Great design goes beyond basic principles. While foundational skills like colour theory and typography are essential, they alone don’t capture the essence of what makes a design truly stand out. It’s the intangible, emotional connection, developed through experience, curiosity, and mentorship, that elevates design to something greater. This design sensibility is subtle, yet powerful, creating a dialogue with the viewer that makes the work feel just right, even if it’s hard to explain why.
Whether it’s a movie poster, a bedside lamp, or a weather app interface, great design stands out and it’s quality goes beyond the fundamentals of practical design principles.
There’s a multitude of ways to learn what colour theory is, how to create a typographic scale, to learn what the best size for a button is. What’s harder to learn is the tacit, almost undefinable principles of what good design really is. It’s more than the sum of those foundational parts, it’s a conversation with the viewer and an emotional connection through the composition as a whole that creates this feeling of great design.
I think that hard to define design sensibility is a combination of a few things. Firstly it’s something that develops over time through experience. Secondly it’s the result of the designers’ curious interrogation of a wide range of design inspiration, in other words: active practice. And thirdly, it’s learning and mentorship from the wider design community.
As Michael Polanyi puts it in the book The Tacit Dimension: “we can know more, than we can tell”:
By watching the master and emulating his efforts in the presence of his example, the apprentice unconsciously picks up the rules of the art, including those which are not explicitly known to the master himself. These hidden rules can be assimilated only by a person who surrenders himself to that extent uncritically to the imitation of another.
I would argue that this transference of design ability from a mentor to a mentee also exists from the pursuit of a designers personal reflection on their practice. The handing down of these design “rules of the art” can also be an absorption of the experiences, with time as the great multiplier, of the material abundant in the world.
Reflecting on my own experiences as a designer for two decades I decided to focus on the mentorship I’ve received, and to look specifically at what I’ve absorbed over the years. I’m reflecting on this as a way to dig in to my personal design philosophy, but also to express gratitude towards the mentors in my life. I’ve distilled these reflections in to my core design philosophy.
Design is statuesque
Design should be bold and unapologetic.
Create a coherent vision
It’s essential to carry your design aesthetic through the entire process, unwaveringly, and allow the artefact to be impactful, grand and take up space in the world. You made something, give that something space to exist.
Good design needs rhythm
Composition needs an ebb and flow, highlights, contrast, a visual rhythm with a tonal range.
Always use a grid, and then don’t
The simplest composition benefits from a grid. It’s a safety net of sorts, but when applied with a sense of fun a grid can unlock unforeseen dynamics. And occasionally, purposely defying the grid can be delightful.
Design should be principled
Design should have a why. What are your guiding principles? Are you combining the Bauhaus and Brutalism? Are you creating something to defy the rules? In other words design with intention.
Simplify
John Maeda in his book The Laws of Simplicity puts this perfectly: “Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.”
Design is an evolving journey, influenced by continual learning, experimentation, and mentorship. Fostering a deep, personal connection with your work, constantly seeking inspiration, and being open to new ideas is essential. As we work it’s important to remain grateful for the mentors and experiences that shape our philosophy. They provide the foundation upon which we build our unique creative voices, enabling us to create work that resonates deeply with others.
References
Claudia Mareis; The Epistemology of the Unspoken: On the Concept of Tacit Knowledge in Contemporary Design Research. Design Issues 2012; 28 (2): 61–71. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/DESI_a_00143
Maeda, J. (2006). The laws of simplicity. Cambridge, Massachusetts Etc.: Mit Press.