Product Description

Graphic designers constantly complain that there is no career manual to guide them through the profession. Now, design consultant and writer Adrian Shaughnessy draws on the wealth of his experience to provide just such a handbook. Aimed at the independent-minded, it addresses the concerns of young designers who want to earn a living by doing expressive and meaningful work but want to avoid becoming a hired drone working on soulless projects. It offers straight-talking advice on how to establish your design career and practical suggestions - that you won't have been taught at college - for running a successful business. Within each chapter there is inspirational guidance from a range of international designers who cite their personal mistakes and experiences as well as a chapter of one-on-one interviews with 10 leading designers including Neville Brody and John Warwicker.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21926 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Review
...teaches you all the practical stuff you wouldn't learn in design school... --European Business

Review
...there has never been anything close to a career manual for graphic designers - until now, of course, and that's where `How to be a Graphic Designer: Without Losing Your Soul' comes in.

Review
...both very readable and well worth reading...

Customer Reviews

Finally... a USEFUL designer design book!
I had my trepidation's about this book, another well designed beautiful to look at and in essence just that. Eye candy (see any of the Tomato publications). However, I read a small piece on the book in this months CR and since I'm starting a new studio myself, thought I'd pick it up.

Starting up a business is BORING. All the books and advice you get is generally in regard to fictional iron-mongers and the like. 'Without Losing Your Soul' has a ream of information regarding working for yourself to studio start up and everything else after that bold step. Interestingly the section of 'getting a job in the industry' is meagre in comparison. Perhaps this is due to the fact that many graduates just can't get the job they deserve.

'Without Losing Your Soul' covers other aspects of working life, clients and how to keep your artistic sanity and still get paid, right through to dealing with artists block. All in a witty but not too smug style (as the first chapter suggests all designers are 'self-centered obsessives', so I was expecting more smugness)

This is THE handbook for the graduate designer. I say THE because I haven't seen any others really. Don't be put off if you don't work in the 'traditional' sense of the word design (I don't. I'm in motion graphics/moving image). However if you are print to film and everything in between, the examples and advice in this book are applicable.

How to Be a Graphic Designer: Without Losing Your Soul
Following on from what other reviewers have said - I too don't read many books and often find design reference books are merely visual feasts with little insight or thoughtful discussion. However this book is different. Adrian Shaughnessy has performed a minor miracle in that he has run a very successful design studio and has also managed to create a book full of wit and intelligence that speaks to every designer at every level. I found myself nodding knowingly when I read this book, as he has captured exactly how it feels to be a designer. Whether coincidentally or not, I have recently decided to 'go it alone' as a designer - and I think this book has given me the impetus to do so. A MUST READ for anyone who is a designer or aspires to be one.

pretty good reading
I was flicking through this one evening at Borders, saw some interesting parts and bought it a day later on Amazon.

Its essentially a collection of nuggets of good advice gained from the (in)experience of a guy who's been in the design industry for a good few years.

I think there's a couple of good lessons in there that should be taught at college (well at least my old college). It doesn't teach you any design fundamentals but it attempts to show you ways of not messing up too bad when you go for interviews, if you're setting up your own your own studio, etc.

It's well written and some of it is self deprecating. It was nice to see that even well known super experienced designers have moments of self doubt now and then. I found it quite refreshing to read.

Definitely recommended it if you're interested in the ins and outs of doing well in graphic design when you are actually not doing any graphic designing.