What’s in a Design: How Tim Burton Brilliantly Breaks All the Rules

Design, artistry, pattern and style are a big passion of mine. Whether it’s creating pieces myself or observing beautiful design in others’ work, the concept and field of design is an artform that I really enjoy; the freedom it brings and the personality it inherently communicates gives us a window into the minds and personalities of its makers, in a way more accessible, in my opinion, than any other form. 

When finding designs that I like, my mind works in a very specific way. Quite possibly linked to my suspected autism, I have an in-built criteria for what I like in my designs: the use of regular shapes; lots of colours, and in a variety of shades; designs that have hidden or underlying meanings that aren’t explicitly stated; well-defined clear lines with smooth curves; and so much more. I enjoy regularity used in a slick manner to evoke a powerful design. And yet one of my favourite designers casually smashes every single rule in the book, creating an unnerving synergy of chaos and clarity.

Tim Burton, an unlikely hero in our story of designing prowess, has become central to many people’s cinematic worlds. Whether it’s Halloween or Christmas, hundreds of thousands kick off an evening with Wallace and Gromit’s gothic older cousin, enjoying The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Alice in Wonderland, The Corpse Bride or any of his other masterpieces. His quirky art style holds its cult-like charm, forging an instantly-recognisable aesthetic that manages to both unsettle & enamour.

Yet despite this, I always find myself baffled as to how I enjoy Burton’s art style so much. His work transcends all of my design preferences, using irregularity as the modus operandi of everything he creates, unsettling viewers by creating the conventionally unsettling. From crooked doorways to uneven sets, rough outlines and distorted perspectives, Burton’s work has become timeless and synonymous with some of the most beloved horror stories of a generation.

Burton’s approach to design, a gothic expressionism approach, often centres a monochromatic vision, enhanced by limited muted colours that accentuate the overall aesthetic. His manner always seeks to challenge what is expected, to unsettle yet to inspire and to challenge our expectations of what good design is and should be - and to incredible effect. Burton’s design has become not only timeless, but instantly recognisable across the world and across generations.

I’m one of those people who finds themselves so captivated by Burton’s work, despite it contradicting everything I practice and love about design. It flies in the face of everything I would seemingly choose myself and yet it is a series of works that I have come to not only admire but become deeply inspired by. Whether it’s animation or live action, Tim Burton redefines what design could be and is, in my view, one of the most impactful designers for a generation. You can’t miss a Burton design, and it’s a testament to his brilliance.

Written by, Sophie Layton (she/her)