Graphic Design: The New Basics by Ellen Lupton

Graphic Design: The New Basics Reviews

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  Diz

  This is a good introductory textbook for graphic design. It introduces the basics of graphic design in a brief and simple way and then shows examples of graphic design work that exemplify the concepts being discussed. In other words, this book takes a show-don't-tell approach to teaching graphic design. This is an introductory book, so if you know about the basics of graphic design already, there won't be much new here other than the examples of design. However, if you are starting out in the field or if you are just curious about graphic design, this is a good place to start.
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  Eli

  I really like what this book is trying to do - move away from derivative artwork and into the raw components of composition. But I don't think it does it all that well. There were some really good chapters - great overview of colors, for instance. But other areas seemed less well thought out. I was also a little confused by the images they chose. Many were decent, but they were virtually all student art from the class that the author's teach. I'd be interested in a more diverse set of examples.
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  Leo Walsh

  A serviceable introduction to graphic design. Unfortunately, I think this is a discipline better learned by doing, so this is a textbook for a formal class, not geared to someone like me who just wants to design a personal website so it looks nice. Still, it breaks graphic design into chunks. And while I found most of the book ho-hum, the book on gestalt fascinated me. Albeit, since this is a sourcebook for an intro to graphic design class and not a book on perception, Lupton stopped before it got REEEEALLLY good.
  
  Then again, I'm a middle age nerd, not the target audience Lupton was shooting for. Three-stars.
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  Manuel Frias

  Disappointed. I was expecting an explanation of the (new) basics for graphic design. Instead, I found a rather superficial description of some principles. There are a lot of examples that can be inspiring though. And the design of the book is superb.
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  Princeton Architectural

  How do designers get ideas? Many spend their time searching for clever combinations of forms, fonts, and colors inside the design annuals and monographs of other designers' work. For those looking to challenge the cut-and-paste mentality there are few resources that are both informative and inspirational. In Graphic Design: The New Basics, Ellen Lupton, best-selling author of such books as Thinking with Type and Design It Yourself, and design educator Jennifer Cole Phillips refocus design instruction on the study of the fundamentals of form in a critical, rigorous way informed by contemporary media, theory, and software systems.
  
  Through visual demonstrations and concise commentary, The New Basics shows students and professionals how to build interest and complexity around simple relationships between formal elements of two-dimensional design such as point, line, plane, scale, hierarchy, layers, and transparency. The New Basics explains the key concepts of visual language that inform any work of design—from a logo or letterhead to a complex web site. It takes a fresh approach to design instruction by emphasizing visually intensive, form-based thinking in a manner that is in tune with the latest developments in contemporary media, theory, art, and technology. Colorful, compact, and clearly written, The New Basics is the new indispensable resource for anyone seeking a smart, inspiring introduction to graphic design and destined to become the standard reference work in design education.
• 
  haven f

  2.5 // followed the design trend and guidelines for the year it was published. for modern-day use its outdated but has some good elements in the text information and a few good designs.
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  Izzy Wootonn

  Honestly I was very disappointed by this book. I knew it covered basic concepts, but I was hoping for strong visual examples of each category... It ended up being mostly student work from the author's classes - and was more experimental and theoretical than practical and beautiful. I gained nothing more than a few more fancy vocabulary words for concepts I already knew. :(
• 
  Kc

  While doing my MBA, I really need to be creative with my PowerPoint slides. I picked up this Graphic Design book to get some new ideas and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed the presentation of student projects as it showed the unique answers that can come out of the same question.
  
  I hope that after my MBA, I can spend some time working through the creative exercises myself.
  
  Great source of inspiration.
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  Deanna Schetselaar

  I think that if someday I become a designer of any merit, I will point back to my dog-eared copy of this book as my beginning into design. I am newer to this area, but I thought the ideas were explained beautifully and with precision.
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  Reza Baradari

  it's a very good book for starting in the field of graphic design and it's job is to familiarize you with the core concepts whether new or old.
  From my point of view the examples of exercises designers do for mastering each concept was the most helpful.
• 
  Mohammad Shaker

  Although it comes up with nothing new, it's a very good book on Graphic Design. Enjoy reading it.
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  Guilherme Gontijo

  Curiously, this seemed deeper in the very beginning.
• 
  Lavender

  Disclaimer: I'm not a designer, but I work with design.
  
  For a book covering "the new basics", I wanted more out of it. While it does offer some interesting perspectives on the basics of design and how it has evolved in the modern age, it doesn't go into too much detail. The exercises are scattered throughout the book but I would've liked a more structured approach. It does have a wide variety of designs to take inspiration from that challenge you to go back to the basics and see how simple elements and principles can impact complex designs, so if that's what you're looking for, it serves its purpose.
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  Morten Greve

  Bought the book in the hope that it would offer useful guidance for presentation design. At first I was rather disappointed - lots of not very interesting examples from the authors' students and not the kind of hands-on guidance and advice I was looking for (and that the title seemed to promise). On closer consideration, I did actually find a lot to like in it. Excellent chapters on colour use, use of grids, use of patterns, for example.
  
  Quite useful as a supplement and source of inspiration and ideas.
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  Mario Gogh

  Comprei esse livro em 2010 e sempre o utilizei como consulta. Nunca tinha feito uma leitura direta na ordem dos capítulos.
  
  Esse livro serve bem ao propósito de abordar os fundamentos detalhando exercícios de alunos e análises de trabalhos prestigiados analisando seus conceitos e abordagens.
  
  Mesmo sendo um livro de 10 anos atrás ainda se faz válido pela atemporalidade ~ de alguns trabalhos contidos.
  
  Não é o primeiro livro da autora da minha estante e não será também o ultimo.
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  alex elko

  I found this book more of an inspiration to get involved with art and design rather than the theoretical basics. Lots of things presented in the book seemed to be pretty obvious. Unfortunately, since I was looking more into learning the theory of graphic design, I would say it was a waste of time.wd
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  Nedam Pravoime

  Design is important, good design is difficult, but the pretentious and convoluted language used in this book leaves the impression that the authors don't think so and are afraid their profession will be looked down upon if they don't make it sound intellectually inaccessible.
  
  Good teachers simplify complex, make clear the obscure. This book tries so hard to do the opposite.
  
  Did not finish.
• 
  Gary Meacher

  This is the perfect mix of content and style that I’ve been looking for as an Intro to Graphic Design textbook. I’ve adopted it in my intro course. This is the first semester I’ve used it and it has gone really well.
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  Fabio TurboLangs

  Beautiful book butttttt, the language must be improved.
  The verbiage used to teach design is just as that of a wine label. Can't stand it anymore.
  Other than that, good organization, choice of topics, trends and examples.
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  Ray Dunsmore

  A decent introduction to the bare-bones basics of graphic design. Good primer on the concepts of line, point, plane and such, doesn't really get too far out of the basics, though. Nice to see an entry-level graphic design book written for modern technology, though, that is nice.
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  William Darian

  Interesting exploration to design components and principles
  
  The explanation in this book is in no way exhaustive and only serves as a way to guide the reader to seek deeper understanding of design graphics by themselves. A good read nevertheless.
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  Vũ Huy

  I was expecting some explanations of the new basics in this book but I found a superficial description of some principles which have been already known worldwide. The plus point is that some images the author used in this book have given a strong impression on me