When it comes to honing your craft, there’s nothing quite like learning from the experts. I’ve been collecting design books for years and am here to share my top five with you. These are the books I keep within arms reach of my workstation at all times. So if you’re looking for inspiration or a great read, look no further! Here are five must-have design books.
Made by James by James Martin
This book is a fantastic tribute to legendary graphic designer and illustrator James Martin. With over 200 pages of images from his archive, this book is essential for any graphic design enthusiast. It's filled with photos from Martin's life and work that will whisk readers away on a journey through time. From inspiring sketches to insightful quotes from Martin, this book will surely give you the inspiration you need.
Draplin Design Co.: Pretty Much Everything by Aaron James Draplin
What I love about this book is that it provides a behind-the-scenes peek at how Draplin crafts stunning designs from start to finish. It also includes lots of fun anecdotes and advice on how to stay motivated when things get tough.
The Process is the Inspiration by House Industries
This book celebrates 25 years of House Industries’ iconic typefaces and designs. It showcases stunning images of their typography and artwork and interviews with some of their key creative team members. It also takes you behind the scenes of their process and shows how they develop new ideas every day despite facing seemingly impossible challenges. This book is perfect for anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about what goes into creating exquisite typefaces and designs.
Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler
Designing Brand Identity is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to build their brand from scratch or strengthen an existing one. This book offers step-by-step guidance on developing strong brand identity guidelines that will ensure consistency across all touch points—from logo design and typography to packaging and website development—and will help set your business apart from its competitors.
Goodtype: The Art of Lettering by Brooke Robinson
Lettering is an art form, and Robinson does a great job illustrating just how intricate and rewarding it can be. From brush lettering to digital typography and more, this book provides an in-depth look at all aspects of lettering and why it’s so important in design today.
Whether you consider yourself a professional designer, we can always learn something new about our craft! Having these five books close by has been instrumental in helping me stay informed on current trends while also keeping my skills sharpened over time—they have become invaluable resources over the years! If you're looking for creative inspiration or want to brush up on your existing knowledge, these must-have books should be added to your collection immediately! Happy reading!