The Basel design method treats visual art as a teachable discipline rather than an intuitive mystery. Manfred Maier structured the program to systematically transition students from basic perception to complex, abstract creation.
Design on a flat page is an illusion. Maier dedicates significant portions of the text to how two-dimensional shapes can imply three-dimensional space. Through exercises in perspective, overlapping, and distortion, the student learns to manipulate the viewer's perception. This is crucial not just for graphic designers, but for architects who must represent 3D structures on 2D paper. Basic Principles Of Design Manfred Maier Pdf 15l