DownsideUpDesign

Although I work primarily in automotive design strategy, I always seem to be involved in little graphic design tasks above and beyond the presentations that I put together.

My first year graphic design lecturer, Don Goodwin, introduced me to grids as a means to resolve layout issues and I’ve been enamoured of them ever since. A lot of my contemporaries look at me as if I’m a crazed maniac when I suggest using a grid for their graphics work but Massimo Vignelli, the acclaimed Italian graphic/packaging designer, has published a free guide covering his approach to graphic design that lends some weight to my suggestion.

The somewhat grandly titled Vignelli Canon demonstrates the construction and use of grids for different design tasks and also covers the use of colour, scale and typeface. Not being a graphic designer by training there were some great insights and tricks that I’m itching to incorporate into my next project.

It makes for compelling reading for old hands and new recruits alike. Highly recommended!

PDF Download at Vignelli Associates via CORE77

UPDATE: Fixed the PDF link