright... that ends the series on Typography. I'll let you ponder the subject of my next blog...but I'll try not to wait too long this time. I can only use the "holidays" excuse once a year.

   It all started with the Egyptian alphabet (actually part alphabet and part picture writing), then the Phoenicians (based on trade rather than literary purposes) borrowed from the Egyptians and created an alphabet consisting solely of what we call consonants. Then the literary-minded Greeks came into the fray, adding vowels and giving it the name "alphabet" that we all know and love today. Then the Romans modified that. While there are some 200 alphabets, with over 50 in use today, the English alphabet, consisting of 26 letters (derived from the Romans) is the world's most widely used. Whew, breaking down all those centuries into one short paragraph was really hard to do. But, there is much more to the story.
   From Johannes Gutenberg's time (c.1400-1468) -- basically credited with the invention of moveable type printing -- to the eighteenth century, type designs were calligraphic (based on handwriting). The character and flow of handwriting was the result of the shape of writing instruments (reeds, brushes, wax tablet styluses). When letters were first cut and punched in metal, they were inspired by the broad-nibbed pen that was used at the time for writing. The pen would be turned at a slight angle resulting in thick and thin markings on the writing surface. These markings were the inspiration for Roman typefaces which are based on ancient stone carvings.
   Fortunately, the gazillions of typestyles are classified. They fall into four main categories of Roman, Gothic, script and ornamental (decorative). Typestyles can be further classied into broad groups sometimes called "races," as follows:
   Old-Style Romans (15^th-17^th century) -- thick and thin strokes with serifs. The difference between the thick and thin strokes is small and the serifs appear to merge into the main strokes. The axis of the strokes is "tipped" to the left. The serifs may be at slightly different angles and they are almost always bracketed. They can have slight imperfections, adding to their unique charm. Based on early Roman letters carved into majestic columns, they are both beautiful and most legible -- "warm and friendly." Common examples would include Bembo, Caslon, Garamond and Souvenir.
   Modern Romans (late 18^th century) --  thick and thin strokes with serifs, but the difference between them is more pronounced. Serifs are stiff, straight and unbracketed. They have a more precise geometric design. Legibility is not quite as good as old-styles, although they are preferred by some typographers. Bodoni is a classic example.
   Transitional Romans (mid 18 century) -- Some of the old style characteristics, some of the modern. Baskerville is a beautiful typeface that is lighter than the usual old-style, yet less mechanical than the moderns. Other examples include Fournier and Times Roman.
 Sans Serifs (19^th-20^th century) -- Originally considered unappealling by purists, hence the name Grotesque or Gothic, there are three distinct types:
1) Bauhaus inspired with formal proportions such as Futura and Spartan, 2) the Swiss-inspired gothics and grotesques which are less geometric and more sophisticated such as Helvetica (Latin for Swiss -- the names often reflect Swiss origin) and Univers, and 3) Humanist typefaces which look more like they were created by human hands, including types with thick and thin strokes but no serifs like Optima (Zapf Humanist), Radiant and Broadway. Other examples are News Gothic, Frutiger, and Gill Sans.
   Slab Serifs (19^th century) -- The serifs and strokes are the same thickness. They have been known as "antiques" and "Egyptians" and some of the family names reflect Egyptian influences: Cairo, Karnak, Stymie, Memphis,etc. Slab serifs can make good headlines but lack legibility when used as body copy. When they have bracketed serifs and some difference in stroke thickness such as Clarendon, they tend to have more grace and beauty.
   Decorative--Ornamental (19^th-20^th century) -- While these typefaces can be given separate headings such as Old English, Latins, etc., I prefer to lump them into this group. These are fonts that do not fit into other groups. They are useful for advertising headlines if and when they convey the mood of the message..seldom if ever useful for body copy. Examples are P.T. Barnum, Cooper Black, Goudy Handtooled, Griffon Shadow, etc. They often have names that are descriptive of their tone and mood.
   Script-Cursive (19^th-20^th century) -- Script fonts are meant to mimic cursive handwriting. The problem is that they simply cannot do so convincingly. So,  here is a tip -- it is, IMHO, best to avoid using them. They lack the irregularity of true handwriting, hence they tend to look phony. If you want a true script, turn to a professional calligrapher. Btw, when the letters do not join, technically they are called "cursive." Examples of scripts include Commercial Script, Brush and Kaufman.
   Grunge (1995) -- Designed more for image than legibility, Grunge has become a big enough movement to warrant its own category. It represents a large collection of "dirty" typefaces -- an outgrowth of postmodernism and deconstructionism.
   Inside these categories are the many "families" of type. Families are divided into series and the series are divided into fonts. Bodoni, for example is a "family" in the category of Modern Roman. Ultra Bodoni is a series and 24 point Bodoni is a font within the series. Within a particular font, there can be a variety of faces, i.e. all caps, small caps, caps small caps, caps and lower case (upper case and lower case terminology comes from early handset type cabinets where capital letters were in the upper section and small letters were kept in the lower part of the "type case"), all lowercase, all caps italic, caps and lowercase italic and all lowercase italics...adding boldface, expanded, condensed and letterspaced versions results in hundreds of faces -- all of which can be used in different sizes. The result? Gazillions of typestyles from which to choose.
   I should point out that I have really only scratched the surface here...attempting to offer a concise overview and a useful reference. In my next blog, Typography (Part Three), I will try to offer some additional resources and tips for choosing appropriate fonts. Oh... didn't I promise that in my last blog? I guess I lied -- or just ran out of room. Is patience not a virtue?

[Edit]

I can't stand the guilt, so here is your first tip:
· In the early stages of type specication, think in terms of classications or categories of type (sans serifs (Bauhaus vs. Swiss vs. Humanist) vs slab serifs vs. Roman (Old-style vs. Modern vs. Transitional). Decorative, Grunge, etc.), -- pick one of the more commonly used fonts in your chosen category and "rough" it in -- your potential choices are now far fewer -- then narrow it to a specic typestyle(s).

   As mentioned in a previous blog, I started drawing at an early age. I was inspired by a popular artist, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, who ran ads featuring his hot-rod drawings in car magazines. I was further inspired by the great "big-block" muscle cars -- Road Runners, GTOs, Super Bee's, Chargers, Challengers, 426 Hemi 'cudas, Dusters, Old's 442s, Camaro Z-28s, Mustang Cobra GTs, Trans Ams, etc. My interest was also aroused by the fact that my friend’s father (two doors down) was Buster Couch -- the Chief Starter for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). He and his wife Ann loved the neighborhood kids; often taking us horseback riding, to the movies, and the drag strip.

   Plus, in addition to being into model building and slot-car racing (and flying downhill in homemade go-carts), I was even further inspired by happenings in my neighborhood. I lived near the crest of a very steep hill on a street between my grade school and high school. When I wasn't waking the dead playing my drums or playing pick-up football, basketball or baseball games, I would be having a blast watching “smoke city.” After school (with police lookouts bearing walkie talkies) the kids would line up in their "tricked-out" muscle cars… pour bleach all over the fat rear tires… rev the engine while letting the car roll backwards… “dump” the clutch and “burn out." The smell of burned rubber and layers of smoke would permeate the scene. Some would go to second gear before the car would start moving forward… a few could “get rubber” in all four gears. What more could a little kid want?  Life was good.
   A few years later, another friend who lived down the street, asked to borrow my notebook of car drawings to show his dad. I reluctantly agreed. His father recognized my world-class artistic genius talent and I found myself working nights, weekends and summers in the art department of his offset printing company.
   My digs included a large, hydraulically controlled drawing table equipped with T-Squares, triangles, X-Acto knives, non-photo blue pencils and a hot wax machine for "paste-up." There was also a dark room and a very cool "process camera" that was built into the wall of the darkroom. As a 10th grade creative professional, I learned to mix chemicals, shoot mechanicals and photos,  develop film negatives in a tray (line, half-tones and color separations), "strip" negatives and burn plates for press.
   I was drawn to the typesetting equipment like a tick to a dog’s ear...white on rice...  There were three types of typesetting machines at my disposal... two were “hot type” machines -- a couple of Mergenthaler Linotype machines and a Ludlow. There was also a “cold type” machine -- the Phototypositor. Although the hot-type equipment we had was quite obsolete, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to experience it. I am more grateful that I was never burned by the hot molten lead. I’ve heard horror stories.
   As the “apprentice” I got to fill the molds with hot lead and hang the hardened “pigs” on the machines. To change fonts, you would insert heavy type font “magazines” into the slots at the top rear of the Linotype machine. There were separate magazines for each point size. They contained the matrices (“mats") -- each of which contained one alphanumeric character which was engraved into the side.  As you hit the key on the keyboard a mat would fall into place. There were also spacing bands that would fall down when the space-bar was pressed. Ingeniously, they were tapered so that they would fill the line out for justified columns. Each mat also had its character printed on it so that the operator could read the line before pressing the lever that would send it to the mold where the hot lead would be squirted. A few seconds later, while the operator was typing the next line, a “slug” would fall out in a tray beside the previous one and the lead "pig" would be lowered slightly into the melting pot. When the tray was filled, the slugs would be placed into "galleys" and into the proofing press. Thin lead strips would be placed between the lines to adjust the line spacing (leading). After the slug was cast, a long "elevator" arm would lift the entire line of type up and to the rear of the machine where a keying mechanism would turn... sending them back to their correct slot in the magazine. Gravity would do the rest. The proofs would be waxed, cut and pasted on the "pasteup" or “mechanical" by the resident world-class artistic genius talent.
   The other "hot type" machine was the Ludlow. It was a "hand set" machine used for type headlines. The "cold type" Phototypositor was also for headlines -- letters were visually selected and spaced. It was a predecessor of photographic computer typesetting equipment that I have used throughout my advertising career -- culminating with the Compugraphic adVantage page makeup system. It was a gazillion dollar behemoth with a color coded template/legend and a corded stylus -- networked to satellite Compugraphic typesetters and a large processor for outputting phototype galleys. In spite of its sophistication and high price (and the capability for the operator to trace visuals for positioning), it was not "WYSIWYG." The operator still had to insert arcane codes to specify fonts, point size, leading, kerning, margins, etc.
   Advertising agency copywriters or art directors would "spec" type (using type reference books and copyfitting techniques) and send out to thriving type shops such as "Swift Tom's" here in Atlanta. The phototype proofs were delivered by courier.
   Type shops and Compugraphic typesetting systems eventually gave way to the first "desktop publishing" software offerings (Ventura Publisher (my personal preference at the time) and Pagemaker). This lead to phototypesetting (e.g. Linotronic) service bureaus which produced phototype galleys from client supplied files. Service bureaus were eventually made extinct by "direct to plate" imaging equipment. These days, *.pdf files are simply emailed directly to the printer.
   While technology is ever-changing, design fundamentals and principles remain constant. So my next blog will focus on the more "timeless" principles of typography... and I'll try to offer some useful tips and resources..

 

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    Specifying color is largely a matter of understanding the color wheel – first developed by Sir Issac Newton (a man) in 1667 – which is centered on a logically organized sequence of pure color hues. It was refined by Albert H. Munsell (another man) in 1905.
    Munsell also introduced the concept of Hue, Chroma (Intensity or Saturation) and Value. The order of colors on the color wheel follow the order of colors seen when light is shown through a prism. The color wheel is made up of three primary, three secondary, and six tertiary colors – a total of 12 basic hues. The three primary colors are red, yellow and blue. Mixing them creates the secondary colors; green, orange and purple. The Tertiary Colors are formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. They are yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green.
    When specifying color, it is necessary to understand how color impacts people.
Here are a few examples:

*   Color choices should reflect your target market (women -- far more "color conscious" than men -- like red while men like blue) as well as the other strategic factors mentioned in my blogs, depending on the mood you want to convey and the emotional response you want to elicit.
*   Color choices should reflect the culture and religion where your work will be seen as color can have different meanings in different parts of the world (there is no proven “universal reaction” to colors). For example, white is associated with death in eastern cultures as black is in the west.
*   An object shown in a bright color looks larger than the same object shown in a dark color. Bright color "radiates," drawing the eye outward and expanding the object. If you are selling "size," you might consider using a brightly colored sample of the merchandise.
*   Hermann Rorschach, the Swiss psychologist found that cheerful people are more responsive to color while melancholy people respond better to shape. If you want to limit your market to those who have a more serious interest, you might want to keep the color subdued as color allows the viewer to be somewhat more passive... weeding out lukewarm prospects.
*   Color has been proven to be far more effective (up to 70%) in advertising than black and white... the added cost in printing color is marginal by comparison.

    Red is considered to be a “Hot” color. It can stimulate physical activity and sexual desire… passion, aggression and anger. It can make people feel hungry and increase respiration and blood pressure. You can use it for emphasis, although it was drilled into my head in art school that yellow is the “most advancing color” – it will draw the eye first. Yellow can symbolize joy, happiness, wealth, hope, weakness, greed and friendship. Yellow and Black symbolize danger or caution. White is purity and truth. Violet is royalty... and loneliness. Green is fresh and fruitful... envy and guilt. "True blue" is fidelity. In fact, every color has symbolism that can be used to affect your market (color can also be used to implement principles of design, but it is subordinate to shape).
    Blue, Green and Blue-Green are considered to be “Cold” colors. They denote coldness, cleanliness and freshness -- explaining why these colors are so popular in laundry detergent package design. Warm colors are based on red but “softened” and suffused with orange and yellows. Cool colors are based on blue and suffused with reds and yellows. Warm colors cheer and stimulate while cool colors calm and relax.
    Combinations of warm grays and cool grays are often used for shadows in renderings; usually resulting in more a realistic look when compared to using black. Artists also use a color’s complement to create shadows (sunlit objects in nature will have shadows with a hint of the object color's complement). When you stare at a color and then look at a white sheet of paper you will see a "ghost" of the color's complement.
    While any color can be combined (as in nature) if you choose the correct value and intensity, aesthetically pleasing color combinations have been found to lie with colors on opposite ends of the color wheel (complements), equidistant from each other (triads), those that lie on either side of the color (blended) or on either side of the complementary color (split complementary).  The closer colors are on the color wheel, the more harmonious they are. Colors on opposite sides complement each other. Use of color in design should be mostly harmonious or mostly complementary; mostly cool or mostly warm. There are numerous color schemes -- achromatic, monochromatic, analogous, complementary, triadic, rectangular, pentagonal, etc. Achromatic schemes consist of blacks, whites and neutral grays. Monochromatic schemes are based on one color and its various tints and shades. Analogous schemes are three colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. The Primary color scheme is made up of the three primary colors… strong and energetic, it is often used in designs targeting children. Secondary color schemes are also strong and energetic but more sophisticated.
    Here are a couple of links that help to make the task of color specification easier, if not a "no brainer." Check out Color Blender and Kuler. They are awesome resources for specifying color. With tools like these, (and my blog) there is simply no reason for not having beautifully spec'd color schemes in your designs. Of course if you are a woman you won't need them.

 

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    There is a “divine proportion” that occurs frequently and abundantly in nature. It is generally referred to as the “golden ratio.” When a line is divided by the golden ratio (Phi -- the “irrational” number 1.6180339887...), the resulting proportions are visually pleasing. The Pythagoreans (circa 500 BC) believed this to be divinely inspired.
    The history of the golden ratio goes back at least to 500 BC. [If you create a sequence of numbers (starting with 0, 1) by adding the last two numbers in the sequence together you will have what is called the Fibonacci sequence -- 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and so forth. As you divide each resulting number into the previous number, the result resolves into the golden ratio.] But, as recently as 1854, Adolf Zeising discovered that the branches along stems of plants and the veins in leaves were expressions of the golden ratio -- so are the dimensions of the human body, other skeletal forms, sunflower florets, seashells such as the Nautilus (a Fibbonacci spiral). and countless other occurences in nature ranging from the logarithmic spirals of hurricanes and galaxies (completely unrelated phenonoma) to the flight pattern of a falcon diving on its prey.
    When the length of a line is divided by the golden ratio (rounded to 1.62), and split into segments based on the resulting length, the length of the shorter segment is to the longer segment what the length of the longer segment is to the entire length of the line. Renaissance artists used this “divine proportion” to design paintings, sculpture and architecture. It is believed to have been used in works ranging from the Mona Lisa to the Parthenon (and the great pyramids). The Parthenon is considered to be the finest example of proportion in the history of architecture.
    In art school, one of the layout styles I learned about is called the Mondrian layout. It is named after the Dutch painter, Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) who is considered to be the father of advertising design. He used grids extensively… with the grids following the tenets of the golden ratio or divine proportion. In the Mondrian tradition, contemporary graphic designers often use the “rule of thirds” to create layout grids which result in these universally pleasing proportions.
    This is achieved by first dividing your layout dimensions into thirds, and then to divide the top most resulting dimension by thirds again. Then dividing each column in halves. This grid is then used as a guide in determing the placement of the elements of design -- according, of course, to the principles of design that I have been discussing in this blog.
    Speaking of the other principles, proportion is closely related to balance and emphasis… and sequence. Different proportions of visual to copy, for example, can send uniquely different messages, even when using identical elements of design. The use of proper proportion results in unequal dimensions -- without obvious mathematical relationships -- which help to create a lively, interesting and pleasing design.
    The golden ratio is seen in musical compositions from Bartok' to Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. Stradivari used the golden ratio for the placement of the f-holes in his famous violins. On the piano, there are 13 musical notes separating each octave of 8 notes (the golden ratio). The keys of a piano also consist of the golden ratio -- a scale of 13 keys, 8 white, 5 black split into groups of 3 and 2.
    Contemporaneously, the ubiquitious golden ratio is used in abundance -- at least in its approximate form. If you use the "a" and "b" lengths from the example above, to create a rectangle, you will have what is referred to as the "golden oblong" -- considered to be the perfect rectangle. Visa® and Mastercard® aspect ratios are close approximations, as are the aspect ratios of some popular video screens… including cinematic aspect ratios (1920 x 1200 and 720 x 480).

    If you go back to my previous blogs you will find that I have referred to Bill Bernback's "Think Small" ad numerous times. It is a remarkable example of practically everything I have discussed. In the great Mondrian tradition, it is not too surprising to find that Bernback also used the rule of thirds when creating what is considered to be the most divine ad of all time.

 

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  One of the most effective ad types is often referred to as the David Ogilvy layout. This layout contains a dominant visual, a headline under the visual, and a two or three column copy block under the headline...black letters on a white (or light colored) background --  along with the logo and contact info which is usually placed at the bottom right hand side. While this may seem simplistic, especially to young graphic designers who are eager to demonstrate their prowess, it has been proven time and again to be highly effective. William Bernbach's Volkswagen ad, discussed in my previous blog, is a classic example. While this "Picture Window" ad layout itself is quite simple, the elements of this 1960 ad design – concept, headline, visual, copy, etc. -- are of exceptional quality. This ad is also a great example of informal balance, especially in terms of the size and composition of the photo. The weight of the typography balances against the light gray color of the photo background… and the small black VW.
Bernbach, by the way, has "violated" one of my pet peeve rules by allowing widows and orphans in the body copy. But, upon closer examination, his reasoning becomes clear.
He used his "creative license" to balance the weight of the third copy block against the car in the photo... balancing the VW logo with the car in the process.
    Informal balance still requires balanced optical weight but
the weight is distributed differently. Informal balance is more dynamic and exciting and it usually results in a more interesting design... and interesting and unusual shapes tend to attract attention. With informal balance, all of the elements are still balanced, but the balance can be distributed in terms of color, value, shape, position, texture and direction.
    The use of informal balance requires a higher level of artistic ability than does formal balance. The study of classical art is invaluable in helping to develop a better understanding of informal balance. In the Volkswagen ad, the photo composition of the car uses informal balance (directional balance) beautifully. This technique is used to sell through the "unique selling proposition" of the ad as presented in the “Think Small” headline and copy -- and Bernbach's copywriting was truly masterful.
   I would argue, by the way, that the ad uses a combination of both formal and informal balance to achieve its objective. [There is good reason why this ad is considered the greatest ad of all time.] Regardless of the type of balance, the optical center (a point just above center and slightly to the left) should always act as the ads pivot.
   There is also a third type of balance – radial balance. This is when all the elements of the design “radiate” from a center point in a circular fashion. Radial balance is a great way to lead the eye into the focal point in the center of the ad.

    I have never known a professional art director at the agency level who did not receive formal training. In addition, those lucky enough to get an agency job after graduation typically work an entry level job as an assistant -- pushing the mail cart or going out for burgers for a couple of years prior taking the helm as a designer or art director. There are a handful of top (and quite expensive) creative schools from which top agencies recruit entry level creatives. Three of these (Portfolio Center, SCAD Atlanta and Creative Circus) have campuses in Atlanta and in addition to other creative schools such as The Alliance Theater School, they contribute to a great local talent pool.
    Nevertheless, not all persons called on to produce designs or layouts are so fortunate. Many are asked to develop visual graphics without the benefit of formal training – sadly, never having the experience of being sent out to get burgers for the creative staff. But there is hope. These burger deprived “creatives” can improve their design work immeasurably by learning these fundamental design principles…and understanding how to apply them. This brings me to the next principle -- Sequence.
    Through habit, the eye moves from left to right and then top to bottom, from big elements to smaller ones, from dark to light, from color to non-color, and from unusual shapes to common shapes. The advertising designer can start eye travel anywhere in the ad and control its direction… left, right, up or down. In a well-designed ad, a directional pattern should be evident. The professional designer takes the reader by the hand and leads him or her through the ad to the climax.
    To illustrate this principle, I will point again to my Sunshine Biscuits’ poster. Note how the viewer is guided through the ad with the crayons leading the viewer from the main visual to the headline. While the main visual will attract immediate attention, the crayons help to lead the viewers’ eye into the headline… and the “warm and fuzzy” message which contains the benefit mentioned in previous blogs. In addition, The contrast of white space behind the house tends to focus the eye on the artwork… this is helped a bit by the rays of the sun -- in tandem with the chimney -- which lead the eye into the house. The shape of the door and direction of the crayons then help to lead the eye into the headline. It should be obvious that sequence is closely related to emphasis, as noted in my previous blog.
    Officially, there are two more principles left to talk about. I will leave you guessing this time about the next one... This blog reminds me of how the Sunshine Biscuits' marketing director loaded me up with a big box of snacks for "inspiration" while I was creating this poster... so I’ve been thinking about food while writing this and it is definitely time for a healthy snack… no burgers for me… those Cheez-it’s are looking pretty good… or maybe some Krispy crackers and peanut butter… yum.

     By stating that unity is the most important principle, I did not mean to detract from the importance of the other principles -- they are all critical to good design and if any of these principles are violated, the overall design will certainly suffer. In addition to evaluating unity, the creative artist should make a decision as to which design element will be emphasized. Emphasis can be provided by singling an element out, moving it away from the clutter of other elements, making it bigger, bolder or more colorful. The emphasized element might be placed at optical center to ensure its being seen, but it may also be placed elsewhere. The most important rule about emphasis is that all emphasis is no emphasis. Separate elements should not compete for primary attention. Where several items get equal billing, emphasis is cancelled out. In a poorly designed layout, the elements fight for attention.
     One challenge in creating proper emphasis can involve dealing with the tendency of clients to want their logo and/or phone number to be enlarged so that it ends up visually fighting with everything else in the ad. David Ogilvy even wrote a poem about this -- “If the client moans and sighs, make the logo twice its size…” While you might have to struggle with the client over this issue, it is your job as the designer to explain what should be emphasized to enhance the effectiveness of the work. In these cases, I try (Lord knows) to convince the client of the need to put the benefit forward as the most important item (see previous blogs). If you are successful in convincing your target market of the benefit, and that the benefit is substantial and worthy with regard to the competition, they will find the phone number all by themselves. The best clients will leave design decisions to the professional designer.
     This brings me to one of the reasons I decided to take this little side trip in the first place. While many designers work in a vacuum, good designers understand that their work is an extension of strategic planning. The purpose of advertising is usually to sell the benefit via the creative promise (I'll talk about the creative promise in a later blog.). Or, the purpose might be to position the product or service, to enhance the image of the client, and/or to brand the image in the mind of the target market. The principle of emphasis plays a major role in helping to achieve these goals.
     Emphasis applies to all design work…including collateral...and video. The designer should evaluate which element has the highest priority in the design and make it the primary element. As I noted in the last blog, emphasis is closely related to unity. Emphasis is also very closely related to the principle I will talk about in my next blog... Sequence (eye travel).

    The first mistake I usually notice in a poorly designed ad is a violation of unity. If an ad has unity, all of the elements are tied together and appear to be related. Unity keeps the ad from falling apart. In a unified ad, all of the elements have similar shape, size, texture, color, character and mood. The type in a unified ad has the same character as the art.
     I created this giant poster for Sunshine Biscuits® to help promote their Habitat For Humanity® program. The target market was mothers of young kids who would be shopping in Kroger® food stores. (The giant poster was placed in cookies/crackers aisles.) It was featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle as Atlanta's Best Advertising. I will use it as reference in discussing design principles.
    White space (negative space) can help provide unity while also giving the ad an interesting shape. Negative space should be to the outside of the ad – ad elements should never be separated with white space; this causes the ad to fall apart. Negative space should not be trapped inside the ad…it needs to have a path outside the ad elements. In keeping with the law of proportion (another principle to be discussed in an upcoming blog) the white space around the edges of the ad should have an irregular shape. This adds interest and attracts
greater attention.
    Here is a little trick on how to evaluate unity of design shapes. If you “black-in” all the elements of the ad leaving the negative space or white space alone, the elements ought to look unified. They don’t necessarily have to physically connect but they must relate to each other visually. If there is too much negative space between the elements, they lose unity with each other.
    As my foosball analogy illustrates, none of the five principles work in a vacuum…they are all necessary and inter-related. If any one principle is violated, the work will suffer. By the way, in addition to proportion, Unity is very closely related to another principle, “emphasis” which will be the subject of my next blog.

    But for now, I'll take a little side trip and talk about the principles of design. I learned these principles while attending commercial art school. I have fond memories of art school. We got to draw live, naked female models…you know, studying the human form and all that. Mostly, we had to complete an enormous volume of assignments ranging from advertising techniques, drawing/painting, layout and graphic design and typography to printing technology. I was the only one in my class who was actually working in the field (and had been since 10th grade). While building our student portfolio, we learned about the “golden age of advertising.” I read about great copywriters and advertising men such as David Ogilvy and William Bernback.
    During lunch I usually headed right for the foosball tables. If I might brag just a bit (totally against my character as you already probably know from reading my previous blogs), I can say that I was quite the foosball player. I loved the game. I played all the major foosball joints in Atlanta and while the competition could be very stiff, there were few players who could beat me...none consistently (I know, I know, that was a self absorbed, arrogant, self-aggrandizing and conceited statement). I could go to any foosball joint, put a quarter on a table, and play for free ‘till closing time (the rule was that the challenger always paid). I played tournaments for cash prizes where dozens of folks crammed around the table in smoke filled rooms to get a look at the action. It was a blast! Life was good.
    I could draw a crowd around a foosball table and the college recreation center was no exception. My fellow students were dumbfounded when they witnessed my foosball prowess and finesse which included a full complement of shots… push shots, pull shots, foos shots, reverses and double reverses -- even a triple reverse. I could pass the ball from middle to front like no other -- with blinding speed. My opponent would hear a loud thwack and I would be tapping the ball with my front/center man, going back and forth with a hypnotizing motion.Then, with my usual sense of fair play, I would give them time to recover (and realize that I had not scored, but only passed to my front man as it was considered uncouth to score from the middle) and set up their defense. Then I would smash the ball into the goal using the back and forth motion to seduce them into a hypnotic rhythm; breaking the rhythm by suddenly pulling back twice and shooting. You could hear the ball crashing into the goal like cannon fire echoing through the cavernous cafeteria/recreation center and down the hallways -- enticing even more students to push through the crowd to witness foosball wizardry at its finest. I loved the looks on my opponents’ faces after I had blasted the ball into the goal. They were at my mercy. Move over James Cameron -- I was king of the world.
    Aside from foosball, art was my way of getting attention. It gave me a unique identity and, in addition to my massive charm and rugged good looks, yet another way to impress the girls.
    While some of the friends I grew up with were musicians in a successful local rock 'n roll band, I dreamed of being an advertising executive. While musicians would have to travel from one sleazy bar to another, I pictured myself drawing marker comps and storyboards sitting in my own advertising agency in a glass and steel office tower -- with my Porsche sitting in the parking deck. I loved the idea of having one of those hydraulically controlled giant drawing tables surrounded with all the cool tools of the trade. I would be a more modern, longer haired and far cooler adman than the Darrin Stevens of my childhood. Surely I would be a major "babe magnet" (Elizabeth Montgomery was hot!) and life would be good.
    Oop's sorry... back to reality. Ah yes -- principles of design. Well there are officially five of them. I believe a true artist uses them instinctively without necessarily being consciously aware of them while creating their art. Back in art school, I had no idea how useful these five little bits of wisdom could be -- nor did I realize how many ways I could use them. I know you are dying to hear all about them, but you'll just have to wait for my next blog 'cause I'm 'fraid my little side trip turned into a journey down memory lane.