Recommended Books for Graphic Design

[Kool]

A lot of people ask for Graphic Design book recommendations. So I gathered all that I could find throughout the forum and placed them here in one topic.

If anyone has any more suggestions please post them here and I will add them to the list.



-The friends of Ed - series

-The quick start - series

-Robin Williams Design Workshop

-Design Basics: Ideas and Inspiration for Working with Layout, Type, and Color in Graphic Design

-Type and Image", and "Typographic Design: Form and Communication"

-Visual Literacy: A Conceptual Approach to Graphic Problem Solving

-Color Index: Over 1100 Color Combinations, CMYK and RGB Formulas, for Print and Web Media

-Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, and Maintaining Strong Brands

-Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color

-Color Harmony Workbook: A Workbook and Guide to Creative Color Combinations

-Design Basics

-Graphic Design Solutions, 2E

-Idea Index: Graphic Effects and Typographic Treatments

-The Big Book of Design Ideas

-The Business Side of Creativity: The Complete Guide for Running a Graphic Design or Communications Business

-A History of Graphic Design

-Designing with Type: A Basic Course in Typography (Fourth edition)

-Graphic Design Manual: Principles and Practice

-Becoming a Graphic Designer: A Guide to Careers in Design, 2nd Edition

-Graphic artist's guild handbook to pricing and ethical guidlines

-Robin Williams the mac is not a typewriter

-Design for Communication: Conceptual Graphic Design Basics

-A Guide to Graphic Print Production

-Looking Good in Print

-The Complete Manual of Typography

-The Designer's Guide to Color Combination

-How to Understand and Use Design and Layout.

-Swiss design book

-Sam's 24hr Flash MX book

-Josef Albers, The Interaction of Color.









<img border="0" src= "http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/sig.jpg">

"I used to be with it. But then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me." Abraham Simpson

[casedsgn]

Style..if your just starting out, check out The 7 Essentials of Graphic Design ("]Robin Williams design workshop [/url], and/or [url="). Both great books that engrain the basics of good effective design!

<img border="0" src= " http://www.casedsgn.com/sig_reg.jpg"> ("")

[thecat@]

graphic design books - jeff fisher has an article on creative latitude - 'design by the books' -->> http://creativelatitude.com/articles/articles_fisher_rlist.html

the book selection on the left are those that were sent in by the how and about.com gd forums. when/if jeff reads them, we'll add them to his list. that's IF he approves /emoticons/smile.gif

if you like, i'll add your suggestions to the article and give credit

cat
project manager
creative latitude
www.creativelatitude.com

[D-Frag]

Lets not forget about my favorite. 'Photoshop Down & Dirty Tricks' don't pay full price for it, ive seen it go for really cheap.

[Silence04]

Japanese Graphics NOW!

a great book for some the worlds freshest and most cutting-edge designs and marketing....
Damn those Japanese people, they are so freaking creative it makes me sick!


http://www.jdcgraphics.net/banner.gif

[Benjamin]

Bob Gill: 'Graphic Design as a Second Language'. Really good on how to use Ideas as the key element in design. Short book, easy to read.

http://www.jackfruitdesign.com/
Om Namah Shivaya

[coconut]

Since graphic design and advertising go hand in hand I would like to suggest Ogilvy on advertising. My fav. Timeless information.

Coconuthttp://www.adleragency.net/ads/pearbug.jpg

[Jeff Fisher LogoMotives]

Here's a article I wrote several months ago: Design by the Books (http://www.creativelatitude.com/articles/articles_fisher_rlist.html). Other designers have recommended books listed in the left hand column. - Jeff

:: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Jeff Fisher :: Engineer of Creative Identity
Jeff Fisher LogoMotives (http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com)

:: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Member - HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board :: HOW Design Conference Advisory Board

Author - 'The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success: Ideas and tactics for a killer career' - to be released by HOW Design Books in December 2004.

:: :: :: :: :: :: ::

[DavidLieb]

It's already mentioned above, but if you're a beginner, you can't beat the Robin Williams Design Workshop.

David Lieberman
Academy of Web Design Course Video (http://www.awdsf.com)
Add Web Design to your Skills!

[vahu]

'The designer`s LEXICON' The Illustrated Dictionary of Design, Printing, and Computer Terms
by Alastair Campbell
-chronicle books, san francisco-

[jamodu]

The Art of Looking Sideways
by Alan Fletcher

(great for developing visual awareness and creativity)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0714834491/104-9173759-0706324?v=glance

[acreative]

The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman, is great for anyone who thinks that there is such as thing as 'use error'.

Universal Principles of Design - probably the best book on interactive design ever. No really. :D

[distruktor]

los logos
dos logos
Business cards - The art of saying hello
Best of brochure design 7
Why not Associates ?2
experimental formats 2
Graphic design for the 21st century
Mutabor - lingua graficia
Mutabor - Lingua unaversialis
A book designed to help
making and breaking the grid

[Pixel8]

I have greatly enjoyed, and used with clients, "Graphically Speaking" by Lisa Buchanan. It sells for around $22 on Amazon. Essentially, the author breaks up design styles into some general catagories and then gives a lot of examples from each.

I use this as a springboard to help clients pick out their brand identity. It's really the point of the book anyhow! I only wish there were even more examples, or an updated verison.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581802919/sr=8-1/qid=1141654008/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-6412767-6641448?%5Fencoding=UTF8

[Pixel8]

Oh, and I just remembered a very good text on web navigation design (and others will agree, I'm sure) Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think."

He explains how to make web sites that are easy to navigate. It's very approachable and more useful than things like "Web Pages That Suck" Instead, Krug shows before and after examples of what works and why.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321344758/qid=1141654303/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-6412767-6641448?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

About $20 at Amazon, and a fun, easy read for web developers!

[beatz01]

Two books i could not live without:

- "Logo, Font & Lettering Bible" by Leslie Cabarga can be found here:

http://www.logofontandlettering.com (http://www.logofontandlettering.com/)

Leslie's book is the most beautiful, content-rich and informative logo & lettering book
i have ever come across.If you're looking for a book with actual instructions, tips and advice on logo and lettering techniques, this is the book for you.I can't believe how informative it is while being so overwhelmingly beautiful designed.I say as a real "how to" book it beats any of David Carter's zillions of logo collection books anytime.
For real, if you only can afford one book about logo and font design in your lifetime, buy this one.

- "Idea Index" by Jim Krause can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581800460/002-7143892-3241633

Another book that is definately a "must buy", especially if you're a logo designer.So what kind of book exactly is it ?

It's a book about design principles.In other words, the book consists of hundreds of instructions, guides and examples of ways to apply certain design principles.Every principle is illustrated with one or more examples, most of them being logos.While many of the principles do not reinvent the wheel, it's *the* book to have handy when having a "designer's block" staring at a white sheet of paper not knowing where to begin or just when you're looking for ideas to start.What makes this book so much more valuable than any of these logo collection books is that its focus is on principles, not nice logo examples only.In other words, this book helps you to develop your *own* ideas instead of seduce you into copying a logo you found in one of the collection books.
It also does not only apply for just logos but anything where good graphic design principles are asked for.It's a real workbook just as Cabarga's book is and i would not want to be without it.

[emel]

In my opinion, the single most useful visual communication book ever written is Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller-Brockmann (1961) link here (http://youworkforthem.com/product.php?sku=P0004)

Check out some more books here (http://youworkforthem.com/list.php?cat=11)

[obesebee]

The Elements of Typographic Style, Robert Bringhurst.
A Smile in the Mind, Beryl McAlhone, David Stuart.
I reckon they're essential reading

[style]

good book on photoshop channels:
the photoshop channels book by scott kelby

[tZ]

web design:

Build your own website the right way using HTML and CSS
Ian Lloyd

HTML utopia: Designing without tables using CSS
Rachel Andrew & Dan Shafer

CSS mastery Advcanced web standards solutions
Andy Budd

DHTML:

DOM Scripting
Jeremy Keith

DHTML Utopia: Modern web design using Javascript and dom
Stuart Langridge

Flash:

Flash MX advanced actionscript
James L. Mohler
Nishant Kothary

Photoshop:

the photoshop channels book
Scott kelby

This is another book I am looking to pick up when it gets released:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321441206/sr=8-1/qid=1154545353/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9343950-2669657?ie=UTF8

Just in general the sitepoint books are excellent for those in web design.

[Blazing Storm]

A couple of books I've found useful recently are: 'Advertising is dead, long live advertising,' by Tom Himpe, and also 'Brand simple: How the Best Brands Keep It Simple and Succeed,' by Allen P. Adamson.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advertising-Dead-Long-Live/dp/0500513147/ref=pd_ka_1/203-1016200-1867957?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173393443&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brandsimple-Best-Brands-Simple-Succeed/dp/1403974055/ref=sr_1_1/203-1016200-1867957?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173393566&sr=1-1

The advertising book has some very clever campaigns that you just wish you'd thought of yourself. It inspired me for sure.

[norrie]

Elements of Typographic Style and anything by Muller-Brockman.

[tZ]

http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Type-Critical-Designers-Students/dp/1568984480/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5162652-1720860?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183274591&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Robert-Bringhurst/dp/0881792063/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-5162652-1720860?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183274591&sr=8-2

[Seapony]

I'm currently reading:

Punk Marketing: Get Off Your Ass and Join the Revolution (http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0061151106/104-1116597-3359952?SubscriptionId=0AM07842GGE1QVDN6KR2) For anyone looking into getting into the identity design/brand development side of the biz.

Spunk & Bite: A writer's guide to punchier, more engaging language & style (http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0375721150/104-1116597-3359952?SubscriptionId=0AM07842GGE1QVDN6KR2) For those wanting to spruce up their copywriting skills.

:)

[Seapony]

Caffeine for the Creative Mind: 250 Exercises to Wake Up Your Brain (http://www.amazon.com/Caffeine-Creative-Mind-Exercises-Brain/dp/1581808674/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1116597-3359952?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184994819&sr=1-1)

(http://www.texturebook.com/)Crumble, Crackle, Burn: 120 Stunning Textures for Design and Illustration (http://www.amazon.com/Crumble-Crackle-Burn-Stunning-Illustration/dp/1581809581/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-1116597-3359952?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184994648&sr=1-1)

Crumble, Crackle, Burn,—dedicated site linky (http://www.texturebook.com/)

The Savvy Designer's Guide To Success: Ideas and Tactics for a Killer Career (http://www.amazon.com/Savvy-Designers-Guide-Success-Tactics/dp/1581804806/ref=sr_1_1/104-1116597-3359952?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184994697&sr=1-1)

:)

[cjdevlin]

I still keep a copy of "Graphic Design Cookbook" by Koren/Meckler by my computer. Published by Chronicle Books.

[urstwile]

From a recent New York Times book review. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Heller-t.html?8bu&emc=bua2)

[reuber1]

I highly do not recommend Colin Moock's Essential Actionscript 3.0. I'm about ready to put this book through the wall.

If you have no prior programming knowledge, this book gently guides you on your journey towards Actionscript proficiency.

Prepare to not understand a thing, not to see material presented in an illustrated (i.e. "easy to understand") context, re-read sentences over and over to figure out what exactly was even stated in the first place, work with a single program throughout multiple chapters that has code changes that are not highlighted as you go along, and solve runtime errors that are a result from following the instructions in the book to a T; this book does a bang-up job of making designer's shy away from coding altogether.

You know, I'm all glad Actionscript has come a long way and is now a viable programming source for those looking to utilize Adobe AIR, and I figured there would be some growing pains when trying to learn this stuff as a designer trudging through a developer's world, but throw us a frickin' bone here.

Anybody know of any Actionscript 3.0 resources that are, you know, good? I am not a fan of FlashKit.

[cjdevlin]

Im looking for a book with ideas for folds or creative brochures. Ive been having trouble finding one. Anyone know any books or sites that could help me out?

http://www.foldfactory.com/index.php
Saw this product at the HOW conference. You can buy the book, or an InDesign plugin that has all of the templates. I don't have it, but I wish I did.

[alexkitchin]

how about 'how to be a graphic designer without loosing your soul' (http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Designer-Without-Losing-Your/dp/1568985592/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224771844&sr=8-1).
very useful info in this book about interviews, portfolio etc etc.....

iv lost my copy though

[toolo]

nice collection. im a sucker for the rockport series, the writing isnt too intense but the design of the books are amazing

[toolo]

elements of typographic style and anything by muller-brockman.
hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[SJ_CE]

“What Is Branding?” (http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Branding-Essential-Design-Handbooks/dp/2940361452/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3F5ORLQPL8F4&colid=3DRF7QW6RV52Q)By Matthew Healey (http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Branding-Essential-Design-Handbooks/dp/2940361452/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3F5ORLQPL8F4&colid=3DRF7QW6RV52Q) Is a good one if your just starting out as a brand designer.

[Simple Minded]

Thinking With Type by Ellen Lupton is a great book for both beginners and those seasoned designers just wanting a good read.

[Miaow]

Any of Jim Krause's books. Great information, fun and elegant book design, cool plastic covers (Amazon calls them "Turtleback").

[xpose17]

A lot of people ask for Graphic Design book recommendations. So I gathered all that I could find throughout the forum and placed them here in one topic.

If anyone has any more suggestions please post them here and I will add them to the list.



-The friends of Ed - series

-The quick start - series

-Robin Williams Design Workshop

-Design Basics: Ideas and Inspiration for Working with Layout, Type, and Color in Graphic Design

-Type and Image", and "Typographic Design: Form and Communication"

-Visual Literacy: A Conceptual Approach to Graphic Problem Solving

-Color Index: Over 1100 Color Combinations, CMYK and RGB Formulas, for Print and Web Media

-Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, and Maintaining Strong Brands

-Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color

-Color Harmony Workbook: A Workbook and Guide to Creative Color Combinations

-Design Basics

-Graphic Design Solutions, 2E

-Idea Index: Graphic Effects and Typographic Treatments

-The Big Book of Design Ideas

-The Business Side of Creativity: The Complete Guide for Running a Graphic Design or Communications Business

-A History of Graphic Design

-Designing with Type: A Basic Course in Typography (Fourth edition)

-Graphic Design Manual: Principles and Practice

-Becoming a Graphic Designer: A Guide to Careers in Design, 2nd Edition

-Graphic artist's guild handbook to pricing and ethical guidlines

-Robin Williams the mac is not a typewriter

-Design for Communication: Conceptual Graphic Design Basics

-A Guide to Graphic Print Production

-Looking Good in Print

-The Complete Manual of Typography

-The Designer's Guide to Color Combination

-How to Understand and Use Design and Layout.

-Swiss design book

-Sam's 24hr Flash MX book

-Josef Albers, The Interaction of Color.









<img border="0" src= "http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/sig.jpg">

"I used to be with it. But then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me." Abraham Simpson

thx for the infos but I think this thread would be more helpful if not only post the titles instead also post the image cover of the book. We're creative people really concern about the visual. Anyway thx alot, great post!
__________________________

*advertising link removed*

[xpose17]

I think this book is great, it's really inspiring. It overwhelms brain with many great input that triggering the ideas. The sales of this book was extremely successful, published in 2004 (more than 70,000 copies sold worldwide, AWESOME). I just think that this book is a must have for any graphic designer/freelancers.

http://www.flixya.com/thumbs/xpose17821157.jpg

It has also another great books related to this 1000 series. If interested you may check them at rockport.
__________________________________________________ ________

*advertising link removed*

[pemsi]

Thanks for the share

[xpose17]

Thanks for the share

your welcome pemsi, here another book that I think might be useful and could give all big support. One from peppin press, I enclosed here only 1 the green one, which is I assumed as the greatest.

http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu227/xpose17/blog/peppin_specialpack.jpg
Tittle is Special Packaging, its content has many unique box templates that ready to use, cd also included :)

[Missygail]

Does anyone know of just a big book of fonts. Here at work I just have a few print outs of fonts.

I just want a huge book of fonts ready at my disposal when I have that font I can directly identify. I can read about the history of fonts and typography some other time, but for this I just want a big book of fonts.

Any ideas?

[Callendale]

Hi Missygail,
How about The Big Book of 5000 Fonts (and where to get them)
by David E. Carter
The font samples are sorted into categories, like ornamental, retro, display, script... Each font sample has its source listed with it so you know where to purchase it.

[Missygail]

Hi Missygail,
How about The Big Book of 5000 Fonts (and where to get them)
by David E. Carter
The font samples are sorted into categories, like ornamental, retro, display, script... Each font sample has its source listed with it so you know where to purchase it.
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-5000-Fonts-Where/dp/0823004899

I'd seen it on amazon before, but wasn't sure because of the very low ratings and reviews.

[Callendale]

I've got the Big Book of Fonts, and it is what it says it is... a whole lot of fonts! OK, here's another one-

http://www.amazon.com/Type-Style-Finder-Designers-Guide/dp/1592531903

850+ fonts arranged by moods (tranquil, sinister...), concepts (techno, elegant...), time (victorian, wild west...) and age groups (kids, seniors...); and a suggested color palette to go along with each grouping (gives the cmyk for each color). It also provides purchasing info. Inspiring and useful!

[garricks]

Nice linkage there, Callendale! I suppose I should update my specimen books...one is a looseleaf full of Varityper samples!

[urstwile]

FontBook (http://www.fontshop.com/products/fontbook/)

We have one at work, been using it for years. It's a great resource. :)

[Callendale]

Thanks Urst! I forgot I had FontBook bookmarked, meant to splurge on it someday. My bookmarks are like a blackhole in my computer - lots of stuff gets sucked in - never to be seen again. Kind of like my desk-top, and file cabinet and........

[urstwile]

Man, ain't that the truth, Callendale! I only remembered that one because we use it at work. :)

[Missygail]

Callendale and urstwile -- Thanks for the help! I'm sure those will definitely help in my search for the matching font. I'll have to wait for a bit for the fontbook, but it's definitely on my wish list.

Definitely better than some random pages of typefaces. Finding the matching font at times is almost like where's waldo, this will help.