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Don't Rely On Lists
A disclaimer before I begin: First, I am not against lists and tutorials per se — they are excellent resources that I like to refer to from time to time. Second, I am by no means the expert on design, so here are my two cents.
They are everywhere these days: articles designed for clicks, with titles like 10 Tricks Every Designer Should Know, and 50+ Must Have Photoshop Brushes. These lists are the headlines that dominate the web design scene, at least in certain circles. These articles can be fun reads and provide useful information, but I have a feeling that many have come to rely on them for design. While blogs that write these articles get heavy promotion, I fear proper education gets tossed aside.
Here’s an analogy for you: I’m a beginner when it comes to Javascript (as of this writing, at least!). If I wanted to become a better Javascript programmer, do I turn to lists like 30 Free Javascript Snippets or 10 JQuery Tricks Every Programmer Should Know? Sure, they might help make me just a bit better, but what I’m lacking are the fundamentals. When it comes to design, these lists often focus on tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and code. But tools are only half the story. A master can work magic with some of the most rudimentary tools.
Lists and resources aren’t bad in and of themselves, but they are like snacks — they don’t fill you up, and if you eat too much it’s unhealthy for you. If you want to be better at something, eat some real food — learn the basics, practice your craft, then learn some more. When you get better you’ll find that you are better at using those downloaded brushes. And who knows, you might not need them anymore…
Comments
i hate lists
Ha! Good one. I’m not against them, just think they’re getting way too much attention.
Great to see that I’m not the only one who feels like this. I wrote about the same thing shortly after you posted this :)
Here here. I would add that if you must write a list, and intend it to be actually useful to someone: less is more. There cannot be 50 best jquery gallery plugins.
Since signing up for twitter I have seen such a glut of these lists posted and reposted…I’m glad I’m not the only one suffering list overload.
@Nora: yeah, I think lists need some focus these days. I’m sensing a growing movement against them!
Nice posts there. Thank’s for the interesting information.
good posts/
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