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]

That's quite the list Kool....thanks man. If one could retain all the knowledge listed there...they'd be unstoppable!!!

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

[style]

which ones would you start with?!

<img border="0" src= "http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/instyle/sig.jpg">

[D-Zine]

Kool...yer the man! A pluthera (BIG word for me) of knowledge! LOL!

<img border="0" src= "http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/mataSIG.jpg">



Who says doodling isn't constructive?!

[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"> ("")

[style]

k. thanks!

<img border="0" src= "http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/instyle/sig.jpg">

[qusai]

go to amazon.com and search in the books for 'graphic design'


youll find lots of books! :)

<img border="0" src= "http://server5.uploadit.org/files2/010104-signature.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

[Ryan8720]

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines (Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines, 11th Ed) $25 on Amazon

That is from PrintDriver. I was gonna add it in, but I don't have mod powers here.

http://edgewebdesign.org/ryan2.gif (http://www.edgewebdesign.org)

Quick! There is time to waste, hurry up and wait!

[GdesignR]

process color manual, about face, typography: macro+microasthetics

[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

[KeX]

does anybody know is it possible to find somewhere scanned books on graphic design, typography, identity, e.t.c...? and if it is, then where?

[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

[jlknauff]

Since graphic design and advertising go hand in hand
On that note, I recommend D.D.'s book, often wrong, never in doubt. More of a business perspective of advertising...our blog has the info on the book + a link to amazon for the price - I think it was about $22-23 and worth every penny. If you're really cheap you should be able to get a used copy for a lot less.

http://www.wildfiremarketinggroup.com/blog/index.php/2005/11/19/often_wrong_never_in_doubt_unleash_the_b

[dark magus]

Any suggestions for a book with in depth information on trapping, bleeds, separations, other prepress, etc.

[morea]

I can't think of a book offhand, but a good online resource (if you haven't seen it yet) is www.prepressure.com

[WannaBrie]

What about Pocket Pal? Has some good prepress stuff in it and its good for quick reference!

[reuber1]

Possibly Robin William's (author, not comedian) NonDesigner's Scan & Print Book. I'm looking to grab that one. Whenever I poke my head in the Printing/Prepress section of this site, it all might as well be in chinese because I'm lost when I hear what all they're talking about.

[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

[rikbarwick]

I have a smile in the mind, its a bit old skool but is essential!!

[nyc_skater]

I Am Not Going to Read Any Words Today! by Dr. Seuss

[seamas]

Is anyone here familiar with "Professional Photoshop: The Classic Guide to Color Correction by Dan Margulis ?


I have had it reccomended to memany times in several forums, claiming it is one of the better books at explaining curves and color color correction in Photoshop.

I never see it on the shelves in the big local bookstores, so I ordered it on Amaz*n, where there were 2 books by the same author with similar names.

Anyway, 4 weeks later and Amaz*n informs me that they cannot locate the book:mad: , and now when I search for it the prices are more than double:eek: .

Anyone know if it is out of print, or if there is a planned new edition?

Any suggestions on a comparable book?

[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.

[eguru]

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.

just follow what he has told, excellantbooks and my suggestions would dreamtech publications.

[DavidLieb]

I always recommend the Non-Designer's Design Book, by Robin Williams.

I've found that for beginning and experienced designers alike it hammers home the basic ideas of design, in a new and fresh way. Easy and quick to read; it's just awesome.

[DavidLieb]

Oh, here's the link to the non-designer's design book:

http://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-Second/dp/0321193857/sr=8-1/qid=1163096196/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2857442-1212700?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Loopy Lisa]

What about....
The Classroom in a Book series for Illy InD and PS? As a resource to learn said programs?

[spaceddreams]

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




I have to say, your avatar has been on my mind for a while. I do wonder how many people get it and how many people miss it. Did you design it yourself?

[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.

[reuber1]

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.
I just bought the Advertising is Dead book a few months ago, and I agree. Some fantastic ideas inside that one, and it really gives you some inspiration...not to be mistaken with potential plagiarism, of course.

[sweet*pea]

When I have a little extra cash, my favorite thing to do is go to Barns and Noble and mill around the design books until I find one I really HAVE TO HAVE. I have a pretty good collection going.

[MadMike]

Hey, I'm a student about to enroll into a design program at my school and I was wondering if there were any two books that could just sum up all the best information to know about typography. I know every designer has their one "indispensable resource" book and I would like some recomendations. Thanks.

[MadMike]

*bump*

[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]

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
Classic suggestions. Btw, for those who don't know, Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type also has a dedicated site (http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/).

There's also Emil Ruder's TYPOGRAPHIE (http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/3721200438/104-1116597-3359952?SubscriptionId=0AM07842GGE1QVDN6KR2).

:)

[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)

:)

[pdf file]

'How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul' Adrian Shaughnessy

'Grid Systems in Graphic Design' Josef Muller-Brockmann

'Otl Aicher' Markus Rathgeb

'Swiss Graphic Design' Richard Hollis

'New Book Design' Robert Fawcett-Tang

'Image/Typography/Colour/Format/Print & Finish/Layout: Design Basics' Ambrose Harris

'Joseph Muller-Brockmann' Kerry William Purcell

'Penguin By Design' Phil Baines

'From Bauhaus to Our House' Tom Wolfe

'Introducing Modernism' Chris Rodrigues/Chris Garratt

'Introducing Postmodernism' Richard Appignanesi/Chris Garratt

'The New Typography' Jan Tschichold

[cjdevlin]

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

[kokuhaku]

Im just really starting and i was wondering if anyone knew any books specific to software that should or can be used and how it works? I really want to fully create my own graphics like these below..


http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p181/grapics_bucket/Dark/89161fb27637264.jpg<br>
<br>
And pretty much all of these kinds of banners<br>
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=115674501

anyone explain how to make the blood?

[PrintDriver]

If you are talking about the skull and the raven, I'm willing to bet money that they started as hand illustrations rather than computer generated. Especially the raven at the top of the myspace site. The sig-like banner is just silhouettes, a bad font and some spashes all done in a raster program of some sort. <yawn>

That said, are you just looking to do sigs and web banners? Or are you looking for an Easy Button?

[kokuhaku]

yeah kind of, like i want to be able to make banners, layouts, shirt designs and all that fun stuff, know any books? and if it was hand drawn would it just be scanned into a computer then or what?

[urstwile]

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

[Miaow]

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)


I just bought this book - I love it, it's so much fun! The way I'd describe it is that it helps adults to re-learn how to "play".

I'd also recommend another book in a similar vein: "Creative Sparks" by Jim Krause. (He is also the writer of the Color Index books. His books are works of art in their own right.)

[Miaow]

Just curious how these books are regarded by the GDF community. I'm thinking of purchasing them - I'm looking for new books to spark creativity with PS and Illustrator. (I'm rather new to both programs, though I have experience in other paint and draw programs.)

I've been trying to work through the "Classroom in a Book" books, but I'd like a book that encourages creativity; I'm finding these "Classroom" books to be rather tedious - its exercises seem to me to be the digital equivilent to "paint by number".

I guess I was hoping for books that would explain features of the software and then present exercises to use what you just learned in a creative manner. The "Classroom" books are just not inspiring to me. I don't know if it's just me or if others have been a bit bored with these books as well.

Maybe these "Classroom" books are better used in an actual course, rather than self-study?

If you have experience with any of the books in this post, what is your opinion?

Thanks!