Elliot Jay Stocks and Keir Whitaker have just published a tidy collection of interviews with some of the web’s most creative contributors. We all know them by name, but this 256-page tome (available in paperback and e-formats) provides a rare peek at how these folks started their careers, the experiences that shaped them (and their most well-known work), and the ideas that still motivate them today. It’s like Inside the Actor’s Studio but for web design (minus the sycophantism).
Participants have produced web and design awesomeness like the SwissMiss blog, Nike’s Better World site, Digg, Huddle, the first Firefox icon, Instagram, and A Book Apart.
Despite its size, Insites is easy to digest. Elliot’s design and his use of p.s.type’s Quatro Slab and Quatro Sans (both available in Typecast) makes it super legible and readable. And its simple Q&A format is perfect for dipping in and out of.
Inside you’ll find anecdotes, project wisdom and discoveries like:
- how Swiss Miss’ aunt shaped her creative side;
- what Space Invaders did for Brendan Dawes;
- Andy McGlaughlin’s advice for choosing a VC;
- why Alex Hunter’s job as a business systems analyst gave him the most important skill of his entire career; and
- what Josh Brewer thinks about designing for 400 million users.
We’re big fans of 8 Faces and Elliot Jay Stocks, so we’re really pleased to support the launch of Insites. If you’re looking for a dose of inspiration or have been seeking the perfect coffee table book, go grab your copy.