There are tons of recommended graphic design books out there but these five are exceptional. Today, I’ll share with you these highly recommended books for graphic designers that can help you advance in your design career.
The key to self improvement in any field is continuous leaning. As a graphic designer, spending time to practice our creative skills can help us master out craft. Besides that, we should also allocate part of our time reading and learning
Top Five Must Read Graphic Design Books
Based on my experience, these books gave me so much ideas and information about graphic design. Scroll down and check out these awesome books’ details.
1. How to Use Graphic Design to Sell Things, Explain Things, Make Things Look Better, Make People Laugh, Make People Cry, and (every Once in a While) Change the World
By Michael Beirut.
Yes! That’s the title of the book. Pretty long huh? From the title itself, the book makes it more intriguing but it’s packed with awesome content.
Written by Michael Beirut, one of the world’s leading graphics designer. He’s also a design critic and educator who designed the logo for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Michael explains about the whole design process, the struggles, the collaboration and the beauty of finding the final solution. If you’re wondering what’s inside it, the book contains collection of short notes and Michael’s favorite projects.
I recommend this book to all graphic designer because it’s very inspiring. Here’s one on my favorite quotes from the book:
For design can’t save the worlds. Only people can do that. But design can give us inspiration, the tools, and the means to try. We left determined to keep trying. – Michael Beirut
2. Graphic Design The New Basics, Revised and Expanded
By Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Philips
This was the first ever graphic design book I had back in my college days. The book is now modified and they added additional features to it.
It’s a great book filled with ideas and tips about graphic design fundamentals. This book is very visual and not boring to read.
The book covers the basic principles and foundation of graphic design. It includes all the basic concepts of graphic design with superb examples.
If you’re a complete newbie and just introducing to the design area, this book could serve as a great introduction.
3. Thinking with Type
By Ellen Lupton (her all time bestselling book).
If you’re interested in learning about typography then this is a good one. It contains tons of information about typography rules and tips. I love the way Ellen Lupton wrote this book with some humor which makes it enjoyable to read.
It contains many images of type design in various ways, integrated with descriptive text to demonstrate various principles of typography.
This book includes explanation on how to do things right as well as helpful examples of what not to do. It is organized in three sections: letter, text and grid. Each section begins with an overview of that category, its definition and history.
Then splits into multiple smaller sections about specific languages. It is most recommend for experienced designers, editors, writers and students. It’s a very heavy information book and you can surely learn a lot from it.
Recommended for someone curious about typography who should be but doesn’t know it yet.
4. Draplin Design Co.: Pretty Much Everything
By Aaron James Draplin
Written by Aaron Draplin, graphic designer from Detroit, Michigan. Draplin’s clients include Nike, Burton Snowboard, Esquire, the Obama Administrator and more.
This is the most authentic and entertaining design book in my opinion. What I find most compelling about this book is that it hardly ever talks about the design and speaks instead of the drive and uncertainty of growing up and becoming a professional designer.
The book is pretty much entertaining about the work and career of a notable designer Aaron Draplin. You can learn great things and experience from a very well known graphic designer.
Very inspirational book, funny and beautiful. I recommend this to every graphic designers.
5. Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills
By David Sherwin
The book includes brainstorming techniques and wisdom from today’s top designers. It helps you discover what design works for you by developing your discovering process.
If you are struggling to complete a design project on time, or felt having a tight deadline stifled your capacity for maximum creativity, this book is for you.
I recommend this book if you want to grow and stretch your creative abilities. It contains very useful exercises by means of practice and exploration.
Do you like this post? Let me know if I missed out other must read graphic design books that can inspire and help others.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope these books can inspire you and teach you more about graphic design. If you think these books are awesome, go on and share this with your friends and fellow designers. Enjoy!
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