MTIV: Process, Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Designer

by Hillman Curtis

New Riders, May, 2002.
Trade Paperback, 239 pages.
ISBN: 0735711658

MTIV: Process, Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Designer by Hillman Curtis

Best known for his web design books, Flash Web Design and Flash Web Design: The v5 Remix, and his own design firm, Hillman Curtis has returned with an inspirational guide for new media designers. Curtis, who defines new media as "anything that is digital and plays on a screen", has developed new media designs for a number of high-profile clients, including MTV, Rolling Stone, Intel and Adobe Systems. Part design textbook and part autiobiography, Curtis' latest book provides thoughts to motivate creativity, tips for designers and a look at some unique new media designs. Curtis focuses on three things in MTIV: process, inspiration and practice. In the first section, Curtis tells readers about a unique seven-step process for new media design developed at his company, hillmancurtis, inc. In the second part of the book Curtis discusses inspiration and design and provides a look at what motivates him as an artist. The practice section of the book includes design tips from industry experts including Steve Krug on usability; Ellen Shapiro on grids; Leatrice Eisman on the use of color and Katharine Greene on fonts and typefaces.

To the non-artist, this book might seem too focused on the exploration of ideas and the craft of new media design; however, it is often this creative mindset that helps inspire great artists to do their best work. This book can act as a great motivational book for the new media artist: Hillman Curtis explains what motivates him to communicate through his new media art. Curtis also includes the seven-step process his company, hillmancurtis, inc., uses to concept and design new media features. Curtis' ideas should help to motivate "blocked" artists and his discussion about how he comes up with his many ideas and how he first sketches and storyboards his designs is interesting reading.

MTIV: Process, Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Designer is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the October - November, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.