Books/Magazines for designers
pleasebekind (49 points) | Fri, 2009-05-01 09:42What's in your reading library?
I haven't been always a designer, so my literature doesn't have a lot of graphic design-related topics. I want to know what are the *essential* titles that you can recommend to one who's looking to expand her knowledge on graphic design.
I've always wanted to go back to school and get a design degree, but for practical reasons, I can't do that right now. So I'm getting all my information from the internet, from other colleagues who can teach me, and from practicing on my own and doing actual work. Nevertheless, I want to read up more, and I know buying books and magazines will be worth it. I thought I'd ask you guys - I really admire all of your knowledge and expertise. I hope you can share some of what you've been reading to someone like me :)
So far I have some old issues of HOW and print magazines, and some second-hand books from Rockport. I'm really saving up so I can expand my library. Can you cite some favourites or must-reads for each topics:
- Graphic Design
- Color Theory
- Typography
- Layouts
- Editorial Design
- Web Design
- Logos, Letterheads and Business Cards
- Branding
- Tutorials (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc)
- Illustration
- Printing
- On building up your business
Maybe we can build a sort-of library of titles here in CB? I think it would be really helpful :)
This one is my must read recommendation:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elements-Typographic-Style-Robert-Bringhurst/dp/0881792063
most favorite book i've bought recently was slide:ology (see www.slideology.com). best book on presentations i've read, hands down.
also love my aiga365 books and any other design awards type books. anything i can thumb through for inspiration.
can't go wrong with GDUSA, it's a free subscription and is worth at least skimming. HOW, CommArts are also good magazines. and even though it can be kind of simplistic sometimes, i used to enjoy reading dynamic graphics when my old company had a subscription.
inspriration = ideas by vrontikis is a very good book, too. bought it after she spoke at an aiga event i was working on.
more inspirational stuff: printwork. found it online and it was shipped from hong kong. a little different, but it's got some very good inspiration work in there.
on a side note, my fave inspiration site is www.graphic-exchange.com. some really cool stuff there.
Google HOW Publications. They have a lot of good books. Jim Krause has some good sets at jimkrausedesign.com. Those are personal favorites.
I usually sum up what my weak points are before deciding what books to get. But definitely buy books, buy as many as you think you need.
Blogs, and websites too. This one is my favorite, but not the only one I visit!
'I am a patient boy, I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait'