The Complete Graphic Designer: A Guide to Understanding Graphics and Visual Communication

by Ryan Hembree

Resource on the what, when, where, and how of the graphic design industry. Graphic design is a fast growing industry with thousands of new designers and students joining its ranks every year. The explosion of the graphic design field has resulted in the release of hundreds of new books, with subjects ranging from logo design to web design, design history to design criticism; today there are very few subjects related to the industry that have not been written about in one form or another. While the wealth of information and resources available to the graphic designer is extensive, it makes it hard to gain an overall perspective of graphic design and its practical applications in the field, as the content and subject matter of most books is very specialized. Design educators, especially at the collegiate level, have an increasingly difficult task of teaching a well-rounded course in graphic design, as they have to pull curriculum ideas from many sources, and require the students to purchase numerous texts.

Genres: Design, Reference, Art

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Pedram · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frank and flat
There are two chapters with great intel: "Design for communication" and "the design process"
Other chapters are going to be your average design book brief that will fall short and are, pretty much, dated.
Examining a physical copy or the PDF version before purchase is recommended.

[Vanessa Castilho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read more informational than inspirational. As the title says the focus is on graphic design. Nice visuals.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid, albeit rather brief and basic, guide to graphic design, covering mainly fundamentals and how the business itself runs. The language is clear, straightforward, and highly informative, while the numerous examples help to highlight different creative strategies and good design for a multitude of assignments. That it covers both the aesthetic/theoretical and practical/business side of things is quite helpful. Though, as the other reviewer says, it is not a comprehensive idea book or resource guide. It also won't tell you how to run a design business, how to bid on jobs, etc. only what kinds of projects are common, different types of clients, and different types of solutions.

The last book on the subject I read was more concept-driven and the design distractingly cluttered. This one, on the other hand, is more practical in its orientation and a very quick read. It's probably most ideal for beginners, or more experienced designers looking for a simple refresher course. The numerous examples and overview of best practices make it a worth including on one's home shelf (though I will continue seeking something more expansive).

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

And excellent basic knowledge book for graphic designers and visual communication specialists.
Will not very much work as reference material if you need new ideas, but has basically all the theoretical things you need to know be good at Graphics Design(considering you know your software and media already).

[haven ⋄ f (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

i wish my classes used this book instead of others. best for an introduction to graphic design theories/principals