2 comments about Fantasy Worlds.

1. Beautifully photographed and well documented book of unusual structures. Got me hooked on the topic of "outsider constructions". Thanks for the inspiration.



2. Fantasy Worlds is worth at least twice its price. It is a showy, large-format hard-cover "coffee table" art photography book worthy of purchase for yourself or as a gift.

   Its 340 pages are crammed with full-page photos of bright and saucy gems of personal architecture. The subject matter consists of the creations of untrained visionaries who are obsessed with the desire to decorate and embellish their dwellings.

   The book features 73 environmental creations -- 37 in Europe, 27 in America and 9 in Asia and Africa. The works vary from famous sites such as the Watts Towers in Los Angeles, the Gaudi creations in Barcelona and the Tiger Balm Gardens in Hong Kong to largely unknown jewels such as Salvation Mountain near Niland in the Salton Sea area of California.

   The text is in English, French and German.

No comments about Teaching Illustration.

5 comments about Sensual Crochet: Luxurious Yarns, Alluring Designs.

1. This is the best crochet book I have ever seen. Fabulous designs throughout. I want to make every item.



2. Nice book, nice sweaters. Wearable crochet but nothing very different as far as stitches go.



3. This is a very well-produced book, with designs that I think represent some of the best in crocheted garment design today. (I have not made any of the patterns, so I can't say how accurate they are, otherwise I would give it 5 stars.) The crocheted items are beautifully photographed. Stitch diagrams and schematics are included. To substitute yarns, info is given on the total required yardage, weight and composition of the yarn, and knitting gauge (usually found on the skein wrapper and in catalog descriptions of yarn). Information is given about the properties of the fibers used. The crocheter is encouraged to use fibers which feel good, look good, and will last a long time. This I think is good advice, but some of the recommended yarns are extremely expensive. For example, Lorna's Laces Angel seems to sell for about $14 a 50-yard skein. The cover sweater is made in Angel and requires 21 skeins for 28" bust ($294) and 35 for 44" bust ($490). Besides the cost, that is a heck of a lot of ends to weave in! So, the yarn substitution info is likely to come in handy.
   
   There is a range of items, from revealing strapless top to the relatively covered-up sweater featured on the cover. Many tops will require a camisole underneath, but some are quite bare and would be hard to wear a foundation garment under. There are several skirts and a dress. Most are, in my opinion, beautiful designs, but a few are pretty ordinary, like the 2 boleros, a small bag and a white scarf/belt. There is one scarf made in a very fine silk (with steel 8 hook) that I think is quite pretty. Sizes range from 28" to 50" bust for some articles. Quite a few items use fairly fine yarn and hooks from C to G, and a few use H-J hooks.
   
   Most of the designs are by Amy Swenson, and other designers include Robyn Chachula, Annie Modesitt, Debora Oese-Lloyd, Amie Hirtes, Dana Codding, and Amy O'Neill Houck.



4. I purchased this book because I own Sensual Knitting, and like most of the designs there. Sensual Crochet, on the other hand, is terrible. The only thing I would consider making from it is the sweater on the cover - everything else looks cheap and tacky to me. However, lots of other people who have reviewed this book seem to like the designs, so maybe it's just me - but I would recommend you look at the designs before you buy the book. I'm very disappointed.



5. This book offers a variety of patterns, but women who aren't model-size may have to search carefully to find appropriate garments here. The Butterfly Cardigan is a good design for all. Stitch schematics are sometimes included and I would love to see more of them in future books -- they are so much easier to follow than miles of words. The inclusion of substitute yarn info is very welcome.

No comments about Fashion: The Industry and Its Careers.

5 comments about Rolling Stone 1,000 Covers: A History of the Most Influential Magazine in Pop Culture.

1. Bought this for my son for Chrismtas and he loves it. I was able to get it for much less on Amazon.



2. I've always been impressed with the covers of Rolling Stone over the years, and as I was browsing my local library recently, I came upon this book in the art section. I was so impressed that I went out almost immediately and ordered it. Here you will find - as the cover suggests - the first 1,000 covers of Rolling Stone, featuring the great icons of American popular music over the last 40+ years. It is a thick volume, but fits comfortably on a bookshelf and makes a handsome addition to any collection. recommended not only for the pop culture buff, but also any fan of art and photography - the artistry of many of these images is superb. A recommended buy.



3. I would have liked more information about what was in each magazine. Even if it was just a paragraph about the times and the person on the cover. But on a whole it was very nice.



4. This book brought me back so many, many years. I remember so many of these covers. It was a present for my husband and he just loves going through the book all the time.



5. If you have the original large 1998 edition this latest book is just a continuation, though smaller in size, up to the thousandth edition in May/June 2006. I was rather impressed with the earlier book except for the silly tiny type dates and photo credits for each cover, amazingly set in four point. Fortunately someone has realised that tiny type is not really readable in a domestic lighting environment so the cover dates and photo credits have been upped to just over five point, still rather small though. Apart from this all the other text is readable and combined with the excellent design and printing makes this a wonderful book to look at.
   
   Like the first book it is not just a memory jogger of covers, there are plenty of sidebar excerpts from the magazine. It is the covers though that are the five stars plus. Not many consumer publications manage to consistently retain a quality cover look over so many years and in the Stone's case with the same logo since January 1981. Look through the index of photographers and illustrators and you'll see why the covers look so cool: Annie Leibovitz shot 142 of them, Herb Ritts has forty-six, Richard Avedon eighteen. With this sort of quality no wonder it always looked good. Even the early issues in the rather inflexible newspaper format had a distinctive cover style.
   
   I think this beautiful looking updated book will be a strong seller (not least because of Amazon's bargain price) for those who lived with rock for the last thirty-nine years.
   
   Quirky observation: the book's title is on a wrap-around strip of paper (rather bizarrely called a belly band in the trade) and I can't see it staying in one piece for long as this is just the kind of book that will enjoy a lot of handling.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

5 comments about The Art of Final Fantasy IX.

1. First of all, I will say the few things were included on this art book.
   
   - More pictures of Kuja's design.
   - Pictures of Queen Brahne in the characters section.
   - A picture of Zidane on trance form.
   - More data to identify characters, name when possible, place where they are found when not (I am not sure if Puck appears in this book or not, and I have to check the in game graphics to know who other characters are).
   
   That's it. Those are the points that make this book not reach the absolute perfection for me.
   
   That said, I still love what is in the book! There are designs for many characters, even some who are not very important in the story, and there are different designs for the non-playable characters when they have variations in their clothes or hair.
   
   The equipment section and the airship section have lots of details. Those are great for fan-artists!
   
   The section with pictures from the in-game animations has a poster-like selection that will make you remember all those moments from the story.
   
   I'm afraid that everything I say now will sound very fan-boyish, since Final Fantasy IX is my favorite of them all (beating Final Fantasy V, something I didn't thought was possible), so I hope what I have already said helps you somewhat in your decision to buy this book.



2. I got this book through another online retailer for half the price these U&N people are selling for. You just need to shop around.
   
   I'm an artist, and I have a fondness for the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy IX was a challenge for me and after beating it, my claim is that it's the best in the series so far. After watching the last cutscene, I knew I had to have this book. I was very pleased when it arrived and have found it useful even today. FF9 is one of the most franchised game of the FF's(second to 7); I wouldn't waste that if you're a fan of it.



3. It's got all the characters, all the settings, all the fun. FF9 was my favorited in the series so I just had to get this homage to it. It's just fun to look at the sketches and rough-drafts and such. The town designs are really amazing.

   If you're a fan of the FF series, anime, or just incredible art, I suggest you check this out.




4. I love Final Fantasy!! I have been a die hard fan since part one was released in 1990. There are several books out that show the visual effects from the Final Fantasy series, but this one is by far the best. It is strait forward, art, from the original designer of FF characters, Yoshitaka Amano. Page for page you will see the steps that he followed making this characters shine.

   The main reason that I took one star away was because most of the art in this book is finished up designs from Amano. I am a very big fan of his work, ex. Vampire Hunter D, FF1-6,and 9 adn several other Japaneese work. I enjoy his early sketches better, they are much more fantasy like. But that does not mean that this collection is not beautiful as printed.

   This is a beautiful editon to any Final Fantasy collecton or just plain art or drawings collection. Dont pass this up.




5. When I bought this book, I expected mostly black and white photos and small screenshots from the game, but when I opened it up I was happily suprised with a book full of large, colorful artwork. Being a fan of the game series itself, this book especially appealed to me, as it probably would to many other FF players. But even those who do not play the game will find them selves impressed with the tons of fantastic artwork that fills its pages. I definitely recommened this book if you are a fan of the game or just love great art!

3 comments about Come Alive!: The Spirited Art of Sister Corita.

1. Excellent book. Surprising Corita isn't better known. She was truly an inspiring artist and teacher. She and Andy Warhol worked during the same years - make your own opinions about the differences. And, his name is every where. Her's should be as well



2. The long artistic and teaching life I have been privileged to live was totally encouraged and affirmed by the existence and practice of Sister Corita as I moved from the secondary level into college teachng in the early 60's.
   This monograph celebrating her life and love of the art process is a trip back in time and tells me a surprising and intimate view of the struggles of the Church during that period plus a view of Corita's indomitable and inventive artistic production. The reproductions are many and varied, the writing equally appreciative and in depth descriptive. The end of the book supports a wonderful affectionate and supportive summary of this woman's courage and intelligence by her friend Daniel Berrigan.



3. I haven't gotten through reading about Sister Corita, but I'm already completely inspired by her. Her art was ahead of its time, and although many of the topics were religious, they were often ideas anyone can relate to. Her use of current events in culture and politics was applied to her prints in such beautiful ways. I highly recommend this book to any graphic designer, printmaker, or artist if you want to add something different to your bookshelf.

5 comments about LogoLounge 3: 2,000 International Identities by Leading Designers (LogoLounge).

1. This is another good book of logo ideas. Great for inspiration. Nicely laid out and the pages are of good quality glossy paper. Very nice book for my collection.



2. This series is a must have for any designer. Not only is it great for ideas, but a nice tool to have when a wishy-washy client just isn't sure what they want. If you are a serious designer, you must own all the Logo Lounge books.



3. Always a fan, the assemblage of brands from every corner is impressive and helpful. The Lounge has always been and continues to be a wonderful resource for jump-starting logo block.



4. Whether you are fresh out of college or a seasoned Senior designer, you will find this book an amazing resource of ideas, trends and just plain good design.
   
   We actually have purchased every volume and they keep getting better and better. Logo Lounge 3 is no different in terms of the unique talent chosen to be showcased in this edition.
   
   If you need a design spark look no further, this is the book of choice.
   
   [...]



5. Great book for inspiration and search for the right ideas. This time RockPub. is making few more pages showing how the logos work in the graphic design environment.
   
   I was excited to see foreign companies using the latest styles in advertisement, like the russian phone company "BeeLine."
   
   Wold highly recoment this book for a graphic design major and advertisement.

No comments about Exploring Multimedia for Designers (Design Exploration).

1 comments about General Printing: An Illustrated Guide to Letterpress Printing.

1. This is a 2006 reissue of a textbook that went through several revisions from 1941 to 1963 and is often recommended as a beginning textbook in letterpress circles.
   
   Although the book makes several references to teachers and classmates, it does stand well on its own. I imagine that most current readers will be those interested in letterpress exclusively, so much of the background information (different types of printing) will not be of immediate use, and my review is geared toward them.
   
   The textbook is intended as a general overview, covering typesetting, mis-en-page, and printing, but is very general, providing more information on general aspects of typesetting rather than the pitfalls associated with various systems. additionally, since it is intended for those pursuing a career in printing (as opposed to hobbyists and job printers), there are only brief mentions of the Kelsey/Adana-type presses, as the authors prefer the more common presses (Heidelberg) that were used for magazines, newspapers and leaflets back then but that are seldom used by most hobbyists.
   
   The book is still very useful, but is intended as an introduction and most hobbyists will outgrow the volume after a bit of individual experimenation. Additionally, since it is from the 1960s, there is only brief coverage of other aspects of letterpress that have fallen aside (such as electroplating); similarly, modern methods of letter-press (photopolymers). Lastly, as our understanding of the early history of the printing press has advanced tremendously in the past 30 years, scholarly users will smirk at the historical sections.
   
   There is still a need for a general survey/study of modern methods of letterpress in its modern form, but early sources such as this provide a good start.