5 comments about Cowboy Boot Book, The.

1. This is Tyler & Jim's first "boot book" and it has turned more people into boot collectors and bootmakers than any other.
   
   I think it's because of the great personal stories it tells ...and the portrait Jim took of each maker. This book has the look and feel of a treasure map.
   
   Originally printed in 1992, it's remarkable that it's still in print. Get it while you can.



2. If your're looking to buy this book then you've probably heard of the legendary book titled "Texas Boots" now out of print. Don't fret--this book is better. Whereas the older book was mostly black and white, this one has beautiful color pictures, and most of the bootmakers listed here are still alive. In fact, if you buy this book don't bother to consider "The Art of the Boot" by the same author as the two books are about the same, except that Art costs more and has a few more pictures, but the Cowboy Boot Book has a much better history of the cowboy boot.



3. This is a book that works on many levels making it a great introduction to the history, art, and craft of cowboy bootmaking. It quotes Jack Reed, the only owner of a one-man boot shop left in Texas, saying it takes 372 steps to make cowboy boots, but is not detailed enough to list them all. Until I read this book, I had no idea that there was a market in vintage cowboy boots. I found out that original ornate tops can be fitted with a replaced foot to bring old boots back to life. Jim Arndt's photographs of boots, bootmakers, and boot collectors are outstanding throughout and really bring the book to life. The beginning of the book does an admirable job tracing the history of cowboy boots back to the old Texas-to-Kansas cattle drives of the post-Civil War era. This is followed by a great A - Z directory of the various skins that have been used to make the boots including characteristics, care, and current availability. The next section is a great history of the major boot making factories and the people behind them with chapters on Justin, Nocona, Tony Lama, Lucchese, and Rocketbuster. The rest of the book covers the rest of the cowboy boot business and personalities. Included are descriptions of individual bootmakers and cowboy boot collectors. Each is lavishly illustrated with pictures of them and their boots. The author and photographer are avid collectors and their collections are covered in this section of the book. The book ends with an outline of the retail side of the industry. Major sellers of new and vintage boots are described and a state-by-state Store Guide is included. Of course, not every state has a custom bootmaker or a vintage cowboy boot store, but you can still find the nearest one if this book has convinced you that you are ready for the next step above looking in the Yellow Pages under Western Apparel. The only place where I felt this book went too far is when they say in the caption to a photograph: "the details of this pair of boots could be compared to a fine oil painting." But if you want a basic knowledge of cowboy boots, or love to look at cowboy boots either in a store or on other people's feet this is the book for you.



4. Yep, I'm a boot wearin' Jewish cowboy! (A doctor, in fact!) I started Country & Western line dancing a couple years ago, and from there I got into boots. Been wearin' 'em ever since!

   That said, I was totally blown away by the unbelievable hand-made boots in this book. Spectacularly photographed, they appear as works of art. (I see that the same authors are publishing a book later this year called "The Art of the Boot". You know I'll be buying a copy!). I personally have a couple pairs of wonderful Tony Lama boots that fit like a glove, but the boots in this book are in a different class entirely - we're talking ten times more expensive than anything you might find on the shelf at a western wear store.

   It'll be a while before I can afford any of the boots in this book, but it's nice to admire them, and appreciate the craftsmanship and dedication that went into making them.




5. Filled with great photographs and lots of info, this book is a visual kick in the butt as well as an interesting look at wearers and makers of boots. (Surprise inside - Imelda wasn't the only one with a problem.) The author's interest in the fancy, short boots of the 40's is apparent in the book; after all, they are fascinating to look at. On the other hand, there is not a lot of history associated with the development of the cowboy boot as an article of working clothing, or how it became a touchstone of American culture. In a nutshell, the book is a magnificent coffee table work that is much too informative to leave in the living room. There is nothing else quite like it in print and it is a must have for anyone into things Western.

5 comments about How to Draw Manga Compiling Application and Practice, Vol. 3.

1. This book will give understanding not only to animation but drawing all together and will allow you to elevate your understanding of composition



2. A complement to the earlier editions of this series, this book teaches you how to draw mecha's (daily machines), nature and animal characters, rounding off on how to put together a short story. There are helpful tips such as time-savers when drawing effective backgrounds even if there is less detail. The book is geared towards the aspiring mangaka, showing how drawings begin in sketches, inked, and toned in a step-by-step manner.
   
   All in all, this book is more for the person interested in drawing manga. Not recommended for the average learner who just wants to draw manga style and not interested in creating a manga.



3. this book is the BEST
   because when I reed this book,
   there were hundreds of infomation that I didn't
   Know before...



4. This is one of the best HtDmanga books.The book cover and name isnt all.The book is full off nature drawing like trees, sea, fire, cat.It also have about drawing houses and cars.



5. I loved this book the moment I cracked it open. Lots of great tips on how to draw houses (inside and outside), trees, clouds, water, rocks, and all sorts of nature things that I couldn't draw before. I highly recommend this book to any artist. Some drawing skills are needed for this book to be very effective, though.

4 comments about A Designer's Research Manual: Succeed in Design by Knowing Your Clients and What They Really Need (Design Field Guides).

1. Graphic design is about much more than typography, composition and colour. Researching and understanding the client's needs and those of the target audience are key to the design process. This book is a valuable resource for designers seeking to understand the research strategies and methodologies appropriate for their work.
   
   Kudos to the authors and the professional community of contributors for this book specifically aimed at designers. A Designer's Research Manual conveys information in a clear and readable manner with concise text, helpful graphics and relevant international case studies.



2. This book is a must have for any aspiring designer. I have the good fortune of studying under the author of "A DESIGNER'S RESEARCH MANUAL" Mr. Visocky O'Grady. Ken is my 'Design research' instructor; he is a high-energy teacher with a vast knowledge in his field. I recommend to all designers/students that you add this book to your library.



3. I had to buy this book for a Design Research class. I like the simplicity of the book and the information it contains. The authors dont bogg the reader down with a bunch of advanced technical terminology. I think this is a GREAT book for anyone just starting to get into design research. Its clear, consise and an all around good read. I've taken a few classes with Ken Visoky-O'Grady and he's an amazing professor. I think the book is a great first attempt and would be an asset for any young designer.



4. In my search for structured discussion on design process and research, I was fortunate enough to find this book, "A Designer's Research Manual," at the MOMA bookstore in SoHo. I only wish this had been available and required text when I was still in school. The Authors have done a great service to the design profession, and it's clients. Those of us who are more designers than "artists" would do well to integrate the principles of this book into our processes & methodologies for tackling our clients' business problems. It's thinking like that in this book that will make the case for design's value to the business of our clients. Thank you Jenn & Ken Visocky O'Grady!

5 comments about Drawing & Painting Fantasy Beasts: Bring to Life the Creatures and Monsters of Other Realms.

1. This is an very good book if you need reference material to draw upon. I would not recommend it for a beginner. Someone who has some drawing experience it is an excellent addition for his or her fantasy reference Libary.
   
   I found it interesting reading and gave very good tips on how to increase creativity but not the best how to draw book for the novice. The more advance artist will find it more helpful.



2. This is a good book for basic ideas. Great for the beginning artist, but not recommended for someone a bit more advanced.



3. Unlike other books I bought this one is not only showing you finish artwork, but it shows you how to do it with clear instructions. There's a lot of creatures also to get inspiration. The techniques demonstrated goes from traditional to digital.



4. I really enjoy this book for its more professional, polished, artwork. (For some reason there is a stigma among booksellers and teachers that all dragon and fairy how to books have to be for children and young adults. This is definitely not the case.) Not all the creatures are perfect and not all the creatures are favorites of mine but overall this is a nice book for the more advanced artist, or even a nice coffe table book for those just intrested in the subject.



5. Really Kool! I loved the art work. It was a little beyond my immature status for drawing pics but if I continue to practice I'll get better.
   Whoever created these drawings has a gift for fantasy.

No comments about FACES/ Learn To Draw Step By Step (How to Draw & Paint/Art Instruction Program).

1 comments about Daniel Eatock Imprint: Works 1975-2007.

1. Great book! I read they whole thing front to back the first day it came in the mail. This book will inspire any designer to think more conceptually about his or her work. This is not just another design book that will shortly be outdated, I see this one in my collection for many years.

5 comments about The Art of the Airways.

1. Great book on the subject of Airline posters I would recommend this to artists and aviation buffs.



2. Impressive look back to early days of air travel. The posters are very clear and have been reproduced well. This is a keeper!



3. This is a superb book. The posters are gorgeous and interesting-such as evocative scenes from North Africa in the 1930's and an airplane where the passenger seats were in the wing root. The text is intelligent and concise. Overall the book transports you to times and places far away. We have watched people aged 8 to 80 with no special interest in airlines spend far more time with it than they (or we) had expected.
   
   Mr. Szurovy has had a life long love affair with airplanes, and it shows in this book. We highly recommend it for those who love airplanes, and those who want a great book of romantic and exotic posters from airline companies of yesteryear.



4. If you take an interest in world aviation history from the passsengers' viewpoint, this book should conjour up the romance and adventure of flying by air during the last century. And in the days when it was extremely expensive relative to sea and land travel, you can understand the need of the airlines to entice people to spend the money.
   The book has posters from around the world, even from Australia's Qantas (which the author mis-spells as Quantas), but not alas from a New Zealand airline (but don't worry, the book "The Aircraft of Air New Zealand and affiliates since 1940" puts that right). All posters in this book are superbly reproduced, with an adequate commentary and the page design is very nice. Good stuff!



5. The main difference between early airline posters and later years was the size of the plane. The new winged transport was a prominent design element and the end location, if any, was hardly mentioned. Now, with air travel so commonplace and lots of airlines using the same jet (thanks Boeing and Airbus) the destination is the selling point. Geza Szurovy has selected some fascinating examples of the genre for his book.
   
   Page eleven shows the first airline poster, the 1914 St Petersburg to Tampa route, in a tiny Benoist flying boat, that amazingly only carried one passenger. The venture lasted three months. Of the 170 posters shown there's plenty of choice to nominate your favorites, I like the ones that feature cut-aways of the aircraft and also the beautiful stylised airbrush rendering of New York that TWA used for their Transcontinental Boeing 307 poster from 1940, on page fifty-eight.
   
   Presented in a book these posters create their own interest but I don't think many of them would have won any design awards. The typography and graphics, mostly paintings, just reflect what the airlines marketing department wanted. However ignore the type and look at the artwork and you'll see some wonderful illustrations from Cassandre, Jean Carlu, McKnight Kauffer, David Klein and Stan Galli and one from ace cartoonist Jack Davis, for Icelandic Air.
   
   This is a large size all-color book but I was disappointed by the bland presentation, all the posters are butted into a light grey top-to-bottom panel on each page and even more annoying, on many pages, someone had the silly idea of adding small black and white photos of the planes that appear in the posters. This addition makes the depth of many posters smaller than they need be and the little photo, frequently showing plenty of detail, is just wasted. Fortunately this design treatment does not apply to every page.
   
   If you are interested in the graphics of the airline business have a look at the beautifully designed 'En Route' by Lynn Johnson and Michael O'Leary, this concentrates on airline luggage label art and shows some super examples from airlines featured in 'The Art of the Airways'.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

4 comments about Tim Biskup's 100 Paintings.

1. Great book displaying 100 miniature paintings by Tim Biskup. Also has a nice short introduction telling the history of the project and what inspired him to do it.



2. An inspiration, the only problem being that 100 is far too small a number. So here I am waiting for the 500



3. Here's a little gem for you. It's on my bedside table just in case I'd feel grumpy or can't get out of bed again. Within seconds Tim Biskup has me in a world of beautiful colours, frisky little birds and happy monsters. The 1:1 scaled pictures are so powerfull, they'll bring me right into Tim's mind. What a trip! Enjoy it everytime I look in it, Mr. Biskup makes this world a better place and his paintings make me jump out of bed with a big smile! Goodmorning! Time for breakfast!!!



4. You've got to be kidding that this book sells for as little as it does. No doubt the diminutive size of each reproduction figures into the low price, but the quality is first rate throughout. Tim's imaginative renderings (at actual size in the reproduction) are bright and crisp and colorful and energetic and...and..and.... If your house, like mine, is filled with coffee table art books, this bite size morsel is just perfect to fill in the little crack left in a wall of books. Not only do you get spectacular images, Tim has included information in the back about when and where each picture was shown. Each image is placed on a black matte background which launches the image toward you. The binding in the book is first rate and will last well into the future when it becomes that hard to find collectors' item in 3004. And if you're reading this review you know you don't even have to get up and go out the door to get it, so get it!

3 comments about Left-Handed Calligraphy.

1. Left handed calligraphy? Not too much instruction for lefties in here. Just basic calligraphy so far. It was so boring, I just quit reading it. I want someone to write a book giving EXACT instructions for lefties who write with a hook, and it is only mentioned one time in most calligraphy books. Guess I should train my right hand to write....



2. Good book, with direct info; good length with short and sweet approach. Long enough for a good read.



3. I didn't buy this book to become an impressive calligrapher. I bought the book because I was seeking help in my penmanship with only a casual interest in calligraphy and, as a lefty, this book looked promising. I was not disappointed. A major strength of the book is that it doesn't patronize us lefties, and could easily be modified for right-handed writers. The author doesn't explain how to cope as a lefty, but presents the full topic as though all writers were left-handed. This focused approach makes the book invaluable to the left-handed writer who wants a meaningful book on calligraphy, and not just a supplement to a book for right-handed writers. The book also presents history of calligraphy and other supportive background information. Overall, a nice reference and the size, at 64 pages, is perfect for my needs. A person seeking professional status may need much much more, but this is a great introductory and basic text.

1 comments about Design Now!.

1. é um tesão de livro... perfect! sem comentarios pra quem quer uma boa referência de design essa é a pedida!