ejnord.com | design blog of eric nord

These days, Ryan McGinness is primarily known as a fine artist. But early in his career he cut his teeth as the sort of designer one could hire to do a logo. When this book came out, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the design process it illustrated was far from out of my reach. In fact, my first reaction was, “Hey, I can do this!”. To be fair, I think my ego was getting the better of me. But my logos certainly improved after I read this book.

Stag by Christian Schwartz

artwork by Eric Nord

“Renaissance Woman”

This is my contribution to the Type Is Art project.

This is from a project I recently started called True Note. After seeing what Logan Walters was doing with Wu-Tang, I had to get in on the action.

Stay tuned for more True Notes.

If you are looking for insights into the history and process of book cover design, Penguin by Design is it. What really makes this book special is Baine’s insightful commentary on both Penguin history, as well as many universal truths and lessons about design.

The book is organized around galleries of covers, which are accompanied by essays, notes, and commentary on those involved in the design process of various Penguin, Puffin, and Pelican releases. Baines makes a case for how certain figures, such as Jan Tschichold, shape the design culture and occasionally loom over successive design teams.

Beyond the insider history, amazing designs, and legendary figures, the most noteworthy aspect of this book is its unflinching honesty. Baines is quick to point out the many shortcomings of designs in various periods of Penguin history. For me, this is a refreshing departure from the often abstract or detached tone of many design books.

This book really puts you in the thick of the action throughout the many different periods of Penguin history.

1996