5 comments about 1000 Journals Project.

1. If you have ever kept a visual journal or are thinking of starting one this book is a real inspiration



2. This was seriously a huge disappointment. I was hoping to see interesting art journal pages, but instead I found uninspiring, un-interesting journal pages. If you want to see what other average (mostly non-artistic) peoples' art journals look like, then read this book. But if you want to look at cool, exciting, interesting, artistic pages, then keep on looking...you won't want to see these more than once. I read this book once and immediately knew I would never look at it again. It's going on eBay sometime soon.



3. This is a very interesting piece, and an even better conversation piece. Leave it out at a party for your friends and family to view and then discuss. My girlfriend has a couple pages in this book. T.Z. Take a look!
   Enjoy!



4. After seeing the film doc I was excited to order the book to see many other entries that were made in the many journals.
   A simple little image book...lovely, I was surprised by the added feature of stitching on many pages...really made it feel like more of a homemade piece.
   
   If you're in to visual journals, buy this book! (It's priced way under value too.) Love it! So many ideas form so many people.
   
   Thanks "some guy"!



5. A wonderful book for those who think they have nothing to say, be it written or visual. All beginner journalist should take a good look at this book and take heart that you too can add to the conversation of art.
   If you wanted to say something to yourself and didn't know where to start, a journal is a great place to begin. You can look at this book and think, this is just someone elses ramblings, but it is the structure of someones unique thoughts on paper. Jump around inside 1000 Journals Project and elevate your own mind. Grab a pen, paint, crayons, whatever, and using this book start on your own journey. Many happy enteries.

No comments about Design in the USA (Oxford History of Art).

No comments about How to Have Style.

4 comments about Anatomy and Pathology: The World's Best Anatomical Charts (The World's Best Anatomical Chart Series).

1. My preschool grandchildren wanted to know what was under our skin. Their parents tried to explain but only when shown this book with its pictures did they seem to understand what they were being told about the human body. They are fascinated with the illustrations, especially the baby in uterus. From the other room, after much time explaining the pictures in the book, we heard the older child tell the younger one, "I mean my beating heart inside, not the red valentine one!" They will be able to reference this volume for years to come to answer their questions.



2. This book has great visuals to show the students about different areas of the human body. A must have!



3. Very good quality at the cheap price.
   I recommended it to my students as well.



4. The charts are excellent... photos are colorful and labeled nicely. The print is a little small on the charts but the color and diagrams are very clear and excellently done.

5 comments about Monotype: Mediums and Methods for Painterly Printmaking.

1. This book gives a thorough overview of Monotype printing. It starts out with materials needed, then goes on to talk about hand transfers, press transfers and doing monotypes in acrylic, watercolor, oil and printmaking inks. It covers mixed media and stencils, masks, etc. It has much practical/useful information in each section on both techniques and materials. There are examples of each type of work covered, athough I would have liked to see a larger "gallery" of work by different artist. A very good book if you are interested in monotypes.



2. This book answered many questions that other artists and I were asking regarding monotype. It gives you permission to proceed in any direction, using any materials you choose.



3. I'm so glad I bought this book. It is one of those I take down regularly. The author thoroughly understands monotype in many mediums. A previous reviewer mentioned how well the toxicity issue was dealt with. Lots of good color illustration.



4. I agree with the previous reviews - if you're creating monoprints, and particularly if you're looking for non-toxic methods, this is a great book. It's full color with many inspiring illustrations, and full of useful, practical information written in a friendly, down-to-earth manner.
   
   Re. recommended paints: I recently had the pleasure of taking a monoprinting class with Julia Ayres and her daughter Gail Ayres (at the Art Methods & Materials Show in Pasadena, CA, Oct 2004). The Ayres now recommend using the new Akua-Kolor waterbased inks by Rostow & Jung (www.waterbasedinks.com) which I assume were not invented at the time this book was originally printed. The advantage is that these inks are non-toxic, clean up easily, and they stay moist for days. You then print to DRY printmaking paper, and the inks dry instantly once they hit the paper. Now you don't have to worry about the inks drying on the plate, or handling fragile, wet paper. (I shoved my Createx paints in a bottom drawer after the workshop!)
   
   (If you get the opportunity, take a class with the Ayres if you're just getting started, as there's nothing quite like seeing the process in action and the book will make even more sense! They also teach using the PinPress Roller for making monoprints by hand; very useful if you don't have access to an expensive printing press.)



5. There seems to be very limited information available on the technique of monotype. This book fills that void by demonstrating the incredible variety of effects possible using the monotype method. There are no projects, per se, rather it teaches techniques that help you create your own masterpieces. Many pieces of example artwork are found throughout the book.

   A monotype is a one-of-a-kind print made by transferring a painted image to paper. The book starts out with an introduction to materials including plates, mediums, solvents, panting tools and paper as well as hand and press transfer equipment. It also covers studio safety and finding workshop facilities.

   Techniques are next including working into a light or dark field and both hand and press transfer.
   These include step-by-step instructions accompanied by demonstration photos. Working in specific mediums including watercolor, acrylics, water-soluble writing instruments, monoprint paints (Createx), oil paints, water-based oils and alkyds follows. A section discussing special oil-based printing inks for lithography, etching, printing and serigraphy is also here. There is even a chapter on special techniques including using masks & stencils, embossing and creating collages.

   The final chapter gives an overview of monoprints, which combine monotype with other print making processes, and mixed-media monotypes. This includes intaglio, drypoint and engraving, as well as linocut and collagraphic monoprints.

   There is a nice list of suppliers as well as interesting biographical notes on the artists featured in the back. This is a great book that displays the great diversity in mediums and results available with monotype.

1 comments about Design Through Discovery: An Introduction.

1. The cover calls this edition the "Brief Edition" I am almost tempted to buy the $50.00 edition

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.

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

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



2. 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.



3. 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 Little Book of Big Packaging Ideas.

1. nice book....good design, great idea generators, nicely printed...over-all very ell done and extremely helpful.

5 comments about Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design.

1. the book was new as promised but i got it too late though it was 2nd day delivery via DHL.
   i was upset for the late delivery only but otherwise it was good



2. I use this book as a catch me up for everyone one of my students who are interested in graphic design, but don't know anything about it. This book and the sequel "Design Literacy Continued" are easy to read, wide in scope and plow through touchy subjects like Racist Websites and the garbage all over contemporary magazines.

   It's the best education I ever got sitting in the bathroom.




3. This book isn't quite a history book, nor is it a book on design theory. While it has aspects of both, it's more like a series of case studies, in which almost 100 designers, magazines, posters, advertisements, icons, types... are analyzed and discussed and placed in a historical context.

   So if you're expecting a comprehensive book on design history, this is not for you. In no way does it feel complete for a design education. What it does is provide thoughtful pieces to consider, and a perspective on the usage of design, originality, trends, etc. The authors do have a point of view, but it doesn't ruin the book. To the contrary, it makes it even more interesting. Design isn't just art and technique It's grounded in economics, history, culture, and politics. Heller and Pomeroy contribute a useful set of essays to help the reader become more aware of these relations.




4. Design Literacy and Design Literacy (continued) is an excellent introduction to graphic design under the surface. I use Phil Meggs' history book for facts and these books for inspiration.



5. Design Literacy and its sequel, Design Literacy (continued) explain the inner workings (and spirit) of graphic design and some of the best designers. Its been very valuable for my education as a graphic designer.