The Creative Taste Debate

Rule #2: Understand the difference between art and graphic design

In his book, Website’s That Work, renowned creative guru Roger Black wrote, “Design shouldn’t be mere decoration; it must convey information.” Black wrote that book in 1997, a lifetime ago, yet the principle still rings true today. That’s because graphic design is all about communication, not art. Yes, there is an “art” and a “science” to crafting messages that are relevant and meaningful to a target market. But let’s be clear, art is something we admire in an art gallery. In our homes, we use art to decorate. It’s personal. What it means to me may not mean the same to you. In marketing, graphic design is only good design when it communicates a strategic objective (usually to sell something). If it doesn’t do that, it will not matter how cool it looks, it will not resonate. In other words, no sales. Just mere decoration.

Full article: http://blog.sterlingklor.com/?p=155