graphic designers have many routes to learn their craft. They can attend a certification course, a workshop, a degree program, or do some other self-study. Books are a common method of self-study, where a prospective student takes the initiative to gain knowledge about a particular field. Designers can easily self-study by reading and applying knowledge found in design books!
but what are the best graphic design books? We will cover a list of the top 10 books for graphic designers that are informative, engaging and useful in the career of a graphic designer.
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10 best design books
You may read design books for a variety of reasons. maybe you’re a beginning designer who wants to learn about design basics. Or, you are well versed in a specific method of design and want to expand your knowledge of other methods. You can review different design books over time to keep your knowledge relevant and up-to-date.
here are the top 10 design books for experienced or aspiring graphic designers:
1. universal design principles, revised and updated
authors: william lidwell, kristina holden, jill butler
amazon price: $17.75
This book is for designers, engineers, architects, and students looking to broaden and enhance their design experience. explains each major design concept defined and illustrated for the reader’s delight.
The book is organized alphabetically, so you can easily refer to the principles and sections. In addition, the book has a list of frequently asked questions for designers such as “how can I help people learn from my design?”, “how can I improve the usability of a design?” and “how can I make better design decisions?”
reasons to buy:
- thoughtful speech on what makes a design good or bad
- interesting section on “design psychology”
You can buy this book here.
2. Design Basics: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids
author: 1st edition by beth tondreau
amazon price: $25.52
This book demonstrates basic design guidelines through 100 design principles, such as choosing a typeface, striving for rhythm and balance with type, combining typefaces, using special characters and kerning and readability.
Whether you’re creating brochures, annual reports, posters, websites, or publications, layouts are essential for presenting information and ensuring it’s easily digested by the reader. Unfortunately, some customer reviews mentioned disappointment with this book, citing vague descriptions and redundancy.
reasons to buy:
- great for design beginners
- strong and vivid grid examples
You can buy this book here.
3. the art of looking askance
author: alan fletcher
Amazon price: $70.51
the art of looking out of the corner of your eye is an artistic desktop book at first sight. however, each page is a work of art showing the creative ways you can use type, spacing, images, and color. the book’s content is seemingly random, ranging from historical quotes, absurd images, tidbits of information and point of view, and everything else you can think of, as long as it’s beautifully presented.
Reviewers love the inspiring feel of the book and how it encourages them to think outside the box. Library magazine cites the book as excellent for those with “short attention spans,” making it a great book to check out during work breaks in the home office or lazy days in the living room. be.
reasons to buy:
- ideal for designers looking for inspiration
- cheerful, for short reads
- beautiful decor piece as a coffee table book
You can buy this book here.
4. the design of everyday things
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author: don norman
amazon price: $13.43
A practical take on design, The Design of Everyday Things explores the relationship between cognitive psychology considerations and sound product design. Norman describes common product design issues that lead to customer dissatisfaction, such as hidden controls or unintuitive features.
reasons to buy:
- ideal for those interested in ux design and human factors psychology, with concepts applicable to many other industries
- ideal for the pragmatic graphic designer
You can buy this book here.
5. School of Graphic Design: The Principles and Practice of Graphic Design – Seventh Edition
author: david dabner, sandra stewart, abbie vickress
Amazon price: $35.60
As the name implies, Graphic Design School is a great book for students who want a general introduction to design fundamentals, the design industry and profession, and printing techniques. the book also covers information on influential designers in the field.
After absorbing the knowledge in this book, students can apply what they have learned through the many activities and tutorials within the text.
Unfortunately, some reviewers ironically mention their frustration with the poor design of the book, as well as its small font which some may find difficult to read.
reasons to buy:
- ideal for students interested in graphic design, user experience or user interface design
- an introductory book suitable for beginners
You can buy this book here.
6. brand identity design: an essential guide for the entire branding team
author: alina wheel
amazon price: $24.17
Graphic design helps you communicate through visual elements. For businesses, that means communicating their brand’s vision and values, which isn’t always an easy task. Words are often not enough, which is why many companies rely on graphic design to create and communicate brand identity. Alina Wheeler’s Brand Identity Design covers brand case studies, helpful insights from industry professionals, and brand fundamentals.
The book is specially designed for marketers and designers within a company. however, aspiring freelancers could use these principles to impress a variety of clients.
Customer reviews mention Wheeler’s excellent and approachable tone and voice, making the text digestible even for beginners.
reasons to buy:
- easy to understand
- complete
You can buy the book here.
7. modernism logo
author: jens müller
Amazon price: $64.91
logo modernism is one of the best books for designers who want to learn how trademark design principles evolved over a few decades. when you think of some of the biggest companies in the world (apple, nike, tesla), what do you imagine? the little apple icon or the smooth check mark probably comes to mind. logos are essential in helping potential customers become aware of your brand.
jens müller’s logo modernism explores what happened shortly before the world’s greatest logos, examining the 1940-1980 modernist aesthetic in trademarks. The book covers logos of all kinds of companies, including newspapers, retailers, airlines, and more.
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reasons to buy:
- fun book to browse without the expectation of reading heavy text
- related categories for graphic designers, like shapes, lines, monograms and more.
You can buy this book here.
8. how to become a graphic designer without losing your soul
author: adam shaughnessy
amazon price: $19.20
Petered with low wages and long hours, the graphic design industry is notorious for being ruthless towards those just starting out. The graphic design market is saturated and competitive, and success only comes to those who work hard and polish not only their technical skills, but also their networking and soft skills. Shaughnessy’s book helps aspiring designers navigate the tumultuous job landscape, offering practical steps and tips for succeeding at job interviews, managing clients, building portfolios, polishing resumes, applying for jobs, starting a studio, and more.
Reviewers especially liked the book’s coverage of integrity within the field of design.
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reasons to buy:
- practical tips for navigating a career in graphic design
- renowned graphic designer interviews
You can buy this book here.
9. design elements, color fundamentals: a graphic style to understand how color affects design
author: aaris sherin
amazon price: $24.74
Graphic designers have many tools at their disposal, including shapes, lines, images, and of course color. Through color alone, designers can influence the meaning and message of a piece, and this book shows them exactly how to do it. Sherin covers color theory and its principles, helping students understand the circumstances in which they may break the rules for the good of a work of art.
When it comes to color, this is one of the best books on graphic design. the many visual examples in the book also offer students plenty of inspiration.
reasons to buy:
- Detailed sections on color theory and color fundamentals in design
- accessible to beginners
You can buy this book here.
10. The Graphic Design Ideas Book: Inspiration from 50 Masters
author: steven heller and gail anderson
amazon price: $16.99
heller and anderson’s “ideas” book is a great resource for beginners in the field. offers a basic introduction to the fundamentals of graphic design, including topics such as storytelling, color, and form.
The book also showcases countless examples of the work of the industry’s top talent, serving as great inspiration for designers experiencing artist’s block. both authors have impressive resumes. Heller was art director of the New York Times for 33 years, and Anderson is an accomplished designer and illustrator with a few awards under her belt.
reasons to buy:
- artist block inspiration
- accessible to beginners
You can buy this book here.
final thoughts
Graphic designers are tasked with the difficult task of communicating with shapes, colors, lines, and everything in between. With a few tricks from the 10 design books above, you’ll be well on your way to the next step in your graphic design career.
Do you want to continue your learning? Consider checking out some web development courses to broaden your skills!
Check out some web development courses today!
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