Design for Communication: Conceptual Graphic Design Basics [Paperback]

The book is illustrated entirely with student work, all high quality. Students will love this approach; they are used to being shown only the work of experienced professionals.

The book is also going to be really useful for instructors
who want to improve the rigor and depth of their assignments but aren't sure how to go about it.

The book's most notable strength lies in its author's unique approach to the subject matter. In the past, most authors have tackled the task of writing an instructional text on design by focusing on a few basic principles of the craft and supplementing these with exercises designed to impart specific skills and techniques to the reader. In contrast, Resnick has employed a far more inclusive, conceptually focused approach. Like her peers, as an educator she does offer text that presents her perspective on various basic design principles. Yet unlike many others her focus is clearly on the reason we design-namely to effectively express and communicate ideas. And again unlike some other texts, ideas about BOTH form and content are give their due here. The different principles explored each section are illuminated with appropriate exercises. This is where Resnick's book shines as a unique accomplishment. For her illustrative exercises, Resnick invited a remarkable group of international educators to work with her as collaborators. All were invited to submit their best assignments along with student work for inclusion. In this respect, Graphic Design for Communication is unlike most other texts because it offers an inclusive diversity of approaches to design and will certainly be a great tool for educators. As a text for use at all levels of instruction, it offers the best, "road-tested", assignments for lecturers to draw upon as inspiration when explaining the principles of design to students. The numerous exercises impart information in a manner that is at once both practical and conceptually expressive.

Graphic Design for Communication features a structure that is pragmatic and clear. Each section opens with a well-written, articulate introduction to a different design principle (e.g., basic elements of design; typography as both image and semiotic message; word and image relationships; the grid and visual hierarchy; and visual advocacy). This text is followed by a series of design assignments (from basic to advanced) that teach students how to effectively integrate ideas with various techniques and processes. The design exercises are amply illustrated with examples of real student work completed in response to the assignments. In addition, most of the student samples include a brief process statement from the student as well as a critical instructor evaluation. As another reviewer pointed out, students will certainly appreciate the many illustrations (some in color) and the opportunity to examine both the process and critical evaluation of peer work outside the classroom. By using student work for examples (as opposed to those created by master designers), Resnick succeeds in bringing both the assignments and the creative design process to life.

Because of the great range of exercises included, this text will serve both students and educators as a useful handbook. For anyone who has either audited a class or wished they could have, the book is a joy. It is a little like auditing the "best of" graphic design education-all the more rewarding because the author was enlightened enough to collect some assignments and visual examples from cultures outside the U.S.

Professor Resnick deserves special credit for her concise editing and clean layout. I suspect one of the challenges in a compilation of this sort had to be the careful editing of her collaborator's assignments. It would appear that she did not just leave them to their own devices in this regard. Rather, as an educator herself she has thoughtfully and carefully applied her writing skills to the task. The result is a well-considered, consistent survey of the principles that guide modern graphic design. In addition, I must add that her bibliography is outstanding. It should be adopted as a standard reading list for anyone interested in the field.

As with the very best cookbooks (I am thinking of the classics here, such as Rombauer and Becker's Joy of Cooking or Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking) this book will find a place in the libraries of both novices and experienced students of design. Like those texts, it effectively explains the important principles that guide all design work. Her decision to present contemporary master "recipes" (those proven to work in the classroom) introduces students to design as a thoughtful "process" without forfeiting any artistry or pleasure along the way. It is clear that Professor Resnick is passionate about her work as BOTH a designer and educator and in this book she she shares that pleasure with us, the reader.

When Ms. Resnick wrote her first book, no graphic design was being done on a computer. This current text, published now that we're fully into the digital age, also very wisely steers clear of a "how to" approach. It's all too easy for students starting out in graphic design now to think that it's about "how to use QuarkXPress" or some other software package, but Resnick's book stresses concepts, communication, and the art of creating fresh and thoughtful solutions to design problems. It will help students to learn the importance of research, and how to develop the analytical and conceptual skills they will need as professional designers later on.

The idea of using quality student work as a teaching tool is a very good one. It results in a book that is much more appealing to the student. Each solution has a statement by its creator as well as the instructor's feedback. I think students will find the author's approach to the subject fresh, direct, and very accessible. The presentation of each problem consists of: the Assignment Brief, Objectives, Specifications, Process, and Critiques. This results in a very clear, useful, and well-structured text. I highly recommend this book!