1. Beauty and function are not different. Beauty IS a function. And it is important.
2. Beauty is a result of strong relationships between elements.
3. Visual design can be split into classical aesthetics and expressive aesthetics.
4. Classical aesthetics are universally beautiful: orderliness, clarity, cleanliness, symmetry, etc. But they’re also boring.
5. Expressive aesthetics are exciting: flashy sprinkles, bold colours, painterly textures, originality. But they also divide audiences.
6. Interaction design and visual design are a Venn diagram. There is a lot of overlap between the two.
7. Visual design has five purposes: attraction, communication, expression, identity, and interaction.
8. Even the best designers are inspired by the work—software and beyond—of others.
9. It’s OK to steal the work of others, but it can go too far. It’s safer to steal classical aesthetics because they’re universal.
10. Most if not all visual styles are a reaction to something: another style, new technology, an inspiring object, etc.
11. Often the best way to think about visual design is to create visual design.
12. Creativity is easier if you have constraints. Even if you make them up.
13. Visual creativity is a result of soaking your brain in good design.
14. Trained eyes find joy in subtlety.
15. Anyone can develop good taste with enough active exposure to good design.
16. You couldn’t avoid developing a personal style if you tried, but it might take longer than you expect.
17. Visual design demands a lot of rigour. Some people care more about other things, and that’s OK.
18. “It feels right” is valid, and sometimes preferred (e.g. optical alignment). But if you can explain why it feels right, that’s better.
19. Some techniques and patterns are harder to get wrong. Focus on those, early on.
20. If you make a design simple by hiding things, you’ve swept rubbish under the rug. The room is still full of rubbish.