A Designer’s Art. Paul Rand

“This book is a collection of my previously published essays, many of which can be found in Thoughts on Design. My aim has always been to demonstrate the enduring relevance of the ideas that have guided artists since the time of Polycletus. I believe that without applying these classical principles, one cannot even approach true quality in one’s own work. I wish to draw the attention of readers—especially those who grew up in the world of punk and graffiti—to the timeless relevance of these ideals. Unless otherwise noted, all illustrations in this book are selected from my own work for convenience.” Paul Rand, Weston, Connecticut, December 1984
“This collection of his previously published, updated philosophical and theoretical essays reveals the principles that guided Paul Rand, and is accompanied by his own designs and beautiful photographs. This publication was the best way for him to reveal his own role and avoid the self-promotion that irritated him when others did it (Rand did not publish any self-promotional materials throughout his career; he relied solely on his own signature on his works, which was his best advertising). In the process of perfecting his book, Rand effectively revived the genre of graphic design manifesto-monographs, which had not been used since the 1930s […]. Everything about The Art of Design, from its compact size, which feels more like an art book or nonfiction than a coffee table album, to its original paperback cover, which Rand half-jokingly compared to the Bible, made it look and feel very different from most of the visual portfolios and design process books that were and still are the standard. The Art of Design was not intended as a chronological account of his career, nor as an anthology of his best work (although it was included). Although all the illustrations in the book are examples of high-level graphic design, it became a kind of treatise on the intersection of art, design, form, and content. Steve Geller, from the afterword to The Art of Design