' Their analysis of design is consistently surface level, of the likes of "Look at how this deep blue makes this brand look expensive, also curved corners". The result is "designers" who can make a flashy site, but have no underlying knowledge of usability or taste. '
So, is there a site or a book that teaches (to the extent possible) taste? Because it's not just Smashing Magazine, it's most sites and books on design that I've seen. They focus on certain mechanics without much to help you train you mind and eye to manage higher visual concepts.
The few that are not simply prescriptive how-to's are in turn too vague about notions of attractive design and aesthetics. Or they trot out the Golden Ratio which, while good to know, mostly helps you make designs that are attractive in a practical way, rather than truly striking yet not overbearing.
I have found that the best grounding in aesthetics and design is learning to draw. This teaches you to truly 'see' and gives you basic techniques like appreciating white space and better ability to perceive color/tone values. From there it's much easier to learn and apply principles for creating satisfying compositions and color theory.
Once you have the fundamentals in place, the next step is to learn about more specific graphic design topics like typography and grid layouts.
So, is there a site or a book that teaches (to the extent possible) taste? Because it's not just Smashing Magazine, it's most sites and books on design that I've seen. They focus on certain mechanics without much to help you train you mind and eye to manage higher visual concepts.
The few that are not simply prescriptive how-to's are in turn too vague about notions of attractive design and aesthetics. Or they trot out the Golden Ratio which, while good to know, mostly helps you make designs that are attractive in a practical way, rather than truly striking yet not overbearing.