A few years ago, I was scouring magazines to get ideas for quick reference guide layouts. In particular, I found that WIRED magazine has some of the most creative and engaging layouts, often with text laid out in three or four columns, or along the side of a graphic, or in various quadrants about the page. I was trying to figure out the right layouts … more »

[Audio clip: view full post to listen] Download MP3 Length: 45 min. Recently Jo Mackiewicz (Auburn University) and Kathryn Riley (Illinois Institute of Technology) published Visual Composing: Document Design for Print and Digital Media with Pearson. This book covers the visual side of document design, including all the design decisions from the font you use to the colors you choose to the tables, column widths, … more »

Free download: Good vs. Great Design (summary) ~ Authentic Boredom.

Since I’ve been reading The Non-Designers Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Novice, I’ve started to see the importance of contrast everywhere. The author, Robin Williams, argues that contrast is one of the four pillars of design, and that most people don’t include enough of it. As a result, rather than contrast, they end up with conflict. Williams writes: A design is in … more »

How to Create Columns with CSS Float | eHow.com I see so many sites that structure everything with tables. News flash: tables are out. Divs and floats are in.

Presentation Zen: If you could recommend only one book (on graphic design)