5 comments about Official Adobe Print Publishing Guide, Second Edition: The Essential Resource for Design, Production, and Prepress.

1. Great resource for designers who deal with the print aspect of thier projects. Good material to read through and very helpful.



2. This book wasn't what I'd expected from the reviews. It is largely a reference guide and less of a learning resource. Definitions are presented clearly, but then the application of things wasn't fully explained. For someone new to print publishing, this isn't a 'how-to' guide. It's more of a reference material and to discover new things about print publishing you may not have known about. I would recommend this tentatively to anyone who wants to bulk up their reference library on print publishing, but wouldn't recommend it to a absolute beginner wanting to know more about print publishing.



3. Great in detail book for Graphic Communications I used it in one of my classes. Learned a great deal in it. Thanks



4. The reality is that lots of graphic designers don't have formal design training, which can result in a problematic lack of production and printing knowledge. This book is easy to read (in a day), thoughtfully illustratrated, and covers the most important productino and printing issues that a designer should be aware of.
   
   The book is really good about inustructing the designer on what they should know and then giving the reader a list of questions/issues to discuss with their printer when the matter is outside the domain of the designer. Great stuff!



5. I know a teeny tiny bit of print. Spot colours - hmm I did know that one, but since I don't do much print (or haven't til this year) I was always at a loss when it came ready for the printer. This book is an essential guide for the non print designer.
   
   Terms, project proofing, even what a colour bar is (you know that strip of colour on the prepress and press proofs?) - it's all covered. There is a world of difference between making something for screen and print. If you have ever had someone ask to have a business card made, or a more complex print piece, and you usually export a 300 dpi TIFF and hope for the best this book helps take you further. Every introductory design course, not just a print course, should be covering this book to ensure that designers are well versed in all the verbage, processes and production issues that print demands.
   
   A great chapter in this book covers project management which most will not think of to be in a book like this. The added value of having this chapter allows one who is not familiar with print to understand ones responsibilities to the client, the printer and themselves. Do not waste time creating something the client may love and the printer will not deliver - at your quoted budget anyway. It all intertwines and knowing what questions to ask is the key to a better project. And don't forget that File Checkoff List.

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.

No comments about Looking Closer 5: Critical Writings on Graphic Design.

5 comments about Notes on Graphic Design and Visual Communication.

1. This was a required book for college Art Class. Quite surprised to find that it is a very thin book and is in photocopied handwriting! Item did arrive on time & good condition hopefully it will serve well for this class.



2. The only reason I gave this a four out of five stars is because the author wrote in all caps which is incredibly hard to read page after page. It also goes against the graphic design rule of not writing in all caps unless it's a short headline. Other than that, this book is great for all levels of designers. For beginners it tells all the principles and walks through how to go about projects. For intermediate and advanced it's good to have by your computer to refresh yourself every now and then on the principles of good design. Great book... would recommend to anyone in the design field.



3. This book is a great reference and reminder of the basic elements that make graphic design and visual communication effective! Every student in any graphic design program should buy this book!
   Gregg Berryman knows what he is writing about!



4. I got this book during my junior year in high school for an intro to graphic design class...and still refer to it every so often. I would recommend it for any graphic designer, especially students, as it has a wealth of knowledge-from basic design principles to the grid, typogrpahy, etc.- contained in it's small amount of pages.
   A must have for any graphic designer!



5. Notes on Graphic Design and Visual Communication is the most essential graphic design book written. Despite being very thin in quantity of pages, this book holds an enormous amount of graphic knowledge. I am currently studying Industrial Design and was refered to this book by a professor to help me with my graphic design knowledge. It opened the world of graphics up to me in an easy to read, fun package. The only complaint I`ve heard of this book is the font used for text. This book has a hand written font which can sometimes be hard to read. I have had no problems with the font however.

5 comments about Costume and Fashion: A Concise History (World of Art).

1. Using only primary resources (paintings, statues, etc. from the periods being shown), this book is both concise and trustworthy. Unlike other books that try to cover an expansive period of time in Western costume, this one never uses original or after the fact illustrations, which can be misleading and/or inaccurate. The only downside is that there are only a few samples from each period, so the reader doesn't get as broad a sense of the time as one might hope. Still, if the idea is to get a broad understanding, the text with the pictures combine to make a decent starting point for Western fashion from Ancient times to the 1990's.



2. This book is aptly titled. It gives just a little bit about everything from ancient Egyptian styles to fashion in the 1990s. Those of you looking for photos and descriptions with great attention to detail should look elsewhere, but those of you looking for just an overview of fashion, this would be a good introduction.

   The author discusses the rise and fall of fashion trends through the ages, and how society, industry, and particular people influenced them. The text in this book seems as informative, as it is concise. However, other reviewers seem to think that the author's information about pre-20th century costumes is inconsistent with other sources, but the post-20th century information is consistent with what I have learned from other sources.

   Therefore, I recommend this book with some hesitation. If you want a good overview of fashion history, especially a pictoral history, I would recommend this book. On the other hand, if you are looking to learn more about a particular era, especially ancient costumes, I would recommend choosing a book specifically written about that era.




3. An easy read. Covers from 2900 B.C. to the 1990's with a particular emphasis on the 1800's. James Laver's writing style is wonderful, describing not only the clothing but the historical and social context for each style of dress. The fashions of each period are illustrated by a variety of historical evidence, including statutes, famous works of art, fashion drawings, diaries, cartoons and photographs. The book is not an in-depth study of each period but rather a very brief overview. The last chapter covering from 1940 to the 1990's was writen by Amy de la Haye and is markedly different in writing style. She does not discuss the social and historical context to the extent that Laver does but rather gives an overview of the major designers of each decade and their respective styles. As there is a lot to discuss in the last 50 years of fashion, I wish that this book had dedicated more than 31 pages to modern fashion.



4. This classic by James Laver is a very good introduction to the subject. This is not an exhaustive history of clothing that one should consult for lengthy descriptions, or pinpoint accuracy tied to the latest scholarship. But what this book is (and is wonderfully) is an overview of a very vast subject distilled into one portable volume. The illustrations are excellent and worth the price of the book in themselves. Great amounts of detail are lacking, but the student of costume history can look elsewhere for in depth information in the works of Boucher, Davenport, Ribeiro, and others. This book can provide the basic knowledge one needs to approach the more advanced publications.

   There are discrepencies of terminology in comparison to other texts. This is especially true in his descriptions of Byzantine court costume; Laver uses some Greek terms as opposed to the Latin terms used by most other historians. Laver also has an ethnocentric bias and gives much information from an English point of view. As with Contini's "Fashion: A Social History" and Batterberry's "Fashion: The Mirror of History" (both sadly out of print), Laver's prose and scholarship are a little dated, and he predates political correctness. But the history of clothing is heavily tied to religion and superstitions, public morals and sexuality, gender and social hierarchy. To tell a politcally correct history of clothing is to apply a bias as skewed as the biases it would seek to rectify.

   This is a highly readable and succinct account of its subject and is strongly recommended. Given that the wonderful Contini and Batterberry books are not available, Laver's very accesible text is an excellent introduction for the beginning costume historian.




5. This is a nice *SMALL* (which is important when you are carrying it back and forth to class) book that is FULL of pictures. Don't by this book if you are looking for detailed explanations of the costumes...go to Boucher if you are looking for that... But if you want a good colour pictoral quick reference, this is the one to buy.

   I love it and use it all the time. It is cracked open to the picture of Rubens and Isabella Brant!

5 comments about Designer's Guide to Furniture Styles (2nd Edition).

1. This book is wonderfully educational. It takes you back to the beginning of furniture and walks you through the centuries providing you with the intial inspiration through Modern design. Great pictures too.



2. Based on the reviews of this book I decided to buy it! To my absolute shock, I dont understand who wrote these great reviews??? They were probably written by the publisher or author of this book.
   What a waste of time and money. Being a designer myself, i ve got every possible book on interior design, and furniture styles that are out on the market. Based on the price of this book, and good reveiws, I figured it would be a great addition to my collection of books and references. Its poorly printed, very bad paper quality, no detailed shots of the furniture pieces, and not worth the price whatsoever. I mean if the publisher is charging this price, then the least they could do is print it on good paper and have clearer pictures.
   I am extremely dissapointed and returning the book asap.
   If u enjoy throwing your money away on a small book with poorly printed pictures(aside from the info, which is fine)then this is the book to buy . But if you are looking for details of furniture, including the background and history, and worth every penny, then i suggest you buy (Furniture: World Styles From Classical to Contemporary by Judith Miller )



3. I was not impressed when I received this book, with the quality of the paper or the overall presentation. I thought some of the photography left much to be desired quality-wise. However, it is quite a comprehensive book and I leaned on it considerably in my studies of furniture and design. So don't let me put you off. I just think that, with all the research and hard work involved, and considering the price, a better quality might have been forthcoming.



4. This book has brief history lessons on furniture from the begining of time! It's a great reference when you need an answer about a design period- quick! A must for every Interior Designer!



5. I found the book to be a good overall reference and extremely
   useful in explaining period furniture to my design clients. I would like to have seen more coverage of Mid-century Modern, especially the work of Edward Wormley and DUNBAR.

   Definitely worth the money - should be all designers reference
   libraries...

5 comments about Amy Butler's Midwest Modern: A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle.

1. Amy Butler's quote (love what you love, and don't apologize for it) sums up her gorgeous style book. The photography is beautiful and the feeling of the book is at once modern and fun, flirty and sweet. There are lots of decorating ideas in the book, and if you are already a seamstress, you'll get lots of ideas for your own projects. This isn't a project book, however, and doesn't include patterns. For patterns, there's her "Feather Your Nest" patterns and her two big books of patterns, Stitches, and Little Stitches, both of which I recommend.



2. excellent book I just love Amy Butler. She is very smart and creative. Ilove her patterns. I have nothing negitive to say about this book.



3. This book could stand alone as a coffee table book. There are many beautiful and inspiring pictures. If you like the Amy Butler look, this book will be inspirational.



4. If you have a "vintage-chic" aesthetic, this is the book for you! I am consumed with interior design and love mixing new and old for an interesting, eclectic look. I became interested in Amy Butler after purchasing "Found Style" which is an earlier book put together by Amy and her husband with many ideas of how to mix up interiors with flea market finds. Amy Butler's Midwest Modern is filled with pictures of Amy's current home and shows how she successfully complements each room with new pieces, old pieces and fabrics she designs. A small portion of the book is a portfolio of her textile designs which she uses generously in her home for pillows and upholstery. I find myself referring to this book often for inspiration.



5. A few publishers have finally begun to take heed of the desire of their reading public for books infused with lush photos, brilliant color, and elegant design, in addition to innovative writing that enchants and possibly compels us to try a little something new.
   There's luscious eye candy on every page. Amy Butler invites us into her home to examine her hip takes on art, craft, fashion, interior and garden design, even shopping. With photographs of every room in her house, various collections, the cat, a multitude of aprons, potted plants, and more, Midwest Modern is essentially a Design Lab encyclopedia. It's a lifestyle handbook, a 21st century version of Alicia Bay Laurel's artful 1971 classic, Living on the Earth.
   Today, when DIY is synonymous with cool and "I got it on Etsy" is heard at least as often as "I got it at the mall", artists and designers are blossoming and Amy Butler in full bloom. With a wholesome emphasis on recycling and reinventing, Midwest Modern overflows with exuberant patterns drawn from the natural world. In her epilogue, Amy writes, "Beauty is in the way you live. Enjoy your surroundings. Let them inspire you. Follow your own path, and approach everything you do with love in your heart."
   This book will make you want to get your Spring cleaning out of the way fast, so you can open the windows, crank up the music and make something pretty!

5 comments about Design Matters: Logos 01: An Essential Primer for Today's Competitive Market (Design Matters).

1. i just bought this book with "tres logos" and wow, this book is amazing. this one explains the process, the reasons, etc of how to get to a great logo and the other book is a collection of great logos. this book stimulates your creative juices and guides it in a fashion that leads to great concepts for logos which from there can spring into many other medias and beyond (collateral pieces, ads, web, etc). this is a must have book for anyone at any stage of their design career. five stars to rockport and this book for another success. i have just about all the books published by rockport. awesome book.



2. Logos 01 is an excellent examples of the modern approach to corporate identity logo design. Case studies and examples illustrate the requirements and execution of a wide variety of businesses in regards to the need for a mark to help themselves in their marketing efforts. I have actually purchased and given this book to my marketing practice clients and prospects in order to provide good direction for their expectations and planning on this subject. The book is also beautifully designed, easy to read, and even though I use it as a tool, could easily be an attractive table-top book for the office.



3. A well designed, designer resource. The samples are large and the explanation text is informative. A great book for designers to have on hand.



4. This volume on design is both beautiful and insightful. In a bookcase full of vacuous logo "collections", Capsule's effort stands out as a genuinely intelligent, useful, and inspiring work.



5. This book is exceptionally well written and compiled. It speaks clearly and concisely to both beginner and experienced professional. Whether you are in need of new insights into logo design or just occasional reviewing, this book is for you.

2 comments about Design Management: Managing Design Strategy, Process and Implementation (Ava Academia).

1. This book presents the structure that sustains the design discipline in the (corporate) world today. You will get more info about the process, the vision and in the end - your own role in this entire structure. It is a great eye opener for the designer engaged only in designing, and a good reference for the manager involved in the process. The graphics gives engagement to the reading. Makes for a good reference book. That's the only reason I got it, since the price tag is considerably high.



2. The book is an excellent example of the successful combination between theory and practice. Structured as a hypertext the book allows you to open and read at from any page or passage. A lot of contemporary cases from all over the world show you a wide scope of design management specifics. After reading the book you'll be armed with the up-to-date ideas and concepts. This masterpiece by Kathryn Best is most useful for the design practitioners as well as for students or lecturers. Being a lecturer in design management and professional development I can note easy language, in-depth explanations and a good glossary of terms used in design management.

5 comments about Russian Textiles: Printed Cloth for the Bazaars of Central Asia.

1. I wish there was a 6 star rate!
   Love the quality (overall!) of the book! Amazong for inspiration!! This one goes on my special-favorite book rack!!!!



2. As a collector of, and dealer in Central Asian garments, I have long been fascinated by the printed, cotton linings of these garments. Some of the fabrics are so beautiful, that my customers turn the coats inside out, and wear them in reverse. How delightful to find a book on these fabrics. The book shows many different patterns of fabric, as well as a number of coats, turned inside out, to show the wonderful patchwork patterns. Well done.



3. while this extravagantly illustrated compilation of Russian printed fabrics from 1900 to 1950 will be invaluable to both artist and collector, it is a visual delight to the general reader as well. The author skilfully weaves the history of the Cental Asian tribal peoples into the tapestry of mass migration and technology which produced stunning roller and block-printed cotton clothing.



4. This book is stunning in a visual sense. Each print illustrates the creative choices of the Central Asian people and also reflect the influences of the world around them. More than a book reviewing Russian textiles, it records the history of a region of the world that is not commonly explored. So beautifully photographed, one can almost feel the weave of the prints. Cloth is so commonplace we take its history for granted. This book reminds us its importance. Its interesting that a swatch of fabric can weave a story of time and people.



5. This book is not only visually stunning, it is also a fascinating read. This is the first time that these beautiful and unusual fabrics have been given their due recognition both as designs and as an important part of Russian/Soviet history.