5 comments about Vaughan Oliver: Visceral Pleasures.

1. This is a really great book. I have been a real fan of Vaughan Oliver's work ever since I bought a dusty Colourbox 12 inch in a record store in Michigan in like 6th grade. He has maintained a consistent edge in his graphic sensibilities for longer than any other designer I can think of. His prolific work for the 4AD label in the UK is unparalleled in the current design world. And his subsequent companies 23 envelope and v23 have been hugely influential in the design community for almost 2 decades now.

   What remains constant is his connection to the text and image work of the early 20th century avante-garde designers of russia, germany and france. he has a great slant on using image and text in a way that creates depth and bold contrasts. his work can be both blindingly graphic and casually beautiful, almost simultaniously.

   this book represents an entire career of his work for 4AD, including album covers, promotional materials, poster artwork, and also an overview of many of his other clients, many of which have also shared his sensibilities in design, and allowed each project to both compliment his previous body of work, but also mark out some new creative statements. Its really a great source of inspiration for designers, and music lovers alike!




2. If you know design AND happen to be a discriminating music lover, you almost certainly know who Vaughan Oliver is. This pioneering founder of 23 Envelope (later v23) collaborated with 4AD records in the UK since 1981 to help launch the careers and identities of such seminal acts as Cocteau Twins, Pixies, the Breeders, Modern English, Throwing Muses, The Wolfgang Press, His Name Is Alive and many others (Oliver rarely worked with Dead Can Dance--4AD's most successful act). "Visceral Pleasures," which should fit nicely on your shelf next to Oliver's other monograph "This Rimy River," explores more than just his record sleeve work. We get a look at Oliver's more broad career and background as a graphic designer, and get some great inside information and insight into his process and the experience of working with 4AD and its artists. It goes without saying that this book is gorgeously produced and a beautiful thing simply to hold in your hands.



3. The book itself is a testament to Vaughn's design skills. It is elegantly crafted, with a classic and subtle typographic style which complements the overall clean book layout. This creates a subtle visual landscape which allows the actual works being shown within it's pages to burst out and demand notice. It speaks of Oliver's ability to subjugate his own ego and serve the message.

   After flipping through the book in it's entirety, one gains the proper perspective regarding the magnitude of Oliver's impact on the 4AD brand. His is the visual expression of the sound which has come to be associated with the bands on this label. 4AD itself is more than just a label, it is the product of one man's dedication to independant music. Together, Oliver and the people which make up 4AD, struck that creative chord which can't be formulated. It was a matter of the right people at the right time getting together and playing off of each other artistically, to create a visual and audio brand which is still viable today. Creative relationships of that sort don't happen often, and when they do, it almost always furthers the medium, as evidenced here.

   Vaughn Oliver's work has influenced an entire generationf of designers who most likely discovered his work through their love of the music on the 4AD label. The book does an amzing job of "telling the tale." It not only showcases Oliver's works, but provides a visual and textual history of his relationship with 4AD. Rick Poyner is a long time writer of the design business and design in general, making him the perfect choice to tell this tale.

   For most of us in the design realm who listened to these bands in high school and college, this book is a record of the soundtrack and "visualtrack" of that particular time in our lives. And, for those who are just getting familar with Oliver's work, this book does a great job of giving the appropriate amount of textual and visual information to form a portrait of one of design's most influencial and innovative figures.




4. If you like 4AD - you'll like the book. If you like music - you'll like the book. If you like 4AD's music - you may not like Mr. Oliver, but you'll love the book.



5. I recently purchased this book after months and months of waiting. When I heard that a book was to be published about Vaughan Oliver and his wonderful career thus far in graphic design, I just couldn't wait. After all the wait, I am happy to say that I am quite pleased with the content of this book.

   Unlike the last book, 'This Rimy River' which was a catalogue of all his work 1988-1994, this book contains a good balance of text and pictures. The text, which was lacking in other books, gives an in-depth look at Vaughan Oliver and his history of design. The pictures are beautiful especially the new ones that were made especially for this book.

   Many designers will enjoy all the older pieces found throughout the book while there are many samples of his more recent work. This book is a definite must since many of his previous books are hard to find and out of print.

No comments about Anni Albers: Selected Writings on Design.

2 comments about Programming Believable Characters For Computer Games (Game Development Series).

1. Penny Baillie-de Byl, Programming Believable Characters for Computer Games (Charles River Media, 2004)
   
   I'll start by telling you that this is not a book for beginners, though oddly, it seems to try and be one at times. But then, when you're digging into some of the technologies Penny Baillie-de Byl talks about in Programming Believable Characters for Computer Games, the idea that it could be a beginner book flies out the window. (To Baillie-de Byl's credit, however, she's the first person I've found in over a decade capable of explaining artificial neural networks on anything approaching a layman's level.)
   
   I don't think this should need a synopsis, but just in case: it's about programming NPCs. I bet you figured that out from the title. Baillie-de Byl goes through a number of possible ways to program NPCs, covering everything from the most simplistic (finite state machines and the like) to the most complex (behavioral neural networks, etc.). Needless to say, in such a relatively slim volume, nothing gets covered in a great deal of depth; this is more of a sourcebook than it is an in-depth study. But Baillie-de Byl does offer some coding examples, and a CD-ROM full of more of them, so you can work after class on your own if you feel so inclined.
   
   I will say that one pipe dream I was hoping I'd find here did not materialize-- that mythical, long-searched-for improvement on the A* algorithm. Unfortunately, you'll have to find your cold fusion elsewhere folks. But otherwise, it's worth looking into if you plan on doing any RPG, RTS, or sim programming. ***



2. What a senseless review, the graphics API used is totally irrelevant in a book about AI and character development.
   OpenGL examples simply allow the various examples in the book to be compiled and run on machines other than the PC.
   
   The previous reviewer really needs to get a grip and realise developers DO develop on other systems...including OpenGL but its the information presented on character development that's of interest here.
   
   I've not read this book yet, but have ordered it on the strength of the content discussed. Unfortunatly I can't enter a null rating so have given it 5 stars to negate the previous negative review.

3 comments about The Agile Rabbit Book of Historical And Curious Maps (Agile Rabbit Editions).

1. There are no descriptions on the pages and I LOVE that (the descriptions are in the back). I love wondering what each one is. After my daydream I flip to the back to see what it is or if I'm right. My husband and I love maps and we really enjoy this book. The CD-ROM included is also great.



2. The book was purchased as a gift and the recipient was very pleased with it. He indicated that he had been looking for books of maps without much luck. He appreciated the selection and variety of maps as well as the graphics.



3. The Dutch Pepin Press publishing house is well known for its books graphic design and visual communication. This is the first time they turned to maps, and the début is really wonderful.
   
   The book contains more than a hundred maps of all kind - antique maps of lands, cities, or journeys, geographical, political, theological, and even humorous maps. The book is well printed and a real pleasure to hold in hands. The CD with all the maps is a real gem, hi-res images allow for the readers to explore many maps in great details.
   
   The only real minus is that the book has 0 (zero) information on the maps, besides the title and (sometimes) the year of publication. It is not an academic study in any sense, rather, it 's just a lovely and inspirational compilation of really interesting maps.

No comments about Baroque Ornament and Designs (Dover Design Library).

No comments about Free Style Scraps - Silhouette (Bnn Pattern Book Series).

5 comments about The Anime Companion: What's Japanese in Japanese Animation.

1. This is a really great book, lots of fun to read. You'll learn a lot of interesting things about Japanese culture, but it doesn't feel like a text book or a learning book. Highly recommended.



2. The fannish attitude expressed in the book's introduction ("go read a bestseller," you inferior being you) almost made me stop reading, as did the lame illos, "rants" about topics like breast sizes, etcetera. I was also frustrated by certain entries that told me what an item was and what anime it appeared in, but not what its cultural significance might be. (For instance, the shrub in a certain cartoons was a hydrangea. In the first place, duh. In the second place, what does that hydrangea mean? Anything? Nothing? Does this plant carry the cultural baggage of, say, cherry blossoms/sakura, or is it just set dressing?)
   
   All gripes aside, this is a fascinating intro to Japanese culture as well as anime that could benefit from a little professionalizing to take it beyond the fanboy level, since the author obviously knows what he's talking about. I'd definitely supplement this book with Levi's Samurai From Outer Space and/or Napier's Anime: from Akira to Princess Mononoke.



3. I am glad I was not the only person on here who rated this book with less than 3 stars. As I was reading this, I was pretty disgusted, but when I got to Amazon to do my review, I was shocked to see this book had as high as a rating as it did. I did feel a little better after I read some of the reviews that shared the same concerns I had, however.
   
   This book is not for a "veteran" anime fan, not by any means. There are many interesting tidbits of info, but it all comes in the form of a dictionary, and unless you like to sit down with your Webster's and have a good read, I suggest you pass on this book and look elsewhere for your info. All the entries are alphabetical in Japanese, which means you are going to have a hard time finding the info you want if you are indeed looking up something, unless you are pretty fluent in the language. The organization is bad and the sidebar "rants" the author has are annoying. He claims in the first "rant" that he has a right to whine all he wants in his book, but to that I say "No you don't, not when you are attempting to be professional." I'm all for fun in books, but there is a thin line between fun and immaturity, and I'm sure you can guess where this guy is. Some of the things this guy rants about are boobies, guns, boobies, guns, boobies, boobies, boobies. You get my drift? It's VERY insulting to female readers. He even talks about his ex-Asian girlfriend's breasts. Like we care!
   
   Other problems include the author's sources...While he claimed he was limited because of the only 100 or so titles he had available to him at the time, he pretty much refered to the same 6 anime titles when he did his entries, and 90% of those references were Rumiko Takahashi references. I don't like Rumiko Takahashi's art or stories at all, but even her fans are complanining in their reviews that enough is enough and that there are many other talented manga artists and animes this guy could pull references from. If you are not a fan of Takahashi or have never seen her work, how are you supposed to know what these things are or where they came from?
   
   Yet ANOTHER problem are the pictures and artwork for this book...you may have noticed the cover is very ugly, it looks like some bad fanart laminated, the inside illustrations are the same way, and the screencaps that you do get to see are black and white and blurry. Over all, this is terrible design, and I cannot understand how the editor let this pass through his hands without gagging.
   
   This book only further progresses the bad anime fan stereotype. The author talks about how anime fans are loud, like to complain, and obnoxious, among other things. He whines that "dubs suck lol, subs forever!". We know that there aren't a lot of good dubs out there, but if you are writing a reference book about anime and anime in the United States, you can't be a snob and only focus on subtitled shows. I know a lot of fans who appreciate both. He also constantly uses the word "Otaku" to describe himself and other anime fans...this is a very derogatory word used by the Japanese, and any true fan would be nuts to go around calling themselves that. If you have any respect for yourself or your anime hobby, you won't take this book very seriously, or better yet, you won't read it. I wouldn't even read it again if someone handed it to me off the street for free.
   
   Don't buy this book, don't buy the second edition, and don't encourage this guy to write ANYMORE!



4. It's not bad for what it is, which is a concise and playful alphabetical listing of Japanese terms and customs that one might come across in Anime. But the blurbs are all very short, so if you're looking for deep essays on Japanese or Anime culture, look elsewhere. In other words, if you want a scholarly analysis of the Anime art style, portrayal of women, attitude toward sex or violence, etc., this book will NOT be of much value. However, it does have informative blurbs on Japanese holidays, foods, cram school, hygiene, school-girl uniforms, etc. (The better Fansubs out there usually provide crucial cultural information when it is needed, but this book can help to fill in the gaps a little further.) It also has some interesting tidbits on the more peculiar aspects of Anime, such as the preoccupation with panties, nosebleeds, and intergenerational romance. But don't expect anything in the way of real analysis or critique. You won't find it.



5. My kids were adolescents back in the `80s, when Japanese animation began to be seen on American TV, and for a long time -- even though I'd been interested in modern Japanese literature since college -- I unconsciously equated "anime" with Speed Racer. Then I learned better and became a semi-fan, enough to rent several of the best-reviewed series from Blockbuster. But I had never sat down to learn the milieu of the art form until I came across this author's two books on the subject. He covers a very wide range of Japanese cultural "stuff," from names of historical periods and the different types of bells you find in temples, to major writers whose work has been adapted in anime and the reason for the big-eye-pink-hair thing. You'll no longer wonder why guys in Japan get nosebleeds from looking at girls, what the sound of cicadas in the background are intended to imply, and why you shouldn't be upset that some anime meant for kids includes mild nudity. For that matter, he goes into the sexual psychology of various other Japanese folkways, too, with no embarrassment or leering, which supplies the cultural context you really need if you're going to understand this stuff. Actually, this book would be useful not only to would-be otaku but to any westerner puzzled by various aspects of Japanese society. There's a new, thicker edition coming out soon and I'm definitely going to have to acquire it.

No comments about The Art of Illumination: The Limbourg Brothers and the "Belles Heures" of Jean de France, Duc de Berry (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

3 comments about The Big Book of Airbrush Techniques and Materials.

1. Excellent source of information for all levels of airbrushing. A complete and valuable ready reference in many techniques and styles. A must for your collection.



2. All airbrush books have to explain the technical stuff of the little machines you paint with, but this one moves quickly on to paints, the several masking techniques, and such art basics as perspective, shading and color mixing -- obviously, for people who have no prior art background. Halfway through the book, we finally get to using the dratted thing. They also show that truly fine "airbrush paintings" still require the brush or colored pencil for the finer points.



3. If you plan to get serious about airbrush, buy this book. The author takes you from baby steps to mountain climbing. While there is a fair amount of time spent on seemingly non-airbursh topics like the fundamentals of perspective, shadows and drawing in general, the examples and exercises take the reader to the deepest part of the art of the airbrush. Well layed out and enlightening. The book could, however, benefit from the addition of more intermediate exercises.

No comments about Celtic Fashions (Dover Pictorial Archives).