Scouts who are working on the Graphic Arts merit badge will find a number of resources are available to help them complete the requirements and answer the questions for the badge.
Start with the Basic Resources
First of all, the requirements and resources section of the Graphic Arts merit badge pamphlet are available as a free PDF. The complete Graphic Arts merit badge pamphlet is also available.
Also check out my Graphic Arts Merit Badge page for more resources from my site.
The pamphlet recommends a number of books and resources:
Books for the Graphic Arts Merit Badge requirements
General Design Books
- Getting It Right in Print: Digital Prepress for Graphic Designers: Learn how to prepare your creation for print. This will save you time and money in the long run.
- Graphic Design: The New Basics: This book backs up basic graphic design principles with examples. This is a good beginning design book.
- Graphic Communications: Digital Design and Print Essentials: Learn about creating printed materials in the digital age.
- Pocket Pal: The Handy Book of Graphic Arts Production: This is a comprehensive guide to various aspects of the graphic arts process.
- Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills: This is a set of challenges to help you create projects more efficiently. Most focus on a single aspect of the graphic design process.
- The Non-Designer’s Design Book: A humorous book which teaches the fundamental aspects of getting your designs to look more polished.
Resources to Learn about Careers in Graphic Arts
- Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer: This will help you explore the various careers and opportunities in the field of graphic design.
- Careers by Design: A Business Guide for Graphic Designers: This is another book about careers in graphic design. This will help you complete Graphic Arts Merit Badge requirement 7.
- Opportunities in Commercial Art and Graphic Design Careers: Another look at careers in graphic arts.
- Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines: This will help you learn about some of the issues of getting paid as a freelance graphic artist, including pricing and protecting your copyright.
Books Focused on Specific Areas such as Logos, Typography, Color, or Layout
- Color Design Workbook: A Real World Guide to Using Color in Graphic Design: Learn how to use colors to express your concepts effectively.
- Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities: This book will teach you the art of making logos. This could be very useful in promoting your troop events!
- The Elements of Typographic Style: Find out how typography impacts your graphic creation.
- Layout Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Building Pages in Graphic Design: Learn how to layout your design so that the view absorbs information the way you intended.
- Layout and Typography for Beginners: Learn the basics of positioning elements and choosing types.
- Thinking With Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students: Learn about different types, stylesheets, and some of the technical aspects of typography.
Resources Related to the History of Graphic Arts
- Typography: An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Throughout History: This is another book on typography. It explores how types have developed over time.
- The Smithsonian Book of Books: Bookmaking is an ancient craft. Learn how printed communication has impacted our world.
Resources for Learning about Specific Media
- Screenprinting: The Complete Water-Based System: This illustrated guide gives step-by-step instructions to get you started in the screenprinting business. It provides methods which do not use toxic solvents.
- Handmade Books: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Own Books: Learn how to make a hand crafted photo album, book of sketches, children’s book, or graphic novel. This focuses on the bindings more than the content of your creation.