Photo credit: Amber Hannaford

Justus Magazine is a quarterly print design journal created by a group of talented women in Sydney. The magazine is dedicated to showcasing the innovation and craftsmanship of the Australian print design industry.

Justus Magazine is a first of its kind in the Australian market and has been specifically created to support the country’s print design community, utilising a multitude of specialty stock, foiling and embossing techniques.

Founder and Creative Director Lindsay Smith states:

“Justus Magazine aims to forge stronger relationships within the print and paper community, thereby allowing the industry to enjoy a sure future.”

Justus Magazine Issue 2

Photo credit: Amber Hannaford

To Letterpress With Love is the title of Justus’s second issue and it provides yet another tactile journey into the world of design embellishments and paper stocks.

Issue 2 has used 10 different paper stocks, along with an array of typography and print techniques. The issue includes a Half-Canadian ring bind along with featured articles finished in letterpress printing.

Photo credit: Amber Hannaford

Also revealed are the 11 subscribing studios selected for showcase in Flourish — the section dedicated to presenting the most outstanding chosen studio print jobs from around the country.

These studios include Melbourne’s Motherbird, Perth’s Studio Bomba, Sydney’s Mark Gowing, South Australia’s KSD Design and Queensland’s Peter Sexty Design.

Special Discount Offer

Together with Justus Magazine, we are pleased to offer Designer’s Bookshelf readers a 10% discount on 4 issues (1 years worth) of Justus Magazine. All you have to do is download this custom PDF and mail it in, or simply mention “Designer’s Bookshelf” when placing a subscription on the Justus website (you can append it to your name for example). Easy!

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Austin Kleon is a writer, artist and speaker obsessed with the art of communicating with pictures and words on the Web. Before he became a full-time artist he was a librarian, Web designer and advertising copywriter. Kleon has written two books: Steal Like An Artist and Newspaper Blackout, a collection of poetry made by redacting newspaper articles with a permanent marker.

The underlying message behind Steal Like An Artist is that nothing is original. While this idea has been brought up previously throughout art history (the late Pablo Picasso once famously declared “Art is theft”), it seems to have gained a bit more notoriety in recent years — largely due to the digital age we now live in. Advancements in technology have given us the ability to quickly and easily copy and remix any medium. And with the invention of the Internet, we’ve also been gifted the opportunity to publish and share this work instantly with the connected world.

Some might interpret the nothing is original principle as a very pessimistic way of looking at the creative process. Once an artist is made to realise this statement, what is next? Do they just give up on ever successfully making something new?

Pangs of self-doubt can affect us all and striving to be truly creative can often feel futile. This is where Steal Like An Artist enters the scene. Humorous, ironic in parts, positive and personable, the book teaches you not to fight this principle but to instead embrace it.

Kleon asserts on the jacket sleeve:

“Nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and re-imagine to discover your own path.”

To help realise this statement, Kleon has penned 10 chapters to “unlock your creativity”. They include “Use Your Hands” (about incorporating analogue tools into your workflow), “Do Good Work And Share It With People” (about the benefits of starting in obscurity and letting people in) and “Be Boring” (which includes practical advice on managing your time and taking care of yourself).

In my opinion, the “Start Copying” topic in Chapter 3 is the strongest in the book. Kleon begins by declaring copying should be practice — not plagiarism. He goes on to state that deciding who to copy is easy but what to copy is the hard part. The topic finishes with this lovely paragraph on the transformation:

“In the end, merely imitating your heroes is not flattering them. Transforming their work into something of your own is how you flatter them. Adding something to the world that only you can add.” (p.41)

Chapters are enhanced with short, powerful quotes by musicians, writers, filmmakers and celebrities. If you enjoy reading the occasional “creative quote” in a blog post or book, then you’ll love the selections in Steal Like An Artist. One of my favourites was from Yohji Yamamoto:

“Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self.” (p.33)

The final pages in the book are dedicated to “Deleted Scenes”: scans of Kleon’s index cards that never made it to print. It was interesting to see how the book may have been shaped by these discarded ideas. This feature again drives home the intimacy present in Kleon’s writing.

Steal Like An Artist is not just for artists or creative types — the lessons inside can be applied to almost any profession. I found Kleon’s techniques to be a great pick-me-up on my work break and I’m positive Bookshelf readers will find it beneficial too.

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On first look it’s easy to assume Symbol is merely a follow-up (or even just an update) to Laurence King’s 2007 release Logo. It’s true that both books share visible similarities — a black and white cover, print size, stock and finish — but that’s where the resemblance ends. Inside sees a different experience altogether. This time around, new authors have delivered a more refined approach to what you may come to expect in a logo design book.

Symbol begins with a contemplative essay (written by David Gibbs), which attempts to define the word “symbol”. The interchangeability of the terms “logo” and “symbol” has confused me on occasion, so I was pleasantly surprised to have the book open with this.

Gibbs explains, historically, that the origin of the word “logo” lies in the Greek logos — “word”. However:

“It has departed from being a clone of its parent and come to mean a more general mark of identity. For some, a logo no longer even has to involve a word, or words.” (p.7)

Today, designers appear to have appropriated even more variations on the word “symbol”. While in the same spirit, modern usage has only added to the confusion. Now we use “emblem”, “icon”, “signature” and “trademark” quite liberally.

The essence of the book is its logo showcase. Logos are placed carefully side by side on a grid. With the exception of the Featured pages, there are no colours or brand names to distract from the viewing experience. On this decision, Hyland writes:

“… the symbols [in the book] are essentially isolated so that the effectiveness of their composition and impact can be assessed without distraction and so that the reader can enjoy them as a pictorial language in their own right.” (p.4)

The gallery contains a fantastic mix of new and old material with most logos originating from the UK and Europe. You’ll find some familiar ones (Commonwealth Bank, Qantas, Telstra) and some relative unknowns (Space Magazine, Cinova, Videns).

The collection also features work by heavy hitters such as Chermayeff & Geismar, Interbrand and Pentagram, but is balanced by many other submissions from smaller companies too.

The gallery is split into two sections — “Abstract” and “Representational”. The “Abstract” section includes circle, square and triangle logos. Chapters in this section become more precise, with collections of diamond, curved and crossed logos making appearances. The “Representational” section has chapters on fire, animal, landscape and sport logos. You’ll also find examples of transport logos, planets, mythology and shields.

Logos are numbered and credited on-page. Readers are given the brand name, place of origin, author, year the logo was officially registered and what the logo stands for. It wasn’t clear whether these meanings were provided by the logo’s authors, clients, or personally penned by Hyland and Bateman. In any case, I found them quite useful when deciphering the more abstract examples.

Within the gallery, Symbol features over 20 logo case studies. Hyland investigates how the Deutsche Bank, Continental Airlines, Nike and WWF logos came into existence and also reveals some interesting back stories behind them.

Lovers of logos are going to find themselves analysing and comparing the intricate details of every mark published in the pages of this book. Its unique format allows for easy analysis of logo patterns, and curious similarities will quickly become apparent. Symbol should sit comfortably within the collections of all designers.

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We’re pleased to offer our readers a chance to win a copy of the new book 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design. This giveaway comes care of one of our favourite book publishers — Laurence King.

100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design

New in the 100 Ideas That Changed… series, this book demonstrates how ideas influenced and defined graphic design, and how those ideas have manifested themselves in objects of design. The 100 entries, arranged broadly in chronological order, range from technical (overprinting, rub-on designs, split fountain); to stylistic (swashes on caps, loud typography, and white space); to objects (dust jackets, design handbooks); and methods (paper cut-outs, pixelation).

Written by one of the world’s leading authorities on graphic design and lavishly illustrated, 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design is both a great source of inspiration and a provocative record of some of the best examples of graphic design from the last hundred years.

• 1x Softcover Book (216 full-colour pages)
• Written by Steven Heller & Véronique Vienne
• Published by Laurence King Publishing
• Copyright © 2012 Laurence King Publishing

Photo credit: Laurence King Publishing UK

Photo credit: Laurence King Publishing UK

Photo credit: Laurence King Publishing UK

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To win one of two copies of this book, simply tell us

“Which idea would you say has influenced you (or your design practice) the most?”

For some hints, why not check out the full list of 100 ideas.

Leave your answer in the comments section below and we’ll pick two winners. You’ll need to sign-in with a valid email address when commenting so that we have the means of contacting you in order to claim your prize.

Submissions are valid from 24 April–15 May 2012 and are one per person now closed. Congratulations Bjarni Wark and Rosa Bjork! You are the chosen winners for this month’s giveaway. Thank you for entering and we hope you enjoy your free books.

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Bantjes’s work has become immensely popular in the design world in recent years. Her work is a crossover between Art and Design, and her signature is a style that is extremely detailed, often using pattern and ornament to complement custom typography. She started her career working as a book typesetter, eventually opening up her own firm before heading out on her own as a freelance designer, typographer and illustrator.

The 13 essays in I Wonder cover a wide variety of topics. To make the connection between all of them you have to realise that this book really is a peek into how Bantjes thinks, experiences and feels about the world around her. Ranging from thought-provoking essays about the joy of wondering to seriously private remembrances of family members, the topics are heartfelt and enjoyable.

There is something for everyone and the themes have a sincere and personal approach. You never quite know what to expect — essays range from deeply emotional recollections of family members, particularly Bantjes’s mother, to in-depth studies of the aesthetics of Santa Claus. Bantjes freely shares her feelings with the reader, inviting them into her experiences and then prompting them to wonder how those experiences apply to their own lives.

The illustration style of every essay is as different as the topics they are designed to complement and each page turn yields a new and unexpected visual experience. Photographs of celestial-inspired jewellery are followed by words and patterns formed from multiple varieties of pasta, which are in turn followed by fluorescent orange typography. Even though the images are intriguing, some of the layouts are so chaotic that at times it can become difficult to keep up. The extreme ornamentation on some pages also occasionally impedes not only readability, but legibility.

The production quality of the book is outstanding. In a world where new devices are constantly making reading material more accessible in digital formats, if you decide to purchase this book you should definitely obtain a hard copy. The cover uses both a gold and silver foil, the edges of the pages are painted in gold and there is a gold spot colour used throughout most of the book. This lavishness is a perfect companion to the detailed stylings of the design of each essay.

Some of the content was originally published on the SpeakUp web site and wasn’t created expressly for I Wonder. In the disclaimer at the beginning of the book Bantjes notes that the change in format has allowed her to push the essays past their original intention by adding new context and meaning. Each illustration is a new piece of design and it’s the dedication to her art that keeps you reading, constantly wondering what it is that Bantjes possibly has to show you next.

If you are curious about how Bantjes creates some of the book’s visuals there is a wonderful section in the back that gives some insight into how exactly she created each style of illustration, as well as credits for all of the typefaces used.

The combination of the author’s impressively honest look at herself and the extremely detailed aesthetic of the book make for a perfect pair. In case you ever wondered just who Marian Bantjes is, I Wonder does a great job of letting you see the world through her eyes.

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The description on the cover certainly piques interest at first glance. “Illustrated Essays on the Intersection of Life and Design”, whatever could that mean? The content in the book certainly does not disappoint. In 20 essays pulled directly from her real-life occurrences, Debbie Millman provides an intriguing cross-section of how design exists within society. The stories are innately personal and immediately draw the reader into a world that is relatable and recognisable as their own.

The essays span a vast array of topics including the experience of owning a treasured first pair of Levi jeans, a thought-provoking take on a laundromat sign, a job interview that just didn’t go right at all and everything in-between. The writing is warm and enjoyable, which helps give the reader the notion that any of these experiences could have just as easily happened to them at some point in their own life. Positioned somewhere in the middle of each essay is a life lesson, something that we could all learn from, and that is what makes the book all the more interesting.

It’s in the life lessons that the quality of Look Both Ways truly comes through. It is intriguing that each lesson relates to design in one way or another, but what really sticks are the times when Millman encourages readers to follow their dreams, be kind to one another and never forget where they came from.

Each essay is illustrated using handwritten typography and occasionally complemented with quaint real-life objects like notecards, a chalkboard or a sketchpad. The typography adds to the warmth and personality of the book and the style and application in each essay varies. This sometimes feels appropriate, for example when it adds to the appeal of the situation it is presenting. But when it seems odd and out of place it merely gets in the way of the user partaking in the adventure.

In the end it’s the folksy wisdom contained within the stories that really make the whole book worthwhile. Even those who are not designers or advertising specialists will find there is much that can be taken away from the things that Millman has so graciously chosen to spill from her own personal, private life onto these pages. While I did not relate to every story, by the end of each one I certainly had a smile on my face.

Look Both Ways is an entertaining and insightful book appropriate for designers and non-designers alike.

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Designer’s Bookshelf is steadily growing and we’re delighted to announce we have a new contributor to the site — Dominic Flask.

Dominic (also known as Dangerdom) is a design teacher and graphic designer from Wichita, Kansas. Currently he splits his time between Wichita State University and the newly formed design studio Duct Tape & Glitter. Along with a shared passion for design books, he brings his knowledge of Design History, Typography and Motion Graphics to the Bookshelf.

Below is a recent Q&A we completed with Dom. We hope you’ll enjoy Dom’s upcoming book selections and his approach to writing.

Interview With Dominic Flask

DB: Hi Dom, welcome to Designer’s Bookshelf! We’re excited to have you on the team.

Dom: Thanks! I’m excited to be a part of the site. A lot of what I’ve learned about design has come from reading books, so I’m happy to have an outlet to share those resources with other like-minded individuals.

DB: How did you come across our web site? And what moves you to contribute?

Dom: To be honest I don’t remember exactly where I first saw the web site, I just remember it popping up in several places in my RSS reader and of course I instantly latched on and started regularly reading the reviews. Being able to contribute is something that interests me for two reasons. Not only do I get to share what I learn with other people, but having to write reviews gives me the chance to fully analyse and digest the information that I am consuming rather than just moving on to the next book on my reading list.

DB: Can you tell us a little more about the work you’ve done in your professional career?

Dom: I’ve worked in several different positions and locations across the field of advertising and graphic design. I’ve spent time working at large international ad agencies with over 1,000 people in one office as well as small design boutiques with only three people sharing one space. I love all aspects of design and that passion has found me working on everything from branding and identity projects to mobile and web applications.

DB: What is the design industry like where you live?

Dom: I suppose the major difference is that we’re a little more spread out. We have a tonne of extremely talented folks working right here in Kansas, including my studio mates Luke Bott (www.lukebott.com) and Roger Strunk (www.rogerstrunk.com) and we enjoy working with clients and other designers in our neighbourhood. However, we also find ourselves partnering with people from Chicago, Austin, New York and many other places on a regular basis. There’s a real collaborative mentality and strong work ethic coming from this region.

DB: What are some of your favourite design books?

Dom: That is of course an impossible question to answer because I can by no means begin to single out just a few of my favourites, but I can probably narrow it down to a few categories that particularly pique my interest. I thoroughly enjoy design monographs and biographies as well as almost any book on typography. I also enjoy books that most people would classify as thoughts on design or writing about design.

DB: It’s been great talking to you, Dom. Where can people check out more of your work?

Dom: To see the most current things I am working on you can check out our studio website at www.ducttapeandglitter.com as well as my personal portfolio at www.dangerdom.com. I’ve also been posting work-in-progress shots up on Dribbble.

Call For Contributors

Thank you for taking the time to read our little Q&A. If you have similar experience in the design industry, cherish design books and have a healthy design book collection of your own we would love to hear from you, too.

Designer’s Bookshelf is currently looking for contributors to write about their favourite design books. We would prefer if contributors are located in Australia but can make exceptions for the right people.

If this interests you (or might interest someone you know), please write to “join [at] designersbookshelf.com” with the subject line “Contributor Callout” and we’ll be in touch.

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Over the summer, Designer’s Bookshelf has been an online sponsor of the Calligraffiti Upside Down Tour 2012. The tour continues to Auckland, New Zealand 8 February–1 March where Niels will host a special talk at the Auckland University of Technology and exhibit at the Saatchi & Saatchi gallery.

Unruly Gallery has kindly donated three Calligraffiti books to give away to our loyal readers. Read on for the details.

Niels Shoe Meulman’s “Calligraffiti”

Niels “Shoe” Meulman (NSM) first gained international fame as a graffiti artist from Europe’s legendary Crime Time Kings crew. He has since gone on to become an acclaimed calligrapher, typographer and designer. He explores the contours of words as images in Calligraffiti — a hybrid art form which blurs together the calligraphy and graffiti practices.

• 1x Hardcover Book (144 full-colour pages)
• Published by From Here To Fame
• Copyright © 2010 Niels Shoe Meulman

To win a copy of this book, simply tell us

“What special phrase would you love to see NSM ink in his Calligraffiti style?”

Leave your answer in the comments section below and we’ll pick the three best responses as winners. You’ll need to use a valid email address (or Social Media account) when commenting so that we have a means of contacting you. Submissions are valid from 7 February–1 March 2012 and are one per person. now closed. Congratulations Venessa Lenka Narr, Eelke Rikkert and Mohamed Gaber! You are the chosen winners for this month’s giveaway. Thank you for entering and we hope you enjoy your free books.

Please note: This particular giveaway is open to both local and international readers. So get commenting!

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Paul Arden (7 April, 1940–2 April, 2008) was an influential author and a former creative director for Saatchi & Saatchi at the height of their advertising might. His British Airways campaigns continue to be remembered as one of the greatest advertising campaigns of all time, changing the fortunes of the airline.

The cover of It’s Not How Good You Are… is dominated by a strong, typographic masthead. Couple this with the tagline “The world’s best-selling book” and you have a cocky first impression. Further reading of the book reveals reasoning behind this decision:

“Firstly you need to aim beyond what you are capable of. You must develop a complete disregard of where your abilities end… Make your vision of where you want to be a reality. Nothing is impossible.” (p.17)

The small size of the book makes it very easy to pick up from inside your bag or off your table when a spare moment arises. The length of the chapters are modest, easy to digest and don’t have to be read in any particular order. This makes it easy for readers to dip in and out of the book as they please. Also, each page opens with a bold headline and concludes with a few paragraphs of inspirational thought to round things off nicely.

Arden’s words of wisdom, like his illustrious career, are memorable and distinct. His creative approach to business and observations on life surprises and entertains — even on repeat reads. The book contains 40+ chapters of gems such as “Do not seek praise. Seek criticism”, “Do not covet your ideas”, “When it can’t be done, do it” and “Fail. Fail again. Fail better”.

One of my favourite chapters is “Don’t promise what you can’t deliver”. Arden discusses how promising too much, at least in the initial stages, leaves no room for failure. I’ll admit in my enthusiasm I sometimes promise the world! Arden believes the result of this will almost always be a little disappointing — not terribly, but less than expected.

Instead of overpromising, Arden believes in underselling. He suggests pointing out weaknesses first and discussing how to resolve them early on. This approach not only ensures all problem areas are on the table at the start, but in turn builds a more trusting relationship with the client.

Another chapter I could relate to is “Rough layouts sell the idea better than polished ones”. Arden highlights the importance of working with the client and making them feel involved in the creation process. He explains how presenting them with a highly polished computer layout can be detrimental:

“There is either too much to worry about or not enough to worry about. There is nothing for [the client] to do. It’s not [their] work, it’s your work. [They] don’t feel involved.” (p.80)

In my own experience I’ve found this rings very true with clients (as well as with bosses). They are generally more receptive to scribbles, sketches and low-level prototypes instead of a finished mock-up.

The contrast created through the book’s differing page layouts is a pleasing experience. Page layouts change from white to black, full-page images break text-only drudgery and occasionally a spread will appear with just a single line of copy to focus on. Combine this with clever juxtaposition, conceptual photography and witty captioning and you can start to see why the book has been so well-received, and not just by those in the Advertising industry.

It’s Not How Good You Are… is an entertaining read with a few practical lessons to be learned along the way. Whether you are a graduate, professional or managing director, I’m convinced you’ll find this book a motivating companion along your pathway to success.

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Photo credit: Mark Groen

Niels “Shoe” Meulman (NSM) is heading down under this summer for his very first visit to Australia. Now is your chance to see NSM’s artwork up close at gallery exhibits and special events in Sydney and Melbourne. Rather than ship his artwork from abroad, NSM will be making site-specific artwork in each city. At all events, NSM will be available for interviews and on-hand to sign his Calligraffiti book with personalised dedications.

Sydney Tour Dates

The Calligraffiti Upside Down Tour 2012 kicks off in Sydney with Like Minded Studio hosting an exhibition from 25 January–30 January at the artist-run Kind of Gallery on Oxford Street, Darlinghurst.

In addition, the legendary Kinokuniya Bookstore Sydney will be hosting an exhibition in their Wedge Gallery (front-of-store) from 25 January–7 February, 2012.

Sydney will also be graced with a live Calligraffiti show, with NSM getting up in the May’s Lane Street Art Project on 27 January. For more information on this very special event please visit the May’s Lane web site.

Melbourne Tour Dates

Street-art haven Melbourne will be able to get their fix with the young and upcoming Rtist Gallery hosting an exhibition of NSM at their space on St Edmonds Rd, Prahran from 2 February–12 February. NSM will also be working with Melbourne art label Dangerfork to make exclusive prints for the tour.

Not to be missed is a special screening of the Dutch documentary Kroonjuwelen (aka Crown Jewels) on 2 February at The Rooftop Cinema. The Calligraffiti Upside Down Tour 2012 is proud to bring along Kroonjuwelen for its first ever screening on our shores. Learn about the history of graffiti in Amsterdam from the punk days in the 70s and 80s to the roaring train bombing times of the 90s.

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The Calligraffiti Upside Down Tour 2012 is presented by Unruly Gallery and supported by Converse. NSM will also be exhibiting in Auckland and Singapore during the final leg of the tour. For more information on these dates please see the Calligraffiti Facebook page.

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