Do/Дизайн: чому краса є початком всього

by Alan Moore, Алан Мур, Ірина Курганська (Translator)

Цією книжкою дизайнер Алан Мур запрошує нас переосмислити не лише те, що ми створюємо, — сайт, саморобний стілець, бізнес, — а й як і навіщо. Він звертається до прикладів Pixar, Apple, Yeo Valley, Blitz Motorcycles, щоб ми запитали себе: наскільки це корисний і продуманий дизайн? Це красиво зроблена річ?
Поглинуті роботою, серед постійної багатозадачності й шалених ритмів, ми схильні механізувати процес творення, позбавляти його естетичної й ціннісної граней. Почасти це спокуса раціоналізації й спрощення, оскільки на те, щоб вихоплювати красу й зосереджувати на ній увагу, потрібні додаткові сили й час, яких тепер у нас зазвичай бракує. Однак тільки зупиняючись і відсторонюючись періодично від робочої метушні, озираючись на свої напрацювання поглядом, завжди готовим до пошуку нового й ґрунтовного — тільки так ми здатні відчувати правдиве піднесення й поновлювати запал.
Мета цього тексту надихнути читачів на зростання, вдосконалення творчого процесу й переорієнтацію з продукту на досвід. Осьовими принципами для нього є категорії щирості, користі й простоти, опираючись на які людина — творець за своєю природою — здатна реалізувати важливі, масштабні й довговічні речі.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Art, Business, Art Design, Architecture, Self Help

128 pages, Paperback

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 reluctantly rounded up.

Alan Moore is wrong. Function is the key to design, not beauty. I do not need my kitchen knives, whisks or wooden spoons to be beautiful; I need them to cut, whisk and stir. A bicycle chain is not beautiful and that’s fine as long as it clicks onto its sprockets and turns the wheels as I pedal. I may design a beautiful garment but first the wearer must be able to get in and out of it and be able to breath and move in it.

Any designer who makes beauty their top priority is better suited to the decorative arts than to the world of design. William Morris understood this completely with his dictum: ‘Have nothing in your home that is not useful or beautiful’. Beauty in design is secondary and often unintentional, such as the undeniable grace of Shaker furniture or Japanese carpentry.

But even setting all this aside, this book does not describe the design process in any meaningful way nor would it, I think, inspire anyone slumped in a creative trough. I get the impression that Moore is rather satisfied with his own cleverness but really the book just offers the kind of soundbite cod-philosophy that washes through social media every day.

There are no big secrets to the creative process. ‘Technique comes first!’ - Vivienne Westwood. The more technical strings to your bow the greater the creative possibilities. If you are a fashion designer, you must know how to cut cloth and use fastenings. If you are an engineer, you must know how components work and how materials behave. If you are a writer, you must know the rules of grammar so that breaking them is a decision and not a mistake; you must know different ways of writing dialogue and how to keep a well-stocked stash of vocabulary. All this before beauty.

Like all worthwhile acts, creative work needs application and courage - especially when things aren’t going well - and a willingness to risk the odd pratfall. But mostly it is a matter of parking your backside on a chair at your desk or workbench and getting on with it. Creative momentum is strangely self-sustaining; it is starting that is hard, like those first wobbly pushes on the pedals of that bike and then you’re off. No cod-philosophy required.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure I agreed with the general ideas presented here but something about the generalised sweeping statements didn't quite wash with me... and I left the book in another continent so now can't even go back and look at the details of why. I'd probably still pick it up again when I next go to my parents' house though! Oh and of the people referenced (designers, writers, thinkers et al.) only two were female and I believe one was a statue and the other was a mythological character (or something along those lines) so... yeah.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book filled with inspiration.

I think most reviews on this book missed the point. The beauty in design Alan first brings up is Shaker: which is that of utility, simplicity and honesty. Utility is one key element the author constantly brings up.

“We can use design to work on behalf of the human spirit.”

“If you cannot describe a new destination you cannot get there.”

“Commitment gives you freedom.”

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Work should be enjoyable and should uplift your spirits!

We can design with optimism to uplift our humanity and our planet.”

[Texturas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que desprende belleza por todas partes, muy inspirador.
El formato es pequeño y es corto, pero cada página está llena de sabiduría que nos invita a concebir la creación y el diseño desde lo bello, sin perder de vista cómo lo hacemos ni porqué.

Aspectos profundos e importantes narrados de manera directa y sin ningún exceso de adorno, sino brevemente y con claridad.
La búsqueda de la verdad, la curiosidad, los materiales, el tiempo...
Muy recomendable para artistas, diseñadores, emprendedores... en definitiva, para creadores. Es decir: para todos.

[Carman Chew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm, idk, maybe I'm just not this book's audience. Just felt like a very pompous book that lends from a lot of capitalist ideology. But ok at least it threads through both objects and the systems that create it.

[Dan HdezSa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tiene un par de pensamientos interesantes, sin embargo, todas sus referencias y citas son de hombres. Cuestionable que alguien que hable sobre la importancia de procurar lo bello y lo útil en la vida esté tan falto del panorama extendido.

[Amy Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really thought provoking book about the intricacy’s of design my favourite section was ‘be curious about the world’ using material to feed our imaginations and being fascinated by the everyday that is truly very me!
‘We don’t think beauty- we feel it, we sense it, we know it’ (pg 43)

[Svea Pause · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much needed reminder to see the beauty in everything we do and create. Full of inspiration to let beauty guide our craft making and work to fill it with purpose.

[inere · Rating 3 out of 5]

lo de la función sobre la forma está muy bien pero el valor estético sigue siendo un elemento importante a considerar y me presta leer a diseñadores que lo reivindiquen!

[Emilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

matig, maar opzich goed vermaak als je 3 uur in de trein zit

[Lisa Post · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everything was just so vague. „Be curious“, „adapt“, „surrender“. The stories told (mostly of men) were very privileged. Of course everybody only wants to work with great people, in an open and curious environment and only make beautiful things, but that’s sadly not the norm. I learned nothing new from this one.

[z · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4
So I purchased this book as a blind buy as I sifted through Amazon. I bought it simply because the cover looked pretty and didn't plan on actually reading it. However, I did read it so here goes nothing:
The author starts with a utilitarian approach to beauty and explains how purpose drives design, something which other reviewers seem to conveniently miss. He puts together small essays as well as stories of successful artists and businesses in order to contrive reasons as to why beauty is the key to everything.
The premise is good and the author has a strikingly reassuring writing style but everything inside is slightly haphazard. He has neatly arranged these aphorisms into subheadings yet a lot of the content is similar in most places, if not the same and just reiterated. On occasion, the author uses excessive verbiage and one is forced to reread just to make sure they are reading a book about design and not about business with terms like 'truth’ and 'beauty' thrown in just to please the publisher. I also didn't care for some pieces but forced myself to power through even though they felt really rushed and unnecessary.

Some interesting quotes:

"It is commitment that gives you freedom."

"To have a hungry heart and mind determines what we create."

"The cynic dismisses the existence of Utopia, preferring surety of mediocrity, and worse."

[Henrique Iamarino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creating something beautiful can work as a powerful antidote in a world filled with chaos and uncertainty. “Do Design” delves into a (somewhat utopian) concept: that the act of creation can bring positivity and direction to the world. By infusing it with optimism and purpose, we creators can make it a better place.

Some interesting topics discussed are Beauty for Humans and by Humans, Beauty in Science, Technology as a provider of Beauty, and Creativity as related to Stillness.

To conclude, I found some concepts to be oversimplified due to my skeptical nature. However, it may just be a matter of design level, and someone starting in a creative role may find much more valuable insights.

[Jake Dugard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more (no pun intended).

The positivity of Alan Moore is encouraging, hopeful, and inspiring. I want to make beautiful things!

But I found it to be a string of platitudes that would serve better as a Twitter thread than a book.

[Vladislava Dukhovnaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely relevant for me! It was beautiful revelation.

[Juan Crusoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lectura muy ligera. Seguramente soy demasiado cínico para disfrutar de esto.

[Denisse Orea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es linda la romantización de diseñar desde el alma y creae belleza consciente que impacte a los usuarios, pero es verdad que hace falta hace énfasis en la utilidad de las cosas.
En la parte final, cuando menciona ejemplos de empresarios o lideres, pareció más enfocado al marketing que al diseño en sí.

[Katya Bediukh · Rating 3 out of 5]

треба передивитись свій підхід у виборі книжок для читання :)

[valdi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/75

[Yaryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Одна з найкращих книжок за останній час

[Daria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light weight reading.

[Marc Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alan shows you in this book how you can find beauty in everything and rethink not only what we produce but how and why. I really loved this book.

I had a beautiful conversation with Alan on my podcast Inside Ideas where we talk about this and his other books. You can find episode 91 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4ETV...

or via the links below:
https://www.innovatorsmag.com/how-bus...
https://www.innovatorsmag.com/inside-...
https://medium.com/inside-ideas/alan-...

[Catalina Jimenez G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains theories and philosophies that should guide everyone through whatever path they choose. Every sentence is necessary and makes you feel something. Beauty really is key to everything, and Moore not only uses relatable examples all throughout, but he also provides more resources in the end for us to dig further. It is clear he practices what he preaches. This is the kind of book you would revisit more that twice for a creativity boost or a life lesson reminder.

[Scott Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In parts erudite commentary on the soul of design and craftsmanship, in others obtuse, self-serving and self-congratulating. The main thing to dislike however is just how gosh darn *male* the whole thing is. Every 'visionary' deserving of a mention, who has seen the world and the beauty in its secrets is, apparently, an old dude who made a chair or went to space.

[Jakub · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing special, motivational book that shows that design and beauty is everywhere - In Coca-Cola or whatever it will be called company that is creating a product.

[Sean Connolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the novice.

[Mark Clackum · Rating 2 out of 5]

The entire theme of the book uses the word beauty but never means beauty but rather refers to utility or ergonomics. The book overstates its case with many true, but obvious points.

[Paulisbored · Rating 2 out of 5]

A peculiar mess of book. Lots of interesting points let down by sweeping statements and the lack of focus. I’ve read lots of the “Do” books but this is comfortably the worst.

[Alex Calver · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️