New, detailed resource guides editors and publishers in newsletter and web site design.Robin Williams Design Workshop, by Robin Williams and John Tollett, Peachpit Press, $39.99, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-201-700888-3 Robin Williams's 280-page Design Workshop is an excellent choice for newsletter editors seeking to improve their design skills or newsletter publishers who want to mentor their staff's design abilities. Although the volume touches on all types of projects--including black and white ads, brochures, and web sites--it has enough newsletter-specific information to justify its price tag to newsletter professionals (especially since the line between print and online newsletters is continually eroding, and most publishers at one time or another are forced to design ads and brochures). Robin Williams Design Workshop is the author's most ambitious project to date, ambitious in terms of content and quality of words and illustrations. It's also ambitious in its generous use of four-color printing which does full justice to the numerous examples. Co-authored with John Tollet, the book takes over where Williams's previous books left off (such as the 1998 NonDesigner's Type Book) and moves forward in terms of content and presentation. Similarities and differences Robin Williams frequently refers to and expands upon themes introduced in her earlier books, such as the importance of a few key concepts like alignment, contrast, proximity, repetition, and white space. Although the concepts may appear simplistic sim·plism n. The tendency to oversimplify an issue or a problem by ignoring complexities or complications. [French simplisme, from simple, simple, from Old French; see simple at first glance, they gain strength from the parade of examples that either show the concepts at work in successful designs or illustrate the boredom Boredom See also Futility. Aldegonde, Lord St. bored nobleman, empty of pursuits. [Br. Lit.: Lothair] Baudelaire, Charles (1821–1867) French poet whose dissipated lifestyle led to inner despair. [Fr. Lit. or chaos that results when the concepts are ignored. Often a design challenge is illustrated by the starting point Noun 1. starting point - earliest limiting point terminus a quo commencement, get-go, offset, outset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first - the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the as well as by four or five intermediate, or discarded dis·card v. dis·card·ed, dis·card·ing, dis·cards v.tr. 1. To throw away; reject. 2. a. To throw out (a playing card) from one's hand. b. , design solutions. It's refreshing to be shown alternative solutions as well as solutions that didn't quite work out. This emphasizes that design often appears as the result of trial and error, experimenting and fine-tuning, rather than an "all or nothing" creative "event." It was especially interesting to see rejected cover alternatives for the book itself and the accompanying discussion of the reasons the alternative cover designs were rejected. Numerous newsletter examples are located in the "lots of text" section. There's also dedicated treatment of newsletter titles, nameplates, mastheads, and tables of contents. Adobe Photoshop See Photoshop. There's a lot to like about Robin Williams Design Workshop, and a lot to learn from it. One of the best ideas I picked up Was to create web sites in Adobe Photoshop, starting by saving a screen capture of an empty browser browser Software that allows a computer user to find and view information on the Internet. The first text-based browser for the World Wide Web became available in 1991; Web use expanded rapidly after the release in 1993 of a browser called Mosaic, which used window as the bottom layer. Then add web elements on different layers. This technique forces you to view the web site you're creating from the horizontal perspective of your web site visitor. It also forces you to be as inclusive as possible, including as much information and image in the first screen of your home page rather than depending on visitors to scroll To continuously move forward, backward or sideways through the text and images on screen or within a window. Scrolling implies continuous and smooth movement, a line, character or pixel at a time, as if the data were on a paper scroll being rolled behind the screen. See auto scroll. down. This technique also helps you to be a creative as possible, rather than letting the technology of hand-coded HTML HTML in full HyperText Markup Language Markup language derived from SGML that is used to prepare hypertext documents. Relatively easy for nonprogrammers to master, HTML is the language used for documents on the World Wide Web. (or the idiocyncrasies of your favorite web page authoring program) to get in the way of trying out alternative color, layout and type solutions. After all, why should "tools" get in the way of experimenting? Working in Photoshop permits you to concentrate on message, design and image. Then, after you've achieved the "look" you're after--and achieved client buy-in--you can "deconstruct de·con·struct tr.v. de·con·struct·ed, de·con·struct·ing, de·con·structs 1. To break down into components; dismantle. 2. " the site and recreate it using your favorite web technology. All in all, though, Robin Williams Design Workshop is a worthwhile read for most newsletter editors and publishers. You can be assured you'll pick up at least a dozen good ideas to work with on your next project. Numerous resources, including dozens of articles and worksheets, await AWAIT, crim. law. Seems to signify what is now understood by lying in wait, or way-laying. you at Roger C. Parker's web site, www.NewEntrepreneur.com. |
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