The Designer’s Eye
It’s a mystery! What does it even mean to have an eye for design? Is it a birth rite or is it years of hard work and experience? I would argue that it’s both, plus a bit of magic to make it interesting. Artistic abilities can certainly be innate (think Mozart or DaVinci), but it takes fostering that talent with passion, drive and determination to make a masterpiece (or at least a living as a designer). Creative writer and producer, Ira Glass, put it best saying “You’ll hit gold more often if you simply try-out a lot of things.” Translation…work hard as it takes years of ambition to finally match your good taste.
So, let me try to unpack this concept by going back to the basics of “Design 101”. The fundamentals of most visual design disciplines can be narrowed down to line, form, contrast, balance, scale, perspective, color, light and materials. All of these factors play a role in any visual creation whether in 2 or 3 dimensions. It’s the designers’ job to arrange and organize these basic principles until it feels “right” to their eye. It’s like putting in all the ingredients at the right measure in order to craft a recipe, then tweaking (or sweetening) as you add the finishing touches. Like I said—magic!
Setting a tone is a balancing act. For example, more open space in a composition can make a room feel larger and more airy, while more furnishings and darker colors can make a room feel more intimate or formal. A symmetrical layout will feel more formal, while asymmetrical arrangements will lean more modern. Spaces with more neutral tones and natural materials can create a sense of calmness and ease, while bold or bright colors and synthetic materials can be powerful, energetic or fun. Color (or lack of it) plays a major role in expressing mood, emotion or drama. You get the idea!
Many design trends today blend modern design ideals in the hard-scape with more natural light and materials, organic shapes, and comfortable furnishings in the interior. It’s back to basics with classic Mid-Century design but with a lot of personal flair, warmth and light. The contrasts of light and dark (and all the beautiful tones in between) are used to create drama, just like a beautiful black and white photo. Powerful!
What most designers know: It really doesn’t matter what your credentials are or whom you’ve worked for. What matters is the actual work you do—we are judged by the creative projects we visualize and bring to life, which is why the “Designer’s Eye” comes in handy. It’s why we keep working so hard to hit gold!