pure design
To a world awash in clutter, simplicity is the beautiful answer.
Here, five CD covers illustrate the astonishing clarity of minimum.
The most beautiful designs are the -simplest designs; not the easiest to make, usually,
but the purest. A pure design has been distilled to its essence a word, an image, an
idea; to add or subtract a single part will diminish it. As a rule, the stronger the design,
the fewer its parts, and the fewer the differences between the parts. Instead of two
typefaces, use one. Instead of three sizes, use two. Pay attention to negative space;
every image that you place creates an opposite and equal negative space that affects
the design. And so on. To illustrate, designer John Odam -created five CD covers for us
whose simplicity conveys astonishing clarity. Have a look at how it s done.
Two squiggly shapes The beautiful piano cover forms an unbroken line from left to
bottom, dividing the space into only two shapes, positive and negative. The effect is
silent, regal and emotive. Keyboard and pianist are offstage, yet present in the air. One,
low-key typeface (Myriad) alone in the white space draws the viewer into the quiet. Note
that Solitudes color matches the strings.
Where do the words go? In this case, simplicity means one kind of thing this like that.
The invisible left margin matches the right, not precisely but perceptually; they feel alike.
Hale Thatcher is flush to the center, which is also the point of the piano cover.
The not-so-simple problem of borders
It looks innocent enough. You start with a square, and onto it place a snapshot-shaped
image (6x4), leaving a small -border. Visually, what s just happened? Your mind says
you see a rectangle atop a square, but your eyes see more.
You see the square and rectangle, all right, but what you haven t noticed . . .
. . . are the four rectangles you ve added (above left). You also haven t noticed the
phantom lines now  connecting the dots between corners. Result: Instead of two objects
(some viewers perceive only one) you have six, in five different proportions, pulling your
eye to and fro unintentionally.
Add a circle to the scene and the accidental shapes increase exponentially; your eyes
now trace all kinds of oddball niches and cubbyholes, none of which you can design until
you re aware they -exist.
That s visual complexity.
Solution? Lose the unintended shapes! Here are the square and rectangle without
borders, and what a difference! Two clear objects (three, actually), in harmonious
proportions one-third, two-thirds, three-thirds (square); none are accidental. Note that
white is not a passive backdrop, but an active color in the composition.
That s simple.
Two rectangles divide the field into a dark half and a white half. The white doesn t look
empty, does it? It s playing a very active role. As a beautiful alternative, darken the white
half (below), which effectively creates a solid field punctuated by a ragged spot of light in
the corner, identical in concept to the piano cover. Although tiny, type on the boundary
commands great attention by its isolation.
If WET was not on the edge but above it, the result would be another shape between
word and image, adding complexity.
Two squares Beautifully serene, here an inner square echoes an outer. The size
difference is so great that the  border effect does not occur; the eye perceives two
distinct fields. In the square, overlays normally complex work. Why? Because they re
repeating shapes, the same thing again and again. Circles repeated within the squares
complement perfectly.
Convex, concave curves Circular glass divides dark space from light; rim and liquid form
more circles. Straight straw is the visual  interrupter; by splitting the title it creates a
 look again double-take. Artists list (note its lowercase setting) turns an attractive but
meaningless image into excellent communication; cover it with your thumb and see what
it adds.
A crossing line A face in silhouette alters an otherwise symmetrical photograph. To
restore balance, the type aligns flush left (note really short lines) on the center axis.
Yellow field echoes the sunset and makes a neutral background for the black headline
and white subhead.
Designs by John Odam. An award-winning graphic designer, John Odam is highly
respected by B&A for his -creative versatility. He understands and meets the artistic
demands of visual communication, and he offers multiple solutions. John has
-co--authored the books Start with a Scan, Start with a Digital Camera (Peachpit Press)
and The Gray Book (Ventana Press), all of which display his distinctive style of simple
beauty.
This article is excerpted from Before & After, How to design cool stuff, Issue 34, May
2003, and is reprinted here by permission. Copyright ©2003, Before & After magazine,
all rights reserved.
S3