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This article showcases our top picks for the
Books To Learn Graphic Design. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below).
We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article
This list is in no particular order.
This product was recommended by Kelley Kempel from Hidden Path Creative
On the surface, learning graphic design appears to be about learning the Adobe suite. In reality, graphic design distills complex information, emotions, and goals in visual communication. Great designers have known it’s about the process first and the skill second for a long time. How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer is like having 20 design mentors on speed dial.
This product was recommended by Kristy Black from Kristy Black Creative
Going to school to learn graphic design is great, but all of us have seasons where we have more time to invest in money. If you’re in that place now, I cannot recommend Non-Designer’s Design Book enough. It’s a straight-forward book with actionable design lessons that can be applied to any type of design from web to print and will work for any platform (be it Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or something else).
This product was recommended by Louisa Smith from Epic Book Society
If you’re a graphic designer and you’re looking to hone in your skills, then Thinking with Type will be like the Oxford English Dictionary for writers. Written by Graphic Designer, Ellen Lupton, talks about how to use typography for visual communication, going into the very fine details such as how far apart letters should be spaced, how paragraphs should be aligned, ordered or shaped. She also explains how various typefaces, and typeface families, convey different meanings. It features examples, illustrations, style sheets and exercises for practicing. This is the number one rule book for graphic designers working with text.
This product was recommended by Jane Hammitt from FastPeopleFinder
This book is really good, well written and has just about everything you need to know about graphic design. I’m currently majoring in graphic design and was looking for something that can help me remember what I’m learning and maybe pick up a few tricks along the way. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about this subject. It’s resourceful & helpful. Has everything you will. Need as a designer. Like colors, typography, resources & More. This is helpful for Graphic & Web Designers.
This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix
It is a book built of HTML pages with text, links, images, tables, and forms. This book tells how javascript works and the importance of the language in web design. This books also teach how to use the style sheets for colours, backgrounds, formatting text.
This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix
This book is a grouped technique of the basic phases of the design process, which define certain problems and the idea associated with them. It also gives an idea about some of the informal techniques or strategies ideal for quick thinking.
This product was recommended by Lyle Florez from EasyPeopleSearch
The user-centered design philosophy is emphasized in Dr. Norman’s Design Psychology, which reminds consumers that the goods they choose must be convenient, easy to use, and understandable. I hope that designers will not overlook the design while focusing on aesthetics. Some essential elements, because safety and convenience of use are always the deciding considerations in product design. Dr. Norman utilized witty language to express many of the frustrations and hazards that we face daily. He helped us discover the solution to these issues: product design overlooks the genuine demands of consumers in a given context and even contradicts Cognitive Science Principles.
This product was recommended by Madilyn Hill from Truepersonfinder
Turn your print design work into digital designs with confidence in Graphic Design: The New Basics! When it comes to designing for today’s web, Ellen Lupton shows us how to use simple tools and techniques for every step of the process. With a brief history of graphic design, valuable insight into responsive web design, an overview of the necessary resources, and helpful hints on all aspects of browser compatibility this comprehensive reference is a must-have resource. Whether you’re a long-time designer or just getting into the digital world, Graphic Design: The New Basics is your essential guide to creating graphics that look great onscreen and print.