401 Design Meditations: Wisdom, Insights, and Intriguing Thoughts from 150 Leading Designers (Hardcover)

~ Catharine Fishel (Author) "1 Design is... a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, and philosophy..." (more)
Key Phrases: design educator, poster designer, Allworth Press, Stefan Sagmeister Principal, Adams Morioka (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In need of advice? Just want to sound off? Opening this volume is like grabbing lunch with a fellow designer to commiserate or celebrate. In its pages, noteworthy designers, both past and present, working in fields ranging from graphic design, fashion, architecture, typography, illustration, and industry product design, sound off on every topic, including deadlines, inspiration, competition, rules, respect, education, and handling criticism and life as a creative soul—all with a certain amount of irreverence. Their thoughts are boiled down into succinct quotable quotes and one-liners that exemplify their character and demonstrate their philosophy on the world.

Enjoy reading sound bites from everyone from Frank Gehry, David Carson, and Charles and Ray Eames to Frank Lloyd Wright, Paul Rand, Stefan Sagmeister, and Saul Bass.

About the Author

Catharine Fishel has written about and worked with designers and illustrators for more than 20 years. She is the editor of LogoLounge.com, writes for leading design magazines, and is the author of many books on design-related topics including Paper Graphics, Minimal Graphics, and Designing for Children. She lives in Morton, Illinois.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Rockport Publishers (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159253127X
• ISBN-13: 978-1592531271
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #755,277 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written Conversation, January 31, 2008

By	Louisa Nicholson "Design, Interaction and Dev... (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really liked this book actually. It simply contains page after page of quotes, but also a random assortment of illustrations to help mediate the flow of the book. I pick it up when I feel uninspired and I remember why I chose my career all over again. I recommend it as a coffee table book definitely.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not all intriguing, June 15, 2009

By	K. Petersen (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While there's an ocassional good piece of wisdom in this book, a lot of the quotes seem to be variations on the same thing - same point, different words. Some of them don't even seem to belong on these pages - like they just needed a few more to fill in some empty space and took what they could get. But, the few that are more than just repetitive "fluff" are well worth it. All in all, it gets you thinking!

5.0 out of 5 stars ...in a few words, But Great Insight!, July 12, 2006

By	H. Thompson "online" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was intrigued by the title of this book and once opened it was a like a cool breeze on a summer day. As a veteran designer I found myself nodding the head with affirmation. What is contained in the book is pretty simple; just read the description. The quotes, tips and insights are well worth remembering whether you are a designer or a client. Thought provoking for those serious about design.