No comments about Lee Bontecou: A Retrospective.

5 comments about My New York: New Anniversary Edition.

1. By PHIL
   
   I'm happy I read this book because there are many cool things in this book. It explains all the cool things that you can do in New York City. It has the whispering room in Grand Central Station. You whisper into one corner and someone whispers at the other and you can hear each other.
   And lots of things like that. It is mostly for kids 7-11 years old but adult tourists will like it to.
   
   ...Story Board...
   
   It's about a girl that made an agreement with her mom to go on trips every weekend. The girl's name is Becky. She and her mom go to places that are fun in New York.
   
   On one trip they go to Radio City Music Hall to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Her friend Martin comes with her. In the book, she describes how the orchestra rises out of the floor in the beginning and then goes back in. I went to this show with my parents and this really does happen!
   
   They also go to the New York Public Library, Central Park Zoo, the Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, Times Square and other cool places.
   
   I recommend this book to any tourist trying to find fun stuff to do when visiting New York City.
   
   This Book Is So Darn Cool!!!



2. Bought this for my little cousins overseas to help them understand where we live. Apperently their mother likes it more than them! Now they know where I'm talking about when i say we went to Central park today or the zoo. i'll be buying more for my friends children as gifts. Great book.



3. The pictures are colorful, very detailed, and are a lot of fun to look at. It's narrated by a little girl who's venturing the famous sites of NYC. I had fun reading it and I'm
   sure kids will like it. I got the new anniversary edition. I really recommend it. NYC may change years from now. This book captures and reminisces our exciting city during our time...2002.



4. I thought that this was an excellent book. The pictures are great. I read it to my kids before visiting New York and after reading the book my kids could not wait to see all of the places that we read about. My daughter was especially thrilled to ride the same horse on the central park carousel that the little girl in the book rode.



5. This is a beautiful book, full of detailed illustrations kids love to explore. Parents should note that not only is it littered with promotional messages, but that several of them promote Scientology/L. Ron Hubbard/Dianetics.

5 comments about The Packaging Designer's Book of Patterns.

1. I have looked and analised the book, and compared with the Peppin Press books, this book is all you need to learn and study packaging design.
   This book will teach me and maybe you how we can design packaging.
   
   All cash deserved



2. I bought this book after seeing a copy one of my graphic design professors had, actually the class was package design. Not being a graphic designer well-versed in packaging, I ended up buying this book and it's served as a wonderful resource for ideas. I only wish it came with the patterns on CD in Adobe Illustrator format or something, that would save me the time scanning, hand-drawing and tweaking the templates. But it's still worth having if you do any sort of package design.



3. The patterns in this book are fantastic - a great book for designers of all types. My only wish is that it came with a CD ROM of the patterns.



4. The information is a great database for packaging design, but, it comes in a very thin paper. As you use, handle it, you'll feel as if your book is melting in your hands. And you'll miss a CD-ROM with the patterns, in a vetorial format. I have no idea why they didn't provide that.



5. "The Packaging Designer's Book of Patterns", currently in this newly revised third edition, is a massive collection of cardboard and corrugated board packaging designs. The book has a small introduction to these materials, highlighting the basic principles behind scoring and die-cutting, plus some information on the common printing processes available for folding carton and some comparison charts between the materials. There is a chapter (mostly in diagram form) about closures and corner locks, which could perhaps benefit from some extra (textual) aids, but it serves its basic purpose. The book chapters are organized by packaging type (Folding Carton, Set-up Paper Boxes, Corrugated Containers and Point-of-Purchase Displays), with various designs of cartons, tubes, trays, multi-packs, point-of-purchase displays, shipping containers, etc. Each design features both the pattern and assembled forms, but there is little or no accessory information to complement them (the author states that this is intentional, not to "stifle the creative process", but as he himself states, many people have asked for this, so why not give the people what they want? Maybe a fourth edition will correct this). There is practically a design for every use imaginable, and you can surely adapt the designs to other purposes as well. Supposedly, these designs are ready to be scanned or photocopied (be aware that some of the designs are patented), but you will probably find this very difficult without damaging the book's spine, as many of the graphics are too close to the inner margin and will most likely suffer distortion if scanned/photocopied. To make matters worse, the paper used for the pages is also incredibly thin for a book of this size and at times, even with mere handling, I am genuinely afraid of making a tear in them. Whether you are a hobbyist looking for functional packaging patterns, a student trying to learn from practical examples or a designer looking for inspiration, this book will most definitely be of use.

1 comments about Making It New: The Art and Style of Sara and Gerald Murphy.

1. For those interested in 20th century literature and art, the Murphys are always a fascinating subject. Their influence was far-reaching if not obvious and their lives were filled with amazing challenges. Money helped Sarah and Gerald enter into the circles of their interests but did not save them from grief and loss. Apparently it did not spoil their enthusisam for life nor their creative ideas.
   This book is especially invaluable if you are looking for depictions of Gerald Murphy's paintings. It provides plates which can be studied for evidence of his place as a bona fide artist of considerable talent. The photographs of the Murphys and their many celebrity friends are also charming.
   This is a great addition to a contemporary library.

5 comments about Step-by-Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It!.

1. David Boye writes as an old friend might write to you via e-mail, describing his hobby and how he makes knives, soon infecting you with this 'disease'. By the time you've finished your subconscious will be telling you "I've got to become a knifemaker!". The book covers tools, knife types, stock removal, grinding, building the handle, heat treatment, regrinding and polishing, handle materials, buffing, sharpening and maintenance, etching and even how to make the sheath. For a beginner like me who has recently rediscovered the world of knife collecting and knifemaking, this book is simply amazing. I've got no regrets buying this. You should add it to your library.



2. This is a good and quality written book. I have used the information as a beginner and have started my knifemaking hobby successfully. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in bladesmithing.



3. This is a great book for the beginner to someone who has built some knives
   But needs help in refining their technique
   This will be a great reference for years to come



4. This was the first book I bought on knifemaking, and my copy is falling apart (it's 28 years old!) I absolutely love David Boye's sense of design, and his work has inspired my own considerably. That said, I learned a great deal about knifemaking from other sources, and I use few of his methods. Specifically, I would never use a wheel grinder on knife steel, it generates a great deal more heat than a belt grinder, isn't nearly as accurate, and the cutting surface is smaller. I would NEVER cut out blades with a cutting torch, unless you wanted to grind away at least 1/4 in from the cut edge, you're messing up your steel's microstructure doing this (see p. 111 under grain growth!) I appreciate the lengths he's gone to to describe heat treating, but had little luck with it myself; I would strongly advise against trying to heat-treat complex steels like D2, 440C, or 154CM yourself, unless you like throwing your work away. Finally, though I absolutely love the acid etchwork in the book, the beeswax/asphaltum etching ground recommended here is a very tempermental one, I would use commercial etching ground if I were doing this. Since messing with aqua regia at home is not the safest thing, I'd suggest looking into some of the other methods, such as electrochemical etching. So, I would say to the beginning knifemaker that I'd use this book for inspiration, but go elsewhere for methods. If at all possible, talk to someone who's been doing it a while.



5. I got this book out of my local library and I can't wait to get started making a knife. I've recently ordered a copy for myself. It will be edgeworn soon. This book is an excellent place to start making knives for the beginner, since Boye uses recycled steel. His explanations and diagrams and photos of the process are invaluable for this endeavor. I only wish he wrote one on folding knives.

5 comments about Notes on the Synthesis of Form (Harvard Paperbacks).

1. Certainly, this book has produced a great impact on various fields related to design and architecture. The author tells us about the most amazing process in human life -- the conscious process of creating things. He has a good mathematical background and is very practical in his hypotheses.
   
   I bought this book because I heard that his theories led to the concepts of design patterns in programming. As a software developer I think that every modern program is a design problem even if it is a pure server-side software. You have to take into account a huge amount of factors and analyze lots of third party components before you come to a relatively optimal solution. Talking in Christopher's terms, the software is a form which we have to synthesize. And his ideas are still actual after more than 40 years.
   
   If you are a real software developer, you'll certainly be delighted in reading this book. It may even change your life.



2. A deep and nuanced analysis of patterns in design failures and successes - the author clearly has astounding comprehension of the modern design situation. I found the "unselfconscious design" vs "selfconscious design" analysis fascinating (although to be politically correct it should be something like "self designer" and "delegated designer" instead). The determination and use of (relatively) independent sub-systems to prune the overall design space is profound.
   
   Part 2 (chapter 6, page 73) is a highly structured "program" for design. I found this section of the book much less compelling, and I'm not sure how it necessarily falls out from Part 1. For me, Alexander's biggest insight is that a good design process involves iterative periods of change and stasis - specifically, designing by modifying single (or small numbers of) factors individually and allowing the design to reach "equilibrium" before making additional changes. From this standpoint, designing a whole village at the beginning (as is started in appendix I) may not ever be a good design approach - even with Alexander's "program"



3. Tip: Start by reading Appendix I. It is an example of the technique that the author spends the whole book explaining. In fact, Appendix I may be all you need to get the gist of the technique.



4. Alexanders 'Notes' anticipates the paths that major sciences would take decades after its publication.
   
   This is no mean feat for a work of science but here youre dealing with a book on architecture- or better, on what architecture could and ought to be.
   
   readers with scientific interests will notice Alexander inventing- from purely architectural phenomena - such models as
   fitness landscapes, adaptation measures according to 'gene' frequency, evolutionarily stable strategies.
   
   The general system of analysis in the book serves as one of the best guides for understanding cellular automata and the startegy of isolating variables anticipates the justly famous work of Dawkins on selfish genes.
   
   Alexander had almost nothing to work with in the early sixties apart from some pioneering formulations in early AI and a very acute insight into the paradoxes of optimisation strategies.
   
   His foresight is best witnessed by reading the footnotes to the book which are in themselves an uncanny selection of what would come to dominate epistemology, evolution and modelling decades later.
   
   People teaching history and philosophy of science should prescribe this book as the pre-eminent case study 'consilience'
   
   On the strength of this one book, Alexander joins C S Pierce, Boole, Babbage and Minsky as one of the greatest pathfinders in the recent history of knowledge-- too bad that architecture as a discipline hardly rose to his challenge and is now drowning in couture (and more credit to the software makers who have kept this unmined treasure in print).



5. Design is a difficult process that is often associated more with art than science. With principles of style, concerns about how design works.
   
   While many wring their hands about this, Alexander breaks the problem down, organizes it and then provides a framework for design that is relatively design neutral. That is a feat in deed.
   
   By thinking about how one structures a problem space and the bias that creates -- Alexander give the practioner a powerful tool for setting up the design process and scope. He then goes on to discuss the design process and he makes important distinctions between concious and unconcious design.
   
   Notes on Synthesis and Form are the foundation for Alexander's work on design patterns. This is the must read book before spending time on these other works.
   
   For the practioner, this book provides a powerful and applicable framework for addressing problems in multiple disciplines.

3 comments about Internet 101 for Artists, Second Edition: With a Special Guide to Selling Art on eBay (Internet 101 for Artists).

1. I find the paper back copy of rhe book I purchased very encouraging.
   
   There is a lot to read and to absorb. I am reading it slowly.
   
   Thank you for making this book available.
   
   Sincerely Leonard Silvesain, Artist



2. If you're a practicing artist with little computer knowledge, then no easier introduction is available than Internet 101 for Artists, 2nd Edition, which covers everything from setting up email to making money on ebay, acquiring a URL, using meta tags to promote traffic and art, and more. It's a very easy, specific introduction which goes beyond the usual general computer guide for newcomers to reach directly into the artists' community.



3. This book was easy to read and definitely for beginners. The explanations for e-mail, surfing the web, etc, were simple and thorough. The chapters on designing your web site and selling art on Ebay were extremely good.
   
   I'm not an internet newbie by any means but I've read (and liked) most books by ArtNetwork Press so I wanted to give this one a try. While most of the information was way too basic, I did pick up some good tips here and there. I also found that most of the information provided was very up to date with current trends. There were also a lot of helpful links to examples, information sites, etc.
   
   This is definitely a must read for any artist that is not comfortable with their internet skills but want to tap into that marketing venue.

3 comments about How To Draw Crazy Cars & Mad Monsters Like a Pro (Motorbooks Studio).

1. This book was written and drawn by some of the original artists of Ed Roth's studio. It doesn't get any closer than this, great book!



2. My kids just loved this book. They are both aspiring artists and have done some great work since Christmas!



3. I bought this book for my husband, after several refferals from other hot rod friends. This book is better than described.

5 comments about Interior Design and Decoration.

1. This is the only textbook used for the two History of Design courses at my school. I've found the book to be useful and informative, although not especially innovative or inspiring.
   
   The contents are divided into 7 main sections, each with 2 to 5 chapters: The Ancient World (Egypt, the Near East), The Classical World (Greece, Rome), The Middle Ages (Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, Islamic), The East (India, China, Japan), The Renaissance (Italy, Spain, France, England, Africa), The New World (Pre-Columnibian and Early America), and The Modern World (19th Century, 20th Century). Each chapter runs from 20-30 pages and is similarly formatted, starting with a timeline and going into the Geography and Natural Resources, the Religion, and the Political and Military Factors of the period. While this provides a context for the design innovations of each period, it also gives the book a rather characterless "voice" akin to the essays one might find in an encyclopedia.
   
   Overall, the photos featured are very good; some, like the detail of a Neoclassical English ceiling, are amazingly beautiful. I also appreciated the sidebar information, "Tool and Techniques" that serves to explain and illustrate such topics as "Curtains and Drapery" (detailing the differences between Plain Shirring, Open Rings, French Heading, and Box Pleating, for instance). Other "Tools and Techniques" topics include Stained Glass, Frescos, and the Science of Color.
   
   One of the things I found puzzling is not unique to this book, but involves the way things are classified in a general sense. The classifications of the sections will be familiar to most readers; many American readers will have learned history in exactly the way presented in the book--starting with the "Ancient" and moving through the "Classical" to the "Middle Ages" and "Renaissance," and so on. What I find curious about this is the rather rigid format of these categories, with poor Egypt forever sentenced to Antiquity, as if there have been no design innovations there in a few thousand years. Discussion of Italian design is relegated the Classical and Renaissance periods, again, as if that design-rich country hasn't made exciting contributions in the last 50 years. I understand that the authors were obligated to find some way to simplify and organize a vast quantity of data; the solution they chose is just a very antiquated type of categorization.
   
   A more inexcusable problem is the lack of copyediting; there are some unfortunate typos that amount to misinformation, i.e. the definitions of yin and yang are reversed on page 211 in the Chinese section; elsewhere, the definition of rail and stile are confounded, and there are similar grave typos elsewhere.
   
   Whatever its faults, the book is packed with information, photos, illustrations, and even quotes from famous designers. The simple, straight-forward discussions on the different styles allowed me to finally understand the difference between Louis XIV and Louis XVI, Art Deco and Art Nouveau, as well as Chinese and Japanese design prinicples, thus earning its keep on my design bookshelf as a reference book of styles.



2. How do you expect people to buy a $90 book without knowing
   what the book is about? Is it just pretty pictures or is it
   an instructional book? Please let us know



3. This book is a must for anyone wishing to understand classic prinicples of design. It gives details unavailable in many standard works. I had an earlier edition while in university and when I lost it after a move, was delighted to be able to find another copy of this valuable resource. It was like Christmas to have it once again in my possession.



4. As an instructor of Interior Design, I cannot praise this book enough....My students as well as fellow instructors find it an invaluable tool, not only in teaching beginning level courses, but also as a great reference manual after the student graduates....Several of us still have well-worn copies in our offices...Buy this book, you won't be dissapointed!



5. As an instructor of Interior Design, I cannot praise this book enough....My students as well as fellow instructors find it an invaluable tool, not only in teaching beginning level courses, but also as a great reference manual after the student graduates....Several of us still have well-worn copies in our offices...Buy this book, you won't be dissapointed!

5 comments about Rendering in Pen and Ink: The Classic Book on Pen and Ink Techniques for Artists, Illustrators, Architects, and Designers (Practical Art Books).

1. Ink and pen was pretty much perfected around the turn of the century and the benefit of that expertise is captured quite well in this book. You still get the best and most expressive lines from a steel pen. This seems like a perfect book for a beginner or an experienced artist interested in all the nuances of the pen.
   My only real issue with the book is it seems to be focused heavily on architectural themes and technical issues and less on art. So I give it 4 stars.



2. This is the Bible.
   That's the long and short of it. To my knowledge, there is no other tutorial that is as complete and exhaustive as this 60 year old text on the then prominent art of pen and ink drawing. Arthur Guptill begins with a detailed exploration of the nature of pen and ink rendering as well as its limitations. Pen and ink is never intended to create photographic representations of the subject and so any comparison between the photograph and the ink rendering is fallacious. He then goes on to explain how the results of pen and ink are achieved. Some of the material will be superfluous to the artist who uses the Rapidograph pen because it illustrates the different techniques that are specific to the various flexibilities of the dip-pen nibs and how varying the pressure can produce different line effects. These techniques are the reasons I prefer the flex-tip nibs over the modern technical pen. (Or it could be that I'm just and old fashioned cuss.) Guptill stresses the importance of practicing pen-strokes much as a pianist must practice scales. Neither the instruments nor the lack of skill in the basic techniques should stand in the way of the artist in the midst of creating the picture. Practicing strokes is the surest way to freedom of expression when it counts most.
   Many methods of producing grey scale with the pen and one value of black ink are also presented exhaustively. When this book was written, newspapers relied less on photographs and more on the pen primarily because printing techniques had not been developed that could inexpensively reproduce on newsprint the subtle shading of a photograph. Only the most important stories warranted a print photo. Artists had to rely on pen techniques to suggest them. That, more than any other thing, makes this text invaluable, for even though we have mastered the art of photographic printing, yet there is a charm to the pen and ink rendering that will never be replaced. It is good to have a ready reference to how these effects are achieved.
   Also valuable are the principles of composition, light, shade and texture that are common to most art texts, but here these are presented with the specific ways they are achieved in monochrome ink and various pens. And, there are ample illustrations of works by the greatest illustrators of the time, showing how each one achieved results. Copying these artists is probably the most valuable experience an artists can get from a book.
   Much of the work, in fact, the majority, is in the area of architectural rendering, and it seems that architects may be the ones who will get the most use of this textbook, but illustrators are well represented too, and the techniques are the same for both.
   I have found this book essential in my own illustration work and recommend it highly to anyone in the graphic arts.



3. I bought this book to learn pen drawings but as this tome was written several years ago, it talks about a different set of instruments, principally a quill/or quill type pen. The uniqueness of this pen is that the width of the line varies with the pressure you put. These pens are now available only in specialty art stores. If you are planning to use the technical pen (available in a number of gages) a better and more apt alternative is The Technical Pen.
   
   This book however, still rates 3 stars from me because of the depth of material. Some of the illustrations are very, well illustrative :) and the overall coverage of material is comprehensive.



4. This book is essential. I am a pro illustrator and I still find myself cracking it open. Through out your career in art you will have a hand full of books that amaze you and keep teaching you. This is it.
   
   TJ Walkup



5. This book is all that the other reviewers say it is. The text is clear and informative, if dated... but the illustrations! The illustrations are worth the price of the book. Even just the basic exercise illustrations in the first part of the book are beautiful, and demonstrate what is possible with this medium.
   
   I have to admit, I'm a Rapidograph person (and if you are too, please see The Technical Pen in addition to this book) rather than a flexible nib person, but the lessons and examples in Guptill's book are priceless anyway.
   
   Highly recommended.