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The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin P. Williams
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I picked this up because it's this month's IndieWeb Book Club pick, decided upon by Al Abut. As he says, it seems we've got a theme of the myriad ways to approach making things. I hadn't heard of it until now! If you've got a place on the internet, why don't you join us in reading? Or, even choose a book for a future month?
Review
Usually, it’s a thoughtful piece of fiction or a non-fiction treatise from an unexpected angle that changes the way I see the world. This time, it’s an instructional manual, of all things.
Never would’ve picked this up if it weren’t for the IndieWeb Book Club, but that’s the point.
This changed how I see everything graphical: websites, zines, book covers…anything with type. She splits design into four principles, and suddenly you can articulate why something works or doesn’t.
It’s revelatory for anyone who creates but never studied design. Hence the title!
I didn’t know I needed this clarity. She writes with humor and zero pretension, using before-and-after examples. Such vast improvements for minor changes!
Sure, this won’t teach you all the tricks in a professional’s toolkit, but it’s a wonderful place to start A much-needed bridge between ‘I know what I like’ and ‘I know why it works.’
Esoterica & Links Elsewhere
Book Stats: Read Dec 2025 | 200 Pages
Get A Copy: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm
Links: Open Library | Worldcat
Reviewed On: Goodreads | LibraryThing | The Storygraph
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