The Story of Graphic Design

“The impact of graphic design on our daily lives begins the moment we open our eyes each morning and continues until they close at night.” –Patrick CramsieThe Story of Graphic Design (Abrams; June 2010) by Patrick Cramsie begins with the origins of the alphabet itself and carries the reader through the first handwritten books, the invention of printing in the Renaissance, the explosion of graphic styles (and printed media) in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the impact of digital technology on design today. The author walks the reader inside each design to gain a greater understanding of both the work itself and the subject as a whole. The result is an intimate and compelling narrative of the development of graphic styles.

The Story of Graphic Design explores the evolution of styles under the pressure of social, cultural, and technological change, accompanied by a comprehensive selection of illustrations of key works in typography and design since the invention of writing.
The Story of Graphic Design is above all a story of creative achievement: from the anonymous letterer of Trajan’s Column in ancient Rome to Paul Rand, master of the corporate logo, the designers who have shaped the way we experience the written word come alive in these pages. It is an indispensable tool for designers, historians, and students, as well as anyone who is interested in the visual arts or concerned about the future of the printed word.

Credits:

Page 300:

‘Offset’ brochure, designed by Rosemarie Tissi, 1981

Courtesy Odermatt und Tissi

Page 318:

Nike advertisement, designed by Neville Brody, 1992

Courtesy Research Studios