with respect, i would like to note that i do not consider myself a designer, and am no expert. although i try to keep up with trends and topics in the fields, i have no experience designing for commercial purposes. i am essentially speaking from my armchair, so i invite you to please point out any errors in my reasoning, or areas where my knowledge falls short.
i feel like the "less is more" approach to design is very dangerous, and people should be very careful not to fall into the trap that is 21st century minimalist design. simple and effective designs are always good, but it is my opinion that a designer's job involves tailoring the design to the product, and not vice-versa. if a job demands more than a minimalist interpretation, it is not conducive to instinctively try and reduce the aspects of a design to a bare minimum. rather, a designer should have a big and varied toolbox of fonts, skills, and knowledge of different styles so that he may find the right tool for the right job.
nowadays, modern designers have powerful software and hardware that trivialize many different facets of publishing. the boundaries between traditional design and illustration are becoming increasingly blurred, and i believe it is a good investment of time for respective professionals in each field to obtain a small amount of familiarity, or even a passing proficiency in the other field. if an artist is well-versed in the process of typesetting, publishing and printing, he has a clear advantage over others in the field who don't make use of such skills. likewise, the reverse is also true -- many designers could also benefit from learning how to draw, instead of
making poor fascimilies of existing stock imagery on the internet in adobe illustrator.
australian ken taylor is one of my favorite designers/illustrators. his work features a breathtaking amount of intricacy, and stresses a stylistic level of detail. instead of suffering from complexity, his designs bask gloriously in it, engrossing audiences and effectively communicating ideas.
in contrast,
here is the work of photographer, designer, and art director peter mendelsund, who is one of the best and well-respected book designers in the industry right now. while book covers are completely different beast, there is no doubt that his understanding of art contributed to the streamlining and composition of his cover projects.