5 comments about Blue and Yellow Dont Make Green.

1. I'm a sorter. I organize. I put things in boxes. Color doesn't want to go in boxes. Or categories, or areas, or mix well with others. It drove me nuts. Sometimes it was too bright and sometimes it was so dull it hurt like a toothache. This book began my understanding of why color does what it does. Michael Wilcox put together a dictionary which unravels for me the complexities of color and the how's and why's of hue, tint, and shade. He has broken down the chemical compounds of color in an understandable way and broken the secret codes of the paint manufacturers so that you and I can read the labels. Now we can purchase exactly what colors we want and either mix our own exact shades and tints or get the individual paint supplier's.
   
   Ever wonder why you sweat in your sister's bathroom and not in your's? Her's is painted peach and your's is blue. Why that works, now, is someone else's story. And then there's black. Who knew there were so many different kinds of black? There's a black to fit each room in your house, made out of every color in the room in which it is to reside. And it matches perfectly. Amazing.
   
   Now when I see two shades of lemon yellow I don't see yellow at all. I see either greenish yellow or brownish yellow and refer to them as green or brown. It's very tricky to see the primary hue over the secondary color anymore. Huh. I guess that's what an educated color sense sees nowadays. Never thought about it before. Three cheers for Michael Wilcox and PO3, PV15, PY3 and others! I get true colors every time.



2. this book gets more interest for its paradoxical (and inaccurate) title than for its contents, which are straight out of 18th century color theory and painting practice. for a review of this book and links to background materials, google "wilcox handprint" and click the first few links. i should add that some of the positive reviews posted here appear verbatim at the wilcox "school of colour" website and are therefore just viral marketing.
   
   the quiller book "color choices" and the hilary page book "color right from the start" are excellent resources. this book is heavy on simplification, routine, and computer generated color samples.



3. This ia a fabulous book for any artist or aspiring artist. From a pallet of only 12 colors he show you the hows and especially the whys of mixing just about any color you want. Especially good for water colorists. You'll never be mixing "mud" again.
   
   Ben Albert



4. I am very pleased with this book. It is filled with valuable information for the painter which is presented in terms that are easy to comprehend. I am currently working my way through the exercises and by doing so can already see where the book has been worth every penny. As someone well acquainted with "mud" I think the book will save me a fortune in paint down the road. I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to recommend this book to anyone interested in painting whether new to painting or an experienced artist. We can all learn something new from it. In fact, I think it would make a great text book.



5. Before reading this book, I already had a good basis in the basic color theory: the primaries, secondaries, tertiaries, and the ideas of complementary and analogous colors. I even knew that mixing complementaries would result in browns to blacks.
   
   However, I hadn't learned how to apply that knowledge in the way this book presents it. As a result, sometimes I would mix colors that were muddy or shaded, and I didn't know why. This book explains it all so clearly and so simply that you are sure to retain and use the information with ease.
   
   In summary, this book tells you how to mix any color you want, reliably and with confidence, just using six colors, two of each primary color. Everyone who understands color knows that yellows fall on a range from almost-orange to almost green, blues fall on a range from almost-green to almost-purple, and reds fall on a range from almost-purple to almost orange. The fact that these colors are in a range means that, when you mix them, you will get different results depending on where the colors fall in that range.
   
   This book tells how to determine where a color falls in those ranges, and also gives you a clear and understandable way of knowing what to expect when mixing different primaries. The system works.
   
   One nice thing is that, with the price of paints today, if you need to, you can only purchase six colors and you will pretty much be set. Accordingly, this book recommends that you purchase those six colors, two from each primary, with one color each that tends toward each end of each primary (a green-yellow and an orange-yellow, for example).
   
   Of course, you can always buy a larger range of colors, but armed with the information in this book, when you do so, you can confidently purchase and mix those colors and have a good idea of what the results will be each time.
   
   If you are impatient with theory, you can skip all the stuff about reflected light, additive versus subtractive color mixing, color perception in the brain, and so on; it may or may not all be true, and is anyway only Mr. Wilcox's theory about *why* his system works. Instead, if you are impatient, just read the juicy stuff about the colors themselves. It will definitely improve your ability to mix colors well. If I were making a list of "must have" books in an artist's reference library, this would be one of them.

5 comments about Robin Williams Design Workshop, 2nd Edition.

1. I lived actually in Spain and the sender estimate that my item will last at las more than a month, but it arrives in excellent conditions by the 2 first weeks.



2. The second edition was needed, but could be more meatier than adding a few extra insights from the first version. But hey, I love the writer.



3. This book was used as the textbook for a class I took. I was very dissappointed. The info was from first year design classes, and there were even suggestions given that are common "no-no's" in graphic design. It had several interpretations of each design problem, which was interesting to look at, but nothing too inspirational.



4. Book has excellant information, good examples, and plenty of suggestions and recommendations. Easy to understand with many design images.



5. The book is an excellent tool to assist in text layout for various documents, ads, marketing pieces etc. Helps the reader to understand the reasons and components of what makes a layout eye apealing

4 comments about Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers.

1. I bought this book for my son who loves graffiti art. He loves it and uses it often as he practices his own art. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for the perfect gift for the graffiti artist.



2. The PieceBook gives you an inside look to the world of graffiti through the eyes of street artist.



3. i myself grew up a graffiti writer and are quite familiar to all those who contributed art work to this book. it was well done the prologue written by sacha jenkins(another graffiti writer) was well spoken an hit home as we who grew up in the early days of this era of graffiti sub culture can relate to. the art was reproduced with colorful visages that brought it all to life again as if it was done a few hours before i bought the book. each page was a look back to yesteryear, reading the messages that were a staple of the times ''fresh,def,and many other phrases we used then bring memories of an earlier time when it was fun to do the graffiti and create styles of your imagining.special thanks to chino villorente (another graffiti writer) who took the time an the love to put this together!! i truly enjoyed this book tremendously and glad i bought it, any graffiti writer should have this book on the shelf next to all the other homage books of the street life growing up.



4. Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers has successfully compiled a who's who of writer's writers in a format that looks so legit, you'd swear you could feel the grooves in the pages left by pencils and pens... as authentic and realistic as possible, there are even a few blank sheets to get up yourself! I even tried to peel the sticker off the inside cover!

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

1. This is a great reference and learning tool. Clearly laid out and concisely written, Brochures 01 is very handy!

5 comments about Collage Techniques: A Guide for Artists and Illustrators.

1. I was very disapointed in this book. I was under the impression that it would not only be instructive but that all of the work in it would be Gerald Brommer's. It was neither.



2. This is a good book for beginner and intermediate collage artists. It contains basic historical and theoretical information, as well as basic application techniques. You may also consider Nita Leland and Virginia Lee Williams' book CREATIVE COLLAGE TECHNIQUES. The techniques are challenging and open ended, so they truly encourage you to be creative.



3. This is the best reference available as at this date on collage. It is also one of the most inspiring art books I have read. I cannot recommend it more highly. The artworks provided as examples are of the highest quaility. Thank you, Gerald Brommer.



4. What I particularly liked was that all the illustrations were of first rate work.So many different approaches. An excellent text and motivational advice on materials and the object of collage as a genuine artistc outlet.



5. Brommer approaches collage from an fine art point of view. Most other books I have looked at tend more toward the scrapbook and/or kitchy altered art genre. He has an excellent section on art paper preparations and basic design.

No comments about Daniel Eatock Imprint: Works 1975-2007.

4 comments about Sew Many Bags. Sew Little Time.

1. This book was not what I was expecting. It does not have many bag styles and none that I will be sewing. For me it was a waste of my "sew little time" and money.



2. Sewing newbies may be frustrated by the omission of fabric and trim quantities needed for each project. But that glitch aside, there's much to love about Sew Many Bags, Sew Little Time, particularly the smaller projects-within-projects. For example, one bag is decorated with a fabric corsage that could be worn separately as a brooch, and a bag crafted from recycled denims is embellished with quirky fabric luggage tags and keyrings that would make great gifts in their own right. Inspiring.



3. Sew Many Bags. Sew Little TimeThis book doesn't say how much fabric or ribbon is needed to make any of the bags. It gives only the finished size of each bag. This makes it hard for a beginner to begin! I told my daughter it was important to make a shopping list so she can assemble her materials and be sure she has enough of everything. I couldn't believe it when she said the book didn't tell her how much of anything she will need!
   
   We were pleased with the book until we realized this. The pictures of each step look clear and helpful. We love the embroidery and appliqué techniques and the accessory crafts. The techniques in the book look easy to follow and some of the bags are intriguing.



4. This is a great book for bag makers who've been struggling to find innovative ideas which mirrors what the Japanese bags makers have accomplished. We need more books like this - in English. Thanks Sally!

5 comments about Fashion Illustration for Designers.

1. I needed this book to help me render my sketches. ITS THE BEST BOOK YOU CAN BUY!! it comes with two DVD's and the book is hefty and about 300 pages, each one with valuable information!



2. I have purchased almost every book on fashion illustration out there, and this is still the best. It covers all media, has beautiful full color illustrations and hundreds of black and white. It also shows how to illustrate males and children of all ages.



3. I found this book the best for examples on learning to draw draped garments on the body. Although not explicitly meant for this purpose, this book divides each type of garment by chapter and gives examples for drawing them, appropriately. I find her approach realistic, and her style excellent. She definitely helped me!



4. i teach from this book and it is instrumental in creating enormous breakthroughs in students' sketching abilities. you will never tire of this book. loads of information. a must.



5. I have a lot of worthless books on fashion illustration, however, this one is not one of those. It is worth the money and then some. She is clearly a good teacher, the illustrations are great and the videos are a bonus. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed.

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 Brenda Kinsel's Fashion Makeover: 30 Days to Diva Style!.

1. This book is a lot of fun. It gives permission to ladies who have said no to themselves while saying yes to others. Adaptation of beauty soaks to a more frugal lifestyle and paring down dates to real setting for a country girl was a nice exercise in creativity. I would recommend this book and if you have a BFF or Sister buy two and share the fun!



2. I have read quite a few books on cleaning out your closet and developing your personal style, but this one is the BEST by far! Brenda not only takes you through your closet but does some really fabulous advising about accessorising and making an outfit WORK! There is more to making an outfit work than just pulling some things out of your closet - and she shows you just how to get it done with "Beauty Bundles". She also covers color, body type, and age appropriateness of fashion. I would say that it is the very best of 5 or 6 other fashion books all rolled into one. An excellent investment for your personal style building!



3. The book is for women over 40, but you don't really know it till you start reading.
   It has some interesting points of views on colors and accessories, but most of the advise are for the cooler times and i didn't find anything useful for the hot summer times...



4. If you're ready to take hours and hours to find your "diva style", this book is for you. I was looking for something that didn't require so much "homework".
   
   The "spa" sections of the book I thought were ridiculous... like hiring a masseuse to come to your home to meet you and your friends for a "spa" day. I can't think of 1 person that has that kind of money to throw away.
   
   There are several "assignments" in the book that really do help you determine your style if you need that kind of help.
   
   The section on cleaning out your closet was a great help to me. Sometimes you just need that kind of kick in the pants.
   
   I didn't care for her writing style. It was a bit too wordy and too "happy" for my taste, but others might enjoy it.
   
   Some of the ideas for working with your body type were great for me, and proved very useful, and for that I am truly thankful. So while I didn't love this book, it was still quite helpful in the long run.



5. I really wanted to like this book but it was not possible. There really is not a lot of advice about anything that is of any practible benefit, the first chapter says you can do the exercises in a week without ever getting out of your pajamas. Geez, that really has never been one of my goals. Not a word about what items to actually put together to make a comprehensive and fashionable look. Do yourself a favor and buy the much better "How Not to Look Old" by Charla Krupp. You will find you have spent your money to much better purpose.