4 comments about Marker Magic: The Rendering Problem Solver for Designers.

1. This book is helpful if you are trying to find your style of marker rendering it has a lot of helpful information and examples.



2. This book was very helpful in showing me different rendering techniques used by varying artists. From minimalist, neutral shading to full blown, vibrant color renderings, this book covered them all.
   Great tips on which marker colors to use to achieve a particular 'look'...such as glass, metal, wood, etc.
   Highly recommend.



3. This book got me through architectural school. Hand renderings were never my strong point until I got this book. My rendering skills went up considerably (along with my confidence and grades) and I still reference this book today in my professional career. The book gives great examples and the tips from the professionals are very informative. This is definately one of the best books on how to make professional looking presentations.



4. The question and answer format of this book is useful and allows a different kind of organization to its contents. It also incorporates the work of a broad cross-section of designers. This allows the editors to expose you to many of the best in different fields in which markers are used to increase the effectiveness of visual communication. While certainly useful for the beginner, it will also stimulate the more experienced designer.

5 comments about Design Drawing.

1. This is a great tool to use for design and is a great reference book for work if you are a drafter too. The drawings are very clear, informative and precice. We love this book for our office.



2. While Ching does cover some aspects of drawing outside of those needed for drafting, the primary focus is on architectural drafting. This is a technical book intended for design students. It is not a do-it-yourself learn-to-draw manual. Most often, this book will be a textbook in a design class. As such, it is excellent. The instructions are clear and well written, the drawings are simple and easy to follow, the flow of the book is natural, building from very simple to more and more complex drafting skills. This book can take you from elementary drafting skills to advanced if you use it as intended. All in all, this is an excellent book on design drawing. I highly recommend it for anyone entering the design field.



3. i purchased this book as required text for an upcoming class and got more than i bargained for...the book is informative, fascinating, and inspiring and i haven't been able to put it down...i am really looking forward to utilizing the book in the classroom setting to in order to explore some of the concepts presented, particularly those that are more elusive to grasp...because the book uses exercises to really cement in the main idea of each of its concepts, it is an invaluable learning tool...i highly recommend this book to anyone interested in developing a deeper understanding and appreciation of drawing and design.



4. This book is very good for designers, and you can learn many details of drawing from this book. Also, it was a very good price to buy it with Amazon (cheapest than other stores).



5. Way too fast for learning to draw. Like most of Chings stuff it lacks narrative and aims at getting you to think visually. However first timers need a bit of narrative hand holding so I would suggest something else. Might be good for a 2nd book to help reinforce concepts visually after you already have some base confidence in the drawing.

5 comments about Introducing Revit Architecture 2008.

1. I feel that this book will really help the department I am in. We are trying to implament REVIT, this book is a real good tool to help with the training that is needed to get this done.



2. After working with this book for four hours I'm already fed up with it. This book has poor presentation by doing things such as referring to highlighted section on all black and white drawings, and providing tutorial steps for functions that do not work in Revit. Also, vague wording makes it hard to find tools and tool bars being referred too. This book is not a good learning tool. Think twice about buying this book, and read any glorifying reviews carefully and with reservations.



3. I read this book A-Z and it helped a lot. Although i already have made one little revit project before reading this book, there were a lot of useful tips. I liked the way book tells about revit - everything's written from architects sight not techno-geek's.
   Only four stars because there were too less information about revit families - thats very important even for beginers.



4. I found the book very helpful. As a newer user of Revit I found it to be more than informative. Who expects a book to teach you how to completely use new software? Does a book ever do this for an individual? It's there as a REFERENCE. The only way to get use to the software is by using it and "playing" with it. I can find mistakes or incorrect entries in every software manual. Take it for what it is, a sourse of information. The book is more than adequate.



5. As a new REVIT user I thoroughly enjoyed "Intruding REVIT Architecture 2008". The book offered a concise introduction to BIM and its uses throughout the process of architectural design. Best of all were the tips and tricks revealed. As with any new program, it takes time to pick up the short cuts and discover all of the possibilities of a parametric program. Enjoy!

5 comments about The Book as Art: Artists' Books from the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

1. One of the best! This book should be on your bookshelf if you are interested in the books as an art form. I would suggest it for any school or college media center. I would not include it on a list for coffee table books but if you have a serious home library which leans toward the book arts,artist journals and sketchbooks; by all means, put this out on the reading table.
   The next best thing:Visiting the Museum in person!



2. This book is wonderful! It features many artists and their foray into the world of book arts. The photos are splendid and the background information on the artists is excellent. It arrived in shrink-wrap which protected it nicely. Great book!



3. I am a mixed media artist and art teacher who has discovered a love for viewing and creating artist books. This catalogue of artist books is one of the most beautiful I've seen. Even though this isn't a how to book, it has given me much inspiration for art projects for my students and for myself.



4. If you are looking for inspirational, high quality photographs of some of the best fine art bookwork out there, this is for you. A few of the artists' books featured in here are also illustrated in other books, but the quality of the photographic reproductions here is so top notch that even though I'd seen some of the work before, it didn't matter all that much. The reproductions are fresh and full of detail. Each entry is accompanied by a nice little blurb from the artist explaining the work. Keep in mind that this is a catalogue from the National Museum of Women in the Arts. It is not a how-to, and the artists do not give instructions for making similar work or anything like that. This is for inspiration and enjoyment, with a little bit of art criticism thrown in. It's refreshing to see work of such originality and high quality, reproduced so well.



5. A wonderful book with lovely photography. It highlights the National Museum of Women in the Arts collection of handcrafted books with examples from 108 national and international book artists. Beautiful examples of intricate craftsmanship and fine art.

No comments about Form Based Codes: A Guide for Planners, Urban Designers, Municipalities, and Developers.

5 comments about Color in Interior Design.

1. This was a required text for a design class. I found it pretty useful (in conjunction with the other text), and ended up keeping both for reference books when the class was completed.



2. Well written and informative. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about color.



3. As a lay person just interested in learning more about the use of color in interior design, this was an excellent book. While the first several chapters were very "text bookish", the remainder was very layman friendly. I feel more confident in undertaking color projects in my home and in conversing about the use of color with friends, who are now asking my opinions. The chapters that helped me the most were on the color wheel and color relationships. I enjoyed it and will now pursue my interest in color and design.



4. There are zillions of books on this complex world of color.
   
   This one is the best for all Interior Designers, students and teachers, it is written by John F. Pile, an authority in Interior Design. You will enjoy learning the Color Systems for your business, and covers the historical aspect of of the Bauhaus School of Design, and also color in Historic Interiors, including artists and personal experiences.
   
   Michele Beatriz



5. it's a really helpful book for designers.you can find whatever you need about colors...

5 comments about Paris Interiors (Taschen 25th Anniversary Series).

1. The first disappointment was it is written in French, which I don't read and many of the pictures are of dark rooms and decorating. I guess I expected French interior decor with yellows, reds, greens and blues. It has some nice rooms, but many are too different. It isn't for anyone looking for French decorating pictures and ideas.



2. I just got this book in today and I haven't been able to stop looking at the photos! The book shows the homes of models, artists and fashion designers so there are quite a number of interior design styles represented. It's wonderful getting a glimpse into the apartments, mansions (and even a barge) of those who live in Paris.



3. I was dismayed when my copy of Paris Interiors arrived. It is the very same Paris Interiors published in the late 90's. What a major misrepresentation!!! In the discription of the book it should have been noted that the new Paris Interiors was a reprise. Very disapointing! However, I gave it 5 stars because it is a beautiful inspiring book. The earlier version is prettier with metalic gold pages.



4. This is a beautiful book full of great pictures. It's fun to page through for inspiration; however, there aren't too many practical ideas for people living on budgets. If you are the creative type, it can work for you and your decorating ventures. If you need extra help and written suggestions for decorating ideas, pick another book.



5. Amazing book, if you like collecting art and good flea market finds this is the book for your inspirations. Tre Chic!!

1 comments about The Art of Small Things.

1. The Art of Small Things by John Mack
   Reviewed by Laurel Hunter [...]
   
   It is no small thing to read through this book. Every time I picked up The Art of Small Things, I became totally absorbed in the beautiful color photographs that illustrate the book - the objects shown are incredibly varied and engaging, and the photography and printing exceptional. I found myself running to the internet to search for more pictures of ganjifa cards or historical chessmen, netsuke and brass weights. The text itself, of course, has information, but I needed more pictures to satisfy my curiosity. It is hardly a flaw for an art book to have pictures that are too beautiful. So perhaps it is a flaw of this reviewer that cannot resist miniature eye candy.
   
   Another difficulty in finishing the book is the density of its prose. Written by the Professor of World Art Studies at the University of East Anglia, this is most definitely more academic text than page-turner. How did I read all that theory and criticism in graduate school? Discipline at last prevailed. I did not read the chapters in order, but I read them all!
   
   Truthfully, the book is a bit dry. However, it is thick with knowledge of many, many cultures and their art and artifacts. It is no small feat to link figurative Aztec jade figures with Italian micro-mosaics with Japanese woodblock prints. However, I did find myself skimming, at times, the lengthy paragraphs that describe technical process. How the Ghanaians cast objects in brass or gold is not quite as interesting to me as the objects they chose and the way that they are arranged to imply meaning. Mack gets to all of this, of course, and the strength of this book lies in the incredible breadth and details of cultural information. For sure the prevailing message is the power of the miniature object to far outweigh its physical presence. Not just the intimacy that we often associate with small works of art, where one is required to move close to the work to engage with it fully. Mack takes on the secrecy of small objects and the power that comes from being hidden, ranging from the religious to the romantic. He also takes his discussion far beyond analysis of the objects and into the cultures that produce them. For example, in a chapter called "Small Bodies" he talks about dollhouses and toys, as well as a cultural fascination with dwarves and a culture of child marriage. In another chapter we learn why brass weights from the Asante culture used for measuring gold take on such a variety of forms - and these are truly amazing casts of birds, men drumming, horses, etc.
   
   What is made especially clear in this book is how small objects are necessarily attentive to details, and therefore venues for fascinating conceptual messages. The variety of objects explored in The Art of Small Things is astounding and the author's knowledge broad, if the means of conveyance a tad academic. And there are, of course, the beautiful reproductions, which are the reason this book stays by my bed at the top of the stack.

5 comments about Charles Faudree's French Country Signatu.

1. Certainly, this is about individual style. It is that character which pervades Mr. Faudree's work. We all take from our cache of knowledge, and Mr. Faudree has chosen from French, Spanish, and English styles.
   
   I don't see more clutter than in English Country or French opulence. I do think the rooms appear a bit too "clean" -- not lived it. I believe the photographer is the problem and not Mr. Faudree. That said, with my collection of over two hundred interior design books, from Billy Baldwin to Faudree, this deserves its place on the shelves along with the rest.



2. If you have enjoyed Charles Faudree's beautiful rooms in Traditional Home Magazine over the years, as I have, you will love this book. It is absolutely loaded with wonderful rich-colored pictures/photos. It is divided into sections by the room (kitchen, bedroom, etc...) and each section begins with the author's commentary about these rooms and how he chose the design/pieces. Next follows the gorgeous pictures/photos with wonderfully descriptive captions that give the origin of the piece, fabric or wallpaper. This is one of those books you will pick up again and again...and you will most likely see something great you missed the time before. After pouring through this book, I immediately ordered Faudree's other book, "Country French Living". After just one time through this beautiful book, I came away with three or four ideas that I was able to immediately implement in my own home. One suggestion: when you sit down to enjoy this book, do so with paper and pen close by. The pictures are so detailed that I was able to read the titles of many of the wonderful books Faudree has displayed throughout his home. I recognized some I have collected but jotted down 6 or 7 titles that I had never seen or had seen but wasn't sure if I should buy. Also, if you love animals (dogs and cats) this book will definitely make you smile. Almost every page has a snoozing, pampered pet curled up for an afternoon nap. This book contains a wealth of information, but putting that aside...it is a feast for the eyes!



3. I like this book, and keep it on my coffee table for others to enjoy. The only reason that I haven't given it 5 stars is because the kitchens section wasn't anything particularly inspiring.



4. Profusely illustrated with dreamy, close focus photographs, this book seems to sweep the reader right into each French Country room. This style of interior design is a little too fussy for my taste, but I enjoyed the authors' ability to take me on a tour of these homes as if I were on a mini-vacation.



5. It's Charles Faudree!! What more needs to be said. I've been a fan of his for years. Noticed his rooms in some of my favorite magazines. Especially Traditional Home. He NEVER fails to delight and inspire. Tons of ideas on every page. Wish he would publish a book every year !!

5 comments about The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses.

1. I shouldn't really be so harsh because I was starting to forget about it has been so long. To be honest your service has been pretty good up till now but this time its a joke I been searching around the neighbourhood and no one has heard of it, I have email and ask if you know where it is and you said it was sent. I have paid for it so I should have it.
   
   Please I do understand this can happen occassionally, but please rectify this ASAP
   
   Thanks, otherwise this is a possitive review...



2. During my 15 years of architectural education and some years of practice (both as architect and as 'explainer' of architecture) I have not yet encountered a book on architecture which has changed my view on architecture so dramatically.
   
   Juhani Pallasmaa's book makes an excelent argument for retrieving in architecture that which seems to have been lost for a long time: the lived intelligence of the bodilly senses. In his book Pallasmaa gives an overview of the development of the occularcentrism which is dominating architecture (and pretty much every cultural aspect) in the Western world for centuries and goes on to show how this leads to an impoverment of the architectural experience (and with that the impoverment of our daily lifes).
   
   The mix of theory, practice and convincing examples (ranging from architecture, art, cinema to literature and poetry together with the size (80 pages) makes the book easily readable, even for the less theoretical inclined reader. My advice: read it!
   
   For those of you who are as impressed with this book as I am: there's another book by Pallasmaa with the title 'Encounters'(published by Rakennustieto Oy Rati, June 2005). This book features a collection of essay's which were written by the author over the last 20 years. This book is also about the phenomenology of architecture but, due to its size (app. 350 pages), gives a broader overview of the thinking and writing of Juhani Pallasmaa. It seems it is not available at Amazon but I hope they will put is on there list soon!



3. In five years of Architectural Design, I am hard-pressed to find a book that has made such an impact on my thinking and overall awareness of architecture. This is truly a must-read for any architecture student, and is extremely interesting for those non-architects out there. I highly encourage the investment.



4. Now back in print and updated into a second edition, this little book is a masterpiece on the differences between what we see in a set of architectural plans compared with what we sense when we walk into a building.
   
   When we actually walk into a building, we are sensing the building with all of our senses. The smell of the still drying paint, the echo's from unexpected sources and more now have an impact that wasn't there in the plans.
   
   This book consists of two essays:
   
   The first surveys the historical development of the eye-centric orientation of our Western culture that began with the Greeks.
   
   The second begins to lay out a way towards a multi-sensory approach to architecture that forms a sense of belonging and integration.



5. As a student in architecture I would recommend this book to any person involved in any way of design. Not only buildings, because architecture also includes every aspect of the designing of space. This can therefore include industrial design, automotive design, etc. The book dicusses the interaction between people and spaces(buildings) using the human senses as medium - the way we see, feel, hear and experience a space. It is a fresh and captivating book and it is a real pitty that it is out of print.