The Elements of Visual Style: The Basics of Print Design for Every PC and MAC User

by Robert W. Harris

Designed to help readers create professional, sophisticated documents at their desks, a handy reference encompasses the fundamental principles and techniques of design for both PC or Mac users, covering everything from understanding typography to creating a page or manipulating art. Original.

Genres: Writing

177 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

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Reviews

[B.D. Crowell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather a middle-of-the-road read. Not stunning and not terrible. It was very short and didn't get into a lot of depth, but it gave a good overview. If you're doing your own book formatting and design and you can pick this up for free from your library (like I did), then yes, it's worth a read, but otherwise, I think you could do better. I'd send somebody to Joel Friedlander (http://www.thebookdesigner.com) first.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elements of Visual Style isn't bad, but I felt a bit like I was reading a Dummies book throughout. As someone who loves William Strunk Jr.'s The Elements of Style, a book that's full of lasting substance and subtlety, worth reading and rereading, I'm disappointed to say that Elements of Visual Style parallels Strunk's classic in title only.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A somewhat tedious read, but a useful reference for designing print documents. The book does have two glaring problems: (1) it's own visual design seems uninspired, textbook-y, and (2) there is no mention of the web at all