10 books for finding graphic design inspiration

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares their top 10 favorite books for visual inspiration, covering diverse styles from punk graphics to modern streetwear. Each book is highlighted for its unique contribution to design, from the chaotic punk aesthetic to the meticulous branding of Brain Dead. The speaker also delves into the works of iconic artists like Andy Warhol and the meticulous designs of Annie Atkins, offering insights into how these inspirations can fuel creativity across various mediums.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video shares the speaker's top 10 favorite books for visual inspiration.
• 🎨 'Punk is Everything' is a collection of punk graphics that inspires the speaker's work in layout, texture, and color.
• 🧢 'Brain Dead' highlights the streetwear brand Brain Dead, known for its graphics, collaborations, and community events.
• 🔊 'Noise Graphics' showcases graphics from the noise music scene of the 80s and 90s, emphasizing black and white designs.
• 🖼️ 'Mini Warhol Book' features Andy Warhol's work, providing insights into his artistic approach and screen prints.
• 🔖 'Logo Modernism' is a must-have for logo design enthusiasts, containing numerous logos and case studies.
• ✍️ 'Pretty Much Everything' by Aaron Draplin offers design work, stories, and career tips from the designer.
• 🎥 'Annie Atkins' showcases detailed period-style designs for film, particularly famous for Wes Anderson movies.
• 🖌️ 'KAWS Book' compiles the work of visual artist KAWS, known for consistent and unique design across various media.
• 🌟 'Gucci Maze Book' features designs by Gucci Maze, a standout in the Y2K and rave aesthetic movement.
• 🎷 'Blue Note Records Book' highlights album cover designs for Blue Note Records, focusing on typography and layout by Reed Miles.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the book 'Punk is Everything'?

The main theme of 'Punk is Everything' is a collection of punk graphics, including flyers, album art, and t-shirts, that inspire the author's work in layout, texture, and color choices.

How does the author suggest combining punk style graphics with traditional graphic design?

The author suggests mixing punk style graphics with traditional graphic design, such as the Swiss type of graphic movement, to create a blend of chaos and order.

What is the focus of the book about Brain Dead streetwear brand?

The book focuses on the graphics, clothing, and the brand's story, as well as the communities involved in Brain Dead, showcasing the brand's consistency and fresh design aesthetics.

What does the author appreciate about the book on Brain Dead streetwear brand?

The author appreciates the book's display of Brain Dead's graphics and clothing, the brand's story, and the credit given to the artists behind each piece of work.

Why does the author find 'Noise Graphics' an inspiring book?

The author finds 'Noise Graphics' inspiring due to its focus on black and white imagery, type, and messaging to create cohesive designs, printed on matte paper that adds texture.

What aspects of Andy Warhol's work does the author admire in the 'Mini Warhol' book?

The author admires Warhol's screen prints, textures, and the blend of old and modern aesthetics in his work, as well as his ability to create grungy and raw designs.

What is the significance of 'Logo Modernism' in the author's design journey?

'Logo Modernism' is significant in the author's design journey as it was one of the first books that inspired them in the field of logo design and brand identity.

What does the book 'Pretty Much Everything' by Aaron Draplin offer to its readers?

The book offers a collection of Aaron Draplin's design work, stories from his childhood and career, and tips for being authentic in the design world.

How does the book by Annie Atkins inspire the author?

The book inspires the author with its showcase of Annie Atkins' detailed period-style designs for film, demonstrating her attention to detail and unique niche in the design world.

What unique aspect of the book by Cause does the author appreciate?

The author appreciates the book's intentional design, such as the mini set of pages stitched into the larger set, and Cause's consistent and unique approach to art and design.

Why is the 'Blue Note Records' book a significant source of inspiration for the author?

The 'Blue Note Records' book is significant for its compilation of album covers and designs by Reed Miles, which demonstrate a mastery of working within a specific style and offer a variety of typographic and layout approaches.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Punk and DIY Aesthetics in Graphic Design

The first paragraph introduces a book titled 'Punk is Everything,' which serves as a comprehensive collection of punk graphics, including flyers, album art, and t-shirts. The speaker appreciates the punk style and Xerox graphics for their influence on their own work, particularly in layout, texture, and color choices. The book also features historical excerpts about the punk scene in the 70s and 80s, offering a blend of chaos and order through the juxtaposition of punk art with traditional graphic design elements like the Swiss type movement.

05:00

👕 Streetwear Branding and Consistent Design Evolution

The second paragraph discusses a book about the streetwear brand Brain Dead, known for its graphics, collaborations, and community events. The book contains Brain Dead's graphics and clothing, along with stories from the communities and the brand's creation. It inspires the speaker by demonstrating consistent design aesthetics while introducing fresh ideas with each new collection. The speaker admires how the brand maintains its identity across various mediums, products, and events, and appreciates the credit given to the artists behind the work.

10:01

🎭 The Raw Energy of Noise Music Graphics

In the third paragraph, the speaker shares their admiration for a book called 'Noise Graphics,' which is a collection of gritty textures and graphics from the noise music scene of the 80s and 90s. The book is appreciated for its focus on black and white imagery and messaging, creating cohesive designs without the need for text. The speaker finds inspiration in the raw and energetic designs, which are reminiscent of punk graphics but with unique layout and chaotic elements, printed on matte, newsprint-style paper that adds to the aesthetic.

🎨 Andy Warhol's Artistic Fusion with Design

The fourth paragraph features a book on Andy Warhol's work, highlighting his contributions to both the art and design worlds. The book provides detailed discussions on Warhol's pieces and his artistic approach. The speaker finds inspiration in Warhol's screen prints and textures, which manage to feel both old and modern. The grungy and raw aspects of Warhol's work are compared to punk graphics, and the speaker encourages others to explore Warhol's extensive portfolio beyond his famous Campbell Soup cans and Marilyn Monroe prints.

🏅 The Timeless Appeal of Logo Modernism

The fifth paragraph is about the book 'Logo Modernism,' which has been a significant source of inspiration for the speaker in the realm of logo design, brand identity, and icon creation. The book presents masterfully designed logos and includes case studies, such as a system designed for the Olympics in Mexico. It also features mini bios on legendary designers, providing a priceless source of inspiration for those interested in logo design and its history.

🧡 Aaron Draplin's Unapologetic Design Philosophy

The sixth paragraph discusses 'Pretty Much Everything,' a book by Aaron Draplin, who is one of the speaker's favorite designers. The book showcases Draplin's design work, personal stories, and advice for navigating the design world. The speaker admires Draplin's use of orange in his designs and his ability to apply his brand to various products and print work. The book serves as an inspiration for building a vast design portfolio and maintaining authenticity in design.

🎬 Annie Atkins: Crafting Period-Style Designs for Film

The seventh paragraph introduces a book by Annie Atkins, a designer known for creating period-style designs for films, particularly those by Wes Anderson. The book displays Atkins' detailed work, including hand-painted signs and matchbooks, and discusses the design process. The speaker is inspired by Atkins' attention to detail and her ability to create an immersive world through her designs, which are showcased through accurate and meticulously distressed pieces.

🎨 Cause and Effect: A Visual Artist's Legacy

In the eighth paragraph, the speaker talks about a book compiling the work of visual artist Cause, known for his consistent and extensive body of work. The book is praised for its design and the intentionality of its layout, including a mini set of stitched pages. The speaker admires Cause's ability to apply common characters and themes across various products and artwork, demonstrating longevity and uniqueness in an artistic career.

🌟 Gucci Maze's Unique and Influential Design Style

The ninth paragraph features a book on the work of designer Gucci Maze, who is known for a unique style that has influenced the Y2K and rave aesthetic movements. The book showcases a variety of designs and printing approaches, from neon colors to glossy styles and halftones. The speaker does not take direct inspiration from Maze's work but admires the excellence in a specific craft, making the book a source of beautiful eye candy for design enthusiasts.

🎵 Blue Note Records: Jazz Aesthetics and Design Restriction

The final paragraph discusses a book on Blue Note Records, a significant visual inspiration for the speaker. The book highlights the album covers and designs by Reid Miles, who gave a visual identity to the complex sound of jazz. The speaker appreciates the duotone images, type layouts, and the designer's ability to work within specific style restrictions, offering a masterclass in design aesthetics. The book is recommended for those interested in typography, layout, and design.

Keywords

💡Punk Graphics

Punk Graphics refers to the visual style associated with the punk movement, characterized by its raw, DIY aesthetic. In the video, the speaker mentions 'Punk is Everything,' a book filled with punk graphics, including flyers, album art, and t-shirts. This style influences the speaker's work by providing inspiration for layout, texture, and color choices.

💡Brain Dead

Brain Dead is a contemporary streetwear brand known for its unique graphics, collaborations, and community events. The speaker praises the brand for its consistency and fresh design aesthetics. The book about Brain Dead is highlighted for its beautiful graphics and stories from the community, serving as an inspiration for building a cohesive brand identity.

💡Noise Graphics

Noise Graphics are visual designs associated with the noise music scene of the 80s and 90s. The book 'Noise Graphics' is appreciated for its crunchy textures and raw, black-and-white imagery. These designs are a source of inspiration for creating cohesive final designs using minimal color and maximal impact.

💡Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was a leading figure in the pop art movement. The speaker mentions a 'mini Warhol book' that showcases Warhol's work, highlighting his mastery of screen prints and textures. Warhol's ability to blend old and modern aesthetics is cited as a major source of inspiration for designers.

💡Logo Modernism

Logo Modernism refers to the modernist approach to logo design, emphasizing simplicity, functionality, and timeless appeal. The book 'Logo Modernism' is a comprehensive collection of masterfully designed logos and serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in logo design and brand identity.

💡Aaron Draplin

Aaron Draplin is a prominent graphic designer known for his bold, thick-lined designs and extensive portfolio. The book 'Pretty Much Everything' covers Draplin's design work and personal stories, offering inspiration and practical tips for designers. Draplin's unapologetic style and success are highlighted as key motivators.

💡Annie Atkins

Annie Atkins is a designer specializing in period-accurate props for films, notably for Wes Anderson's movies. The book on her work showcases her meticulous attention to detail and the creation of immersive fictional worlds. Atkins' niche expertise and craftsmanship are celebrated as sources of inspiration.

💡Kaws

Kaws is a renowned visual artist known for his distinctive characters and themes. His book compiles a vast array of his work, noted for its consistent quality and unique design. The speaker admires Kaws for his ability to maintain artistic integrity and innovation over the years.

💡Gucci Maze

Gucci Maze is a contemporary designer celebrated for his unique style, particularly within the Y2K and rave aesthetics. His book features diverse design approaches and print techniques, serving as a visual feast and a testament to his influence in modern design.

💡Blue Note Records

Blue Note Records is a famous jazz record label known for its iconic album cover designs by Reid Miles. The book on Blue Note Records highlights these designs, praised for their typography, layout, and visual interpretation of jazz music. The consistent style within specific design restrictions is noted as particularly inspiring.

Highlights

Introduction of 'Punk is Everything', a collection of punk graphics that inspires the speaker's work.

Discussion on blending punk style with traditional graphic design for a unique aesthetic.

Highlighting 'Brain Dead' as a modern streetwear brand with consistent and fresh design aesthetics.

The importance of community and collaboration in the brand's success, as showcased in the book.

Appreciation for 'Noise Graphics', a book that displays textures and graphics from the 80s and 90s noise music scene.

The raw energy and custom distress type in punk and noise graphics as a source of inspiration.

Andy Warhol's work as a bridge between art and design, with a focus on screen prints and textures.

The significance of Warhol's less clean, grungy work and its influence on contemporary design.

Recommendation of 'Logo Modernism' for those interested in logo design, brand identity, and simple icons.

Case studies and mini bios of design greats in 'Logo Modernism' for historical context.

Aaron James Draplin's 'Pretty Much Everything' as a source of inspiration for being unapologetically oneself in design.

Annie Atkins' work in film design and the detailed craftsmanship showcased in her book.

The unique approach to design and art in 'CAUSE', a compilation of work by a visual artist.

Gucci Maze's unique design style and its influence on the Y2K and rave style aesthetics.

The 'Blue Note Records' book as a classic source of visual inspiration, especially for typography and layout.

Reed Miles' work on Blue Note Records and its impact on the visual language of jazz.

Transcripts

so in this video I want to share with

you all my 10 favorite books for visual

inspiration let's get into

it first up we have this amazing book I

got recently as a birthday present from

my friend kale called punk is everything

it's basically just a giant collection

of punk Graphics from Flyers to album

art to t-shirts whatever it may be and

as someone who's very fond of this kind

of punk style Xerox Graphics look I love

going through this kind of stuff it

inspires a lot of my own work from both

a layout standpoint texture standpoint

but also the color choices and in my

work personally I really like the ju

toos of mixing some of the stuff from

this style of art with some of the more

traditional graphic design stuff like

the Swiss type of graphic movement I

think that creates a cool blend of two

different Inspirations one that's a lot

more about chaos and one that's a lot

more about order I mean some of the

scann posters in this book are just so

Timeless and unique that it doesn't take

long to find something that will spark

your idea for your own Creations this

book also has a bunch of cool excerpts

about the punk scene in the 70s and 80s

throughout and we'll give you some cool

history and facts and just kind of some

almost companion pieces while looking

through some of the visuals overall this

is an amazing book for anyone interested

in Punk the DIY music scene or the

graphic styles that come from this type

of counterculture

movement next up is this beautifully

designed book that highlights the

streete wear brand brain dead brain dead

makes some of my favorite clothes in

this modern era of street wear and it's

also such an amazing brand when it comes

to Graphics collaboration and community

events this book not only has all the

beautiful type of brain dead Graphics

inside of it and the clothing to look at

but also stories from the different

communities involved in brain dead and

the creation of the brand itself this

book and brain dead as a company are

particularly inspiring because they

showed me that you can remain consistent

year after year while still bringing you

know fresh design Aesthetics and ideas

to each new collection brain dead really

excels at feeling on brand with each

release but still unique and separate

from the past collection somehow and as

a designer who mainly Works in print and

the online space it's really inspiring

to see how you can build out an entire

brand and identity and apply it to so

many different mediums products and

events there's honestly just so much

cool stuff to look at in this book and

the creators Kyle and Ed plus the brain

dead team did an amazing job of

crediting all the artists behind each

piece of work if you want to be inspired

and see how you can take a brand to its

fullest potential or at the very least

have a cool new coffee table book

definitely check this one

out next up we have noise Graphics this

is one of my favorite books to just flip

through and admire all the nice crunchy

textures and Graphics there isn't

anything to read in this book but that's

besides the point it's just some

Cutthroat amazing Graphics from The

Noise music scene in the 80s and 90s and

it's quite similar to a lot of the punk

graphics and kind of Xerox style stuff

but there's definitely some subtle

differences in both the layout and you

know the overall level of chaos that it

has and I like books like this because

they purely show you what you can do

with just black and white and relying

only on imagery type and messaging to

create a cohesive final design and the

fact that these designs are all printed

on this matte almost news print style

paper I think really adds to the

aesthetic and the texture and makes you

feel like the genuine feeling that these

designs must have had when they were

printed on flyers or cassette tape

inserts you know with an old copy

machine and you know everything from the

graphics in this book are just raw and

filled with energy from the custom

distress type and at times the

controversial imagery there's just great

inspo at every page you turn to

definitely check this one out if you're

interested in some more avanguard

approaches to design type and

imagery next up is this mini War haul

book I picked it up recently for pretty

cheap and it's honestly really dope it

showcases some of the amazing work from

the great Andy Warhol throughout the

years but also talks about the piece in

some detail and the artistic approach

behind some of the decisions and I think

personally all designers can benefit

more from looking to find artists for

inspiration and Andy Warhol is a great

bridge between the art and the design

World a lot of his work is reminiscent

of some of the Contemporary work you see

in the design world nowadays I

specifically love the screen prints and

textures that Warhol brought to his work

it feels old but very modern at the same

time somehow a lot of his less clean

work too is just so grungy and raw the

heavily distressed black printed on top

of the single colored paper is very

reminiscent of a lot of these other Punk

Graphics that I was talking about

earlier as well and it's one of my

favorite styles and I think Andy Warhol

has really mastered this aesthetic Andy

warhol's so famous and everyone's seen

you know the Campbell Soup cans or the

Marland Monro prints but there's so much

more amazing work he's produced just

waiting to be admired check this one out

if you want some inspiration from one of

the goats especially on layering color

and bringing a real deep message or

concept to your

[Music]

work every time I lift this book it's

just struggle to get it in frame but we

have the great logo modernism it's

definitely made an appearance on a list

or two of mine but I would be regretting

it if I didn't include it in every list

I make about books well I haven't done a

lot of logo design this year

specifically it was one of my first

loves in the design world and this book

could not have been more helpful and

inspiring to me if you're interested in

logo design brand Identity or even just

building out simple icons and Designs

then this one is a must all these logos

are so masterfully designed and the book

does a great way of laying them out and

it feels like you can flip to just any

page and witness the coolest symbol

you've ever seen in addition to the

gigantic amount of logos in this book

there's also some cool case studies in

there my favorite is this beautiful

system designed for the Olympics in

Mexico it feels so modern and Timeless

at the same time there also some cool

mini bios on designer greates in here

for you to brush up on some of the best

in logo design history this book is

Giant and from what I remember a little

bit more on the expensive side but the

inspiration inside of it is

priceless similarly to the logo

modernism book I've talked about Aaron

in this one before but I would feel

guilty not including it Aaron trlin was

one of my first introductions to the

design world and still one of my

favorite designers to this day this book

is called pretty much everything and it

quite honestly lives up to that bold

title there's not only amazing design

work thick lines and awesome logos but

also cool stories from drain's childhood

his career as a designer and tips for

being yourself in this crowded design

World there is so much in this book that

it's hard to point out any one thing but

overall it's just so inspiring to see

someone be unapologetically themselves

in this often times stuck up design

world and find great success with doing

just so I love seeing how drain has been

able to apply his brand to so many

different things as well like the

countless orange products he sells the

field notes brand and all of his print

design work in general after reflecting

on it a bit I think drain is one of the

main reasons why orange is my favorite

color he showed me how it can be used so

tast F and not just reserved for fall or

Halloween if you want inspiration for

your design career or just how someone

can build out such an incredibly vast

design portfolio then definitely check

out Aaron drain in this book pretty much

everything next up we have this amazing

book by Annie Atkins and if you haven't

heard of her or this book definitely go

check her out she's this mad talented

designer who creates very accurate

period style piece designs for film

everything from hand painted signs to

cool little matchbooks and trinkets

she's probably most famous for creating

a bunch of the fictional design pieces

in the West Anderson movies and is a

huge reason those movies feel so

in-depth and like a whole new world is

built inside of them this book showcases

some of Annie's amazing work and talks

about how the design was made and what

it was made for everywhere you look in

this book you'll see insanely detailed

physical pieces old letters with the

perfect amount of distressing fake

products from a super niche

and just boring print documents that are

done so accurately you can't help but be

amazed Annie's attention to detail and

ability to carve out a name for herself

in such a hyp specific Niche is so

inspiring and I highly suggest checking

out this book and the rest of Annie's

work I'm sure you've heard of this

visual artist before cause and this is

one of his books that compiles a bunch

of his awesome work and it's just

honestly a beautifully designed book in

general it's not only in depth visually

but the entire book has a beautiful

approach to design and art there's this

awesome mini set of pages stitched into

the bigger set and it just feels very

intentional and a cool piece of print

design in itself I love the images

printed on the mat paper too and some of

the type that is overlaid on large

paragraphs of body copy seeing the

insane amount of work cause has created

too is just so inspiring that someone

can be so consistent and so good over

all these years applying common

characters and themes as well to many

types of products clothing and artwork

is really a feat to be amazed at there's

so much amazing stuff to look at in this

book and cause is an amazing blueprint

for longevity uniqueness and notoriety

in an artistic

career this next one is straightforward

and to the point and it just compiles a

bunch of the awesome work by The

Talented designer guci maze outside of

drain and especially in the Contemporary

world this is one of my favorite

designers and probably one of the best

working today his style is so unique and

has been endlessly copied and diluted

with the rush of the Y2K movement and

Rave style aesthetic no one does it

quite as well as Gucci ma though this

book has so many different types of

design and approaches to printing from

bright neon colors and more muted glossy

style approaches to half tones it's just

also designed and compiled in a really

cool way with this simple soft cover and

plastic sleeve I by no means take

stylistic INSP ation from Gucci maze

into my work because it's not the style

I like to work in and I don't even think

I could come close to this greatness if

I tried however it is really inspiring

to see someone do their specific craft

the best way you possibly can if you

want some beautiful eye candy to look at

then check out this book and the amazing

catalog of design work guccie has

produced this next one is a Jesse nberg

alltime classic and it's this blue note

records book quite honestly one of my

biggest visual Inspirations to this day

is the work of blue note Records album

covers and the Beautiful designs from

Reed miles who worked there Reed miles

gave a visual look to the complex sound

of jazz and ran with it any page you

turn to you'll see some beautiful duone

images amazing type layouts that range

from organized chaos to simple and

locked up and just overall a master

class on working within a specific style

there is something so nice about seeing

a designer work with within specific

restrictions and exhaust seemingly every

approach that you can take within this

design aesthetic I love all the type

used in this book and the way it's laid

out makes digesting these beautiful

designs so easy if anyone's interested

in typography layout or design in

general definitely check out this book

The Blue Note catalog and the designer

read miles those are all the books I

have for you today but if you want to

check out the rest of my collection you

can watch this video here thank you for

watching and I'll catch you in the next

one peace