No comments about How to Have Style.

5 comments about Color Design Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Color in Graphic Design.

1. I own dozens of graphic design books and the Color Design Workbook is one of the most useful books I own. I highly recommend it. It not only breaks down the theory of color and how it applies to design, it also gives examples of how color has hindered or helped in real world design projects. The page design is also fabulous...glossy pages with interesting design, yet readable information. Using color incorrectly is one of the most common blunders in graphic design so understanding it is crucial. Note: This book discusses color theory and relationships, not color management. A good color management book is: Practical Color Management: Eddie Tapp on Digital Photography (Eddie Tapp on Digital Photogra)
   
   This book is part of a TERRIFIC series of graphic design books by Rockport. (The series also visually looks great together since the publishers shrewdly designed all the bindings to match and line up together on the shelf.)
   So far there are only 5 (including the Color Design Workbook), but hopefully they will add more books to the very useful series:
   Logo Design Workbook: A Hands-On Guide to Creating Logos
   
   Typography Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Type in Graphic Design
   
   Publication Design Workbook
   
   Layout Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Building Pages in Graphic Design



2. I found this book to be extremely helpful in understanding colours and their relationship with design. It's easy to read and has some great examples.



3. Has lots of ideas for color use. Loved the section on the cultural meanings of color. So many interesting things to consider. Has some basic color theory, how to convey your message with color, etc. Very helpful for the graphic designer or visual artist.



4. This book was a good basic book on color. I feel that there are better books out there that go more into color theory and I'm in the process of looking for those. Overall this book is great for beginning graphic design professionals.



5. I bought this book expecting to find guidance on how colors work and how to use them. The book provides this, but not in the way I expected.
   
   If you are looking for:
   - A deep discussion of color theory with specific examples of what works and what does not or
   - Insights from industry about how the choice of colors can affect production costs, choice of material, etc or
   - Information about tools that can help with color selection, matching or proofing,
   DON'T buy this book.
   
   This book is about color palettes only and its approach is to give you lots of examples from the real world, from which *you* must build your own understanding of color. As a survey of the use of color by many well-known designers for clients of all kinds, this book excels. The most valuable parts are not the examples themselves, but the text accompanying them where the designers outline the reasons for their choices. All this is perhaps clear from the title, but I didn't think so.
   
   A severe shortcoming of this book is it provides no examples where a choice of colors failed--for whatever reason.
   
   Since readers have consistently criticized Rockport's use of the word "Workbook" for books in this series, let me suggest a way of looking at it that justifies it. The way I used this book was to go through an example, look at every line, fill, shading or photograph and use the color palette in several ways in some designs I cooked up-- constantly experimenting--until I felt I understood how those colors interacted and changed their overall feel. That's the workbook aspect that totally worked for me so I have no problems with this book being called a "Workbook".
   
   If you regularly read graphic design sites/blogs, you won't find anything new in this book. But if you are starting on the path to understanding color in graphic design, this is a great resource.

5 comments about American Fashion.

1. All the glamour.
   Great photography.
   Great shots.
   Rich.
   Beautiful colors.
   Stars!
   The whole nine yards!
   I love it!!!



2. American Fashion....finally a fashion book based on American fashion trends and beauty. This book really illustrates the ever changing trends of the past beautifully. I encourage anyone who is in love with reading about fashion to get this book. It is a great add to your fashion library collection.



3. If fashion is your addiction, meet your quick fix. This book is beautiful, accessible and comprehensive. For all students, followers, trend-setters of fashion design and style, it would make a wonderful addition to your library.
   It must be stated that the book is more a look into American fashion designers, from the end of the 1920's to 2007, than American fashion itself. After all, the book is published by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The best way to analogize how this fact affects the book is to compare it to a history of American Cinema, published by the American Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscar-awarding organization.) This absolutely colors, biases and focuses the approach the book follows into what is by definition a vast subject. Throughout, it places the designer as the determining and dictating factor of style within the culture. Whether it makes a good argument for this is up to you to decide... Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that this helps keep the book focused, yet detailed.
   The photography included in the book is exquisite and sharp. Especially true of the mid-century photography, it far exceeds the quality of that available in vintage fashion magazines.
   Whether you are a novice/hobbyist or an established member of the industry, this is a delightful, insightful and thorough look at the subject. Even if its true title should be "American Fashion Designers: An Illustrated History."



4. This is a beautiful book, with stunning pictures and the text no doubt forms an authoritative picture of the evolution of American fashion from the 30's to the present. I was disappointed, however, that there weren't more "nostalgia" pictures, for lack of a better term. Everything was so artistic that there weren't the pictures of, say, Cybill Shepard in classic 60's mod taken from Glamour, that I would have liked to see and that would have made things more accessible. This is more a book for fashion professionals or students than the casual reader which still makes it an excellent buy and great book, but just not for me.



5. What a lush, lovely, can't help-looking-at volume! If you like fashion, you'll find something to oooh and ahhh over on all 318 pages of this coffee table gem, an opulent history of fashion in America.
   
   We begin with 1930s Hollywood and New York at a time when there was much to celebrate - the end of Prohibition. Nylon stockings were first introduced, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who supported the fashions of the times, was First Lady.
   
   Moving ahead to the 1940s our country is at war, and Rosie the Riveter is the iconic image of American womanhood, while 1946 Paris saw the first modern style bikini. The 1950s were a showcase of opposite modes from Audrey Hepburn with her model figure and dancer's grace to the eye-popping Marilyn Monroe, both influenced what women wore.
   
   TV's Charlie's Angels set the standard for glamour in 1976, and Diane Keaton gave us Annie Hall complete with trousers, tie, and vest. Donna Karan introduced her first women's collection in 1985; about the same time that one more bombshell made a sometimes outrageous fashion statement of her own - Madonna, of course.
   
   Enriched with some 250 illustrations American Fashion reminds us of the truly glamorous and the unparalleled debonair - a young Katharine Hepburn in a black Hawes gown posed for Harper's Bazaar, the unforgettable Marlene Dietrich smolders in a black velvet coat embroidered with white. And, of course, even now Fred Astaire remains the epitome of the well-dressed American man.
   
   This volume celebrates the work of over 100 American designers with photographs and illustrations by the finest artists of our century. Our country is a proud melange of colors and ideas as is our fashion.
   
   Enjoy!
   
   - Gail Cooke

No comments about Valentino: Themes and Variations.

4 comments about The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: A Facsimile in Full Color.

1. This is a book I needed for a college Humanities class. Amazon and the book sellers on this site are GREAT resources for school books! The service is always so quick, you have the options for paperback editions which are way easier to carry around, and the prices are unbeatable. Thank you for offering so many options and for great pricing and service.



2. The transaction was great. Everything was as it was supposed to be.



3. One of Blake's fantastic works, with all of the artwork right there with it. This is the first copy of a William Blake book I ever owned and I still love it to death, as small as it is, and read it again and again.



4. It's great to read Blake is his own typeset. And the book is essential Blake.

5 comments about 1,000 Greetings: Creative Correspondence Designed for All Occasions (1000 Series).

1. Whether you are a seasoned design professional or an aspiring beginner, this book will challenge and encourage you forward.
   Excellent idea starter. So many creative ideas that I have spent more than 25 hours reaping concepts from it's pages.
   Worth many times more than it's price.



2. I first saw this book at a local bookstore. Being a Graphic Design Student I've been struggling to find a decent collection of well designed promotions, to give me some inspiration. It figures that I finally discovered it the last semester of my senior year... but you know, I think that this will still be much used. This is by far one of the best design book I have seen. Typography is used in ways I never thought could be done before. Basically, it's teaching me things I've never learned in my schooling. What fascinates me most, is the way papers, text, and color come together. So, for all you Graphic Art/Design Students, or even if you are an artist of any sort and you start feeling the need for inspiration. Just open up this book, and an explosion of new ideas will fill your head. Make sure you have a sketchbook handy... :)



3. I have a lot of problems with this book.
   
   The first being that while the designs are split into categories such as "brand identity", "invitations" and "self branding" (among others) the individual pieces have virtually no information given on their purpose or use. It would be very helpful to know standard information like the target audience or main goals attributed to the selected works shown. It isn't enough to simply lump sum all this work into a category and offer no explanation on demographics or psychographics. A directory at the end of the book lists who designed the work, but that's really all you get.
   
   The second thing that irked me is that the pictures are very small. Each page may have half a dozen or more pieces shown but no detail shots of any. This further adds to my first complaint. The viewer can't even deduce for themselves what most of the work was intended for since the images are so small. Some of the photography is very lovely and truly works to show off the best qualities of the selected pieces but without detailed shots or full page displays the viewer is left unsatisfied.
   
   While all the designs shown are very good, many are based off of common ideas. Lots of Pseudo-Asian, lots of decomposed and grunge. While they're attractive, they're not particularly inspiring.
   
   Over all I think this book would do more good in the hands of a craft minded individual and not a designer. I can see many of the invitations lending themselves well to home projects and offering some inspiration for personal correspondence stationery.
   
   An acceptable coffee table book, but not a design tool.



4. Love this book. It's jam-packed with inspirational greetings that can be applied to all types of graphic design projects. I plan on buying their other 1000 series in the near future.



5. I bought this book and used it everyday until I lost it. I felt completely off base without it for several months until I couldn't take it anymore and purchased it AGAIN! I absolutely love 1000 greetings and recommend it to everyone.

5 comments about Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers, 2nd Edition.

1. I have a copy of the first edition of this book and am still mesmerized by it. When it first came out, everyone I knew at design school who bought it felt like the information and techniques had given them an out-of-body-experience and it quickly became THE book to own, learn from, and emulate. Anyone who buys this book and applies the material and techniques will become better at drawing, rendering, and creative presentation methods...it is a sure-fire way to achieve "star power" in your office and in front of your clients!



2. great book! Out of the dozens of hand rendering guides I looked at, this was by far the best and the easiest to learn from. It tells you what pencils, markers, and tools to buy to achieve certain effects, and gives you step-by-step rendering instructions for tons of different types of materials and lighting situations. I highly recommend this- in fact, it should be mandatory for interior design students!



3. It's really hard to say too many things about this book. Even older editions of Color Drawing are great, but this newest one goes above and beyond the call of duty. In an age when a lot of books get re-released as new editions with few substantive changes, Color Drawing breaks the mold by updating the techniques with current technology (i.e. Photoshop). It's great to see that the author and publisher realize that pure hand-drawing and rendering is quickly becoming a thing of the past and that the practitioners of today and tomorrow need to have excellent computer skills too. This book is full of very useful tips for combining Photoshop with hand drawings to create great effects. So even if you have an earlier edition, do yourself a favor and buy the new one anyway because you will learn a lot.



4. This is an excellent resouce for the study of rendering. After detailing the elements of color and design, it describes, step-by-step, how to achieve many finishes both interior and exterior. It is both instructive and informative.



5. This is the standard for rendering in architecture and interior design as far as I am concerned. It will most definitely become a required textbook for my classes in visual presentation in the years to come. Doyle takes you step-by-step into the process of rendering with marker, color pencil, and pastels. But he doesn't just spoon feed you the recipe for each material rendering, he presents the basis for a process that allows you to render virtually any material not found in the book.

5 comments about The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever.

1. I loved this book! I am not a fashionista or big business person by any stretch of the imagination, but Teri Agins's look at the evolution of the fashion business is a true page-turner. I couldn't stop reading. This is not your typical business book written just for industry insiders.
   
   It used to be that it was the fashion designers who dictated what women should wear, but now the tables have turned, and designers look to the public/street for inspiration. Fashion is no longer so much an art form as it is a big business, and Agins's book really delves into how this came about via clever and creative marketing. She also looks at the mass-marketing of fashion, which in and of itself, is fascinating. It's clear that the author has done her homework. A great book about a fascinating industry.



2. Anyone interested in fashion must read this book. It is a quick read and super entertaining. I now look at luxury goods in a whole new light.



3. I had high expectations that the book failed to meet. The beginning chapter is great, explaining the "end of fashion" - clearly organized and interesting. However, much of the rest of the book was a poorly organized slow read. It starts with some history of the "old" French labels, then it goes all over the place, in chapters devoted to individual designers or pairs of designers. There is little rhyme or reason in those chapters, and everything seems to happen from the late 1960's until the late 90's, so much of it is contemporaneous and it is hard to see what point the author is making about the evolution of fashion. The worst part of the book, however, is that it is dated - it talks of labels that nobody cares about, or about movie stars and events that were relevant in the 80's up to mid 90's - the early Clinton days are as hip as it gets.
   
   Overall, if you are interested either in the design aspects of fashion, or the business side, you are better off trying to find better reading somewhere else.



4. Very interesting, business minded look at the fashion industry and the struggle between the creative and the profitable. Written in a straight forward, non-fluffy manner.



5. Wonderful book. This book has given me loads of useful information about the fashion industry. I use information from it in nearly every job interview I've been to.

5 comments about The Dore Illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy.

1. Book arrived in promised condition, and in a timely fashion. I would buy from this seller again.



2. This guy is pretty much in the same league as Jack Kirby. Whereas Kirby's all soft lines and images pancaked on the page, Dore looks like he's carving his cartoons into a tree. And all these scary demons and things look tired, like they've been running marathons all day. The victims kind of look like they're enjoying it, so I guess if you're into S&M, I could recommend it. Me, I prefer "Spawn" by Todd McFarlane. The Violator? Now that's a monster you can sink your eyeballs into. And I know it's like super-uber hip, but I don't know why these illustrators feel they are so special when they work exclusively in shades of black. Like my momma used to say, "A little rouge really accents the cheekbones."



3. The quality of this book - along with an amazingly affordable price tag - quickly persuaded me to pick up a copy. Its really everything you could ask for in an art book;
   
   The pictures are all very big, but not overwhelming; Its easy to see minute detail, and the overall scope of the image. I actually blew up some of the prints in photoshop and printed them on huge poster paper for my room, while not sacrificing a drop of detail.
   
   Also, I had to put quite a good deal of pressure onto the spine of the book in order to get a good scan from them, and im happy to say that doing so didn't even leave an annoying "bookmark" crease in the book, and the spine didn't even crease. Dover books really did produce a fine quality book, and the note on the back really is true: This book IS permanent.
   
   If you have read or are reading the divine comedy this book is a great reference to glance at every now and again to truly suck you into Dante's epic poem, and bring you to the Heights of Heaven, The Depths of Hell, or the pain of purgatory in a way you could never have imagened.
   
   The woodcuts done here by dore are so elaborate and vivid you could spend a good portion of a day just gazing into the faces of cursed souls writhing in hell, or the beauty of millions of angels soaring in the highest heaven. Dore illustrates every picture so full of movement and depth its the next best thing to a movie.



4. I have looked at a variety of Dante artists. Some well known and some are not. Suloni Robertson, John Flaxman, Willam Blake, Sandro Botticelli, Sandow Birk, Herb Roe. Do a google search to look at the works of some of these like Sandow Birk. There are some that are more obscure which in a way documents the Comedy, more specifically the Inferno. I'm not going to say who I don't like but Dore is the best. I am rather specific about artists. Dore makes the grade. He is good, really good and when you look at this book, you feel like you are in the terrible depths of hell. I like purgatorio too. I feel the religious prayer songs in my head as I see Beatrice's entrance. There is so much symbolism in these pictures, especially in Paradiso. Though I do disagree with the depiction of Muhammad in hell, the rest is fantastic. I mean that he looks more like he's British then Middle Eastern. I imagine him with blonde hair in the plate. The tortured look on Dante's face in the plate with Betrand de Born, (The cover pic) is extraordinary. I felt how he felt. That is why Dore is so good. I had also hoped for more detail with Ugolino because his story is fantastically horrifying.
   
   The book is a must for any Dante fan. I look at it a lot, even if I have seen the pictures hundreds of times. I really don't think that you can get bored with this. There is always something new to look at. Some detail you looked over. Buy this book because the scans online don't give the justice that this book has. Buy it, look it over, get inspired by it. Maybe we will see your work on Amazon in the near future.



5. The Illustrations from the 1st canto in the Inferno to the last of Paradiso are great because they help as a visual aid when reading the Divina Commedia. One can really see how and in which ways Dore, when he design the illustrations, followed the text very closely.

5 comments about Exploring Color: How to Use and Control Color in Your Painting.

1. Nita Leland has a wonderful way of inspiring her readers and making them feel more comfortable with color and paint. Doing the exercises in the book are an essential part of the experience and should not be skipped.



2. Before reading this book I'd had an attitude about 'color theory' and such - or at least the teaching of it. Anything I read was either imperious and demanding or so complicated that I'd be lost in the first chapter.
   
   But this book doesn't order you to do things a certain way. It explains what results you will get doing this and what results you'll get doing that. There is no highbrow judgment here about the only "correct" way to do anything. It is clearly written, with lots of pics and examples, and is completely accessible. What a breath of fresh air!
   
   The book begins with a little bit of the history of color in paintings and the physics of color mixing. She doesn't bog down the book with it though. She gives just enough information to put the use of color in painting into context and as a starting point if one wants to do further research.
   
   Then comes the more detailed information. This starts out simply and builds with each chapter. She explains why things happen in color combining and mixing and how to get the desired results. Color in painting is a detailed and complex subject, but, while she encourages you to learn it all, she is never demeaning or rigid that one has to know all this front and back before painting. She explains why knowing all this will help and improve your painting.
   
   In other words she makes me *want* to learn all this rather than making me feel like I *have* to learn it.
   
   One thing to note is the she uses watercolor in her examples and exercises so some adjustment may be necessary for oils.
   
   There are also lots of things to practice in the book. She has exercises for everything she teaches. So when you're done you will have a tremendous visual reference library. I have lots of art books but this one will stay OFF the shelf and easily accessible. The use of color isn't something that can be learned overnight, so do yourself a favor: get this book.



3. One of the first books I've looked at that explains color in non technical terms. It has examples of how to use these colors in your paintings. There are several step by step instructions on using different color combinations as well as many exercises for you to do on your own. There's a companion coloring book which is helpful but not necessary. An outstanding book for beginners wanting to know more about color theory. The author has a web site and is very helpful in answering any questions.



4. This book is everything I hoped it would be. I am a novice painter, working in acrylics, and wanted some basic info on color theory. This is it. The information is comprehensive yet easy to understand with exercises for the reader to do in any medium. I was so impressed that I bought her Exploring Color Workbook to go with it. This is highly recommended for the artist wanting to expand her color theory expertise.



5. I bought this based on other reviews about it. I don't know doodley about color and have always gone on gut instinct...and I've painted over a lot of ruined canvas and wasted a lot of paint.
   This is an excellent little book with a lot of exercises to make it all quite clear. Every page teaches me something - I have so far had quite a few "AHA" moments. I am beginning to understand why sometimes a color works and sometimes it is just a little off...
   I recommend this for everyone. Thank you Nita Leland.