This is how we do it

There's a lot that can be taken from art and applied to print design. So I'm putting on my snobby design hat for just a second to address one little (read:giant) thing. Gradients on print. There's a time and a place for them. If you're going to be subtle and you have a good eye, then by all means, go for it. But on print, gradients between two unlike colors (orange to purple to red, or whateverthehell), or even the same color from light to dark, have a tendency to go awry unless you're actually trying to be ironic. Then you might as well put a mustache on it and call it day. Uh, where was I? Oh yes. Perfect little way around that I've found is to actually separate the steps in the gradient into adjacent blocks of color. Exhibit A below. Note that the whole transparency thing is a lovely transferrable detail as well. (Hmm, lovely. I say that word a lot. Lovely.) OK, I'm done ranting.

The gorgeous works of art that inspired this little blogger today are by Simona Pries. Now that gal's got a knack for subtlety.

ETA: Speaking of gradients. Yes. This is how we do it.