Good vs. Bad Design

Good and bad design are both very obvious to me. I personally favor simple, clean lines and details in my work, and lean towards those that do the same.

One design I've always loved is all of the Apple branding, as obvious as that choice is. Every single one of their products is so simple and streamlined. They are a great example of a company that has found their niche early on and stuck with it since. Below is a picture of the front page for the new iPhone 6- so stunning!

The next great design example is from the restaurant Holly Burger, and is a great example of menu design IMO! The type is amazingly teated, yet simple and clean, making it very easily read. It has a little extra flair with the tropical leaf background, a print that is very in vogue at the moment.

The third example of good design I have is for a photography company called Blush, designed by Grit & Wit. I love the mix of simple, clean design with a more feminine, ornamental style. Even though I tend to lean towards less ornamentation and more simplicity, I really admire the mix of the two- I would really love to incorporate more of this style into my work!

One example of really terrible design is this logo from someone named Jeffrey Miller. I'm not one to trash someone's work, but the fact that he kept the feet in on the M makes for a clunky, amateur design. The stroke doesn't help either!

Another example of terrible design is this amateurish design for a company called Bench Warmer. The design is so terrible- while the woman's figure is somewhat clever with the W incorporated, the unfortunate placement of the ornamentation makes her look like she's passing gas- need I say more? Additionally, the stroke makes this design look even more amateur.

What makes or breaks design is very simple in my opinion- it must be clear, concise, and conveys the point quickly. This is especially apparent in design for businesses, such as logos or advertisements. Avoiding strokes, gradients and excess ornamentation is the right way to go!