Graphic Design Books

[Groove Holmes]

So, the head graphic artist at our parent company was up a few weeks ago, and we were talking about design libraries. She said she had a place online where you could be Graphic Design Texts & Books dirt cheap, but couldn't remember the address. She kept thinking it was Graphicdesignbooks.com

or something insanely easy that she just couldh't remember. Any clue to what site she is thinking of with cheap graphic books? I'm always looking to improve upon my design library.

Appended question: What books are the most valuable in your collection? I don't really have any logo or letterhead design books or anything like that, or even any color process guides other than my pantone chip process to solid guide. Just curious what you all deem necessary or essential.

Merry Christmas,
Greg

[J.D.Roni]

i have almost no idea what you're talking about, BUT my mom and sis are both designers so let me ask them and see if it can help.

[Sushi]

When I get back to the office this week, I'll look. I think I know what place she's talking about. I've ordered some good design books from this one place--kind of the BMG of design/graphic books.

Also, are you familiar with Edward Tufte? I don't know what kind of design you do, but if it has anything to do with putting quantitative information into visual form, Tufte is The Man.

[Groove Holmes]

wel mainly I design ads for businesses...but, the yellow pages aren't my career goals. It's fun for now, but eventually I want to have my own design studio doin brand identity, logos etc. for businesses...

thanks for the help.

[Groove Holmes]

Hey Sushi,

Any new news on this front? Sorry to grope at my bit...but you know how it is...and also, I thought if I bumped this up, someone else might see it...

thanks for any info,
Greg

[Sushi]

Graphic Design Book Club
PO Box 9274
Central Islip, NY 11722-9274
1-800-221-6364

I first found them in Dynamic Graphics magazine (had some back issues lying around the office). I haven't bought any books from them for a few years--don't do as much design work anymore and really don't have the money to keep building a library for something that's only peripherally related to my current job. A quick google search turned up this posting on someone's blog: (http://www.momathome.com/viewfromhome/2003/12/graphic_design_book_club_foldi.php)
"I got my monthly packet for the Graphic Design Book Club today. It seems that they're morphing into How Magazine's online bookstore, and getting rid of the monthly mailings. The letter that came with this month's mailing says that January will be the last catalog, and the website as it currently exists will only be up until May 2004. All books are heavily discounted, and while I can use my leftover bonus points (7 as of this writing) I can't earn any more. Oh well. Of all the media clubs I've ever belonged to, the GDBC was my favorite. They had a nice selection of inspiration books that helped me keep up with the latest trends in graphic design. It's not the same to look at websites and magazines, sometimes you just have to look at a print example printed on fine coffee table book-quality paper."

I've looked at HOW magazine a bit online. It's not bad, but I do prefer to have high-quality print examples in my personal reference library--not just online examples.

Several of the books that I bought through GDBC were published by North Light Books, which is located in Cincinnati (don't know if you're one of the many Cincy folks on the boards or not). Hope this helps.

[Groove Holmes]

Thanks for the info Sushi, thats a bummer that I missed the train on that one.

And, nope, I'm not in Cinci, I'm in Maine. Lonely Maine.

[Sushi]

Maine is a lovely state.

[Groove Holmes]

Maine is a lovely state.

aww, thanks. I like it, I just meant lonely in the sense that noone around here seems to be from here

I just checked out How Magazine's Site. Not too bad, looks like there are 20% savings on those books, even over Amazon, although I only compared one title. There didn't seem to be that many titles available however, and not many that I have personally been interested in, in the past.

Is the magazine itself worth subscribing to? I don't subscribe to any design magazines...although I do pick up Photoshop User from time to time, it usually has some ok tips.

Its nice to see some fresh new creative ways of using the software. I feel like I get a little stagnant since here at work I'm cranking out high volumes of, for the most part, generic ads.

I don't wanna lose my chops though, just because I don't use em here.

[Groove Holmes]

Not too bad, looks like there are 20% savings on those books, even over Amazon, although I only compared one title.

I meant to ask if this was in line with the savings you would receive in the past from the Graphic Design Book Club?

Thanks,
Greg

[Sushi]

I was such a newbie to the world of design that I was just happy to have a great selection of books to choose from without having the wade through a lot of crap. They also had the buy-one-get-three-free deal that many book clubs offer. That's what hooked me in. The few times I compared, their prices were equivalent to or less than what I saw elsewhere.

[Chespo]

Several of the books that I bought through GDBC were published by North Light Books, which is located in CincinnatiThat's because GDBC, How Magazine and North Light Books are all owned by the same company; I work for them.

Holmes, did you check the A-Z list on the Store section of How's web site? There are 72 titles.

Of them, I'd strongly recommend Jim Krause's Index series: Color Index, Idea Index, Layout Index, Design Basics Index and the new Photo Idea Index. They're all kinda pocket sized, and contain thousands of idea sparkers, if you will; visual prompts on the myriad ways to tackle any given project. His design and instruction are wonderfully clean and concise, and he has such breadth of imagination and vision. I'm seriously not just saying that because I work here; they're extremely good books-- far and away some of our best-sellers, and their many foreign-language editions are perennial top sellers as well. The first three books can also be found in a clear boxed-set, which (if purchased on the How site) basically gives you three books for the price of two.

[/salesman]

[Groove Holmes]

Yeah, I saw the idea indexes, and those are a set I've been wanting for some time, so I'll probably pick those up. Other than that though, I just meant that I didn't see many titles I previously was looking for.

In what capacity do you work for them?

I'm really looking for good books on typography, or more specifically, books on font design.

thanks for any help
greg

[justa bill]

Of them, I'd strongly recommend Jim Krause's Index series: Color Index

Chespo, I'm an architect, and of the many things they made us study in college color theory really wasn't one of them. Spelling wasn't either, but that's another story. :]

I used to paint a lot growing up and have some exposure to working with/composing with color, but I'd like to brush up on it. Sorry, pun not intended. Anyway, one of the things I'm looking for are published sets of color combinations where there are maybe three or four colors that group nicely. You know, "field" colors, "object" or "accent" colors... so forth.

I've seen this before, but it may have been in an interior design book... any ideas? Is the "Color Index" you mentioned kind of like that?

:]

[Chespo]

Anyway, one of the things I'm looking for are published sets of color combinations where there are maybe three or four colors that group nicely. You know, "field" colors, "object" or "accent" colors... so forth.

I've seen this before, but it may have been in an interior design book... any ideas? Is the "Color Index" you mentioned kind of like that?Yes, that's precisely what Color Index is. We have two other book along similar lines, by Leslie Cabarga: The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations (ISBN 0-89134-857-3) and The Designer's Guide to Global Color Combinations (ISBN 1-58180-195-5), which deals more explicitly with the color palettes historically found in verious geographic regions.

Holmes, wish I could tout some of our books on type, but they never sold very well and are mostly out of print. Heh heh, "books on tape" makes me sound like an Australian trying to say "books on tape", but I digress. I don't think our books were bad, but it was such a niche market that the sales just couldn't keep the books alive. We have an excellent one in the works, but it won't come out until December 2006.

As an aside, I love looking at masterfully-used type, and I certainly enjoy playing with it endlessly when I'm making fliers or CD inserts, but man was it TEDIOUS to actually hand-paint letterforms back in art school. I like type, but I'm not ashamed to say that I like fonts much better...

[Groove Holmes]

I like type, but I'm not ashamed to say that I like fonts much better...

So what is the difference between Typefaces & Fonts? Are typefaces designed by hand, while fonts are manipulated vector shapes?

Just curious. I want to design my own, for Logos, Magazine Layout & Advertisements here at work. All for print, at 200dpi and above.

Is it Font Designing I want to look into, or Typography I should be studying?

Thanks, and if anyone can possibly recommend a good book on the subject I'd appreciate that as well.

I feel a little silly for even asking,
Greg

[Chespo]

I'm just speaking of the difference between manipulating electronic type versus the days when if you wanted a modified typeface you had to design it and carve it into metal blocks. I'm amazed anything ever got printed at all. Designers correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the more accurate historical term for the discipline you're pursuing is Typography; I think a "font" refers specifically to a collection of related typefaces.

[Groove Holmes]

Cool, thanks...Now all I need is the perfect manual that tells me, Do this, then this, use this to do this.

I know that I could just make letters out of vector shapes, or draw them by hand, scan them in, trace over them with my pen tool...and then import each shape into a font creation software or something. But I know their must be an easier way, or at least some standards for doing this. Like maybe there is a way to easily convert my scanned images into vector shapes, or maybe there is an easier way to manipulate the shapes so that all of the serifs, etc are consistant throughout the typeface.

I know the best way for me to learn is to just jump in and start doing it, but I'd definitely love some guidance if anyone is able to provide some.

Greg

[Sushi]

I'm just speaking of the difference between manipulating electronic type versus the days when if you wanted a modified typeface you had to design it and carve it into metal blocks. I'm amazed anything ever got printed at all. Designers correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the more accurate historical term for the discipline you're pursuing is Typography; I think a "font" refers specifically to a collection of related typefaces.
Yes, he wants to study typography. The typeface is the design--the look of an alphabet. A font is the digital file. When you're designing, you choose a typeface, but you use the font to create the finished product. A good definition is right here (http://designforum.aiga.org/content.cfm?ContentAlias=_getfullarticle&aid=291450).

Check out some of the resources I listed in the Move over, Gutenberg thread. I would especially recommend joining the letpress listserv, if only because the folks on there will teach you a LOT about typography and printing in general.

You also might want to check out the Rare Book School (http://www.virginia.edu/oldbooks/) at the University of Virginia. They have one-week intensive workshops in a variety of related disciplines.

One book that might interest you:

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF PRINTING TYPES
By Geoffrey Dowding

For anyone interested in type design, some knowledge of the history of
typefaces is invaluable. Many different factors have determined their
development over time, and the changes that have occurred over 500 years (as
shown by how great printers and publishers used type) reflect the often
radically different approaches to the presentation and dissemination of
texts. This work is a succinct and authoritative account, lavishly
illustrated, of the evolution of type design from the earliest Blackletters
to present day forms.

The book is divided into two parts, "Book Types" and "Display Types," and
each is treated chronologically and arranged in groups with similar
characteristics which are defined and illustrated. Reference is made to
current equivalents. Practically all illustrations have been reproduced in
facsimile and many sources have been searched to obtain representative
examples. Fully documented notes accompany each typeface and provide the
reader with a wealth of material for study, while appendixes cover elements
of design such as stress and serif.

Renowned designers such as Baskerville, Bodoni, Caslon, Morison and Goudy
did not create in a vacuum, but they possessed a detailed knowledge of the
solutions offered by past practitioners. Today, when computer-aided design
seems to make anything possible, there has never been a greater need to
study the practical achievements of the predecessors of type design.

For those concerned the with proper use of hundreds of typefaces now
available, this book provides an essential framework on which can be built
an appreciative understanding of the rich heritage of expressive letter
design that lies in the printer's case. It simplifies the problem of
identifying unfamiliar types and encourages that confidence in handling a
variety of typefaces which comes from an understanding of their origins,
history and uses. Many of the illustrations added have been expertly chosen
from the collections of The British Library and the St. Bride Foundation
Printing Library. This work belongs on the bookshelf of every printer,
publisher, graphic designer, and student of the printing and publishing
arts. Co-published by Oak Knoll Press and The British Library.

1997, 7 x 10 inches, illustrated, 304 pages.
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[calle]

Risking getting called "an after school special" once again, all I have to say is stay away from books in terms of keeping up with trends, etc. For one, you don't need a book to tell you what looks good (unless you're looking for a how-to tips-and-tricks-book), and to know what's trendy or up and coming you just need to use your eyes. In addition to that, just apply your own taste and skill. I'm sure you'll be able to do something better than anyone else if that's what you aim to do. Getting others to agree with that is the difficult part.

[justa bill]

Yes, that's precisely what Color Index is. We have two other book along similar lines, by Leslie Cabarga: The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations (ISBN 0-89134-857-3) and The Designer's Guide to Global Color Combinations (ISBN 1-58180-195-5), which deals more explicitly with the color palettes historically found in verious geographic regions.

thanks Chespo. that's exactly what i'm talking about. it can be nerve racking to "spec" colors knowing that once they're up, they're up...

if only you could print the whole building out and see how it looks in daylight with those colors! :] there are so many variations, but sometimes just to see alll of the colors your thinking about on one page helps...