ResourcesThe Design Library
Design, typography, colour, photography and the business side of creative work. Every book here sits on my own shelf, and the list grows as I read.
Screens are fast. Books slow you down, and that's usually when the better ideas arrive. These are the titles I reach for when a project needs more than a Pinterest board.
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Editorial design
For websites and brands that read like a publication.
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The Intelligent Lifestyle Magazine
Francesco Franchi & Christian Rocca
A masterclass in editorial design. IL, the monthly magazine of Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, became one of the best-designed magazines in the world. Its art director shows how type, infographics and photography make complex stories a pleasure to read.
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Print Is Dead. Long Live Print
Ruth Jamieson
A survey of the independent magazines that brought print back, from Kinfolk to Anorak. Each has its own voice, grid and attitude. I use it as a mood board when a client wants a website that reads like a publication.
Typography & colour
For brands that feel considered, down to the last letter and swatch.
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Type Team
Choosing one good typeface is easy. Pairing two is where designs come apart. Tony Seddon builds combinations from 200 hand-picked type families and explains why each one works. I open it when a heading and a body font refuse to get along.
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A Dictionary of Color Combinations
348 colour combinations, first published in Japan in the 1930s by artist and costume designer Sanzo Wada. Nearly a century on, the palettes still feel fresh. I reach for it when a brand palette needs depth rather than trends.
Photography & art direction
For briefing a shoot and giving your images a mood of their own.
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The Still Life
How brands give objects personality. Product photography from today's most inventive photographers and stylists, as it appears in editorial and advertising. My go-to when I brief a photographer on styling books, products and details.
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Photographing Shadow and Light
Portraits lit like paintings: dark, dramatic and full of character. Joey L. takes you behind 15 shoots, with detailed lighting diagrams. You don't need to be a photographer. Show yours a page and they'll know the mood you're after.
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The Kinfolk Entrepreneur
Forty creative business owners, from Copenhagen to Dubai, photographed where they work. Part business book, part visual reference: natural light, honest spaces and portraits that show who someone is. Ideal before a personal brand shoot.
Second-hand, on purpose
I buy most of my books second-hand, from used sellers on Amazon and second-hand bookshops. Design books are made to last, so a used copy often looks almost new.
It costs less and gives a beautiful book a second life. When you click through, check the used options before buying new.
Work with AH StudioGood design starts with what you take in.
If you'd like a website shaped with the same care, let's talk. I design Squarespace websites and brands that are built to be found and easy for you to update. As a Squarespace Gold Partner, I know how to take the platform further than its templates.