Simple Designs Make Me Happy

I know I keep going on and on about minimalism, but I'm convinced it is key to design. It's the same theory as delivering a good speech - you have to be interesting while being clear, concise, and efficient. Cut the fat but taste better than bacon. I found some examples today that caught my eye.

First thing I found was this poster for a film called Coffee and Cigarettes. To be able to refine the title down to simple images like this is amazing. Makes me think gritty/black and white (don't know if the movie is, you know what I mean) drama about an intellectual or something like that.

Then I found a poster that paid homage to Stanley Kubrik's, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Very clever. If you've ever seen the movie, which you completely should have already, a large monolith is found in space (I'm not going any further, rent the movie). The simple use of the long, square, monolith shape is great. It even emphasizes 2001.

You can read about the designer and project here --> http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/archive/neutral.html

Are you thinking, "Brock, yes you're completely right about minimalism and about everything in general. But what happens if I want more embellishment in my design?"

Just because the designs I chose are brilliantly simple doesn't mean that color, forms, and other elements can't make good design. Take this for example.

This involves more motion, elements, and embellished characteristics, but the overall composition is simply organized. Making this minimal in nature. No fat, just the visual reference of doves, title, and text.

Even information should be minimal (like my speech reference). Look at this poster categorizing different types of flint. That could be really, really, really boring. But the organization, imagery, and style makes this design nice to look at and easy to absorb.

Now I'm not saying complicated things aren't good design. Take the Sistine Chapel for instance. That is extremely complicated, but the composition was planned to fulfill certain references and requirements. All I'm trying to convey is that design should make graphic and conceptual sense.