Less is more. Simple is better. Clean is good.
You’ve heard them all. Maybe even said them yourself. But just because
a design is simple doesn’t mean it is better. Perhaps it is just a case
of word choice. I’ve been told there are no synonyms in design; every
word has its place. Maybe minimalism is a more accurate word choice, but the
word simple and less just seems to evoke, “I didn’t really work
hard on this,” or, “I pulled this out of my….”
Minimalist style is great, and there could be more of it than there is, when
done well. It evokes a modern and classy feel that can be dressed formal or
casual. Lots of white space and minimalism go hand in hand. Young designers
have the tendency to want to fill the white space on a page/screen. Doing a
school project in the minimalist style is a great way to break that tendency.
Sometimes minimalist design is appropriate. Sometime it’s not, just like
any other style. One example of the minimalist style, the best I’ve seen,
is the VW “Think small” ad. Minimalism at it’s best. The design
fit the copy. A cohesive package that worked. Let’s face it, if the Beetle
flopped it wouldn’t be recognized today, but it was an effective communication
tool for VW. So, communication should always influence the design process, not
just because it looks good.
For web designers, Paul Scrivens wrote about minimalism
in regards web design. A good read.