Design Organizations

American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). Oldest (founded in 1914) and largest membership association for professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of designing. Sets the national agenda for the role of design in its economic, social, political and cultural contexts. Information on national design initiatives, professional business practices and more. See the Portland and Seattle chapters’ websites for local design events and information.

Corporate Design Foundation. Nonprofit educational and research organization founded on the belief that individual and organizational interests can best be served through the effective use of design disciplines: product design, communication design and architecture. Resources for business leaders, designers, faculty, students and others interested in the integration of design and business. Home of the excellent journal @Issue, focusing on the role of design in successful businesses.

Graphic Artists Guild. Devoted to raising creative industry standards and improving the ability for creatives to achieve success. Publishers of the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines which reflects current pricing trends and trade customs for the national markets in design-related fields. A must have on a designer’s bookshelf.

General Design

Communication Arts Network. Site of the online counterpart of Communication Arts magazine, the largest design magazine in the world and a leading trade journal for creative professionals. Includes the Creative Hotlist, a career site for creative professionals.

Creative Business. Creating business standards for creatives services professionals. Excellent newsletter (subscriber only) and resources on all aspects of running a creative business.

Print. Online counterpart of Print magazine. Includes the Regional Design Annual.

How Design. Online counterpart of How magazine.

Digital Thread. Featuring the best in digital design. Includes website design showcases (best-of websites and the firms who created them) and general design information. You can get lost in here for a while.

Speak Up > Design Dialog. Excellent site with articles, blogs, book reviews on design.

Design Observer. Writings about design and culture. Heady stuff.

Typography Sites

Designingwithtype.com. Devoted to the art and appreciation of typography.

Typophile. Resources for type design, theory and technique.

Hoefler & Frere-Jones. You can purchase fonts here as well as learn excellent information about their fonts, what they were designed for and why they work.

Articles

"Hints from the professionals on how to get that first job." From Icograda.org