10 Must-Read Books for Designers

10 web Design Book Of Trends

Part of the creative thought process is engaging in creative activities. This includes reading. From design blogs to books, there are always new things to learn and new ways to look at old theories and ideas. Every designer should have at least a working knowledge of a few classic design titles as well as some newer books on design. And we’re not just talking about textbook-style volumes on theory; some of the best design books are designed to help us visualize and explore our work, careers and ideas of just what makes a great design. With that in mind, we have 10 books every designer should read. (We even hope you find some unexpected gems in this list to expand your reading list.)

1. “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon http://www.amazon.com/Steal-Like-Artist-Things-Creative/dp/0761169253/

Just like this list asks you to explore the world, so does this great little book. This is something you can read – and reread – in a sitting and it helps you explore your creative nature. Where do you see creativity? How does your creativity flow? What do you do to enhance it?

2. “Graphic Design: The New Basics (2^nd Edition)” by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Design-Edition-Revised-Expanded/dp/161689332X/

Just released, the revised and expanded edition of this volume is impressive and packed with knowledge from some of the best in the business. Much of the book is focused on some theory and basic concepts but includes great examples and new sections on how to use color and work within grid systems.

3. “Package Design Workbook: The Art and Science of Successful Packaging” by Steven DuPuis http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592537081/

A lot of designers in the print and digital fields often forget about one of the most broad design areas – package design. This area comes with its own set of challenges and wonderful design results. This book is inspiring and can help you better understand package design if you have not worked on such a project.

4. “Whatever You Are, Be a Good One” by Lisa Congdon http://www.amazon.com/Whatever-You-Good-Inspirational-Hand-Lettered/dp/1452124833

Quote that will inspire you and hand lettering to jog your thought process. That’s the combination behind this little book that’s filled with color, encouragement and fun. It’s also a good reminder that you can take things you know and add your own design flavor to them. (Many of the inspirational quotes are things you may be familiar with.)

5. “TM: The Untold Stories Behind 29 Classic Logos” by Mark Sinclair http://www.amazon.com/TM-Untold-Stories-Behind-Classic/dp/1780671652

Whether you dread or love logo design, this collection of how some of the most well-known logos came to be is sure to make you think about trying your hand at a logo project (even if it is just for your portfolio). The book is well-researched and provides great detail about how designers thought about these logos, developed and implemented the designs.

6. “Designing Brand Identity” by Alina Wheeler http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118099206/

Brand is a vital part of almost every design project. You need to know and understand the concepts of branding and how they relate to your work. Simple, you need to know the rules before you can start to break them.

7. “Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart unto a Visionary Leader” by Brent Schlender http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Steve-Jobs-Evolution-Visionary/dp/0385347405/

It sometimes seems like designers are obsessed with the success of Apple’s Steve Jobs and this book takes another look at his life. What’s nice about this book though is learning from the failures of Jobs and seeing how he learned to use his strengths to his advantage.

8. “Typographic Universe” by Steven Heller http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=4294982305

Type can be found any- and everywhere. That’s the lesson in this book that showcases typography from everywhere. From the publisher: “From machine-made and sculptural forms to flora and fauna, from the fading ghost types on buildings from a pre-digital age to the subterranean forms found beneath our urban centers, from crowd-sourced creations to the popular vernacular, there is a universe of letterforms all around us.”

9. “Design by Nature: Using Universal Forms and Principles in Design” by Maggie Macnab http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321747763

So much of what designers create is rooted in the concepts of the natural world and this books takes you through some of the shapes and forms that are part of science, technology, art and design. (And how they all come together.) The book contains great examples of making it all work across a variety of disciplines.

10. “On Writing” by Stephen King http://www.amazon.com/Writing-10th-Anniversary-Memoir-Craft/dp/1439156816/

Every designer needs to have the confidence to put together text for projects. Reading and reading about writing can help you gain that confidence and improve your skills.

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