Reddit mentions of Design as Art

Bruno Munari does a better job than I ever could.

Well it seems you already have your mind set by calling one "white collar" and the other "artsy-fartsy" but if you're looking for a deeper discussion than can be found in the comments here I strongly suggest the classic by Bruno Munari Design as Art even if you disagree with his ideas which may be a bit outdated (it was written in the 60s).

Recent books that I've read on a more philosophical stance:


Design As Art by Bruno Munari - a book revered by many, turned out a little bit trivial at times or annoying, but in general was a good read. The author finds correlation between designing and the way nature shapes things. A bit outdated though.


Signs and Symbols Their Design and Meaning by Adrian Frutiger - I actually stumbled upon a complete PDF scan when I googled it (it's in the link). Adrian Frutiger was a master typographer/designer and wrote a book on why certain symbols are the way they are. I have a huge problem with this book not having any scientific backup, author just claims things, but for the most part he's right. It's a lot about semiotics, but it also gives insight into the history and development of mankind. Not the most thrilling, but definitely worth reading.


Design Form and Chaos by Paul Rand - a surprisingly good read, but not worth buying. Borrow it from a library. It's pretty thick, but has very little text.


You could also look after books that are compilations of essays on graphic design.

This was a really great book on the subject.

The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition

Design as Art

Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated: 125 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach through Design

Meggs' History of Graphic Design 6th Edition

Visual Literacy: A Conceptual Approach to Graphic Problem Solving