One of our goals in publishing a design magazine is to set Emigre apart from the herd. We want to stay off the beaten path, so to speak, and seek out what lies beyond the obvious. We want to push the limits of design publishing even as we work to survive. When we noticed that, in the last few years, design publications had suddenly become oversweetened by so-called "eye candy," we decided to challenge the imagination, not just tickle the optic nerve, and focus on design writing. Today, when it comes to design writing, we are not alone. Blogs are the new order, and the order is growing. Design blogs have their virtues, of course, but blogging about design appears to be habit-forming and has become an end in itself, with the very rapid-fire, off-the-cuff nature of blogging favoring the short, the sweet, the quick, and the now. This phenomenon triggered in us a reflexive need to once again play the role of contrarian. We wanted to do something unique, something no other design magazine had ever done, something that, whatever it turned out to be, would speak to designers in a way that a blog could not. The answer came to us in the form of "American Mutt Barks in the Yard" by David Barringer. It is the longest "Dear Emigre" letter we have ever received. The author describes it as "ambitious and reckless and impassioned," but that's putting it mildly. At 34,940 words, it fills the entire 128-page issue of Emigre #68. The essay started as a simple reply to issues #65 and #66, but exploded into an indepth, critical analysis of design and advertising that only traditional book publishing can accommodate properly. While we're aware of the paradox (after all, there's nothing unique about publishing a traditional book), we have no doubt that David Barringer's essay dares to tread where few have tread before. "I offer it for publication in Emigre," wrote Barringer. "I can imagine it literally nowhere else." Neither can we.

Discover how some of the world's best designers have turned near catastrophic failures into hard-won victories. "Design Disasters", the first book of its kind, brings together a collection of essays by today's top designers and design thinkers reveal the heartbreaking (and hilarious) mistakes they have made and how they were able to grow from the experiences.The essays explore topics such as the essence of failure and success, the role of failure in a design career, the perils of over-commitment, mistakes made through self-delusion, dealing with clients in the aftermath of failure, and much more.

For designers, writing and research skills are more necessary than ever before, from the basic business compositions to critical writing. In this competitive climate, designers are routinely called upon to make words about the images and designs they create for clients. Writing about design is not just "trade" writing, but should be accessible to everyone with an interest in design. This book is a complete, introductory guide to various forms of research and writing in design—and how they explain visuals and can be visualized. These pages address communication on various levels and to all audiences: - Designers to Designers - Designers to Clients - Designers to the Design-literate - Designers to the Design-agnostic Being able to express the issues and concerns of the design practice demands facts, data, and research. With Writing and Research for Graphic Designers, you’ll learn how to turn information into a valuable asset— one of the key talents of the design researcher.

From Caslon and Carson, from Gutenberg to Greiman, from Lascaux to letterpress, and from Postmodernism to pixel (among other entries), this title will provide all the necessary information and visual cues that designers need to know in order to become empowered, work efficiently and knowingly, and survive in a design conversation with peers.

How does a designer create graphic solutions to the behind-the-scenes editorial challenges at a magazine? Designing Magazines is the complete guide to understanding the inner workings of magazines and their day-to-day management--and a great guide to using that knowledge to create visually stunning, editorially effective magazines, in both new designs and rebranding. Thirty-five experienced editors, designers, and consultants, all at the top of their fields, present their insights on the goals and process of magazine design. Chapters focus on problems faced by designers, ethical considerations, the future of the field, and many more relevant but rarely discussed issues. A look at magazines that have risen above the crowd to achieve special social importance--and how design has been a part of that success--provides additional inspiration for magazine designers everywhere. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

“This is undoubtedly a moment marked by a serious interest in the actions America is taking on the world stage—actions that have been described as a cause for 'grave concern.' We do not attempt to authoritatively engage these concerns here nor do we wish to insinuate that elevated interest in America's cultural affairs is somehow unique to our present historical moment. We do, however, think that this sampling of discourse by and about a country's visual artists leads to insights about its politics and society not gained elsewhere. […] At the very least, it gives a sense of what it is like to live in the United States today, and results in some inspired debate. We hope that this book serves not only as a valuable compendium of recent writing about contemporary art, but also as inspiration to seek further understanding of these 'Uncertain States.'” So Noah Horowitz and Brian Sholis note in the introduction to this unique compilation of writing around art and cultural politics in America since 2000. Published in collaboration with the Serpentine Gallery, London, and the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, as an addendum to the traveling exhibition Uncertain States of America, curated by Daniel Birnbaum, Gunnar Kvaran, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, the USA Reader was designed by Dexter Sinister. It is a thought-provoking collection that will become an important sourcebook on American culture at the start of the new millennium. Contributors Giorgio Agamben, Dora Apel, Jack Bankowsky, David Barringer, Bernadette Corporation, John Bowe et al., Johanna Burton, Paul Chan, Critical Art Ensemble, Trisha Donnelly, Andrea Fraser, Isabelle Graw, Tim Griffin, Matthew Jesse Jackson, Chris Kraus, Miwon Kwon, Robert Morris, Molly Nesbit, Seth Price, Kymberly N. Pinder, Retort, Ralph Rugoff, Gregory Sholette, Julian Stallabrass, Kirk Varnedoe, Hamza Walker, and Matt Wolf