Okay so this might sound a very stupid question to ask, but what defines a cool design for you?
like the word cool is thrown everywhere in all types of things, and people define it as a feeling, that is understandable, but when it comes to creating something instead of associating feelings with it, the word cool becomes a very abstract concept, like let’s say you are designing a cap, now while thinking from audience perspective what defines a cool cap for you, how do you materialize this feeling in your design.
It’s not a brief. If a client says make it cool, jazz it up, make it designery, etc. just slap them on the back of the neck and ask for a proper brief.
End of discussion.
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When designing, it does not matter what is cool to YOU.
You have to define what is cool to the end demographic your client’s product is aimed at.
As for what Cool actually means? All I get is “pleasing.”
Simple as that.
“Let’s go fishing!”
“Cool!” (that is pleasing to me.)
“This hat is cool!” (It is pleasing to me.)
You have to define what will please the audience.
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Agree with the above. Let me add some to that though, a brief should explain a business goal. Target this demographic for raising awareness of x service or increasing market share for x product etc. The goal, for me, often is to accomplish that function and also delight that audience with the aesthetics. It’s always secondary not primary. IMO - That “cool” factor is just another way of saying you created the right aesthetic appeal for a particular audience. Draw your inspiration from research.
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If it pops, it is cool. So make it pop.
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Cool design covers a lot of aspects. Its definition differs from client to client and audience to audience. I call a design cool when it meets the client’s expectations, gives a clear message to the audience, represents the product, and creates a strong image of the brand and the product. There are certain elements that matter, e.g color psychology, graphics, and design. All should create a strong impact of the product and brand. Answering your last question, cap design differs based on your target audience. if you are targetting kids, definitely you’ll go for vibrant colors with animations on the cap. If you are targetting party guys, you’ll go for funky designs, and if you are targetting mature people, you’ll go for decent and plain colors like black, grey, and white. So, it’s all about the product and audience. Otherwise, there is no clear definition of a cool design.
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Cool is only afterwards.
When you know all the rules tricks and moves inside and out.
Then you break them and make everyone involved successful.
That’s cool.
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Cool is when your client makes money.
Signsnyc, that’s a lot of assumptions. I’m old and gray but would still where a hat with a…hmmm… X-Men logo on it. Or a Batman logo. Or even a Mickey Mouse caricature (but that one would be for special work occasions, LOL!) I even have a pirate T-Shirt all picked out for Talk Like a Pirate day at work (Monday 9/19 if anyone’s interested.)
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“Cool” is a totally subjective word.
If someone told me to make something cool, I’d ask more probing questions to understand what cool means to them and maybe for some examples of what they think is cool design - to try and narrrow down the aesthetic I need to achieve to be very clear and tangible.
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This is final.
And even then, it might not be cool enough to accomplish the goal of the client if they do not have a grasp of what cool means to their target market. You may be the one that has to define what’s cool to the client.
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