Book Description

From an interactive website to a business card, a brand must be recognizable, differentiated and help build customer loyalty. This indispensable resource presents brand identity fundamentals and a comprehensive dynamic process that help brands succeed. From researching the competition to translating the vision of the CEO to designing and implementing an integrated brand identity program, the meticulous development process is presented through a highly visible step by step approach in five phases: research and analysis, brand and identity strategy, brand identity design, brand identity applications and managing brandassets.

From global corporate mergers through entrepreneurial ventures and nonprofit institutions, twenty-two case studies portray the brand identity process in action. They illustrate a range of challenges and methodologies and represent a select group of branding and multidisciplinary design firms.

The scope of material includes history of identity design up to the latest information about online brand identity standards, naming and trademarking, with practical project management resources about decision making, and creating brand briefs.

Alina Wheeler specializes in brand identity. She uses her strategic imagination to help build brands, create new identities, and design integrated brand identity programs for Fortune 100 companies, entrepreneurial ventures, cities and foundations. Wheeler works closely with founders, CEO¹s and senior management to insure that their vision and their brand identity are communicated clearly to accelerate the success of their organizations. She has been the principal of several design firms as well as a consultant to some of America¹s largest business consulting groups. She is a former national board member of AIGA and was named an AIGA Fellow in 1998.

Hallmark Features

• Unlike most books that show identity programs, this book outlines a rigorous, complex and proven process from research and analysis through the design development of a new identity and online standards through launch and brand asset management.
• Comprehensive, easy to understand guide that is organized by spreads bysubject for easy reference.
• An indispensable reference for anyone with responsibility for brandidentity.
• Meaningful and actionable information that will accelerate the success ofany brand identity project.
• A toolkit for design firms and professionals, design students and designmanagers.
• Presents the relationship between effective brand identity and creating,building and managing successful brands.
• Presents case studies from Cingular, Amazon, Citibank, TAZO, Zoom, HarleyDavidson, FedEx and twenty others.

Reviews (11)

A "must read" for anyone interested in brand identity
Too many books targeted to designers err on the side of a "showcase" presentation which exposes designers to the final solutions with little or no substance illuminating the process. This book will provide a comprehensive roadmap for designers and their clients.

"Designing Brand Identity" provides the information and processes to empower designers to transition into a more valuable role as consultants on identity and branding, not just the creator of visual symbols and logotypes. It is a look behind the scenes at a process which others capable of addressing have chosen to protect as proprietary information. Thanks, Alina for sharing your wisdom and experience.

An essential tool for business leaders and strategists
This author has tackled the vital topic of brand identity in a new way. In the beginning of the book Alina Wheeler says that she want to provide "an accessible resource that provides a road map to the process, explains some fundamental concepts, and showcases best practices." The book delivers on this promise!

What differentiates it from other books on this topic is that Wheeler's book really IS accessible. This comes from the unique way in which it is organized. You can simply flip open the book to any spread and have a specific concept explained, illustrated, and illuminated by relevant quotations. This makes it an excellent reference work -- keep it by your desk to quickly look up any topic. For example, you might be advocating a particular course of action at your company that you just know is the right way to go. You can turn to Wheeler's book to marshall specific evidence and articulate rationales to make your case.

In the beginning, she discusses 9 brand identity ideals: vision, meaning, authenticity, differentiation, sustainability, coherence, flexibility, commitment and value. Once you have reviewed each concept you understand how each plays a role in successful brand identities.

However, this is not primarily a book of theory. Wheeler breaks down the practical steps involved and outlines each, from the legal process to signage design. Case studies of successful brand identities take up the final portion of the book.

My one criticism is that book is not completely in color, as the topic demands. (There is a color insert showing many of the brands from the case studies.) No doubt this was a decision of the publisher!

Professionals at agencies or design firms may think they have this material mastered, but this book gives you the distilled essentials that you'll find extremely useful. But the key audience, in my view, should be business students or leaders who seek to better understand that, as Wheeler says, "brand identity is an asset that needs to be managed, nourished, invested in, and leveraged."

The title of this book might mislead you
When I put my hands on this book, I thought I would be adding one more point of view to my knowledge about brand identity, but this didn't quite happen.

This book isn't really about designing brand identity itself, but mostly about materializing brand identity into the visual identity of a company, limiting its whole concept. Furthermore, it is known that mere visual identity doesn't make a brand any stronger, as the title suggests.

Anybody with some previous brand identity knowledge in the marketing sense might get a little frustrated, had this person expected deep explanations about the creation of a brand identity plan (for that I would recommend Aaker's work).

On the other hand, if you are a designer willing to understand how to develop a visual identity linked to a brand identity, this book could be very useful.

It's about identity, but not about the brand process
This *is* a great book when it comes to showing how to put together a coherent, soup-to-nuts identity program. But the title of the book is misleading - there's very little in this book about actually creating, building or maintaining strong brands per se. This wilfully confuses the logo for the company behind the logo. As Paul Rand once said of his logo for the ABC television network, it wasn't a matter of whether his logo lived up to the network, but whether the network lived up to the logo! The brand process involves a lot of non-graphical thought regarding the spirit or essence of what that organization is all about. "Is that an IBM thing to do?" The brand identity is, at best, only the surface expression: the brand is the idea of the company in its customers' minds. In that sense, creating and maintaining a strong brand is really about having clear direction, consistent policies and actions, and understanding that markets are conversations, not about whether the carpet matches the business cards and the Web site.

A Must for EBusiness
Most people who study ebusiness at universities either focus on website design, marketing/logistics of ebusiness, or systems/software. This book gets to the heart of conducting business over the internet - combining brand recognition with eye catching design and a quality/product or service. University programs and businesses looking to be successful in ecommerce should make this book required reading. ... Read more

Book Description

The One Show Annual Volume 26

Great advertising and design can make the world stop and think. It can make people listen. And, sometimes it can even change a person's life. THE ONE SHOW ANNUAL VOLUME 26 celebrates all of the qualities that go into making a successful ad campaign or design. Considered by many to be the benchmark in advertising annuals, this year's edition features the very best work from around the world from the 2004 One Show and One Show Design. In these pages you'll find over 1,500 four-color images from the finalists and winning entries, insider perspectives from the Gold Pencil winners, a spotlight on the Client of the Year, the college competition winners and a look into the judging process with a Judge's Choice section. Lavishly produced with full-color throughout, this is the must-have annual for creatives, clients, students and anyone interested in advertising and design. Categories covered include print, design, integrated branding, television and radio. 576 pages, 9 x 12, over 1500 full color images. ... Read more

Book Description

From antique shops to such upscale stores as Tiffany and Cartier, from flea markets to the chic design houses of Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel, charms are making a grand reappearance on the fashion scene. Drawn to these tiny treasures for their ability to express elements of the wearer's personality, today's charm lovers are using them to adorn everything from bracelets and necklaces to dog collars and diaper pins.

In The Charm of Charms, photographer Jade Albert and writer Ki Hackney tell the fascinating story of this ever-popular jewelry item. The stunning color photographs provide an up-close and personal view of hundreds of cherished charmed jewels, including pieces belonging to Claudette Colbert, Joan Crawford, the Duchess of Windsor, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige among other celebrities. The intriguing stories behind these beloved trinkets are told in the lively, informative text, which also covers the history of charms and amulets from prehistory to the present. Combining up-to-the-minute trendiness with nostalgic glamour, this gorgeous volume will appeal to fashion and jewelry enthusiasts both young and old. AUTHOR BIO: Jade Albert's work has appeared in Vogue, Time, and Parents magazines, and in advertising campaigns for Target, Polaroid, Sony, and other companies. She was the photographer of Cindy Crawford's book, About Face (2001). Ki Hackney is the coauthor of People and Pearls: The Magic Endures. ... Read more

Book Description

In celebration of Street Fighter's 15th Anniversary, Udon Entertainment is proud to announce the arrival of the long awaited English translation of Street Fighter: Eternal Challenge!Direct from Capcom Japan, Eternal Challenge is the official, definitive resource for art, information, and all things Street Fighter! With unprecedented detail and rare images, Eternal Challenge gives English-reading fans, for the first time, an in-depth retrospective on the legendary Street Fighter franchise from Street Fighter I to Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Eternal Challenge is filled to the brim with development and promo artwork (by legendary Capcom designers including Akiman, Shoei, CRMK, Edayan, and Shinkiro), character histories and bios, screen shots, game endings, merchandizing galleries and behind the scenes interviews with the creators of the games! Included in the English-language release will also be a brand-new, exclusive chapter detailing the Street Fighter franchise in North America! ... Read more

Book Description

This new detailed guide to learning the skills and techniques of drawing modern fashion and figure is also a rich reference source for a broad range of modern garments and accessories. Extensively illustrated, this introduction teaches by example, the power of drawing as a means of communication and expression and strives to show students how to perceive things in order to be able to draw them correctly. The first section is dedicated to drawing the human figure, while the second portion deals with how to draw a wide range of modern garments and accessories and the types of techniques used to render them convincingly and elegantly in different fabric designs and textures.This volume offers a complete presentation of proportions of the croquis, draping the figure, accessories, flats, and features an encyclopedia of details, how to draw textiles and real clothes, the art of illustration, and computers and fashion drawing.For designers, fashion professionals, teachers and students of fashion. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A must for aspiring Fashion Designers!!
I attend the Fashion Institute Of Design and Merchandising where "9 Heads" is used to teach the students how to illustrate fashion. My teacher was also the author of "9 Heads" and she is amazing. My fashion sketching has improves so much along with other students. This book is extremely helpful and very detailed. A must have for anyone who wants to learn how to Fashion Illustrate. :)

Great for drawing women...only women
This is ALMOST the Bible of Fashion Design, save for the fact that it does not show you how to draw men's, juniors, children's, or infant's clothing. This is a must have in anyone's collection, but upon having Ms. Riegleman as a teacher I must warn the reader not to adopt the style in the book as their own but to use the book as a means to develop their own personal style.

If this is the best book out there,
drawing skills must truly be at an all-time low. I bought this book because of Amazon's 5-star rating, but I found the drawing style distinctly unsophisticated and melodramatically adolescent. The figures look like comic book characters, and the flats look, at best, ready to photocopy. Do yourself a favor and attend proper figure drawing and anatomy classes for instruction in the human form, then learn to draw fabrics, draping, shoes, and buttons from old-fashioned, time-tested observation and practice, practice, practice.

Best Fashion Book I Own
I am a fashion student at Parsons, and this book is the exact equivilant of two years of training. My drawings improved beyond belief even after just a few days of studying this bible. The drawings are informative and have a style and flair that only the best illustrators posess. Impressive -- A must have for any fashion student!!

Best Fashion Designer Book
Mrs.Nancy Riegelman was my teacher at Fashion Institute(FIDM)of Los Angeles,she is the best teacher that I ever had and her book reflect her talent. Now I am teaching Fashion Illustration too and I use her book as a reference for my work.Buy this book and you won't be deceived, you will learn a lot and keep on getting better. ... Read more

Book Description

Frank Frazetta's paintings and illustrations have set the standard for fantasy artists for the past 50 years. This collection focuses on his influence in a variety of media and genres and on his place in 20th century art history. Coedited by Hugo Award-winning editor Arnie Fenner, it includes many of Frazetta's most memorable paintings as well as revised and previously unpublished works. The art is accompanied by the artist's own observations and commentary by a number of his contemporaries. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A fine collection of fantastic images
"Legacy: Selected Drawings & Paintings by Frank Frazetta" brings together many examples from the career of this distinctive artist. The book has been edited by Arnie Fenner and Cathy Fenner, and includes a foreword by Danton Burroughs.

"Legacy" gives examples of Frazetta's covers for books, magazines, and comic books, as well as movie posters and even comedy album covers. Many memorable characters from pop culture are depicted: King Kong, Dracula, Tarzan, etc. I especially liked the illustrations from Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars books, with their six-limbed Martian apes and tusked, green-skinned warriors.

Some of Frazetta's illustrations are haunting, even melancholy, and others are exciting and action-packed. A sorcerer summoning a demon, a scuba diver facing a sea monster, and of course, voluptuous maidens will be found in this book. In some cases, alternate versions of the same commission are given (making this book especially useful for art students and cultural historians). I recommend this book to those interested in the visual art of the sci-fi, fantasy, and adventure genres.

Comics emphasis, plus more famous paintings. Whoa!
This is book 2 of a trilogy. This one seems to have more emphasis on his comic book and comic strip work, than what appears in the other two books of the trilogy, "Icon" and "Testament." This one includes an 8-page romance comic book story by Frank, from 1952.

There are also plenty more Tarzan/Burroughs/John Carter of Mars works, and terrific paintings of Savage Pellucidar.

Frank's work for Warren magazines, like Eerie, Creepy, and Vampirella get shown and discussed in this book (and also in the other two books of this series).

All of the different eras and decades of Frank's life and career are discussed and shown, in all three books, but always with different paintings, drawings, personal photos, and different commentary by different friends and business associates.

I would recommend starting with "Icon" if you're new to Frazetta's work, but "Legacy" is a close second, containing the works that he is best known for. "Testament" has a focus on unpublished, never before seen work.

One thing that is surprising in all three of these books is seeing how Frazetta would often paint over his paintings, to improve them and change major elements, after they were originally published. So, many of his paintings look different than the way they were printed on paperback covers in the 1960's and '70's.

I am very pleased with all three of these books, but "Legacy" is my favorite of the three, if I really had to choose.

The end of an era
Frank Frazetta is a once in an era painter. He was as much an inspiration to my own large scale figure art as was Michaelangelo. This book is brimming with lush and lavish color reproductions. Frazetta, a true natural and the father of powerful and darkly and richly, colorful, anatomically creative, fantasy art. He has been imitated by dozenz, surpassed by none of them. One would have to go back to the Renaissance to find anyone more free, comfortable and creative in use of anatomy and composition. He would hold his own with the great painters of the past 700 years. This is a great book for artists and art lovers. I bought several for my grandchildren, it will be a valuable collectible in 5-10 years.

Frank Frazetta is leaving a Legacy
I bought the book ICON at the same time I bought this book. LEGACY has a slightly different tone than the ICON book. It is a wonderful tone and in complete harmony with the other book. It's kind of like two tubes on a wind chime. I use this analogy in hopes that more chimes, I mean books will come along to complete the symphony.

The ink sketches are great too. I'm partial to the full color oil paintings. What colors, what force, what passion jumps from the pages of this book. These Frazetta books are not only a legacy to the artist but to art in our culture. Imagine Frank painting in the same studio as say... N.C. Wyeth; or even Hal Foster of Prince Valiant fame. I wonder how each artist would influence the other. I bet Mr. Frazetta would set the tone.

Once again, you can't go wrong buying this book. To read more remarks about the Frazetta books, please see my review of the book ICON.

A thing of beauty...
I'm a Frazetta fan, and knew before hand that I would love this book. However, I was surprised and amused to discover so much about the artist's personality, how he describes his love & respect for women, etc...

There's also a great painting of his wife, without (obviously) any of the violence & eroticism that Frazetta is mostly known for. It's just a sweet, beautiful painting of a nice looking, every day person... Very interesting... ... Read more

Book Description

The bag is one of the most universal and oldest objects invented by humankind. What began as a prosaic item for everyday use can now be a luxurious treasure that confers instant status. In this unique, lavishly illustrated volume, published to accompany the exhibition Le Cas du Sac, noted fashion historian Farid Chenoune and 24 experts present an unimaginable wealth of bags made for everyone from kings and celebrities to shamans and vagabonds.

This comprehensive book explores the bag as high-fashion totem; travelers' bags; bags for professionals; bags related to money and ceremony; and bags as talismans. The beautiful illustrations, including paintings, fashion photographs, and ethnographic and decorative objects, reveal the variety and importance of bags throughout time, from designer Philip Treacy's silk evening bag printed with Andy Warhol's signature Campbell Soup cans, to the pangu, the bags used by Bamum tribal kings of Western Africa for holding the sovereign's regalia. A co-publication with Hermès, the Parisian designer of luxurious bags and leather goods, Carried Away is sure to delight fashion enthusiasts and those interested in material culture from around the world. AUTHOR BIO: Farid Chenoune is a cultural and fashion historian. He teaches at the Institut Français de la mode and the Ecole national supérieure des arts décoratifs. He has written, among other works, A History of Men's Fashion; Beneath It All: A Century of French Lingerie, and a monograph on Jean-Paul Gaultier. He writes frequently for French Vogue. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Surpasses my expectations
There are reasons I like this book and reasons that I am disappointed.The reason that I am disappointed is that I thought that this book was going to have lots of pictures of purses from different eras.The reason I like this book is because it is more than just a book with pictures of purses. "Hmmmm..." you might be thinking."Whatever does she mean?"

I love looking at bags in fashion magazines.I thought this book was going to be like that...only longer.Instead, it contains the history of bags, the relationship between bags and culture, the psychological meaning of different bags, and dare I say it, the philosophical perspective of bags.Lest you think I am being sarcastic, I really think the author Chenoune does a good job covering these issues in a tongue in cheek manner."Carried Away" shows the bag as more than just a fashion trend.Although the book does show examples of the bag as woman's fashion accessory, such as the ubiquitous Hermes bag, the book is more of an art book.

"Carried Away" is divided into several sections. My favorite section is about purses in the movies.The author chose still pictures from certain movies.Then, Chenoune explains how the choice of the purse by the costume designer relates to the characters in the movie. Basically, what does the purse say about the psychology of the character and the mood in the scene?I also like the section that shows pictures of different bags and their uses in history, like the painter's bag.

I think for many people this is going to be a book that they pick up in the book store and browse, but not buy.However, I think that other people intested in the bag as an art form, a cultural indicator, or a historical benchmark will find this book interesting enough to read.Therefore, I would not recommend buying it sight unseen, but it is definitely worth a look. ... Read more

Book Description

The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration, Second Edition
Sponsored by the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and written by top illustrators, scientists, and industry experts, The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration, Second Edition is an indispensable reference guide for anyone who produces, assigns, or simply appreciates scientific illustration.
Offering broad coverage and more than 620 outstanding illustrations, this new edition offers up-to-date coverage on all aspects of this specialized field, from illustrating molecules and 3D modeling to important material and advice on copyright and contractual concerns, as well as establishing a freelance business.
With step-by-step instructions, in-depth coverage of illustrative techniques and related tools, and helpful advice on the day-to-day business of scientific illustrating, it is easy to see why scientific illustrators refer to this book as their "bible." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The definitive reference for scientific illustration
Since its first edition this book has been by far the best single resource available for anyone with a serious interest in scientific, medical, biological, nature, botanical, or wildlife illustration.

Don't be daunted by the price - this book is worth far more than the next 10 competing books combined. I've been a professional medical and scientific illustrator for 35 years, and I own hundreds of books on the subject, but I think this single volume should be the foundation of any reference library on visual communication in the biomedical sciences.

There is no greater guide to Scientific Illustration . . .
ELaine Hodges' "The Guild Handbook to Scientific Illustration" is truly a landmark as a reference and the finest on my shelf -- and I cannot count the times I've sought it since 1989 out either to clarify a client's request or as a refresher for some obscure technique (carbon dust, for example) . . .

Even though the book is quite expensive even by reference standards (twice its price of 1989), I would purchase it again without hesitation. Truly, there is no question of hand technique that is left unanswered . . .

If that were not enough, the volume weighs over two kilos and could also prove a formidable weapon . . .

The book is the final word in scientific illustration
Over and over in my work I found myself referring back to this encyclopedic manual. A must for all those in the field of scientific illustration, and a huge help for graphic artists and illustrators in general.

Most authoritative single book in the World in the subject!
The most extensive coverage of media and subject matter for use in creating science art. For use by practicing illustrators. ... Read more

Book Description

A superb reference book and an ideal instructional textbook for classroom use, this beautifully illustrated guide is organized into units that reflect required courses at leading design colleges. Twenty step-by-step exercises cover methods of finding inspiration, developing observation techniques, and creating fashion drawings in both color and black-and-white media. Separate sections are devoted to getting started and understanding figure proportions, planning and designing garments, and creating and assessing flat specification drawings. The book also features cross-references to its various art instruction techniques, a designer’s glossary, and a helpful index. This book guides students through their first steps in fashion illustration, covering everything that is presented in the best college-level courses. It makes a fine starting point for all students of fashion, introducing them to fashion drawing as a first step toward a career as a creative costumier. More than 250 illustrations in color and black and white. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a real course in fashion design
Unlike other fashion design books, the authors do not teach figure drawing and clothing. They start out with a visit to a museum where you need to gather information, then find a theme and make four sketches. The individual lessons build upon each other so that the beginner can easily follow. The authors require you to be active, go out and find your sources of information and inspiration. You learn to do what fashion designers do: look at architecture and find ideas for a new fashion line, look at flowers and find a color scheme, etc.
The book has 24 lessons that lead the student of fashion design from the first sketch to the fashion show. It's a good book if you are looking for a guided course that helps you to improve and evaluate your designs.

Important principles of fashion illustration
The book mentions the main and the important principles of fashion illustration, how to use colors and more. ... Read more

Book Description

The latest edition of Rockport?s best-selling The Best of Business Card Design series features a high-end collection of the most recent and best work by top designers around the world. Organized in a visually focused presentation, this comprehensive collection contains approximately 800 images, selected from thousands of entries from around the globe. Essentially an art collection of today?s most innovative business card designs, this high-quality resource will be sought by both professional designers and marketers whose clients stem from every kind of business. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Tons of great ideas in one book. Bold, stunning designs
I have read the other books in the series (this is #6) and this is the best one yet. The designs selected for this edition are bold, graphically intense, colorful and quite stunning. These designs really make a strong impression. I found more great ideas for card design in this book than all the others I have read combined. Needless to say, I bought this one. The team at BlackCoffee has excellent taste, and has really done a great job.

If you are looking for something to spark your imagination and help you design a killer business card, look no further - this is the book. Bravo!

Boldest, most intense of the series. Stunning designs
I've have read the other books in the series (this is #6) and this is the best one yet. The designs selected for this edition are bold, graphically intense, colorful and quite stunning. These designs really make a strong impression. I found more great ideas for card design in this book than all the others I have read combined. Needless to say, I bought this one. The team at BlackCoffee have excellent taste, and have really done a great job. If you are looking for something to spark your imagination and help you design a killer business card, this is the book. Bravo! ... Read more

Book Description

The successful book illustrator starts by understanding his author’s flight of fancy, then rendering the ideas and actions imaginatively in pictorial terms. This unusual and inspiring book was written for art students and ambitious beginners. It instructs on methods of developing both imaginative powers and the technical artistic skills to produce high quality illustrations that will please authors and children’s book editors.Separate chapters focus on:

Book Description

In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Ryman Program for Young Artists, The Ryman-Carroll Foundation is proud to present a book of extraordinary insight into the magical worlds of Disney and its quintessential artist Herbert Dickens Ryman.

A Brush with Disney is the story in 252 pages of color illustrations of artist Herbert Ryman's personal journeys around the world and through the "world of Walt".

Told through the marvelous illustrations of the artist and his own personal notes and thoughts on a 50-year journey, this rare compilation (many never-before-seen works) is edited by Bruce Gordon and David Mumford, with research by Irene Naoum. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

herbert ryman painting
i have a herbert ryman oil painting that i would like to sell if you are interested please call robert (562)435-4833

Not enough Disney
I hate to sound like an ingrate writing this review: Herb Ryman has done some great illustrations. Unfortunately, this book spends too much time showcasing Herb Ryman's non-Disney art--which is pretty mediocre--and not enough space showcasing his Disney work. The highlight of the book--Ryman's first illustration of the soon-to-be-built Disneyland--is spread across two pages, but the page break makes it nearly impossible to decipher what's in the middle of the drawing. (It should have perhaps been on a fold-out, or at least on a single, uninterrupted page.) Other great illustrations, especially early renderings of Tomorrowland, are printed in extremely small 3" images, making them very hard to read. All in all, I'd say don't bother with this book. Ryman's best drawings are already showcased in many other books.

Not so much for Disney historians...
As a general book about the person Herb Ryman, it is very pretty and well made, and deserves 5 stars.
But as a source of info for the Disney historian, all I can say is: get the public library near you to buy a copy.
Personally, I feel I should have waited to buy it until I had the chance to have a look at the contents... [added later:] I would have bought it, anyway.

A Must Have
I will admit that it was strange at first reading this in the first person (I was under the impression that Mr. Ryman had passed away some time ago....If I'm mistaken...Sorry!). Other than that, the book was great.

I think the general public doesn't give a thought to the fact that Imagineers are highly trained/skilled artists. This book really demonstrates this nicely. Who better than Herb Ryman as an example of the fine artistry Disney has cultivated over the years.

Don't expect to see lots of pictures of Mickey and Disney stuff. Sure, it's there, but the book focusses on Ryman, as it should. We can see why Herb was great at his job with Disney because of the wealth of life experiences he had and therefore painted.

Good stuff. Great book!

This book doesn't disappoint
Here's a book that in no way disappoints. If you like Disney art--and who doesn't?--this book is full of it. But more than that, it's the story of a master artist, who not only traveled the world, recording what he saw in words, drawings and paintings, but also worked with Walt Disney and his team of core artists during key formative periods of the development of animated features, Disneyland, Epcot and the other theme parks. It is apparent that Herbert Ryman played a significant role in the success of several Disney enterprises. But perhaps more importantly, he dedicated his life to art, and the results are easy to see in his works. And, for those of us involved in making art, the icing on the cake is the wisdom he offers from his lifetime of diligent work and study. It's a compelling story presented in a beautifully prouced book. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than seven years, Rockport’s annual Logo and Letterhead Design series has been a trusted resource for designers around the world. The eighth edition of this best-selling volume brings logo and letterhead design to the next level of innovation, creativity, and bold sophistication.

Featuring more than 200 stunning logo and letterhead designs—selected from more than 1,500 entries from top domestic and international firms—this handsome volume collects the best-of-the-best work in this challenging arena. From complete identity systems (logos, letterhead, envelopes, business cards, and more) to individual pieces, each work is beautifully photographed and accompanied by information on the designer, client, and tools used in the design process.

Brimming with inspiration, this volume brilliantly illustrates how great design can convey a message clearly, powerfully, and unforgettably. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Figure Templates for Fashion Illustration
This book promises more than it delivers. The basic templates are useful, but in all other aspects this book is lacking.
The written information is scant and repeated - very superfluous. Mr Ireland's style is very outdated and uninspiring for those hoping to make a career out of fashion - in any form. I would recommend this book only as a basic early tool for novices hoping to improve their figure construction.
For inspiration I recommend Laird Borelli's FASHION ILLUSTRATION NOW.

great for copying
this isn't the 'how to draw the fashion model' book you wish taught you everything you ever needed to know. However, its good to have around when you just need to pump an idea out. It has women, men, and children.

Figure Templates For Fashion Illustration
This book is an excellent resource at a resonable price. It is more than a primer. I'd recommend it to anyone, experienced or novice, who designs/illustrates fashion.

Figure Templates for Fashion Illustration
Mr. Ireland has produced a helpful tool. I am a fashion designer and find the templates helpful when I need to do quick working sketches. I also teach Fashion Merchandising students, the templates are wonderful for the students with limited artistic abilities. It helps them in their presentation of professional storyboards. The book is also useful in acquiring basic drawing skills. I would recommend this book to anyone interesting in learning basic fashion drawing skills and for those with more advanced drawing skills ... Read more

Amazon.com

Star Wars owes a lot to its details. George Lucas made his world so believable and compelling by getting all the little things right, whether it was a chip in Vader's helmet or the sand on a Stormtrooper's boots. Of course, this feat was no accident--extensive conceptual planning and design went into all the Star Wars movies, perhaps most so for Episode I: The Phantom Menace. This excellent "insider story" art book by Phantom Menace researcher Jonathan Bresman pulls together a wealth of these preliminary paintings, sketches, and computer animatics. Starting in early 1995, the Episode I art team sweated out nearly four years in a renovated attic at Skywalker Ranch, and Bresman's book gives an eye-popping account of their efforts, a sweeping survey of the movie's "evolutionary record," what Bresman calls "the unseen art that serves as the foundation for the film."

Divided into sections covering each of the movie's major locales (e.g., Theed, Coruscant, Otoh Gunga), The Art of Phantom Menace gives detailed illustrations of many of the creatures, structures, and vessels that made the final cut to film. But even more interesting are those that never left the sketchbook or hard drive--what fan wouldn't want to see a bulky, bipedal droideka or Padmé's horned, reptilian "swamp horse"? Call-outs alongside the art reveal the untold story behind many characters, like how Jedi Council member Yaddle really did begin as a sketch of a young Yoda, and how Jar Jar at one point had a wacky "dog" sidekick named Blarf. (Lucas and crew thankfully dodged that bullet.) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Shows the creative process of character & set design
This book is great in showing the character and set design development for Star Wars Episode 1: the Phantom Menace. The book provides minimum descriptions of each of the drawings and you get a feel for how the creative process worked on Episode 1. All of the concepptual scetches for Episode 1 vehicles and characters are shown. The book showcases some great conceptual designs by Doug Chaing (the main art director for episode 1) among others. The artwork itself is great and the quick explanations serve to focus the readers attention the art.

the only thing I wish they had more of in this book was some of the production models, props and clay maquettes. The first series of books had these props and I really enjoyed seeing the 3-D models.

However, the book is a really good guide to the development of the starwars universe and the art that's behind star wars. If you like this book I'd suggest picking up the following title: "Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace artwork by Doug Chaing" This title is actually a series of 20 lithographs of paintings for the phantom menace. Some of these paintings are shown in "The Art of Episode 1", but a good many are new and they are a great complement to the Art of Episode 1 book.

Close to a Must Have
The book is fabulous for anyone who likes to see the way ideas come together in the pre-production process of a movie or who adores the Star Wars Saga. Fabulous drawings and paintings bring The Phantom Menace to life in this book.

However, saying that, there is one qualm I have about this book. That is the very little amount of background descriptions regarding the images; though that now seems to be because of their relationship to Episode II. Apparently, George Lucas has gone back to some of the discarded designs of The Phantom Menace and reused them in Episode II. Most notable are the "Solar Ship" which has become Count Dooku's Interstellar Sail Ship, the original concept art for the Neimoidians which have now become the Battle Droid creators known as the Geonesians, and some of the Queen's Starship which have become the Senatorial Starship.

I highly recommend this book, even with the lack of descriptions.

A veritable art-gallery by master conceptual artists
I would never have thought that I would stoop so low in nerd-dom and buy a book like this, but there is more to being a nerd than simply obsessing over your favorite fantasies.

I love Star Wars, hate the Phantom Menace. And yet way back when the VHS release was going on, I too crowded into a Media Play at 12 in the morning with my buddy and his wife to get my advanced Widescreen Collector's copy. DVD has since come and taken away any significance to that item, but what did come along with it was a little booklet featuring excerpts from "The Art of Star Wars; Episode I." For a long time this little booklet and I rarely parted, and I thought I was so priviledged to have this particular booklet and that it would one day be a rarity.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered THIS book, the actual Art of Star Wars. Not only does it have everything in my booklet, but it presents conceptual art from all corners of the movie. There's so much to look at, and so much that is fascinating to look at, you can't help spend hours just looking.

The book is hard-bound, with pages made from such high-quality paper, it will make you turn them with tweezers, they feel so expensive. The art is presented in chronological order with the film, so that reading it cover-to-cover is almost like watching the film. For most of the artwork, a little background information is provided in the corner next to a numerical key denoting which works belong to which artists.

As for the quality of reproduction; I am rarely satisfied when something I've drawn is scanned onto a color-copier, which often is the best option for reproducing them. I still lose something in the translation from pad to paper, a little bit of hue here, some shading here, depth of line there. However, in this book there is nothing lost. (Nothing is lost, or the originals must be stunning to look at!) The artwork shows you just why the movie relies so much on visuals (and not on strength of character or plot). Artists Doug Chiang, Ian McCaig, and Terry Whitlatch to name a few, are so skilled at vividness, their works immediately juice your imagination into action. Looking at concepts for space-ships, you can almost hear them fly.

The emphasis is on Doug Chiang and Ian McCaig, one a brilliant architectural and mechanical artist, the other a genius at characters and costumes. Whitlatch seems to handle most of the aliens, while gorgeous matte-paintings by Doug Chiang depict, in color, some of the more finalised concepts.

If you are a fan of Star Wars, this book is a must for any in-depth knowledge of how things developed behing the scenes. For film scholars, I would also recommend this book, for the glimpse it provides into the realm of pre-production, especially for you film scholars who have never set foot onto a film studio, or a design office.

For fellow artists, I can only say that these works inspire to improve my technique and work even harder at my art. It's always the test of an artist when he runs into someone who is superior; does the work make you want to quit art, or make you want to improve? This stuff will make you choose the latter.

No McQuarrie, and yet an awesome art of Star Wars Book
I loved the art Ralph McQuarrie did for the first three Star Wars movies, and in the Art of Episode I, Doug Chiang takes the torch and does an awesome job. His grand scale works are so appealing and detailed, I loved it.

The character concept work in intriguing, there is a lot of evolutionary type paintings which I like a lot. The Sith work is fascinating.

The one draw back to the book was the lack of explaination each work had. I would have liked more insight as to what the artist was thinking, what Lucas liked and what he disliked. That wasn't in this version as much as I would have liked. But overall, one to own.

katcat loves the art of episode 1!
This book is simply wonderful for Star Wars fans and artist alike. Just try it-you`ll love it! Who could ask for more-colorful, wonderful Star Wars creatures and livly artwork!Eureka Springs Ar ... Read more

Amazon.com

Since the publication of its first issue in 1992, Ray Gun has set the perimeters of the cutting edge in publishing. Abandoning such conventions as headlines, columns, and even page numbers, the alternative rock-and-roll magazine created a chaotic, abstract style that broke all the rules, clearing the way for a slew of fringe magazines devoted as much to style as to substance. This self-consciously hip, unconventional approach soon emerged on album covers, concert posters, and MTV, signaling the birth of a bona fide movement. The same irreverent approach to production is applied to Ray Gun: Out of Control, forcing you to wade through a maze of random graphics and typefaces to unearth the articles and essays. The search is half the fun, though, as the pieces are enough to capture your interest, even against the backdrop of so much graphic noise. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

ray gun - out of control
this book is a collection of spreads from the early years of raygun and other magazines whose art direction was lead by david carson. there is a lot of controversy surrounding carson's work, and carson as a graphic designer. i find the work visually stimulating and closer to art than most design i've encountered. i personally admire the intuitive beauty of this book and have spent countless hours looking at it. while i do not recomend carson's other books i do recomend this one.

Collection on the shelf
This book is for the Raygun collectors who admires clever typographic layout. A collector's item.

out of gas
As the elite of contemporary typograhpy will tell you, Art Director David Carsons was neither type designer nor graphic designer, but instead adept collector of typefaces and free favors from young talent. This book is an attempt, on the eve of the sellout of the Ray Gun Empire, to solidify the merit of a magazine built on 2 things: hype, and the desire of the design community and its afficionados to find a voice for the explosion of creativity ignited by the early macintosh design pioneers and their disciple, Ed Fella,while, initially at least, disregarding the need for relevant indie music reporting. Don't buy it.

Out of Control pushes the envelope
Use this book for ideas that will stun and amaze your staid audience whether it be in print or on the Web. I look at it as one giant idea book - it pushes the limit of type and design and gives us a new art form

A magazine picture book?
"Out of Control?" I don't get it. Is this a picture book, or a book that is supposed to honor the magazine? Magazines are about content and design, but here all we get is design. Now, I like design, I like it a lot, and hope to one day get into magazine desiggn, but this book seems to undermine what the magazine should be about. Design vs. Content. How well does the design and presentation relate to the article? I have no idea from looking at this. This is a picture book. From looking at this from a distance (which you are apparently supposed to do) Ray Gun is a nicely laid out and designed magazine. But what's it about? I love design, but I don't give a damn about a publication about information (no matter hhow good the design) if I can't have access to that information. As far as I'm concerned, this collection should showcase and celebrate the representation of information. IAs I've said, I enjoy the design and designers, but Ray Gun was started as a great means of maing the aarticles fun to read...lure the reader in with the design and hook 'em with the words. This may or may not have worked, but the intention was there. No matter how much of a design magazine this is, Ray Gun is the bible of mushc ansstyle, not a graphic design monthly. I think that this collection is a slap in the face to the people who wrote the articles in the mag. Buy "Out of Control" if you want a picture book, but if you want to get any idea at all about what the actual magazine is about, bo to the periodicals section and pick it up. ... Read more

Book Description

What makes an advertisement memorable? Creative Advertising unravels the creative process behind some of the most original and effective campaigns of recent years. Mario Pricken showcases over two hundred examples of international advertising from a wide range of media including magazines, billboards, television, movies, and the Internet.

Each chapter highlights different practical methods for creating innovative and unforgettable advertisements, from finding the elusive "big idea" to reworking classic techniques. The selection covers award-winning work from some of the biggest and most influential names in the industry, such as J. Walter Thompson and Saatchi and Saatchi, along with exciting young agencies such as London-based Mother Ltd. All demonstrate a fascinating range of approaches, including ways of visualizing concepts, the art of illusion and paradox, using metaphor and analogy, and deploying shock tactics and humor. Interviews with international luminaries of the advertising world provide invaluable insights into the working practices of top agencies.

Entertaining and inspirational, Creative Advertising is an indispensable book for designers, art directors, copywriters, and students of advertising. Over 450 illustrations, 380 in color. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

cant believe this book is for $27.17
is the publisher of this book into social service?
what a class apart!!! w h a t a c l a s s a p a r t ! ! !

For the first time I smoked less while reading a book.

Thanks Mario and team for reducing my smoking

Glamourous to Look at --- A Pleasure to Read
This is a handsome book and one you'll want to display for visitors and others you want to impress. Oh, come on. You do want to impress people don't you?

But more importantly, this will be a book that you will refer to often when you need a concept, an idea.

If you are in advertising as a copywriter or artist or in most any capacity, this book will benefit you greatly. Oh you can read it in one or two days. But you will need it handy often. If you are like me, each new project brings a blank slate which must be filled. If you are lucky, you have gobs of ideas. But if you're like most of us, you'll draw a blank. This book will help when faced with that awful blank.

If you are in advertising and depend on your ideas or the ideas of a team, buy this book. You won't be sorry.

Susanna K. Hutcheson
Creative Director
Powerwriting.com LLC

The Un-Textbook for Aspiring Creatives
For any of you preparing for careers as art directors or copywriters, this is a great resource. It's about application. It's about showcasing great work AND revealing the thinking strategies behind it. Kudos to Pricken for going this extra mile and helping to demystify the process. I plan to require the new paperback edition in the portfolio classes I teach.

Save your job
You need to come up with a killer concept tommorow. Or you might loose your job. And become an advertising outcast. You'll forever be known as the guy with stale ad ideas. You can never set foot in a decent agency again. OMG! Then someone told you about this book. You read it. You save your job.

This book asks all the right questions
When I hit a mental road block I pull out this book. It is the best advertising book that has a focus on CONCEPT! It asks questions of you or your assinment and how to approach it in the most effective manor. It even shows you examples. Now I dont use this book to do my job but it sure has help me produce more conceptual and effective print & tv. If you don't own this book your a fool. Whats the worst that can happen? ... Read more

Book Description

Here in a single volume is a practical, comprehensive training course for budding illustrators working to master comic book art, graphic novels, fantasy posters, sci-fi book covers and illustrations, and computer games. The author, a highly successful fantasy artist, teaches the basics of human anatomical drawing and musculature, as well as perspective and composition. He then instructs on ways to distort, develop, and transform the human figure, giving it features that range from monstrous or magical to super-agile or larger than life. Detailed artist’s references and step-by-step instructions show how to build bodies that truly stretch the imagination—mighty alien warriors, kick-boxing cyber-punks, and mega-muscled superheroes, to name just a few. Art students also learn how to show their characters in many different dynamic action poses, such as flying, spinning, punching, and jumping, as well as how to express each character’s emotions through facial expressions. More than 300 color illustrations. ... Read more