American Graphic Design

Graphic design is broadly interpreted in this annotated topical bibliography, covering both scholarly and applied literature focusing on graphics printed commercially for mass consumption in the United States from colonial times to the present. Materials extend from historical studies of design to textbooks and manuals of professional practice to theoretical works relating to design drawn from disciplines such as psychology and communication theory. The 1100 entries include reference sources, books, periodical articles, catalogs, films, and electronic data.

Among the topics covered are general reference, design theory and history, education and career guides, professional practice, production and layout, typography, calligraphy, color reproduction, caricature, and photo illustrations as well as applications in advertising, publication design, corporate identity programs, information graphics, package design, posters and signs. Literature on computer technology as used in desktop publishing and computer graphics is also included. Appendixes provide annotated listings of almost 200 relevant annuals and serials as well as a directory of associations and organizations in the field. Access to titles, authors, and a finer breakdown of subjects is facilitated by thorough indexing. This work should be a valuable resource for professional designers, scholars and students of design, and librarians interested in collection development.

ELLEN MAZUR THOMSON is a printmaker, graphic designer, and librarian. She is the author of Color in American Domestic Architecture 1630-1913: a Bibliography.