1 comments about Best of Newspaper Design 28 (Best of Newspaper Design).

1. Design annuals are often visual pron. This is the rare anthology that is beautiful and informative. Lovely design examples that all interface, product, graphic, and information designers will grow from...

No comments about The Dress of the People: Everyday Fashion in Eighteenth-Century England.

2 comments about Pictograms, Icons and Signs.

1. I teach interaction design at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool Rotterdam). I found this book to be a perfect introduction, collection and practical starting point for icon and pictogram design. This topic is hugely important within the discipline of interaction design, and it is difficult to find broadly-oriented resources. I found this to be one of the best, along with the work of Paul Mijksenaar. Especially useful is section 2, about the nuts and bolts of pictogram concept and design, including grid, format, cultural conventions, abstraction, and environment (where the pictogram will be used).



2. This book gives us the exact amount of information to understand the importance of the proper use of pictogrmas in daily life.
   It also reproduces the pictograms of the Olympc Games since Berlin 1936 , that gives the reader the chance to compare the evolution of the graphic design of the visual systems used during the history of these games.
   I recommend this book to all designers and architects who are concerned with the construction of a better urban space, in which communication graphics play a relevant role.

5 comments about Playboy: 50 Years: The Cartoons.

1. would not suggest paying retail..but it is a fun book.. it would have been nice to have a litle more detail about the cartoons.. artist, year, etc....



2. Fifty years worth of cartoons from Playboy. Doesn't that just set the mind reeling? Some of the biggest names in the business have their work showcased here in this history-making compendium. These cartoons are sometimes funny, often sardonic, frequently risqué, and one and all they once graced the pages of the world's favorite source of "illustrated" reading material. Perhaps the best way to regard this hefty collection (did you catch the pun?) is as a window to the changing mores of American society regarding not only women and sex, but what is and is not acceptable subject matter for a cartoon itself. When taken as a whole I find this material reflective of how much times have changed, and Playboy magazine with it. Very little to offend anyone here, just good clean fun and some real laughs too.



3. It's nice to see a book of coffee-table proportions just devoted to cartoons, well why not? Previous Playboy books have covered the history of the magazine, the delightful Playmates and now the cartoons. The 450 plus illustrations are the work of 107 cartoonists and if you are a regular reader of the magazine you'll see your favorites. Gahan Wilson has the most (thirty-two) followed by regulars like Eldon Dedini, John Demsey, Alden Erikson, Kiraz, Roy Raymonde, Doug Sneyd (he of the flamboyant signature, which I was never able to decipher until now) Erich Sokol and between these, dozens of great artists who have maybe one or two works each. The humor might not be the wonderful ironic style of the New Yorker but it is amazing how many fresh takes can be created with the bachelor lifestyle.

   This is a handsomely produced book, printed on thick glossy paper which, nicely, allows you to really appreciate just how good some of these artists are. My favorite, Jack Davis, unfortunately only has four shown, Richard Taylor has a super picture on page ten, an art gallery where he has created several Picasso type paintings, Doug Sneyd, Phil Interlandi and Dedini are all brilliant draughtsmen and Shel Silverstein can create so much with so little line and color.

   However I was a bit disappointed with this book, as another reviewer has commented, there is no indication of when the cartoons appeared and I wish the publishers had gone the extra mile and perhaps devoted some space throughout the pages for a photo and biography of the regulars, some of these guys have been with Playboy for years. Someone though, at least, did have the foresight to compile an Artists index and a useful Order of appearance list, both of which are in the back pages.
   

   Clearly a wonderful book for the bedside table if your date didn't turn up, try laughing yourself to sleep.




4. I enjoyed seeing the work of some of my favorite cartoon
   artist...together in one book. Some I had forgotten about.
   It cetainly must have been difficult to narrow down the
   selection with so many great cartoons over the years.
   However, I was disappointed not to see more of one of my
   very favorites.....Dean Yeagle. There is one cartoon of his
   in the book...and it is also on the cover...the showgirls
   and earrings cartoon.
   Mr.Yeagle does excellent work....just check out his website..
   www.bellefree.com.....His Mandy pinup girl is adorable!
   I would love to see an all Dean Yeagle book published !!!!!!



5. First of all this book is printed on excellent paper & is well done except for one thing. there is no way to tell what year the cartoons are from. They should have had chapters. 1950`s 1960`s ect so you know what era they are from

No comments about A Dictionary of Modern Design (Oxford Paperback Reference).

5 comments about J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.

1. This important book reveals another dimension to Tolkien that remains obscured by his monumental storytelling. Tolkien was gifted with a many-sided creativity, as most artists are, and his visual creativity casts as vivid a vision of re-enchantment as his written work.



2. This book is much better than I thought it would be. Mostly I was curious to see more of Tolkien's art, but the text that goes along with it is wonderful. Christopher Tolkien asked the authors to write this book to showcase his father's art, and they do a wonderful job of describing the pictures, pointing out details that I missed, and putting them in context of when and where and why Tolkien drew them. Several versions of the same pictures are shown so you can see how Tolkien worked through a problem until he found the best final product. Plus the inspirations for some of the pictures are also shown, to show that Tolkien copied others sometimes, but in the end put his own mark on it. By copied, I don't mean plagarized. He drew his eagle from a book of birds to make sure he got it right, or was inspired by other artists particular works. Highly recommended if you are a Tolkien fan. If you are just into art and not a Tolkien fan, then I don't think this will interest you.



3. This book is a great way to collect some of Tolkien's best works of art and to get a glimpse behind the scenes of one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. Highly recommended.



4. Lleno de ilustraciones color, y algunas en blanco y negro. Me gusta porque es lo que Tolkien imaginó para sus obras... eso es lo que lo hace más hermoso. Además demuestra que Tolkien era un alma muy sensible, amante de la naturaleza, y esto se refleja no solo en sus libros sino también en sus dibujos. Me gustaría que estos dibujos estén incluidos en sus obras, no solo los dibujos de otros artistas. Hermoso, hermoso, para todos los admiradores de Tolkien.



5. This book features many of Tolkien's ink, watercolor, pencil, and colored pencil works. The detailed descriptions of each drawing include history, explanations, and dates. Quite a few maps are included, as well as illustrations for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It is wonderful to see how Tolkien imagined Middle Earth and its inhabitants. The colors he used are very earthy and lovely.
   
   My favorite drawing in this book is "End of the World" done in pencil and colored pencil on a sheet of notebook paper - you can actually see the lines of the paper. It is so simple; yet, the story it tells includes subtle intricacies and complexities similar to those in his writings. I also love the pencil and colored pencil drawing, "The Tree of Amalion," which obviously blooms with the flowers of Tolkien's imagination since they do not resemble traditional flowers. Finally, the hand drawn Christmas cards are beautiful mini-stories with dancing bears and penguins, and Father Christmas making deliveries.
   
   This book is truly exquisite, full of details and surprises for those of us who didn't know Tolkien was an extremely talented artist. It is a worthwhile purchase in my opinion.
   
   J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles

5 comments about Design Synectics: Stimulating Creativity in Design.

1. This is a must have for any middle school, high school or college art educator! Great creative ideas for lessons, sketchbook assignments or model ideas for large projects. I have used this book many times and the projects are always a huge it, highly successful, challenging and instill creative thinking.



2. There are enough ideas in here to keep anyone busy creating for a long time. I believe that is can be used in just about any form of art one may pursue.



3. This excellent book illustrates beautifully the analogy building aspect of the powerful Synectic problem solving process, from the standpoint of design. It is also a great companion to Art Synectics by the same author. Both of them never cease to amaze me, as I often turn to their many pages for creative inspiration. Both of them are also packed with easy to follow and fun exercises.
   
   They are among my first few books on understanding the Synectic process. Synectics was created by William J J Gordon & George Prince in the 50's or 60's. The process can be applied in both the educational as well as business settings. In fact, Gordon had created many exercise books for use in the schools. Unfortunately many of his good stuff in this respect are now out of print and hard to get.



4. As an art educator, this is the book I turn to when my ideas have run out. It has some great starting points for stimulating thought--both in yourself and your students. It offers terrific visuals which suggest all sorts of ideas for starting interesting projects. Read the text and you realise it is even better than it looks--this book is all about how to think in new and creative ways. Any way you'd like to use it, this book is refreshing.



5. Design Synectics is a stand out browse and reference text for Art educators. I would also highly recommend this book to any creative person. It is like a service manual for the artist/ divergent thinker. Presenting individual visual and cognitive concepts in a schematic that is easy to read and fun to practice. While some of the action items in this book may seem a little too structured, individual educators will have little trouble in customizing the approaches to fit with their style. While many books written for Art teachers only give outdated product based ideas, Design Synectics gives insight into the thinking associated with visual literacy. This book is a true Art educator staple.

5 comments about Cruising the Anime City: An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo.

1. This book is a good read for someone interested in Anime who's planning to visit Japan. Having said that, other than the (now out of date) useful maps of Akihabara and Nakano Broadway, the book is kind of thin in content.
   
   The paper is thick and the font is big, in addition you get lots of whitespace, all in a fairly thin package. Realistically, you would at least expect what's there to be like a proper guide, after all, that is what's advertised, right? Unfortunately, the meat of this book is basically a series of interviews with different people, and this gives you a good feeling for where the whole otaku culture comes from, and the thinking behind it. And admittedly, these are quite interesting. But for a book that tries to sell itself as a guide to Tokyo, it basically fails.
   
   A more appropriate title for the book might have been 'a study of otaku culture in modern day Tokyo', In which case I would have rated the title 4/5. So don't get me wrong, this title does have good content, but it just isn't what the authors claim it to be. If you are interested in otaku culture in general, and like interesting stories from other otakus, then you've found your book!



2. We bought "Cruising..." while preparing for our third trip and first solo excursion to Japan. Not only was it an interesting read, but the neighborhood information and maps were invaluable once we arrived. The turnover for small businesses in Japan is high, however, most of the things we were looking for were still available. I highly recommend adding this book to your collection!



3. This is the geek's guide to Tokyo-and much more. It is guidebook, social commentary, and a peak into the latest trends on the otaku scene. And all before they hit the shores of the West. Cruising the Anime City: An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo covers the studios that produce anime; includes interviews with the movers and shakers in the industry; discusses the toys, museums, film "locations," music, etc.; and has detailed maps of that otaku mecca Akihabara.
   Macias has written a comprehensive guide that does not speak down to beginners. It is written in a witty style and handsomely illustrated. Then, in a piece de resistance, there is the Great Gathering, the Mythical Beast of the Otaku Calendar: the annual Comiket 65. This is the yearly "Comic Market," a three-day festival held at Tokyo Big Site. All the sub-cultures are featured here; it is geek nirvana. Macias covers this with élan and humor. For those thinking of making the trip to Comiket or Tokyo itself-or just read about this fascinating world from home-this is the indispensable guide.



4. Cruising The Anime City: An Otaku Guide To Neo Tokyo is a guide written especially for hardcore Japanese animation fans, video game players, and the like who want to know what to expect if they visit Tokyo in person - or who just want to armchair travel and imagine shopping! A street-smart guide in plain English, brightly illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, Cruising The Anime City discusses where to get the best deals on Japanese comics, where to find collectible toys, how to avoid cell-phone scams when crusing games from pachinko to porno and everything in between, a guide to finding memorabilia relating to one's favorite idol singer, and much more. Though basic travel information (lodging concerns, roadmaps and the like) is deliberatetly left up to more traditional guides, Cruising The Anime City is a "must-have" for the collector who needs to know "the" hottest shopping spots in Tokyo!



5. If I did some day get the chance to go to Tokyo, I don't think this would be the only book that I would bring, as it most likely wouldn't make for a very good stand alone travel guide.
   
   HOWEVER, it does detail many of the essential otaku-points-of-intrest in the anime city. If anime, manga, model building, idols, cosplaying or Tokyo are subjects that grab your attention, then you won't be dissapointed.
   
   I found this book to be exceptionally well written with detailed pictures and very informative, whether your going to Tokyo or not. In fact, It made me want to call my travel agent and start learning Japanese. Kudos to Patric Macias (and the other guy too).

3 comments about The Art of Ill Will: The Story of American Political Cartoons.

1. I've been a big fan of political cartooning for a long time, dating from reading Pogo in the daily papers back in the 1950s, and acquiring Bill Mauldin's two published wartime collections when I was in college. Dewey is a general writer of popular nonfiction, not a specialist in this field, but he does a pretty good job of surveying the history of the editorial cartoonist's art in U.S. history, from Ben Franklin and Paul Revere and Thomas Nast to Herblock and Pat Oliphant and Gary Trudeau. He seeks not only to present telling examples of each artist's work but also each man's influence, why those being lampooned sometimes tried to bring pressure to bear (Patton hated Mauldin and many papers relegated Doonesbury to the editorial section under pressure from advertisers), and how the public's attitudes changed over time. There are some reservations, however. First, not all artists lived or worked in New York or Washington, but you would think so from the selection in this book. Second, he doesn't seem to quite "get it" when he's discussing certain periods of American history, especially the age of imperialist expansion at the turn of the 20th century. (Maybe because, as noted, he's not an historian.) Many of the drawings in the very lengthy introduction are too small to read the text, but don't worry -- they all seem to appear again in the body of the book, which is divided into thematic chapters.



2. A very good title, a very good subject, but ultimately a mediocre book.
   
   Donald Dewey starts strong about the early history of political cartoons, but then fades into boring personal views in his overlong "Introduction."
   
   The actual cartoons are the guts of this book, and most interesting on their own. Unfortunately the author is not a real historian and this collection suffers from a lack balance. For example, very few local editorial/political cartoons are presented in the chapter on "Local and Domestic Politics": most are from the L.A. or New York papers.
   
   I think American political cartoons are more important than does Mr. Dewey and hope that this subject is taken up by another author in a more comprehensive and positive way.



3. This is a fantastic collection of political cartoons wonderfully presented. A beautiful coffee table book.
   
   But, upon reflection, all this celebration and I ended up with a question instead of answers.
   
   What have political cartoons ever done?
   
   On second thought, maybe I do have an answer because the answer is nothing. Political cartoons appeal to the converted but have never converted. Political cartoons amuse those who agree and anger those who don't. But can anyone name a single political cartoon that has changed anything?
   
   Even the politicians who have tried to pass laws against political cartoons have BEEN elected despite those cartoons.
   
   So, while this collection is very interesting and historical, I have to say that the entire field of political cartoons amounts to absolutely nothing.

No comments about Detail In Typography.