5 comments about Grid Systems in Graphic Design/Raster Systeme Fur Die Visuele Gestaltung.

1. I had read several places that this was a classic. That doesn't mean anything in my book, but I must say that it indeed has been a source of inspiration and useful in my work.



2. In my opinion this is the best book about grids. It intoduces into history, gives some typographic base knowledge, detailed information about grids, layouts and composiotion. This book would be interesting for experienced graphic designers as well as for newbies. I highly recommend this book. Thanks.



3. you will not regret buying this book. a must have book for any designer of any discipline (web, print, media, etc). the downside is that there's a lot of reading to do. so hunker down and expect to fall asleep a few times during the readings, but it's definitely worth knowing how the system works from the master of the grid.



4. why is this thing so expensive and so difficult to find
   
   
   amazon is by far the cheapest place to get it, but it took atleast a month to get to me



5. Grids are pretty simple. It was an expensive book and when I buy a book I buy it so it can be a reference to me in the future. I was hoping Grid Systems in Graphic Design would have some mathematic principals or scientific rules for alignment. It showed a lot of examples, which I didn't find that helpful, and the designs were old looking and hard to relate to more advanced methods. Half of the book felt unnecessary and I wish i had paid less than half.

2 comments about Come Look With Me: Exploring Landscape Art With Children (Come Look With Me Series) (Come Look With Me Series).

1. All types of art and artists with questions to start conversation about the piece. Great for the elementary age.



2. I am a docent at an art museum and the goal is to get children develop a love of art. This book is exactly what will assist a child to enjoy art.

4 comments about A Designer's Research Manual: Succeed in Design by Knowing Your Clients and What They Really Need (Design Field Guides).

1. Graphic design is about much more than typography, composition and colour. Researching and understanding the client's needs and those of the target audience are key to the design process. This book is a valuable resource for designers seeking to understand the research strategies and methodologies appropriate for their work.
   
   Kudos to the authors and the professional community of contributors for this book specifically aimed at designers. A Designer's Research Manual conveys information in a clear and readable manner with concise text, helpful graphics and relevant international case studies.



2. This book is a must have for any aspiring designer. I have the good fortune of studying under the author of "A DESIGNER'S RESEARCH MANUAL" Mr. Visocky O'Grady. Ken is my 'Design research' instructor; he is a high-energy teacher with a vast knowledge in his field. I recommend to all designers/students that you add this book to your library.



3. I had to buy this book for a Design Research class. I like the simplicity of the book and the information it contains. The authors dont bogg the reader down with a bunch of advanced technical terminology. I think this is a GREAT book for anyone just starting to get into design research. Its clear, consise and an all around good read. I've taken a few classes with Ken Visoky-O'Grady and he's an amazing professor. I think the book is a great first attempt and would be an asset for any young designer.



4. In my search for structured discussion on design process and research, I was fortunate enough to find this book, "A Designer's Research Manual," at the MOMA bookstore in SoHo. I only wish this had been available and required text when I was still in school. The Authors have done a great service to the design profession, and it's clients. Those of us who are more designers than "artists" would do well to integrate the principles of this book into our processes & methodologies for tackling our clients' business problems. It's thinking like that in this book that will make the case for design's value to the business of our clients. Thank you Jenn & Ken Visocky O'Grady!

5 comments about How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling.

1. This book is a great instructional. The prose is clear and the author elegantly "illustrates" the points with perfectly chosen imagery. But it is also just a great book in a straightforward visual sense. By that I mean, it works as a coffee table book. And the story at the end is an added bonus for anyone who loves comics.



2. I'm a comics writer, not an artist, so I almost started this review by saying that I bought the book just to look at the pictures. And who could blame me? Shawn Martinbrough is one of the most original and distinctive stylists in modern mainstream comics. In a sea of imitators and variations on a house style, his artwork is instantly recognizable. His run on DETECTIVE COMICS with writer Greg Rucka (who writes the introduction to this book) is a landmark to me, in that it was one of the things that brought me back to reading comics after a long absence.
   
   But Martinbrough's strengths lie far beyond his style - he has a true mastery of the *craft* of sequential storytelling, which is what makes this book such a valuable read, for aspiring artists and students of the medium in general. Reading about his process has given me much food for thought in how to evaluate and critique the work of other artists, as well as in how to better compose my scripts for artists to create the maximum impact in the collaboration. In short, HOW TO DRAW NOIR COMICS is a fine read for anyone interested in creating comics, whether one's work is done at the drawing board or at the keyboard.
   
   Oh, and you get to look at the cool pictures, too.



3. This book is not just another how-to book written by another comic book guy.
   
   Martinbrough is clearly an illustrator who knows his craft well, takes pride in it, and has used a vast library of tools, ideas, and creative resources to create a book that is a must-have for any artist aspiring to make their work more dramatic.
   
   His insight into the creative process and the relationship between artist and writer makes this book a must-have for any comic book (or even screenplay) writer, to give them a sense of what to provide an artist with in a script.
   
   This book reinforced for me the need for shadows in storytelling.
   
   HOW TO DRAW NOIR COMICS is a cut above the rest of its peers, and is for SERIOUS ARTISTS, not pencilers looking to imitate Jim Lee.



4. I was expecting a little more from the book, judging from the fact that the author is a legend (read other reviews)in the comics industry. But the content is still pretty educational and informative. I enjoyed looking at the large print as well as the artwork which is printed on nice good quality paper. Even though the information may seem too comprehensive for more professional artists, they may benefit from looking at how the artwork is done, and in fact, I enjoyed looking at how the author has provided us with different treatment to the same artwork. To me this is precious, and show that the author is versatile in his technique and creative in his use of tools and materials.



5. So here is the thing, comics are a very hard medium, its also subjective and seriously its HARD. What I like about this book. Its not some hand holding trite sketchbook full of cliches and half-thought out pablum being fed to the reader. What it does is it gives you theory and ideas on how to improve your art , how to look at your art and get the look you want. It makes you think on how to incorporate the skill of going noir. If you want a book to teach you to draw like great artist like Frank Miller and Mike Mignola--this isn't your thing. It you want a book to help you look at your art in a different way and make you a thinking artist, and bring something real to the table then, this is the shiznit!!!!

5 comments about Finding Your Visual Voice: A Painter's Guide to Developing an Artistic Style.

1. I am truly enjoying this book. It has helped me reflect on my artwork, as well as validate my subject preferences and style. In addition, the artist interviews and works featured are inspirational. It is a great addition to any artist's library.



2. I received this beautiful book as a gift and have found it to be a wonderful companion in my studio. First of all it is packed with delicious colored photographs and painting reproductions on high quality paper. The concealed spiral binding makes it extra user friendly when lying on my drawing table but easy to retrieve from the book shelves (where it rarely stays). I found the interviews with artists to be insightful, perceptive and fun. I have enjoyed picking it up so many times and spending a couple minutes reading a gem that gives me the inspiration I need to move forward with my own work.
   Thanks Dakota for a terrificly thought provoking book that distills and honors the creative process.



3. This book is an easy-to-follow guide to sort out your own style of creative expression. I'm not a painter, but I have started dabbling in mosaic. I'm convinced that this book can help anyone interested in forming and developing their unique style in any visual art medium.
   
   The book is spiral-bound which means it can lay flat on the table while you refer to it. I love this feature. The chapters flow logically from recognizing your inspiration and suitable subject matter, to more technical topics like lines, composition, and process. The information is presented simply, with many examples to illustrate each point. Contemporary painters offer their advice through carefully guided interviews throughout the book. The most clever aspect of the book is the chance to review and reflect on each topic through end-of-the-chapter questions. Finally, exercises help you to apply what you have discovered about yourself and your art. Finding Your Visual Voice is a process of developing self awareness and you are gently guided through that process with this excellent book.



4. At first glance this book gave me the impression that it really was going to be a visual delight. The format of the pictures and interviews were a creative way to feel as if I were there with each artist Ms Mitchell interviewed. I am just beginning to experiment with the idea of artistic painting. This book has a variety of methods and formats to chose from if I want to experiment in various areas. As a teacher, I like the exercises at the end of each chapter. This book could be used for art classes as well as just for information about painting.



5. This book has been an inspiration to myself and several of my artist friends. It really helps you focus on your individual style and helps you find techniques that are best suited you personally. The layout is exceptional, and I loved the workbook style which allows you to experiment and use the various information provided by the guest artists.
   I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in painting, no matter what level they are. What artist, or person for that matter, wouldn't benefit from learning to find and listen to their "inner voice"?

4 comments about Type Idea Index: The Designer's Ultimate Tool for Choosing and Using Fonts Creatively.

1. As a Desktop Publisher in the making this is a very valuable resource. It was highly recommended to me by 2 instructors and I have found it very useful already.



2. I have all of Jim Krause "idea" books. They contain a lot of inspiration in a small amount of space. I keep them nearby at home and at the office. I flip through them while thinking about an idea for a new project.



3. I appreciate the way the book's sections are divided into "personalities" such as "energy," "organic," "technological," etc. The "rebellious" section made me laugh more than once. This book not only presents layouts but critiques them. Sometimes the book presents obviously "bad" font layouts, and explains why they are unsuccessful. Personally, I learn what to do by first learning what NOT to do.
   
   Type Idea Index encourages mixing computer graphics with other media and even handmade processes. From the book's critiques, I realized font families originate from physical printing processes. Coming from a non-graphic design background, I now feel more competant to go beyond Photoshop drop-down font menus.
   
   The Jim Krause "Index" book series together probably deserves the full five-star rating.



4. Jam packed with lots of good type ideas. I've used it a few times to spark something. Not really much more to say about it, it's a collection of a wide variety of font treatments, mostly great, some not so great.
   
   It is full color unlike the original Idea Index. I'm sure I will continue using it for years to come. It's important to have books like this in your design reference library, you never know when you are going to run across the perfect font treatment for your next design, and being a small easily accessed book, this works great.

5 comments about Painting the Landscape in Pastel.

1. I found it very informative, giving me new ideas to use in my art. Great pictures.



2. I ordered this book because it was supposed to provide "lucid instructions for first time pastelists" but I found this definitely not the case. There are no instructions--just advice and that is so general that it is close to useless. Much better instructions with demonstrations can be found in other books. There are many illustrations in this book, but for my taste, the paintings are crude and unattractive. Certainly nothing I would care to emulate.



3. Handell"s current work doesn't impress me as much as his former style. Sometimes longtime artists get carried away with their own notoriety, and get just too artsy. This is more a"coffee table " book than something to learn from.



4. (I'm not clear on the contribution by author Anita Louise West; the text is largely in the first person singular -- Handell's.) This is a decent, if short-winded, introduction to common, fundamental art concepts (color temperature, intensity, complementary colors) and a few pointers specific to the pastel medium. There is little that you cannot get elsewhere in more depth, and some puzzling statements ("A toned paper helps the artist enhance contrast in values" -- p. 20) that beg elaboration. Many of the points are theoretically demonstrated by Handell's own paintings, with a paragraph each of his discussion; but his comments often seem arbitrarily chosen, if not downright wrong for the painting in question. For example, p. 40, he states "these light green colors [of the spring outside the studio window] contrasted with and complemented ... all of the darker interior colors of the studio," but the highest-key portions of the painting are in the interior. On p. 39 a view of a pier shows a flag at half staff. Hendell states, "I purposely played down the detail of the flag," yet it is in plain sight and eye-catching. In fact, the most interesting thing about an otherwise trite scene is the flag (I would have titled the picture "Half Mast") because it adds particularity and involves the viewer ("what's going on?"). The painting is divided exactly in halves horizontally, classically a compositional no-no, so I would have liked to read the artist's discussion of this choice. In some other paintings the artist seems confused (or unconcerned) about the principal light source -- although since Wayne Thiebaud routinely gets away with this, maybe it's not a big issue. In summary, this book is a lightweight, and hopefully encouraging, introduction to a wonderful medium, but the discussion of individual paintings should be read with one's critical faculties in place. Plus, it never hurts to browse another artist's works, even if the lessons contain nearly as many "what not to do's" as "what to do's".



5. Though I paint in other mediums, I am new to pastels. This book is the only one I will ever need. The pictures are beautiful and lush. The instructions and explanations are simple to understand. Would heartily recommend this book to new or experienced artists.

3 comments about Comic Artist's Photo Reference Women And Girls (Comic Artist's Photo Reference).

1. I saw this book in Barnes and Nobles and as I flipped through it I said I have to get this book and its companion. I found a better deal here on Amazon and got the book in great condition.
   
   The content was excellent and just what I have been looking for, since I am going to be working on My own comic line in the very near future.
   
   I want to thank the models, publishers, and Amazonfor allowing to obtain this reference guide.



2. One of the best photo reference books I've come across. I have it all stickied with post-its already. The CD-Rom is also packed with some good refs. I would've liked to see some more "group" shots but I'm not disappointed in the least with this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to have a nice collection of female references handy on their shelf.
   
   I can't wait for the "Men and Boys" version coming out!



3. I've always found it difficult to find decent pictures of women doing poses similar to those found in comics and action movies, most reference books contain soft poses, nudity, small pictures, and no real writing on how the photos are applicable to rendering in illustration. This book contains some very unique poses and features poses from being in pain, flying, jumping, running, sword fighting, punching, kicking, dressing, and lighting a smoke. The book features at least four to six different models with different body builds (though none are really out of shape like the Fantasy Reference) and ages.
   The only thing that could be improved to make the book better is to have a spiral back like the Fantasy Reference to keep damage on the spine to a minimal. The pros of this book are that all the photos are in color, the cd is amazing and features over a thousand photos contained in the book (which can be printed from a computer to take up a whole sheet of paper), and the shadows and poses in the book are exceptional. I found it worth its price and would recommend it to any aspiring artist that needs help with drawing women and girls.

5 comments about Oil Painting Secrets from a Master: 25th Anniversary Edition.

1. This book is good for the artists who has been painting for quite a time.Its a lot of technical gargon to grapple with and only experience of what the book is recommending will make any sense.



2. This book is brilliant. Few book are as helpful, but not until you're ready for this one! This book is not for beginners, but for artists comfortable enough with the oil medium and the basics of painting. If you are that artist, David helps you learn to THINK the way an artist needs to think. I have been reading and re-reading this book for 25 years now. (One note: I agree that some of the reproductions are blurry and unacceptable. Maybe the publisher did something about this for the 25th anniversary edition.)



3. ....or anyone who doesn't want to be Rembrandt. This author is perhaps a Master, but the title implies an Old Master. His technique of painting appears skillful, yes, but didn't appeal to me because they were all in the Rembrandt mode of painting.
   I'm sure the prose, though disjointed and sometimes contradictory, may be helpful to Intermediate/Advanced artists or Art Teachers, but way too much combing through of the book is required than should be necessary. The info is not organized in a useful way. Sorry....



4. This book isn't a "How to Paint" book. It assumes you already know how to do that. This book tells you how to create good paintings using light, space and color. It reminds you of all the things you learned in art school but have forgotten along the way.



5. This book is extraordinarily helpful for artists who already have some experience. It appears to be a collection of class notes with many illustrations and helpful tips, rather than a mapped out "method". I discovered in it many missing links of information, "ahas", so to speak.

2 comments about Contemporary Graphic Design.

1. Im pretty happy with my purchase it comes on time and in good shape to thanks



2. I got this book after a VERY long wait (nothing to do with Amazon, Taschen delayed its publication for months and months...) and I could not be happier with it.
   
   The waiting was well worth it, Taschen prints great products and this thick, colorful book is no exception, you get great design from the plastic jacket, to the silky pages that are very well printed (full yellow pages with no banding, WOW!).
   
   About the content:
   Interesting, up to date and very pleasing to the eye (even if you're not into graphic design you want to buy this book and have it sit on your coffee table, it looks great as an object too). You get lots of cases/projects from various places and eclectic cultures.
   
   I highly recommend buying this book if you work or want to work in graphic design.
   
   Aldana