The LBiQ Reading List

The reading list is a new posting category here on the LBiQ blog. These are the ’set texts’, the most useful books directly relating to our profession. The reading list is sub categorised broadly as follows:

Ideas (including ways of thinking creatively, workshopping…)
Writing (inc. long copy, short copy, scriptwriting…)
Graphic Design (inc. layout, typography…)
Experience Design (inc. interaction design, service innovation…)
Drawing (inc. storyboards, scamps, wireframes…)
Photography & Cinematography
Planning, strategy & marketing theory 
Technology
No doubt new sub categories will be created as the list grows. When adding a book please use the Reading List tag category and consider the following classification order.

<Title> A Technique for Producing Ideas
<Author> James Webb Young
<Category> Ideas 
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<Brief Description> Widely held as the 101 for ideas thinking in advertising. The creative thinking technique outlined in this powerful little book can be summarised thus: 1 Learn - gather everything you can in support of your brief. 2 Brainstorm broadly and without judgment, combine existing elements in new ways. 3 Sleep on it. 4 Let the idea come to you. 5 Invite criticism and consider practical applications.

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The Elements of Style, illustrated edition
William Strunk Jr. (illustrated by Maira Kalman) 
Writing 

Punctuation, brevity, composition, spelling… This book is a lot more fun than it sounds. The Illustrated version is elegantly produced and sensibly edited-down to the core things every English ’speaker’ should know. One of my all time favorite reference books.

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Thinking with type
Ellen Lupton
Design, Writing 

This is much more than a book about typography. Yes it does a good job explaining the anatomy of type and how to set it, but this is a book about how to use type to enhance legibility, reinforce meaning and provoke emotional response. One for the writers as well as the designers.

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Drawing on the right side of the brain
Betty Edwards
Drawing, Ideas 

This is a book about how to be creative disguised as a book about drawing. Based on R.W. Sperry’s research into the right hemisphere of our brains, Betty explains how to control which side of your brain is dominant. Sounds crazy doesn’t it (left = conscious mind, language, rational / right= subconscious, music, visual)… All I can say is I’ve used this book for years and It works. 

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Cinematography, theory and practice
Blain Brown
Cinematography 

As Digital blends with film and TV this is one of those ‘if you read one book on the subject read this..’ moments. Filmspace, lens language, camera dynamics, continuity, lighting as storytelling. Theory and practical techniques in one place… This book is f*cking awesome.

OK enough reading for now. Plenty more to come…