Product Description
This book, the most comprehensive and basic working tool available to the design professional, encompasses every area of expertise required in the practice of contemporary interior design.

Architects, interior designers, drafters, specifiers, and designers and manufacturers of building materials, furnishings, and equipment for interiors will find essential specification data and thousands of fully metricated, dimensioned drawings of interiors and the components of interiors. The range is vast: materials that range from hinges for cabinet doors to ceramic tiles for tub enclosures; drawings of standard and custom millwork for hundreds of specific interior applications; detailed dimensioned plans for custom casework; fully dimensioned room layouts keyed to drawings of individual details; illustrations, with dimensions, of standard and special-purpose furnishings and equipment. Throughout, acknowledged industry standards are given—as are specifications and notes about usage. Vital information about flammability and life safety factors and accessible barrier-free requirements is also given wherever it is applicable.

To facilitate quick access, the book is organized in three parts, with CSI Masterformat code numbers used throughout. Part one covers standard dimensions of manufactured interior components, including basic graphic and design elements; architectural millwork and hardware; partitions and doors; windows and skylights; interior finishes, specialties, and equipment; stairs and ramps; and lighting.

The second part deals with residential graphic and design standards, and the third part covers commercial graphic and design standards—public washrooms, commercial offices, banks, retail spaces, health studios, restaurants and bars, hotels and motels, medical and dental offices, libraries, and places of worship.

A complete resource book, Interior Graphic and Design Standards includes lists of industry associations, glossaries of terms, size charts, conversion tables, and practical checklists of steps in the design process. There is an extensive keyword index, giving page references as well as CSI Masterformat code numbers, and a complete alphabetical listing of data sources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

overrall ok, some teeth marks on binding
overrall in ok condition. had some teeth marks on binding that seller did not add in description but did not effect the overrall quality of the book. the edition did not have the needed scale figures in the drawings and was unaware that there was more than 1 edition type. would have been nice to have more of a description before purchasing. pretty much what was described, since description was brief.

This one needs to go permanently out-of-print and be forgotten
This book is out-of-date, poorly written, poorly organized, and a complete waste of one's money, time, and effort.The graphics are inconsistent and poorly done, and it is a nightmare trying to make sense of technical information provided by Ms. Reznikoff.

This reference has been eclipsed in light-years by Maryrose McGowan's book "Interior Design Graphic Standards", which is now considered THE reference book of choice and the Gold Standard in its class. Use your money wisely and opt to purchase McGowan's publication instead of this one.

great resource tool
This book is a necessary staple for every Interior Designer's book collection

A great reference book for Design Students and Practicing Designers!
I recently purchased this book while taking a Commercial Interior Design course as part of my Interior Design degree.I found the book to be very helpful in many aspects of commercial design and specification.Also, my boss, who is a licensed Interior Designer and has been practicing for about 10 years has a copy of the book that she used while in college; she refers to it as her design reference Bible, haha.Although some of the material (such as codes) may be out of date due to the everchanging laws and standards, overall this book is filled with valuable information.A must-have for all interior designers!

Designers
A great book for interior designers. Serves as a great refrence. A must add to any library collection! ... Read more

Product Description

* 5th Edition of best-selling After Effects book by renowned authors Trish and Chris Meyer covers the important updates in After Effects CS4 and CS5
* Covers both essential and advanced techniques, from basic layer manipulation and animation through keying, motion tracking, and color management
* Companion DVD is packed with project files, source materials, and nearly 200 pages of bonus chapters

Customer Reviews (12)

complete
This is the apprentice book on steroids.It has the same basic info but more.
I could write all day on the great stuff in this book.

The only thing to mention is dont buy both books.Just get one or the other.

An exhaustive guide
I have been using After Effects since version 5 at least, and I am mostly self-taught.After a while, I gave up hoping for a book like this - it seems to cover everything from the most basic introduction to to advanced and very advanced skills and tools. I have always believed that the best way to learn a program like AE is to pick a project and learn how to do it - there's just too many things the program can do and there's really no obvious path to take to just study-up.That doesn't mean that I haven't combed a reference here or there to try to figure something out, and this book was sorely missing from my library.

The book is laid out from basic understanding of the interface and layering, a middle filled with all the various effects and then ends with exporting your final product.This reflects my main problem with this sort of reference - if you're picking up AE for the first time, you're going to need an understanding rendering and output by the end of day 1, LONG before you're going to need to know all the other bells and whistles.So, if you can understand that and skip ahead, then the stuff in the middle will be very useful.

All the sections I've looked at seem to be very clear and the illustrations are also very helpful. The sections are nicely laid out themselves, and (take the TEXT ANIAMTION section) provide both the basics and the promise of very advanced effects.Also, there are helpful keyboard shortcuts sprinkled around near the relevant sections.Unfortunatley, there doesn't seem to be one index of all the keyboard shortcuts, so you'll be left looking them up if you ever forget them.I'd like to have an at-a-glance section.

I skimmed the DVD, but have not done any of the projects - they look really useful and would be a valuable learning tool, but I would be lying if I told you I have time to go through them myself (now, at least).

I'll be reading everything they have to say about expressions - I've yet to find a comprehensive reference about those yet.

Best of luck, this is a mammoth book and I have no doubt all animators will find it nice to have around.Your design sense must be cultivated elsewhere!

A clear and comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know about After Effects
I learned the basics of After Effects by following along on all the tutorials in Trish and Chris Meyer's After Effects Apprentice, Second Edition.It's an excellent place to start, as they are natural teachers, and write clearly and well, and find a nice balance between example and instruction.After playing around with AE for a while, though, I wanted a more solid grounding and a better understanding of the whys behind the hows, and the hows beyond the basics.I knew they had a more advanced book on After Effects, but wanted to wait until the CS5 version came out.I've been working through it for a few weeks now and I can say it was well worth the wait.

I had a chance to take a look at the previous edition briefly, and it's clear that, unlike some software guides I've looked at, they haven't just added a couple of new sections and called it a new book but have made significant revisions to cover the fairly extensive changes in CS5.I'm not sure it's enough to warrant a new purchase if you have the CS4 edition, but I'm quite happy to have the detailed coverage of new features like the RotoBrush and the DigiEffects Freeform plugin, or on taking advantage of the new 3d tools in Photoshop CS5 extended, that you get in this edition.This more advanced Meyer's guide to After Effects follows a similar trajectory to their more hands-on introductory book, starting with the basics and covering all of the major features in sequence.This one just covers much more along the way, and goes into the details of why things work, and what kind of options are available.Here there is a hands-on component as well - the book comes with a dvd that contains project files for each of the chapters that can be used to follow along and experiment as you read.The difference is that here it's less of a tutorial-style guide - where they give precise recipes for creating effects - and more like a classroom/laboratory, where they explain a set of features and along the way give you projects to work on, ready made for exploration.It's a richer, more comprehensive way to learn the program - though I will say that I'm happy I started out with the tutorials since they deliver so much new information that it would be easy to be overwhelmed without a basic familiarity with the program.Still, they do start from the beginning and you could start here from scratch.If you were just going to purchase one book on After Effects, this is the one I'd suggest.

This is a massive guide, that covers just about everything you could possibly want to know about After Effects - and most of what it doesn't cover (such as advanced scripting, and what you can do with literally hundreds of the effects included in AE)you can find in supplementary chapters contained on the dvd.(The dvd also contains chapters from a few other Focal Press titles, plus over 60 different presets that can dropped into your library and used within After Effects).Chapters build upon each other, so that a beginner would want to follow them in order, but this would be a nice reference for more advanced users who want to brush up on specific skills - especially for those who want to get quickly familiar with some of the new tools in CS5.The book is very well designed, with illustrations that make clear where to click or how things should look - and the main text flows naturally through each topic, balancing examples and explanation nicely, and avoiding digressions - but just when I have questions about how exactly some new tool or strategy they've introduced works, I find in the margins a helpful factoid or information box that sets me straight.

The book is divided into 45 chapters (plus the bonus chapters on the dvd), and each one could be worked through in an hour or two.The chapters themselves are grouped under broad topics, that cover basic animation techniques to get you started and up to speed, how to work with layers effectively, then modes and masks and mattes, and working in 3d space with cameras and lights, nesting and parenting and precomposing, text animation, effects and presets, keying and working with color, time and tracking, drawing and painting and puppet animation, working with audio, using expressions, technical details about file types and how they can work together, and advanced exporting techniques.It's an intimidating range, but what's nice is that the reading is not at all intimidating, since Chris and Trish Meyer explain things quite well.I've been working through quite a few guides to some of the Adobe Creative Suite software lately, trying to develop a broad familiarity with several of the programs.After Effects is by far my favorite program in the Suite and this is so far my favorite of the many guides I've worked with along the way.You can pick up some of this information in bits and pieces here and there on the internet, but this book brings it all together and organizes it and presents it clearly.It really is the After Effects bible; there are other great reference titles out there that focus on this or that feature of the program - on expressions or effects, for example - but nothing I've seen illuminates it all and brings it all together like this book.Highly recommended.

Top Shelf in this field
In short, this is THE source for motion graphics w/ AE.Step by step. Warnings against wrong choices (author experience).And I repeat - presented STEP BY STEP.Even I can do it with this text.Well worth the price.

Liberally illustrated.Heavy glossy paper.DVD ROM.

None better in this field.

A 'must' for any video, film, computer or reference collection where After Effects is covered!
Creating Motion Graphics With After Effects tells how to master animation and digital video using After Effects, teaching how the program can help video producers think visually and more quickly. It's packed with color examples and screen shots, tips and tricks, and advice that covers all the features added in After Effects CS4 and CS5, including the new Roto Brush tool and 3D model import from Photoshop. A 'must' for any video, film, computer or reference collection where After Effects is covered!
... Read more

Product Description
Cutting-edge concepts, a beautifully illustrated text, and a dazzling array of award-winning design make the third edition of this standout best-seller one of the most highly acclaimed design texts in the world.Graphic Design Solutions continues to provide a clear and comprehensive introduction to graphic design and advertising design, with step-by-step visual solutions that readers can apply with confidence to their own design and advertising projects.A highly illustrative, straightforward assessment of developing winning graphic design solutions for a variety of media-including print, Web, television, and unconventional formats-helps designers think critically and creatively about their work while understanding the demands of the graphic design profession in today's world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Good book for starting any graphic project
I enjoyed the variety in this book - always a great way to start organizing your thinking about creative options. No book will solve all the design needs of an assignment but this book explores some good results from other designers.

Learn about the broad field of Graphic Design in an organized fashion
This is a great book for those who are new to graphic design as well as those who have been familiar with the concept and studying it, but want to get an overview of the field and it's practices in more organized and detailed way. The book is organized in three major parts of fundamentals, applications and at last careers. Each part then its divided to chapters that talk in length about different concepts. There are a ton of pictures and examples in the book which are all up-to-date.

Totally Worth it
This book was so helpful in my Graphic Design class.It was very informative and easy to use.

Why pay book store prices!
This is the first time I have even thought of ordering my Sons college books on line.Typical busy parent I ordered the books at the book store on campus and picked them up.After seeing the exact same book on Amaaon for $50.00 less I was very happy.
I ordered the book and it arrived in quick time and in perfect condition.Days of throwing cash away are gone.Amazon Thank You!

It was fast, easy and convinient
It was my first time ordering a book from amazon.com and I am pretty sure now that it was not the last time. ... Read more

Product Description
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden are brothers and sisters--and they're orphans! The only way they can stay together is to make it on their own. One night, during a storm, the children find an old red boxcar that keeps them warm and safe. They decide to make it their home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great for reluctant readers!
I originally checked this book out at the library because my son wouldn't read the "longer" original version of the Boxcar Children.The Boxcar Children graphic novels are great for reluctant readers.Don't expect a thick book.They are slim paperbacks for children who enjoy reading cartoons.We now own four subsequent Boxcar mysteries.These mysteries are a perfect alternative for struggling readers.

Not what I expected
I was hoping this was the same book I read when I was a child but it looks like a comic book. 'graphic' novel means glorified comic book.
I was not happy. ... Read more

Product Description
New Third Edition! Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers provides 40 essential forms and checklists—all ready to copy and put to immediate use in any graphic design studio!



Each form includes step-by-step instructions and can be used as is, or easily tailored to meet a specific business situation. This latest edition features brand-new forms for employment and lease agreements, as well as revised examples of letter of interest, estimate for client, preliminary budget and schedule report, purchase order, status report, contracts with illustrator/photographer/printer, nondisclosure agreements, copyright application, and much more.



Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers also includes standard contractual advice, surefire business systems, and hundreds of no-nonsense tips for managing the office, getting clients, and negotiating the best deals. Plus, an accompanying CD-ROM offers electronic copies of all these forms in both Mac and PC formats.




• Provides 40 ready-to-use forms and checklists for virtually any situation

• Features a CD-ROM with electronic versions of the forms in both Mac
and PC formats ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers
This was a great book that delivered on its promises! It arrived in exactly the condition described, and shipped right on time...
I guess the only criticism I would have is the unsolicited Jesus propaganda that accompanied the book, signed by "Cheryl"-- cheryl_neuroth2 --this is the first time that I have experienced this, and hopefully it will be the last.
Not everyone who shops online is a heathen in need of "saving", and I can't help but feel a little insulted by the insinuation that my life needs direction to a higher calling in order to be complete...

Needs to be updated.
No InDesign files on CD and too many references to camera ready art in book.
PDF files on CD do not have form fields.
I'm disappointed, but at least it's a start.

Graphic Designers Legal Forms is A Must Have for Entrepreneurs
I purchased this book because I am starting my own graphic design business. After searching the web for examples of business contracts I realized that I needed a source book for examples of business contracts. I am very happy with this book. Although the forms are on the CD that accompanies the book, I am using my own letterhead to format my forms. I did not realize that I needed the many types of business forms, such as a revisions form, in the event that I client changes the design of a project, and I really needed a form for my time sheet. The book has a lot of business forms and an explanation of why certain forms are needed and what each item in a form or contract means. Thus, you can adapt the information to meet specific needs for a client or project.

I can definitely recommend this book to entrepreneurs in the design field. You will be happy that you spent your money on a practical source book.

This book is a must have!
First off, I have to say this book is absolutely perfect for all first-time freelance graphic designers. My business partner and I recently started our own design agency at [...] and didn't have a clue about where to get our hands on the legal forms needed. We were referred to this book from another source. And since my partner's father-in-law is a lawyer, we decided to let him take a look at it to see what he thought. He said everything was solid. He couldn't find any holes on any of the forms inside. So after making a few small changes to custom fit our business, we were set. I can honestly say this book should be on the shelf of every aspiring freelance graphic designer. I highly recommend it.

Don't take them on their word. Get a contract signed!
I have only serious clients who are willing to pay me because I take a contract to our first meeting and make them sign it. These contracts will protect you and your clients! They are worded with the legal stuff but easy to understand. He even explains what it all means. It even has a CD so you can pop it in your computer right before your meeting (as I have done) and print a contract. ... Read more

Product Description
The first edition Interior Graphic Standards Student Edition will be a comprehensive reference to the art and craft of interior design for students. The planning, designing, detailing, finishing, and decorating of interiors from the programming to the project closeout phases will be included. Emphasis will be placed on commercial interiors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Got It Quickly
Happy with the book and how quickly it arrived.Love the promtness!Thanks.

Awesome quality and fast delivery
I got this book well before I thought I was going to and it was in amazing condition :)

The Essential "Must Have" Reference Book For All Interior Design Professionals
If I had to keep but one reference book on my shelf as a Professional Interior Designer, this would be the book. It contains in-depth and well-formatted information on virtually every subject in the field, and the graphics are outstanding.One of the authors, Maryrose McGowan, is a powerhouse and has done a remarkable job with this guide and I hope she comes out with many other useful books to advance the profession.This book has quickly replaced several books I previously owned that attempted to do what this book has done with great simplicity, completeness, and accuracy.

The chapters are well-organized, the graphics are abundant, clear, and easy-to-understand, and they contain information from all ends of the spectrum.The price tag of the book is steep, but well worth the investment.Save your pennies and make a point of buying this book, or look for used versions as they come available on Amazon.com.You will be glad to have this book in your collection!

Great and Helpful Book!!
This book is very helpful for upcoming designers.It gives you standard codes for everything you could imagine. Very helpful when doing my design projects.

A ...must have book
If your an Interior Designer or practicing to be one this book should be amongst the many in your personal library. The details are well written and displayed. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

One of the best design books in our library
Hands down, one of the best compilations we have in our design reference library.Beautiful, inspiring design - a must have for any design agency.

-Allen Borza
CEO, Green Group Studio
[...].

Great book for professionals
This book is just great! You can get a lot of cool ideas for your print works. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (18)

About the art...
I can't really speak to the quality of the text part of the adaptation, not having read the original, but it seems an intelligent representation of the principles introduced by Darwin's theory. It is easy to follow, engaging, and informative.

As to the quality of the illustrations, however, I have to say the cover does not provide an accurate representation of the art inside. The drawings are beautifully colored and laid out well, but the physical forms of the humans and animals (humans especially) are often lifeless and awkward, as well as looking rushed--and definitely not in a stylized manner, although other aspects of her art do show a distinct style. In all, the drawings seem more amateurish than I would expect for such an adaptation. Fuller does many things right, but the talent really isn't there.

Whether the quality bothers you or not is your call, however. The illustrations weren't egregious enough for me to put the book down; a serious artist might get more irritated. I'd recommend this book as a good introduction to evolution for kids, or an entertaining and educational alternative to reading the original text.

Recommended
Very enjoyable graphic novel. Well written summary of Origin, with the added impact of well drawn 19th century period style images. This book is also a great companion piece to the DVD "Creation",adramatization of Darwin's thought process as he was contemplating Origin.

A picture is worth a thousand words?
Not always necessarily so, of course, but these excellent illustrations plus the cogent explanations of Darwin's principles, laws and theories -- are an effective short-cut method for gaining at least a rudimentary understanding of evolution.

Graphic Darwin
This book gives a graphically detailed chapter-by-chapter summary of Darwin's Origin book.It uses the same chapter format and some of the basic quotes from Darwin's book.Helpful if you don't want to immerse yourself into Darwin's original work, but accurate and beautifully illustrated.

Very hip and fun.
There are lots of more sophisticated and comprehensive ways of getting a good grounding in evolutionary thought (see, for example, Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body (Vintage), Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America's Soul, and The Tangled Bank: An Introduction to Evolution).But few books match the child-like fun of this book, with its brisk, breezy words and so-crude-it's-sophisticated artwork.Some here have criticized the drawings as being unskilled and even juvenile, and except for some especially handsome nature sketches within the book (and a sumptuous cover), that description comes close to the mark.But that is precisely what gives "Origin: Graphic" its charm.It's like a zine, or an underground comic...not some slick, sciencey tome.It dares to make the Notorious Chuckie D seem hip and subversive.But not by skimping on the science in deference to politics.No, BECAUSE the science in this case is so powerful and confrontational.This book is very much not for everyone, but if you know a teen who enjoys off-label comics and graphic novels and the like, this book might well appeal to her.And for a more sophisticated treatment of individual evolutionary biology topics, I recommend the works of Jay Hossler, including especially Clan Apis. ... Read more

Product Description
Not a graphic designer? Not a problem! Whether the project's a birthday card, a poster, or a flier, Graphic Design for Nondesigners is here to help. Twenty step-by-step projects for designing everything from Web sites to business cards to T-shirts are accompanied by a clear and concise initiation into the basic principles of graphic design—including the effective use of space, color, and type—presented in a way that's easy for anyone to start applying right away. Armed with this essential primer, nondesigners will have everything they need to go forth and create effective design with polish, panache, and grace. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Easy to read, and pretty to look at!
I bought this book on a whim while perusing the shelves of Border's, and I LOVE it.I graduated with a BA in Fine Arts, but have been really interested in graphic design and typography lately.It has been so fun to read, and since the chapters are short, I can pick it up on and off throughout the day without skipping a beat!
I do not recommend this book to those who have no idea about where to start, or those looking for a step-by-step instruction manual.It's pretty general, and would be better for those who have a background in some creative field who are looking for advise or basic rules to follow.People who understand what makes a good image, but need a little push getting there will appreciate some of the basic principles this book outlines.
While reading, I couldn't help but think of cousins who love art and design, and think it would be a great gift for the budding artist.

Good idea not well executed
I purchased this book after seeing it in an art supply store. As someone with no graphic design training who creates a lot of brochures, flyers, posters and other publications for a small business I needed some professional guidance and this book seemed to be a answer to my prayers. However, I was somewhat disappointed. One of the first things the author tells you to do is to invest in a good set of markers. One would have to have SOME ability to draw in order to put these tools to use well enough to justify their purchase. If I was artistic enough to design layouts by drawing them I would probably not need this book. People who are naturally artistic may not have a graphic arts education, but they generally just wing it and their stuff comes out looking good. There is also a lot of information on photography and creating great artwork to use in your designs. Yeah, right. I use clipart, period.

I do not have an artistic bone in my body which is why I needed this book. It appears more to be for artists (or artistic types) who want more knowledge in the field of graphic design. I needed a book that clearly spelled out how to produce professional(ish) printed materials with no expectations of me having art or design abilities. If you are like me then I would instead recommend The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams (no, not THAT Robin Williams).

It's OK...there are better ones, though.
A very attractive book, with some nice projects. But I had read the Robin Williams books, and there wasn't a lot new here, except for some snazzy images. Do check out the Robin Williams books. They helped get me into design as a field and not just an avocation.

First half alone makes it worth buying
I read through this book one afternoon at a book store and rushed home to order it from Amazon for less. I'd been looking for a basic overview of graphic design principles -- grids, use of color, grouping, etc. -- and found a great many books on design were more about the design of the book than about design instruction itself.

This book is obviously well designed and easy to read, but it's also rich with practical, takeaway information, tips like the basic rules of typography (knowing which fonts to use for different projects), how to choose coordinating colors and how grids can help you figure out where to place the different elements in your design.

The first half of the book covers principles; the second half contains a series of specific projects, like how to design a brochure. I'm less interested in the projects, but contained within the steps for each project are valuable little nuggets on design project management that can also be applied in other ways.

My only complaint is just that I wish the first half were longer, but that's more to say that the book is so good that I want more.

Beautiful beginners book with GREAT exercises
The book shows good and bad designs and most importantly shows you why they are bad.
Beginners book, but one of the best beginners books out there.
If you complete all the exercises you wont automatically get your design degree and start up a design house with glass for walls, but you will have a pretty decent idea about design ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Product Description
The "left-handed designer," Seymour Chwast has been putting his unparalleled take—and influence—on the world of illustration and design for the last half century. In his version of Dante's Divine Comedy, Chwast's first graphic novel, Dante and his guide Virgil don fedoras and wander through noir-ish realms of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, finding both the wicked and the wondrous on their way.

Dante Alighieri wrote his epic poem The Divine Comedy from 1308 to 1321 while in exile from his native Florence. In the work's three parts (Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise), Dante chronicles his travels through the afterlife, cataloging a multitude of sinners and saints—many of them real people to whom Dante tellingly assigned either horrible punishment or indescribable pleasure—and eventually meeting both God and Lucifer face-to-face.

In his adaptation of this skewering satire, Chwast creates a visual fantasia that fascinates on every page: From the multifarious torments of the Inferno to the host of delights in Paradise, his inventive illustrations capture the delirious complexity of this classic of the Western canon.

A Look Inside Dante's Divine Comedy: A Graphic Adaptation
(Click on Images to Enlarge)

Second circle of Hell	Sins of the flesh
The three furies	Sixth circle of Hell

... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Clarity without Beauty
This is a very clear graphic art depiction of the barebones of the comedy. For no obvious reason (link of Italians to mobsters? ) Dante and Vergil look vaguely 1930s (Dante in trench coat etc.) and a few other characters suggest that era but most are straightforward.The pictures are clear but lack the artistic impact of Dore. I can imagine that graphic artists with more gift for detail such as Herge or Brunhoff might have done more justice to the horror of hell or the beauty of heaven.
This may be useful as a kind of visual guide to the basics of the text for uninformed students-- I have used it successfully in world history for that purpose -- but Ithink considered simply as graphic art it does not deserve the fulsome praise in the blurbs on the cover.

A Whirlwind Tour of Dante's Commedy
I enjoyed every minute of Chwast's take on Dante's Divine Comedy. He managed to adapt and distill a masterpiece without exploiting or dumbing it down.

At 128 pages, this whirlwind tour that takes you through a Canto or two per page. Even so, the drama doesn't feel rushed. In fact, if you're planning on reading the original it would be worthwhile to leave this volume open beside it to keep you grounded in the flow of the narrative.

There were many opportunities for a graphic artist to exploit the imagery. I mean, where else do you read about people swimming in pools of excrement as poop rains down from the sky? Chwast's economic style fairly evoked the imagery without degenerating into crassness. (I can only imagine what would have happened if Crumb tried to do this!)

This was my first encounter with Seymour Chwast's art. It will not be my last.

Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided at no cost through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's program.

Graphic Comedìa
Seymour Chwast's graphic novel is a thoroughly enjoyable companion piece to Dante's Comedìa. It's the literary geek's equivalent to action figures, only with delicious irony and style and demanding fewer explanations for one's spouse. Chwast has given us a Divine Comic. [Pre-recorded groans go here.]

[Disclaimer: I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.]

Slightly fun, but kind of pointless.
I felt like the story wasn't particularly well represented in this book. The whole draw was the art which was good but suffered from a lacking of adequate detail. Kind of felt like a 'Where's Wally' book without the colour, set in a vague pretext of Dante's Divine comedy.

I found it fun
I enjoyed Seymour Chwast's graphic novel of the Divine Comedy. It makes no effort to be poetic, it's essentially a "Cliff's Notes" with drawings. But the interpretation of the illustrations and the way that the text is summarized is honestly entertaining. As with many works of literature, one needs an annotation to explain what was happening culturally and politically at the time of writing in order to understand the text, and the Divine Comedy especially so because of the many levels of meaning. However, it's also a good story all on its own and Chwast's graphic novel portrays it in a creative fashion. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (54)

More than Just Framing
I was very happy with the content in this book.The author covers everything from foundations, floors, walls, roofs, stairs and every material that attaches to wood framing.This book is loaded with up to date residential construction ideas to include how to super insulate and how to size structural members thru "rule of thumb" methods.For the most part the details are correctly referenced to the isometrics.Speaking of isometrics, many details are drawn this way.Looking at three dimensional details in reference to wall sections was very helpful in comprehending the concepts.For example, I appreciated the three dimensional explanations of how to flash around window openings before windows are installed thus creating a second line of defense against water infiltration.Ever wonder what the difference between moisture barriers, vapor barriers and air barriers were?The author takes you thru a very clear and methodical way to select which materials will work yet not counteract the important characteristics of any of the three barriers.Some materials can act as a combination of any of the three as well.The only annoyance for me occurs when I came across the spelling errors.Given this is the third addition; you would think spelling errors would have been flushed out by now.I own the latest Version of the Architectural Graphic Standards and I still like the residential focus of this books ability to communicate great ideas simplistically.

book serves a purpose
I purchased this book to assist me in understanding how a home is built. I volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and have never done this kind of work before. The book will be very useful in allowing me to "see" what I am building before I build it. It puts everything in it's proper perspective so I know what I am doing. So far it has been very useful. Even though the book is 10 years old the information is still valid.

How to build a house, if you are curious, but don't want to know how to REALLY build one.
Just buy the 2009 International Residential Code For One-and-Two Family Dwellings: Soft Cover Version
The IRC has similar drawings and is the CODE / LAW in most places. Not only does it have similar drawings but it has 1000x more info. It tells nailing spacing requirements, etc. The only problem w/ the IRC is it is very expensive. It legally should be free, as it is U.S Law, but that is a different issue... I also recommend Wood-Framed Shear Wall Construciton; An Illustrated Guide.


This book shows how to make basic framing items in 2x4 and 2x6 construction.

However it fails, miserably.

It includes too much info. on things unrelated to framing: Foundations, windows, etc. and not enough on framing.

It's drawing are poor in places, the windows section is terrible.

It lacks any practical info. such as how to make a 2x6 and 2x4 built up headers.

He does not tell you to space a 1/2 OSB board in between 2x4's (1.5 + 1.5 + .5 = 3.5 inches) 2x4 walls actual width is 3.5 inches and nail both sides w/ 16 D nails... etc.

He also leaves out any actual MATH that could help you determine what headers to use, except one small sentence on 1 story 2x4 house headers....

Also try looking up: SPAN, HOLD-DOWN, or other important terms in the index... NOT THERE, even though HOLD-DOWN is defined right before the index....

While some of this info. should be on your plans from your Architect, small projects can be approved by the city or county without an architect, so the info is relevant.

Lacking
This book has many gaps in graphics and content.Ultimate Guide to House Framing, 3rd ed. John D. Wagner, is much better at both.

good images , lacks theory
Very well done publication. The drawings are very thorough. It severely lacks any theory or formulas on the topics contained in the book.
If all you need are pictures then this is the book for you. If you want more practical information then do not buy this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Take a look at the Constitution as you've never seen it before in The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation.Writer Jonathan Hennessey and illustrator Aaron McConnell describe the creation of Article I with vibrant, detailed graphics and captions that aresurprisingly informative. Each image below links to a larger view of the page [PDF].

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... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Review of Hennessey's Graphic Constitution
This is a great idea, but I don't feel it was put together as well as it should have. The graphic novel is bogged down by very odd visual metaphors for different constitutional powers. The book is great at whipping through constitutional history. Also, there is occasional old, 'constitution' style cursive presented to the reader, which is so small that even I had trouble with it.

A supplement, not a replacement
I really enjoyed this and found the style helpful in understanding the points of the Constitution and its amendments. However, it was difficult at times to know what were actual quotes from the Constitution and what was paraphrasing.

Great idea for a book!

This book, which is a comic book version the the American Constitution, includes the history behind the resulting document.I gave a copy of this to all the people on my Xmas list last year!The book is fun to read, and good to have around, as a particular article is discussed on the news. This is also a great book for 12 year old kids!5 stars!!!!

The Balancing Act of All Time
In our modern punditocracy, fewer and fewer Americans understand how the Constitution truly works, especially those who hype it the loudest. While alternative education methods like graphic depictions still face criticism from skeptics, this book might just be what the doctor ordered for high school or college students whose civic knowledge has been polluted by a lifetime of uninformed political propaganda. Writer Jonathan Hennessy does a fine job explaining many of the Constitution's intricacies while busting a lot of myths, and manages to stay politically realistic while pointing out the American inequality that the Constitution has not always been able to conquer. Artist Aaron McConnell contributes fairly dramatic artwork that is clearly influenced by hard-hitting golden age pulp comics, and he uses a few very poignant tricks to point out America's not-so-noble past, such as drawing slaves as having three-fifths of full bodies.

The constitutional information imparted herein is robust and effective, but note that a largely procedural document like the Constitution does not always lead to smooth storytelling, so this book's narrative is a bit awkward and disconnected in places. But Hennessy and McConnell really make the Constitution come alive in ways that all readers can understand, and there will be some surprises in store for those who think they know what the great document is all about. That's already a better civics education than most Americans are getting these days. [~doomsdayer520~]

Read this primer first
Hennessey and McConnell mix it up quite a bit to present the US Constitution - not only a summary of each article and ammendment, but the ideas behind them and often the historical settings in which they were formed.Often a brief history lesson is used to show what the particular concept was meant to address; other times, hypothetical examples are used.The graphics vary much the same way - sometimes a simple story is being told; other times, an abstract concept is presented in totally original symbols and sci-fi like images.

This is a very accessible approach to what would otherwise be a dry read.Though the text of the constitution itself is only partly quoted, the substance and explanations come across in a well balanced fashion.And, often, the changing interpretations over our history are presented as well, offering a vision of a Constitution that will continue to be re-interepreted and evolve.

A great way to get the meat of this critical document in world history into the mind of a middle- or high-school student.
... Read more

Product Description
Make Your Mark

Design is at a turning point. Our infatuation with--and the backlash against--technology is over. Today's best designers have learned to embrace its advantages and think beyond its limitations by combining the power of the computer with the tactile qualities of handmade elements.

Inside you'll find examples of work that showcase a variety of design methods, including mixed media, illustration, letterpress, screenprinting and collage. You'll find inspiration in examples from outstanding designers and see how traditional elements can make a more powerful statement than anesthesized computer-only work. Fingerprint also includes insightful essays on the power of the handmade by Debbie Millman, Jean Orlebeke, Jim Sherraden, Martin Venezky and Ross Macdonald.

The projects in this book are beautiful, technical, simple, layered and powerful. Each project communicates its intended message with eloquence.

You can be part of this exciting design revolution. Leave your own fingerprint on the world by exploring the fusion of the digital with the hand-wrought.

Chen Design Associates is a visual communications firm based in San Francisco. Firm Principal Joshua Chen is a frequent guest speaker for professional conferences, workshops, studio tours and educational institutions. The firm self-published the award-winning Peace: 100 Ideas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Getting away from the computer.....
I'm a graphic design student.When I was first introduced to Graphic Design, I was in High School, back in the early 90's.We used a horizontal process camera, a dark room and blue pencils.Cutting and pasting was the only way to achieve a layout design.Getting back into the graphic design process now, everything is done on the computer in Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.I forgot how much fun it is to be creative and do things with my hands.

This book is excellent.The images and ideas are wonderful and I love how you are given a list of mediums used to create each piece.It has also inspired me to learn new techniques that I never even thought using.Since I finished my AAS in GD, I will have had 8 months away from school until I get back to finish my Bachelors this fall. I'm trying to keep my mind in the game and get some new ideas, ready for class to begin, fresh and thinking out of the box!Adding this book to my ever expanding design library was a great idea.I highly recommend it to anyone that's new to Graphic Design or just wanting to get back to it's roots.I was even impressed with the cover, the use of different 'handmade' elements....details that bring the point home. I hope they come up with more volumes.

One of the best
3 years old and I still turn to this book for inspiration.It's a great resource, especially in a world filled with so many graphic design books that rely heavily on overly computerized and super trendy samples.

OK graphic design book
I bought this book after Amazon recommended it...

Pros:It has pictures and less words.
Caveats: examples are average. I owe illustration books that give better ideas.
Summary: It is average and likely overrated. I am afraid it will be buried in my library....I better put it for sale on this site..mmm...

Even on a student budget, this book is a must.
As someone who rarely invests in books due to a low budget, I have to say I'm very selective in the books I choose to purchase. Fingerprint was my very first purchase over a year ago and I still use it as a reference and inspiration. The work inside is so unique that it doesnt follow graphic design trends and it won't date easily, the illustration and techniques cover a broad range of styles using a range of traditional and alternative materials. It's a beautiful book in itself and I would recommend it to anyone

Inspiring
This is not a book to read. It is one to experience, to commune with, perhaps to fall in love with.

I'm a fine artist studying graphic art, and despair of ever catching up with all the computer technology. I thought scanning hand done artwork and using that in designs marked me as an amateur. But here I learned that the hand trumps the computer! Not that I don't still have a lot to learn. But this puts things in perspective. It reaches beyond the fixation on technology to the point where we use technology only where we really need it.

I love this book because it understands me. It nurtures me. It inspires me. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Blah, not what I expected
The book doesn't contain any great information that a good teacher doesn't already know.Don't waste your money.

Very Helpful Resource
Graphic organizers are a critical part of teaching students to use the pre-writing phase.It helps them to get their thoughts down and to give order and focus to their writing.These reproducible worksheets are ready to go for a variety of different types of writing exercises.The authors have done a "tiered" approach so that there are 3 levels of organizers for all activities.Therefore, the book has a broader range of who it will serve.Mainly aimed at elementary (in my opinion) it could be used for some 7th and 8th graders.Topics covered range from as basic as paragraph formation to things such as:voice, dialogue, descriptive language, different types of essays, and more!Also included is some info for the teacher to give suggestions on how to use the organizers.This is NOT an all inclusive type writing program, but definitely a helpful addition to your resource shelf.

differentiation and multiple level learning at its best
This workbook is a must have for any middle school language arts classroom. It incorporates the basic necessary elements needed to develop and nurture growing writers. So many times teachers give assignments but do not develop the scaffolding for students to climb the ladder to success along the way. This will help you do that very things for your students.

Good Investment
I have used this book for two years with my fourth grade class.It provides three different levels of organizers, and is easy to use.The examples they provide are useful, but tend to be for older students.If you are having difficulty getting a writing program off the ground for your students, this may be the place to start. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

25 Years Later - Still No Reprint
It's been 25 years since the first printing of this English translation by Berg and 41 years since the original French edition. Why isn't this printed any more? This is the book that Tufte cribs off of. This is the definitive volume on information visualization and should be required reading for all cartographers.

The book a treasure trove of significant ideas in information design, split into two parts: Semiology of the Graphic Sign-System and Utilization of the Graphic Sign-System.

The first part analyzes the properties and rules of the graphic system breaking down the variants and invariants, the plane and the "retinal variables", and combines these and more into rules for construction and legibility. The second part breaks down applications of the graphics as diagrams, networks and maps.

The only way the book could be made better would be trough a third section on animation (hinted at in the introduction to the English version).

This book is a classic
A classic study into graphics as a system. It's long overdue for a reprint (in English).

Enough Already.
Been trying to find my own copy of this for well over a year. SOMEBODY PLEASE REPRINT IT.

The Original Tufte Book
Best Data Visualization book I've ever read.I would love to buy one, I only have a photocopy.A borrowed the Univ. of Maryland copy while I wrote my dissertation.Highly Recommended!

Great book... REPRINT IT GUYS!
You may consider reprinting this book.I know many people who would buy it - I bet you could sell them as hot bagels!Marjan Trutschl ... Read more

Product Description
The Alex Rider Adventures are #1 bestsellers the world over, and following in the footsteps of the graphic novel adaptation of Stormbreaker comes the second book in this phenomenal series. Like Stormbreaker: The Graphic Novel, this edition features bold, edgy, manga-like illustrations that make the graphic novel form so immensely popular, and brings the young spy to life in a whole new way. For existing fans of Alex Rider, this will be a must-have; for those yet to discover the series, this will be the perfect introduction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Alex Rider strikes again!
This was a most interesting, well-told and well-drawn story. It's only the second of the series I've seen (the other being STORMBREAKER, the original). Of course, I shouldn't have been surprised by the essentially unrealistic premise or the classic monologuing (sp.?) of the mad villain, but I was pleasantly surprised by the other twists and turns of the plot (which are, no pun intended, chilling in various ways). Alex nearly buys the farm more than once (one of the times being when he finds himself overmatched as a martial artist by the chief villainess), but it's good to have good friends around at such times.

"Most schoolboys dream of being a spy. Alex is a spy who dreams of being a schoolboy." Well said, Mr. Stuffy MI6 Director. :) And we find out by the end just how true that is - Alex comes to a turning point in his mind about his destiny, however long that state of mind lasts.

Fantastic!
This was the first of the three Alex Rider graphic novels that my 11-year old read, and although it is not the first in the series it was a great one to begin with.Alex Rider goes undercover at a Swiss Boarding School and discovers that the school has an evil purpose. The setting is great, and having Alex interact with a group of wealthy kids was a lot of fun!The illustrations are really well-done and my son, and many others, find them an improvement on the original novels.Highly recommended for tween boys and teens!

Pont Blank: The Graphic Novel
Sure bet for any kids interested in graphic novels.I purchased this for a child who wants to become a graphic novelist and he loves it.

Great Book
My son is a reluctant reader, but he loves graphics novels and all of the alex rider series.He would read one of the Alex Rider books and then I would buy the graphic novel after he finished.My only wish is that all the books in the series had graphic novels.

Point Blank
I love this book. I am 10 years old and I thought this book was so cool with the gadgets,non-stop action, and suspense. You will never want to put this book down. I thought this book wasn't too violent and the plot is very easy to understand. I read all the Alex Rider books exept a few of them. This is the first book in the series(i think) and it doesnt matter where u start in the series becuase this book is so awesome! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

A must have for any designer!
This is a great book for all kinds of artists.The presentation and content brings an international view of the use of color and color psychology.It makes you think twice about your color palettes, and with great results.

A must have.

Good Examples, but terrible print job... confusing at times
I am a student at the moment, majoring in Painting, and am very serious about color and learning the most I can... well.. I think that the book has great examples, talking about color theory that has been referenced in my color theory class, talking about stuff I have read in other books, basically, it is a great compilation of a lot of different approaches to color and their uses.The major problem I have, and maybe this is a little foolish, but there are colors in the book that are badly printed, particularly with the color blue.There are several examples of the color blue in the book, but it does not look like blue, at best, it is a purple with hints of blue (which is true for an additive color wheel anyways).I have looked at the book in many different lights, asked a couple different people and it is still the same..the labeled blue, and the examples of blue, are not blue, it is a weird deep purple.If this were anything but a color guide for designers, then I would have easily given this book 5 stars, but the fact stands, a color book should not be something that has bad misprints.

Error on Page 10
I have had this book for a while, to look at the pictures.I chose to sit and read it this morning.On page 10, while the graphic is correct, there is an error in the description of Additive Mixing.The text reads"...red and blue light form cyan...green and blue light form magenta".It is a beautiful book, but that should have been caught in editing.

Great book !!
Im a self taught graphic designer and part time freelancer and this book has been very insightfull though there is still much to learn from the world of color

soy un diseñador grafico por practica, no curse la universidad; en ocasiones trabajo como freelancer y este libro es muy interesante e intuitivo, claro que hay mucho que seguir aprendiendo del mundo del color

Color Theory with Lots of Explained Examples
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3E1LNI0P3I5G7 This is actually more of a textbook than a workbook. But it's not a bad thing and you'll see why.

Foundation concepts for colors are explained. That's the RGB, CMYK and HSV models, color harmony and color meanings.

Chapter 4 is probably the workbook part although they don't exactly give out step by step lesson guides. Chapter 4 is on the 10 rules of colours that should be used for reference when choosing colours. There are however a few lists that describe workflows when creating a palette.

This book essentially teaches through examples and explaining the color concepts behind those examples. The explanation is very clear and that's where most of the learning is going to be. Finally, there are 16 case studies at the end of the book, with the designers talking about the use of colours in their project.

Colors is about experimentation. Every design is unique and has their own set of limitation.

A nice thing about this book is that it has lots of interesting quotes. Such as:

In order to use colour effectively it is necessary to recognize that colour deceives continually. - Josef Albers

In a physical sense, there really is no such thing as color, just light waves of different wavelengths.

Research reveals that all human beings make an unconscious judgment about a person, environment, or item within ninety seconds of initial viewing and that between 62 percent of that assessment is based on color alone. - The Institute of Color Research



This book is perfect for people who want to see examples of how people apply the color concepts to their work.

Here's the list of chapters:

1. What is Color? Apparent Color, The Properties of Color
2. Color Theory. History of Color Theory, Color Harmony
3. Color Meaning. Color Index
4. 10 Rules of Colors
4.1 Convey Information
4.2 Create Color Harmony
4.3 Attract and Hold Attention
4.4 Remember That Context is Everything
4.5 Consider That Experimentation Is Key
4.6 Know That People See Color Differently
4.7 Assist in Mnemonic Value
4.8 Think About Composition
4.9 Use Standardized Color Systems
4.10 Understand Limitations
5. Color Systems
5.1 Thinking About Color Systems
5.2 Color Systems in Art and Design History
5.3 Some Inspiration for a Sample of AdamsMorioko's Palettes
5.4 11 Color Systems
6. Color Talk. Talking About Color in Design
7. 16 Case studies

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.) ... Read more

Product Description
Boost Standardized Test Scores!
The sure-fire way to build the reading comprehension skills students need to succeed! Forty short passages are paired with graphic organizers to help all kids easily learn how to find the main idea, understand cause and effect, compare and contrast, sequence events, and more. Watch test scores soar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Improved Test Scores
My son did not test as well in reading comprehension in 5th grade as I had hoped, so I searched for a workbook that would help him improve over the course of 6th grade. This book was a great tool. It's brief but to the point. My son's test scores improved dramatically this year. I highly recommend this workbook as a supplement to your child's reading classes. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Outdated Art
If you are looking for a book to get logo inspiration...look somewhere else. This book seems to have logos out of the early 90s. However, if you are look for how to brand and use your logo throughout your venue (printed collateral, signage & environmental, I'd say this is a pretty good book. Specifically, they have good packaging and menu styles.

Usually I like Rockport collects, but this was not what I wanted. I wouldn't get it; if you do, get it used at a discount.

the publisher is the key
I have buy 12 books in last month, I will only buy publisher by rockport's design book, very good.

Very inspiring
First off, Amazon never fails to deliver.I'm always impressed with how efficiently and quickly I get my things in the mail.Second, I'm very happy with this purchase finding it very inspiring.Great quality photos and paper stock.If I could change one thing it would be to include a wider variety of company logos.I found some to repeat too much.

Variety picked over depth
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1YW5G9BCSS6S3 I guess the graphics showcased really work because I felt like ordering some food.

There's a wide range of graphics collected over a variety of medium. The design medium includes, signage, logos, menus, packaging, promotional items and stationery.

I'm not too sure if because of the variety, the book has spread itself too thin. Personally, I would have preferred that the author had grouped all the designs created under each food outlet. That way, at least, we can see how the designer work his/her way across the different packaging mediums.

The variety in the book might make up for the lack of depth.

Overall, it's still a recommended book for any graphic or packaging designer.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

Very useful and inspiring.
This book has a lot of very interesting usages for artwork and logos in the restaurant industry, but also includes a nice variety of design principles that can be used in many other applications.
... Read more

Product Description
Alex Rider- manga style!

For fans of the Alex Rider graphic novels Stormbreaker and Point Blank, the wait is finally over. Alex is back! Featuring the same actionpacked, manga-esque style as the previous installments, Skeleton Key brings all the thrills and gadgetry to life in colorful, page-turning form.

For readers of this worldwide phenomenon, or for those just discovering it, Skeleton Key: The Graphic Novel is sure to excite. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Intrigue and manga-style art contribute to this third Alex Rider adventure for all ages
Skeleton Key: The Graphic Novel provides a vivid Alex Rider action story in full color where the teen superspy is sent to Skeleton Key - an island near Cuba - to thwart an insane Russian. Intrigue and manga-style art contribute to this third Alex Rider adventure for all ages.

Fun!
My son (11) received 3 of these for Xmas.He read them all in a day.He LOVES them, but he told me there was a lot of violence.This is a comic book.He has the regular books.I am hoping that reading these comic books will inspire him to read the full written version.We'll see... ... Read more