Best Graphic Design Books – 10 Best Picks

Graphic design applies to diverse careers, from corporate branding and album covers to fashion design and beyond. While many graphic designers work independently, they frequently collaborate as part of a team to finalize or optimize projects.

With numerous components to master in graphic design, learning from experts proves invaluable. We’ve compiled the best graphic design books in this guide to help you gain the knowledge you’re seeking.

Best Graphic Design Books

Even if you’re not an independent graphic designer, understanding design fundamentals benefits you in various ways. Below are the top 10 books on graphic design to enhance your skills and deepen your knowledge.

1. Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

Thinking with Type serves as an essential guide for graphic designers, writers, and editors—all of whom benefit from mastering design fundamentals. This best-selling book teaches typography for visual communication purposes, covering everything from printed pages to computer screens.

The book features current information about style sheets, ornaments, captions, and more. Lupton not only explains each graphic design element but provides visuals demonstrating how to innovate within typographic form systems.

2. How to be a Graphic Designer by Adrian Shaughnessy

Published in 2005, How to be a Graphic Designer (without losing your soul) became an instant bestseller. Now a trusted resource for graphic designers worldwide, this book blends practical advice with philosophical guidance to help young designers launch their careers.

You’ll discover how to develop essential professional design skills, embrace the creative process, and understand digital culture’s impact on graphic design. Whether you’re establishing a studio, seeking more work, or building client relationships, this book serves as an indispensable resource for graphic designers everywhere.

3. Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller-Brockmann

Grid Systems in Graphic Design is a visual communication manual for graphic designers, typographers, and three-dimensional designers. A grid system provides the structural framework that helps graphic designers organize content and maintain page consistency. Both print and web designers rely on grid systems to create well-structured, balanced designs.

Developing a coherent page layout system is essential for any designer, making grid systems tremendously valuable. This book explores grid system functions and rules while demonstrating how to effectively implement each presented system.

4. How to by Michael Bierut

How to explores using graphic design to sell things, explain concepts, create objects, enhance aesthetics, and transform the world. In this design manual and manifesto, Michael Bierut, one of the world’s most renowned graphic designers, shares his philosophy on graphic design. This engaging guide reveals how Bierut completed projects for clients like the New York Jets and Saks Fifth Avenue.

If anyone has leveraged graphic design to change the world, it’s Michael Bierut. Each entry illustrates his eclectic creative approach. This captivating guide provides insights into how graphic designers blend historic imagery, utilize working models, and more.

This book suits anyone curious about how design synthesizes ideas. Whether you’re a student, artist, or professional designer, understanding visual communication’s impact will inspire you to create more.

5. The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst

The Elements of Typographic Style is widely regarded as the definitive typography foundation for professional graphic designers. If you’re a graphic designer seeking to explore new fonts, this is your essential resource. Perfect for both newspaper copyeditors and web graphic designers, this book delivers profound insights and information.

Bringhurst explains typesetting’s history while conveying his graphic design enthusiasm directly to readers. This is essential reading for anyone working with printed or web page design.

6. Logo Modernism by Jens Muller and R. Roger Remington

Modern design demonstrates humanity’s power to reshape environments and transcend technological limitations. Graphic design’s modernist distillation provides one of the most compelling examples of this transformation. In Logo Modernism, authors Muller and Remington present over 6,000 trademarks, examining how modernist principles birthed new corporate identity approaches.

From media outlets to retail giants, graphic design elements appear everywhere. Though often overlooked, modern movements have commandeered these visual components. This book explores modernism’s history, graphic design evolution, and how celebrated graphic designers brought their work to public attention.

7. 100 Ideas that Changed Graphic Design by Steven Heller

In 100 Ideas that Changed Graphic Design, Steven Heller showcases the most influential concepts that permanently transformed graphic design. These groundbreaking ideas continue manifesting in contemporary designs.

This fascinating book covers font usage, architectural design applications, and design fundamentals. Rather than delving deeply into each subject’s history, Heller delivers direct explanations of each idea’s why and how.

8. Graphic Design: The New Basics by Ellen Lupton

This bestselling graphic design introduction teaches essential visual language concepts that inform design work. From logos and letterheads to complex websites, graphic design influences virtually all imagery forms. Through concise commentary and visual demonstrations, Ellen Lupton examines two-dimensional design’s formal elements.

You’ll explore data visualization, representation modes, typography, and more. Whether you’re a new design student or experienced professional, this book helps you apply newfound knowledge and refine your designs.

9. Know Your Onions: Graphic Design by Drew De Soto

Packed with practical advice, Know Your Onions delivers actionable tools for graphic designers. You’ll learn to develop concepts and create engaging designs. Skip years of on-the-job training by reading this book—you’ll accelerate through your graphic design career with Drew De Soto as your mentor.

Gain 25 years of experience by book’s end through insights about suppliers, studios, and client attraction strategies.

10. Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler

Designing Brand Identity is the bestselling toolkit for creating, building, and maintaining strong brands. This book provides brand managers, digital marketers, and graphic designers with a proven five-phase process for developing effective brand identities. Enhanced with new case studies from world-class brands, this book demonstrates how design influences audiences.

You’ll discover the latest design trends across global markets, social networks, apps, and more. Since graphic design ranks among marketing’s most critical factors, this knowledge benefits anyone in business.

Learning Graphic Design

Ultimately, graphic design’s influence appears everywhere—from street billboards to device pop-up ads. Understanding graphic design elements and fundamentals helps you establish brand identity, launch your design career, and enhance your skillset. You can also expand your knowledge by taking a graphic design course. Start reading, keep learning, and develop your graphic design skills today.