No comments about Beene by Beene.

2 comments about Erte Graphics.

1. 
   This Erte` book really needs a better title, or maybe a sub-title (under the main title) because this book contains only the Erte`Graphics decribed by the previous commentator (eg: the NUMBERS, ALPHABETS, etc).
   
   This book is very thin, but the size of the book's page are very large, so the reader can see the posters in great detail! A good thing! I liked the over-size of each page very much. Also, the colors of the graphics are very bright and clear....almost psychedelic!
   
   I think that if you are a lover of the graphic arts, or Erte`, or the history of graphic art in general,this is a good book to own as a supplement. This book is not complete, but would make a nice supplement to a book library.
   
   (Also the price of this book is normally quite reasonable).



2. This small book presents Erte's (Romain de Tittoff) first lithographs, which he created in suites. His first album published in 1968 consisted of the numbers 0 through 9 (The Numerals). Other suites are The Alphabet (originally done in gouache-tempra), The Aces, The Precious Stones, and The Seasons. Although little background material is presented on Erte's conceptions behind these lithographs, publishers, dates, and edition numbers of each suite are given. Because there is no complete collection of Erte's work, this book is quite useful. It allows one quickly to identify these lithographs. For background information, consult another reference work such as Erte at Ninety-Five.

4 comments about Old-Time Fruits and Flowers Vignettes in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. These are pretty and colorful patterns. They are "dated" in the sense that they are patterns that were popular probably a century ago. Some of this I find odd (like children's heads popping out of flowers and fruits) but there aren't too many of those and maybe some people like children "emerging" from fruits and flowers! All around a good selection, I would think most people would find much to their liking in these designs.



2. I am a huge fan of Carol Belanger Grafton, and this book of images is part of the reason why. The images are beautifully rendered, very clear, and have magnificent colour. I am using these, and others of hers, for both decoupage and scrapbooking. They are so lovely that just paging through the book is inspiring.



3. Ms Grafton's book is an excellent and colorful resource that all lovers of decoupage must own. The size of the graphics vary and the images are usually quite clear and colorful. There is no shortage of colors, sizes, shapes, and varieties of fruits and flowers. The quality of the paper is glossy and easy to cut and paste. I highly recommend this book.



4. This book has 305 images to choose from. Lots of strong vibrant colors, pretty good quality in terms of being clear (not blurry), some have people faces in them (e.g. flowers with people faces in the center), they range in size from 1" to 1/4 page in size. Some really pretty pansy images. I'm finding it to be a really good resource.

4 comments about #5211 Altered Books 102.

1. I found the instructions in this book difficult to follow. Much of the time the author refers to products I have never heard of, and the way the directions are presented is confusing. I do get a lot of inspiration from the pictures, though, so use it to try new ideas. It is easier to try to figure out what to do from the pictures than it is from reading the directions.



2. If you want to learn to make altered books, Beth Cote's Altered Books 101 is a great place to start, and this book is more of the same. Nice color illustrations and technique explanations. These are the thinner "magazine" type books but there is a lot of info packed in. I love looking at the photos - it really inspires you to get going! I would definitely recommend getting 101 and 102. If you are only going to try one for now, get Altered Books 101.



3. My experience with this book was certainly different from that of the reader above. I loved the book. I have referred to it many times and have tried many of the ideas. I recommend it completely, and I am plan on buying 103 as soon as I can.



4. I had high hopes for this book, but it is so disorganized as to be essentially useless. Each page is a jumble of illustrations and instructions, but there's no way of telling which illustration (if any) goes with any given set of instructions. Some of the instructions begin at the bottom of the page and continue at the top of the same page. And the instructions themselves are hurried and unintelligible.

5 comments about Arabic for Designers.

1. Really beautiful book, and just in the nick of time. As an Arab American studying the Arabic language as my second language, and as a graphic designer/marketer by trade, it is as though the book was written just for me. It is good to see something like this which cuts through all of the nonsense and delivers the beauty our culture has to offer that the news media fails to display, and does so in a concise and useful manner. The author was able to give the western reader a glimpse of our culture using a medium that nobody would expect...visual design. A medium that is straight to the point, easy to quickly understand, and beautiful to the eye!!! Every designer should own this book - whether or not you plan to work with the language...



2. Arabic for Designers is a necessary, practical and very timely book. Mourad Boutros puts so much of the recent mis-communications between the West and the Middle East in a broader cultural (and graphic) context. I've already given copies to American relatives and to a young Scot who is studying Arabic, so that they can understand not only the language but also the wider culture. My next gift will be to our well intentioned Pope, who should have read this sensitive, tolerant and beautifully produced book before his recent scholarly lecture in Germany.



3. A fabulous book. A great tool to help understand the Arab world through graphics and calligraphy...
   
   It is today my favorite coffee table book, and I am planning to buy more as Xmas presents, to friends who may benefit from better understand the Arab world.



4. Arabic for Designers is a much needed insight into the changing face of communication in the 21st Century. The author skilfully and tactfully offers the reader an insightful introspective on the need to recognise that the written word is as powerful symbolically as it is directional or explanatory. The political landscape being as it is, the book addresses key issues not just for the Arab speaking world, but also to western designers and the need to recognise the cultural and sociological effects of the influences each culture has on the other.
   
   When raising important questions about cultural expansion and the need for greater understanding, the author highlights the issues with over 200 pictorial examples and demonstrates an astounding depth of knowledge and sensitivity to the Arabic mindset, whilst pointing out the need for those in the West to seek greater understanding of the historical and social imapct of the coming together of cultures.
   
   It is the evolution of cross cultural design where the author comes into his own, highlighting exceptional examples of the hybrid of cultural communication, the pitfalls and successes, whilst at the same time offering caveats for the future, and insights into how and where new designers can create for a changing and demanding new world.
   
   A highly recommended book, offering any designer a distinct advantage where one is creating communication patterns, with a changing and complex language.



5. A report released on 6 June by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute finds that at a time of rapid globalization, most U.S. states don't even try to provide young Americans with a solid grounding in world history. That's why books like Arabic for Designers are more relevant than ever for designers to read and to absorb for today's globally competitive market. Arabic is now used in 23 countries and is spoken by over 300 million people. Although feelings about Arabic cultural integration may still be colored by events like 9/11, western businesses have sought to expand brand recognition to appeal to Arabic speaking people.
   
   To that end, Arabic for Designers incorporates over 200 black and white and color examples of the best in Arabic calligraphy and graphic design. Beyond a current focus on design and advertising transitions, chapters also deal with historical backgrounds and cultural intricacies involved with the Arabic language and mindset. The focus is devoted to Arabic and Western Latin, or America and English-speaking Europe, but other global-reach advertising problems are included to expand on the difficult processes that are involved in cultural expansion and understanding.
   
   The evolutions are universal, and the author notes this fact when he states that, "As the application of language change, so too does the identity of its speakers." This transition is visible in the examples of how the Arabic and Latin typography blend to create new cross-cultural designs, which are explained through text and illustrations that range from corporate products to fashion to fine art.
   
   Mourad Boutros speaks from experience, as he has worked to combine traditional Arabic calligraphic techniques with the latest technology and materials for over forty years. Boutros has achieved more than just a beautiful book with this publication, however. He's reached across cultural boundaries with text that's missing in American history, social studies, and design books. After a designer reads this book, he or she will have an absolute advantage over anyone who attempts to understand the mysteries and beauty hidden within Arabic typography and culture.

No comments about Rita Hayworth Paper Dolls.

2 comments about Travel by Train: The American Railroad Poster, 1870-1950.

1. We came across posters that we had not seen elsewhere in this book. Great documentary for a bygone era and the prints are excellent.



2. The American railroads sold their services using posters but had a problem deciding what should be shown. European train posters mostly favored showing the end destination rather than the American graphic idea of showing the train. The first few posters shown in this beautiful book are a mixture of route maps, flamboyant lettering and illustrations of trains, sometimes all on the same poster, too.
   
   Santa Fe, to my mind, really kicked off the great railroad poster by using the talented Louis Treviso and Oscar Bryn. They both produced knockout, straightforward graphic solutions, with bold colors and strong typography, clearly influenced by the leading European poster artists, Ludwig Hohlwein, Lucian Bernhard and the Beggarstaff Brothers. Into the twenties Santa Fe used Sam Hyde Harris to continue the trend in strong graphics. Southern Pacific used Maurice Logan to design equally powerful posters, page sixty-two has a stunning Logan graphic of two trains selling the Great Salt Lake.
   
   Other artists and designers who get a good showing are Hernando Villa, who developed the memorable Indian's head for Santa Fe, Leslie Ragan for the New York Central (he has the most illustrations in the book) Sascha Maurer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and many artists who have one or two works shown. The authors combine all these creative folk and the way their output was used by the rail and ad industries up to the Fifties.
   
   I thought the book was very well produced, though the caption typography is rather fussy, using the rather old fashioned Fig.33 and then capital directions in brackets (FACING PAGE TOP LEFT) in every case there is enough space to put the caption below each poster. The back of the book has a bibliography and index.
   
   This is probably the best (and only) title about American railroad posters, some good work is shown in 'All Aboard' by Lynn Johnson (ISBN 0811817474) which also covers general railroad graphics. European travel posters have had plenty of coverage and I can recommend a really super book of British work, 'Railway Posters 1923-1947' by Beverly Cole and Richard Durack (ISBN 1856690148) with over two hundred illustrations in a well designed book.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover,

2 comments about Badge / Button / Pin.

1. I was looking for a book with examples of classic and vintage buttons. This book is perfect for inspiring ideas for your own button designs, packaging and promotion uses. I loved the book so much I bought it twice!!



2. An interesting book for all counter-culture button fans. Advertising buttons have been around for years, especially prevalent during election time but the contents of this book are more to do with points-of-view rather than product pitching.
   
   The five chapters with five hundred images (Decorative, Promotional, Packs, Websites and Art with ) cover the topical trends in a very visual way with the buttons presented as cutouts with a drop shadow. I thought the Art chapter rather intriguing with images created with dozens of buttons, each one has a bit of the overall picture. In the Promotional chapter, graphic designer Karen Jane has created a font based on the little bit of wire used in the back of all buttons.
   
   The layouts are crisp and colorful and overall I thought this was a lovely little book, the square format helps too.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

No comments about Wrap & Drape Fashion.

No comments about Visionaire No. 50: Artists Toys (Visionaire).