--- title: 8 essential designer books you seriously have to invest in description: While the Internet offers unlimited access to sources of inspiration, there’s nothing like sitting down with a good book. As designers it is essential to, not only keep practicing and keeping up with the trends, but invest in our knowledge as well. image: https://blog.opiumworks.com/hubfs/blog_6.jpg --- [![](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png?width=316&height=36&name=logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png)](http://www.opiumworks.com) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ow.digital/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/OpiumWorks) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv0DSTHNNX4yRADwrXz9Z7Q) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com) [![](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png?width=316&height=36&name=logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png)](http://www.opiumworks.com) [![](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png?width=316&height=36&name=logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png)](http://www.opiumworks.com) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ow.digital/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/OpiumWorks) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv0DSTHNNX4yRADwrXz9Z7Q) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com) # 8 essential designer books you seriously have to invest in 28 Apr 2021 ![Picture of Niki Metaxa](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/65b6587b105a0c591328df6b5a9cd393) [Niki Metaxa](https://blog.opiumworks.com/author/niki-metaxa) ![](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hubfs/blog_6.jpg) While the Internet offers unlimited access to sources of inspiration, there’s nothing like sitting down with a good book. As designers it is essential to, not only keep practicing and keeping up with the trends, but invest in our knowledge as well.    Below is a list of 8 books that can help you either in learning the fundamentals of graphic design, expanding your existing skills, or simply help your creative juices flow again! - **Burn Your Portfolio** *Author:* Michael Janda  Burn your Portfolio takes more than just a design school education and a killer portfolio to succeed in a creative career.  ![61dteWE4TgL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/61dteWE4TgL._SX331_BO1%2c204%2c203%2c200_.jpg?width=128&name=61dteWE4TgL._SX331_BO1%2c204%2c203%2c200_.jpg)   - **Steal Like an Artist** *Author:* Austin Kleon *“*Steal like an Artist” focuses on inspiration in the design process. It will help you set up the right mindset for the best creative results. ![71wdVdp0ncL](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/71wdVdp0ncL.jpg?width=182&name=71wdVdp0ncL.jpg)   - **Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products** *Author:* Nir Eyal This book is a guide on how to create user habits that stick. Actionable steps for building products people will love.   ![81fcWvYdukL](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/81fcWvYdukL.jpg?width=129&name=81fcWvYdukL.jpg)   - **The Designer’s Dictionary of Colour** *Author:* Sean Adams This book focuses on color inspiration. It will help you to understand the basics of the color spectrum.   ![51WY8y7LrEL](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/51WY8y7LrEL.jpg?width=166&name=51WY8y7LrEL.jpg) - **Type Matters!** *Author:* Jim Williams *T*his book focuses around typography and its history. It will help you understand everything about typography and how it works in viewers’ minds.   ![61T+9WczKvL](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/61T+9WczKvL.jpg?width=134&name=61T+9WczKvL.jpg)   - **100 Things Every Designer Needs** *Author:* Susan Weinschenk This book combines real science & research with practical examples to deliver a guide every designer needs.   ![100-things-every-designer-should-know_Akshay-recommends-product-designers](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/100-things-every-designer-should-know_Akshay-recommends-product-designers.png?width=215&name=100-things-every-designer-should-know_Akshay-recommends-product-designers.png)     - **The Design of Everyday Things** *Author*: Don Norman This is a best-selling book focusing on how design serves as the communication between object and user.   ![410RTQezHYL._SX326_BO1,204,203,200_](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/410RTQezHYL._SX326_BO1%2c204%2c203%2c200_.jpg?width=144&name=410RTQezHYL._SX326_BO1%2c204%2c203%2c200_.jpg)       - **Don’t Make Me Think** *Author*: Steve Krug This book is mostly focused on web and mobile interface. It will  also help you to understand the basics of usability testing. ![bab6b6df265be1cc635ccbc117be312e-pdpxl](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bab6b6df265be1cc635ccbc117be312e-pdpxl.jpg?width=168&name=bab6b6df265be1cc635ccbc117be312e-pdpxl.jpg) We all feel stuck, not creative and that’s why we need to help each other to grow together!   Thanks for reading!  ### Share: [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.opiumworks.com/essential-designer-books-0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [Share on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.opiumworks.com/essential-designer-books-0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.opiumworks.com/essential-designer-books-0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.opiumworks.com/essential-designer-books-0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=8%20essential%20designer%20books%20you%20seriously%20have%20to%20invest%20in) [Digital Advertising](https://blog.opiumworks.com/topic/digital-advertising), [Design](https://blog.opiumworks.com/topic/design), [Graphic Design](https://blog.opiumworks.com/topic/graphic-design), [covid-19](https://blog.opiumworks.com/topic/covid-19) ## Niki Metaxa [niki.metaxa@opiumworks.com](mailto:niki.metaxa@opiumworks.com) ## Related posts Search [ΠΩΣ Ο Covid-19 ΕΧΕΙ ΕΠΗΡΕΑΣΕΙ ΤΟ RETAIL!](https://blog.opiumworks.com/crisis-retail-affected-by-covi) [Opium Works Rocks the Cyprus Digital Marketing Awards](https://blog.opiumworks.com/opium-works-rocks-the-cyprus-digital-marketing-awards) Search ![logo-3](https://blog.opiumworks.com/hubfs/logo-3.svg "logo-3") [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/OpiumWorks) [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/owdigitalagency) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ow.digital/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Niki Metaxa", "url" : "https://blog.opiumworks.com/author/niki-metaxa" }, "dateModified" : "2021-04-28T13:07:10.994Z", "datePublished" : "2021-04-28T13:04:23.000Z", "headline" : "8 essential designer books you seriously have to invest in", "image" : [ "https://blog.opiumworks.com/hubfs/blog_6.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.opiumworks.com/essential-designer-books-0", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.opiumworks.com/hubfs/logo-May-04-2026-12-09-10-0641-PM.png" }, "name" : "Opium Works Digital" } } ```