Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Basic Guide
Review: Have you ever looked at a particular page layout (brochure, pamphlet , newsletter, etc.,) and thought it was either good or bad but couldn't articulate why? and have you ever tried to create one yourself and for some reason couldn't "get it to look just right?"
Never fear, this book is for you! After reading this book, you will know 4 essential elements to creating page layouts that look professional.
Rating:
Summary: Impressions from the Creativity Portal
Review: Two things about this book impressed me. First, the book itself struck me as a compelling piece of design work and an appropriate application of the principles discussed in the book. And second, after studying classroom design textbooks for a few semesters, I found Robin's clear and concise teaching style easy to follow, and her sense of humor refreshing.
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Summary: A Resource for the Non-Professional
Review: Robin has written a simple book on design and typographic principles. Her intended audience is the secretary or admin, the church volunteer, the small business owner, the student, or anyone who is occasionally faced with the prospect of designing the written word. Her advice will not make you a professional, nor is it intended to replace a formal education, but will give the novice insight on what works and why. I don't often use phrases like "life-altering" or "eye opening", but this book deserves them. The concepts taught can be used for a newsletter, flyer, brochure, term paper, church bulletin, letterhead, or resume. She includes plenty of good examples as well as bad ones, and little quizzes throughout the book. It's a small book that can easily be read in a weekend, but what you learn will stay with you forever. The first half of the book is dedicated to CRAP (contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity), four principles that, once
understood, will turn your so-so document into something that people will want to read. And once you learn CRAP, you'll see
it everywhere (she calls this the Joshua Tree Principle). You'll understand why this magazine article is so visually attractive,
while that newspaper ad has no appeal at all. The second half of the book focuses on typefaces (fonts), which so many of us love to collect. She describes the six main
categories and, more importantly, teaches us how to successfully mix font styles within a document (yes, even you can successfully
mix three or more fonts on a page, once you know how). I've been so impressed by Robin's style of writing and the information she reveals that I've purchased two more of her books
(The Non-Designer's Web Book and Robin William's Web Design Workshop), and plan to purchase more.
Rating:
Summary: A great introduction or review for anyone in the design biz.
Review: I first read this book when I was looking for a new job in the design world; I just recently re-read it after having been in my "new" job (designing flyers, ads, web pages, etc.) for almost two years. I have to say, this book was equally as good the second time around. It offers concepts that are simple enough for the beginner to grasp and it also is a great refresher for someone who's been in the business for a while. I had had some art training years ago, but I never really got any instruction on the general principles of design layout and WHY things look good one way as opposed to another. This book filled that need perfectly. I've always been able to look at ads, magazine covers, etc. and say "that's a really cool-looking layout". Now I'm able to say "that's a really cool-looking layout BECAUSE..." and I'm able to reproduce some of those designs in my work because I now know what it is that makes them look so sharp. The examples the author uses are very clear, and there are lots of them. One of my favorite things is that the book explains HOW to make an okay design into a great design. The book shows "before and after" shots of various examples (business card, resume, flyer, print ad, etc.) and gives a step-by-step breakdown of what the author changed to make it look better and why she chose to change it. Plus, she uses very practical and applicable concepts that are easy to grasp and replicate. All in all, it's a great book. I have recommended it to several people who are starting out in our department at work and who are looking for a little guidance and they have all loved it. The book is probably too basic for someone who's been in the business for several years, but it is perfect for beginners and intermediates.
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Summary: I Love This Book!
Review: I have been a part-time graphic designer for about a year but I lacked alot of the design skills I needed. By the time I was through reading this book I was a designer! I have already made drastic improvements in my work and can now design pieces faster abd better! The book is easy to read and easy to follow using before and after shots and detailed explainations. I have already bought the Design Workshop and plan on buying the rest of her books in the series! Even if you are a desinger and are good I would still recommend this book- to anyone!
Rating:
Summary: The first step in teaching yourself graphic design.
Review: This was my first purchase in Williams's "non-designer" series, and it absolutely transformed the way I understand visual communications. I've always had good verbal skills, but I needed help with the visual part, once I found myself in a job requiring lots of layout and web design. Williams's approach to teaching is based in principles (like, "Pick an imaginary line running down the page and relate all your visual elements to it."), which she then supports with example after example. It matches my learning style precisely. Once I've grasped the principle, I can apply it again and again, as indeed I have in the past year and a half since I read this book. It serves as a solid foundation for the rest of the series, especially the "Non-Designer's Type Book," which should be the second of her books you read, in my opinion. I couldn't have accomplished in my job what I have without this book's help. It's not a reference book, but an essential introduction to sound design principles, which, once grasped, stick with you forever.
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Summary: Sensible and Practical Advice for Layout and Typography
Review: Robin Williams provides a practical introduction to the classical principles of design in this pamphlet-sized book. Her discussion of layout is organized around four basic design principles: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment and Proximity. Each is presented in its own chapter with plenty of you-can-do-it-at-home examples. The typography section explains the principles of Concord, Conflict and Contrast, based on Williams'classification of type faces by style (Oldstyle, Modern, Slab Serif, Sans Serif, Script and Decorative), weight (Light, Bold), Shape (Narrow, Wide), and spacing. A discussion of color is notably absent; the roots of this book in early grayscale Macintosh computing show through. Williams's book should hit the mark for amateurs creating one-page designs such as simple web sites, brochures or business cards. Set aside an hour or two to read it and do the exercises, and your designs should improve immensely. Mine have.
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Summary: Great for begining Graphic Designers
Review: As a begining Graphic Design student, I feel that this book really helps out with functional parameters when it comes to basic designing. Robin Williams offers great examples to solving problematic design flaws; she gives credible advice in situations when I am stuck on a particular part of my design. Most of the time, at art schools especially, teachers expect their students to know basic solutions to particular configurations. It's tough enough when several classes don't have enough time to stress on crucial elements to improve on most designs. You have to be totally self-reliant, and learn these skills on your own! HOWEVER, with the help of William's advice, one will be sure that he/she doesn't blindly jump into something unfamiliar.
Rating:
Summary: Worth twice the price!
Review: Oh, if only all of my clients had their own copy of this wonderful little book! Not only does Ms. Williams clearly and lightheartedly explain basic design tenets, but she also explains to the more digitally-challenged how to apply those rules in the most common graphic design layout programs. With the proliferation of computers and desktop publishing programs, it's easy for anyone to think they can design. With the help of this book, they have a much better chance of getting it right.
Rating:
Summary: Just wonderful
Review: I definitely fit in the "non-designer" category. Ms. Williams has written a clear, consise book that packs lots of information into a small, easy-to-read format. She makes learning this stuff both interesting and fun, and sticks with the kind of material most likely to be of use to a beginner trying to format a business card, flier, or newsletter. If you're just starting to learn about this topic you couldn't find a better book to buy.
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