Final Pieces

What's it about?

100 Classic Graphic Design Journals surveys a unique collection of the most influential magazines devoted to graphic design, advertising, and typography. These journals together span over 100 years of the history of print design and chart the rise of graphic design.

Why do I want to read it?

These 100 journals offer an invaluable resource to historians and students of graphic design, and a rich seam of visual research and inspiration for graphic designers.

What's it about?

From the earliest cave paintings through to the internet and street art, this inspiring book chronicles the 100 most influential ideas that have shaped the world of art. Arranged in broadly chronological order, it provides a unique and compelling take on the history of art.

Why do I want to read it?

This books provides a broad overview of the history of art and graphic design. It can provide inspiration for final pieces.

What's it about?

Short essays on design from one of the most famous academic design writers.

Why do I want to read it?

Bierut is widely considered the finest observer on design writing today.

What's it about?

An engaging and intimate glimpse into the personal pages of a wide variety of select artists and journal keepers whose works not only provide visual delight and inspiration but evidence the intensity and devotion that such personal journals invite.

Why do I want to read it?

This book may offer insight into how you can become more experimental in your sketchbooks and build an exciting portfolio.

What's it about?

Graphic Design Solutions provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to graphic design and advertising design, with step-by-step visual solutions that readers can apply with confidence to their own design and advertising projects.

Why do I want to read it?

Provides a good overview of how graphic design provides solutions for a variety of media, and what demands there are in the professional world.

What's it about?

Graphic Design Thinking explores a variety of techniques to stimulate fresh thinking to arrive at compelling and viable solutions. Each approach is explained with a brief narrative text followed by a variety of visual demonstrations and case studies.

Why do I want to read it?

Graphic Design Thinking is directed at working designers, design students, as an aid in the brainstorm and design process. It may help you work through creator's block!

What's it about?

From pencils to computers, from scissors to paper, from stencils to printers, a vast array of mark-making tools are investigated and manipulated, illustrated with examples and exercises that stretch the limits of conventional usability, reinvent traditional, hand-making methods, and break all the rules along the way.

Why do I want to read it?

A great resource if you're looking to be more experimental and need some inspiration!

What's it about?

When undertaking a new project, the first thing that must be decided on is the layout. The book includes techniques that can be used to enhance any layout, as well as insights into the factors that helped make each layout an effective piece.

Why do I want to read it?

This book will help get you started on any project!

What's it about?

Charting the evolution of radicalism in design, from the early influences of the Dadaists to the fractured advertisements and multi-layered 3-D work that presage the future, this is a unique profile of the landmark designers who break the rules, fracture the grid, and set new standards for the graphic arts.

Why do I want to read it?

Although two-decades old, this book can provide excellent support when approaching new projects.

What's it about?

This book offers advice and encouragement to help readers foster creativity and be artistically productive in a wide variety of endeavors.

Why do I want to read it?

A great book to read for when you get creative block or when you're starting a project.

What's it about?

Considers how we look at paintings and pictures.

Why do I want to read it?

A revolutionary book in the field of art study. Will help you in understanding how people perceive art and may offer some interesting ideas you could include in your analysis.

What's it about?

From Monet's water lilies to Van Gogh's sunflowers, from Warhol's soup cans to Hirst's pickled shark, hear the stories behind the masterpieces, meet the artists as they really were, and discover the real point of modern art.

Why do I want to read it?

Offers some interesting ideas on modern art which you could include in your analyses.