design is a library

a digitized version of elizabeth's design book collection

this is my favorite exhibit that the costume institute has every put out! it explored susan sontag’s notes on camp in relation to fashion

every educator needs to read this! it’s influenced how i guide students in thinking about their work in a deeper way.

one of my favorite fashion designers who can be inspired by literally anything

i read this when i was first getting into design and thought it was a nice intro to type history

i recommend this to all designers interested in improving their visual storytelling skills

a great coffee table book

jessica hische taught me so much about letters & typography! my copy is signed~ i met her at a designerfund event wayyy back

can’t go wrong with bell hooks~

love this book so much~ munari’s thoughts on how designers creative fantasy

color is contextual

on pixar’s creative process and collaboration

the cutest franchise :3

i was introduced to natalie’s work through a riso printing class i took! she has such a unique way of working with color

this book is sooo pretty! i don’t know what the story is about, but every illustration is 😍

collection of essays about digital design~

a playful and interactive book about graphic design principles

the go-to book about traditional grids

a classic if you want to understand grids

the title says it all 😈, but actually, i learned about so many amazing artists through this book!

good inspo for iconography and logos

i haven’t read this yet! it has just been sitting on my shelf since the duke press sale.

my most recommend book on typography for beginners~

The Central Saint Martin’s Guide to Art & Design

i got this book because i was interested in learning about how central saint martins teaches their students to find inspiration.

a follow up to his first book, this one features a series of lectures on design history from various contributors

this book is perfect for reading random chapters at a time! it’s a peek at various ~ patterns ~ you see in urban planning & architecture.

if you want an introduction to bell hooks, this is my pick~

super cute tiny book about the history of our favorite typeface

i was introduced to tufte because my first design lead encouraged us to sign up for one of his workshops. his thoughts and ideas have impacted my work since! especially the idea to trust that the user can process all the information~

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information

a pretty history of color charts

i picked this book up at the mass moca in the berkshires! i love how it ties process and generative practices with graphic design.

this book has influenced so much of how i think about teaching in a community-led way~

conceptual design used to explore potential futures

Adaptive Mentalities in Design Education

i just got this and can’t wait to look through it and be inspired for course 2: break the rules

Yves Saint Laurent: The Scandal Collection

i went to the exhibition in paris and fell in love with this collection! like the title suggests, this collection was originally considered ~scandalous~ and “hideous” because it was so different

i love looking at concept art for inspiration! this one surfaces a lot of the original disney animator concept art, specifically focused on composition.

a collection of entries about cyberfeminism

ducks 🦆 and decorated sheds

inspired by octavia butler’s “parable of the sower,” brown explores how we can shape the futures we want to live in. i reference this all the time in how i structure my courses and discussions.

New Ornamental Type: Decorative Lettering In The Digital Age

i thrifted this when i was a student at cal. the examples are all so beautiful and inspiring especially with the state of bland web typography today

playful guide to visual design principles. he’s most well known for designing the book cover for “jurassic park”

colors and their names

i was doing research on the CalArts educational practices and stumbled upon this book

a showcase of women designers

this is the cutest, most wholesome children’s book ever with the best illustrations.

i have not read this 🤭

a very smol book on the little things typography

this book is so overwhelming. i’ve barely read most of it! it contains a collection of visual explorations that encourage you to think a little differently

beginner-friendly book on tye

improve your eye for the details when it comes to letterforms

collection of essential essays about graphic design. i wish i’ve read them all, but i have not

issey is more than just pleats! one of my personal favorites is his A-POC garments where he creates a look from a-piece of cloth with as minimal waste as possible.

i got this book to learn more about how the bauhaus taught design & used exercises in their courses

Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

beautiful retrospective on kawakuobo organized by themes across her work. my favorite anecdote is that she once took a crumpled piece of paper and told her team to make a dress inspired by it.

on accessibility & design

the queen of iconography: kare designed the iconography for the original macbook

bruno munari’s notes on the role of design

i got this in a work secret santa gift exchange and love it! it’s so mesmerizing to stare at all the generative patterns.

if you’re looking to learn more about how to describe your work and analyze visual design

i love this book. many designers sport issey’s pleats, but most don’t know how much research and technology is behind them. my favorite sections of this book display his pleats in movement and in form

ok, i know this is technically a classic, but i find it too constraining for typography. i’ve never done math to create type scales and think eyeballing it leads to more heart