Comments on: Taste

By: Jin

Jin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:37:13 +0000

@Magnus, thanks for letting me know. I honestly didn’t test the site with Opera since I made some typography changes recently. Thanks.

By: Magnus Falk

Magnus Falk — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:20:18 +0000

Great blog, found you through Atwood. Just thought I’d let you know that your heading font renders blocky in Opera (at least in 10, but then again I’m using the beta). Anyways, I know I’d be anal about that, and I’m not even a designer! =P

By: Jin

Jin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:54:57 +0000

@Kim, I think in the case of “taste,” there’s personal preferences, then there’s a general consensus of what’s aesthetically acceptable. You’re right, it’s a hard job for designers to find the balance. I do believe elegance is not restricted to certain “styles.”

To respond to Will comment(Sorry Will I’m late on this), If I were to put up a background image for this particular blog, it’d be something I find pleasing(a piece of Mid-Century furniture, or some Zen garden scene) etc. But it’d just be my taste. but I could also put up something that’s not my style, but I can respect the elegance(for example, some Baroque/Country styles).

You’re also correct about a design education doesn’t always result in good taste. I think the best way to develop a taste is through observation. It has a lot to do with psychology and sociology.

By: Kim H

Kim H — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:13:04 +0000

How would you describe taste, though? It could be that these two colors clash; but perhaps in your eye they clash, while to others they might seem to compliment one another. We could get into color theory et cetera, but my mother who sews has refuted my claims several times that red and green simply do not go well together, or that this pattern is too busy for that pattern on the cloth. On the other hand, for the most part, I do not always dress with good taste, unless I am going to work; my ability to match colors and patterns, unfortunately, has a tendency to only go as far as what I do on the computer screen. Past that, I am hopeless and floundering, especially with fashion.

As far as learning design and developing taste goes, you can have all the design degrees you want and still be a terrible designer. Everything I learned about design was from my own experiences, and seeing what other designers were doing.

Designers have a hard job, in a way, though a very fascinating one. They must create something appealing and beautiful and unique, and at the same time make it functional. They say function over form, but I believe that in this realm, the two go hand-in-hand.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:23:57 +0000

Sense I can’t edited my last post.. Love the new blog, keep up the good work

By: mcowell

mcowell — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:21:54 +0000

I think I’m one of those people the have bad taste with how I dress. Mainly because I wear what I’m conformable in not what other people think I should be wearing. A pair of blue jean and t-shirt is all I ever wear, it could freezing outside and that’s what I would be wearing. All the woman in my life at some point have tried to dress me but they soon stopped. I don’t think I have bad taste it’s just that I’m conformable in my blue jean…. and I hate shopping

By: Will

Will — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:26:55 +0000

@Jin but there is a background that would go for an article on taste. I can think of many. What you have done here isn’t even a soothing blank canvas. It is just blank. It is the unimaginative non-response. It is safe. If this post were a car it would be a silver, black, or white Honda. The bland, safe choice of the dull. (Don’t know what you drive but now curious). But your blog is YOUR blog and whould be to your taste. Put what you want up there. Or put the exact opposite; the kitchiest, most tasteless, and bizarre monstrosity of design you can find. Just be careful you don’t do it in some hipster way that you somehow make it cool.

Or perhaps a real blank canvas texture should be what you put up. It would actually be quite appropriate after your response. All I think when I see it now is Vanilla. Plain Vanilla…. *runs out to get a milkshake on this hot day*

By: Jin

Jin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:18:55 +0000

@Aja, beautifully put. I especially like how you pointed out taste, as collective rather than personal. I think good designers should be conscious about the distinction of personal preference and common taste.

By: Aja

Aja — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:00:47 +0000

A subtle blend of trend and tradition, a working knowledge of what is soothing to the eye but also elicits a particular (positive) emotion. Taste is hard to quantify, but is usually instantly recognizable in others. And I’m not talking personal taste, but a sort of collective taste. I think taste, at least in part, is the ability to look past the sparkle and shine (and perhaps personal investment) one has in a website, photograph, piece of art, or trend and recognize the character of a solid foundation… or a shaky one.

By: Jin

Jin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:54:19 +0000

@Will, thanks for the kind words. Well, there is a background for this post. That is, a blank, soothing canvas to paint your own imagination with. Honestly I don’t think there would be a single appropriate image to go with an article on taste.