About Author

Who Is Frank Chimero? Frank Chimero is a US designer, illustrator and writer who is characterized by the intelligent approach to the concept of creativity. He does not just use colours, shapes, or tools but considers the reasons as to why we create and the way design influences the way we perceive the world. The work by Chimero is a blend between design, philosophy and stories. In his opinion, design is not merely what is being seen but a feeling. He is a professional designer before writing The Shape of Design in 2012, who produced branding, illustrations, and digital projects. His talks and essays also made him popular among the designers and there he urged designers to be empathetic and curious in their work. Chimero has always been fascinated by the emotional side of creation of things and this fascination underlies his writing.

The Shape of Design

The Shape of Design was initiated as a Kickstarter project and a lot of people backed it since it was not like any other design book. What is the meaning that we bring to our work? What role does design play in assisting us in relating with others? According to Chimero, design does not simply solve problems, but it is also about giving care, emotion and understanding to the world. He expresses the idea of meaningfulness in small things of making. The book is more like a silent dialogue rather than a manual. It challenges the reader to take his/her time, reflect, and see what the creative process entails in human beings. This was a touchy and intimate style that made the book unique when it was published in 2012, and it is what leaves many designers 3-4 inspired.

Ideas and Philosophy of Chimero

The design philosophy of Chimero is straightforward, creativity ought to be generous. According to him, good design provides something significant to other people. It is not just a matter of personal style, impressing people. Rather, he claims that design ought to assist individuals to perceive, sense or experience something in a more explicit manner. This is the focus of many of his essays, such as his popular work "What Screens Want" (2013). He describes in this essay how screen design is not the same as print design, and is not designed to be flexible and user-friendly, like in digital design. Throughout his work, Chimero combines pragmatic and emotional reasoning. He frequently equates design to music composition or storytelling. In both instances, form and emotion have to collaborate. He also has no qualms against discussing the ordeal of creativity the fear, uncertainty and doubt that every designer has to deal with. In these candid thoughts, he urges designers to be patient, courageous and gentle with themselves.

His Influence

In addition to writing, Chimero frequently discusses the value of process and how much it takes one to be brave to continue working when things are in the air. He is a people-oriented teacher, but not product-oriented. Nowadays Chimero writes essays, publishes newsletters, and draws upon digital ideas. His work reminds that design is much more than making something pretty. It is concerned with the ability to make sense of experiences by people. Combining consideration, compassion and creativity, Chimero makes designers pause and have a second look. His mild treatment of creativity has affected a good number of students, artists, and designers. He educates through his book and continuous work that design can be most effective when it is created in the way of awareness, care, and humbleness. His notions still lead a new generation of designers who desire their work to be meaningful and human.