Some typefaces are just downright strange. Like Curlz. I just can’t bring myself to believe that someone was serious about designing that one. more

Alphabet Inc.’s Google is planning to introduce an ad-blocking feature in the mobile and desktop versions of its popular Chrome web browser, according to people familiar with the … more

I’m always amused—and a bit disappointed—when someone tells me “I just love breaking the rules” of design. More often than not, that person isn’t breaking any … more

Ernest Hemingway: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”W. Somerset Maugham: “There are three rules for writing well. Unfortunately, no one … more

In recent columns, I’ve listed text typefaces to toss and text typefaces I recommend. Does it matter? Is the right text typeface—used in the right way— really that important? Yes. It. … more

Contrast helps to create focal points on a page and a hierarchy for what readers will see first. Here are several ways to create contrast in your design.Contrast of Size. The largest headline on a … more

A reader emailed to mention that I’d recently written a column listing New Century Schoolbook (among others) as a typeface to toss, but that I hadn’t suggested a text face that might be … more

During the past few years—and only for certain clients—I’ve been suggesting they get away from the traditional half-point frame for photos. The option I recommend is a photo frame with a soft drop shadow. Why? A few reasons... more

One of the presentations we set for this year’s institute was titled : “Ed’s Top 10 Design Tips…and Maybe More.” And here’s a chance for me to share some of them with you. Over the years, these tend to become more or less important. Tip number 1 may slip to tip number 5…tip number 7 may become tip number 3. But these are all worth keeping in the top 10…for now - more

Whether on a printed page, monitor or mobile device, the headline is the most important part of an ad. It tells the reader what the ad is about. With the blink of an eye, he or she decides whether it’s worth the effort to keep reading. Numbers can help you create compelling headlines, as long as they are specific and relevant. Here are a few examples. Note that these numbers as expressed as digits, not words... more

A few years ago, I spent several days with a newspaper in Tennessee. They were converting from an editorial workflow based on QuarkXPress to InDesign and asked if I would be on hand when … more