INFLUENCES: A LEXICON OF CONTEMPORARY GRAPHIC DESIGN

by Anna Gerber and Anja Lutz

Influences: A Lexicon of Contemporary Graphic Design Practice looks at who or what is
influencing, provoking, inspiring and informing graphic designers’ working methods and
research processes today.

Close to two hundred graphic designers from around the world were asked who or what influences them and their work. Their responses reveal the hidden catalysts that motivate and propel graphic designers and offer an insightful portal into their working process. The entries show the breadth of preparatory work and intensive research that forms the backbone of any
creative project.

From Charles and Ray Eames to John Cage, teaching to yawning, money to plumbing, Braun
Amplifier to the Brannock Device, Frank Zappa to Gandhi, Gridnik to kidney stones, Charlie
Chaplin to Kraftwerk their collected answers show the influences driving contemporary
graphic design practice.

The appendix at the end of the book lists each of the designers’ responses as they submitted them and also includes brief biographies for each designer.

Ten different colour spreads interprete some recurring topics of the lexicon and have been specially designed by: Nick Bell Design, Mark Diaper, Experimental Jetset, Malcom Garrett, Karen Hsu, Rebeca Méndez, Steve Smith/Neasden Control Centre, David Reinfurt, David Tanguy, Adrian Shaughnessy.

Taking the form of a lexicon, this dictionary of graphic design influences and references,
is an invaluable research tool as well as a rich source of designers’ inspirations.

Influences was realized using the online database publishing system specially developed by Stephan Maximilian Huber (digitalmind.de). Influences is kindly supported by Adobe Systems and Akademie Schloss Solitude.

Order your INFLUENCES SHIFT SPECIAL EDITION here.

304 pages, full colour, hardcover
Format: 168 x 240 mm
© 2006
Bookshop distribution and published by: Die Gestalten Verlag
ISBN 3-89955-152-4

Price: € 35,00