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Start your free trialMaria Wendt
2,820 PointsWhat are some good graphic design books for a beginner student?
Hey my fellow Treehousers! I am looking to buy some graphic design books and was wondering if anyone had some recommendations?? Thank you!
12 Answers
Ryan Carson
23,287 PointsDavid Poindexter
Courses Plus Student 1,690 Points"Design for hackers" by David Kadavy is excellent. He's also a pretty stellar guy, and I was lucky to see him at a conference in Indy. Very good head on his shoulders as far as practical design principles.
James Barnett
39,199 Points@Maria -
My reading list for the beginning Designer on the Web (in order)
Maria Wendt
2,820 PointsThanks for the recommend, it is a book I'd like to keep in mind for later down the road. However, at the moment, I am still in the process of learning graphic design and was hoping for books along the lines of learning the trade. Sorry, I should have been more specific. Thanks for taking the time to respond!
JD Richards
4,601 PointsThe Shape of Design by Frank Chimero www.shapeofdesignbook.com
Maria Wendt
2,820 PointsThanks guys! @JD Richards, I was taking a look at The Shape of Design and was wondering if the version posted online is the full version or just like a teaser to get you to buy the whole thing? http://www.shapeofdesignbook.com/foreword.html. Thanks!
Caroline Hagan
12,612 PointsSome of the books that i read in my early days (still have them!) are:
"How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul" - Adrian Shaughnessy
"It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be" - Paul Arden
"Logo Design Love" - David Airey
"A Century of Graphic Design: Graphic Design Pioneers of the 20th Century" - Jeremy Aynsley
"Robin Williams Design Workshop" - Robin Williams
and many more... basically anything I could get my hands on at the library!
Graphic Designs Solutions by Robin Landa plus a good book on design principles is Design Basics: David A. Lauer, Stephen Pentak
A.b. Martinez
10,460 PointsI just started a book titled "Graphic Design Thinking: Beyond Brainstorming" by Ellen Lupton. Definitely worth a read. Good luck on your journey!
Maria Wendt
2,820 Points@everyone Thank you so much for all of these recommendations. I certainly have a lot to choose from and will be able to come back to this list whenever I need new books! Hope you all have a wonderful New Year!
Maria Wendt
2,820 PointsUpdate: I am reading The Shape of Design and just wanted to let people know that it is AMAZING!!
JD Richards
4,601 PointsWow! I thought http://www.shapeofdesignbook.com/foreword.html was a teaser but I just scrolled through what looked like the whole thing to me.