It’s the week before 4th of July and we are officially in summer mode. The sun is shining; kids are out of school and beach trips are right around the corner. So how can you get your design fix while also trying to slow down and not think about work? Simple. Rather than looking at your email two more times or getting sucked into yet another Instagram spiral, try some of these design media alternatives.
3 TV Shows and Movies to Binge Watch
1. Abstract: The Art of Design
Step inside the minds of creative icons including illustrator Christoph Niemann, Bjarke Ingels, Es Devlin, IIse Crawford and learn how design impacts every area of their life in this 10-part series on Netflix. Watch Now
2. Helvetica
It’s hard to imagine an entire movie about one typeface, but that’s how influential Helvetica is. Not only does it retell how one typeface became so popular but it explores the different ways type affects our daily lives. Watch Now
3. Iris
Iris is a documentary by legendary filmmaker Albert Maysles about Iris Apfel – an American interior designer and fashion icon. Iris ran a textile firm with her husband from 1950 to 1992 and worked on renovations projects at the White House for nine presidents. Watch Now
3 Design Podcasts to Download
1. The Chaise Lounge Podcast
Talking the business of interior design. Each week, Nick May interviews successful interior designers from around the world to find out how they have grown their interior design businesses. Nick is engaging, funny, and worth a listen because his show focuses on the side of design that few people talk about, business. You can learn from other designers’ stories, like Design Manager Designer,David Charette, the many Industry Professionals he brings in, or his fabulous trips to the industry’s top markets and conferences. Download Now
2. Design Matters with Debbie Millman
The world’s first podcast about design and an inquiry into the broader world of creative culture through wide-ranging conversations with designers, writers, artists, curators, musicians, and other luminaries of contemporary thought. Design Manager Designer, Jonathan Adler, was recently on to talk about how his pottery defined his aesthetic. Download Now
3. 99% Invisible
99% Invisible is about all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world. With over 150 million downloads, 99% Invisible is one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes. Download Now
5 Design Books to Bring to the Beach
1. Graphic Designers Surveyed
GraphicDesign& worked with information designer Stefanie Posavec and social scientist Nikandre Kopcke to survey 2,000 designers from the US and the UK. What did they come up with? A ton of interesting facts and figures about the industry which they turned into a stylish and informative book. Learn which Pantone color most designers prefer and more in this beautifully presented masterpiece of information design. Buy Now
2. Read This if You Want to be Instagram Famous
Read This if You Want to be Instagram Famous may seem a little absurd, but it actually has some great tips from photographer Henry Carroll on how to build a devoted following to get your work recognized. Buy Now
3. By the People: Designing a Better America
We know design plays a significant role in social movement. As the third volume in a design series edited by Cooper Hewitt, this socially responsible novel examines how design can improve local communities. Buy Now
4. Paul Rand: A Designer’s Art
Famed graphic designer Paul Rand also wrote and published books. Arguably his most important book, A Designer’s Art, is a comprehensive collection of his best-known designs. The book brings together the best of Rand's essays on design illustrated with examples of his iconic work for posters, logos, product ads, trademarks and interiors. Buy Now
5. Designed by Apple in California
Designed by Apple in California took eight years to develop, is bound in white linen, and printed on “specially milled, custom-dyed paper with gilded matte silver edges.” Would you expect anything less? Apple photographer Andrew Zuckerman shot all 450 pages of products in the company’s signature style. Seriously, don’t take this one to the beach. Buy Now
If you have some favorites that didn’t make our list, please share them in the comments below.