5 books that all design students must read by Saad Raja

Every noob in the design industry faces numerous challenges in the beginning. Some take a lot of time to reach the expert level while others resort to the help of books and materials available, to smarten up their intellect. The five books mentioned in this article by saad raja will add a tinge of practicality and context-specific material to your knowledge.5 books that all design students must read by Saad Raja

1. How to be a graphic designer, without losing your soul

As indicated in the title, this book aims to bring you exactly to the point by feeding you pertinent information, at the right time. The entire idea of the book is to save your energy, money and to prevent you from falling into risky projects.

Shaughnessy designed this book specifically for those individuals who are interested in something that provides them an experience of a lifetime rather than temporary knowledge. The revised edition published in 2010 includes topics such as global trends, the process of creativity, the ethical issues and the increase in digital culture.

2. A smile in the mind

This book that was published back in 1996 gained popularity after 20 years of publishing and is particularly for those individuals who are driven by ideas and stimulated through greater visions of the design world. Engaging the audience in its wide range of examples that highlight inspirational and successful projects, this book has served to strengthen and polish the skills of innumerable individuals.

3. Branding in five-and-a-half-steps

Gaining a prominent place amongst the critics, Johnson Bank’s creative process caught the attention of public and media. To shed light on this process and the steps adopted by Banks, Michael Johnson, a creative director brings forth the important steps that should be observed while creating the perfect brand strategy.

4. How to use graphic design to sell things, explain things, make things look better, make people laugh, make people cry, and (every once in a while) change the world

The author of this book Michael Bierut used a demonstration of 35 different projects to emphasize on the diverse roles of graphic design in the modernized world of today. The book provides a detailed insight into creativity by displaying rejected drafts and finished projects to make a comparison and give a review of the way the author has succeeded in the design world.

5. Graphic Design Rants and Raves

This book is a collection of essays by a renowned author, lecturer and artist Steven which will arouse your thoughts and sharpen your critical thinking allowing you to evaluate the altering role that design plays in today’s world. This book comprising of more than forty essays will cover everything you need to know about design, its art as well as its culture.