The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences And Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design

by Steven Heller, Mirko Ilić

An iconic collection of design work presented in fresh and useful format.Designers are conceptual pack rats. They pack as much raw material in their brains as possible and then use that to build their own unique designs. The Anatomy of Design is what, in the butcher business, they call a "side of beef." The authors selected fifty examples of graphic design that will be dissected, piece by piece, tissue by tissue, revealing an array of influences and inspirations. These are not necessarily the most well-known or celebrated objects of graphic design, though many contain the genetic codes of some canonical works. Instead, these represent contemporary artifacts that are well conceived, finely crafted, and filled with hidden treasures. Some are overtly complex and their influences are somewhat easy to see with the naked eye. Others are so simple that it is hard to believe there is a storehouse of inspiration hidden underneath.

The selections include all kinds of design work including posters, book and record covers, packages, catalog covers, and more. Each exhibit is selected based on its ubiquity, thematic import, and aesthetic significance, and every page is a means to show how great work is derived from various inspirational and physical sources, some well-known, some unknown. Each design is presented on a gate-fold showing the featured design and and other works that share the key influences with extended captions explaining the whys and wherefores.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Art, Art Design

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2007

About the author

Steven Heller writes a monthly column on graphic design books for The New York Times Book Review and is co-chair of MFA Design at the School of Visual Arts. He has written more than 100 books on graphic design, illustration and political art, including Paul Rand, Merz to Emigre and Beyond: Avant Garde Magazine Design of the Twentieth Century, Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design Second Edition, Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Digital Age, Graphic Design History, Citizen Designer, Seymour Chwast: The Left Handed Designer, The Push Pin Graphic: Twenty Five Years of Design and Illustration, Stylepedia: A Guide to Graphic Design Mannerisms, Quirks, and Conceits, The Anatomy of Design: Uncovering the Influences and Inspirations in Modern Graphic Design. He edits VOICE: The AIGA Online Journal of Graphic Design, and writes for Baseline, Design Observer, Eye, Grafik, I.D., Metropolis, Print, and Step. Steven is the recipient of the Art Directors Club Special Educators Award, the AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement, and the School of Visual Arts' Masters Series Award.

Reviews

[R.Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd passed over this a number of times simply because the cover didn't appeal to me. I didn't expect much from what looked like another unnecessarily whimsical design book. But the cover really doesn't do justice to the content, which is both comprehensive and impressive.

Taken at face value, the 49 case studies presented within are already interesting and worthy of a closer inspection. But for each page, there is a unique 2-page foldout that reveals an average of 30 different historical examples (some older, others contemporary) that clearly illustrate how the featured design was derived from these inspirational sources--and how each is relevant. In this regard, it's almost like having two books in one: a historical overview of the evolution of various styles, and a decent catalog of current design examples.

My only real complaint (other than the fact that the cover design just doesn't live up to the quality of the interior) is that the complex folds and binding make it almost impossible to find a book in pristine condition--oftentimes, several pages are mis-folded and creased, and the puffy novelty cover doesn't really feel adequate enough to bear the stress of the heavy signatures within. Nonetheless, it's a definite keeper, and one that you'll get a lot of mileage out of.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

great for understanding the history of design and developing an eye for major themes.

[Albichu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una gran guia de inspiracion (que usaré como referencias en el futuro) para diseñadores gráficos. 100% recomendado

[Pavel Beneš · Rating 5 out of 5]

Úžasná kniha pro grafiky, kteří to s tímhle oborem myslí vážně. Chytré a srozumitelné rozbory tematických okruhů a srovnání různých použití jednoho tématu (otisk prstu, mapa, svastika, tvář atd.). Uznávám, že jsem si ji koupil především proto, že jsem v ní našel jeden svůj plakát (čímž se od té doby chlubím), ale jsem si jistý, že bych na ni časem tak jako tak narazil.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really nice sorting of design ideas with especially fantastic examples.