Are books having a cultural moment?
Who said that books are going out of fashion in today’s modern world! I think books are having a cultural moment right now. In an era of digital overload, books provide a tangible and immersive reading experience that you just can’t get from surfing the web. And I ‘m not just saying that because I have had the pleasure of working part time in my local bookshop for the past 18 months, but I have gleaned a wealth of inspiration from both hard copy and audio books. I thought I’d share with you my top three favourites that have been hugely influential in helping me launch myself into the surface pattern design world.
CLEAR THINKING, by Shane Parrish - I’m not generally a reader of self improvement books. I tend to lose interest within the first few chapters and make the fatal mistake of convincing myself I don’t need improvement! But I picked this book up at a time when I had hit a roadblock and wasn’t sure which path to take. Holy smoke, did I know once I’d read this book. And yes, I read it from cover to cover. My copy is full of markers and highlights. I know I’m going to go back and reread parts in the future.
STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST, by Austin Kleon - I chose to download this book on the recommendation of popular surface pattern designer, Bonnie Christine. I wasn’t disappointed. The author challenges the readers perception of originality, whether it’s drawing, painting, or writing. Can we truly be original or is it ok to copy someone just a little bit! Well, turns out it’s OK to copy if you need to - you just have to do it in your style.
PATTERN DESIGN, Edited by Elizabeth Wilhide - 1,500 illustrations of patterns from all ages and cultures. This book has been a great reference guide and has helped me identify what it is I like and don’t like in a design.
So keep reading everyone. Inspiration is in amongst those pages!