5 comments about M.C. Escher: His Life and Complete Graphic Work (With a Fully Illustrated Catalogue).

1. This is a major compilation of the work of the intriguing graphic artist, M. C. Escher. Remember seeing depictions of events that seem plausible but, under closer analysis, involve impossibilities? That describes some of Escher's most interesting works.
   The book provides just about everything Escher produced (appearing in the "Catalog" section of the book), including his earliest works compiled during his teens. Among the most well known (and fascinating) include "The Waterfall," "Ascending and Descending March," "Convex and Concave," "Liberation," "Synthesis," "House of Stairs," and so on. The catalog section is fun, for one thing, simply to trace the evolution of his art.
   
   But there is more to this volume than the works themselves. The volume provides context, with a brief description of his father's life as well as a more detailed analysis of Escher's life, from his birth in 1898 to his death in 1972.
   
   There is also a most useful chapter labeled "The Vision of a Mathematician" (featuring the thoughts of mathematics teacher Bruno Ernst). It begins by noting two periods in the work of Escher--(page 135): ". . .pre 1935, in which landscapes predominate, and post 1937, which is characterized by a marked mathematical tendency." Ernst describes the mathematical principles in some detail (for those interested in this, a fascinating discussion). The textual portion of the book concludes with an essay by Escher himself on "The Regular Division of the Plane," including his reflections on his art.
   
   This book has been around a while, but it is a valuable backdrop to getting a sense of the art of M. C. Escher.



2. I love everything Escher. I have several books, numerous calendars, as well as large jigsaw puzzles, T-shirts, magnets and mini jigsaw puzzles. Because of the detail in this book, I will never need to add another book to my collection. I especially appreciate the explanations. I am nowhere near smart enough to figure out what Escher was doing in each of his artworks. The detailed lesson on what each piece means is much appreciated by an art fan who is not an art scholar. I think this book would be great for any Escher fan, but I feel the need to tell you it is very large. Make sure you have room for it.



3. And c'mon - if you've seen his work, you're a fan.
   
   The great thing about this book is not just the extensive and readable biography, but the complete (so they say) catalog of his graphic works. Even people very familiar with Escher's ouvre will be surprised by some of the entries here. They go back to work he did at ages 18 and 19, and show the devleopment of the Escher that has become so famous. It's just a little disappointing that the catalog is printed only in black and white, when so many of his works used color. The catalog reproductions are just that - a listing of his work, not a gallery, so the quarter-page size of most pieces is adequate for recognizing a piece, if not for appreciating it fully.
   
   It is fascinating to see Escher's style develop though his (and the twentieth century's) twenties. Various influences early on suggest Beardsley (cat. 49, 67), Picasso (cat. 51, 58), or the pervasive Art Deco of his time (cat.34). Even then, some of Escher's later fascinations begin to emerge, including hands and reflective balls (cat. 88 and 80), symmetries and tilings (cat. 61, 65), and complex interactions of many figures in a repeating structure (cat. 90). The lesser-known parts of his work also start to emerge by the time he's 30, including delicate lithographs (cat. 129, 132). As much as I love his visual paradoxes and flirtation with the infinite, the lithos and mezzotints are the pieces that truly move me. "Snow" and "Blowball" (cat. 278 and 330) have an eloquent simplicity. "Eye" and "Drop" (cat. 344 and 356) demonstrate his classical sense and his perseverance with the demanding medium of mezzotint.
   
   The text is also thorough and enjoyable - a good thing, since it takes up half of this heavy book, including its own set of illustrations. I admit that I have only skipped around this section, which starts by describing Escher's father. It's small wonder that his father was an engineer and that his son Arthur studied geology. Although an artist to the core, Escher had fruitful contact with mathematicians and crystallographers. He is one of very few artists that have successfully incorporated hard science into their artistic vision at such a visceral level, and the scientists appreciated that as much as anyone.
   
   Although out of print, this book is available inexpensively on the used market. It's one of the best bargains around; if you've read this far, you'll probably find it well worth having.
   
   //wiredweird



4. Definitely the first book every Escher fan should purchase. It's helpful in getting to know about the man himself as well as his brilliant artwork. It may seem pricey, but it's totally worth it, being hardcover (at least the one I got), and high quality photos of his work. It also shows his lesser known works (ones never released apparently), as well as photos of himself and his family. A very informative read and a quality edition.



5. I haven't even had a chance to go through all of this remarkable book yet, but I am so impressed with it so far I cannot burble enough about how delighted I am with my purchase. This is a beautifully produced, designed, and wonderfully complete book. Many tales of the personal life an vision of the artist, countless, cleanly reproduced graphics, many works I have never seen or heard of before. Terrific! Can't recommend enough!!!

5 comments about The Art and Making of Monster House.

1. This was the artbook that started all the scrapbook-styled artbooks. It's easily the best and it still is. Inside the book's cardboard cover was some really top quality dust jacket. It's comparable to movie posters and its glossy.
   
   This book had 160 pages and was literally filled to the brim with tons of stuff. Inside were "collectible" cards, storyboards, small booklets, post-it notes and amazing beat boards. Numerous 2-page spread of the beat boards were breathtaking to look at.
   
   Stocks do run out for artbooks, as I've realized, looking at older artbooks from amazon.com. If you're into buying artbooks, you really don't want to miss this.
   
   I've some pictures from the book on my blog. Just do an Internet search on "parka blogs monster house"



2. This book is in good shape. For some reason I think that a page was missing, but I think I can do without the page. I like this book very much.



3. This book is like the awsome movie itself.
   It has certain features you do not expect. Sometimes I could not determine at first sight if pictures were 2d or just real materials. Like the enveloppe,the playingcard holders and other "fearsome commodities". Wonderfull picturebook with well made drawings and photographs. Outstanding quality. It might have been found in the monsterhouse!
   Brecht Gerritse, The Netherlands



4. This is how "art of" books really should be made. Lots of inserts, post-it notes and fun details. It looks almost like a scrapbook and is filled to the rim with drawings, renders, concept art and fun stuff. Very inspirational. It is just as great as the "Open Season" book which is also a must-have for all fans of animation.



5. Love the book. A Priceless addition to an animation lovers dream book collection.

2 comments about Full-Color Art Nouveau Floral Designs CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Series).

1. I'm not sure how true the colors are to the original designs by Seguy--I have seen different versions--but I love these colors and the cleverness of the patterns. I don't even have to use them, I just love looking at them!



2. I need good graphic design ideas for my handmade tiles. This book is very promising- with its adaptable and charming motifs, I am sure it is a good investment for me.

3 comments about Art Nouveau (Dover Pictura).

1. The images are nice, but the variety that I was hoping for was not there.



2. beautiful examples of art nouveau designs. the dover books are ideal since they offer the digital images on the included CD.



3. I generally love Dover publications. The images in this book are not what I expected (wanted). The print quality of the images is excellent, as one would expect from Dover. It is just that when I page through the book looking for an image I may want to use, I come up empty.

2 comments about Antique Playing Card Designs CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art).

1. The images are interesting and high quality, and come in a variety of designs, but if you want a whole set of antique playing cards, this is not the place to go. There isn't even a full set of face cards.



2. Not a bad selection, haven't used the images yet but I'm sure I will at some stage.

1 comments about Linoleum Block Printing (Dover Craft Books).

1. Haven't read the whole book, am using it for reference. To the point, good tips. Would recommend.

5 comments about The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body, and Design.

1. Purchase it believing there would be a history of the chair and its development through the ages.
   Very little on the history. The main body of the book deals with ergonomics and future design with very ametuer
   drawings.



2. This book is a really impressive interdisciplinary work, and was useful in helping me buy the "perfect" chair. (Actually one of the author's most interesting points is that a perfect posture does not exist, since movement is inherent in human bodies.) It would have been nice if the production was a little better with more sophisticated photos and colour, but the content is all there. Except that I feel the author should have made much more reference to the mind-body disciplines and meditation. For example, a key concept in meditation is that one should sit with one's back straight because the energy moves up the spine better that way. I was hoping to read something about how that relates to work and sitting in front of a workstation, as well as read about how sitting affects breathing. But other than that, a great book.



3. Galen Cranz on "The Chair"
   Reviewed by Rani Lueder, CPE
   
   This book is about seating and sitting. Having once spent my vacation scouring Europe's museums for the earliest representation of a chair (earliest I could find was 1570), I looked forward to opening its covers.
   
   Dr. Cranz teaches Environmental Design at the UC Berkeley Architecture Dept. Not surprisingly, she cuts a wide swath on seating, spanning history, sociology, industrial design, architecture, ergonomics, and holistic body/mind approaches - particularly the Alexander technique.
   
   Parts of her book are engrossing. In particular, her historical perspective of how chair design has evolved historically [if it is accurate] may be unmatched. Her discussion of the holistic aspects of posture is also interesting.
   
   That said, this book is NOT noteworthy for its review of the ergonomics research on sitting postures and seating. Much of it is plain hogwash.
   
   Throughout the book she refers to us as "ergonomicists" [should be "ergonomists"] and claims the discipline is derived from the Greek "ergon" and "omics" [should be "nomos" (laws)].
   
   It is sometimes painful to read her sweeping generalizations. Dr. Cranz writes that ergonomic researchers "have concluded that the workstation should be an indication of the worker's status" (p. 55) . . . and "status differences have to be maintained, ergonomicists say" (p. 56), citing as evidence two office planning guides written by and for architects that fail to mention ergonomics or ergonomists anywhere in the books.
   
   She misrepresents research, as when she castigates Dr. Etienne Grandjean's "poor reasoning" in Fitting the Task to the Man, writing "Amazingly, Grandjean starts with the slump as a goal" (p. 108). Drs. Grandjean et al's research actually documented computer users' self-selected postures. These researchers reported that rather than sitting upright, the computer users they observed tended to recline somewhat.
   
   She cites findings from a small laboratory study by Drs. Bendix et al. (12 subjects for 2 hours in 3 back support conditions) as proof that lumbar supports on chair backrests are unequivocally unnecessary (p. 109) - but not the many studies that contradict. Minor assertions are meticulously cited, but questionable conclusions often are not sourced.
   
   If you are looking for a thorough analysis of seated posture, this is not the book for you. It provides a unique and multidisciplinary perspective on the context of seating, but - please - take her review of the ergonomics research on sitting postures and seating design with a heavy dose of salt.
   
   Rani Lueder, CPE has consulted in occupational and product design ergonomics for over 25 years. Her activities on seating include co-organizing the Second International Conference on Sitting Posture, held in Tokyo. Her second edited book "Hard Facts" is about sitting postures and seating (Taylor & Francis). She served on the seating subcommittee for the American National Standard ANSI BSR/HFES 100. She consulted in the research and design of over 350 lines of seating. Her newest edited book is "Ergonomics for Children: Designing products & places for toddlers to teens" (2007, Taylor & Francis).



4. How many of us are aware of the furniture we use in our everyday lives? These are things we feel, touch and see everyday. Yet they are always in the back of our subconcious, we never really notice them, or realise how these pieces of furniture affect us physically, as well as psychologically.
   "The Chair" makes us look at the ordinary chair as something beyond a piece of furniture and as a symbol of wealth, status, honor, culture and comfort. In its own way, it shapes our everyday life and things related to it.
   The author traces the origins of the chair through human history and how it changed and evolved through the ages. Going deep into the issue of chair design, the author tears commonly held views about comfort into shreds and illustrates how these "comfortable" chairs actually harm the human body. After taking a good look at ergonomics, Cranz talks about the body's conciousness and how it is related to the sitting posture. With the help of somatics and the Alexander technique, she says we can improve the ways in which we sit and improve our comfort.
   What captured my attention the most was the manner in which this opens up the mind to different psychological and physical effects that a commonplace object like the chair can have on human beings and how we can improve our daily lives by thinking about these issues.



5. It is an easy reading and houmorous book. It deals with many aspects of sitting and seats, including aesthetics, style, ergonomics and as a status symbol. I beleive the knowledge presented in this book represents decades of dedicated reseach on this subject by the author. It also enlightens one to realize that a seat is one part of the story and the way one sits is the other part: To ensure the well being of a sitting human organism we have to address both parts. In summary, it is a pleasure to read this book.

3 comments about Pictoplasma: The Character Encyclopaedia.

1. Excellent value for money. Not all the designs in the book are fantastic, some quite below average. Still, many shine through and make this book truly worthy of any animator/character designers shelf.
   
   I find these types of books indispensable when designing because of their unique views on motion, character and setting.



2. This is the best book they have released yet. If you already know what pictoplasma is all about, dont exitate, if you are new to this, well pictoplasma is a character design oriented book and they are always looking for the best and more simple designs, like less is more thingy. Great design from so many talented artist around the globe! Definetly a must buy!



3. Reecently,i discover the world of character design, and im start to research for sites, tecnichs, styles books etc etc, and i find this book.
   and the book its realy awesome, u can find tons of character for all over the world.

2 comments about Adobe InDesign CS2 BASICS (Basics (Thompson Learning)).

1. This book was very helpful and easy to follow. It also went through the steps in a logical way. Wanting to learn quickly, I would try to skip pages. Then I would have questions on something and find that the answer was right there in something I skipped over. I also found that sometimes I would have a questions about how to do something, and it was the very next thing that was talked about.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



2. Man this book is funny. I mean I thought Adobe Indesign was going to be good to learn but complicated. Not at all though, this book has all these samples in it so you can see it and not just read about it.
   
   The steps are really funny if you read the sample articles and stuff. Theres this one about motorcycles that kind of irritated our teacher, but it was So Funny. And the back has all of these paper models to print off and glue together.
   
   This one part has kind of a paint by numbers with a tiger. Definitely buy this book!

2 comments about Really Good Logos Explained: Top Design Professionals Critique 500 Logos and Explain What Makes Them Work.

1. I think this book succeeds where some others fail. For one, it's one step away from being a picture book of logos, which in some causes, tends to become a way to 'fish' for ideas when confronted with a design brief.
   
   I like that the authors have commented on the work, though I don't necessarily agree with the comments. It's easy to look at the work post-production and say 'it would be better if...' The critics are not privy to the discussion that happened during the development process, and these discussions are what inform the work.
   
   Unfortunately, for this book, some of the commentary is simply judgmental and unnecessary, and goes back to the personal taste of the judges. What makes design great, is that there are many individuals out there who can impart their level of aesthetic on the world. What would be the purpose if we all conformed to one person's aesthetic?
   
   Overall, a good addition to your design collection. Would also recommend any of the Logo Lounge books.



2. [I should start with the fact that I have a logo in this book.]
   
   Excited and nervous at the same time, I flipped through to find that the book was pretty much as advertised -- critiques and analysis by 4 top creative minds on some 500 great logos! However, it seems that the book may have been rushed to it's completion. Not all the logos are critiqued by all 4 authors. And there's no explanation as to why that is.
   
   Some logos only see a critique by as little as 1 of 4 authors. To me, what gave the book its charm was the idea that 4 different experts could give their own unique analysis and the reader could study their debate -- even participating in it to some degree. Left with 1 person's input, the reader loses any tension and the ability to decipher the group's thoughts -- leaving the reader less engaged.
   
   So what was it that gave some logos more attention and others less? Was it that the publisher didn't allow enough time? Or was it that there was simply nothing to say? -- Which, ironically, in a Q&A at the beginning of the book with Margo Chase, when asked what is the worst thing she could hear from a client was, she answered "Nothing." Hmm.
   
   Overall, I think that most people interested in logos are going to find this book pleasing and be happy with their purchase. It goes far and above the standard logo books that lack any dialog. I just wish that the concept had been followed through to it's completion. A small qualm in an otherwise good book.