The design and the play article by Paul Rand discusses many different ways to teach, practice, and learn the fundamental principals of design. It mentions that it’s not always a good idea to have total freedom and no rules. For example: how students should be taught rules and given guidelines for how to design, rather than allowing them to rely on their natural talent and imagination. In contrast to this he also states that no matter how hard a student studies, “a students unltimate success will depend largely on his natural talents.” This was confusing to because because in a way he is contradicting himself, but it also makes you think that guidelines set a criteria of what is expected and then the designing aspect of the task is left up to the natural talent you have inside you to come up with your own ideas. This just demonstrates how guidelines provide direction, but still have grey areas that allow students to fill in with their own talents. The play-principle serves as a base for serious problem-solving. For example in Josef Albers paintings he uses the same strict geometric pattern to challenge himself with the use of colors. It is used to trick your eye because without color the painting is ment to give a three-dimensional image with depth, but with using a variation of colors it displays a two-dimensional image to the eye. Overall, the article discusses the power of restrictions in design, while testing an artists natural talent and ability to challenge themselves.