Minimalist design is an influential 20th century visual style with an established history in the realms of architecture, interiors, art, graphics, fashion, and virtually every other facet of design.

There’s a rumor going around about minimal graphic design. “A lot of people say it’s really easy,” says Stuart Tolley, who runs a design studio in Brighton, England, called Transmission.

London-based designer Mick Watson of Smart Giant has created an ongoing series of minimalist posters that attempt to translate obscure, underused, or favorite words into graphic depictions to ...