Adrian Shaughnessy
{{Short description|Adrian Shaughnessy is a British graphic designer, writer, educator}}
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| birth_name = Adrian John Wilson Shaughnessy
| birth_place = Glasgow
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| occupation = graphic designer, writer, educator, publisher
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| birth_date = 17 June 1953
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Adrian Shaughnessy is a British graphic designer, writer and publisher.
Shaughnessy co-founded the design studio Intro in 1988 and the publishing company Unit Editions in 2009.{{Cite web |last=PrintMag |date=2009-09-24 |title=Interview with Adrian Shaughnessy and Tony Brook |url=https://www.printmag.com/designer-interviews/interview-with-adrian-shaughnessy-and-tony-brook/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=PRINT Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Unit Editions |url=https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/2049-unit-editions |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.itsnicethat.com |language=en}} Shaughnessy’s book How to Be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul{{Cite news |last=Schwendener |first=Martha |date=2012-05-31 |title=Design in the Service of Subversion |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/arts/design/graphic-design-now-in-production-on-governors-island.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite book |url=https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/adrian-shaughnessy-2/how-to-be-a-graphic-designer-without-losing-your-soul-2nd-edition/9781780677651/ |title=How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul, 2nd Edition |date=2021-05-01 |isbn=978-1-78067-765-1 |language=en-US |last1=Shaughnessy |first1=Adrian }} has been reprinted multiple times and published in several languages.
Career
A self-taught designer,{{Cite web |title=Adrian Shaughnessy |url=https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/adrian-shaughnessy/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=RCA Website |language=en-GB}} an early obsession with music led Shaughnessy to an interest in record sleeve design.{{Cite web |date=2019-11-25 |title=Adrian Shaughnessy talks music, vinyl and graphic design for Letterform Live. |url=https://www.monotype.com/resources/expertise/adrian-shaughnessy |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=Monotype. |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Adrian Shaughnessy: Second Thoughts {{!}} Johnson Banks |url=http://www.johnsonbanks.co.uk/thoughts/adrian-shaughnessy-second-thoughts |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=www.johnsonbanks.co.uk |language=en}} He co-founded the design group Intro in 1988{{Cite web |last=Administrator |first=System |date=2003-10-09 |title=Shaughnessy exits from Intro |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/9-october-2003/shaughnessy-exits-from-intro/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Design Week |language=en-UK}} where its main source of work was the record industry, with clients including Primal Scream and Stereolab.{{Cite web |date=2019-11-25 |title=Adrian Shaughnessy talks music, vinyl and graphic design for Letterform Live. |url=https://www.monotype.com/resources/expertise/adrian-shaughnessy |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=Monotype. |language=en}} The studio was an early exponent of multi-disciplinary working, combining digital filmmaking with interactive design and other digital modes of expression.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
During his time as creative director of Intro, Shaughnessy edited and authored three books on contemporary record covers (the Sampler series{{Cite book |last=Shaughnessy |first=Adrian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4_RkkgEACAAJ |title=Sampler: Contemporary Music Graphics |date=1999 |publisher=Universe Pub. |isbn=978-0-7893-0258-8 |language=en}}) and a studio monograph, Display Copy Only,{{Cite book |url=https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/adrian-shaughnessy/display-copy-only/9781856692748/ |title=Display Copy Only |date=2021-05-01 |isbn=978-1-85669-274-8 |language=en-US |author1=Intro }} published by Laurence King Publishing in 2001. After 15 years, Shaughnessy left the studio to purse an interest in writing about design and visual culture, lecturing and independent consulting.{{Cite web |title=Adrian Shaughnessy – Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) – 512 creative professionals from 46 countries |url=https://a-g-i.org/user/adrian@shaughnessyworks.com/view/projects/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) |language=en}}
Writing and publishing
Since his first piece of writing appeared in Eye magazine in 1995,{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=Angus |date=2013-05-30 |title=The collected writings of Adrian Shaughnessy |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/may-2013/the-collected-writings-of-adrian-shaughnessy/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=Design Week |language=en-UK}} Shaughnessy has written regularly for the international design press.{{Cite web |last=Heller |first=Steven |date=2011-08-25 |title=The Job Jobs Did |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/the-job-jobs-did/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=T Magazine |language=en-US}}{{failed verification|date=October 2023}} Notable articles include a survey of ECM record covers{{Cite web |title=Eye Magazine {{!}} Feature {{!}} One man brand? |url=https://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/one-man-brand |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Eye Magazine |language=en}} for Eye, 'The Politics of Desire and Looting'{{Cite web |last=Shaughnessy |first=Adrian |date=2018-06-28 |title=The Politics of Desire and Looting |url=https://designobserver.com/feature/the-politics-of-desire-and-looting/29508 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Design Observer}} for Design Observer and a profile of Daniel Eatock for the Eames Institute.{{Cite web |title=Kazam! Magazine {{!}} Artist as Art Form, Daniel Eatock's Process |url=https://www.eamesinstitute.org/kazam-magazine/artist-as-art-form/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.eamesinstitute.org |language=en}} He has written for Creative Review, It's Nice That, PRINT, Etapes, Idea (Japan) and contributed a monthly column to Design Week. From 2006 to 2009 he was founding editor of Varoom{{Cite web |title=The AOI - Varoom 01 |url=https://theaoi.com/varoom/back-issues/back-issues/varoom-01/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=The AOI |language=en-GB}} (published by the AOI). In 2014 he appeared on BBC Radio 4's Moral Maze to discuss The Moral Limits of Advertising{{Cite web |title=Moral Maze - The Moral Limits of Advertising - BBC Sounds |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b04pbmjv |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en-GB}} and in 2023 he took part in a BBC Front Row discussion on [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001p1m4 logo design].
Shaughnessy has also written obituaries of leading graphic designers for The Guardian – most notably on Pentagram co-founder Colin Forbes,{{Cite news |last=Shaughnessy |first=Adrian |date=2022-06-10 |title=Colin Forbes obituary |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/jun/10/colin-forbes-obituary |access-date=2023-04-24 |issn=0261-3077}} Ken Garland{{Cite news |last=Shaughnessy |first=Adrian |date=2021-06-01 |title=Ken Garland obituary |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/jun/01/ken-garland-obituary |access-date=2023-04-24 |issn=0261-3077}} and Phil Baines.{{Cite news |last=Shaughnessy |first=Adrian |date=2024-03-12 |title=Phil Baines obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/mar/12/phil-baines-obituary |access-date=2024-06-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He is an occasional contributor to The Wire.
= ''How to Be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul'' =
In 2005 Shaughnessy wrote How to Be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul.{{Cite web |title=Adrian Shaughnessy Speaks Up |url=https://www.underconsideration.com/speakup/interviews/shaughnessy.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=www.underconsideration.com}} A second updated edition was published in 2010. The book has been reprinted many times and appears in numerous languages, including Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, and various European languages. Since first publication, the book features regularly in lists of recommended titles for graphic designers.{{Cite web |last1=Wynne |first1=Mark |last2=published |first2=Beren Neale |date=2022-12-13 |title=The 38 best graphic design books on branding, logos, type and more |url=https://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/books-graphic-designers-11135231 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Creative Bloq |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=13 Must-Read Graphic Design Books that will Shape Your Career {{!}} Dribbble |url=https://dribbble.com/resources/graphic-design-books |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=dribbble.com}}{{Cite web |date=2018-06-28 |title=How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul |url=https://blog.shillingtoneducation.com/graphic-designer-without-losing-soul-shillingtonbookclub/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Shillington Design Blog |language=en}}
= Unit Editions =
In 2009, Shaughnessy co-founded Unit Editions with Tony Brook and Patricia Finegan of Spin "prompted by frustration at the quality of design books available and a faith that quality in both design and writing would find a market".{{Cite web |date=2017-06-19 |title=Unit Editions |url=https://www.creativereview.co.uk/creativeleaders50/leader/unit/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Creative Review |language=en-UK}} The company was notable for establishing its reputation online and via social media{{Cite web |title=Eye Magazine {{!}} Feature {{!}} To have and to hold |url=https://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/to-have-and-to-hold |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Eye Magazine |language=en}} and for producing a range of illustrated research papers (the first of which was on Ronald Clyne's work for the Folkways record label) as well as books.
Shaughnessy works as the imprint’s editorial director, to date writing and editing the majority of the published titles, including monographs on a range of well-known designers such as Paula Scher: Works,{{Cite web |title=Exploring Unit Editions' new book on the work of Paula Scher |url=https://jobs.marketingweek.com/article/exploring-unit-editions-new-book-on-the-work-of-paula-scher |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=MarketingWeek.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=18 Essential Graphic Design Books to Read in 2023 {{!}} Blog |url=https://www.domestika.org/en/blog/10260-18-essential-graphic-design-books-to-read-in-2023 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Domestika |language=en}} Herb Lubalin: American Graphic Designer, Lance Wyman: The Monograph{{Cite web |last=updated |first=Jonathan Bell last |date=2015-09-16 |title=Game(s) on: Unit Editions reveals definitive Lance Wyman monograph |url=https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/games-on-unit-editions-reveals-definitive-lance-wyman-monograph |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=wallpaper.com |language=en}} and Vaughan Oliver: Archive.{{Cite news |last=Beaumont-Thomas |first=Ben |date=2019-12-29 |title=Vaughan Oliver, celebrated 4AD graphic designer, dies aged 62 |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/dec/29/vaughan-oliver-celebrated-4ad-graphic-designer-dies-aged-62 |access-date=2023-04-24 |issn=0261-3077}} In 2013 Shaughnessy published a book of his own essays – Scratching the Surface{{Cite web |title=grain editAdrian Shaughnessy: Scratching the Surface |url=https://grainedit.com/2013/07/16/adrian-shaughnessy-scratching-the-surface/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |language=en}} which covered a range of subjects including education, internships, the definition of practice, the value of awards and socially responsible design.{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=Angus |date=2013-05-30 |title=The collected writings of Adrian Shaughnessy |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/may-2013/the-collected-writings-of-adrian-shaughnessy/ |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=Design Week |language=en-UK}}
Unit Editions was nominated in the graphic design section of the 'Beazley Designs of the Year' exhibition at London's Design Museum in 2017{{Cite web |last=Q42 |first=Fabrique & |title=Unit Editions |url=https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/beazley-designs-of-the-year/graphics-20xx/unit-editions |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Design Museum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dawood |first=Sarah |date=2017-10-17 |title=Review: Beazley Designs of the Year 2017 at the Design Museum |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/16-22-october-2017/review-beazley-designs-year-2017-design-museum/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Design Week |language=en-UK}} and included in Creative Review
Shaughnessy is currently working on the first Margaret Calvert monograph, to be published in 2025{{Cite web |date=2025-09-30 |title=Woman at Work: Margaret Calvert |url=https://vol.co/collections/woman-at-work |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=Volume}}.
Educator
Shaughnessy is an associate lecturer at the Royal College of Art on the Design Products programme and the Visual Communication programme{{Cite web |title=Adrian Shaughnessy |url=https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/adrian-shaughnessy/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=RCA Website |language=en-GB}} where he has run a series of short courses – physical and online – in typography and editorial design. In 2012 he received an Honorary MA from the University of the Creative Arts. He also regularly gives talks{{Cite web |date=2019-11-25 |title=Adrian Shaughnessy talks music, vinyl and graphic design for Letterform Live. |url=https://www.monotype.com/resources/expertise/adrian-shaughnessy |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Monotype. |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Typographics – A conference for people who use type |url=http://typographics.com/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=typographics.com}}{{Cite web |date=2015-12-11 |title=5 Talks To Inspire {{!}} Publishing |url=https://www.iloveoffset.com/news/5-talks-to-inspire-publishing/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=OFFSET |language=en-US}} on the international design conference circuit, most recently on the subject of AI and creativity.{{Cite web |title=IN SESSION: AI — creative tool or existential threat? |url=https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/in-session-ai-creative-tool-or-existential-threat/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=RCA Website |language=en-GB}} Between 2017 to 2024, Shaughnessy worked as a consultant for the Beijing-based School of International Art (SIA), which frequently entailed travel to the group’s many teaching centres in major Chinese cities.{{Cite web |last=顾馨 |title=Contemporary art by emerging artists on display in Beijing |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201910/23/WS5dafc572a310cf3e3557214a.html |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}
Published work
Sampler: Contemporary Music Graphics, 1999. (Laurence King Publishing){{Cite book |last=Shaughnessy |first=Adrian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4_RkkgEACAAJ |title=Sampler: Contemporary Music Graphics |date=1999 |publisher=Universe Pub. |isbn=978-0-7893-0258-8 |language=en}}
Sampler 2: Art, Pop and Contemporary Music Graphics, 2000. (Laurence King Publishing){{Cite book |last=Intro |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8X05AQAAIAAJ |title=Sampler 2: Art, Pop, and Contemporary Music Graphics |date=2000 |publisher=Laurence King |isbn=978-1-85669-224-3 |language=en}}
Display Copy Only: A Book of Intro Work, 2001. (Laurence King Publishing){{Cite book |url=https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/adrian-shaughnessy/display-copy-only/9781856692748/ |title=Display Copy Only |date=2021-05-01 |isbn=978-1-85669-274-8 |language=en-US |author1=Intro }}
How To Be A Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul, 2005 (revised 2010). (Laurence King Publishing){{Cite book |url=https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/adrian-shaughnessy-2/how-to-be-a-graphic-designer-without-losing-your-soul-2nd-edition/9781856697095/ |title=How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul, 2nd Edition |date=2021-05-01 |isbn=978-1-85669-709-5 |language=en-US |last1=Shaughnessy |first1=Adrian }}
Graphic Design: A User's Manual, 2009. (Laurence King Publishing){{Cite book |url=https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/adrian-shaughnessy-2/graphic-design-a-users-manual/9781856695916/ |title=Graphic Design: A User's Manual |date=2021-05-01 |isbn=978-1-85669-591-6 |language=en-US |last1=Shaughnessy |first1=Adrian }}
Studio Culture: The Secret Life of the Graphic Design Studio, 2009. (Unit Editions){{Cite book |last1=Shaughnessy |first1=Adrian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zZtmPgAACAAJ |title=Studio Culture: The Secret Life of a Graphic Design Studio |last2=Brook |first2=Tony |date=2009-11-04 |publisher=Laurence King Publishing |isbn=978-0-9562071-0-4 |language=en}}
Supergraphics: Transforming Space, 2010. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Supergraphics—Transforming Space |url=https://www.designersandbooks.com/book/supergraphics-transforming-space |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Designers & Books |language=en}}
Herb Lubalin: American Graphic Designer, 1918—81, 2012. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Herb Lubalin: American Graphic Designer 1918—1981 |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/herb-lubalin-american-graphic-designer |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
Ken Garland: Structure and Substance, 2012. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Ken Garland: Structure and Substance, Unit Editions, 2012 - Design Reviewed |url=https://designreviewed.com/artefacts/ken-garland-structure-and-substance-unit-editions-2012/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=designreviewed.com |language=en-US}}
FHK Henrion: The Complete Designer, 2013. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=FHK Henrion: The Complete Designer [Unit Editions, Adrian Shaughnessy] |url=https://bookstore.thisisdisplay.org/products/fhk-henrion-the-complete-designer-unit-editions-adrian-shaughnessy |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Display, Graphic Design Collection |language=en}}
Scratching The Surface: Essays and Journalism, 2013 (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=grain editAdrian Shaughnessy: Scratching the Surface |url=https://grainedit.com/2013/07/16/adrian-shaughnessy-scratching-the-surface/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |language=en}}
Manuals 1: Design & Identity Guidelines, 2014, (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Manuals 1: Design & Identity Guidelines is back in print |url=https://uniteditions.com/blogs/news/manuals-1-design-identity-guidelines-is-back-in-print |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
Lance Wyman: The Monograph, 2015. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |last=updated |first=Jonathan Bell last |date=2015-09-16 |title=Game(s) on: Unit Editions reveals definitive Lance Wyman monograph |url=https://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/games-on-unit-editions-reveals-definitive-lance-wyman-monograph |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=wallpaper.com |language=en}}
Impact 1.0: Design Magazines, Journals and Periodicals [1922—73], 2016 (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Impact 1.0 & 2.0 |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/impact-1-0-2-0 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
Paula Scher: Works, 2017. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Paula Scher: Works (concise) |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/paula-scher-works-concise-edition |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
Letraset: The DIY Typography Revolution, 2017. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Letraset: The DIY Typography Revolution |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/letraset-the-diy-typography-revolution |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
Vaughan Oliver: Archive [Condensed Edition], 2018. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Vaughan Oliver: Archive |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/vaughan-oliver-archive-1 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
What Is Universal Everything?, 2019. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=What is Universal Everything? |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/universal-everything |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
Pentagram: Living by Design, 2023. (Unit Editions){{Cite web |title=Pentagram: Living by Design (pre-order) |url=https://uniteditions.com/products/pentagram-living-by-design-pre-order |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Unit Editions}}
The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 3, 2023. (Thames & Hudson){{Cite web |title=The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 3 |url=https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/the-graphic-language-of-neville-brody-3-hardcover |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Thames & Hudson USA}}