Graphic design -or any other creative discipline- is a business that's often seen by clients with some off perceptions. Craig Ward, a British graphic designer has come up with a book on the matter based on his very own experience called "Popular Lies About Graphic Design". There are a lot of common places when it comes to misconceptions regarding to the industry but the real attraction of it is the book's design itself, as it includes the graphic work of Ward.
The book's first line reads as follows: “This is not a book full of facts. Nor is it a book full of advice. It’s a book full of opinions, and confusion between those three is how a lot of these problems begin…” It tackles lighter subjects such as design fetishists, Helvetica’s neutrality and ‘urgent’ briefs, alongside discussions on more worthy topics such as the validity of design education, the supposed death of print, client relationships and pitch planning.
All these subjects are presented through the author's own aesthetic, by creating graphic pieces to illustrate some of the themes addressed. His style revolves around the very nature of words and how they can be used as an essential part of the design itself. The result is a very dynamic read, where the author was able to put these very common "lies" of graphic design both into words and image in a very attractive yet simple way.
This book will probably hit very close to home for fellow designers, as some of the situations described can give a lot of insight from the industry and how to deal with it. You can pre-order the book on Amazon and make sure to also visit Ward's blog "The Words Are Pictures", where he showcases his personal work.