No comments about Retail Buying: From Basics to Fashion.

5 comments about Chairs: A History.

1. No one who has seen my home would expect me to have anything to do with a furniture book. But some perceptive friend gave me this book and now I get it! Under Ms. de Dampierre's tutelage, I have grown to understand how pieces of furniture are a reflection of the times in which they were created. This study of chairs is no less fascinating than any great work of art history and the author does an incredible job of detailing changes in social and political currents which impact the design and use of each chair in her exhaustive chronology. As importantly, the pictures are beautiful; the book is worth buying for them alone.



2. Florence de Dampierre has produced what will certainly be not only the definitive guide to the chair itself but also a witty and learned look at how modes of communication in differing cultures governed the kind of furniture people invented for themselves. The scope of the book is huge, ranging from the cradle of civilization in Mesopotamia and Africa to the chair as modern art. I recommend it highly, both for serious collectors as well as anyone who has ever thought twice about the provenance of the place they've just sat down in. The book is copiously and beautifully illustrated, so it makes a lovely gift.



3. In this fascinating book, De Dampierre brings a fresh perspective to world history by describing it through one of the most ubiquitous items in our daily lives: chairs. In doing so, she has produced a highly enjoyable read for both the sophisticated antique collector and the general student of history.



4. A very well written book with lovely and truly beautiful illustrations. Highly recommended!



5. I have read Chairs; A History and find it to be fasinating from two view points. One is that it is more than a history of furniture, it is a social history of the people who sat in the chairs and their times and their culture. Secondly I will retain it for years as one of the most complete reference books on the cultural periods discussed. Finally it is beautifully illustrated and written and should be in everyone's library.

2 comments about Harter's Picture Archive for Collage and Illustration (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. I've had this book for years and it's provided endless crafting ideas and clip art all this time. Sturdy and well bound just like any Dover edition, plus the images are a refreshing break from the cutsie and poorly drawn stuff you'd get from a program like Publisher. So easy to scan in since the book will lay flat w/o the binding cracking.
   
   The only thing better than this would be an edition that comes with a CD with the images pre-scanned like some of the newer Dover clip art library collections.



2. If you are looking for unusual and striking Victorian clip art, then Jim Harter's picture archive book is it. I am an artist who uses mixed media in collage form and I can't get enough of these illustrations. There is everything from gothic Victorian scenes, to animals of every type and people using unusual objects.

No comments about The Master of Illusions: Pictures to Ponder from a Visual Virtuoso.

5 comments about Heart & Torch - Rick Griffin's Transcendence.

1. I've always loved Rick Griffin's art since I was about 13. To have it all in a book, after all these years, is great. Since I also draw, I now realize how his art influenced me. I'd say he was great and this is a beautiful, inspiring, and defining collection. I'm stoked.



2. Heart and Torch - Rick Griffin is a good book to have your library is you are a Rick Griffin fan and want a history on him and his work. Some redundancy, but worth the buy.



3. Anyone interested in the life and art of Rick Griffin, or in psychedelia in general, must purchase this book.
   
   I'd seen much of this art, but there was a great deal of his early work I had not seen before, and it is all compiled here and looks great.
   
   The text is excellent as well, with a detailed biography of Rick, and testimonials from those in the art world, the comix community and the 60s California music scene who knew him and worked with him.
   
   Great stuff - we miss you Rick!



4. I have been a Fan of the Amazing Talents of Rick Griffin since 1969, when I first layed eyes on the Cover of Zap Comix, Number 3. The First Collection of his Work was published by Paper Tiger Books in 1980, and that Book has always been a Favorite of mine.
   
   This Brand New Collection: "Heart And Torch", from The Laguna Art Museum, is just as impressive as Paper Tiger Edition. Printed on Heavy Stock Art Paper, it is Overflowing with Work from all Phases of Rick's life. From the images of Murphy The Surfer that appeared in Surfer Magazine whilst Rick was still a teenager to Posters of San Francisco Music and happenings from 1966-1980's. Covers for early editions of Rolling Stone Magazine in the late 60's. Album Covers for The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Hunter and Man.
   
   What set Rick apart from his fellow Graphic Illustrators such as R.Crumb and Stanley Mouse was his Fantastic Vision to really get Far Out There with a very Good Third Eye {And while all this happened on our Planet, Rick only had a single Eye to see from!}. This Artist did not 'See' Boundaries in Art, his imagination could not be Locked-Down or Controlled to the Rules of the Medium, he Expanded Worlds and wasn't Trapped in them.
   
   The "Flying Eyeball" Poster for a Jimi Hendrix/John Mayall Concert at The Filmore West in 1968, alone would have made Rick's career, But...there is so much more. He created new languages in his Art, such as for The Grateful Dead's Album Cover {1969] Aoxomoxia, that for many of us Defines, The Sixties in San Francisco as THE Piece of Art. When Rick would draw his own image he usually gave himself a "Third Eye", and I believe this is perfectly correct as the Man always saw something that the rest of us would miss, this Book tells his Story in Words and Pictures and it is indeed a "Transcendence".
   
   The most Perfect way to enjoy Rick Griffin, outside of this book would be for you to find a copy of: "Tales From The Tube" his 1973 Comix Book. For me it's a Peak and a Crest, in a Life filled with water and skies. This Comix explains where Rick was coming from and shows where he was headed, it is simply amazing.
   
   If you see a Poster in the Skies above you, I'll bet you it is Rick, still creating his Wonderful Art in the Heavens...FIVE STARS !!!



5. I collect Rick's art. I've loved it since I first saw it on album covers and in SURFER magazine in the 60's. I had the pleasure of visiting his studio, and speaking to him several times. He was a passonate man, and his art reflects his passions: God, surfing, rock and roll, and the psychedelic experience. This book tells and shows of his journey better than any previous efforts. If you like Rick's art, you will love this book.

5 comments about Exploring Illustration (Design Exploration Series).

1. It was required book for college class. Lots of good illustrations, there is a section of 32 color pages, the rest are grayscale! If you need it for school, buy it.



2. Honestly, after reading a few reviews and ratings I thought this would be pretty good. I was really wrong.
   
   I have to give credit in that I have never seen any author fill so many pages with so little information. That must take skill.
   
   Unfortunately I believed the cover when it said "An In-depth Guide To The Art and Techniques of Contemporary Illustration" and expected to find, well...techniques, like how to compose a page. Here is a brief yet quite thorough summary of chapter 2, which 'covers' (sic) the building blocks (allegedly including composition):
   you need to plan a picture understanding that people will see it (novel!); the concept dictates the composition (no information on how to do this); it needs to be reproducible and tecnically fit (no information on how to do this); lines have character (none shown); value is important (none shown); colour is important (and here's a random list of everything I think of when someone says the word 'colour', done in black and white); different objects give different textures (wow!); pattern comes from repeating shapes (you think?); shape is important and form tricky (no information on how to do this); positive and negative space can help (no information on how to do this)(especially no examples); work with geometric shapes; and here are some principles, generally given 2 or 3 lines each with no examples, that might be useful in any sort of context but here just seem obvious and floating.
   
   For 'important technical building blocks' a quick discussion about how useful they are with no examples, no context, no diagrams, no explanation of different levels or how to achieve effects etc is pretty darn useless. I hardly think this should be considered a guide to illustration techniques. I was hoping to learn aspects of illustration that differed from other forms of art, like composition, and am lucky I have a good art foundation already as a 'gallery artist' because if I was trying to actually learn any sort of basics from this chapter on basics I would be completely lost and ignorant and never even know what I was missing out on.
   
   It also said there were exercises- I was expecting interesting projects, like create a cover for a cd for a particular band in a certain style or illustrate this brief story, more related to working in the field and receiving commissions rather than exploring different media or subject matter. In this sense I don't think it caters to cross-over artists who have come from other areas in art, or, in a lot of cases, people over twelve who have ever done anything remotely interesting with different media (like spill a milkshake or doodle while you're on the phone). In other words, I found the tone very child-like, as if written for very young teens or people who want to be illustrators but never thought of doing so much as holding a pen differently.
   
   The discussion of different fields of art is brief and obvious and misses the opportunity to explain how to create some of the different styles. Unless you've been living in a cave for a long time there is very little information here.
   
   The descriptions of materials is good in terms of telling you what's in them, but again, missing information about techniques- how do you go about applying some of these media? What do you use them with/ apply them to? What do you need to know before you start? Why choose one and not another? Sections like the one on airbrushing pose a lot of questions themselves as a means of showing options but don't give any answers on why to choose anything, and again, lack examples.
   
   This book is history- and theory- heavy and a lot seems pretty obvious or irrelevant. If this was it's strongest suit it should have advertised itself as that, not as a guide to 'Art and Techniques'. It gets a star in that there are some good examples of works, but most of these are thrown into the book randomly instead of being used an instructional examples relating to the text. The artist profiles are a good idea but it would be good to see more than one work for each artist when talking about their philosophy- a quote about life and an illustration I'd best describe as clip-art isn't generally helpful.
   
   There is one colour section but the rest is black and white, even the section on colour theory. The step-by-step guides are very light on the how to's, even not telling what program or media is used on one of the two I could find. These are one of the better ideas of the book, even if not very realised, and even they are not in colour even though one specifically mentions which colours are used along the way. I realise that printing cost is the big issue but only having one big slab of colour prints in the middle is a pretty random and lazy way to go about it.
   
   I realise that I sound harsh but I think this text is a perfect example of how so many people want to write about and 'teach' art and not actually tell anyone the techniques involved in doing it. This culture has gone on so long I think that a lot of authors and teachers honestly don't know anymore and students don't know what's missing. If you want to find out or expand your knowledge in illustration get Writing With Pictures and leave this book alone.



3. I received this book in a timely fashion and the book was in excellent condition!



4. Great book for anyone who wants to know aliitle bit more about illustration. It comes fast to! Great service here!



5. I first saw this book at the library and thought it was so great I decided to buy myself a copy. It covers everything from the concept to how to make it happen. It also gives detailed info on different materials which I found very helpful. The books includes essays from various successful illustrators which not only provide info on how they proceed but encouragement for the aspiring illustrator as well. This book also covers digital art as well as more classic media. I really like the fact that the author includes exercises through out the book to fine tune skills or learn new ones.

3 comments about Handbags: What Every Woman Should Know.

1. I really enjoyed this book. Good details. Nice color photos. Quick browse. Why didn't I get this sooner? especially since I'm such a bag fanatic.



2. Not the information I was looking for but cute book and pictures.



3. what a FUN & CUTE book; I have her 'bra' book & 'shoe' book also! she makes history with these adorable, informative, well written & photo fun, displayable books; can hardly wait for the next one; what item of clothing will it be?

5 comments about On Book Design.

1. I've read a number of great books about the mechanics and about the details one must consider when designing books. But Richard Hendel's On Designing Books is the first I've read that explores the process of designing books. It goes so far as to present eight book designers who discuss what they eventually go through in designing books.
   
   Involved in the craft some fifteen years myself, I found Mr. Hendel's presentation, and the angles of his eight, interesting, informative, and helpful.
   
   There are times when, as a designer, I'm stuck for some push in a direction so as to get started. And as a page comp and layout artist on others' book designs, I'm sometimes left questioning how and why someone else's book design was conceived the way it was. On Book Design goes a long way toward providing some possible paths to answering those questions.



2. This is the best book I have read on the subject. The interviews
   with a variety of designers show there is no one way to approach a book
   design but the goal is always the same-to honor the author's voice.



3. As author Richard Hendel notes, designing a book is a complicated process, "especially because there isn't a single way to proceed." Hendel is associate director and design and production manager at University of North Carolina Press, ideally qualified to give a true picture of the life of a book designer.
   On Book Design is divided into three sections. In "Looking Like Books" Hendel discusses what makes a book, a book. More than just the author's words, a book is defined by its typography, the size of the fonts, the width of the margins, where the subheads fall on a page. While this may seem obvious, what is harder to determine is the right combination of all these subjective elements. If a reader is paying more attention to the arrangement of the words rather than to the content itself, the design may be overdone.
   The book's second section, "The Design Begins Here" describes exactly what it is that designers do-from the big picture stuff (e.g., matching the author's content and tone) to the smallest details (e.g., determining whether to choose old-style or line numbers).
   Scattered throughout the book are samples of projects designed by Hendel and others. This is extremely helpful and often fascinating, though on occasion the level of detail Hendel provides borders on the tedious.
   In the third section, "How Designers Work," Hendel hands the page over to several respected designers. Some work entirely on the computer; others, like Hendel, use pencil and paper to create their first design drafts. As Hendel notes, "What is important is not the mechanics of making the layouts but finding exactly the right design and typeface for the author's words."



4. Thoughtful and thorough, and offering no easy answers, this book forces one to think for herself. On a par with Hochuli's 'Design of Books'.



5. This is a new breed of book design; but it is bred out of classicism. Being involved in an antiquarian artform during the dawn of computer technology poses many problems. One of them is the disappearance of really well designed books. So, in an attempt to preserve The Book's integrity, I searched for new guidance on this ancient art. This book ended my search. Rather than quibble with new design trends, resist new technology, or morosely revisit bygone eras, Hendel see these as "points of departure" and sticks to the real issue -- the design of books. The result is not a strict set of rules for book design, rather, it is a fluid and applicable philosophy of design for the many types of books we find today. "The challenge," says Hendel, "isn't to create something different or pretty or clever but to discover how best to serve the author's words." This book is informative, enlightening and filled with lovely samples from distinguished designers. A very beautiful book. Writers will enjoy learning how designers make well-thought creative decisions about the spaces that words flow into.

2 comments about Los Caprichos.

1. This book is phenomenal. The only thing I could say against it is it's a bit small, but I believe the images are actual size, so of course there's not much to be done. A good hardcover edition would show these off very well. These Dover art books are a great, cheap way to get access to images like these if you can't commit to a fine edition or, should you be so fortunate, one of the original prints themselves.
   
   Goya one-upped Surrealism, Expressionism, and much more, a hundred years before the fact. These prints take you on a dream journey through some startlingly original imagery that scrutinizes human social engagement with an unsparing eye. Cynical would be too soft a word for some of the images, but somehow it's hard to disagree with Goya's positions. You feel like people were often that empty in Spanish society of the time. And what about today?
   
   As for the formal side, the etchings are technically inventive, uninhibited, masterful, confident, and often understated. Goya is content to let a few lines and a dark mass of aquatint evoke a whole interior, alleyway, or landscape.
   
   In a way, these prints also relate to Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, and many more. In fifty years you'll be able to rack up a new breed of descendents. Their influence, I'm sure, will be timeless.



2. Goya aparently did this book to show how silly the superstitions of the common people were, and still are.

5 comments about Inspirability: 40 Top Designers Speak Out About What Inspires.

1. This book is very beautifully designed and put together. Wonderfully eclectic. A good reminder about how we fo and can get inspired by the smallest things. Also very funny. Read one story everyday to remind yourself that you really are a creative.



2. This is a fun read, like you are listing to the conversations between the author and the 40 top graphics designers. Besides their works, this book also let you know more about these designers in an approachable way. Different disigners get their inspiration in different ways. I am definity inspired by their conversation through this book.



3. I love the the featured designers' snapshots of themselves and their work space. The interviews are really well done, and I especially love the questionnaires with the designers' own scibbled notes and illustrations. It's really, really entertaining! You not only get to truly know them, but this book shows how unique these successful designers are and how they are deeply motivated-that in itself is inspiring. Every creative person should have this book. It's great fun and reference.



4. I saw the author-Pash, speak at the How Design Conference in Chicago (June 2005). His presentation was about how he got the idea for this book. It was very cool and inspiring. I couldn't wait to get a copy and start reading it. This book is filled with 40 top graphic designers perspectives on what inspires them. Photographs of the designers and their work stations. As well as a survey page that they all filled out (and one for you to fill out too). It is the kind of book that is so much fun to read. You feel like you are right there in the moment. This book draws you in, includes you and most of all inspires you. This is a great book for a graphic designer to own.



5. After buying this book (and being lucky enough to have it signed by the author!) I just couldn't wait to flip through it's pages and find out what inspires my heroes in the world of graphic design. I love the format the author has chosen for the interviews and being able to get a sneak peak into the designers' studios and see what inspires them. This book will remain a timeless addition to my bookshelf and I know I'll refer to it when I get stuck or need a bit of inspiration myself. The questionnaire is awesome, and I love how different they all are. It's a wonderful book and one that belongs in every designer's library.