Influences: A Lexicon of Contemporary Graphic Design Practice

Influences looks at who and what is influencing, provoking, inspiring and informing graphic designers’ working methods and research processes today. Two hundred of the best established and up-and-coming graphic designers around the world were asked about their influences. Their responses reveal the hidden catalysts that motivate and propel designers. The entries show the range of preparatory work and intensive research that forms the backbone of any creative project.

From Charles and Ray Eames to John Cage, teaching to yawning, money to plumbing, Braun Amplifier to the Brannock Devise, Frank Zappa to Ghandi, Gridnik to kidney stones, Charlie Chaplin to Kraftwerk – the designers’ collected answers show the influences driving contemporary graphic design practice.

Taking the form of a lexicon, this dictionary of graphic design influences and references is structured in two parts – the main part lists the responses from each designer shown alphabetically while an appendix at the end of the book includes the designers with references to their answers and biographies. The book gives detailed insight into the daily working processes of designers with short entertaining texts getting to the root of their passion and creative conviction.

Influences is created by Anja Lutz, a Berlin-based graphic designer, founder of the shift-platform and co-initiator of The Green Box and Anna Gerber, a London-based graphic designer and journalist currently teaching at Martins College of Art & Design and the London College and writing for magazines including Eye, Print and Idea.