Here comes the New Year with its load of good resolutions. Beside stopping smoking, registering to the ridiculously expensive fitness club at the corner and promising to celebrate Valentine’s Day elsewhere than on the sofa watching a pointless TV series, many have promised themselves to launch in a frenetic rythm of « useful » reading (free papers don’t belong in this category…).
Here I could discuss a never-ending quantity of books a good webdesigner, creative, strategic planner and any other person whose job is related to the Web and social media could purchase. No way! However I can share with you a few very interesting publications, which will bring you happiness and inspiration over the long winter nights.
I chose to build various themes, so that any one of you can quickly find one or more books to purchase or to offer.
The Great Masters, those worth reading once a year
BOB GILL
BOB GILL - Graphic Design as a Second Language
BOB GILL - Graphic Design as a Second Language
PAUL ARDEN
PAUL ARDEN - any book you find
PAUL ARDEN - any book you find
SAUL BASS
It is very difficult to find publications specially dedicated to Saul BASS. Even his mythical DVD, in which he talks about his art of Title Design seems impossible to find. YouTube withdrew it for infringement of copyrights. Check out books compiling some of his works or the site listing his work on Title Design. The uncontested initiator of contemporary graphic design.
SAUL BASS
MARTIN PARR
For the creative mind, it is normal to get inspiration in every form of art – well that’s my point of view. Before even touching a computer (or before computers invaded our homes), I used to use miles and miles of film with a Kodak Instamatic and other cameras. Take your inspiration from photography! Martin PARR is one of those photographers you can’t get enough of!
Buy on Amazon
MARTIN PARR - by Val Williams
MARTIN PARR - by Val Williams
PAUL RAND
PAUL RAND - by Steven Heller
PAUL RAND - by Steven Heller
Study cases, campaign cases
Looking at how others work is awe-inspiring. Looking at their creative processes, their briefs, their results… Here are three books, two of them being updated every year, which are real mines of information.
2 KILO – KESSELS KRAMMER
2 KILO - Kessels Krammer
2 KILO - Kessels Krammer
ART DIRECTORS ANNUAL
ART DIRECTORS ANNUAL
ART DIRECTORS ANNUAL
DESIGN IN EUROPE
DESIGN IN EUROPE
DESIGN IN EUROPE
Social Media and Marketing
Since everything is social now and we have the opportunity to get to read the marketing secrets of some of the biggest specialists, here is a sample of the huge amount of publications available.
THE TWITTER BOOK
THE TWITTER BOOK - Tim O'Reilly, Sarah Milstein
THE TWITTER BOOK - Tim O'Reilly, Sarah Milstein
PURPLE COW, THE BIG MOO
PURPLE COW and others - Seth Godin
PURPLE COW and others - Seth Godin
THE LONG TAIL
THE LONG TAIL - Chris Anderson
THE LONG TAIL - Chris Anderson
THE TIPPING POINT
THE TIPPING POINT - Malcolm Gladwell
The creative’s inspiration and reference
There’s always a need for a breeze of novelty and inspiration. Often looking at a combination of colors, a shape or an illustration is enough to get back into motion. Get inspired. Improve. Give a new interprétation. Innovate. All these images surrounding us nourish us in the end. Don’t forget : you are the sole master of your own style. Know how to work it without copying.
SERIALIZE
SERIALIZE: Family Faces and Variety in Graphic Design
SERIALIZE: Family Faces and Variety in Graphic Design
AN EYE FOR COLOR
AN EYE FOR COLOR - Olga Gutierrez De La Roza
AN EYE FOR COLOR - Olga Gutierrez De La Roza
LOS LOGOS 1, 2, 3, 4
The logo bible in 4 volumes heavy as a ton of bricks. Compiled by Büro Destruct. A must have.
Buy on Gestalten
LOS LOGOS - Büro Destruct
LOS LOGOS - Büro Destruct
OBEY
Let those who have never seen the world-famous red, white and blue portrait of Barak Obama cast the first stone at themselves ! Here is an essential book by Shepard Fairy, a brilliant illustrator, an inimitable style, a treat for the eyes.
Buy on Obey Giant
OBEY - Shepard Fairey
OBEY - Shepard Fairey
THE ART OF REBELLION 2
The Art of Rebellion 2 - Christian Hundertmark
The Art of Rebellion 2 - Christian Hundertmark
From theory to practice
Here are a few books explaining the jobs in communications, advertising, graphic design and how to go from theory to practice. How to conceptualize, think, learn tricks, jargon and eventually become the 21st century’s Paul Arden. One important thing : follow the rules but think out of the box.
THE ADVERTISING CONCEPT BOOK
Buy on Advertising Concept Book
THE ADVERTISING CONCEPT BOOK - Pete Barry
THE ADVERTISING CONCEPT BOOK - Pete Barry
THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN
THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN - Dan Roam
THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN - Dan Roam
HOW TO BE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SOUL
HOW TO BE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SOUL - Adrian Shaughnessy
HOW TO BE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SOUL - Adrian Shaughnessy
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CREATIVE ADVERTISING
AVA Academia, publishing house, has many other titles that could be of interest to you. Don’t hesitate to have a look at all their publications.
Buy on AVA Academia
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CREATIVE ADVERTISING - Ken Burtenshaw
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CREATIVE ADVERTISING - Ken Burtenshaw
THE ART OF LOOKING SIDEWAYS
Phaidon Editions publish magnificent, unique books. I recommand another one further down : A smile in the mind.
Buy on Phaidon
THE ART OF LOOKING SIDEWAYS - Alan Fletcher
THE ART OF LOOKING SIDEWAYS - Alan Fletcher
DESIGNING UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE
I strongly recommend this book. To tempt you, here is a description in English : These questions formed the starting point of the research, which resulted in a report exploring the meaning of ‘universal knowledge’ as well as the process of collecting, structuring, designing, and publishing it. Designers and researchers from different fields have set standards for the classification and design of complex data collections and have thus exerted an enormous influence on how knowledge is communicated.
The report explores this topic as well as the possibilities of ‘universal design’ and presents new approaches to visualize complex information.
Buy on The world as flat land
DESIGNING UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE - Gerlinde Schuller
DESIGNING UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE - Gerlinde Schuller
A SMILE IN THE MIND
A SMILE IN THE MIND - Beryl McAlhone
A SMILE IN THE MIND - Beryl McAlhone
We like the web from every angle
I’m really into webdesign. I’m also into ergonomy and usability. Books on theory are important but nothing is better than experience and online resources …
ERGONOMIE WEB
ERGONOMIE WEB - Amélie Boucher
ERGONOMIE WEB - Amélie Boucher
ONLINE SUCCESS : instructions for use
ONLINE SUCCESS : instructions for use - Julius Wiedemann
ONLINE SUCCESS : instructions for use - Julius Wiedemann
TASCHEN WEB COLLECTION
the TASCHEN
the TASCHEN
In brief…
If you don’t find a book to offer yourself or someone else on this list, come back next year. By then, I will have prepared another collection for your shelves… or to please your nephew.
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Tags: books, Brand Intelligence, brands, design, graphisme, insight, lecture, livres, photo, photography, reading, storytelling
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