This compact book is an invaluable primer for the novice graphic designer or for the experienced designer keen to reconnect with the fundamental principles of design. Master designer Massimo Vignelli draws on his much-awarded design career to offer sage advice on design and strong opinions on the woes that have befallen good design since the advent of desktop publishing. His aim is to give young designers the tools to advance their design skills and increase their creativity, hoping that the discovery of new principles excites and inspires, just as they inspired the young Vignelli. The book is divided into two sections the 'intangibles' and the 'tangibles'. In the former, he urges designers to research, to uncover complexities and to understand the nuances of the job at hand. He urges discipline, adherence to the rules of design, relevance and appropriateness, and the search for what he calls an intellectual elegance, the essence of design. The 'tangibles' section covers many of the visible aspects of design that are essential parts of the designer's tool kit, such as standardized paper sizes, grids, margins, basic typefaces, type size relationships, scale, texture, color, binding and more. Generous illustrations and examples accompany each topic. With this succinct volume, Vignelli has succeeded in sifting through the often ego-driven and subjective field of graphic design to present solid, basic, invaluable advice that aspiring designers will return to again and again.

The graphics, interiors, and products designed by Vignelli Associates are internationally recognized for their refined aesthetics, evolving modernity, and crisp execution. This landmark volume is devoted to Massimo and Lella Vignelli's influential work produced from their New York headquarters since the 1960s, as well as rarely seen early work produced in their native Italy.
presents the brilliant multidisciplinary approach of the Vignellis, from designs for corporate identity programs including American Airlines, Bloomingdale's, and Benetton, to world-famous signage for the New York subway system. Their firm was also notable for its interior and furniture design, designs for magazines and newspapers, glassware and tableware, and an exhaustive collection of book designs. Many of these works have been cited as masterpieces of twentieth-century design and are included in the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art as well as in many other important museum collections.

This book is a full-scale, authorized reprint of Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda's seminal 1970
. Through the generosity of Luca Vignelli, the son of Massimo and Lella, Massimo's copy was used to create this new edition.

The book focuses on design and best practices for non-profit organizations, but the content is a great resource in general and the teachings can be applied pretty much anywhere. There are sections on grids, typography, formats, logotypes, and color, just to name a few.
A big thank you to Massimo and Sean for making this valuable resource available to all.
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