This book is the most compact and lucid handbook available outlining the basic principles of layout, typography, colour usage and space. Being a creative designer is often about coming up with unique design solutions. Unfortunately, when the basic rules of design are ignored in an effort to be distinctive, design becomes useless. In language, a departure from the rules is only appreciated as great literature if recognition of the rules underlies the text. Graphic design is a 'visual language' and brilliance is recognised in designers whose work seems to break all the rules, yet communicates its messages clearly. This is a fun and accessible handbook that presents the fundamentals of design in lists, tips, brief text and examples. The chapters include Graphic Design: What It Is; What Are They and What Do They Do?, Choosing and Using Type and Breaking the Rules: When and Why to Challenge all the Rules of this Book.

本书是美国著名平面设计师John McWade的第二本有关平面设计的著作。与《超越平凡的平面设计——怎样做好版式》一样，本书也是享誉全球的Before&After杂志之前刊登过的文章的合辑，告诉你如何像设计师一样观察和思考。 本书分为三个部分：平面设计基础知识、平面应用设计技巧和平面设计精彩案例。John McWade先向读者全面地讲解平面设计的基本知识，然后分享了实用的设计方法和技巧。最后带领读者详细解读了许多完整的设计案例——包括宣传册、新闻简报、网页、幻灯片等。 这本书是为每个需要灵感和指导的平面设计师而写，你可以将书中的技巧运用到平面，网页等不同的设计项目中，提升自己的平面设计能力，做出优雅，实用和不凡的版面。