5 comments about Thinking with Type: A Primer for Deisgners: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students.

1. Great book. Articulate, broad, yet concise. Wish it were longer. Would love to have more depth. Using this as a textbook for Graphic Design 1.



2. As Paula Scher (Pentagram partner) says in her review: "This beautifully designed book in understanding typography fills a big void..."
   
   Which means there's really no books like this, is a practical how-to for those who want to understand and use typography correctly.
   
   My full recommendation,
   
   Regards!



3. It arrived within a week late. The book was used as I ordered. It was still clean. The information is somewhat helpful for editorial design.



4. I got this book during my typography class and I really liked it. Very helpful to have! I definitely recommend it.



5. a good intro on how to work with type and what mistakes to avoid when formatting type

5 comments about Non-Designer's Design Book, The (3rd Edition).

1. This is a great book. I would not have guessed I could learn so much about design in a couple of hours. Of course, knowing little to begin with makes it easier to learn something useful, and this book is oriented toward novices. For us, it's perfect.
   
   The Kindle (in 2010), obviously does not display color or fine detail. I would not recommend the Kindle version if you can get the hard copy just as easily, but if for whatever reason you need a Kindle book, this one does work quite well. It's not as fun or pleasant as the hard copy, but you can learn the material just the same.
   
   I'm giving a 5 star rating anyway, since Amazon still doesn't distinguish ratings of content from those of form.



2. In my opinion this book provides very clear description of principles used by designers. The book introduces, at first, the elements of design, illustrates them with reasonable samples and then explains using of types.



3. This book is worth every penny and time spent reading. It has taking me from a novice to understanding design. It is great for reference also.



4. This book is wonderful. I purchsed this book to use for a Web class I am currently taking, but it has gone beyond helping me with designing web pages for my class. The easy to understand explanations of design principles, along with actual examples has made this a wonderful resource. I am getting married in a couple of weeks and I used the information I took away from this book to help me design our programs and table cards. The information is very straightforward and the examples help even a "non-designer" create pages and pieces that are visually appealing.



5. This book shares a lot of important information about design. The graphics are what make it so interesting. The author shares graphics to show each point she is discussing. This is a great resource for anyone creating things on the computer.

5 comments about Meggs' History of Graphic Design.

1. SUPER FAST SHIPPING!! book looks brand new not a single scratch or mark on it!!



2. This is a good textbook for giving you the bald facts. When reading it I felt much the same as I felt reading all of my textbooks in college: Bored as hell but just interested enough to keep reading. I did learn quite a bit from this textbook, however. I will say one thing, this text book is an explosion of example pictures. I don't think I would have learned nearly as much had these not been an integral part of the layout. It makes sense when discussing the history of graphic design to use photos to back up your descriptions, but I've definitely read some textbooks that rely heavily on text and not enough on reference pictures and other visual material. That's part of what keeps me going when trying to dredge though textbooks like these. Overall I'd say this ranks higher than most textbooks I've been subjected to.



3. I purchased this for the kindle app on the iPad and was extremely disappointed in the sample images that are included throughout the ebook. They're low resolution, the image where timeline is showed, the text is barely readable.



4. I am using this book for my online classes. It has all the material and references needed for the course.



5. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1FLAD999FRUP4 This book is a must have if you are taking any graphic design courses. If you are already a graphic designer this book is also a must have. My class is long over and I wont sell this book, that says something considering I am a starving student, well maybe not starving.
   
   I bought this for a class and I ended up reading it just because the information presented is both interesting and also very digestible to the average reader. It is a very interesting book that you can keep long after the class is over. One thing is it makes a fantastic coffee table book. It would not be out of place in the lobby of your design firm.
   
   Content (+)
   The content of this book covers from our earliest designs all the way to modern design and the impact it has on our lives. The content of this book does not shy away from the controversial to the mundane.
   
   Images (+)
   I made the video clip so you could see the great artwork in this book. Many full color images are wonderful references that can be used when you are designing. "Good artists copy, great artists steal", Pablo Picasso
   
   Text (+)
   As I was saying this is not just boring text droning on and on. It, in fact is very interesting to those that are into graphic design or art. Any art is graphic design, and all graphic design is art. You really get that feeling after reading this book.
   
   Overall this book is a great value at what I paid for it which is twice what it cost now. Get this BRAND NEW and you will have this book for many years.

5 comments about Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.

1. i bought this book for my boyfriend who writes and illustrates graphic novels. he LOVES this book! apparently i am the "best girlfriend ever" for getting this book for him. he said McCloud explains so many interesting ways of writing/interpreting comics that it has inspired him to write a new comic.
   
   so, yes! it's as good as everyone says it is!



2. I wish I had read this in high-school. I'm sure I would have pursued creating my own comics much earlier.



3. If you would like to learn more about conceptual, interaction, and interface design of comic books, consider spending some time with Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art." It will be time well spent and you might even want to read some of his other wonderful books.
   
   For more book reviews, please visit: [...]



4. This book is not strictly a graphic novel, but rather a mostly serious, occasionally whimsical analysis of the artistic medium known as "comics", done, naturally, as a comic book. McCloud attempts to define the medium itself (starting from Will Eisner's notion of "sequential art") and then proceeds to define the language of the form, and examine its various facets. Contrary to my expectations, McCloud does not make any assumptions or assertions about the actual content of comics, which to some might seem a major drawback, nor does he try to evaluate the quality of any specific style or product. Clearly, he wants to transcend such notions altogether and define the parameters of what comics could be, rather than what they all-too-often are.
   
   McCloud investigates what there is about the medium that draws us to it, without going into such story-centric concepts as plot or characterization. He really doesn't even try to establish critical standards for this medium so much as just delineate the issues, and point out some of the difficulties inherent in a form that combines both writing and pictures.
   
   While this may sound like a dry textbook, it's really much better than that. I most appreciated those moments (and there were many) where McCloud points out aspects of the medium that I'd always taken for granted (the gutters, for example) making me really think about facets of comics that I never even realized I knew. Maybe this book isn't as much pure fun as the comics we're used to, and certainly some of the middle chapters seemed to drag, but anytime you get the chance to look at an old friend through fresh eyes, it's got to be worth the effort. A must-read for anyone serious about comics, and a virtual bible for those interested in working in the field.



5. The first time I encountered this book was in a painting class. Not only did it completely change the way I thought about comics, it also changed the way I think about the visual arts in general. McCleod's examples are clear, interesting, and funny. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys comics, wants to write them, or wants to create stimulating visual art in any medium.

5 comments about Graphic Design: The New Basics.

1. Buying used books makes sense. This book arrived in a timely manner and in good condition at a fraction of the cost.



2. I was very disappointed in this book. Given the title, I expected more cohesive guidelines and analysis on assembling the "New Basics" into my designs. To me, it was primarily a showcase of work done by the authors' students, some of which I enjoyed, but I didn't find it very helpful or insightful. In fact, I returned it for a refund.
   
   Also, I found some of the type so small as to be unreadable, which for experienced designers, I found surprising. Not high on my list, obviously. I expect a title and/or subtitle to deliver on its implied promise. Perhaps I totally misunderstood the intent of the book, but I expected something that would weave these so-called new basics into a whole, provide direction, and help me produce better designs. Maybe that happens over the course of time in class, but I didn't see that happening in the book.
   
   If you're looking for guidance and direction, I don't think this is the book for you. It wasn't for me.



3. This is an excellent text book for beginning design and art students. Easy to read with strong examples this book fills a need in the arts community.



4. It came fast and on time through standard shipping. It was exactly in the condition I ordered it in and was carefully packaged so that no damage occurred during shipping. Thank you so much!! I really prefer buying from Amazon than private sellers.



5. This book is very helpful. It has a lot to offer to beginning students or just someone trying on their own. Its not so organized as a text book would be which keeps it fresh and fun to still look at. But it definitely has a lot to offer.

5 comments about Typographic Design: Form and Communication.

1. Im a college student so of course I looked around to find the best price, and this one definitely was the way to go! And it was brand new! you cant beat that!
   Great item. Brand New. Perfect condition. Shipped quickly. All around perfect.



2. Thank you for sending my order to me on time cause I really needed it for class. I have learned a lot from it.



3. There is a lot to be taken in with the whole design world and especially with typography. I ordered this book for my one of my classes (working on BS in Graphic Design through AI). I love that it is filled with examples of where a lot of type was orignially used in. There is also a great little section of the back for typographic terms and definitions (saving me lots of time from looking it up online!)
   To keep this short and sweet, I am keeping this one as it is large, graphic (!) and well worth the price for the amount of information and use I am getting out of it now!!!



4. I got this book for class and will definitely keep it handy. It has many practical approaches to graphic design and typography in subjects ranging from layout to type design and kerning.



5. The book is great and if you're into graphic design or even want to understand type.If you're a teacher there are many creative exercises you can get out of this book too that students should enjoy.

5 comments about Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual.

1. Sorry, I should have read the other reviews warning how this book is impossible to read.
   
   This book might contain useful information except that I can't read the damn thing. The typeface is extremely small, and it's light-gray on white. Some of the visual examples have captions with type that is less than 2mm high. Even with perfect vision you need a magnifying glass!
   
   I've learned a little from this book from squinting, but I have to admit that this book is just too frustrating. I've been on Amazon probably since it opened, and this is going to be the first book I return.



2. How frustrating! By the time you've squinted your way through a sentence of what seems to be 7-point narrow gray type, you're exhausted and can't remember how the sentence began, so you can't make sense of it. I'm sure there must be good content in the text, but I just can't get at it. I've even tried reading it aloud so that I can remember hearing it. That kind of works.
   
   I don't think this is a style manual, even though that's its subtitle. It's a collection of examples that fight on the page.
   
   I love my first design books: Non-Designer's Design Book, The (3rd Edition) and The Non-Designer's Design and Type Books, Deluxe Edition, by Robin Williams. Those spoiled me -- I hadn't realized that another design book wouldn't come close to their value.



3. I have been generally impressed with the content of this book and have found it exceptionally helpful and useful. And I highly recommend it.
   The book provides what seems to be unintentional lessons about readability and usability. The selection of font size and color, for example, continuously rams home the message that one needs to make sure that the the final product is not hampered by artistic concerns. There are a few other points where I felt that the book's layout was in the way of its message, but again, each of these were learning opportunities for me.



4. This is a fantastic book that I continue to digest. I highly recommend it to everyone from Graphic Designers to Instructors. It is so full of information and examples and inspiration (and it is presented in a non-cluttered way also). It covers the basics like graphic design elements, typography, and layouts, but it doesn't stop there. It also covers thinking outside of the box in both literal and abstract ways of designing to capture your audience's attention. I think this book is a must have for every Graphic Designer.



5. I'm a communications student, I go to a small private university and my graphic design class was a huge waste of time, and the advanced graphic design class was cancelled. I was very upset, but decided I would supplement my education on my own time and ordered this book. I learned more from this book than I did spending $2,000 to take a class at my school. Definitely worth the $20.

5 comments about Envisioning Information.

1. I bought this book as a present for a friend who has an interest in typography. She's also been interested in graphic design, which is why I picked this book in particular.
   
   I've read part of it myself (a library copy), before deciding to buy a copy for my friend. It's stunningly simple at first glance. The textual descriptions are spare but, should the reader want to, they guide him/her to making detailed examinations of the illustrations/figures. It is these individual examinations that one will get the most learning from in this book.
   
   This is a great book; I'm leaning towards getting a copy for myself, but I also want to check out Tufte's 'Visual Display of Quantitative Information', as that pertains to my more immediate need.



2. I'm a journalist studying design and technology at Stanford. this text richly details subtleties of visual design, visual thinking and data presentation. It was recommended to me by a computer scientist who as working on data visualization.
   
   I would follow Tufte's advice in the forward and give the fairly thin volume plenty of time and careful study. Every visual should be poured over again and again. You will be rewarded for careful consideration.



3. Passionate exposition on effective visualizations. Key takeaways are small-multiples, use of color, and use of details. However, the material on maps is sketchy. While mostly good, it is also distractedly didactic. While a must-have in any collection on data visualizations, for people looking for only one book on effective data visualizations, this is not it.
   This book is like the poetry of visualizations; you will need to supplement it with books that are the prose of visualizations - see suggestions at the end of the review.
   
   Why 3 Stars???
   --------------
   I initially gave this four stars, but then changed it to three stars. This may seem harsh, but hear me out. There is lots that is good in the book. However, this book's focus is more on cartography and maps. And this is where it falls short. It does not address the issue of map based visualizations in any sort of depth. Not much space is devoted to the different types of map based visualizations - dot plots, qualitative and quantitative choropleths (color patches), heatmaps, proportional bars, 3D maps, maps with variable sized markers, isopleths, flow maps, dot-location maps, graduated symbol maps, and much, much, more. The other reason for deducting two stars is the fact that this book, in 2009, does read a bit dated. It is a beautifully laid out book, that almost falls into the coffee-table book category, but looking beyond that, the material does show its age. 10 or 15 years ago the rating would have been 4 or 5 stars. Perhaps unfair on my part...
   
   Excerpt:
   -------
   On the topic of spatial maps, Tufte highlights a problem that may emerge with conventional choropleths (blot maps): "(they)... paint over areas formed by given geographic or political boundaries ..." and resulting in non-uniform sizes, and "historical changes in political boundaries disrupt continuity of statistical comparisons." The solution? Or at least one solution: "Mesh maps finesse these problems." Taking the example of a map of Japan, "... the whole country of Japan was divided up in 379,000 equal-sized units and then, in a heroic endeavor, census data and addresses were collated to match the new grid squares." [page 40, 41]
   
   
   Some of the examples may not strike a resonant chord with everyone - for example, the "Weather Chart" at the top of page 32 looks too dense and full of diverse symbols to be truly effective.
   
   Excerpts from the book:
   -----------------------
   "All communication between the readers of an image and the makers of an image must now take place on a two-dimensional surface. Escaping this flatland is the essential task of envisioning information." [page 12]
   
   Given the inherent multi-dimensionality of data (a measure that represents value or values over time, region, and other dimensions - e.g. number of employees by year, by country, and by line-of-business), Tufte states that we should "... increase (1) the number of dimensions that can be represented on plane surfaces and (2) the data density (amount of information per unit area)." [page 13]
   This focus on data density finds resonance throughout the book:
   "Simplicity of reading derives from the context of detailed and complex information, properly arranged. A most unconventional design strategy is revealed: to clarify, add detail." [page 37]
   
   Tufte is especially harsh on charts that feature "chart junk", what he describes as "... display apparatus and ornamentation" that "... seek to attract and divert attention...", and that "Lurking behind chart junk is contempt both for information and for the audience. ... designing as if readers were obtuse and uncaring... " [page 33, 34]
   
   "The struggle between maintenance of context and enforcement of comparison... " [page 77]
   
   Excessive or wanton use of color can be very damaging to the visualization. Eduard Imhof enumerates four rules of minimizing such color damage:
   "First rule: Pure, bright colors or very strong colors have loud, unbearable effects when they stand unrelieved over large areas adjacent to each other, but extraordinary effects can be achieved when they are used sparingly on or between dull background tones. ...
   Second rule: The placing of light, bright colors mixed with white next to each other usually produces unpleasant results..." [page 82]
   
   Tufte lists "... the fundamental uses of color in information design: to label (color as noun), to measure (color as quantity), to represent or intimate reality (color as representation), and to enliven or decorate (color as beauty)." [page 81]
   
   Cons:
   -----
   The book is short. It doesn't feel so, but is in fact all of 126 pages.
   More color is needed.
   Some of the reproductions are not very clear, and it is a real strain on the eyes to discern the data and the visualization: certainly not a ringing endorsement for a book on visualizations.
   Without some any formal, theoretical background, this book feels incomplete.
   
   In Closing:
   -----------
   Consider this: while you may use other books more frequently to learn and reference when creating visualizations, charts, or dashboards, you will want to keep this book handy to remind yourself of the bigger picture and the historical context of visualizations.
   
   Suggested Additional Reading:
   -----------------------------
   You should supplement the visual feast in Tufte's "Envisioning Information" with these books:
   - Tufte's other book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd edition, is probably the better one.
   - Stephen Few's "Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data"
   - Jenifer Tidwell's "Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design"
   - Colin Ware's "Information Visualization, Second Edition: Perception for Design (Interactive Technologies)"
   - Visualizing Data by William S. Cleveland
   - Exploratory Data Analysis by John W. Tukey
   and many other books that cover the topic of information visualizations.



4. Tufte is an information design pundit in the first order, and this book explains the issues that designers of information displays face across all number of print situations and for most data sets. The design of the book itself is concise and engaging. The text can be dense, it is extremely well and frequently cited. With the quality and sheer number of historical references from a variety of sources the reader quickly realizes that Tufte has tapped into visual design principles that transcend trends, technological advances, and local tastes. A virtual must-read for data display technicians.



5. Don't get it why this book is so popular. The visual examples that are given are hard to understand without reading the text. I would think that a book that explains how information is envisioned would be self explanatory trough the visuals in the book. I would not recommend to anyone who is superficially interested in design. If you are a professional designer it could maybe be something for you.

5 comments about The Animator's Survival Kit--Revised Edition: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators.

1. I liked this book, but I wish he had separated his autobiographical commentary from his thoughts and tips on animation.(The other artists he's encountered and worked with are fascinating, and it always seemed like there was more to tell, but it was like he suddenly remembered, "oh yeah, I'm writing a book on animation.") I would have gladly read an autobiography on Richard Williams. The cartoons of him with the other artists, especially the one where he gets yelled at for asking about listening to music while animating are classic!
   
   So, yes a lot of great tips on animation, stuff I never imagined. I just wish it was pared out. I don't think it's as well organized as it could have been. Some things he mentioned he would do in the early part of the book, he never really got to. It could have been edited better. I'm not getting down on him. I actually learned A LOT of things from him. Just in a round-about way.



2. The best part of this book is its recognition of the PROCESS of learning something as marvelously complex as cartoon animation. It is filled with anecdotal views of what and how one learns to do it all better and more believably. It also captures the skills and determination of many of the great artists from the golden age of animation.
   
   It is also unapologetic about being entirely about cartoon (drawn) animation, even though the author does recognize that most of the principles he discusses have validity to all forms of animation.
   
   As a teacher (and student) of animation, I enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover. The first 20 pages are a useful summary of the main historical moments in the development of animation, and the next 15 are all about Life Drawing skills, and the next four talk about basic animation timing. The first real anecdote of many breaks in at this point, and then the author returns to direct information exposition thereafter, but these anecdotes can often make it somewhat distracting to find the useful bits amongst the reminiscences.
   
   Nevertheless, it's worth the read in spite of the editorial comments, and sometimes because of them. The included DVD (I have the expanded edition) is fun to watch, and brings to "life" some of the examples discussed in print.



3. As an Animation graduate student, I can tell you that this item is a necessity for any aspiring animator. I frequently refer to it for all my projects and school work.



4. I am very grateful for the infinite knowledge that gives us the mentor Richard Williams for completing its publication. Thanks ...



5. This book is absolutely vital for any animator who is learning their craft. Even if you are an advanced animator the author has crucial tips and techniques to make your animations really come to life. Identifying where lines are supposed to go or even finding ways to cheat the system in order to make your cartoons goofier or more vibrant, this book is a must have. It doesn't matter if you are doing 3d modeling or compositions in After Effects, techniques in this book are universal and are passed down from masters of animation.

4 comments about The Dynamics of Fashion (3rd Edition).

1. I've enjoyed reading this text for class because it's easy to follow and very up-to-date! The hardcover was easier to 'damage' or more sensitive than most. Overall, nice content.



2. I was very satisfied with my purchase. The book was in great shape. And the shipping was faster than I expected. Thank you!



3. I think this book is one of the best for the industry. It provides everything you need to know about the business side of fashion. Great images throughout the book. Everything is made clear and well written.



4. This book was required for a course I took, and for good reason. I bought the book brand new, which is why I think I might hang on to it rather than reselling it. Anyone interested in, curious about or part of the fashion industry would benefit from this book.