The main difference between designing your own book and designing a book for a client is that you have to work even when there’s no inspiration what-so-ever. Especially when the client wants an “artistic” design which without ado transforms the job from a simple book arrangement into the illusive realm or art.
But I guess this is a common problem for any form of art which is to be preformed as a job; you can just sit around and wait for inspiration where there’s a deadline to meet.
So what should you do?
I don’t know about you but for me books are a great source of inspiration. So I went to our local book store looking for books about book design (kind of challenging writing a book about book design, don’t you think? I mean this book, not only has to be informative and written well but it got to excel in its own layout and design)
OK, anyway I found a few good books about book design (non of which had any special design…) but I was actually quite captivated by another book about graphic design titled:
graphic design for the non-designers
Non-designer? Definitely me!
Even though I’ve done plenty of design work over the years, I have no background in graphic design and in fact I really don’t know much about it.
The main thing I love about this book is that they take you through the very first steps needed to get started, from equipment, through basics of design and to actual design projects. You can’t go wrong!
So if you are interested in learning something about graphic design and finding inspiration with your own creative project (including photography related work) check out this book.

“All you need is a little patience and imagination and you’ll be fine”