The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type [Paperback]

Alex W. White (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Allworth Press (2005)
• ASIN: B0013FQ8JI
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,361,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GOOD SOLID BOOK FOR DESIGNERS, February 10, 2004

By 

D. Garcia "cordedpoodle" (los angeles, ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type (Paperback)

Very solid book (but short) packed with examples of why one strategy or tactic might be better than another. I learned a lot and intend to reread the book to make sure I get as much of it absorbed as I can. Very good discussions on type with discussions on line spacing, type size, small caps, grids, symmetry vs. asymmetry, negative and positive space.

Wish I would have read this book before I went to design school. I would have learned a lot more. I also would have been able to speak more intelligently. I learned a lot of terminology that will help me. I'm a better designer now. It's given me more confidence.

Highly recommended for beginners and intermediates. Might be a little thin for experts.

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The #1 small book about learning graphic design, August 17, 2005

By 

G. Vignes "G" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type (Paperback)

The book is short, sweet, loaded with excellent examples and it teaches many of the essentials in an easy, enjoyable manner.

I am a software developer by trade, but I also do graphical design for user interfaces and web sites. I can't afford to absorb a large amount of material on this subject just to extract the essentials. This book is exactly what I need.

The Elements of Graphic Design lives up to its namesake, Strunk and White's Elements classic, both in quality and succinctness.

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A 'beginner' who just felt lost the whole way through..., June 7, 2005

By 

moxzi.com (SE PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type (Paperback)

As a 30-something, 8 year web professional, with a BA in Theatre, I chose this book because of its great reviews, and its seemingly great fit for me needs as a `web designer, looking to expand into print/graphic design.'

That being said, the book read more like an exercise in stream of consciousness writing, and groovy book design, rather than trying to make a concerted effort at introducing the elements of the craft of graphic design.

I got through the "7 Components of Design" and felt like 3 of them were the same (unity, balance, and gestalt) or, that there wasn't a good explanation of their differences. It felt like most of the time, the author would say the WHAT (you do) only. If you were lucky, you got a taste of the HOW (to do it), and only if you were really lucky, maybe a bit of the WHY. Or maybe it was that all of those were included, but not in any form of coherency.

I started this book over 3 times, thinking it was me and that I simply wasn't getting into the flow of the material. Instead it was like Lane Meyer (John Cusak) in `Better Off Dead' when the teacher is explaining advanced mathematics and everyone in the class was laughing and getting it except Lane (and the movie watchers).