Reading great graphic design books is one of the most accessible (and affordable) ways to sharpen your skills, spark inspiration, and deepen your creative thinking.
The right books can be your mentors and guides — sharing insights from some of the best minds in the industry. They can also be excellent coffee table books to show the world you’re serious about your craft.
That’s why our team of designers put together this curated list of what we consider the best graphic design books out there. Covering everything from design strategy and typography to creative process and career advice, these books are perfect for designers at any level.
Some are just beautifully designed, while others offer practical advice or actionable practice exercises. But they all offer lessons you can carry into both your professional and personal work.
Read on and browse our top book suggestions for graphic designers and find links to each one.
We’ll include the Amazon link to each of the books we reference, but we encourage you to check your local bookstores for physical books.
1. Type Matters!
Authored by: Jim Williams | Amazon link
Great for: Mastering typography fundamentals
Type Matters! covers everything from the essentials of applying type in both print and digital formats to the basic dos and donts of typography. Perfect for beginners learning to gain fundamental typographic skills or anyone who wants a quick reference guide on common typography issues, maintaining polished editorial layouts or checking typographic hierarchy.
A favorite of our production manager, Drew, he believes it to be foundational, listing it as a go-to reference for polishing editorial layouts or checking typographic hierarchy.
Beyond being a typography essential, it’s beautifully curated, making it a great addition to any graphic designer’s bookshelf.
2. The Graphic Design Idea Book
Authored by: Steven Heller and Gail Anderson | Amazon link
Great for: Beginners
This particular book is perfect for newcomers. Each page breaks down a key graphic design concept — transformation, symbolism, legibility — and pairs it with standout examples from modern and historic design work.
What we love most is how approachable it is. It’s a great way to learn key concepts as a beginner, especially if you’re a visual learner.
3. The History of Graphic Design (Vol. 1)
Authored by: Jens Mller | Amazon link
Great for: Deeper learning and history nerds
This is what we call the “graphic design Bible.” Spanning over a century of visual culture, this book contextualizes how design has responded to — and shaped — our world.
If you’re serious about your craft, you need to understand where it came from. Seeing how movements like Bauhaus influenced typography, or how subway signage systems were born, can change how you think about design.
This is a great educational graphic design book for beginners and experts wanting to know in-depth context behind their favorite design styles.
4. 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design
Authored by: Steven Heller & Vronique Vienne | Amazon link
Great for: Beginner to advanced creatives
This book dives into how ideas have influenced the world of graphic design. The 100 “ideas” range from technical to stylistic design ideas and even to objects and methods.
While this book is a great read for beginner designers, it does cover more advanced concepts so it extends to expert level designers as well.
5. Oh Sh*t What Now?
Authored by: Craig Oldham | Amazon link
Great for: Creative career perspectives and advice
This book isn’t about visuals or learning graphic design concepts, it’s about you. About how it feels to be a designer in a fast-paced world that sometimes undervalues creative work.
Craig Oldham pulls back the curtain on the design industry, sharing real talk on impostor syndrome, portfolio-building, and the messy reality of trying to make art and money at the same time.
This is a great read for beginners and expert designers alike, as well as complete newbies — those wondering what it’s like to be a graphic designer.
6. The Designers Dictionary of Color
Authored by: Sean Adams | Amazon link
Great for: Color nerds & practical creatives
This book is sleek, vibrant, and practical. It explores color theory through the lens of real-world applications, and even includes hex and CMYK breakdowns. What stands out is a section on grayscale design proof that good color work isn’t always about color.
Whether you’re working on a poster, UI, or brand identity, the color relationships and color psychology explained here will help level up your work.
7. Thinking with Type
Authored by: Ellen Lupton | Amazon link
Great for: Beginning and advanced designers wanting to deepen their typographic thinking
This is one of the most popular and comprehensive guides to typography and a necessity to have in your toolbox of graphic design books. Ellen Lupton doesn’t just tell you how to use type she shows you why it works, how its evolved, and how to use it meaningfully.
This book essentially covers the theoretical and practical aspects of type with a focus on how to use type as a tool for communication within contemporary design. Plus, it includes design exercises encouraging you to experiment with type.
This book proves whether you’re into branding, editorial design, or web interfaces, understanding how type functions as communication (not just decoration) will transform your work.
8. Layout Essentials
Authored by: Beth Tondreau | Amazon link
Great for: Beginner designers needing the essentials or advanced designers wanting a reference
Layout Essentials breaks down 100 principles of effective layout design with real-world examples. This book is particularly great for beginners as it essentially supplies a blueprint to grids, hierarchy, and spatial flow.
What we appreciate is how digestible it is. Even for experienced designers, it’s a solid reference when you’re trying to make complex information feel simple and seamless.
9. POSUT POSTER Contemporary Japanese Poster Design
Designed by: Chris Chan and Scarlet Ng | Amazon link
Great for: All creatives looking for inspiration
A showcase of contemporary Japanese poster design, POSUT POSTER is visually packed with unexpected compositions, bold color use, and creative typographic play. Every spread is a reminder that design can be bold and weird and elegant all at once.
If you’re feeling boxed in by common styles, this book can give you the inspiration you need to shake things up.
10. Sans in Use
Creative direction by Victor Cheung | Amazon link
Great for: Design students and typography lovers
This is a beautifully curated deep-dive into how sans-serif fonts behave in different settings and scenarios. Sans in Use is an excellent resource for designers and typographers looking for inspiration.
This book isn’t just about the fonts themselves it’s about what they do in a finished piece and shows you via beautiful page layouts.
On top of that, Sans in Use is just a beautiful example of clean, purposeful design and an excellent coffee table book for any graphic designer.
11. Steal Like an Artist
Authored by: Austin Kleon | Amazon link
Great for: Beginners
Not particularly a graphic design book, Steal Like an Artist is all about borrowing, remixing, and reimagining work of others as a designer. It’s perfect for beginners as it’ll help you navigate the concepts of “stealing” and referencing the work of others for your own designs.
Whether you’re stuck in a rut or just starting out, this book gives you permission to find inspiration from other designers and create.
12. Typographic Design: Form and Communication
Authored by: Rob Carter, Sandra Maxa, Mark Sanders, Philip B. Meggs, Ben Day | Amazon link
Great for: Advanced typographic theory and design history
This is the typography textbook. Comprehensive, detailed, and thoughtfully structured, Typographic Design blends theory with practice to give you an in-depth understanding of how typography functions as a tool for communication.
It covers everything from the earliest letterforms to modern typographic systems, showing how type has evolved as design styles evolve. You’ll get historical context, visual examples, and practical insights into essential concepts such as structure, form, spacing, and alignment.
Ideal for design students or professionals who want to go beyond the basics and explore typography as both craft and communication.
Key takeaway
There you have a list of 12 of the best graphic design books for designers of all levels, from beginner to advanced.
Whether you’re looking to step into graphic design as a newbie or you’re already well into your creative career but searching for inspiration, these books are a great place to start.
If you’re looking for more, there are a few other great books for graphic designers (not mentioned in this blog) in the video below. Check it out and subscribe to the Kittl YouTube channel for more resources, tips, and design inspiration.
As Content Marketing Manager at Kittl, Marie blends her expertise in content creation and design to deliver blogs and guides that inform, inspire, and support fellow creators. With 4+ years of in-house and freelance experience in graphic design, branding, SEO, and marketing, she’s helped brands build strong identities and connect with their audiences.
