Justin //

Design Bookshelf 2014

A non-comprehensive, not terribly influential, ever-changing list of books that I keep around and reference often while working. Them all, or read none of them. Share your thoughts about these books and send me your lists of personal favorites.

Chicago Manual of Style

A definitive reference on all matters related to text, manuscript preparation, and layout. Covers everything from punctuation to chapter headings to page margins.

Design Writing Research

Collection of essays on graphic design, grouped as theory, media, and history. Great for inspiration and getting a solid foundational understanding of the trade.

Thinking with Type

Typography usage, history, and patterns. Covers basic terms, has some exercises and lots of examples, discusses both print and digital typography.

Forms, Folds and Sizes

Basic information for graphic design. Names, descriptions and usage of common folds, media sizes, and package styles. Has metrics such as dimensions, weight, type size, etc. Full of recommendations and considerations.

Typography Sketchbooks

Collected pages form sketchbooks of various typographers and lettering artists. Great for inspiration and getting inside the head of another designer.

The Essential Frank Lloyd Wright

A collection of influential essays by and influential architect. By no means the best or the most influential, his writings are very relevant to my work as a designer and I find they have bering on the general discipline of design. Covers topics such as honesty vs. ornament, accessibility, sustainability, and humanity vs. efficiency.

Creative Advertising

Examples, recommendations, and discussion of good communication arts. Covers process, patterns, and concepts. A showcase of solid ideas and innovative executions from cover to cover.

Styles, Schools, and Movements

Overview of 300+ artistic styles, schools, and movements, throughout history. Great for reference, research, and inspiration.

Product Design for the Web

Thoughts and patterns for thinking about digital products. Covers design, development, and project management. Themes include agile workflow, user experience, and accessibility.

Various Magazines

I like to keep stacks of magazines around for reference, diversion, and inspiration. I try to choose ones with good balance between visual and editorial content, high quality paper stock, and visual subject matter. Here's what's usually in my stacks: