The Rules of Grafik Design + Creativity

The Rules of Grafik Design + Creativity is an archival book that David Carson had been working on from 2003 – 2009. Carson didn’t work on the book for that entire period, it isn’t a book that took eight years to make – rather it is scrap book, or record of eight years of Carson’s practice.

The book, which is essentially a series of thoughts, prompts and approaches to design is an instinctive and honest contemplation on design practice is now available as a piece of design history.

The book was ‘lost’ for many years and came to light again in 2022. The book was never finished and the original artwork files are now missing, with just. a single PDF version in existence. Some pages are unfinished, some are low resolution, and the book is reproduced as the original PDF with the printers crop-marks, notation, mistakes and unfinished elements.

As a piece of design history the book reveals Carson’s approach to design, or other his approach to life. This ISN’T a book of rules as the title suggests (which Carson explains was always a bit of a joke) but is rather an insightful look at creativity. This also ISN’T only applicable to Graphic Design, but IS applicable to all creative industries and practices.

David Carson is often referred to as the ‘Godfather of Grunge’. This is a misrepresentation of Carson’s work, and Carson once remarked in interview, that if by grunge you mean instinctive, then that is fine. This book reveals the true instinctive and sensitive nature of Carson’s practice. How you use photography, language, images and type are all explored in this new volume.

This is a book to make you look at the world differently and to think about creativity in a new way. The path to creativity doesn’t lie in restrictive and contained practices – it lies in being free and instinctive.