Book Description

Top trend spotters in the craft and greeting card industry say that consumers are showing a real passion for texture. Crafters can easily satisfy that craving with this treasure trove of 40 elegant card and gift projects. It teaches plenty of texture-making techniques that utilize the magic of stamping in all its forms.

Curry is a master at creating dreamy, sophisticated and surprisingly beautiful texture effects. With enthusiasm, she teaches how to make richly textured backgrounds that look complex, but are surprisingly easy to re-create.

Step-by-step, readers will have fun combining basic stamping techniques with metallic paints, resist effects, alcohol inks, layers of acetate, watercolors, embellishments and much more!

Projects are conveniently grouped into sections that highlight the different ways texture can be created-by using visual texture, spot coloration, layered texture or adding embellishments.

Long-time rubber stampers and card makers will be inspired by all the new texturing techniques and clever variations demonstrated in this book.

:More than just cards, there are also lots of fresh ideas for turning ordinary boxes, tags, clocks and tiles into memorable gift items.

All this makes Texture Effects for Rubber Stamping an inspirational resource crafters will turn to again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

With designers constantly working for clients and having a limited amount of freedom in much of their work, the chance to strike out on their own and do something truly original and personal is a real luxury. The cards included represent some of the most creative design available so are a wonderful source of inspiration for all types of projects. All designers and design firms, whether in-house or freelance, create their own greeting cards which serve not only as a greeting card, but as an opportunity to show off their work in a totally unique and uninhibited light. In addition, they are the perfect project because they are small enough so they are not incredibly time consuming nor are they very expensive to produce, even with unique materials or treatments. ... Read more

Book Description

The artistic versatility of tattoo artists has frequently been overshadowed by the negativity that surrounds tattooing in general. Many tattoos are made by would-be artists who copy overused designs. A perfectly tattooed body requires the skills of a professional and talented artist, who creates a unique and personal design. These designs are often inspired by one or more of the various tattoo styles of Japanese, Maori or other tribal origin. "The Sketchbook" offers the reader a selection of 80 of these unique designs by well-known and less famous, but very promising, tattoo artists from around the world. Each artist was requested to create a sketch unrestrained by commercial demands and which reflects their own personal motivations.

The book is divided into two sections: the first comprises an explanation of how this collection was brought together, along with a brief illustrated overview of the history and various styles of tattooing. The second section is devoted to the artists, each sketch being accompanied by a biography and favorite quote.

The concept of this book was developed by Marco Bratt, a tattoo artist from The Netherlands, and his partner, Germanborn lifestyle photographer Nancy Heimburger, who also wrote the introductory chapter. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive compilation of elegant, imaginative two-letter monograms—ideal for enhancing scrolls, certificates, awards and other graphic projects in need of calligraphic excitement. Easily reproduced, copyright-free letters are also perfect for use in art, needlework, crafts and other decorative projects.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Disappointed with Amazon!
I paid $24 for this book only to receive it and the price is stamped on the back "$9.95 in USA"! I would look for this book elsewhere.

Disappointed
I paid $24 for this book only to receive it and the price is stamped on the back "$9.95 in USA"! I would look for this book elsewhere. ... Read more

Book Description

This book will be the first in a series of practical and inspirational workbooks that will cover all the fundamental areas of the graphic design business. Each book will provide the reader with a range of content about the featured subject providing a number of tools to help them make better designs. This series will go beyond our traditional showcase books yet remain succinct and to the point so designers are able to get the information they need quickly and easily.

This book/series will offer the reader ideas and inspiration by featuring hundreds of real life logosfrom around the world that have succeeded for their clients, as well as hardworking content focused on the basics including: - Choosing colors - Choosing the right typeface - Size matters - How to incorporate logos on products and collateral - Common mistakes in logo design - What makes a logo successful

Scattered throughout the second portion of the book will be profiles/interviews with prominent logo designers as well as sidebars which examine the evolution of many well known logos as well as some historical logos that have shaped graphic design. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wish I had this book years ago
This is perhaps the most honest book that I have read since my beginning education in graphic design. The reading is objective yet incredibly insightful. I have been attending a local Art school for nearly four years now and can honestly say that this book offers more real world direction into the logo development process than any I have been assigned in the classroom. This isn't just a collection of logo designs and their designers, but a very well organized breakdown of how and why for logo development. Logo Design Workbook should be handed out the first day of school; where was this book when I was 18? I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in logo design from the student to the CEO.

Great useful logo book
I'm used to design books that show examples of good work, but never give any real advice on how to make something. At first glance, this book is accessible and has lots of great images, but the content goes beyond that. It's actually pretty dense. It clearly explains how to make a logo and sell it. It has all the components of standards manuals listed. It even has a process guide for clients. I'm amazed AdamsMorioka was willing to divulge all of their "trade secrets" on good identities. This book also has an incredible collection of blue-chip designers and others that I've never seen before. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A necessary part of every LaTeX user's library.
If you use LaTeX --- and if you want to create nice looking documents you probably should --- then you'll want this book.

This book is well organized and well written. The information is presented very clearly and with many examples. While it is fun to browse through, it is also easy to find any specific information that you're looking for. And any information on LaTeX that you want will almost certainly be in here; the book is quite comprehensive. I had expected the book to cost much more than it does, particularly given how much it covers; I was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive it is.

While it isn't a tutorial for someone who's never used LaTeX before, anyone who uses LaTeX for non-trivial documents will find themselves leafing through this book

Finally here - GET YOURS TODAY
I have been a TeX/LaTeX user since 1982, and have authored several classes and styles (newlfm). I just got my copy of the new The LaTeX Companion (2nd Edition). I just love it!! Why? 942 pages of text, 94 pages of the index (YEP!), wonderfully clear examples, 136 pages on fonts, a whole appendix on debugging, 72 pp on mathematics, etc. The book is well-written and uses clearly distinct fonts for user commands, internal commands, etc. There are 138 pages about fonts. In the mathematics chapter, there are 104 examples in the Math chapter alone; one REALLY COOL section shows 10 different font choices and their impact on the typesetting of a small page of mathematics. HOT STUFF!!

In short, there is only 1 limitation to the book: It does not have LaTeX/TeX lion on the front. That is hard to accept. However, everything else is really good. I highly recommend this. ... Read more

Book Description

Swappers, swingers, transvestites, nymphos, hookers, dominatrixes, lesbians: in the 1960s, these stock characters were staples of the naughty novel, and their lurid antics formed an entire genre dubbed "sleaze" by legions of avid modern-day collectors. Uncovering a racy repository of American fantasies and fears from more than 40 years ago, Sin-A-Rama ravishes readers with the splendidly spicy cover art of the period's top illustrators as well as entertaining excerpts from the best and worst of the genre. Cultural commentary is featured as well, including fascinating accounts of the ways in which the genre's publishers - often mobsters - would distribute their titles to the public. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Sleaze by the million

It soon becomes apparent when reading the first few chapters of this interesting book that in this tiny part of the publishing industry were an equally small number of people (mostly males, obviously) yet they were responsible for producing millions of trash paperbacks that sold in the Fifties, Sixties and early Seventies.This book is a celebration of their endeavours.

Because of the very competitive arena in which these publishers worked, with twenty or more new titles each month the covers were the main selling point and the three hundred plus reproduced in this book show that you don't mess with a successful formulae.They had to show a female (unless it was for the gay market) as provocatively posed as possible with a two or three word title to complete the package.It has to be said though that the quality of these illustrations is pretty poor which only makes the work of one or two artists really stand out.Robert Bonfils, in particular, consistently turned out quality art and sleaze artists like Stanton, Bilbrew and Bill Ward were made for this market.No cover design could be too tacky for this publishing genre.

The bulk of the book are the cover reproductions (each with date, publisher, author and artist credits) with several short essays in the front.The two about soft core publishing on the East and West coasts were interesting because they actually explain the background to the publishers and more importantly how the books were distributed through the network of adult book stores in most cities and towns.The back has a useful list of publishers and authors pseudonyms.I was slightly disappointed with the books production though, there is no real page design, paragraphs are excessively long and columns just fall short because no one bothered to make adjustments to the picture sizes to compensate.Despite this 'Sin-a-rama' will probably be the only book to comprehensively cover the publishing world of paperback sleaze.

An eye-opening visual survey
Sin-A-Rama: Sleaze Sex Paperbacks of the Sixties is a full-color gallery of paperback cover artwork from "sleazy" sex-themed paperback books of the 1960's. An introduction surveys the industry and history behind such publications, but most of the text within Sin-A-Rama consists of excerpts from the paperbacks themselves. The covers, done in the realism style with muted shades so common in the 60's, are often quite revealing; bare breasts and nipples are not uncommon, as are a number of kinky, if exaggerated situations. An eye-opening visual survey of the sensuality marketed to popular American culture during the era of the sexual revolution.

Great historical & pictorial depiction of sleaze paperbacks!
Sin-A-Rama is the only book on this subject on the market today.Sure, there have been plenty of books discussing the 1940's/1950's pulp paperbacks (sci fi, mystery, etc titles) but this is the only one thus far to delve into the realm of the taboo world of 1960's sleaze paperbacks!The editors do a wonderful job constructing the historical basis for these lurid gems, while also providing the reader with pages and pages of full-color pictures of these naughty novels.The book features great articles by Jay A. Gertzman, Brittany A. Daley, Earl Kemp, and Steve Gertz to name a few.Furthermore, the book features excellent reference material at the back including lists of pen names by Earl Kemp and a publisher's catalog by Brittany A. Daley. The book is also littered with interesting quotes from these rule-breaking books.I would highly advise readers to seek out this book! Oh and I don't know if Amazon.com's personnel ever reads these reviews but there is an error on this book's order page.The editor list is incorrect as the editors were actually (as listed on the back of the book): Brittany A. Daley, Hedi El Kholti, Earl Kemp, Miriam Linna, and Adam Parfrey.

colorful, informative survey of popular paperbacks
The countless lurid, sexually suggestive pictures of the covers of the mass-market paperbacks of the decade of the 1960s are what cannot help but attract the most attention. But there's more to this retrospective than the sensationalistic covers for enthusiasts of popular culture and paperback book collectors. An inside view of the "sleaze paperback" industry of the time is recounted in essays by four writers; one of whom spent some time in jail for peddling [...]. Passages from some of the books illustrate the genre's elliptical, yet unmistakable style for dealing with the sexual subjects and scenes so the books could get by the [...] censorship. The hundreds of paperbacks identified by their covers with author, publisher, and artist in the caption are divided into main categories appealing to readers of different backgrounds and sexual fantasies. "Sick Suburb," "Butch Swish," and "Sin Revue" are some of these. Another feature beyond the pictures is 15 interviews with writers in the field. A listing of the publishers, an index of pseudonyms used by most of the writers working in the genre, and a second index of the authors real names followed by their pseudonyms are found in the back matter. All in all, a copious collection of a vein of book cover art which also has material on the genre as an area of popular culture flourishing in the 1960s and influencing the culture's regard of sexual matter and treatment of it in following decades.
... Read more

Book Description

At last, a mathematical explanation of how art works presented in a manner we can all understand. Kimberly Elam takes the reader on a geometrical journey, lending insight and coherence to the design process by exploring the visual relationships that have foundations in mathematics as well as the essential qualities of life.

Geometry of Design-the first book in our new Design Briefs Series-takes a close look at a broad range of twentieth-century examples of design, architecture, and illustration (from the Barcelona chair to the Musica Viva poster, from the Braun handblender to the Conico kettle), revealing underlying geometric structures in their compositions. Explanations and techniques of visual analysis make the inherent mathematical relationships evident and a must-have for anyone involved in graphic arts. The book focuses not only on the classic systems of proportioning, such as the golden section and root rectangles, but also on less well known proportioning systems such as the Fibonacci Series. Through detailed diagrams these geometric systems are brought to life giving an effective insight into the design process. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not so good as an introduction
So I am given this book by a colleague and told that it's a great book to teach proportion in art from. It has got some pretty and neat overlays, but I feel like it manages not to say very much. Also... there's something about this book that feels like there's an entire context that you're missing when you read it- I felt as though I was reading a math textbook in parts, that the focus wasn't nearly enough on how you as an artist can work an understanding of geometry into your own work. Also, pages 34 and 36 start with the same sentence.

I just feel.. confused after reading this. I have only 2 notebook pages of notes, double-spaced. I feel like this book can be summed up by: "The human eye instinctively likes certain proportions and in order to be a good designer you must understand and use geometry." Ok, great, but how? In other words, this book is like half of a thesis- lacking the parts that tell me how to go forward.

Interesting but Lacking
This is a good book for someone who has never delved into the subject. I find that it follows the same track as others in making the golden proportioning system fit about anything they want it to. Probably the most disappointing thing is the book's assembly: there are numerous overlays in the book that are not aligned with the images they are overlaying. The deviations are from slight to almost 1/4" - very bothersome to view. This is more of a problem with mediocre quality control and concern by Princeton Architectural Press. It's good that the book is relatively inexpensive or I would have returned it.

The best book I have bought for years
I have been looking for a book Like this for so long. It is easy to follow and well written.

I would urge anyone with a desire to grasp the concepts of proportion in design to start here. It has certainly fueled my interest and I am on the hunt to extend my knowledge further

Thanks for a great book at a great price. A refreshing change

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Why do we instinctively admire the 1997 update of the Volkswagon Beetle? Why are Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona chairs of 1929 still relevant in twenty-first century interior design? Why have everyday Braun kitchen products achieved iconic status in museum settings?

In her pithy (101 page) essay, GEOMETRY OF DESIGN: STUDIES IN PROPORTION AND COMPOSITION, Kimberly Elam admirably succeeds in illuminating fundamental concepts underlying successful modern design. Through the elegance of Elam's arguments, readers are painlessly introduced to a set of mathematically-based compositional elements developed in classical antiquity and reflected in acknowledged masterpieces of later design. From the Parthenon and Notre Dame de Paris to Mies van der Rohe's Chapel at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and from Leonardo's "Man Inscribed in a Circle" and a chambered nautilus to Le Courbusier's "Chaise Lounge", selected works succumb to Elam's acute analysis of successful proportioning and composition. Her exploration of these fundamentals, including the dynamic rectangles exemplified by the Golden Section and the European DIN Root 2 system (so different from the sectioning system used in American design), is aided by the excellent vellum overlay diagrams.

So much of our response to art and design is intuitive, and we categorize as outstanding those works from which we derive intense aesthetic pleasure. The efficiency, the very orderliness which form their basis is a revelation. Elam's book is a classic and very readable summation of the foundation of successful design.

what? who? where?
Have you ever entered a conversation or meeting half way through and try to figure out what everyone is talking about?

This ia exactly what reading this book is like.

I gave it one star because it was only 12 bucks. ... Read more

Book Description

This book profiles the history of the development of various furniture styles, exploring the evolution of style in the context of the architectural setting, interior design, and decorative arts of each period.This fascinating book is a beautiful visual reference guide to furniture styles.For architects, interior designers, furniture manufacturers, and antique dealers. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Reference - Nice Job!
I found the book to be a good overall reference and extremely
useful in explaining period furniture to my design clients. I would like to have seen more coverage of Mid-century Modern, especially the work of Edward Wormley and DUNBAR.

Definitely worth the money - should be all designers reference
libraries...

Ms. Crochet has done her homework.
If you are passionate about the origins of furniture and design, this is the resource for you. Pricey, yes, but I don't think it was meant for the casual home decor reader. It is more suited to the "die-hard" lover of furnishings, design history, and serious learners.

I love it. It seems to fill a void; and promises to be the "definitive" book on the subject of furniture through the ages.

Outstanding resource for designers
Ms. Crochet has demonstrated an unique ability to bring what is ordinarily a complicated subject to an easy to understand appreciation of the design of furniture throughout the ages. It is understandable why this book recently won an award from ASID (American Society of Interior Designers). A great find for anyone who is interested in applying this knowledge to an interior design project, collecting antiques or furniture. For the pro and the amateur alike.

This book helps to understand the relationship between furniture design, architecture, and interior design. Great illustrations, photos and easy to read!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of The Antiques Road Show or HGTV. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Directed at the expert, fine for the fan, too!
I would like to add to the reviews below that this book is a pleasure to hold and to view because it is so well made. If there is any 'art' book that should be made for posterity it is the catalog raisonne of an artist. In this instance, the publisher has done the artist's audience a real service for, the book is beautifully printed and bound in Italy by Amilcare Pizzi; Italy seeming to have usurped Switzerland's place as the world's premier art book printer. The pages are thick and glossy and the reproduction is top notch.
For those of you who are unaware of what a catalog raisonne is, it is meant to be a compilation and historical record of an artist's work that documents execution date, medium, size of image or plate, size of edition if a print, whether signed or unsigned, etc. This information is used by artists, historians, collectors and dealers to attribute a piece of art and place it in the artist's oevre, and of course to aid in placing relative value on it. Here too, the archivists, publisher, and editor have done a fine job of documenting the relevant facts. This is especially important in the case of Warhol who was a serial printer, sometimes to the point of intentional promiscuity. So, the fact that wherever possible relevant information is provided speaks volumes about the prodigious effort that must have gone into this undertaking. I rate this book four stars because I fear that since this is the third edition, there will be yet another edition published that renders this one obsolete. I understand this is precisely because Warhol was an inprecise documentarian, when he chose to do so at all, but I don't relish having to purchase another high dollar, though valuable book that is only slightly different from the one I already own. For people who don't give a darn, the book rates a five.

Andy Warhol Prints
This 3rd edition of Andy Warhol Prints gives much information to someone who is interested in the various published and unpublished works which Warhol created. In addition to providing color photographs of the prints, the book gives details about the edition size and characteristics of each individual portfolio. This book will be quite useful for the Warhol fan, art students, as well as collectors of Warhol's work. It is the most definitive book of his prints available.

Definitive Guide to Warhol
Prints, proofs, paintings -- everything is here, plus essays that explicate and set context.

The best catalog of Andy's Prints
This gem of a book gets into all the details of Warhol's print making. See source images as well as artist's and printer's proofs. A must for any collector wanting to explore Warhol's work as well as a real eye opener as to how busy this man really kept himself. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful Book!! A Tribute To The Dark Knight!!!
I just recently received this book,and I can tell you it is well worth having. True, there are definitely some covers that are missing (in my opinion all of Jim Lee's covers should have been here from the Hush series. OUTSTANDING!!!) A beautifully done book to add to your Batman collection. This book does not cover all of Batman's many comic book covers, but this was not to be expected. Instead they point out some of his most daring and bold covers. Batman has had the benefit of being drawn by some of the greatest comic book artist ever. I beleive you will find it truly amazing how each one has their own distinctive style on creating the Dark Knight. So make sure you own this one. You won't be sorry. Hey, maybe they'll make a volume 2.

It's about time, for someone like Batman
Well first, it's Batman; that might be enough reason to buy it, even for the price. (I'm a collector anyway, so what's some bucks?) Anyway, it features a number of cool and "forgotten" covers done over the 65+ years of Batman being in comics. I was even surprised some of the covers of War Games got in, really nice. There are some well-written commentaries too, by artists and editors and the like, and what cover they picked.

The cover of the book itself is great. I thought it was just a hardbound book; it turns out, the dust jacket reveals some more to it. I was in awe when I opened it, well done.

My only rant, not all of the covers I wished to be there was not there. Well, that's how it is. Tec#700 and Strange Apparitons, I think, should've been in the list. Well, all in all if you have the money and would really have something to keep for a number of years, get this. Well, if not, I hope you can browse through it when you get a chance. It would be great.

... Read more

Book Description

Great for the beginner and the expert, this book offers readers exercises to improve their work. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

If you can only buy one art book, buy this!
The book was published posthumously in 1941 by Nicolaides' students. Their ferver for their late revered teacher is evident in the manner in which the book is written. They developed a rigorous lesson schedule which demands consistent attention of the artist.

I first read The Natural Way to Draw in 1983. In January of 1985 I began a self study course using this book as my guide. I followed every lesson plan and read and re-read until I could recite the book by heart. Too broke to afford a nude model for the lesson plans, I drew my neighbors chickens, cows, horses and sheep, supplementing those subjects with weekly attendance at a drawing group and borrowing the local science teachers human skeleton. Whatever the subject matter, Niccolaides taught me to understand the essence of gesture. A little over a year and a half later, I finished the book. I went on to earn a college degree (BFA)in Painting and to become a professional artist. When I look back at the past 18 years of my life as an artist,this book had the most influence of any that I have ever read or worked with. I highly reccomend not just reading this book, but studying it. Devote a year of your life to studying this book and you will be a better artist.

THE Book for Serious Drawing
I bought this book in 1972 (hard cover). Glad to see it's still in print. If you have some talent, and are willing to put in the work to fulfill the lessons in this book, you can learn to draw as well as ANYONE, and drawing will never be a limiting factor in your creative process. Better stock up on cheap paper, because you will end up with a stack about 6' high. But you will never forget what you learn here. Thanks to Mr Nicolaides!! Note: I didn't have models available for all the exercises, so I just went out to a place where there were a lot of people and drew them. You can adapt the lessons to your circumstances. I completed the course, working 6 hours a day for 6 months. I still use the book when I want to sharpen up some of my skills.

Over-complicated & wordy
"The Natural Way to Draw" by Kimon Nicolaides, 221 pages

Nicolaides book is often compared to "Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain. Now I understand why. They are both complicated, overly-intellectualized approaches to drawing. Nicoliades writes the better complication however, because his book is approximately 60% wordy text/40% pictures. Betty Edward's is approximately 80% wordy text/20% pictures.

The quote from the back cover, with the full page photo of Nicoliades shows how narrow an approach he holds:

"There is only one right way to draw and that is a perfectly natural way." -Kimon Nicolaides

Anyone who knows anything understands that there are as many approaches to drawing as there are people. If Nicoliades is simply telling us that all ways of drawing are "natural ways" it is a redundant statement, because nobody is arguing anywhere that anyone's drawing is unnatural. Such tautological complications of basic drawing show Nicolaides approach as wordy and intellectualized.

The gesture drawings in the early chapters are uninspiring. The rest of the sparse illustrations seem to come from either student drawings and master reproductions. There are just too few of them. Nicolaides' approach to art is tedious and discouraging and nobody should be expected to read through 221 pages of boring text.

There are much better books on the market with less text and more illustration.

a method of learning to "feel" and move in your artwork
I just finished taking a drawing course in which my instructor taught the same concepts that Nicolaides writes about: extensive gesture studies, blind contour drawing, modeling of the form with gesture-mass studies. Honestly, as I worked in class, I had very little idea of what these exercises were for (it would have been great to have had a hold of this book then). I have always been good at rendering figures in a hyper-realistic manner, but as one reviewer described student work at his school as "well rendered work, but its flat, uninspired, and repetative," my work had no life to it. What I found was that the more I practiced seeing and feeling my subject matter through these "scribble" drawings, the freer my line and hand grew, and the more presence I started to see in what I put on the paper.

If you want a method to help you learn to "feel" your work and move you beyond mere rendering, I highly recommend this book. But along with that desire should come a commitment to practice the exercises with an open mind if you want to get the results. I have learned for myself that having a lot of head knowledge about art techniques hasn't made my work vital, nor his it given me the itch in my bones that I need to truly create. Even though this may sound silly, I used to consider myself a good drawer, but now I feel that the door to being an "artist" is opened to me.

If you are more interested in a book to help you practice techniques with less of a time/effort commitment, I recommend Bert Dodson's Keys to Drawing. It is more of a "how-to" book for beginning students. It takes a very different teaching approach, more practical, but I like it for the many visual examples, the broad range of fun exercises, and the sections on drawing faces and proportions.

It's Amazing
This book has taught me so much I wouldn't know where I'd be without. Others have already spoken to all it offers, so I'm gong to limit myself to the folks who've trashed it.

First, this is a book of exercises. You either do them or you don't. But anyone who "flips through the book at the library," then complains it has nothing to offer is like someone who goes to the gym, watches other people work out, then leaves feeling unimpressed with a gym's ability to help him get in shape. Making a judgement about this book without "working" it is exactly as foolish.

Second, there's nothing "modernist junk" at all about "The Natural Way to Draw." You'll be moving into anatomy studies and reproductions of the masters soon enough. Nicolaides is all about observing the details of life and recording them well. Again, such an ignorant comparison of the techniques Natural Way to Draw with a sloppy draughtsmanship and "modernist junk" only reveals the reviewer (who admitted he only "flipped" through the book) didn't flip very far and with little understanding of what he was holding in his hands.

Third, there's a story further down about an art school where the teacher mocks this book. Too bad. I studied at that school. And I'm glad I did: I learned a lot. But that school ultimately is not enough. Their students draw well rendered work, but it's also flat, uninspired, and repitative. "That Natural Way to Draw" gives you the tool YOU need to draw the way YOU want to draw.

Look: there's no easy path to drawing and painting really well. And this book guides you to drawing and painting really well. So, yes, it takes time; it takes effort. But at least all your effort is focused and fruitful. This book gives you the fundementals in a series of exercise. It's like doing exercises at the paino before you can play a concerto. And there's nothing wrong with that.

If you want to apply yourself and become great, check this book out. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The title and canned reviews can fool you.
This book is more about teaching art than teaching kids how to draw. More theory than fun. I rate the book 3 stars rather than higher because there are very few simple to use drawing techniques, the kind of techniques found in the "50 Nifty" and the "How to Draw" series of drawing books featuring simple characters, trucks, airplanes, animals, and monsters that grab kid's imaginations. "Drawing with Children" is more a text for art teachers than for use by classroom teachers, Scout leaders, and parents trying to help kids ages 6 to 11 learn how to draw for fun. I'll be ready for this book in about three years, but I can't start kids at this level.

Anyone can learn to draw!
Haven't yet begun the lessons, but after reading the earlier reviews I can't wait! The ideas in this book make so much sense! We don't expect children to sit down at a piano a la Mozart and belt out original compositions. We don't expect our children to learn to read without instruction. Yet if they can't draw realistically, we chalk it up to lack of talent (after all, YOU can't draw either, right?).

This book gives you the tools to teach your kids how to draw even (especially!) if you aren't an artist yourself. The author is also very generous in allowing unlimited photocopying of the exercises to elementary teachers which I think shows she genuinely cares about helping children learn. My only regret is that there is no Monart school nearby!

Love it! Love it! Love it!
I am 33 years old and have absolutely no artistic ability - or so I thought. I've always been interested in learning how to draw, but no matter what books I consulted, I still couldn't get it. The techniques presented there assumed you already knew some basics, but I didn't. My mother even told me that drawing is inherited, and since there is nobody in my family who draws, I felt I had no chance.

Then I found this book. The first thing you are supposed to do before any instruction is to draw a scene a house, person, tree, bushes, etc. My picture looked like a 4 year old drew it. Now less than one week into the book, I am on lesson 3 with 2 more to go, and I am astounded at my progress. It's simply night and day. I get so engrossed in my drawings now that 3 hours will go by in a flash. My husband is now starting the lessons because he's amazed at my drawings. Today I even started sketching my husband's face as he was eating. It took all of 5 minutes and it turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself. Plus, I hadn't yet started the lesson on drawing humans. I sketch everything in sight and just can't seem to get enough.

You may not need this book if if you already know how to draw and need more detailed instruction on technique, but definitely get this book if you need the basics of beginning drawing. You will not be disappointed. Drawing is not inherited, but developed. I am proof of that.

a little too advanced for younger ages...
I bought this book on the advice that it was appropriate for younger children, but after reading it I am convinced that it will be several years before it is appropriate for my son. It seems to be more a "theory" book than a how-to manual which is what I was led to expect.

A great book BUT YOUR CHILD MAY NOT BE READY FOR THIS!
The book is great; HOWEVER, my intelligent six year old was not mature enough for the lessons in this book. I meticulously read the directions (and followed same), but my daughter (who loves to create and draw) did not like the lessons because she has yet to perfect her fine motor skills (she likes to create stories but does not like the physical act of writing). I would suggest using this book for an older child (eight years old?), especially if your child does not have his/her fine motor skills fully tuned or does not like to sit still for very long. I admit that I was a little disappointed when the child illustrator on the front cover drew such a wonderful picture (age 5), but every child is different. Incidentally, my art skills (formerly limited to simplistic ball and stick drawings) have improved quite a bit since using the book! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

Absolutely amazing!
I was lucky enough to meet ken at an art educator conference in NJ and he is not only an amazing speaker, but an extraordinary teacher. In this book he turns run of the mill art lessons into thought provoking challenges. They truely make students think outside, around, in and out of the box. These are lessons that i can't wait to use with my senior art students next semester.

The best book
i have rencently been lucky enough to meet the author of this book at an art educators conference, and he is a creative genius. This book is one of my favorites to use with my advanced studio classes. The ideas are innovative and thought provoking. It is a refreshing change from the run of the mill lessons done in many art classes. I highly recommned buying this book.

Seeing the ordinary as extraordinary
Creating a piece of art can sometimes be a daunting task, the moreso since a great idea for the next project is not something that can be turned on and off like a faucet. That's where a book like this becomes a priceless little gem. Although primarily targeted for K-12 art teachers it gives fascinating project ideas that any artist will find helpful. Throughout the book both 2D and 3D art projects and ideas are given and illustrated with students work throughout.

The entire goal of the book is to open student's eyes to seeing everyday things, people and places around them with new eyes and then bringing that experience to life. Things as simple as popcorn or a coffee mug find new life as transformed objects or drawings. Lessons in composition, color, sculpture and meaning are but a few things discussed in detail. Each chapter shows many pieces of art demonstrating how students worked on a particular problem posed by the teacher. A list of suggested supplies is provided so the reader may create their own work from the project discussed. For example, one project was "Expressing Music in Visual Language". For anyone interested in ideas for new artwork this book would be a worthy investment.

From simple to amazing
An excellent book with faboulous ideas and lessons. I find this book to be very helpful. Ken Vieth ideas involve not only the visual arts but the historic arts as well. His book help students to think creatively and gives them the opportunity to make their ideas come true. He gives the teacher different options and educators can take his ideas to a next level by expanding his techniques.

Works for me!
I am an Art Teacher with 25 years experience. I ordered this book because of its title. I have used several of the projects and techniques with great success so far. I can highly recommend all aspects of the book, from the logic and ideas to the famous "rubric on page 34". Cheers to Ken. ... 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

Reviews (6)

Easy to Understand
Good, solid, workmanlike explanation of perspective, described step by step. Plain language, no wasted words. Clear drawings. Do the assignments, it's like taking a class you'd pay $350 for. I've tried to learn perspective from other books, but they were too complicated. This is THE classic. Every illustrator needs it. I use this knowledge every day.

The one book on perspective you¿ll ever need.
For a book first published in 1939, Norling's "Perspective Made Easy" is still the authority on perspective. This concise book contains in roughly 200 pages and 256 illustrations all you'll ever need to know about perspective drawing. In twenty masterfully organized chapters, from simple to complex, the author explains the basics and not so basics of perspective drawing. He includes suggestions on how to make your drawing more simple, drawing methods for observation and space division, a Remember section at the end of each chapter in which he summarizes the most important information and principles presented in that chapter, and a Problems section with exercises that will help you apply what you just learned. One of the best rewards of this book comes in its last chapters where the author covers perspective drawing for a great number of regular and irregular figures like a sphere, a cone, ovals, circles, lamps, cars, etc. With this the author goes many steps beyond all those other books out there that only teach you how to draw cubes and square buildings.

The book may be a bit repetitive at times, but this is not annoying at all, it just makes the author sound as if he was teaching a class in school or college, and it helps you to easily remember the most important information presented. After reading this book my understanding of perspective and the perspective in my drawings have improved 100%. If you follow his teachings and exercises you will learn how to determine the perspective you need to apply to your drawing, whether you are drawing in the field or using photographs as a model, and you will soon start making your drawings look solid, deep and proportionate.

If you are only getting one book on perspective, get this one.

Excellent introduction for beginning artists!
I bought this book because Andrew Loomis (Figure Drawing For All Its Worth) recommended it. I'm glad I followed his advice. If you are going to own only one perspective book, then this is it. However, if you're an interior designer, architect, engineer or draftsman then looks elsewhere since this book's primary audiences are freehand artists.

This is one of the few books out in the market that exactly delivers what it says on the back cover. And it's a reprint from 1939!

I'd give this book a rating of more than 5.

EZ to Understand, Priceless Improvement in my Drawings
I can highly recommend this handbook to anybody who likes to draw. Through small, easy to follow steps, with illustrations for each step(!), this classic author makes this highly misunderstood topic become CRYSTAL CLEAR!

You can follow along, drawing each step, or just read through the book, (like I did), and you will still find yourself applying these techniques that make your drawings much more realistic and accurate looking.

In the introduction, the author says that we should not FORCE our drawings to fit into any rigid rules of perspective, but after reading this book, I find that I don't have to force the perspective rules, I can just subtly apply them as I go about my drawings.

The author has very nice, cute, and simple illustrations of his own, to show what he's talking about in each step of the process of understanding perspective correctly. This makes the book feel very user-friendly.

This book covers a lot of ground and information, but if you take your time and start at the beginning, you will reap big results with your own improved drawings.

Comparing price to benefit, this is easily the best value of any art technique book that I have ever purchased. Buy with confidence, this book amazing!

Very useful book
A very well written easy to follow book on what can be a complex subject. It is very inexpensive and my favorite of several I own on the subject. The Author gets right to the nuts and bolts of drawing in perspective. If you want the basics this book is for you. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Awesome!
Why didn't anyone think of this before? There's no shortage of "how to" books, but there are VERY FEW books that actually help you come up with the concepts and "looks" for those images and designs. You've probably got shelves full of books that help you use your computer better and faster, what you need now is a book that will help you use your brain better, faster and more creatively. I can guarantee this book won't end up on your shelf...it'll be parked next to your sketchpad or keyboard at all times!

This fat little plastic-bound book has hundreds of well organized and cleverly illustrated images on the right-hand side of each spread, and short topic-relevant sentences on the left. I'm amazed at how quickly it helps me not only run through potential concepts and styles for new projects, but also how it helps me find ways of giving my own not-quite-ready ideas the extra "tweak" needed to bring them up a notch. I can't imagine not having it next to my computer and/or in my carry-all at all times. My advice for freelancers: get one. My advice for agencies and studios: get one for everybody.

DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!
Jim Krause is a genius. This little book is capable of inspiring any graphic designer. The Idea Index is a small book and could fit in most people's pockets. The cover is even durable. Krause knew what he was doing when he created this book.
I am just getting started with graphic design (I am a college student pursuing a degree in graphic design). I have brought this book along with my to my intro graphics class and it never fails me. This is an excellent resource for brainstorming ideas. It is divided into two parts: design ideas in general and also features creative approaches to typography.
Don't leave home without this book.

Don't be fooled by the size of this Book
I have to say that when I saw this book at the bookstore I was curious to see what could a tiny plastic cover book can offer. To my surprise: A LOT!

To begin with: printing quality is the BEST (full black pages, silver pages, etc) plus the paper that is almost heavy weight paper, and the old look that plastic cover gave it... I can't think of a better way to go.

Then, the book is divided into 2 sections: graphic ideas and text ideas. Both of them great inspirational material and also you can learn few nice tricks, so thats a plus.

I strongly recomment you take a look at the others "Index" books by Jim Krause. They're a must for GD's.

To sum up: this is a Great Tiny Book of Ideas.

Grossly Overrated; Not For Professionals
Given the reputation of Jim Krause and the number of positive reviews praising his booklet 'Idea Index' I did expect a lot. I was greatly disappointed: (1) the text is by far too superficial to even touch upon the real problems hidden behind a given idea, and; what is most unpleasant, (2) the illustrations simply do not play in the pro's leage.

Everyone finding inspiration in in 'Idea Index' will equally love the infamous Corel Draw Clipart Collection. The rest of us would get more ideas in any Graphis periodical or simply on a walk in the park.

geezum!
this is a NICE book.

This is book for those who are at least somewhat aquainted with the principals of graphic design (and are maybe too busy to have the time to actually read technical wordy book.. this is a picture book. You see and draw your own conclusions and decide your own methodology)

Jim Krause is a brilliant designer... and just seeing all the "variations on a theme" (diffrent ideas for one concept or word) he does all in one organised place; its a beautiful thing. Even on the occassions when I didnt like the design, I usually found it impressive; aside from that.. well... you cant win them all, can you?! ^_~

If you can conceptualize and execute designs, but need a little nudge or a fresh outlook now and again this is a great book; full of "now why didn't *I* think of that?" ideas. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Chris Hart Does It Again!
Without a doubt, Christopher Hart is one of the most prolific and talented cartoonist around. Having worked with companies such as Disney, his cartoon style is entertaining and stylic as well. It's got personality and it will make you want to engross yourself in the book. If you've not read any book by Chris Hart, this is one of his best. However, it is a wonderful book with lots of helpful ideas on becoming a cartoonist yourself.

It covers everything from how to place the features to costumes to animals. It would definitely be a useful starting (and ending) ground for anyone interested in this art.

Excellent find!
This book is great! There are a ton of helpful tips and techniques that range from how to draw facial expressions and body types to how to draw ice cubes and water... and even how to convey wind or rain. The author, Christopher Hart, even explains why cartoon characters have only three fingers.

This book is very clear, very informative and very funny! I highly recommend this book!

Great Stuff Here!
Christopher Hart has brought many hours of both fun drawing and thoughtful learning in my atristic journey. Not only does he explain everything you need to know for beginners, but some fresh stuff for the experienced artist as well. I'm sure anyone of all ages will enjoy learning form this and all of his great books.

Good book
I have had this book for a few years now and I love it. Hart gives lots of examples of a character in different situations. He also shows how to lay out your comic and gives advice on colors and such. This book /would/ have gotten the full 5 stars, but I felt that the section on animals could have either been expanded to include a basic rundown on construction for beginners, or left out entirely. The section is mainly about the relative height of animals to others and, above that, an intermediate construction of the animal itself, plus a brief written guideline. I should be getting Hart's book on cartooning animals today, so hopefully that will be more of a help to me in the animal area. All in all, this book is great for those who are just starting out or need a refresher.

really fun book
This book will help you transit from doodling to drawing cartoons. It is great for distracting your collegues during long meetings, delighting younger children who should be concentrating on other things, and annoying your spouse who is trying to pay attention.
Get it. ... Read more

Book Description

While QuarkXPress is the most-widely used page-layout program in the world, Adobe InDesign is rapidly gaining ground with better typography and transparency features, speedier performance, and more overall control. Plus, InDesign 2 is Mac OS X native, QuarkXPress 5 isn't.But if you're a QuarkXPress user thinking of making the switch to InDesign, you know you can't afford to lose time and productivity at the office while learning a new program. Thanks to InDesign for QuarkXPress Users, you don't have to.

InDesign for QuarkXPress Users is the only book on the market that shows experienced graphic designers how to use InDesign from a QuarkXPress user's perspective. Using an easy-to-read and easy-to-digest style, this unique title focuses on common tasks, giving you quick solutions rather than bogging you down with lengthy theory. Written by well-known experts in the field, the book is abundantly illustrated and covers topics such as using InDesign's transparency features (possible in QuarkXPress only by unwieldy workarounds), and making the most of master pages and style sheets. It's also loaded with real-world tips on how you can apply your QuarkXPress know-how to this up-and-coming software.

Reviews (1)

Straightforward instruction
The collaborative effort of QuarkXPress experts David Blatner, Christopher Smith, and Steve Werner, InDesign For QuarkXPress Users is an impressive reference tool for those who are already basically proficient in QuarkXPress software and want to learn Adobe InDesign for the creation of professional graphics. Straightforward instruction, numerous screenshots and examples, and an easy-to-follow language makes InDesign For QuarkXPress Users an excellent and thoroughly "user friendly" informational and reference resource for a very rapid learning curve. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the 1960s, the American artist Lee Bontecou was heralded as one of the most important young artists of her time. Painstakingly crafted from castoffs--Army surplus and canvas conveyor belts from a neighboring laundry--her wall reliefs evoked a fearsome sci-fi world of black holes and bared teeth, a mysterious doom-filled terrain no one had ever seen before. In the mid-'70s, however, Bontecou disappeared from the art scene, declining to take part in exhibitions. Lee Bontecou: A Retrospective revisits five decades of this extraordinary artist's work. The texts include Elizabeth A.T. Smith's overview of Bontecou's career, Robert Storr's nuanced analysis of the cultural context of the work, Donna De Salvo's remarks about the otherworldly drawings, and a pivotal essay from 1965 by the sculptor Donald Judd. Especially intriguing is Mona Hadler's brief discussion of Bontecou's personal interests (insect life, model airplanes) and political beliefs. No one has much to say about the critically disparaged vacuum-formed plastic sculptures of fish and flowers from the 1970s. But Bontecou's intricate drawings and recent series of suspended sculptures, which Smith describes as "something between a helicopter and an insect," continue to explore a natural realm that combines delicacy and menace. Lee Bontecou, which contains 175 full-color illustrations, accompanies an exhibition of the same title at the UCLA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles through Jan. 11, 2004, which travels to Chicago and New York. --Cathy Curtis ... Read more

Reviews (2)

re: the photographic record
I just studied both the book and the exhibition in Chicago. The works are wonderful first hand. The book is a nice supplement in some ways, the quality of the prints is good on the surface, and there are some contextual pictures of studio environment etc. But the book is enormously disappointing in one very important way: Most of the photographs of works in the first section are taken from only one angle, head on, and lit evenly so they give *no* idea of the geometry and depth of the works. The actual works have very dramatic physical depth, but the photographs make them look as flat as paintings. It's great that there is at least an inventory presented here, unfortunately, this book missed the rare opportunity to definitively fill the need for a photographic record of Bontecou's major works. It would have been greatly improved with multiple angles or more informative lighting for the works that demand it. You still have to see an exhibition to really have any idea what her works are like.

Regrettably, Amazon guidelines do not allow me to provide the URLs to Bontecou's own press release response to Storr's statements (search for "bontecou" on ereleases.com headlines).

Catalog is a Wonderful Companion to the Exhibition
It is difficult to review the exhibition catalog without first taking in the Lee Bontecou survey at one of the museum exhibitions currently traveling the US. Unfortunately the exhibition will travel to only three museums in the three largest cities in the US