No comments about Designing Magazines.

3 comments about The Fabulous Women of Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell.

1. This book is a must see! The artist really have an eye for detail. I love it!



2. Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell are the best fantasy artists in the planet! This collection of their works depicting fantasy women is by far one of the best fantasy art collections you will find in the bookshops! The art is wonderfully reproduced in the printed form with text that explain their aims, experience and motivations regarding each of the paintings. I highly recommend this book and all of the other Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell books!



3. 100 great paintings without buying 100 books. Simply a great book. I am a big fan of fantasy books and I am very familiar with many of the works from this artistic pair. They have done books, magazines, calendars, posters, and even movie posters and I believe even a music cd cover. Their artwork is fantastic and this book displays the best of their best. But there are a couple of things that make this book stand out from the average compilation of art work.
   It isn't just about gorgeous women with swords. It is a tribute to the mercurial spirit of the female form. You can see this spirit in its full spectrum throughout the book. It is sensitive, passionate, battle-enraged, fiery, determined, innocent,or just plain sensual. Each work has a defined theme.
   Another thing I really like about this book is the comments and notes by Julie and Boris. They tell you a little bit about the works, explaining the symbology of each work, or what they were trying to achieve. It is a great bonus to be able to take a peek into the mind of the artist and it helps you see the paintings in a new way.
   And then there are the models; many of whom are real women like the scorchingly gorgeous Julie Strain or the brainy/beautiful queen of the B Horror Movie Brinke Stevens.
   If you are a fan of fantasy art or a fan of fantasy novels this is a great book for your coffee table but this is not your fathers coffee table book! Of all the range of expression the models portray in this book modesty is not one of them!

No comments about Launching the Imagination 2D + CC CD-ROM v3.0.

1 comments about Complete Typographer (2nd Edition).

1. A bit expensive but worth every penny. This book shows you typography inside and out. Shows many typeface and ways type can be used as well as the history of type.

1 comments about The Complete Graphic Designer: A Guide to Understanding Graphics and Visual Communication.

1. Initially I was not sure about my purchase since this book was not reviewed and rated. I kind of took the risk...but it paid off..
   
   I am very happy with this book since my purpose of buying this book was to get an overall theory book on graphic design which wouldn't be very detailed and filled with history. This is such a book that dives directly by defining what actually graphic design is and what it is not.
   
   This is a book that is an apt companion for graphic design teachers and also students who want to avoid lengthy conventional books for the theory portion. It's a great book for graphic designers who didn't have a formal training but want to catch up on that and strengthen their knowledge to compensate for missing the degree course.
   
   The sections are also neatly categorized, catering to fundamentals, process, branding and output. It's a neat compilation of all the things that make graphic design.

5 comments about Fruits.

1. I got this book after seeing the live exhibition of the same name in Sydney years ago and I just adored it!
   Even if you don't like the particular styles shown in the book, it is just such a different and creative take on fashion!
   I find the styles inspirational, happy and fun!
   It is also interesting to see how the styles have morphed from different eras in history and from certain sub-cultures both native and foreign to Japan.
   After seeing this book, studying it and just absorbing it madly, I developed a hankering for all things lolita, and have been wearing the fasahion on and off for about 3 years now.



2. I used to see this book all the time at the nearby music store, and one day I received it as a gift. I'm not going to suggest that everyone should dress like the people in this book, but I will say that I loved how they were able to put together something different and interesting, completely unlike what I've seen here in the U.S. Even the most outrageous outfits I've seen at clubs in LA can't hold a candle to what's in this book. Very creative stuff here.



3. This is an interesting book. The author/photographer documents street fashion in the Harajuku district of Japan. Each page is a photo of an individual and a brief description of their outfit. If you are into this style of fashion, this is a book worth owning. The only short-coming is that the descriptions are printed in colored ink and sometimes get lost in the background color of the photographs.



4. My high school art class, Costume Design, LOVE this book. It's fun to see teenagers in another culture taking western fashion and personalizing it. Every time I pick up the book I see something new. We've only had the book a couple of weeks and it is already dog-eared.



5. Great book, made my girlfriend quite happy. She is very into Japanese street fashion and this book just captivated her, she looked through it about 20 times the day i gave it to her.

5 comments about Alphonse Mucha: The Spirit of Art Nouveau.

1. I very much enjoy Alphonse Mucha's art - he was a masterful draftsman, had a brilliant eye for design, and his images, from his posters to his paintings, are nothing if not captivating. I own a number of books on Mucha, and can honestly say that this is the very best book on Mucha that I have seen. Alphonse Mucha: The Spirit of Art Nouveau is the companion volume to an exhibition of his work that took place in the late 1990s, and is split into two parts: the first is a life-and-work section with a great deal of text on Mucha and his art. The second, larger half of the book, is the catalogue, and here you will find a wondrous variety of Mucha's work in full color. There are pieces included here that I have never seen before, much to my delight, as well as a wealth of preliminary work and insightful commentary.
   
   There is only one disappointing element of this book, and it keeps me from giving it my full five stars: towards the end of his career, Mucha created a series of giant mural paintings called the Slav Epic; they are beautiful historical/allegorical works, but in no book that I have seen have they been adequately printed; this book is sadly the same in this regard, as many of the 20+ paintings (which measured 10x15 feet or so each) are printed no larger than a big postage stamp. Each panel should receive its own page, and I wonder why a work that otherwise flawlessly seems to represent Mucha's art would make this mistake. This, however, is a fairly minor issue, and should not by any means keep you from enjoying this book.



2. If your a fan of Art Neveou, Mucha, Art Deco, or just the history of a wonderful artist than this is a must buy. It has some wonderful images that are not common in other books about Mucha, plus it goes it to detail how he started his career.
   
   The book has a fabulous balance of commentary and his various forms of fine art, design, and nouveau. (It also has some of the best construction and printing quality that I've seen in an art book. )



3. This book was well worth the money. It not only includes great pictures of his work, it also includes information about his life. The order they are placed in allows you to compare his work that takes place around the same time. It also includes his other works, such as jewelry and sculptures. I would definitely suggest this for anyone who asks.



4. If you are looking for an art book, avoid this one. I adore Mucha's work. That being said, I was decidedly underwhelmed with this massive tome. I was really looking forward to this because it seemed like it would be loaded with full color images from Mucha's career.
   Half the book is black and white pictures with text. Then comes the 'Catalogue' which I'm finding means code for 'small pictures ahead'.
   The entire Slav epic is reproduced, however the images are so tiny you can barely make it out, except for a couple pieces that take up half the page. Even more annoying is the fact that the teeny images occupy what is largely a blank page.Two or three images way down at the bottom and blank space for the rest of it.
   I guess it's part of 'negative space' and art or whatever, but it felt like a rip off.
   The rest of the 100 or so pages of art is much like this. Small images of most of his work, like 'Seasons' and 'Jewels' with mostly a blank page.
   Why wouldn't they use more of the page and blow up the image so the reader can enjoy the works? This large book could have been the definitive book on Mucha for art book lovers. That is why I would rate this as an over hyped textbook. The best Mucha book out there is the one I imported from Prague.
   Don't waste your time with this unless you are into a scholarly approach to this fantastic artist. For classroom study at best.



5. The detailed comments written with feeling.
   Illustrations reflect all stages of creativity
   The book, worthy any collection

5 comments about Let's Toon Caricatures.

1. Keelan is a master a simple caricatures, cartooning, and creating abstract design within the face. This book will show a beginner how to understand and create caricatures as well as equipping a novice with the knowledge and tools to sell caricatures in a retail or party environment. This is a great beginner's manual and perfect for anyone trying to understand the "why and how" of basic line-based caricature.
   
   As a seasoned illustrator, character designer, caricaturist, and author of my own caricature book (REJECTS: the Extreme Art of Retail Caricature), I can safely say that my experience in the field has shown me that one of the hardest thing to do is train a new artist to draw a caricature and explain why you make the choice you make. This book is great and will show you just that.



2. I highly recommend this book! It is a fun and easy read. It breaks down the drawing process step by step, body part by body part getting you on your way to start drawing caricatures like a pro!



3. For a complete novice who suddenly realised it would be fun to have a go at drawing caricatures, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Other "how to" books on the subject left me feeling inadeqate and incapable of drawing anything resembling my victims. When Keelans book safely and quickly arrived to me here in the UK, the easy step by step illustrations immediatley gave me the confidence and skill I was lacking and my results have rapidly improved.
   
   I now find myself staring a strangers trying to decide how I would tackle their caricature by wondering what their head shape is and how their features are arranged. Thanks Keelan!



4. Keelan, I am so happy for your success selling your great "How To" book. I have shown it to curious youngsters and it's a wonderful starting point for future Face Hustlers. Concise and fun to look at.
   
   Thanks for the inspiration. I am trying to get mine for sale here as well. Wish me luck!
   
   All the best and Watch out for those Hurricanes!
   
   Sam Klemke
   Gypsy Caricaturist



5. Yap it's a useful Book..it help me a lot in improving my drawing.. learn a lot from this book.. it's a great book to buy! Pic is more than the word, not like others like writing grandmother story.. word more than pic..that would be boring but this book won't..overall this book is very useful to me for drawing pic for my teachers..

4 comments about Web Design Index by Content 3 (Web Design Index).

1. I agree with the reviewer who said most the content categories run a little thin. Each page is dedicated to one site with two screen captures from that site on the page. The largest section in this book by far is "design and illustration" which seems to focus on portfolio sites and comes in at 200 pages of examples. No other section has more than 40 pages and most have under 20. There are a ton of international sites in this book and not a single "major" web site. Which is good because that means the majority of the content in this book should be new to most readers. There is also very little text; there is no discussion of the designs, just large colorful screen captures and then credits at the bottom for the designer/agency and a url.
   
   If you need inspiration for edgy or artistic sites, then this is a good resource. If you're looking for more corporate site design, you won't find much of that in here. Personally all my design falls in the later, but I do think this will be a good resource for when I decide to revamp my portfolio site or if I want to experiment with more non-standard design. Since all my work is corporate, I find the more whimsical and creative side of my brain has shut down a bit. And it did have a good selection of sites with a black/dark color scheme which is nice; that style tends to be a challenge for me so having this many examples is handy.
   
   I gave this 3 stars instead of 4 because I would have liked to see a more balanced representation of web design styles.



2. I found this book in my local bookstore, cased in shrinkwrap, and debated whether to risk buying it without seeing the contents first. In the end, I took a chance and am glad that I did. As a beginning designer, I found several designs that gave me some ideas for my own site. Ironically, the biggest section in this book is devoted to graphic designers.
   
   Web Design Index by Content 3 covers a wide spectrum of industries. However, I felt that the majority of the industry sections ran a little on the thin side. That said, the publisher of this book (Pepin Press) accepts submissions and recommendations at [...].



3. As a professional within the area, this is a terrific book, since it provides an insight to what is currently being done, all over the globe. The author doesn't just focus in one particular country, the focus is worldwide and strongly reflects what is done in web design these days. Highly recommended.



4. This is my second Web Index Book from this publisher and they have been great books for inspiration in my freelance work. Filled with great websites and large images to really see the detail and craftsmanship of each website. One cool thing was when I ordered this book and chose 3-5 day shipping I actually got it within 2 days which was a nice surprise. If you only need to get inspired this book is for you.

3 comments about Art and Design of Gama-Go (Gama Go).

1. I was dissapointed in the size of the book. It's only a little over 6x6. It does have alot of pages tho. If you like their tee shirt art then this book is for you. That is all that's in it.



2. purchased as a gift and was so entertaining almost kept it for myself. disigns incredable.



3. The art of Gama go is super cool, i have bought it because of the tim biskup art work which i knew more about, but the design studio has lots of other cool stuff, a must see!