Book Description

Not only traditional, appealing shapes of graceful swans, peacocks and dolphins, but also finely detailed depictions of creatures seldom associated with beauty and ornamentation: bats, mice, lizards, insects and other less-glamorous forms of animal life. Invaluable, inspirational sourcebook of copyright-free illustrations for artists, craftspeople and students of design.
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Reviews (1)

excellent
This is an excellent book containing many different art nouveau animal patterns. The paper used is excellent. All the patterns contain a rich blend of color and the designs are wonderful. ... Read more

Book Description

Lively collection of copyright-free spots for commercial artists dramatizes a host of enterprises: business, communications, education, industry, construction, transportation, legal and healthcare services, sports, travel, entertainment, and much more—all conveniently arranged by category for ease of use.
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Book Description

Book Description

Exceptionally rich selection of 30 authentic alphabets and dozens of individual letters and ornamental devices taken from the Westminster Abbey monuments of Richard II and Henry III, French prayer books of the 15th century, the stalls in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor, and many other sources incorporate vines, flowers, leaves, faces, and other graceful ornaments. Ideal for adding a medieval touch to a variety of craft and graphic art projects, these intricate designs will also delight students of art, history, and Western culture.
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Book Description

Add nostalgic appeal to ads, flyers, posters, newsletters, menus—almost any graphic project—with these charming copyright-free images, reproduced from rare turn-of-the-century publications. Included are hearts, flowers, cherubs, Santas, shamrocks, pumpkins, turkeys, flags, bunnies and many other traditional holiday symbols ready for immediate use by graphic artists, decoupeurs and other craftspeople.
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Reviews (1)

Really good resource
Pictures are sharp, have good colors. There are 3 (sometimes 4) pages each of pictures for new years, valentines day, St. Patrick's day, easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, christmas. In some cases, like valentine's day, it's someting to get started with but you need other pictures too. Great pictures though. I've been using my scanner and then printing them on matte brochure paper, the colors are great. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amazing!
This book is just an incredible survey of a culture that seems to have embraced a wealth of influences in their arts and crafts. This book serves as an total inspiration for graphic designers-- reminding us that everything can be great-looking, and anyone can be creative. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

these are not authentic
i assumed, since this was a dover book, that the designs would have been originally published in the 20s and 30s. not so. they are 'interpretations' by an artist born after deco ended and created in the mid-80s.

the designs are not horrible, but they're not wonderful, either. there may be one of two that, with tweaking, i might use, but most are pretty ordinary. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

NOT WHAT I HOPED FOR
THE COVER OF MEEHAN'S "ILLUMINATED LETTERS" IS MISLEADING. THE COVER EXHIBITS THE VIBRANT AND RICH COLORS THAT CELTIC ILLUMINATION IS REKNOWN FOR, BUT UP0N OPENING THE BOOK, I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO FIND NOT A HINT OF COLOR. COMPLETELY BLACK AND WHITE. THERE IS AN INTRODUCTION, BRIEF BUT INFORMATIVE, AN EARLY DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER, MAJOR INITIALS CHAPTER, DECORATED ALPHABET CHAPTER, ANIMAL ALPHABET, AND TWO DECORATED AMPERSAND CHAPTERS; WHO USES AMPERSANDS THAT MUCH?! I THOUGHT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MANY MORE EXAMPLES OF ILLUMINATED LETTERS (NOT AMPERSANDS) FOR THE 160 PAGE VOLUME THAT IT IS.

Celtic lettering so anyone can learn it
This book makes Celtic lettering styles accessible to anyone. As great as Meehan's other books.

An excellent book for those interested in Celtic Designs.
This is an excellent book for those looking to create celtic designs.

This book teaches about the development of illumination. It then goes into the major initials, decorated alphabet, decorated ampersands, the animal alphabet and animal ampersands.

The book is best used when accompianied by Aidan's other Celtic Design books. I have 7 of the books in this series and love them all!

All in all this is a great book for someone looking to create celtic designs.

Celtic Design : Illuminated Letters
This book is not only informative in Celtic Design but also a book very visual to look at and just enjoy the detailing and beautiful colors as inspiration. It is simply informative for those readers who are new to Celtic culture and a great resource book for those interested in indepth Celtic History. This is one of my favorite books for just browsing through to look at the pictures . ... Read more

Book Description

Highlight graphic messages and add antique flavor to decorative arts with over 120 full-page copyright-free Victorian figurative illustrations selected from rare authentic 19th-century sources. Choose from a variety of styles and images—floral motifs, romantic pastoral scenes, pictures of merry-making and marital bliss, graceful stylized designs and much more.
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Book Description

Over 300 lovely images of heavenly creatures, selected from rare vintage publications, depict golden-haired seraphs and rosy-cheeked cherubs harmonizing, playing musical instruments, tending sheep, surrounded by floral displays, sending Easter greetings and more. Ideal for enhancing a variety of arts and crafts projects.
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Reviews (1)

Dover Clip Art books are getting better all the time
The recent "Full Color -------Vignettes" series by Dover represents a significant step up in quality from the earlier Dover clip art series [generally done in black and white] The publisher is undoubtedly responding to a progressively more sophisticated market for clip art and craft [decoupage] products. These are copyright free images, printed on one side of a good quality paper designed for decoupage or collage work.Definitely a great deal at the price. ... Read more

Book Description

illustrations—58 in color—from a rare Victorian sourcebook presenting designs primarily of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, taken from silk fabrics, carpets, embroideries, robes, velvet brocades, damask weavings, paper hangings, wall paintings, and other decorative arts of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, etc.
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Book Description

Versatile collection of 309 copyright-free American folk art motifs (1710-1910) ready to use for graphic and craft projects. Flowers, fruit, border designs, geometrics, human figures, animals, birds and more, crisply rendered from objects in museums and private collections—textiles, furniture, paintings, tinware, ceramics, embroidery, etc. 309 black-and-white illustrations. Publisher’s Note.
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Reviews (3)

Marvels of Ancient Europe
Aidan Meehan has a great ability to combine solid art history with the never-ending fascination of Celtic artwork without putting the reader off with excess pedantry. In this book in particular, his historic discussions surprised me on several occasions. My initial belief that Celtic art as an isolated form is that of a rank amateur, and Meehan does a fine job of disabusing me and showing how Celtic decoration and illumination started with oriental influences which then mixed with Teutonic and Viking to create a beautiful synthesis.

Of course , the history is framed with Meehan's own renditions of the artwork, each with appropriate discussion of both their unique features and the interlinked development as Irish and Viking met first in conflict and then in trade. Since Meehan's primary audience is artists, he spends the best part of the book showing not just the patterns, but how they are formed and woven into a whole.

Aidan and Oisin Meehan's illustration and calligraphy are strong and clear, with some 220 illustrations. There is a great romance to these images, that has carried forward even into far more modern art. Aidan Meehan is one of those who have dedicated his life's work to keeping these traditions alive.

Celtic versus Viking art
I was thrilled to find this book, being of both Irish-Scots and Viking descent. Much of the art of the Gaels and the Norse is similar, due to both a common origin, proximity, raiding, and trading. I've had books on Viking art, harder to find than Celtic, and many on Celtic. But although there was great similarity in the designs, (and also resembles much of the Scythian art which brings us to anthropological discussions) I found nothing to discuss the differences until I found this book. As I discussed in 'Spiral Patterns' by Meehan, his books are delightful sources for the serious interest. He has a way of combining a historical study with the construction of the art that is simply delightful. My favorite in this book is the whimsical 'gripping beast' discussion. Otherwise, though it is hard to describe exactly how, by the end of the book I was not only exposed to a number of Viking designs that I had never seen before, but now able to tell the difference at a glance between the two art forms. The Viking form is less restrained than the Celtic art that reached its height in dreary volumes, the designs such as 'the early viking style' shown have a energetic and powerful energy then the overly tame knotwork. In addition there ARE some examples worth using as clip art, but the main point of the book is serious information as to the history and the meaning of the designs, which other books simply show.

The Dragon and the Griffin
This is an excellent book for those who are interested in Celtic art. As with all of the books by Aidan Meehan that I have read so far, this book is historically informative and provides easy to understand techniques for artists wishing to master celtic art or manuscript illumination. ... Read more

Book Description

Copyright-free illustrations from 1909 French typography foundry catalog: more than 100 plates, over 3,200 pictures and motifs, including fruits, flowers, plants, and trees; animals; stray eyes and ears; playing cards; angels, saints, and religious motifs; musical instruments; carriages and sailing vessels; sporting events; household furnishings and equipment; hats, shoes, parasols, and other clothing items; military figures in full garb; plus ornamental borders, mortised cuts, banners, wreaths, and other line art for framing, embellishing, or calling attention to printed matter. Over 3,200 black-and-white illustrations.
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Book Description

authentic full-color motifs drawn from highly stylized opera traditions. Symbolic representations of dragons, lions, phoenixes, mandarin ducks, cranes, peonies, lotuses, etc. Vibrant color, subtle hues, beautifully rendered illustrations. Invaluable source of authentic Chinese design and color. Descriptive captions.
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Book Description

Even the most elaborate Celtic pattern boils down to a few basic motifs (including spirals, swastikas, circles, "s" curves, knots, tau crosses, sun signs, etc.). This lavishly illustrated handbook of over 600 designs offers a key to the intricacies of Celtic decoration, showing how the judicious use of these simple symbols, motifs, or ideographs can be used to develop newer and more ambitious patterns to meet the requirements of modern decorative art. Over 600 b/w illus.
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Reviews (1)

Great for many uses
This book contains quality art for use in various publications. You are allowed to use as many as ten in a single publication without written permission. Very nice. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

excellant source
This book is an excellant source for Scandinavian designs, usefull for art work and illistration. But I found it did not meet my needs for stenciling and interior designs. Great for Rose mauling techniques. ... Read more