Make It Bigger [Hardcover]

Paula Scher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2002

An outspoken voice in the world of graphic design for more than twenty years, Paula Scher has developed a worldwide reputation for her bold, modern graphics and her incisive, sometimes stinging, critiques of the design profession. In Make in Bigger, Scher candidly reveals her thoughts on design practice, drawing on her own experiences as one of the leading designers in the United States, and possibly the most famous female graphic designer in the world. Pointed and funny, it is an instructive guide for all those who navigate the difficult path between clients, employees, corporate structures, artists, and design professionals. Make it Bigger provides a survey of Scher's groundbreaking work, from her designs as art director at Columbia Records, to her identity for New York's Public Theater, to her recent work for the New York Times, Herman Miller, and the American Museum of Natural History's Rose Center planetarium.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

"Make it bigger"-a familiar refrain to any graphic designer accustomed to presenting layouts to clients-is an apt title for a book that examines the graphic design profession primarily through the lens of the business community it serves. Veteran designer Scher draws from over three decades of design experience to provide readers with a firsthand account of the creative process, that is, advancing good ideas and personal vision within the corporate cultures and organizational dynamics that are predisposed to resist them. A focus on the collaboration necessary to bring design ideas to life sets this book apart from others in the genre. In addition to an interior packed with familiar work, the book's cover and jacket provide visual stopping power that supports the author's approach. Unfortunately, the book itself won't stand up well to heavy use. Though this work is mainly about the design profession, it will appeal to anyone working in a creative field, whether he or she is attempting to advance creative ideas or to chart a career trajectory concerned with personal growth and development. Best suited for larger public libraries or libraries with extensive liberal arts, fine arts, or business sections.
Phil Hamlett, Turner & Assoc., San Francisco
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...a benchmark for designers to aspire to." -- Creative Review, November 2002

"Scher believes a designer can explain to ordinary people how extraordinary design can be." -- Communication Arts, February 2003

"Scher's humor and wit is apparent throughout as she offers opinions on the design practice..." -- I.D. Magazine, November 2002

"Scher's witty work goes beyond the merely eye-catching: It's downright show-stopping." -- The Albany Times-Union, January 30, 2003

"an honest magnum opus. . .wry, detailed and ultimately affirming." -- Graphic Design:USA, September 2002

"client relations [is] addressed with great wit and insight in this classic book." -- Step Inside Design, Jan/Feb 2005

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 1ST edition (August 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568983328
• ISBN-13: 978-1568983325
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #759,199 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make it Bigger is Best, December 10, 2002

By 

Randy Silverman (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Make It Bigger (Hardcover)

Many kudos to Paula Scher on her wonderful new book, Make It Bigger. Not being a designer myself, I am especially appreciative of Make It Bigger's informative descriptions of the negotiation process that goes on between the designer and the client. It helped put into perspective for me that invisible "something" that exists when a breakthrough piece of graphic art emerges. Besides the creative, visual flash of a challenging image, each graphic art object that survives the editorial process gives off an optimism that must be something akin to those first aviators who believed in flight, despite gravity and the conventions of rational wisdom.

Make it Bigger also represents (to the best of my knowledge) the first publishers' edition binding to be produced as a tight back, breaking a run of hollow-back edition bindings dating back to the inception of the genre, c.1820. While I'm sure most folks will be impressed with the edge printing (which is very slick), and the wonderful layout, the book's physical structure (which is something akin to a mechanized Bradel binding) breaks all kinds of ground. (I would have loved to have seen the discussions that must gone on between the author and the binder!).

In addition to its unique packaging and stunning visual presentation, Make It Bigger is the most entertaining work on graphic art I've ever read. Scher's writing style is honest, accessible, and absolutely absorbing, as are her candor, her humor, and most of all her precocious creativity. I cannot say enough to convey my sincere admiration for this wonderful book.

Randy Silverman
Preservation Librarian

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great resource from a legend, September 8, 2007

By 

M. Testani (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Make It Bigger (Paperback)

A great read for anyone who is ready to make the jump from art school to working clients. Scher goes into excellent detail about working with illustrators, the structure (and politics) of agency work, her strategies/approach to design. She also shares good insight on how to work most effectively with clients who may not know a whole lot about design. I found this very practical, and a very easy read. I am also a big fan of her work, which spans several decades.

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and even-handed, January 8, 2012

By 

A. Fineman (Brighton, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Make It Bigger (Paperback)

The topic of this book is basically "I'm so cool" by Paula Scher--which is fine, because Paula Scher really is one of the coolest people in design. I especially liked the first few chapters of the book, which talk about her early experiences working at CBS Records during the 1970s.