Design Writing Research: Writing on Graphic Design

Design Writing Research is a highly acclaimed critical study of graphic design and typography. Profusely illustrated and beautifully produced, it makes a vital contribution to design studies and is an invaluable source for anyone interested in the art and history of books, letter forms, symbols, advertising, and theories of visual and verbal communication.

A section on Theory considers the centrality of the written and printed word to post-structuralism and deconstruction. A wide range of design practices are discussed, from the history of punctuation and the origins of international pictograms to the structure of modern typography. A section on Media looks at the role of design in mass communications with erudite essays on stock photography, visual journalism, illustration, advertising and vernacular design cultures.

The book closes with History, a section organized as a time-line spanning 200 years of design in America. These historical case studies show how the modern profession of graphic design emerged in response to cultural, political and economic developments in the US.

The authors of this new edition, now published for the first time in paperback, have fuelled great interest in the theoretical aspects of design and prompted innovation in design practice.

Abbott Miller is partner in Pentagram and is based in New York. He was the founding director of Design/Writing/Research, an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio.

Ellen Lupton is Curator of Contemporary Design at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York and has written and lectured widely on design and contemporary culture.