1 comments about Devilish Greetings: Krampus Vintage Devil Postcards.

1. Book Review by Susan Brown Nicholson
   
   
   Beauchamp, Monte. Devilish Greetings, 2007, 160p, 160 color ill, ISBN 978-1-56097-871-8: Grath & Thompson, Fantographic Books, WA. To order: Fantagraphics Books, 7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, 1-800-657-1100.
   
   Once again Graphic designer Monte Beauchamp has produced a delightful book on a devilish subject, vintage devil postcards. The illustrations are outlandishly delightful with examples of metamorphic, novelty, and outstanding publishers like Osnabrucker Papierwaaren Fabrik (OPF), and more.
   
   Devilish Greetings is a fiery, full-color survey of spooky, kooky and delightfully demented devil postcards from days gone by. It is a fun filled page turner, a must have for anyone interested in the visual arts, pop culture, and the glory days of the penny postcard.
   
   The Devil made me do it, is a well known phrase. At the turn of the last century, postcard artists delighted at producing comic art to portray this mythical creature. While as Beauchamp points out, the Devil seems to have appeared in every form of mass-marketed printed matter, no where is he more prevalent than on the picture post card.
   
   The Earliest examples are European, but went on to promote the haunting holidays of Halloween, and to celebrate the sinful and saucy side of life. This book features some of the most fantastic images of this horned creature whether he is in red, blue or black. He frolics in flight with wings and tosses his long tail as a form of expression. Don't miss the colorful antics of this creature featured on the pages of this delightful book.
   
   The design of the book itself makes you want to jump into the fray and start collecting this image. The examples illustrated are outstanding with a nice smattering of the Krampus through the pages. Don't miss this as a devilish gift for someone on your list.

2 comments about Roman Sculpture (Yale Publications in the History of Art).

1. THis book is part of what I have to read in my introduction course in greek/roman art. In this respect it is maby not optimal, the autor focuses too much on works of art that no longer excicsts, and works that aren't that well known. I wish she would focus more on the really famous pieces. What is realle good is that it follows the Emperors cronologically, and that makes it easier too understand the connecton between art and society. For people with special interests in the field, it is probably wonderfull, but with 460 pages it is long and a bit too much information for a new student.



2. Ms. Kleiner does indeed show how eclectic Roman sculpture is/was. But she also shows and explains how artists wrought texture out of stone, their flare for facial features, the thoughtful tilt of the head or the significance of a raised eyebrow. There is more to Romans than conquest. This book makes that clear. This book also does an excellent job of relating historical events to tastes in sculpture.

1 comments about Mary Engelbreit's Breit Days: 2008 Pocket Purse Calendar.

1. This calendar presents each week on a two-page spread. Each day gets a 3 inch by 1.5 inch area.
   It has 3 years at a glance in the front, and in the back it has a 2-page spread for the upcoming year with each month getting 3 lines; anniversaries & birthdays the same; 4 pages for names & numbers; 2 pages for gift ideas; a page for zodiac signs and birth stones, a tip card, and 2 pages for notes. A rubber band from the back cover can be looped around the front to keep it closed.
   The pages of this calendar are thick, the binding is very sturdy: the signatures are actually sewn. The cover is tough with no signs of cracking or scuffing and very minimal edge wear. After 3 months of carrying around in a purse, it looks practically new.
   The paper is not absorbent, which is good because ink won't bleed, but it also sits on the surface for a while without drying and is apt to smear. I chose a Pigma Micron pen after trying a Pentel Needle Tip. You may want to test some pens in an inconspicuous place in the book.
   I'll see how I feel about how I'm using it in December, and if I continue with the project, I'll buy another one for next year.

No comments about At Memory's Edge: After-Images of the Holocaust in Contemporary Art and Architecture.

3 comments about Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink, and Horror.

1. If you buy one book on Japanese cinema this year, this is it. They have done a terrific job of laying out the history of Japanese film in poster format, in correct color no less, with
   a lot of useful information for the Japanese film buff, and collector since many of the posters are available to order right from this publication. My only comment is when will their next
   book be issued? Enjoy!



2. I discovered this new book put out by Tokyo-based DH Publishing by accident. And am glad I did. Chock full of full-page full-color posters of the most wonderfully wackiest of Japan's classic movie posters. There's everything from Horror and Monster to Samurai and Ninja, Pink (what they call soft porn) to Anime, and even some new posters thrown in. My best is easily the Sci-Fi genre, which includes the ultimate Ultraman. Also, you gotta check out some of the Monster posters, like Godzilla and some huge Ice Man creature. I bought two of these, as I knew it would make that perfect present when you've run out of ideas what to buy someone. DH Publishing arigato! I'm going to check out their other books. I hope they're as good!



3. Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink And Horror is an eye-opening, full-color presentation of movie posters representational of the best and the worst of Japan's cinema. From lurid and graphic horror to yakuza movies to posters of Hayao Miyazaki's wondrous words of animation, Japanese Movie Posters offers an unforgettable slice of Japanese popular culture in the twentieth century. Brief yet erudite and scholarly commentaries by Chuck Stephens (contributing editor to "Film Comment", a columnist for "Kinema Junpo, and a freelance specialist in Asian cinema for publications worldwide), Tetsuya Masuda (vintage poster expert and head of the cinema section of wonder antiquarian books), and Kairakutei Black (a Japanese film critic and traditional "rakugo" comic storyteller) offer informed and informative insights into the psychology and media background of the individual posters round out this impressive collection. A unique compendium of cinematic poster art, Japanese Movie Posters is a welcome and highly recommended addition to any personal or academic Cinematic Studies reference collection.

3 comments about Letterhead & Logo Design 6.

1. The ideas in this book will get your own creative juices flowing. Innovation meets modern design.



2. "Letterhead and Logo Design 6" is a great addition to the library of any graphic artist. Although I marginally preferred volume four in the series, this edition contains many examples of brilliant logo and letterhead design. I gave the book four stars rather than five because the conceptual explanations from the designers seen in earlier volumes are largely gone from this edition. That in no way takes away from the brilliance of most of the designs exhibited in this book, however.
   
   I was drawn especially to some of the more stark, monochrome designs, especially those with a single element of color strategically positioned: classic examples are the effort from Christian Nielinger on page 23, and the material for Process Solutions on page 63 from Howard Levy. Some other designers elected to use color as a main element of the design with stunning effects: I was particularly pleased with the use of elemental orange in the design for Clark Printing (page 53) skillfully executed by designers Perry Chua and Nancy Yeasting of Big Eye Creative.
   
   Tonality, shading, and shadow really come into their own as integral design elements in this volume with a brilliant design (page 42) from Emanuel Barbosa for Vector XXI, and the sublime design from Hellen Rayner of Blue i Design on page 93, which is perhaps my favorite of all showcased designs in the book.
   
   While not every design in the book is great, all are very original, and are certainly worth evaluating, whether you are a designer or a corporate representative looking for a new corporate image. For those who do see something they like, there is a helpful directory of participants in the back of the book.
   
   For anyone with an interest in logo and letterhead design, whether casual or professional, this is a very good book and I recommend it without reservation.



3. for anyone interested in having a good source of inspiration when it comes to well though letterhead and logo designs this might be the book for you. however, if you were expecting a 'how to book' or a recipe on designing logos, you are better of looking elsewhere.

   it covers ideas from a large range of industries with a nice arrangement of logos, by themselves, on business cards, and as on letterheads. it is extremely applicable to most industries and even web design for the 2000s.

   great book over all for your graphic design literature collection.

No comments about Graphic Design America 3: Portfolios from the Best and Brightest Design Firms from Across the U.S..

5 comments about Rugs to Riches: Guide to Buying Oriental Rugs, Revised & Updated Edition.

1. This book is a ruggy good read, more intoxicating than Class A rugs. I recommend reading it rugularly whilst listening to "Rugged Out on Death Row" or suitable Ruggae/Rugga classic. While I'm dishing out advice here is another tasty rugget of information that goes right for the rugular. Don't stick metal objects into rug sockets or you will experience rugor mortis. This book is finer than the collected works exhibited in the Ruggenheim Museum in it's artistic merit. Sit down with a rug of tea perhaps on a rugboat and enjoy it, or even take a bar stool in your local Rug and Lettuce with a rug of frothing ale. If you encounter a buxom young wench with a nice set of rugs, offer to walk her home so she doesn't get rugged. But all this is rendered rugatory when considering the actual subject matter of this book, namely, carpets. Read this book, you'd be a rug not to. If you don't, well, you've rug your own grave.
   Rugs and Kisses!
   
   (I do hope this review conforms to the Rules and Rugulations that Amazon sets forth!)



2. What I mean is, the book is full of vignettes that illustrate basic points about shopping -- AND EVEN ABOUT NEGOTIATING !! -- things that are obvious once you think about them, but which you might never have realized. My favorite example: Suppose you see a rug with a price tag of a certain amount, and you say to the salesperson, "The most I'd pay is [such-and such]" -- well, what you've really just said, without knowing it, is that the amount you said is THE LEAST you're going to pay, not "the most," because you've shown that you're willing to pay it and that you can. It's a useful kind of thing to be aware of for any deal you might ever be involved in, whether as buyer or seller. I'm sure you could get things like this from Donald Trump's books, but it's interesting that they're here too.
   
   The book gives an EXCELLENT overview of oriental rugs. The writing and organization are excellent. You'll learn about the main types of rugs, and how to recognize them -- and how to match and combine rugs. Even in the most elegant settings, we often see POOR combinations; this book gives good, easily-applied guidelines for doing a GOOD job of this.
   
   Some readers criticize the book's pricing guidelines -- but actually they're quite good and very useful, as long as you realize their limitations. Yes, they're simplistic, and the projected rates of appreciation were recognizably absurd even at the time the book was written. (By those formulas, most rugs before long would have attained the value of Fort Knox.) So, the author was a bit innumerate, and anyone who purchased rugs assuming infinite price appreciation has been disappointed. Blame the author? Maybe a little.



3. I first encountered Rugs_to_Riches when I was researching and planning the purchase of my Persian Rug. I found five books at my local library, one of them dated 1908, that covered the topic of purchasing and keeping oriental carpets. All of them, with the exception of Rugs_to_Riches stated that "the carpets you buy today aren't as good as the old ones available 30, or 40, years ago." This is basically balderdash!

   Rugs_to_Riches proved to be a refreshing exception to this nonsense. It was the best starting guide that a beginner like me could find as I searched out one of those beautiful treasures of the orient. The pricing guides are good for comparison of type & quality, but should not be relied upon for exact valuation of a carpet.

   Also, the old rule of "one man's trash is another man's treasure" applies here. Never ever purchase an oriental carpet because it may be valuable. If it doesn't match your home's decor, it'll end it's life as a moth-eaten rag in your closet. Make sure that you actually like the piece before you buy it. I purchased my carpet in a bazaar, not at a dealer's shop in Houston, New York, or even, in L.A. As a consequence, my purchase was *FINAL*! If you plan on purchasing a carpet with even the slightest chance of returning it, because it doesn't match your decor, then go to a reputable dealer. If you are sure of your taste in carpets, design, and home decor, then, grab this reference, and book a flight to the Orient for a haggle-fest.

   Finally, on the purchasing of "antique" carpets. Never buy one, unless you see a pattern that you definitely want & you can't get it in a "new" carpet. Most of the price of "antique" carpets is for the (mostly unprovable) antiqueness of the carpet. Only buy an "antique" from a dealer, if you are purchasing one for it's antiqueness. Never, that is, unless you are an "expert", or you can afford to be "taken". Have an "antique" appraised *first* by a reputable 3d party *before* you bid on it. Otherwise, just buy a new one, and remenber that your great grand children will have incontrovertable proof of their "antique" oriental carpet in about 100 years, or so.

   All in all, a good book for the beginner. I recommend it.




4. If you are new at collecting, want to know if you want to collect, or just want to know about rugs, this is a good book. Takes you from the beginning and walks you through. Not a book a dealer would use, but one I would recommend for those curious. Beachum's review here on Amazon is a little too harsh in my opinion. While the price of rugs is too fluid and dependent on variables that cannot be captured in a book, there are some valuable points the pricing chapters make for the beginner. Not all rugs appreciate at the same rate. Condition and age are critical. Etc. I found the "value factor multiplier" interesting and roughly accurate - that is - a rank ordering of which type of rugs have appreciated faster over time than others. The focus on the economics of rug collecting was disturbing.



5. This book is a decent introduction to oriental rugs for the complete beginner. Unfortunately, its credibility is seriously undermined by its just plain silly pricing information. The book purports to reduce the value of any oriental rug to a formula, and perpetuates the myth that most oriental rugs are investments. Readers are advised to rip out the pricing appendices in the back and throw them away, and simply read the front for an overview of oriental rugs.

No comments about Chao Shao-an Chinese Master 2009 Wall Calendar.

1 comments about Material World 2: Innovative Materials for Architecture and Design.

1. Although this book covers a wide range of materials, the descriptions of the materials are superficial and elementary at best.
   
   The tightly cropped photography obfuscates rather than illuminates, leaving you to decipher what exactly the material may look like.
   
   There aren't any examples of potential applications which would be fine if the writing would create any room for the imagination.
   
   This book is expensive and falls flat in promise considering its price. There are better resources out there to add to your library. It's too bad because I love FRAME magazine...