I have a soft spot for design books, especially ones on typography. I spent the first part of my career in advertising and working with publishers, almost all of my work then was with print design. I thought it would be a good idea to share a few of my favorite design books. Of course they all won’t fit into one post, so I’ll break it up and keep it coming in future posts.
Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design
Hardcover – November 9, 2011, by Jennifer Bass (Author), Pat Kirkham (Author), Martin Scorsese (Foreword)
Saul Bass is one of my all-time favorite artists. His logos have an average lifespan of 34 years and this work includes the iconic logos of big corporations such as AT&T, The Girl Scouts of American and Quaker Oats.
His logos are great but his work with film directors on movie posters are probably what he is most known for – his work includes the movie posters for Schindler’s List, Vertigo and The Shining and much more.
Creative Lettering and Beyond: Inspiring tips, techniques, and ideas for hand lettering your way to beautiful works of artPaperback – November 3, 2014, by Gabri Joy Kirkendall (Author), Laura Lavender (Author), Julie Manwaring (Author)
This book is great for anyone who wants to dig in there and learn how to create letters the old way – with pen and ink. You’ll get step-by-step instructions with tons of great images and fun inspiration.
Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities
Paperback – August 30, 2014, by
It is always great to see the thought process of how other designers create logos. Airey will show you how and why some logos are better than others.
This book is a great guide to creating iconic logos and identities.
Work for Money, Design for Love: Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Starting and Running a Successful Design Business (Voices That Matter)Paperback – by David Airey
This book is a must for anyone out there thinking about starting their own graphic design business. If you have a question about going out on your own, Airey has the answer and offers even more advice.
Susan Sullivan
Susan lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area with her husband and children. She is an avid distance runner, environmentalist, part-time beekeeper, chicken farmer and amateur photographer.