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Flexible Visual Systems
Flexible Visual Systems is the design manual for contemporary visual identities. It teaches you a variety of approaches on how to design flexible systems, adjustable to any aesthetic or project in need of an identifiable visual language.
320 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 11, 2022
Lots of compelling and instructional theory, not a lot of convincing application.
August 28, 2022
Flexible Visual Systems is very interesting conceptualization of visual system design process. The theory behind it is convincing, inspiring and useful. Sadly, the examples spanning most of the second half of the book are little too academic and feel a bit textbook-y. There are few examples that can be considered serviceable but the rest is unconvincing. Few real world examples or deeper case studies might have made wonders. But all in all, I would very much recommend this as a study material and a useful reference.
Also, with a book about graphic design the technical side of things can't be easily overlooked. I find the choice of glued perfect binding for such a large and heavy book unfortunate. The spine is destined to break and the book might even split after not so heavy usage. With lighter paper or slightly different binding this might not have been an issue. But this is just minor flaw.
Also, with a book about graphic design the technical side of things can't be easily overlooked. I find the choice of glued perfect binding for such a large and heavy book unfortunate. The spine is destined to break and the book might even split after not so heavy usage. With lighter paper or slightly different binding this might not have been an issue. But this is just minor flaw.
January 16, 2024
Priced nearly 50€ and “10 years in the making”, this textbook contains surprisingly little practical or at least cognitively stimulating content.
The theoretical prologue was somewhat promising, with an interesting perspective on the evolution of visual identity and the discovery process. It nevertheless lacked examples of compelling contemporary applications, and literally no references were showcased directly within the book - they were merely highlighted as keywords for the reader to presumably google them herself (when other times whole spreads were committed for some weird grid system acrobatics)
Throughout the following 70% of the volume, the author tirelessly demonstrates basically how slicing, flipping and repeating geometrical shapes can create patterns. Some are nice, the majority is mediocre.
With every page, I was fighting with myself as part of me appreciated the coherence of the visual system within the book. But over and over, the author has prioritised this rather experimental system over clarity and aesthetics of the contents.
Design-wise, it’s hard to tell when the book was trying too hard and when it was not trying at all. Only a fraction of presented examples feels client-ready whatsoever and most is simply ugly. Sometimes you get an impression that it’s done on purpose to somehow abstractify the concept, but at the end of the day I don’t think I buy that.
On top of that, the book is generally not well written, with wooden language and awkward, infantile instructions along the lines of “1. draw a shape” “2. rotate it” “3. now change the colour” “4. tadaa”
Overall, for a practitioner, the read was a letdown.
The theoretical prologue was somewhat promising, with an interesting perspective on the evolution of visual identity and the discovery process. It nevertheless lacked examples of compelling contemporary applications, and literally no references were showcased directly within the book - they were merely highlighted as keywords for the reader to presumably google them herself (when other times whole spreads were committed for some weird grid system acrobatics)
Throughout the following 70% of the volume, the author tirelessly demonstrates basically how slicing, flipping and repeating geometrical shapes can create patterns. Some are nice, the majority is mediocre.
With every page, I was fighting with myself as part of me appreciated the coherence of the visual system within the book. But over and over, the author has prioritised this rather experimental system over clarity and aesthetics of the contents.
Design-wise, it’s hard to tell when the book was trying too hard and when it was not trying at all. Only a fraction of presented examples feels client-ready whatsoever and most is simply ugly. Sometimes you get an impression that it’s done on purpose to somehow abstractify the concept, but at the end of the day I don’t think I buy that.
On top of that, the book is generally not well written, with wooden language and awkward, infantile instructions along the lines of “1. draw a shape” “2. rotate it” “3. now change the colour” “4. tadaa”
Overall, for a practitioner, the read was a letdown.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews