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> Can anyone suggest books, articles, web sources, and such, that can give me
> a list of tips, techniques, tricks, hints, and other helpful advice that can
> help me produce better illustration? I'm not looking to become a fabulous
> graphic designer - just a TW with adequate graphic skills.
>
I got into technical communication through graphic design and DTP about ten
years ago. The following is a partial list of books that I put together for a
visual literacy workshop for the STC Region 5 conference in October. I've
highlighted the books that have been most indispensable to me as a technical
communicator as well as those (like Robin Williams) that I think would be most
useful to folks without a design background. I think someone mentioned Dynamic
Graphics magazine, which is great for ideas and how-tos without being super
artsy, but another source I've relied on for ideas is the Print Design Annual
when you need something creative and fresh, but don't have a clue where to
start!
With a little inspiration and a good tool (Visio works great for a lot of the
work we do) you can solve most visual communication problems, but it's still
important to know when to turn the work over to graphics specialist.
Rikki
Books***********************************************************
Barnum, Carol M., and Saul Carliner, ed. Techniques for Technical
Communicators. Allyn and Bacon, 1993.
***Berryman, Gregg. Notes on Graphic Design and Visual Communication. Crisp
Publications, 1990.
Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style. Hartley and Marks, 1992.
Dondis, Donis. A Primer of Visual Literacy. MIT Press, 1973.
***Flanders, Vincent and Michael Willis. Web Pages That Suck: Learn Good Design
by Looking at Bad Design. Sybex, 1996.
Hoft, Nancy. International Communication: How to Export Information About High
Technology. John Wiley & Sons, 1995.
***Horton, William. Illustrating Computer Documentation: The art of presenting
information graphically on paper and online. John Wiley & Sons, 1991.
Hurlburt, Allen. Publication Design. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1976.
***Koren, Leonard, and R. Wippo Meckler. Graphic Design Cookbook: Mix and Match
Recipes for Faster, Better Layouts. Chronicle Books, 1989.
***Kristof, Ray, and Amy Satran. Interactivity by Design: Creating and
Communication with New Media. Adobe Press, 1995.
Meggs, Philip B. A History of Graphic Design. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.
Mok, Clement. Designing Business: Multiple Media, Multiple Disciplines. Adobe
Press, 1996.
Mullet, Kevin Mullet and Darrell Sano. Designing Visual Interfaces:
Communication Oriented Techniques. Prentice Hall, 1995.
Parker, Roger C. The Makeover Book: 101 design solutions for desktop publishing.
Ventana Press, 1989.
Rosenfeld, Louis, and Peter Morville. Information Architecture for the World
Wide Web. O?Reilly, 1998.
***Shriver, Karen. Dynamics in Document Design. John Wiley & Sons, 1997.
Spiekermann, Eric, and E. M. Ginger. Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type
Works. Adobe Press, 1993.
Tufte, Edward R. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Graphics Press,
1983.
Tufte, Edward R. Visual Explanations: Images and Quantities, Evidence and
Narrative. Graphics Press, 1997.
***White, Jan V. Graphic Design for the Electronic Age: the manual for
traditional and desktop publishing. Watson-Guptill Publications, 1988.
Wildbur, Peter and Michael Burke. Information Graphics: Innovative Solutions in
Contemporary Design. Thames and Hudson, 1998.
***Williams, Robin. The Non-Designers Design Book: Design and Typographic
Principles for the Visual Novice. Peachpit Press, 1994.
Woolever, Kristen and Helen M. Loeb. Writing for the Computer Industry. Prentice
Hall. 1994.
Wong, Wucius. Principles of Two-Dimensional Design. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1972.
Wurman, Richard S. Information Architects. Graphis Inc., 1997.
Zelanski, Paul, and Mary Pat Fisher. Color. Prentice Hall, 1994.
***Zelazny, Gene. Say It With Charts: The Executive?s Guide to Visual
Communication. McGraw-Hill, 1996.
Magazines
***Print. Especially useful is their Regional Design Annual.
***Dynamic Graphics
Step-by-Step Graphics
Communication Arts
