Graphic Design Book Reviews

by Steven Heller (Editor), Philip B. Meggs (Editor)

Texts on Type’s strength is found in its variety and depth. Its impressive collection of contributors includes Milton Glasser, Otl Aicher, Jonathan Hoefler, Tobias Frere-Jones, Rick Poyner, Jessica Helfand, Hermann Zapf, Zusana Licko… The list extends into the misty distance, but trust that there are many more names you’ve heard before, and the ones you may not have heard of are still quite worth a second look. 

Not precisely a beginner’s book, Texts on Type delves deep into the seedy underbelly of typographers and type designers and their most esoteric thought processes (for instance, when Stefan Themerson begins his essay with a transcribed conversation he ostensibly had with his dog), and most fervent opinions. The average design student (note, that’s “average” design student; I use care in avoiding the phrase, “casual” design student. Can such a thing exist?), one that is perhaps a “bigger picture” sort of individual, will likely skip around, reading essays from his or her favorite typographers and designers, or perhaps perusing an essay whose title holds some specific appeal, and it is certainly worth the money to do so. However, for the patient, and for the devout and fanatical, there is still another layer of information designed to delight and embolden.

The topics of conversation range from Zapf’s “A Plea For Authentic Type Design” to Hoefler’s essay, “On Classifying Type,” in which he states that “the Omniscient Typeface Classification System,” is the “Holy Grail of typography.”

This book serves as an interesting tool in ones literary arsenal that provides a new level and brand of insight into the names you know. Discover the personalities and reasoning behind the type; read about history from people who have been a part of it. After reading Texts on Type, you may find that you’re a little more sensitive to type and its uses, more so than other, more direct, “how to” style books. And that’s certainly not a bad thing.

Reviewed by Zack Kimmel

Authors: Robert Klanten (Editor), Sven Ehmann (Editor), Matthias Hubner (Editor)

If you are interested in experimenting with a three dimensional style of work Tactile: High Touch Visuals is a great place to start getting some inspiration. The book opens a new way of thinking about the objects that you see around you in everyday life. The marriage of the 2-D with the 3-d makes for intriguing work.

This type of work is a relatively recent phenomenon, traditionally graphic designers have not explored this realm. The proliferation of digital technology has allowed artists to more easily bring the process to a new level. The designs are mostly created from paper although their are many designs that also introduce different things. One of the design is created out of corn and another is made from cucumbers blended with drawn people on paper. Paper and items meld together to create a wonderful three dimensional collage in many of these examples. It is truly amazing to see what can be created out of just paper and some strategically placed objects. Simply using certain objects out of context can make a piece quite interesting.

This is a huge, thick book full of interesting, high quality images. There is not a lot of information on process, but it is sure to spark some ideas.

reviewed by Haley Ross