Before and After magazine's focus on clarity, simplicity, and elegance has won it legions of fans--fans who will welcome this second volume of the definitive Before and After Page Design by John McWade. Truly an icon of the graphic design community, his insistence on approaching design not as mere decoration but as an essential form of communication is vividly apparent in this cohesive primer on page design and layout. And you could not hope for a better, more qualified teacher. McWade shows readers how to arrange and present information using today's powerful graphics tools. Readers will learn how to design single-page and multi-page documents, brochures, and ads; why one typeface works better than another; and much more. Best of all, they'll discover how to think visually transforming the images in their heads into something that communicates effectively on the page.
Before & After: How to Design Cool Stuff
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Designer, teacher, and author John McWade has been at the forefront of the graphic design and desktop publishing worlds for several decades. The very first beta user of the desktop publishing program Aldus PageMaker, he went on to found the first desktop publishing company, PageLab, to take advantage of the new tools. With his partner Gaye McWade, he founded the acclaimed Before and After magazine.
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More About the Author
John McWade is the publisher and creative director of Before & After magazine. A designer, teacher, and author, Mr. McWade in 1985 created PageLab, the world's first desktop publishing studio, and in 1990 he founded Before & After magazine to teach graphic design to desktop publishers. Before & After is known for its simple beauty, clarity of instruction, and especially its emphasis on design not as decoration but an essential form of communication. Mr. McWade's formative background is in printing and publication design, with a specialty in typography. He has authored three books -- Before & After Page Design, Graphics for Business, and How to Design Cool Stuff.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Almost didn't buy this book because the title and cover are honestly a little lame. However, I'm really glad I did buy it. The book should be called something like "Practical Design Principles" or "Design by Example", Ok those are lame too. Anyway, my point is this is more than just how to design cool stuff. This book gives you a nice overview of really important design principles in an easy to read, entertaining and approachable manner. It's chock full of real world examples that perfectly illustrate each concept.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Before and After How to Design Cool Stuff" explains good design with many illustrations and just enough words. At first you are impressed by the many illustrations and pictures. Then you appreciate the short paragraphs of insightful text.
I like this book because it involves you in the decisions. The first part of the book explains the knowledge you need to be able to really see and use graphic elements. It begins with designing without rulers and the empty page. It explains how to use color. It makes sense out of understanding typographic characters and fitting type styles to your design. An example of how the book involves you is "How to find the perfect color." It begins with finding the colors in a photograph. It ends with a discussion of five different color choice designs with good reasons why the customer might chose any one of them
I like this book because it shows creative methods you can use. The second part of "Before & After How to Design Cool Stuff" is about techniques such as getting several images out of one photo, putting the reader's eye where you want it, and combining photos and captions to tell your story. It includes techniques you can use to create unique covers and pages, business cards and a post card, or even a web site or a welcome page.
I also like the projects that make up the third part. These projects show the evolution from the idea or product that existed before to the designs that result after. These projects can help you to design a theme, a story-style brochure, a pocket size brochure, a panoramic booklet, a web site, or a presentation.
Read "Before & After How to Design Cool Stuff" for an overview of, and an appreciation for, the ideas and techniques that are in it. Then, when you are about to begin your next project, refer to this book.
I like this book because it involves you in the decisions. The first part of the book explains the knowledge you need to be able to really see and use graphic elements. It begins with designing without rulers and the empty page. It explains how to use color. It makes sense out of understanding typographic characters and fitting type styles to your design. An example of how the book involves you is "How to find the perfect color." It begins with finding the colors in a photograph. It ends with a discussion of five different color choice designs with good reasons why the customer might chose any one of them
I like this book because it shows creative methods you can use. The second part of "Before & After How to Design Cool Stuff" is about techniques such as getting several images out of one photo, putting the reader's eye where you want it, and combining photos and captions to tell your story. It includes techniques you can use to create unique covers and pages, business cards and a post card, or even a web site or a welcome page.
I also like the projects that make up the third part. These projects show the evolution from the idea or product that existed before to the designs that result after. These projects can help you to design a theme, a story-style brochure, a pocket size brochure, a panoramic booklet, a web site, or a presentation.
Read "Before & After How to Design Cool Stuff" for an overview of, and an appreciation for, the ideas and techniques that are in it. Then, when you are about to begin your next project, refer to this book.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an awesome book with lots of good information, however if you subscribe to Before & After, you may see some things in this book you have already read in their articles. None-the-less a very good book for any graphic designer's library.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding work!
I designed my website straight from the tips and principles from this book, and there is an enormous difference between what I knew before compared to what I know now. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Anton J Jansen
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Design Book
I read it on an iPad and the experience was good.
McWade helps a designer consider all the details that go into creating an effective and beautiful design. Read more
McWade helps a designer consider all the details that go into creating an effective and beautiful design. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Martin Kalnis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great compilation
This book changed the way I see at every ad or publication. At some points it goes a little bit technical but overall it is easy to read. Now I will look after the magazine.
Published 2 months ago by Raul E. Gallegos Barragan
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 stars
John,
Love this book and your DVD master collection.
Thank you for teaching me so much over the years!
You are a great inspiration. Read more
Love this book and your DVD master collection.
Thank you for teaching me so much over the years!
You are a great inspiration. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Music Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars
John McWade rocks
If you subscribe to Before & After magazine, which I do, I think most of the material in the book can be found in various issues there, but it's nice to have so much in one book. Read more
Published 2 months ago by A. Kelley
4.0 out of 5 stars
GOOD FOR BEGINNERS
PROS
1. very accessible pedagogy to beginners
2. clear writing style and easily understandable illustrations
3. Read more
1. very accessible pedagogy to beginners
2. clear writing style and easily understandable illustrations
3. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cpoco
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Resource
This book is fantastic. I am learning graphic arts with this book. I love the way it is formatted.It has direct links to each lesson. You can learn the lessons in any way you wish. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kathy Padrta
5.0 out of 5 stars
McWade isn't bragging
Follow his tips and guidelines and you will create stuff that will stand out from its rivals. If you have read or leafed through a copy of his Before & After magazine, much of the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Elizabeth C. Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a wonderful book
I love this book. A joy to read. The way the material is presented results in almost effortless learning. I saw an immediate improvement in the quality of my design work. Read more
Published 8 months ago by An Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cheap book material, useful content for intermediate designers
I'm not quite a "professional" graphic designer (more of a photographer and I didn't go to design school), so I bought this in hopes that it'd fill some practical gaps in my... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Harrison Y.
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