Book recommendation (graphic design)

Ok I've had it. This book is just too nice to keep for myself.

While our class was on a trip to London a few months ago we visited the Design Museum and of course looked at some really great stuff in the exhibits, but what made me really happy that day was one of the best gift shops ever. It was more of a design + design books shop, and I'm serious, I pretty much wanted to bring all of the books back home with me. Sadly, my arms and wallet can only sustain so much damage, so I narrowed it down to one book. It took me forever, the others were literally waiting for me so we could leave at the end. The book I keep being impressed by is "Introducing: Visual Identities for Small Businesses".

The deal is they show work of somewhat small, and sometimes low-budget visual identities for small businesses. Which I'm sure you got from the title. (Oh how smart you are). There's a lot of diversity and it's great to have to browse through just to get a zap of inspiration and know that it can be done even if you're not a multi-million dollar design agency! Just check these out:
Aren't they great? And these aren't even the best of the bunch, as I got lazy/am busy and just borrowed these from the publisher's website. So you want to know where to get it do you? Well here or at Amazon are both good places to look. Or you could go to London, that's always the best choice.

Ta-da! Back to reading for my oral exam. Yup! I'm sure that would include reading CAP&DESIGN. Wink.

All pictures from Gestalten (They have a lot of other brilliant art & design books so you should check that out too while you're at it.)

Inspiration is cross pollination.

Marian Bantjes gives an interesting talk about how she has gone from the strictly impersonal graphic design work into a more personal and artistic approach, and the fact that she has never been more successful.




It's a bit of fresh air while I take a breather from the theoretical part of my studies.

Hasn't everyone seen Pinterest by now?

Well, just in case you haven't I figured it would be a good thing to show you. I keep spending a lot of time there gathering inspiration for Graphic Design, "Fashion", Interior Design, Photography, Tattoos - you name it, it's probably there in some form. Follow your friends, enemies(the competition) or strangers with great taste. Most of all: Enjoy it while it's there. (Cue mumbling about grey-area copyright wise). Just remember to give credit!

A link to my boards in case you're curious: http://pinterest.com/kjeri/