Design School Reader (A Course Companion for Students of Graphic Design)

An Essential Collection of Essays and Musings on Graphic Design

In this wide-ranging compilation, art director, writer, and lecturer Steven Heller shares his passion for graphic design with readers, who he invites to consider that design can be discerned in all things natural and manmade. Developed as content for a class devoted to reading, this collection is not overtly about conventional design, but about a variety of topics viewed through the lens of design. Offered as a primer for undergraduate and graduate students, Design School Reader presents more than fifty essays and reviews on subjects such as:

• The role of design in politics
• Visual culture and the social impact of design
• Key moments in the history of typography
• Technological innovations
• The power of branding and logos
• Ethical considerations and dilemmas
• Important figures in the design world

Divided into four parts—Politics, Ideology, and Design; Visual Language; the Ephemeral World of Design; and Is There a Genius in the Room?—each section features an introduction to the writings contained therein, as well as a handful of prompts and possible lines of inquiry to encourage further discovery. As Heller notes, “The key is to read, discuss, and debate.” Students, aficionados, and anyone with a healthy curiosity will thoroughly enjoy this illuminating and thought-provoking assemblage of perspectives on the practice.