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My bookshelf collection for the artist designer
Purple Star emoji 36 items
By
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Shawnna Rennae Porter
These are the books on my shelf. For inspiration, reference and learning in my art and design career.
Sections
5
 
Graphic Design Reference
 
Pattern and Print Making
 
Getting Crafty
 
Business and Philosophy
 
Graphic Novels

Graphic Design Reference

Some books I collect because they are beautiful, others because they are useful or informative.

 
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A look at old print methods in modern times.
Studio on Fire: Iron Beasts Make Great Beauty
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A look at the era of artistic letterpress.
The Handy Book of Artistic Printing: Letterpress Examples
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A guide to design eras and what made them notable or distinct.
Retro Graphic Design Pocket Essentials
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A look at color combo inspiration in fashion.
Color Collective's Palette Perfect
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A beautiful book on color within Japanese culture and environment.
Traditional Colors of Japan
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Pattern and Print Making

Each of these offers a big dose of inspiration to spark creativity while marveling at that of others.

 
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A lovely reference for pattern design through the ages.
The Complete Pattern Directory: 1500 Designs
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Learn about making complex geometric patterns.
Islamic Geometric Patterns
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Really useful guide for beginners to fabric design.
Complete Guide to Designing and Printing Fabric
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Lessons in how to setup a repeat design and various other techniques.
Designing Patterns for Decoration & Fashion
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Experiment with shapes and images to create interlocking designs for quilts.
Designing Tessellations: Secrets of Patterns
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A look at historical pattern design.
Treasury of Historic Pattern and Design
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A celebration of current surface design.
Print and Pattern: Bowie Style
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Celebration of surface design continued.
Print & Pattern 2
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Celebration of surface design for children.
Print & Pattern: Kids
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A look at hand drawn pattern inspiration.
Over and Over: A Catalog of Hand-Drawn Patterns
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A look at surface design in England.
Sanderson: The Essence of English Decoration
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A reference to work of Ernst Haeckel.
Art Forms in Nature
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Getting Crafty

How to guides and hands on project work.

 
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Fun projects to get started with paper cutting.
The Crafter's Guide to Papercutting
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Project ideas to put your cutting machine to work.
Cutting Machine Crafts with Cricut, Sizzix & Silhouette
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Get started with the origami x paper cutting craft.
Beginner's Guide to Kirigami: 24 Projects
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I can't even begin to describe how much I love these!
For the Love of Paper: 320 Tear-off Pages
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Love these so much.
For the Love of Paper: Botanicals Vol 3
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Have I mentioned I love these?
For the Love of Paper: Florals, 160 Pages
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If you see a current issue in your local bookshop, grab one, they are fab!
Flow Book for Paper Lovers Issue 8 2024
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Business and Philosophy

I don't buy many business type books, but these are all very on point for my business. 

 
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All about finding what makes you stand out from the crowd.
Purple Cow
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How and why to have raving fans.
Raving Fans: Revolutionary Customer Service
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Exercises to get your creative spark lit.
The Art of Noticing
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Understanding inspiration.
Steal Like an Artist
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On getting seen.
Show Your Work!
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On not giving up.
Keep Going
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A scientific look at how art heals us.
Your Brain on Art
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Graphic Novels

Fun books I just enjoy for their humor or creativity.

 
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So funny and so relatable.
Hyperbole and a Half
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A funny biop from Steve Martin.
Number One Is Walking: My Life in Movies
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A dark murder mystery that is fabulously graphic.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
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A funny take on the real life struggles of aging parents.
Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant
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A fantastic look into the mind of artist Lynda Barry.
What It Is
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