1 comments about Majorelle: A Moroccan Oasis (Small Books of Great Gardens).

1. The quality of the photography is unsurpassed. The color is magnificent! Anyone who enjoys books, gardens, Morocco, or the color blue (Majorelle Blue) will love this book.

   MAJORELLE tells the history of the gardens in Marrakesh, first laid out by Louis Majorelle in the 1920's. The beautiful shade of blue that is used throughout the gardens, in the tile work, the paint, the walkways, the ponds and the plants and flowers themselves, was the start of the term "Majorelle Blue". The grounds are now owned by Yves Saint Laurent and are open for tours.

   The back of the book shows the layout of the gardens, old photos of Marrakesh, the interior of the salon in Majorelle's villa and a photo of Majorelle, himself.

   The small size of this book gives it an added preciousness that makes it a great choice for gift giving.

No comments about Without Boundary.

No comments about When Trash Becomes Art: Trash Rubbish Mongo.

No comments about Index of Early Chinese Painters & Paintings: T'ang, Sung, Yuan.

1 comments about Rock Posters of Jim Phillips.

1. ROCK POSTERS OF JIM PHILLIPS provides a 30-year retrospective of rock posters by Phillips, surveying the artist's life and times and following his career from early posters through present times. His computer painted posters as well as his classic rock art signature style is displayed in gorgeous full-page color reproductions paired with biographical and historical perspectives.

4 comments about Design Secrets: Products (Design Secrets).

1. If you are interested in Product Design, then this book is quite interesting. It gives you a summary of the design process for famous products.
   
   However the fact that it is a summary is a downside, as I would have loved to read more information from the designers mind.
   
   In this book you have good examples of "What the customer wanted", "What the designer suggested" and "What was the outcome".
   
   I would suggest making volume 3 with 10-20 Products and giving each product 10 pages, rather then the 4 pages on this one.



2. Well I was looking for a book with some hints for design, and this book is the perfect one with a lot of that goodis.I recommend it strongly for everyone who is looking for a good book in art and design.



3. I recieved my book in fine condition and within the designated shippment time frame.



4. THis is an interesting book about how some very good product designs were done. However, I was not satisfied with the level of detail of each story: not only did each case study make it appear that an optimal design was acheived, but it undercovered the human and organizational dramas that underlie such design processes. In many instances, there is a whiff of the true complexity and it made my mouth water, but then didn't go deep enough. As a result, the whole process comes off too logical and rational, too panglossian if you wish.

   From my own experience, I know that the design process is far more difficult than the reader would glean from the book. Designers, like artists, are high strung people who live for and in their work - if you criticise their work, you are criticising them personally and they react. Their egos are as big as their talents. Bitter fights result with engineers and the holders of the corporate largesse, the purse strings that make or break an experiment. THere are difficult compromises, often political, and plenty of ongoing acrimony. How should they be handled and nurtured? Does a separate group need to be insulated? Should they just grow up or would that kill part of the creative process? None of this is sufficiently covered in this book and they all represent key management issues. Moreover, there is not enough about the companies in the book - who they are, what they believe in terms of philosophy, how they calculate and market themselves.

   Nonetheless, the stories are exciting and the photography is excellent. Certain common techniques also emerge, such as the importance of rapid prototyping and marketing shortcuts that don't ignore cumstomer needs but rather find way to tap into new ones. These too are fascinating issues that require deeper treatment.

   Recommended, but only as a start.

No comments about African Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection.

No comments about Fragile Diplomacy: Meissen Porcelain for European Courts (Bard Graduate Centre for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture).

1 comments about Rene Magritte: Now You See It-Now You Don't (Adventures in Art (Prestel)).

1. As an art teacher, I have been very impressed with this series of books for children. This volume, in particular, helps to explain some of the interesting and yet bizarre qualities of this surreal artist. I look forward to the next book in this series.

1 comments about Fra Angelico.

1. Fra Angelico is a captivating showcase of the classical creations of Fra Giovanni de Fiesole (c. 1390/95-1455), one of the great painters of the early Italian Renaissance, especially known for his Christian artwork. Nearly 200 full color illustrations take the reader on a wondrous tour of Angelico's beautiful expressions of faith, while the text spares no detail in chronicling Angelico's life, inspiration, and legacy to later masters including Raphael, the Nazarenes, and the Symbolists. A classical art lover's treasury, enthusiastically recommended for public library and private artbook collections.