5 comments about Tony Duquette.

1. This is a wonderful book and with Amazon's amazingly inexpensive price, you really can't pass this one up. Tony Duquette was a master of style with an incredible eye, and a creative genius. HIGHLY recommended.



2. Tony DuquetteI am an interior designer of some 20 years and while I found this book interesting it had very little to do with interiors and more to do with a very specific, unique and strange lifestyle. I'm sure the man was brilliant just know this book is not about liveable interiors.



3. Having lived in Los Angeles since 1981 and working as an art editor for a regional magazine, the name Tony Duquette came up time and again in my social circles. Without question, he was an amazing talent the likes of which we may never see again in our lifetime. His imagination and passion for his unworldly, surrealist visions are captured in this brilliantly orchestrated book. Bravo and brava to the authors! A must-have for everyone's art library!



4. I met Tony and his wife in Ireland - we were staying at Heney McIlhennys castle - he was terrible charming - I did not know of his career and am so sorry I didn't question him til he was exhausted.
   
   karen marcus



5. This is a visually beautiful book that surveys the creative life of Tony Duquette, an artist best-know for his stage sets (Kismet, etc.)and high fashion jewelry. Less well known are his amazing home interior and garden designs, as well as his free-wheeling sculptures, many of them made from recycled and re-imagined objects. The photography is of the highest quality - most of it, I suspect, archival from fashion magazines over the decades.

5 comments about To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios.

1. Dear animation lover. This book will restore your faith in the power of passion. With a never failing belief in the craftmanship of delivering a great story Pixar showed the possibilities of a good marriage between art and technique. Off course, some luck of being in the right place at the right time counts as well.
   
   The book starts with the original background of the pixar machine as a calculating machine to the point where Disney takes over.
   
   I also have almost every Pixar art-of book there is, but the movies described in the book (including all the shorts) are mostly viewed from a Pixar company point of view. This way you get a great overall view.
   
   As it is my dream to come close to the Pixar company, this is probably the closest you can get the heart of Pixar when you are living far away...



2. The content of the book is as high quality and colorfull as the company it describes. Also the author did a good job at documenting the history of the company.
   
   However, in the making of this book someone made a couple of mistakes. There are tens of images which have unacceptable 'pixelation' (i.e. blockiness due to overstretching of digital images). Especially the full page spread on p. 220 jumps out with pixels blown up to almost milimeter size!
   
   This is quite dissappointing to me, especially as it is the artwork of a company which spearheads the way in digital imaging! I can imagine this is a slap in the face of some of the artitst and it would definitely not pass through their quality system if the book was produced by Pixar.
   
   Overall the majority of the images in the book are very well reproduced, so I take the couple of handfull of bad apples for granted.



3. Great book,
   have to read a lot but very very interesting.
   Great image quality and edition.
   I'm loving it!
   
   
   Martina,
   Buenos Aires
   Argentina



4. If you're at all a Pixar fan, or even an animation fan, this book deserves a place on your shelf!



5. very insightful look at the fascinating studio that pioneered the animation industry into the 21st century.

5 comments about Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects: Essential and Advanced Techniques, 4th Edition.

1. Well, I finally finished the book. I guess I will join the many 5 star reviewers. After reading this book, I have a great foundation of all the features AE offers. I didn't want to do too much as far as working the tons of examples the book offers this go'round, I just wanted to learn the "language". Now I will go through the book again. This time tackling the projects along with my own ideas.
   
   I was a novice going in, and still am to an extent, but the Meyer's takes the intimidation out of you and teaches you principles where when you do speak to other seasoned artist you understand and can execute anything they do.



2. Excellent and well supported work. Starts from the very basics and gets into the esoterics. I use this work as the primary resource for mastering After Effects.



3. This is a great book. It has a little bit of beginner stuff (enough to get you started if you don't know AE) and then goes into intermediate and pro stuff.
   
   I would not consider this book to be only pro level techniques, but still full of good stuff. The content on the CD is really nice to add to the collection although some (well, all of the Artbeats stuff) is watermarked in the lower right corner. Most of the other footage is not.
   
   This book makes a nice companion to After Effects Cs3 Studio Techniques by Mark Christensen (another awesome AE book)
   
   --
   Kevin



4. Advanced After Effects Motion Graphics is for the editor with some AE miles under their belt. It is not really a beginner book, but does start you off slowly with great step by step instruction. However, you will eventually need this book but buy it together with the Meyers' After Effects Apprentice which starts you off in the AE wourld. Any of the Meyers books are just what you need to learn AE. Highly recommended!!



5. I'm an avid editor for a major tv network. My job now requires me to use After Effects for some basic effects work. This book has already put me way beyond my required needs for my job. We have separate department for motion graphics. I'm pushing the envelope and really supplying some fantastic work.
   GET THIS BOOK!

5 comments about Couture Sewing Techniques.

1. Excellent book. Recommended by my couture sewing instructor at the London School of Fashion. It provides an excellent overview of couture sewing technique.



2. actually this book is a complete...
   the flaw is the illustration is not much...and the words are like written all in sub-chapter...it's not like a handbook...
   
   i think for sewing books, illustration is important...



3. I found this book to be of the utmost interest to people who sew. It offers valuable fashion history and methods used in couture sewing. It catlogs important dates that changed fashion and it offers random pictures of various sewing styles. My only disappointment was that the pictures are limited in number. I would like to have seen more visuals of the methods described and up close details of the ballgowns, in particular. This book makes you realize what an art form sewing can be.It gave me a sense of aestic beauty and appreciation for the talent that brings the fabric to life.



4. Gives an interesting history in couture sewing, but most of all, shares tips and techniques that will make your average sewn-at-home garment look tailor made. Why re-invent the wheel? Learn from the experts!!!



5. The techniques it describes are a little beyond my reach, but that's just because I don't have the experience/skills yet, not because I can't understand what the author is saying. This is a remarkably well-written and thorough book.

5 comments about Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors.

1. This is not an easy book for the beginner. However, with time and a little patience, one begins to see the brilliance of the work.



2. The Books of Betty Edwards are very informative for the beginning as well as for the more accomplished artist. It's like being in class.



3. This is a great book for those who are enterested in painting. Betty Edwards "Color" is a great resource in understanding color relations.



4. For a person who has never thought deeply about the nature of colours and pigments and the blending of such, this book is a revelation. Highly recommendable. Frank Visti, Denmark



5. I have been an artist/scientist for over 25 years. I have no problems absolutely in mixing paint and color theory. However, when it came to referring a book that would best explain color theory to a novice, I have to say that this one is it. It is colorful, easy to read and Dr. Edwards clearly defines the jargon used so that it is easy to follow. I have read the unfavorable comments, and all I have to say is that it is not meant to be a book on how to mix a particular color (hue, intensity, brightness,tint and so on). If that is what you are looking for,
   a " how to" mix specific colors, yes you will be dissapointed. However, that is not its purpose. She specifically points out that there does not exist a true "primary red, blue and yellow" in tubed paints. Your in better luck using inks. Every artist should know that you can buy a tube color in different brands and get different range of that color! I can't imagine why someone would want to match a swatch to a printed book in which what you see comes via the mixture of colored inks! Often no two tubes of the same brand are exactly alike. So in her defense, I truely give her kudos for making the complicated issue of color theory simple. I really believe this is a must in every young artist's library and even in seasoned artist's. I personally enjoyed reading it and reviewing the theory of color in a way I wish was availiable when I was starting out. It makes a great gift!

1 comments about Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 2.

1. Am I the only one who thinks these mooks could stand to the talents of someone with a marketing or even a graphic design degree? The few pages that are original to the english version are painfully obvious with the super amateur high school magazine feel. Other than that, the original content was fine and its always fun to read translations!

5 comments about How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul.

1. from the first few pages it is an engrossing read if you're interested in the field. Answers a lot of questions



2. I haven't been able to finish it yet, but what I have read has been helpful in understanding the commercial world of graphic design.



3. Amazing book - a great read for any individual who is thinking of defining their place in the Graphic Arts world. You can seriously learn something new or reaffirming from it every time you pick it up.
   
   - Don't look for solid examples of what steps to follow, the overview is good, but it being told by somebody who has been in the industry for years and never appeared to have any major struggles that plague many young graphic artists today. Adrian does a great job of making sure to touch on just about every major aspect of the design business world, but like I said - its an overview.
   
   It would pretty cool if there was a book that read like memoirs of a student to entrepreneurial success story with each step detailed. You know - like the first equipment purchases, the struggle to fit in, the stress of taxes, finding the niche, hiring some help, branding the company, asking for loans, supply and demand, and cut throat business approach to stay competitive and successful.
   
   I just started a new conceptual tutorial website that will feature only quality tutorials aimed at teaching fellow artists or aspiring artists the skills and techniques being practiced by today's industry professionals; from using office equipment like scanners, Adobe Illustrator and principals of good color profiling to setting up quickbooks online for your accounting. The web address can be found here: http://www.designer-tutorials.com/
   
   I am not trying to push this site - I just wanted a way to reach out to those looking for answers that are not found in this book (or any other that I have looked at - I am very open to suggestions)and so far - there just is not a singular source for this type information.
   
   Like I said - I am very interested - if you know of a good book - please make the recommendation here or at the website above.
   
   - Good luck to all fellow artisans.



4. There is no more things which are more important than SOUL for a designer.You could keep it by reading the book.



5. Adrian Shaughnessy's book, How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul, provides moral and professional advice from Shaughnessy and interviewees such as Rudy VanderLans, Andy Cruz and Neville Brody. Shaughnessy's advice to young designers which includes how to find a job, how to freelance and how to run a studio are written in such perspective as to be both philosophical and practical.
   
   My expectations for the book (admittedly based almost solely on the title) were perhaps an expanded version of Ken Garland's "First Thing's First" manifesto. The central theme of the book, however, is certainly more practical and less philosophical than could be expected from a book title loaded with such moral dilemma. The loss of one's soul through graphic design obviously means different things to different designers, so it's understandable why Shaughnessy decides to shy away from a deeper discussion of moral issues. What seems to be Shaughnessy's opinion, as well as many of his interviewees, is that self-employment allows the the designer the most ethical and creative freedom in the profession.
   
   Although there are times of confusion such as when Shaughnessy's interviewees contradict his recommendations, I found this an excellent "how to" on design. In total, How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul, is a highly recommended and compelling manual for the young graphic design professional.
   
   Copyright © 2007 Of My Own Design, Josh Crain. All Rights Reserved.

3 comments about Modern Mark Making: From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering.

1. Calligraphers buy lots of books. Most of us own a copy of Johnston's Writing and Illuminating and Lettering. We look wistfully in our bank accounts and decide we can't really justify the facsimile edition of the St. John's Bible, a unique calligraphic wonder of our time. I have over two shelves just with calligraphy books. Some of them are straightforward how-to manuals (a boon for people who live far away from good personal instruction); others are more exemplars.
   
   Then along comes Mark Making... It has been years since I've been so bowled over by this kind of audacity. Placing graffiti artists somehow on a par with medieval scribes, and exhorting us all to bust out and have more fun (check out the section on fabric!), without ever bypassing the need to get a firm foundation, Engelbrecht gives us the new "must-have" for our shelves. It's a bit like Danny Gregory's Creative License for calligraphers. Bravo to Lisa Engelbrecht, and thanks for the permission. I might just go and roll up my sleeves...



2. If you have EVER had the pleasure of seeing Lisa's work in person or taken a workshop from this MEGA TALENTED artist you would not walk BUT RUN to purchase this book. Her vision is always fresh and her style is timeless!



3. This is a fresh voice in Calligraphy books, noting what works for todays scribe and showing pictures of tools and suggestions for writing mediums. Loved the examples and I think that teens thru adults will gather inspiration from all the fantastic ideas for taking that next step away from the old letterforms!

2 comments about LogoLounge 4: 2000 International Identities by Leading Designers.

1. This book, like the other LogoLounge's, is very helpful. It shows different logos and always helps me find new solutions from the inspirations in the book.



2. As with previous editions, this book continues to provide designers with superb reference for contemporary logo designs.
   
   Extremely inspiring...at a great price!

5 comments about The Art of Looking Sideways.

1. The product was shipped the next day and got to me quickly. The book is awesome and was in perfect condition when I got it. Thanks!



2. the book is big, heavy and has a confusing layout(page numbers refer to spreads, not individual pages) Some pages are printed with black type on darkblue or gray making them almost unreadable (including the index which also has numbers smaller than most eye charts.) There is no index and little way to get back to something you found before without post-its. Yet for all its drawbacks, it's a fascinating compendium of design ideas - ideas in general. Great price for this much imagery. And if one has even a bit of leisure to peruse books for what just might pop out, this would be a good one to have.



3. This book is a tour de force of creativity and it is suitable for everyone, not just graphic designers. Each page is so thick and rich that you shouldn't browse through it. I highly recommend you limit yourself to 1 page a day so you can absorb and digest what it contains. It is a stunning whack of creativity that you need to take slowly. Over time this book will help you to see and to think in different ways and with significantly more "creativity".
   
   If you consider yourself to be a creative person you absolutely, positively, have to get this book. It will change you.



4. All the scraps of thoughts, quotes, illustrations, art, and scientific insights all blend into a very nice amalgam of a book. I didn't read it from cover to cover, but rather opened up somewhere random and read different pieces. The randomness of all the inspirational thoughts allows for this type of reading - I think it actually makes the book even better. It almost works as the mind itself: getting bits and pieces of information to juggle with really gets your creative juices flowing.
   A must have, and must-random-read, for everyone in the creative industries and arts sector. Not sure about what other people should do with it.



5. The only book that I have ever bought that compares to the is Gary Larson's The Complete Far Side.
   
   They both have pride of place beside the toilet. Visitors can pick this book up, open it anywhere and be enlightened, amused or amazed.