2 comments about All-American Ads 60s (Icons Series).

1. Nostalgia is a part of the human experience, yet the reality is that the "good old days" never really were exactly what they are remembered to be. This book contains a simple look back at some of the classic print advertisements of the 1960's. Most of the ads represent alcohol and tobacco, cars, furniture, travel and leisure. Very few illustrate items such as diapers, food, everyday clothing or other basic consumer products.
   While most of the ads are from the early sixties, representing a more sedate and predictable time, there are a few that demonstrate the growing counterculture movement of the late sixties. They are generally confined to ads for records and movies, which makes sense. There is nothing of great social importance in this book, although it does give a series of snapshots into how the advertising industry tried to present the world to the consumer market of the times.



2. I'm a big fan of Taschen's hefty All-American Ads "Midi" series, so I ordered both the "Golden Age of Advertising" and "Icons" editions of 60's ads... unfortunately, I didn't conduct any research beyond Amazon's non-description of these two books, and I was disappointed to discover that they basically contain the same ads, albeit in abbreviated forms. The "Midi" book, a nearly unwieldy behemoth that retails for about $40, is the most comprehensive of the three, and perhaps the best choice for consumer culture enthusiasts-- spending twenty or thirty minutes browsing through its pages can be a somewhat dizzying affair. The "Golden Age of Advertising" edition is much more affordable, features the best and funniest of the ads, and is hardback, making it perhaps the best choice for the majority of buyers. The "Icons" edition, however, is sadly skimpy and (though the cheapest) clearly the inferior option of the three. However, the continual availability of all three editions is unlikely, and if the time comes that the "Icons" edition is the last available specimen, I would still recommend it to anyone with an interest in 60's material culture.

No comments about Historic Textile Designs CD-ROM and Book (Full-Color Electronic Design Series).

2 comments about Skeletons (Agile Rabbit Editions).

1. From each of the Agile Rabbit books, you can use up to 10 images (for free) in a single application (do you really need 10 stock images in a postcard Amy?) before having to consult with them and, since the advent of e-mail, communication with the graphically inclined computer user in Amsterdam is of no problem. It's really not all that different from let's say. . . the End-User License Agreement for stock photos from a stock house or the very fonts you purchased from a private foundry. Before panicking, perhaps she should read the entire EULA from Peppin Press?
   
   In any event, this collection is by far one of the best they've released. The details are amazing and you won't find illustrations like this in many places, not even Dover. I can think of only a handful of illustrators who would do this sort of work and they're taxidermists in hobby. Absolutely beautiful.
   
   PS: http://www.pepinpress.com/pages/policy
   That link has been active since the first book of theirs I bought in 2005 - Graphic Ornaments. Usually EULAs are listed under image rights rather than per book.



2. Fellow Designers: Pepin Press has published many beautiful books, but before you buy them, just be aware of what you're getting-
   Even after you buy the book and the CD, you cannot use the images without permission!
   I thought it was like Dover Publications, where you buy the book and/or CD and can actually use the images w/out further contact w/the publisher. If you want to print an image from this collection, say, on a postcard as they suggest that you can, you have to appeal to the publisher in Amsterdam & wait for a response. (Not convenient, even assuming they grant your request.)
   
   The description, (pasted below) is a bit misleading, and these conditions are NOT posted on their website (as of today). It is stated in the introduction, which you don't have until you've already purchased the book.
   
   "This book contains stunning images for use as a graphic resource, or inspiration.
   All the illustrations are stored in high-resolution format on the enclosed free CD-ROM and are ready to use for professional quality printed media and web page design. The pictures can also be used to produce postcards, or to decorate your letters, flyers, etc. They can be imported directly from the CD into most design, image- manipulation, illustration, word-processing and e-mail programs; no installation is required. For most applications, single images can be used free of charge. Please consult the introduction to this book, or visit our website for conditions."

1 comments about The Art of Chinese Calligraphy: Deluxe Edition.

1. these words on the cover of the book were written so badly. I seriously doubt that how much the author and editor understand anything about Chinese calligraphy by using such horrible writing as the book cover! There are so many books out there about Chinese culture written and published by people who know very little about the depth of Chinese culture. It's misleading for those who truly want to learn more about the beauty of Chinese culture. And it's a crime to see books like this actually published!

1 comments about Remaining Flowers.

1. I've known about Daniel Ost for some time, but this is the first book I've purchased and hopefully not the last.

1 comments about Tibet Style.

1. A delightful photo essay recording the innate sense of style in the way the beautiful Tibetan people have dressed themselves for centuries. The combinations and compositions of textiles, color, animal skins , embellishments and ornamentation is nothing less than spectacular...considering they had no access to any parisian couture salon. Often with many cases of tribal dressing, there is more function than pure design at work, but despite, the aesthetic is stunningly raw, yet eye catchingly oppulent. And their natural rugged, even harsh, environment only enhances the glorious, majestic glamour of their native clothing.

3 comments about Traditional Chinese Designs (Dover Design Library).

1. It was just what I expected. It is a thin booklet (8 1/2 x 11) with a lot of chinese patterns in it. I wanted to scrapbook my pictures from our trips to China. The booklet is entirely done in black and white. I suppose it depends on what you want to use it for, but I am very happy with it.



2. a good basic mongage of Chinese designs, but they are pretty limited, and mostly standard. they seem almost 'clip art'. my advice would be to study Chinese art history, learn the motifs and themes, and the way they presented things, and then create your own. but for the quick and dirty approach, this book isn't bad.



3. Desing is always good coponent in certain culture. this book provide you wonderful materials to get to know thedesign which just belong to CHina.

5 comments about The Pin-up Art of Dan DeCarlo.

1. Having always been a fan of Betty and Veronica (I'm more of a Veronica type myself), I was happily surprised to see the release of this book. Mr. DeCarlo's art is a great romp through thrugh the golden age of comic pin ups. It's a treasure for anyone who appreciates erotica with a sense of fun and for those of us who in our younger days wished that the Archie Comics girls were just a little more scandalous!



2. Dan DeCarlo is considered by many comics fans to be the quintessential Archie artist -- and considered by all comics fans to be the best delineator of Archie's rival girlfriends, Betty and Veronica. DeCarlo, who died in 2001, also had a prolific career as a pin-up artist for humor magazines, and this little tome collects some of his best work from the late 50s and early 60s. DeCarlo had a knack for making his women appear funny and sexy at the same time. While most of the gags aren't much, the girls are simply TOO much. There's some (relatively tasteful) nudity here, but most gags involve skimpy clothing and lingerie, so I'd rate this between a PG-13 and a "soft" R.



3. The Pin-Up Art of Dan DeCarlo is an absolutely gorgeous collection of work from 1956 through 1963, when the cartoonist was at the peak of his powers.
   
   For those who came late, Dan DeCarlo got his cartooning start working at Timely (later Marvel) Comics drawing such fare as Millie the Model and Sherry the Showgirl for Stan Lee. From the late 50s into the 90's, DeCarlo was the quintessential Archie artist, best known for his work on the daily Archie comic strip and his definitive depictions of the yin and yang of Riverdale sexuality, Betty and Veronica. Millions of adolescent boys felt peculiar stirrings while reading about the exploits of the wealthy brunette and the wholesome blonde (particularly while engaging in their titular Summer Fun... no pun intended).
   
   The discovery years later that DeCarlo was moonlighting as a girlie cartoonist for the Humorama line of men's magazines was, for some fanboys, the sociological equivalent of the discovery of the early nude photos of Madonna or Vanessa Williams. As sexy as Betty and Veronica were, they were chaste (to Archie's eternal frustration). The women DeCarlo drew for Zip, Joker and Laugh Riot were not innocent. And they were often naked.
   
   While DeCarlo's drawings of men came in all shapes and sizes, critics charge that all of his women looked exactly alike, with the same rounded face, turned-up nose and hourglass figure; That the only differing feature was the hairstyle. It's a valid point, but in the end it doesn't matter. It's like criticizing the Ramones for recording the same song over and over. Yeah, they did. And better than anyone else.
   
   DeCarlo's art was pure cartooning, clean and distinctive, with a masterful line and a sense of design that rivalled anyone's. He drew clothes better than almost any cartoonist this side of Hank Ketcham (not that there's a lot of sartorial evidence in this book) and his comedic timing was exemplary.
   
   The Pin-Up Art of Dan DeCarlo (compiled by Alex Chun and Jacob Lovey) is beautifully printed in a black and orange two toned scheme, mostly full page cartoons with some devoted to detail from the art. There are a few problems. An out of place pin-up drawn by DeCarlo in 2000 awkwardly stretches across two pages near the end of the book, none of the cartoons are dated or annotated and the text for the gags has been redone, but those are minor complaints (the absolutely hideous sliced lettering used for the title of the book is unforgiveable, however). This book is indispensible for anyone who loves pin-up art, beautiful cartooning.... or ever wanted to see Betty and Veronica naked.
   
   Not that I ever thought about that.



4. I had heard of Dan DeCarlo from the older Archie Comics and was surprised to see that he had done more provocative works in other magazines. His art style was the basis for the female characters in Archie's gang, and has been imitated many times since. There are a LOT of his older single-panel gags from several adult magazines. If you like nice artwork and nicely-drawn woman, it's a must have!



5. I just love this stuff. For every time our parents claim how properly they were brought up, there is a cartoon in this book that reminds me that they were every bit as bawdy as we are today. They just had better taste about it. This book starts with a history that isn't all that much to read and then single panel cartoons each page. The art is what it is and the jokes are the ones we've been retelling for years so it must be good stuff.

2 comments about The Solid Form Of Language: An Essay On Writing And Meaning.

1. The Solid Form of Language, helps me to know about how connected is the way we write with the way we think. How connected are the social, religious and political issues with the graphic way of our language. Typography is not only the visible form of our words, but the way "someone" decided how we have to articulate the sound of our thoughts and desires.
   It is an excellent research of the history of the graphic form of language of almost the entire world.
   I think every type-educator, type researcher or type fan has to read it.



2. Typographically beautiful, lovely letterpress wrapper, Robert Bringhurst fans will definitely want to acquire this underpriced gem. Also highly recommended for fans of poetry, language and languages/linguistics.

4 comments about The Art of Brian Bolland.

1. For those of us who are self-taught artists and look to the work of other artists for inspiration and guidance, Brian Bolland's work is, in a word, intimidating. One of the deans of comic book artists working today, Bolland's clear, clear, virtuoso style is one of the most recognizable on the comics page, and looking at his work - deceptively simple - you can't help but ask yourself "How did he do that?" The Art of Brian Bolland showcases Bolland's work and will no doubt have you asking the same question.
   
   Published by Image Comics - which has produced a number of excellent "art of..." books over the past few years - The Art of Brian Bolland is a retrospective of Bolland's career thus far, starting with his childhood drawings and continuing to the present day. There is a lot of text in this book discussing Bolland's career but, unlike so many "art of..." books, Bolland himself actually wrote the text, and he is amazingly honest and quite droll in his writing.
   
   While this book is certainly on the expensive side, it is well worth it - at more than 360 pages, it seems to stretch on forever (in a good way) and showcases just how talented Bolland truly is. A good number of the pieces center on his Judge Dredd and DC Comics (largely Wonder Woman) work; also, most of the work pictured is in black and white. The book itself is exceptionally well-produced: sturdy and hefty, it is printed on nice, glossy paper and all of the images are reproduced with exceptional clarity. Any fan of Bolland or of comic book art in general, should pick this book up. Highly recommended.



2. I'm a bit biased here, being a longtime fan of Brian Bolland's work, but I loved this book. I've bought a few of these types of books and it's ususally a collection of artwork, but this book gets a bit personal with great interviews, family pictures and funny stories. You really get a sense of the man and his development as an artist throught the years.
   
   Highly recommended.



3. This is easily my favorite art/illustration book of the last several years! Bolland is an outstanding illustrator and this thick hardcover book offers a very comprehensive look at his work over the course of his career, from obscure early art in UK underground comics to the beautiful covers he is doing these days for DC/Vertigo. The quality of the paper, binding and reproduction is top notch - a must for any serious fan of Bolland, modern comic art, or quality illustration generally!



4. Very enjoyable ramble through all of his work, with lots of rambling thoughts and background thrown in. Gorgeous reproductions of some of my favourite images. Well worth the money!