Top Books for Emerging Designers
There’s a handful of books that are my go-to recommendations for designers at the beginning of their careers. This collection is a combination of what I found most influential at my start as well as key books that impacted me along the way. Some I’ve read cover-to-cover many times, for others once was enough and the knowledge stuck.
Either way, I’ve found myself keeping these and the rest of my design library within arms reach, much as wizards might keep their collection of spell books nearby. You never know when you need that chant and list of ingredients for turning your neighbor into a frog or when you might want to reference a Spiekermann diatribe about Helvetica.
5. Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works, by Erik Spiekermann
The first edition of this book was our Bible in typography class. It’s clear and direct. No nonsense, just like the author. We had a thorough schooling in how to use type and since then I’ve been quite adamant about this principle: if you can master typography, you can design nearly anything. It appears to be hard to find these days, but as of the writing of this blog, San Francisco’s City Lights bookstore has some.
4. Creative Strategy and the Business of Design, by Douglas Davis
I’ve been an evangelist for this book since it was first published in 2016. At that point I’d been working in the profession for decades—in both large and small firms prior to launching my own. When I sat down with this book, my mind was blown. Page after page was filled with the best approaches for laying the groundwork for great design and campaigns. It was everything I would have wanted to tell the 21 year old version of myself, looking to make an impact on the world with my craft. Get your copy at Bookshop.org
3. Design is a Job, by Mike Monteiro
It would be tough to find a more passionate advocate for design and designers as professionals. It’s not a long read, but it is packed with the fundamentals that people should have, whether they are planning to go into business for themselves or not. For a great preview, check out his infamous Creative Mornings talk from 2011. Get your copy at A Book Apart.
2. Designing Brand Identity, by Alina Wheeler
This book seems like it doubles as a textbook for a course on brand identity and at the same time a invaluable reference for seasoned professionals. It’s always in arms reach for me and serves as a source of inspiration as well as a gut check to make sure I’m not missing any key details in systems I’m working on. Get your copy from the author’s site.
1. Paul Rand: A Designer’s Art, by Paul Rand
His work is what convinced me to switch from illustration to graphic design. To see a pioneer of our profession lead the way with work that exuded wit, joy and delight—often for the seemingly driest of clients, whether it be Westinghouse, International Business Machines or a United Parcel Service—made me realize that I could find creative fulfillment in working for any sort of client vertical. Get your copy from the author’s site.