Introduces young people to the fundamental elements of design using shapes, lines, and humor.

A lot has happened in the world of digital design since the first edition of this title was published, but one thing remains true: There is an ever-growing number of people attempting to design everything from newsletters to advertisements with no formal training. This book is the one place they can turn to find quick, non-intimidating, excellent design help from trusted design instructor Robin Williams. This revised and expanded classic includes a new chapter on designing with type, more quizzes and exercises, updated projects, and new visual and typographic examples that give the book a fresh, modern look. In The Non-Designer's Design Book, 4th Edition, Robin turns her attention to the basic principles that govern good design. Perfect for beginners, Robin boils great design into four easy-to-master principles: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity (C.R.A.P.!). Readers who follow her clearly explained concepts will produce more sophisticated and professional work immediately. Humor-infused, jargon-free prose interspersed with design exercises, quizzes, and illustrations make learning a snap–which is just what audiences have come to expect from this bestselling author.

How is a book designed? What do book designers think about as they turn manuscripts into printed books? In this unique and appealing volume, the award-winning book designer Richard Hendel and eight other talented book designers discuss their approaches and working methods. They consider the problems posed by a wide range of projects--selection of a book's size and shape, choice of typeface for text and display, arrangement of type on the page, and determination of typographic details for all parts of the book within manufacturing and budget limitations. As omnipresent as books are, few readers are aware of the "invisible" craft of book designing. The task a book designer faces is different from that faced by other designers. The challenge, says Hendel, isn't to create something different or pretty or clever but to discover how to best serve the author's words. Hendel does not espouse a single philosophy of design or offer a set of instructions; he shows that there are many ways to design a book. In detailed descriptions of the creative process, Hendel and the eight other designers, who represent extensive experience in trade and scholarly publishing in the United States and Great Britain, show how they achieve the most effective visual presentation of words, offering many examples to illustrate their choices. Written not only for seasoned and novice book designers, this book will fascinate others in publishing as well as all readers and authors who are curious to know how books end up looking the way they do.

This book serves as an introduction to the key elements of good design. Broken into sections covering the fundamental elements of design, key works by acclaimed designers serve to illustrate technical points and encourage readers to try out new ideas. Themes covered include narrative, colour, illusion, ornament, simplicity, and wit and humour. The result is an instantly accessible and easy to understand guide to graphic design using professional techniques.

Laying the Foundations is a comprehensive guide to creating, documenting, and maintaining design systems, and how to design websites and products systematically. It's an ideal book for web designers and product designers (of all levels) and especially design teams. Paperback ISBN: 9780578540030 This is real talk about creating design systems and digital brand guidelines. No jargon, no glossing over the hard realities, and no company hat. Just good advice, experience, and practical tips. System design is not a scary thing — this book aims to dispel that myth. It covers what design systems are, why they are important, and how to get stakeholder buy-in to create one. It introduces you to a simple model, and two very different approaches to creating a design system. What's unique about this book is its focus on the importance of brand in design systems, web design, product design, and when creating documentation. It's a comprehensive guide that’s simple to follow and easy on the eye.

'Book Design' takes the reader through every aspect of the subject, from the components that make up a book, to understanding how books are commissioned and created, to the intricacies of grid construction and choosing a typeface.