The world of design if full of iconic names: Antonio Gaudi, famous for designing of the most beautiful buildings in the world; John Ruskin, who inspired the arts and crafts Movement and became a champion of the Gothic Revival style; Salvador Dali, the surrealist painter who also designed some inspiring furniture; and Arne Jacobsen, whose designs include the Egg Chair, familiar to any design student. All these designers had one thing in common, in creating anything, they sat down with a pen, paper and perhaps a ruler to generate their ideas. The time of hand sketched and immaculately poster printing are gone, but are modern designers, who are more reliant on computers and computer aided design (CAD) technology, doing anything different to these iconic names?
Of course, all design is simply a method of creating something that looks attractive and engages with people, and no matter what medium a designer chooses, the basics of good design remain the same. Good design should serve the purpose of practicality, as well as providing an aesthetic beauty. Good design is everywhere, from buildings to advertising hoardings, furniture to websites, and good design is easily spotted. Anything that makes you look and take an interest could be said to have been designed well. Unlike art, which is aesthetically pleasing for aesthetics sake, good design serves a purpose. Whether it’s Jacobsen’s iconic Egg Chair, or a logo for a fast food restaurant, good design is both aesthetically engaging and practical. Jacobsen’s Egg Chair was simple, good-looking and comfortable to sit on; likewise, a logo for a fast food restaurant needs to look good enough for people to remember it as well as represent the...
