6 Books Every Designer Should Have On Their Shelf

Thinking with Type, by Ellen Lupton
This classic book is on its second edition. Like Strunk & White do for writers, Lupton details how to simplify and organize information using type. Whether you design books, websites, signs, or packaging, this book will inspire you to get strategic about how you use type.

The Best American Infographics, by Gareth Cook
As we scramble to deal with information overload, infographics are having a moment. This book features the best of them. Commentary by Nate Silver explains why they work and how designers can adapt the techniques used in them for their own work.

Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far, by Stefan Sagmeister
It starts with a laser-cut slipcase. Inside, the book is packed with aphorisms and clever new perspectives on familiar topics. Designers geek out over author Sagmeister for good reason. He’s a guru to gurus, including AIGA and musicians like David Byrne.

The Secret Language of Color, by Arielle Eckstut
Everyone has a favorite color. Or at least they try to when a three-year-old asks them. But what do we really know about this mysterious property? Experts can transform a design project simply by swapping out a single color. How do they do it? This beautiful book analyzes the physics and psychology of the colors that surround us, and how they relate to each other.

Art, Inc, by Lisa Congdon
Illustrator Lisa Congdon guides readers through the art of turning their creativity into a sustainable business. How exactly do you go from knowing how something should look to getting paid for your expertise? Congdon includes advice from creatives like Nikki McClure and Paula Scher, and provides readers with concrete steps they can take to get serious about their business.

Burn Your Portfolio, by Michael Janda
After years of suffering through the compliment sandwich in school and speed-dating art directors, designers learn a lot of lessons in the “real world” that they couldn’t learn any other way—until now. This book covers the nitty-gritty of how to create winning bids and proposals, get new clients, build a team of one into a fully functioning agency, and more.
What are your favorite design books?