blogTHOUSAND! » buy this book or die

Buy This Book or Die: Really Good Logos Explained

5000! — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:36 +0000

Let’s get the full disclosure ickyness out of the way: I’ve got work in Rockport’s recently released Really Good Logos, Explained. But there are plenty of other good reasons to pick up this book in addition to the siren song of seeing Tokyo Farm’s goodness in print. Really Good Logos, Explained isn’t the standard grid-after-grid of logos in isolation that make up most of the logo reference genre. Instead, Rockport has asked design luminaries Margo Chase, Rian Hughes, Ron Miriello and Alex White to review 500-plus logos and explain exactly why, in their opinion, they’re so good. “In their opinion” is the key phrase here, and exactly what makes the title so interesting. Chase, et al. don’t always agree, and you certainly won’t always agree with them, but getting a peek into the thought processes of some very accomplished designers as they chew apart a logo is an all-too-rare treat that shouldn’t be missed. There are a couple of small things to nitpick. The amount of feedback from each author is a little too brief, and the bonus chapter, “Not-So-Good Logos, Explained,” doesn’t feature as productive feedback as I’d hoped. Still, those are tiny niggles and neither is a deal-breaker for this unique book.

And stay tuned for the next installment of “Buy This Book or Die” because I’m always getting asked for recommendations on books about pricing and selling your services, and I’ve got just the thing on deck.

link » Really Good Logos, Explained on Amazon
link » Margo Chase
link » Rian Hughes

Buy This Book or Die: The Elements of Typographic Style

5000! — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 18:06:49 +0000

Robert Bringhurst’s magnum opus The Elements of Typographic Style should be required reading for anyone who even thinks about working with type. Applying the principles that Bringhurst clearly and eloquently articulates in Elements is what makes the difference between typing and typesetting, and knowing that difference is what makes one a designer. I’m not the only one to give it such a ringing endorsement, either. No less a design luminary than Hermann Zapf described it as “a must for everybody in the graphic arts, and especially for our new friends entering the field.” If you’re a designer that cares about your body of work and you haven’t yet read Elements, stop reading this and go buy it right now. And if you’re a web designer, also be sure to check out Richard Rutter’s super interesting work-in-progress, The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web.

Buy This Book or Die: Print and Finish

5000! — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:19:47 +0000

Since I’m totally self-absorbed, I thought I’d start a new series to suggesting books that I think any designer would be a fool not to own. First at bat is Basics Design: Print and Finish. From the publisher’s description:

How can printing and finishing techniques be used to enhance graphic design? Basics Design: Print and Finish explores that question in depth, with complete information that will be valuable to both graphic-design students and practicing designers. Concepts such as color building, reversing out, tints, shades, gradients, halftones, and computer-to-plate printing are all explained fully, with visual examples for each. Thermography, debossing, embossing, die cutting, varnishing, and other techniques are also covered in detail, with illustrations. Examples from top design studios illuminate the text and inspire readers to use these print and finish techniques in their own work.

Too many designers approach printing the way people who’ve never been on a farm approach food: all they care about is the finished product, and they don’t want to know anything about the blood and guts. Understanding print production, however, is valuable for a variety of reasons. For one, it will help you avoid creating designs that are problematic on press. This is super common with young or inexperienced designers and they’re the kinds of “oops, that might cost me my job” moments that everybody would really rather avoid. For two, understanding what kinds of printing process are available and how you can use them is an absolutely killer way to take your work to another level. If you’re not sure what I mean, pick up the House Industries book along with this. As an added bonus, this and the other three books in the series have great cover design. If you dig this title, stay tuned. I’ve got another title along the same lines that I’ll save that for another time.