Design for Hackers : Reverse Engineering Beauty

"Why did Monet never use the color black in his paintings?" "Why are #x18;Web 2.0' graphics rounded?" "What can modern web designers learn from graffiti left on the walls of ancient Pompeii more than 1900 years ago?" Design for Hackers explains the classical principles and techniques behind creating beautiful design. Inside, designer David Kadavy provides you with a framework for understanding good design, with a special emphasis on interactive mediums. Design for Hackers breaks down the classical principles and techniques for creating beautiful design by explaining color theory, the role of proportion and geometry in design, and the relationship between medium and form - all while illustrating important cultural and contextual considerations in communicating clearly to a particular audience. By reverse engineering design samples as varied as the paintings of Monet, the graffiti of Pompeii, Apple's iPhone and the New York Times, the design principles at work can then be used in your own web designs, mobile apps, or other digital work. Topics include: "Understanding Design: What Makes a Design "Good?" "Why Design is important "Design has Purpose "Why a lost dog poster is beautiful "Design has constraints "Medium and Form "Why You Don't Use Garamond on the Web "How today's web fonts are designed with the screen in mind "How some fonts have embraced the limitations of the pixel "Why Web 2.0 Graphics are Gradated and Rounded "SEO is Design, Too "Proportion: What You Can't See May be Beautiful "Leading the Eye "Why on its own, the golden ratio is not the most attractive "Size & Scale "Color: The Sculpture of Light "Color Science "How to avoid using black on the Web "Color Theory "Split Color Schemes on the Web

David Kadavy is a user interface designer whose clients include Silicon Valley startups such as oDesk, UserVoice, and PBworks. He led the design departments at two Silicon Valley startups and an architecture firm, taught a college course in typography, and studied ancient typography in Rome. David blogs about design at kadavy.net, and his Twitter handle is @kadavy.

Introduction 1

Part I: Understanding Design.

CHAPTER 1: Why Design Matters 9

CHAPTER 2: The Purpose of Design 19

Part II: Medium and Form.

CHAPTER 3: Medium and Form in Typography 37

CHAPTER 4: Technology and Culture 75

Part III: Composition.

CHAPTER 5: Fool's Golden Ratio: Understanding Proportions 105

CHAPTER 6: Holding the Eye: Composition and Design Principles 133

CHAPTER 7: Enlivening Information: Establishing a Visual Hierarchy 167

Part IV: Color.

CHAPTER 8: Color Science 195

CHAPTER 9: Color Theory 235

Part V: Appendixes.

APPENDIX A: Choosing and Pairing Fonts 291

APPENDIX B: Typographic Etiquette 311

Index 329