books

I know that Designers are constantly trying to learn and research more about design techniques, fonts and any other tips that can improve their designs. There is always more you can learn about design. One sure way you can do that is by reading. And because it’s summer and you have some spare quality time, we round up 20 must read books for designers. Happy reading! 1. Know Your Onions This book is a practical guide for anyone who want’s their onions in graphic design. It teaches you how to “think creative, act like a businessman and design like a God”. It’s really easy to read and it gives away a lot of secrets and tips along the way. Link 2. Thoughts on Design Although the book is book from the 70s, it is still very relevant for the 21st century designer. Since the book is out of print for almost 40 years, it is really expensive to buy one but it is fully worth it. Prices can go up to 200$ on Amazon. But the good news is that Chronicle books plans to republish the book. Link 3. The Creator's Code Although this book is meant for entrepreneurs it is a great book for designers too. Entrepreneurs, just as Designers, are constantly trying to solve problems. This book is a great inspiration source for those who are in the process of seeking solutions for a problem. Link 4. How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul An outspoken best seller, Adrian Shaughnessy’s book is a great guide for young designers. The author shares his personal experiences and gives advice on starting a studio and finding work.It’s professional advice written in an easy to read manner with no complex vocabulary. Link 5. The Elements of Graphic Design The book covers visual communication and basic design principles such as space, typography and symmetry. It contains over 750 images and is a great source of inspiration for designers regardless of experience. Link 6. Big Brand Theory Branding is a very important part of design. Good brands communicate effectively and this book features some great examples. From successful brands such as Lacoste, Converse, Nike, H&M and many others, this book is an inspiration for all designers. Link 7. Type Matters! From the history of type design to the anatomy of a letterform, this bible of typography is a must read. If you’re a designer and you haven’t read it yet, drop everything and go buy a copy! Link 8. The Non-Designer's Design Book Don’t let the title mislead you. This book covers basic design principles with lots of examples that makes it really easy to understand. There are lots to learn even if you are an experienced designer. Link 9. Creative Anarchy Sometimes not everything is about following a set of rules. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box and be bold! This is exactly what Denise Bosler promotes through her book. Link 10. Just My Type: A Book About Fonts - Just like “Type Matters!” Simon Garfield’s book is a must read font study for every font geek. From explaining the hate we have for “Comic Sans” to how “Helvetica” took over the world, the author covers a lot of fonts related modern mysteries. Link 11. The Elements of Typographic Style A reference on modern typography it explores the art and history of the field with lots of design examples. It also covers digital typography. Link 12. Thinking with Type One of the best selling books on typography, this book that will tell you everything about letters, fonts, grids and much more. Link 13. Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products We all know who Jony Ive is. One of the Apples pioneers, he designed iconic products such as iMac, iPhone, iPad and many others. In this book, we walk along his path towards becoming the great designer that shaped Apple as we know it now. Link 14. The Vignelli Canon Massimo Vignelli book is, hands down, one of the best graphic design manual ever written. The book is divided in two parts. A theoretical one that sums up the main concept and rules of design and a practical one where he shows some of his own designs. Link 15. Thinking, Fast and Slow In order to be good designer, you need to know how people think so you can design better. Daniel Kahneman shows in his bestseller the two systems that govern our thinking. The first one is fast, emotional and always on a rush. The second one is more analytical, rational and way more slower. Link 16. Creativity, Inc Pixar is by far one of the most creative companies in the world. So who else more qualified to talk about creativity than Pixar’s co-founder, Ed Catmull. The principles and beliefs that shaped Pixar’s creative movies can be applied to foster creativity in any environment. Link 17. Designing Brand Identity This is one of the most popular book on branding and identity. it explains the difference between concepts such as Brand and Brand Identity. The writer outlines a process and various case studies for building strong brands and strong identities. Link 18. Universal Principles of Design Very well written, with lots of interesting facts this book is a complete guide if you want to gain better understanding of general design principles. Link 19. Creative Confidence It is widely believed that creativity area is just for the “creative types”. Well the authors of this book think differently. Tom and David Kelley give a set of principles and strategies that can boost our creative process. Link 20. 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People The last but not the least, this is another book that designers must read. It covers subjects like “what grabs and holds attention on a page or screen” or “ Are some fonts better than others” (And yes, there are. Go home Comic Sans, no one likes you) . Link Do you have any suggestions for what should be on this list?

books

20 books designers should read this summer