A Smile in the Mind: Witty Thinking in Graphic Design - Softcover

Beryl McAlhone; David Stuart

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0714838128 ISBN 13: 9780714838120

Publisher: Phaidon Press Ltd, 1998

Synopsis

This book explores so-called 'witty thinking' - arguably the most entertaining area of graphic design. Witty thinking is playfulness with ideas, words playing against images, and unexpected connections prompting new insights. It is clever thinking, not funny drawing.

A Smile in the Mind analyses the intricate thought processes behind the apparently forward images. It shows how to make the case for witty solutions and, through a series of in-depth interviews with the world's top designers, suggests how to get inspiration. Gathering together the best examples of graphic wit over the past three decades, this book includes work from over 300 designers in the USA, Britain, Europe and Japan. Written with insight and a subtle lightness of touch, it offers designers a friendly read, a helpful sourcebook and a dynamic trigger for ideas.

About this title

Review:

'Beautifully edited, lovingly and carefully compiled ... both intellectually and aesthetically stimulating. Oh, and it's funny too.' (Graphics International)

'This book keeps the fun coming. There are so many wonderful (and superbly reproduced) examples of sharp, deftly done pieces that the reader becomes greedy, devouring hit after hit.' (Print)

From the Author:

Best examples of graphic wit over the past 30 years.
A Smile in the Mind: Witty thinking in graphic design by Beryl McAlhone, a writer with a special interest in design, and David Stuart, a founder member of The Partners. A Smile in the Mind focuses on the graphics which give the most pleasure - the ideas that prompt a smile. These are the jobs that people remember, the projects that make designers famous. The book selects the cream of witty work from designers across the world. It comprises the most comprehensive collection of graphic wit ever published. Humour is fragile under analysis, and this is not a heavy read that wipes the smile off your face. It has a light touch, even when explaining in business terms why wit works. The authors break new ground in analyzing the kinds of thinking behind the images, in showing the 21 different ways of being witty and making the case for witty solutions. The book includes hundreds of examples for all kinds of graphics, covering the main business sectors including work from over 300 designers in the USA, Britain, Europe and Japan. Its most intriguing feature is the collection of interviews with the world's top designers which reveal the secret of secrets, how to get ideas.

About this edition

• Publisher: Phaidon Press Ltd
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0714838128
• ISBN 13: 9780714838120
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240