The Reflex Blue Show with Nate Voss and Donovan Beery, Episode 18: Fall Reading List

just FYI, crazy echo sounds at 10:20. Otherwise, great show!

I would suggest the book Cradle to Cradle By William McDonough & Michael Braungart. It is by far the best "green" design book out right now.

Here is a link

http://www.mcdonough.com/cradle_to_cradle.htm

and here is a link to a ted talk William did

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/william_mcdonough_on_cradle_to_cradle_design.html

Yo guys. I'm the dude who submitted the portfolio review, which apparently is my claim to fame on the interwebs.

Sadly I graduated from Parsons in May, so I can enter the competition, but I totally would if I could!

Also, Nate, yes, I have read Element of Typographic Style from cover to cover— appendices and all!

Honestly I find Noordzij's The Stroke to be a harder read, rather than Elements.

We are aware of that audio snafu and are working on a solution — stay tuned.

Hey everyone. Sorry for the delay on the site. We had a few bugs that were last minute and they needed to be fixed before the launch. good-twin.com is officially launched now.

I have not read Elements of Typographic Style. I have read most of the others you mentioned.

Adrian's book is probably my favourite of the lot, for all the reasons discussed. However, this book has a pretty short half-life, and chances are that if you've worked in the industry for more a few years, you've learned most of these lessons the hard way. Great for graduates or anyone else who isn't sure what happens next.

As a branding and identity geek, I enjoy Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler. It discusses the theory involved, and shows plenty of case studies to demonstrate.

Did I hear my name twice? I was driving while listening to this today and couldn't believe it!

Funny you mention portfolio reviews. We are actually re-doing the layouts and updating the work in our professional portfolios right now. So I might just send a copy when I'm done... I'd be honored to get some fresh critiques from some top notch Graphic Designers such as yourselves, if you.

Thanks for answering the typography question too! (Already ordered "Elements..." on Amazon!) I want to "second" the suggestion for Cradle-to-Cradle. We are reading that for Industrial Design Theory class and most of us can't put it down.

Also, in a semi-Drew Davies manner, I'd like to suggest "Letters To A Young Poet" by: Rainer Maria Rilke. It applies to most every artistic profession (despite saying poet) and is like receiving letters from an omniscient mentor every time it's read. In fact, I've re-read it every summer for a few years now (its rather short) and I find something new and inspiring every time. Highly Recommended for students.

No links to the picks? I listened to the show and didn't take notes. I came here looking for an Amazon link list to all the picks. :(

I have also owned the Elements of Typographic Style for probably 5 years now and haven't managed to make it more than a fourth of the way through. I like to blame my inability to make it through the book on the fact that I do the majority of my work on the web where typography takes a back seat to whatever IE or FF deems worthy of supporting.

Read the comments before listening, so for Jon:

Books mentioned in the show:

The Brand Gap
Elements of Typographic Style
A Brand Apart
A Designer's Research Manual
Paul Rand (by Stephen Heller)
How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul
And Tango Makes Three
How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer
Hatch Show Print
Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far
Masters of Design: Logos & Identity
Hot, Flat & Crowded
Once You're Lucky, Twice You're Good
The Information Design Handbook
Watching the Watchmen
Batmanga

Hey guys, I just wanted to write in and say thanks for attempting to answer my questions, unfortunately I must have miscommunicated or it just wasn't quite what you wanted to use for the show.

While my question was "How do I become a better designer", the subject line for me says it all "Self-Taught Design Books". I am trying to learn how to be a designer and have been combing through Amazon to try and find books that will teach me those core ideas. Essentially I want to learn how to be a designer without having to take classes (if at all possible).

Here are some of the ones I'm currently reading:
Robin Williams Design Workshop

and I have been going through this iTunesU podcast:
http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/itunes.open.ac.uk.1543326380 (Design and Designing) which has some good exercises.

I was thinking about picking this up.
Typography Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Type in Graphic Design
Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop
Logo Design Workbook: A Hands-On Guide to Creating Logos
Layout Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Building Pages in Graphic Design
Fingerprint: The Art of Using Hand-Made Elements in Graphic Design

And just design books I was looking at:
Zag
Brand Gap
The Dictionary of Brand
Brand Apart (by Joe Duffy)

This isn't to say the books you mentioned in the podcast weren't excellent recommendations, but just not quite what I was looking for advice on. Would love to hear from others on these books.

GEEZ MAN.

Essential Principles of Graphic Design -- Debbie Millman

Thinking with Type -- Ellen Lupton

How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul -- Adrain Shaunessey

And any book by Lynda.com for software training. In short, there is no one-stop solution for you. You would do well to read any of the books mentioned.

Warner, I recommend hitting at least a few classes if your local community college or university offers them. I think the feedback and guidance that you get from an instructor and peers is pretty invaluable.

Thanks!

Justin, huge thanks for typing out the list. I added Amazon links to the bottom of the post, but only to our official 'list'. Yours even has ones we talk about in passing. Impressive.

@justin
I wish I could but I'm already working fulltime and going to school part time to finish my CS degree so it isn't really a possibility. I'm working through the "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" right now as I think it will give me a good foundation and then start working through all the design exercises that I've found so far.

My fiancee picked up "Print" and "Communication Arts" for me to peruse as well, those are awesome magazines. As far as the technical stuff I know there are tons of good books out there (as well as videos), it's the foundational stuff that I'm unsure of personally. I think I have a good "feel" for good design, but I can't voice why it's good yet.

No problem, it's a long and boring bus ride into work.

Totally agree on Speed Racer. Saw it in the theater, unfortunately. In DLP. Don't ask why.

I reviewed it myself this summer: http://hollirausch.com/archives/226

In the review, I also expressed my fear of seizures.

Hey guys, loved the reading list, but wanted to include another: "Caffeine for the Creative Mind" by Stefan Mumaw & Wendy Lee Oldfield. It's not so much a book you read cover-to-cover, but rather a book filled with exercises to awaken the designer's mind. Kinda takes me back to the days of student assignments. Once in awhile, I will have the people in my department pick one out, just as something to break up the monotony of our day.

PLUS, the book does include a few designer interviews, including one from (gasp) Von Glitschka! (BTW, his two books of textures and patterns are DEFINITELY on my Christmas list.) Pretty spiffy.

Warner I feel your pain about the school thing. I wish I could go back for further education in graphic and web design. Perhaps you should look at some books that are dedicated to the history of graphic design to get you some background of good design.

Here are some books that were required when I was a student.

1. Design Basics - DAVID A. LAUER & STEPHEN PENTAK
2. Typographic Design: Form and Communication - ROB CARTER, BEN DAY, PHILIP MEGGS
3. A History of Graphic Design - Philip B. Meggs

Good luck! Graphic Design is super glamorous so get ready for fame and fortune!!!