Looking for a good book on logo design? this is my list of the top ten books every designer should check out in 2022.
If you’re looking for a list of the best logo design books to help you become a pro, look no further.
As a logo designer, I’ve bought and read dozens of books over the years.
You are reading: Books on logo design
In this article, I’ll give you my recommendation on what’s worth adding to your book collection.
There are dozens of books on logo design, brand identity, branding, and related topics, but they’re all equally good.
That’s why I narrowed down the list to just the titles I found most valuable for their content.
Many of these books are good for those just starting out in the field, as well as designers who have years of experience under their belts.
These books will help you create better logos and brand identities by giving you some great tips and advice from the best logo design experts.
roundup of the 10+ best logo design books in 2022
- love logo design
- brand identity design
- identity design
- identity
- modernism logo
- the 8 logos</li
- logo (revised edition)
- marks of excellence
- circle, square, triangle
- logo
ps. Also check out my other article: The 10 Best Branding Books of All Time.
must have books for logo designers
Books are great resources not only for education, but also for inspiration to create original logo designs.
Many of the books I review below provide a mix of graphic design tips, fundamental concepts, as well as a compilation of excellent case studiesand logo design examples.
every time another designer asks me for recommendations, I tell them to start with these 3 books: love of logo design, logo identity design, brand, and designed identity.
The rest of the books on this list are also great resources and have helped me in times when I needed a little inspiration
.
1. love logo design
If you had to read just one book on the logo design process, I recommend love for logo design by david airey.
Learn about quality logo design with the 31 useful design tips explored in this wonderful book.
I’ve read Logo Design Love from cover to cover, and I consider it one of the best resources for anyone who wants to learn about branding.
This book guides you through the process of creating a professional and successful logo, taking you from the first idea in your sketchbook to its final printed form.
breaks down the topic into simple basics that novice designers can follow step by step and teaches how to compare logo designs to determine which is better.
This book also highlights the best ways to use logo design to represent your brand and even provides advice on how to work with clients to create their ideal logos.
If you’re new to the industry, you may find the inside stories and practical, practical advice invaluable.
Overall, the love for logo design book will help you create iconic logos that will stand the test of time.
buy love logo design on amazon
2. brand identity design
Whether you’re a design student or a seasoned industry veteran, this should be a staple on your shelf.
covers topics from initial strategy to launching a successful brand, which is also perfect for entrepreneurs and independent designers.
Alina Wheeler’s
brand identity design covers the branding fundamentals, starting with brand development and ending with implementing logos in different applications.
divides the topic of branding into three sections: brand fundamentals, the basic process, and real-world cases.
The basics of design are covered along with detailed case studies, making this one of the best books for graphic design students.
The first part gives readers a good foundation in logo design concepts so they can use the rest of the book effectively.
wheeler also takes you through the branding process from research to launch and then covers industry best practices.
buy brand identity design on amazon
3. designed identity
If you are looking for one of the best books for design students, this is one of the most valuable resources I can recommend.
The book teaches working designers how to collaborate with clients and provide service that goes beyond their expectations.
identity design expands on the basics of logo design and reviews the history of the brand, from its earliest stages to contemporary practices.
The book itself is beautifully designed; provides great examples of how to implement cohesive branding across different elements of your business.
The author takes case studies and analyzes them so that the reader can trace the trajectories of successful branding strategies.
guides you on how to conduct research, as well as use what you find to generate ideas, strategize, and improve your business.
See Also: 10 Novels Thatll Take You To Europe If You Cant Get There Right Now
david highlights leading designers and companies in the field of brand design to explain how good design lays the foundation for good business.
designed identity is a great book for designers who are already practicing to get more specific advice on how to produce quality design work.
buy identity designed on amazon
4. identity
identity delves into the process of the leading design firm chermayeff & geismar & haviv, (the studio I worked at) which is responsible for some of the most iconic logos of our time.
Essentially, this is a compilation of the company’s 60 years of work, highlighting the most impactful and memorable logos in many major industries.
This book serves as an encyclopedia; is a comprehensive look at how the industry as a whole approaches brand identity projects.
As a designer, I appreciated seeing the evolution of brand identities of some of the world’s largest companies.
This book takes you from the beginning of these logos and shows you how they changed according to the styles of the time.
In addition to being educational, this book is visually stunning, providing rich images and illustrations that are sure to inspire you to create your own logos.
The way this book has been put together is a testament to the company’s heritage in branding and design.
Overall, the identity book is a must for anyone working in the logo design space.
buy identity on amazon
5. modernism logo
modernism logo is an engaging book that includes 6000 trademarks from 1940 to 1980, diving into how modernist ideals paved the way for corporate identity as we know it today.
This comprehensive resource teaches form and style, and its chapters are organized into simple categories: geometric, effect, and typographic.
This book reviews case studies that provide useful examples of effective branding and logo design.
When I was looking for a book to inspire my creativity, this was the one most recommended to me by other designers.
reduces logos to their most basic forms and is a treasure trove for logo designers in need of quick inspiration.
modern logo is organized in a way that helps designers explore different logo styles to jumpstart their creative process.
This is one of the best books for logo designers, due to the many excellent logo examples that can help you think of designs for your clients.
buy modernism logo on amazon
6. the logos 8
logos 8 is a classic compilation of current developments in logo design – a great series of books for any designer.
This is a great reference book that is both a guide to the latest innovations and a forecast of upcoming trends in logo design.
The 8th edition focuses more on today’s changing world of brands.
This compendium showcases an unparalleled selection of examples of cutting-edge logo design from around the world.
A practical and insightful manual that serves as an source of inspiration, a must for any designer, brand manager or marketing strategist.
This expertly curated collection is both entertaining and inspiring through its 400 logo-packed pages.
For me, this book serves as a library of shapes: if I get stuck on a project, I can always find something to spark new ideas.
Overall, the logos book covers the most popular styles used in logo designs today.
You can also search previous versions to create a great collection of inspiring books for your design studio.
buy the logos on amazon
7. logo (revised edition)
logo by michael evamy is a classic book for logo designers that has just been revised this year 2021.
logo is now getting a makeover with the addition of over 300 new logos in this completely revised and updated edition.
The new revamped edition includes 300 new logos added to an existing extensive collection of over 1,600 symbols and logos.
all logos are organized into categories such as: crosses, stars, crowns, animals, people, etc. to help you find something that can inspire you in the ideation phase of your logo.
all of these logos are also shown in black and white only to focus exclusively on visual form.
The book includes the work of a wide range of designers, including masters like Paul Rand and Saul Bass, but also contemporary designers.
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buy logo book on amazon
8. marks of excellence
This book is a comprehensive catalog of hundreds of trademarks from some of the best-known brands.
author per mollerup provides a thoughtful analysis of trademarks, the companies they represent, and their impact on today’s culture.
This is not your usual tabletop book; although it offers some vivid photos, it is primarily an educational resource.
brands of excellence is one of these books on my shelf that I love to use as a great reference to explain what a successful logo is to my clients.
This book is a visual feast, but it also covers the technical aspects of design and trademark implementation.
Not only that, it delves into the impact of trademarks on society and how they work to help us identify the largest organizations in the world.
If you read this book, you will be impressed by its thorough research and analysis.
In general, the brands of excellence book is like taking a course on the history of brands.
buy brands of excellence from amazon
9. square, circle, triangle
More than half a century ago, the famous designer bruno munari published a series of books on shapes; those works, circle, square and triangle, are now available in a single volume.
He assigns qualities to the three basic forms: the circle as divine, the square as security and enclosure, and the triangle as connective form.
referred to by picasso as “the leonardo of our time”, munari interprets design beyond its technical foundations.
The book reviews the psychology of using circles, squares and triangles in logo design and how ubiquitous they have become in the industry.
I loved that this book is more than just design; adds a deeply human element to the field of design as a whole.
covers the rich history of symbology and archetypes that you will only find in the most advanced logo design courses.
The topics covered in this book are as relevant now as they were when they were first published in the 1960s.
I highly recommend this book because it provides best practices for incorporating these basic shapes into your designs to create meaningful logos.
buy square, circle, triangle on amazon
10. logo
logo is another collection of logos, but this time it’s word marks, also known as logos, not symbols.
The book features over 1,300 typeface identities created by 250 design studios around the world.
Examples are drawn not only from North America and Western Europe (like other books) but also from Eastern Europe. South Africa, the Far East, South America, and Australia.
an essential manual for any design studio to turn to during the process of text-based logo design.
Some of the contributing firms include giants like pentagram, wolff olins, landor as well as countless highly creative emerging studios.
logo is an important and essential companion volume to other books available in mini version: logo and symbol.
buy logo on amazon
what is the best logo design book?
If I had to choose just one of these logo design books to read in 2021, it would be love of logo design.
Maybe it’s because this is the first book I read on logo design (it’s the first edition) and it really helped me advance my career as a designer.
I’ve been doing logo design for several years before I found this book, but when I learned david airey’s tips, it helped me solidify my logo design process, as well as introduce new logos. tips and tricks.
However, it’s also nice to have some catalogs of great logo design examples to draw inspiration from (logo, logo, marks of excellence ).
another essential book that launched my career is brand identity design by alina wheeler, well-written content on all aspects of branding, well beyond logo design.
conclusions
You can choose any of these design books and I guarantee they will be a valuable addition to your book collection.
Whether you’re a design student or consider yourself a professional, I hope my reviews help you find something for yourself.
No matter where you are in your logo design career, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of any of these books and start reading today!
Did I miss any of your favorite books on logo design that you think should be on the list? let me know in the comments below.
Looking for a custom logo for your business? start your project now.
See Also: The value of owning more books than you can read – Big Think
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