Graphic design layout often involves displaying and arranging some visual elements within a composition. But another way to understand what makes a composition is to recognize what parts are not visible. I’m talking about more than negative space. There are parts of a layout that are invisible because of the way we look at them and how we think about them. Examine figure 1. You’re probably thinking, “I see two rectangles, or maybe an equal sign.” In fact, there is more to thi

What makes a font legible? In my research, I found four simple things to look for when selecting a font for readability. The most significant thing to identify in a font is the x-height. The x-height, relative to the H’s crossbar height, is a great way to test a font readability. Typically, a moderate x-height yields the best readability. There are other factors, such as a font’s contrast, that is, the level of thick-to-thin contours of a font. Light type contrast is harder t

Happy New Year, to all my fellow modelers and creative people. I wanted to start this year by sharing my custom made reference guide I’ve used for several years—my humble gift to you. Download the full guide: I use Hexagon to help me with my graphic design and illustration work. I’m not a professional modeler—it’s more of a hobby and a way to enhance my design and illustration work. As a creative professional, my plan was always to learn 3D modeling with free software and the

Silo is a lightweight modeling application exclusively for 3D modeling, UV mapping, and retopology. Its minimalist interface is perfect for game developers, designers, and illustrators who are solely interested in creating 3D Models. Silo isn’t bloated with unnecessary interface features, which is great because it allows you to model objects without fussing with buttons and sliders. However, because of its “zen” approach to interface design, having text menus rather than icon