Bad Design

Buzzfeed did a hilarious post on terrible design choices. Here is the link to these terrible designs. Most of the designs have poor placement, misuse of typography, and confusing concepts. These designs cause miscommunication and are very unappealing. They are so bad that it's funny. 

Emiliano Ponzi

I thought this was a very recognizable historic motif that Emiliano incorporates into his design. Though it is a very minimalistic image, the certain characteristics of Adolf Hitler is easy to identify and understand. I thought it was a very creative concept to use an apple to shape the face, hair, and iconic mustache of Hitler. Additionally, the popular phrase of "a rotten apple" gives another underlying meaning to the design.


Ponzi, Emiliano . "Evil Apple Core." Society of Illustrators 54th Annual of American Illustration an-March 2012: 160. Institutional.

Zohar Lazar

This is a contemporary piece called the 'Urban Woodsman' by Zohar Lazar. The message behind the design is how it is trendy to have retro or vintage equipment/fashion. It also points out how the typical 'hipster' look mimics a lumberjack. Therefore the design depicts a lumber jack in an urban setting during a snow apocalypse, which is the only time this guy is able to bring out his equipment. The guy does not necessarily need these things such as the axe and branch, but it makes him look cool. Other objects to note in the image are the old fashioned snow shoes, a typical woodsman hat, a vintage leather backpack, a mason jar of water, an axe, etc. I thought this was a funny perspective of how urban style is becoming more rural or how trends are going back in time. 

Lazar, Zohar. "Urban Woodsman." Society of Illustrators 54th Annual of American Illustration an-March 2012: 106. Editorial.

Jason Raish

I thought this advertisement for 'Bounce' by Jason Raish was a very strong and memorable one. Though it is very busy with all the cats in the background, it helps pull the viewers into the center with how the bird and bounce box are isolated. The bird on the box definitely completes the concept of the design because it creates a comical thought for the viewer on how the bird is safe and protected by bounce dryer sheets. The message is also effective because it gives a concise and clear statement on how it repels fur without overwhelming the viewer with information. I am also a lover of cats so this advertisement definitely got me! Now the Bounce logo reminds me of this clever bird.


Raish, Jason. "Bounce Cats" Society of Illustrators 54th Annual of American Illustration an-March 2012: 218. Advertising.

Stephen Savage

This is a digital media design of a moving image for a book trailer. The walrus is drawn on paper but comes to life and becomes a part of our reality. I thought this was a very playful and unique design to have a 2D character navigating around a 3D world. Though there is a lot of opposition between the animation and realism of the world, it makes the visuals very interesting. It also creates an emphasis since the walrus definitely sticks out and does not seem to belong. 

Savage, Stephen. "Where's Walrus Book Trailer." Society of Illustrators 54th Annual of American Illustration an-March 2012: 492. Moving Image.

Yuko Shimizu

This is an old advertisement for the Beijing Paralympic Games. I thought this was an interesting illustration with how movement is created by having repetition and continuation of the object. There is also a focal point that gives a sense of depth and by having a starting point for the athlete. The increase in size of the athlete also makes it seem like the runner ran a long distance, which helps emphasize the movement of the design. 

Shimizu, Yuko. Print Ad for the Beijing Paralympic Games. Illustration Annual 50 Communication Arts. July/August 2009. Page 90. Advertising. 

Tomer Hanuka + Marcos Chin

I think these two illustrations are great examples of visual concepts because they are able to tell a story and evoke emotions from the viewers. "Swallowed by the Sea" by Tomer Hanuka creates an atmosphere of danger by surrounding the mother and baby with the water, and making them very small compared to the wave. The way they are placed at the bottom also makes them seem more vulnerable while the wave is towering above them. Additionally, how the mother positioned looking upward and holding her baby tightly gives a sense of worry. 

"Finding the Best Provider" by Marcos Chin also creates an effective environment for the message being told. The setting is very busy yet unified by the repetition of elements. The person centered in the middle has various hands that are ceaselessly making food for the people that are sitting on his back and constantly consuming it. This creates a sense of entrapment and mistreatment. 

Hanuka, Tomer. "Swallowed by the Sea." Society of Illustrators 54th Annual of American Illustration Jan-March 2012: 99. Editorial.

Chin, Marcos. "Finding the Best Provider." Society of Illustrators 54th Annual of American Illustration Jan-March 2012: 73. Editorial.

Tomer Hanuka

This design makes a great use of creative typography. The placement of the letters does not distract from the design. It actually brings a sense of unity because it look likes it is aligned with the stairs, which keeps the repetition of steps. Additionally, the size and spacing of the letters make the word legible. It is also place at the bottom so that it does not overwhelm the whole design. The word "the" is within the letter "w" but how it is perpendicular to the angled letters makes it easier to see and read. Furthermore, the white contrast with a red shadowing gives depth to the letters, making it dimensional so that it pops out at the viewers. The choice of a san serif font complements the aesthetic of the design as well. Overall, the typeface, placement, color, and texture of the letters give a sense of rebellion and mischief.   

Hanuka, Tomer. "The Warriors". Society of Illustrators 53rd Annual of American Illustration Jan-March 2011: 252. Print. 

Emiliano Ponzi

I think this is a really clever and interesting illustration portraying one perspective of God compared to our solar system. The lightbulb creates a good emphasis and provides a source of light to guide the viewer into the design. The light reveals the elements in the design such as the planets, hand, and beard. It also produces an illusion of depth by casting shadows against the planets. The size difference between God and the planets accentuates the depth as well. Additionally, the strong contrast of colors against the black background helps conceptualize the design. Overall, I enjoy the simple illusions of this design and the playful thought of how God might live in his daily life. 

Ponzi, Emiliano. "God/Darwin". Society of Illustrators 53rd Annual of American Illustration Jan-March 2011: 163. Print. 

2wice

I think this is a great design with good use of photography. The photo and the company is definitely the emphasis of this design because of the size difference and how they are centrally placed. The simplicity of this design also makes them more prominent. The black and white coloring as well as the negative space does not cause much noise, making it easier for the viewer to see what the company represents, which is dance. There are subtle variations and text in the design that makes it more interesting such as the foot prints that are there to guide you on the movement of the dancer but it does not degrade the main signal of the design. The movement of the dancer brings a lot of rhythm and movement as well. Overall, I think this was really well done.

"2wice." Communication Arts Design Annual 48 November 2007: 106-107. Editorial.
Designers: Abbott Miller, Kristen Spilman
Photographers: Jens Umbach, Katherine Wolkoff
Design Firm: Pentagram Design (New York, NY)
Punlisher: 2wice

Tomer Hanuka

This is an award winning illustration by Tomer Hanuka. I was so captivated by this design because of the variety of colors, curvatures, and levels of depth. Though there is so much movement going on in the background, the two astronauts look suspended and steady in the chaos. The placement and position of the astronauts also creates a good emphasis. The whole composition does a great job in generating distinctions between all of the objects.


Hanuka, Tomer. Society of Illustrators 53rd Annual of American Illustration Jan-March 2011: 46. Print. 

Peter De Séve

This is an editorial piece by Peter De Séve. He is well known for his character designs and has done many pieces for The New Yorker. I really enjoy his comical style and expressive characters. I am all about good humor and having fun with your creativity so his illustrations are very amusing to me. He is also very good at telling a story in his designs, which is helpful in developing the identity of his subjects. This gives the viewer a way to relate to the characters more personally as well. I hope to be able to have that same charm and engagement in my designs! 

Séve, Peter De. Society of Illustrators 48th Annual of American Illustration Feb-May 2006: 72. Print.

Victo Ngai

Victo Ngai is an illustrator originally from Hong Kong and now based in New York City. She won two gold medals from the Society of Illustrators back in 2012. Her images are usually filled with unique angles, animals and has a very whimsical feel. These are some of the things I wish to incorporate in some of my designs. I especially liked these two images because of the emphasis in the characters and the complementing colors.

Apfelbaum, Sue. "Victo Ngai." Communication Arts Interactive Annual 20 March/April 2014: 76-83. Print.