The bestselling graphic design reference--updated for the digital age

Meggs' History of Graphic Design presents an all-inclusive, visually spectacular account of the people, events, and signal creations that have shaped the field of graphic design. This brilliantly imagined new Sixth Edition gives historical context to the latest trends and technologies overtaking the graphic design landscape, including developments in web, multimedia, and interactive design.

Packed with a wealth of material for inspiration and emulation, including more than 1,500 eye-catching images, this new edition unfolds as a who's-who of luminaries in the field--from the early pioneers to the latest visionaries. See the evolution of graphic design from cave paintings, to the development of typography, to the emergence of American modernism, and beyond, as this visually engaging edition provides:

The first step to mastering a profession is becoming intimately familiar with its past, and Meggs' History of Graphic Design, Sixth Edition puts it all there for you to enjoy.

Meggs' History of Graphic Design pioneered the coupling of the words "graphic design" and "history" by developing an original narrative tracing the progression of a field originating with the development of writing and heading into the digital age. That was in 1983, and now this Sixth Edition continues the gold-standard tradition of authoritative coverage for designers in the digital age.

This unrivaled, comprehensive, and award-winning reference tool on graphic design systematically reveals the complete story of visual innovators, groundbreaking technologies, and major developments leading up to the current state of the field. Updated and expanded, this robust new edition immortalizes the cutting-edge accomplishments of designers working in the digital twenty-first century and includes more than 100 brand-new illustrations to inform and inspire designers at every level of experience. More than a showcase of artwork, this inspiring reference gives you an intimate look at how industry-moving designers:

• Took advantage of the growth and increased quality of design education to rise up and find new ways of applying time-honored design theories and methods to solve new visual challenges
• Extended their profession with self-initiated fine-arts experimentation that brought a distinctive voice to the global dialogue in a era of explosive change
• Broadened their creative palette with digital technologies that offered unprecedented ways to manipulate color, form, space, and imagery and then share the expression with the world through film, television, and the Internet

Like its predecessors, Meggs' History of Graphic Design, Sixth Edition will quickly establish itself as a most-consulted volume on the bookshelves of professionals, students, and anyone who works with or loves graphic design.