Letterhead & Logo Design 4 (Vol 4)

"Letterhead and Logo Design 4" is a great collection of contemporary graphic design. There is a brief introduction that touches on the importance of the intertwining of logo, letterhead, and body copy as integrated design elements, but beyond that the book is largely a visual feast for people interested in graphic design. The book focuses on letterhead and business cards, but also explains in brief captions the thoughts of the designers on the logos, fonts, and overall designs. There is a useful index and directory of participating designers at the end of the book, should you wish to contact any of the entities or designers represented. There are many outstanding and original designs depicted, and anyone looking for concepts for printed corporate materials would be well served by studying this book. I especially enjoyed the choices of multiple hues used in the work of Kelly O. Stanley, Rick Tharp, and Melissa Passehl. Some of the more graphically intense efforts, such as the letterhead designed by Rick Eiber for The American Institute of Graphic Arts, 1995 National Design Conference, might be a bit avant garde for many, but I appreciated them, as well. I was likewise blown away by many of the relatively stark designs that showcased colors and fonts in unusual ways; I was especially taken by the letterhead designed by Ciro Giordano. This is a great reference for graphic artists, designers, and individuals or companies with an eye towards a new corporate image, and I highly recommend it to all those audiences.