When you see a design that makes you say, "WOW!" it's most likely the result of creative visual thinking. Graphic designers think about what they see and are able to visualize what they think. Creative visual thinking is about solving communication problems, conceptualizing, exploring, and experimentation. And that's what this book is about.

  Every day, designers are under a lot of pressure to be creative. This book is for graphic designers, art directors, design directors, marketing people, graphic design students and advertising students -- or anyone who is interested in maximizing their creative potential. It's written in a friendly voice and has exceptional illustrations.




UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
OF THINKING CREATIVELY

What makes this book unique is the plethora of information about graphic design and creativity, the 16 creative approaches to graphic design problem-solving, the 45 creative visual thinking exercises for designers to try out, the interviews with outstanding designers about creative visual thinking in practice, and suggestions for stimulating the creative process. There are very, very few books on the subject of creativity that address the specific problems of the graphic designer. This book fills a definite void.
  • The creative approaches, ideas and exercises, in this book, demonstrate a way of thinking... a way of exploring. Each one may not be right for every design problem, or may not suit each project, but most will work for you. The creative approaches and exercises are about being open to new ideas, translating ideas into visuals, taking disparate things and integrating them into coherent, exciting visual wholes, and translating everyday communication into memorable graphic design.

  • It's important to realize that graphic design problem-solving and creativity occur simultaneously. Creative people are motivated by curiosity and they love to explore. This book offers a chance to see how a diverse group of designers solve design problems and what they think about creative visual thinking in practice.

  • Creative designers find the process as interesting as finding the design solution. Creative visual thinking consists of three main things:
    • problem solving -- the formulation of concepts and solutions
    • creativity -- the ability to see possibilities in a given problem
    • visualization -- the representation of concepts in visual form

  • Creative visual thinkers seem to find inspiration everywhere. Designers need stimulation and renewal in order to continually come up with creative visual solutions. Dealing with clients, planning, doing research, and developing concepts to solve design problems isn't easy. Every day, designers are under a lot of pressure to be creative. As this book demonstrates, some designers choose to relax through yoga or refreshing showers, some browse through bookstores, some look at fine art, some find stimulation in their environments, but everyone does or needs something.



TABLE OF CONTENTS


PART I: THINKING ABOUT VISUAL THINKING

The creative process & problem solving

A creative solution to a client's problem communicates, is appropriate and functional, has impact and visual interest, is memorable, stimulating and well-executed. This section tells you how to get through the creative process and how-to problem solve. includes:
  • Determining Objectives and strategy
  • Developing Design criteria
  • Doing Research
  • Creating a Concept (& suggested ways to develop a concept)
  • Designing
  • Dealing with a client
  • checklists and definitions

Form & content

Graphic designers communicate messages through visual means. Design has specific purposes and functions. Being creative hinges on successful communication and the interdependence of form and content. includes:
  • What is form?
  • What is content?
  • Interdependence of form & content
  • Denotation & connotation
  • Irony
  • Universality
  • Style
  • Period
  • Schools of thought
  • Checklist


PART II: VISUALIZATION

Creative approaches A creative approach expands your vision. It makes you see something in a fresh way, a new light. It spices things. It is intelligent and relevant. These approaches will change your graphic design forever and will tap into your creativity like nothing else. includes:
  • explanation of creative approaches
  • how to use them
  • what's creative
  • what helps foster creativity
  • 16 creative approaches to open your mind's eye
    • elements and principles
    • type: type and visual/type as visual/layered type
    • illusion/sound
    • movement
    • scale/cropping/close-ups
    • period/retro/historical influences
    • transformation/image manipulation/alterations
    • synthesis
    • merge
    • the unexpected
    • signs/symbols/archetypes/icons
    • humor
    • juxtaposition
    • abstraction
    • materials/techniques/printing process/hand-crafted
    • borrowing from language

Visual thinking exercises

45 exercises that you can use to enhance your approaches to specific graphic design problems or -- do them as a visual workout. Creative visual thinking mind-blowing experiments you won't find anywhere else. includes:
  • Playing with type and image
  • Altering imagery and objects
  • Combining things
  • Tinkering with the graphic elements, principles & illusion
  • Perception
  • Making comparisons
  • Doing the Unexpected
  • Let's communicate


PART III: VISUAL THINKING IN PRACTICE

Interviews

Graphic designers are creative artists who solve practical problems. These interviews demonstrate how creative visual thinking is applied in the real world of design practice. Interviews with:
  • Denise Anderson/DMA/Jersey City, NJ
  • Steven Brower/ Steven Brower Design/NYC
  • Rick Eiber/Rick Eiber Design (RED)/Seattle, WA
  • Karl Hirschmann/Hirschmann Design/Boulder, CO
  • Martin Holloway/Martin Holloway Design/Warren, NJ
  • Mark Kaufmann/Art O Mat/Seattle, WA
  • Susan Knape/The Knape Group/Dallas, TX
  • Eva Roberts/East Carolina University/NC
  • Jilly Simons/Concrete/Chicago, IL
  • Rick Tharp/Tharp Did It/Los Altos, CA

Afterword

Graphic designers cannot live on design annuals alone. Learn what other designers and art directors do for inspiration and stimulation.
  • Jilly Simons
  • Mark Kaufmann
  • Tony Ciccolella
  • Petrula Vrontikis
  • Carlos Segura
  • Dick Brown
  • Karl Hirschmann


Order online from Amazon.com

or:

Thinking Creatively is also available in bookstores.
Ask your local bookstore to order it for you.

ISBN: 0-8913-4843-3

If you have any questions, feel free to call me at Kean College 908.527.2307 or write to me at rlanda@aol.com. I'm also available for guest lectures. Thanks for your time.




Other books by Robin Landa

Graphic Design Solutions


 
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