Professional Design Techniques Book Now Available
Just a quick note to let you know about a new book that recently hit the bookshelves: Professional Design Techniques, by Scott Citron (2008 Peachpit Press) is a must-have book for anyone who needs to be a designer. Notice that I didn’t say, “anyone who is a designer” — but rather those of us who are often required to do design, but who aren’t classically trained. Using the Creative Suite tools (mostly InDesign), he shows how you can turn dreck into design, trash into templates, and [insert a word that connotes something unpleasant that begins with "a" here] into art.
The most shocking part of the book is that it’s not 2,800 pages. Rather, it’s a svelte little 300 page paperback that goes deep when it needs to, but doesn’t spend too much time when there are other references out there. By focusing on best practices of design, he can avoid a lot of the “choose this menu item and click here” that most computer books must cover. The TOC includes chapters on “Designing a Corporate Identity System,” “Creating Newsletters and Forms,” “Designing Magazines and Newspapers,” and “Designing Annual Reports.”
There are also other bonus materials that you can download once you own the book (you have to register) from peachpit.com/prodesignCS3.
By the way, Scott’s name should be familiar to you, as he often posts comments here, and he’s the chapter head of the InDesign User Group in New York City. You can see more of his work at scottcitrondesign.com.
Thanks David. Your description of the book is spot-on. Hope others find it helpful, as well.
Scott
Thanks for the mini-review, David, it sounds like a worthwhile book from an author I have learned from before (in InDesign Magazine). So I’m glad that Citron didn’t, ahem, lay a Lemon.
(And might perhaps the “a”-word you’re looking for be “anure”?)
I agree, this is a must-have book for anyone who needs to be a designer. Great job Scott!
JW
I bought this book last month and especially love the real world examples used. Thanks Scott!.
P.S. thanks for mentioning our plug-in Smart Styles ;o)
I received my copy from Amazon this morning. I can’t wait to get home from work so that I can really look through this. From what I have seen while here at work, I’m gonna love this book.
I have finally received my copy, well, in after a fast browsing I find it’s essentially an harmonic and balanced combination of experience and knowledge using the tools combined with art and design principles and many practical ideas can spring out of a relaxed reading of the different projects. A very original and accesible approach to some tasks a pro designer must face and all what is around. The perfect counterpoint to technical advanced books like Real World series from David, Olav, and Mordy Golding.
I will add another adjective, elegant, to this before I delve down into reading it word by word.
Highly Recommended. Thanks Scott.
Scott Citron brings it all together.
Too many computer books today just tell you how the tools work. Professional Design Techniques with Adobe Creative Suite 3 by Scott Citron does more than that. Far more!
Scott brings design and production techniques together in a process that is much more reflective of what happens in a day to day design studio. As well, Scott’s writing style reminds me of being in a conversation with a mentor. Information is quickly assimilated, easily to understand and efficiently implemented.
In the beginning chapters Scott reviews basic and necessary design principals for laying out a page and proper use of typography rules for kerning and leading. The project chapters and production techniques are invaluable. I can see many designers and print production artists having “a-ha” moments during their reading of this book.
I would recommend that every design and production studio invest in a copy or two of this book.
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