Design Books

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

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

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!

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.

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.

I love this artist and am always inspired by this book. I first bacame familiar with this artist through a series of greeting cards made from his art. When my mother found this book we both had to have one. It is a nice shelf size, with full page and double page images. There are also excerpts that are blown up to show detail, sketches to show initial concept and process, and clever writing to keep you engaged in each piece. I was delighted as I read the book to find out just how much symbolism he uses. It makes his pieces much deeper than the common fanciful fantasy art. It was a real pleasure learning more about James Christensen. No matter how many times you look over these pictures, they will never get boring. You'll always see something new.

I love this book! I am an artist and illustrator. When I need inspiration to open my own creative juices, I study the pages of this book. Christensen's images come from a pure expression of the inner creative child blended with the quirky imagination of a "Renaissance" painter gone wild!

I got this book as a Christmas gift along with a painting by the artist. He's a good artist. Make no mistake about that. But you'd better be an ardent gamer to really enjoy his subject matter.

There's really no way to tell what James Christensen's art is like. It's as unsatisfactory as trying to describe what chocolate tastes like to the person who's never tasted it. It has to be experienced to be appreciated.

This is a wonderful collection reproducing almost all of Christensen's earlier work. It includes some "serious" works of which the artist clearly is a master, but his fantasy art is unlike anyone elses. It takes flights of fancy and works of whimsy to completely new heights. The person who can go through this delightful romp among a truly creative genius' works and not find themselves smiling for most of it is suffering from an atrophied sense of humor.

If you like fantasy, get this book. If you like art, get this book. If you have a sense of humor and the willingness to use it, get this book. Warning: you may have to take this book in small doses, or your smile may suffer from overwork.

This book causes you to see through the eyes of a child again, playing with reality and delighting in possibilities. It gets your "imaginative juices" flowing to where you won't look at ordinary, every day objects in the same way again. The artist provides the reader with insight into his whimsy, while at the same time providing a magical feast for the eye!

My 10 year old son was always an extremely picky eater. I must credit this book with helping the situation and giving him a new hobby. He loved the easy instructions and the illustrations that made the food look tasty, and began making his own meals. It's now a year later and he still enjoys eating things he prepares himself. For any special occasion, he pulls out his Kosher By Design cookbook and decides what he wants to make. He has several favorites he often uses. Thank you Susie Fishbein!

the illustrations in this cookbook are incredible, vivid and beautiful. great for kids and adults alike- or as a picture book!!

I LOVE THIS BOOK. I GIVE IT TO EVERY NEW BRIDE AND I GAVE IT TO MY CHILDREN TO USE WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS ARE SO DESCRIPTIVE THAT EVEN A NOVICE CAN ENJOY COOKING AND BAKING.
THIS BOOK SHOULD BE IN EVERYONE'S BOOKCASE.

I love this book! Forget the kids...I'm 40+ years old and this is the 'starter cookbook' I've always wanted! The recipes are easy to follow and the results are delicious. The kids have helped with some of the recipes but more often it winds up just me and the cookbook but I love the simplicity. My mom has one of the other books (short on time) and those recipes are a bit too advanced for my very limited skillset.

This is a beautiful cookbook and my daughter loves it. However, when I let my two kids bake alone for the first time they made a bad choice. The Oatmeal Raisinette Cookies recipe calls for 2 and 1/2 sticks of butter and only 1 egg, 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, and 3/4 cup of oatmeal. My kids were obviously not experienced enough to realize that the amount of butter is way out of proportion, so their "cookies" melted all over the oven. Needless to say, I'm disappointed that the book wasn't more carefully edited. I won't let them use this book again unless I examine the recipe carefully first myself.

This is a great book. Tons of pics of Marilyn on covers of magazines. Thus, a lot of never before seen photos. The pictures aren't big though. I enjoyed it so I am looking for the first edition, as this is the second. But I can't find the first edition.

This is a great book, and for the price, you can't go wrong, but the genuine article is the first edition from 1999. Much nicer covers, beautiful color prints. If you only buy one, the first edition is a MUST for any Marilyn Monroe fan!

I absolutely loved this book! It was fantastic. Marilyn Monroe was such a beautiful, talented person and this book definitely shows it. The pictures are sharp and bright and the captions are wonderful. The variety is nothing short of impressive. I highly recommend this "coffee table book" to any Monroe fan!

This thoroughly unique and enjoyable approach to the documentation of Marilyn's career is a comprehensive collection of magazine covers from all around the world, featuring her throughout her career. The whole is an eclectic gathering of photos highlighting her metamorphosis from unknown young model to luminous superstar.

Although many of the more well known American covers are absent, there is plenty here to satisfy! The variety and sheer number of colorful covers is impressive. The memorable quotes that accompany so many of the covers capture the essence of her endearing personality without being an actual biography, and the timeline is a good but brief overview of many of the important events in her life.

Although I am not an avid collector of MM memorabilia, I'm sure the pricing information would be valuable to those who are. I found comparing the various values to be very interesting reading. I can only imagine the painstaking work that went into identifying each of these photos and determining the worth of each cover.

This would be a welcome and unique addition to any MM library - highly recommended!

This is an unusual outstanding picture book.

Marilyn in unforgetable pictures.

Thank you!

This is a very up to date read on Internet marketing for entrepreneurs. It is comprehensive, yet very easy to understand with practical insights that are viable in today's environment. I agree with the advice for providing a specialized service, reinforcing my beliefs in carefully targeting our audience or "becoming a bigger fish in a smaller pond."

I am a little sick of all the Internet marketing books that hype the "get rich quick" phenomenon and I particularly like the that this book does not promise you that by reading it you will make thousands of dollars, or even hundreds of dollars, or for that matter any money at all! The author states, "There is no quick money or quick fix here . . . this is solely up to you! I'm sure you've heard the biblical quote: "you reap what you sow". This is so very true. Whether its building a website, making money or creating wealth - it all comes down to what YOU do, not someone else! The more effort you put into your business, whether it's hard work, resources, or investments - the more chances that you and your business will thrive."

I particularly enjoyed the reference to the "9 effective business models." The book provides enough information and inspiration to allow the reader use it as a guide to develop their own business model and a good implementation plan.

There are many other facets to this book that make it a good resource and it provides a foundation for online business development. Van Der Hope gives focus and clarity to niche marketing on the Internet. I highly recommend this book.

Eric,
This book has everything and more for every online niche marketer. The mind maps are the highlight for me. They have removed all the obstacles in my online marketing business. Thank you

Oliviah Moyo

Mastering Niche Marketing shows exactly what's possible when you set your mind to a goal and TAKE ACTION. Eric Van Der Hope has revealed exactly what it takes to become a profitable niche marketer.

I particularly enjoyed the niche marketing 'mind maps' that lay out the entire process and break it down into tiny, manageable steps. The success stories and case studies show small but significant examples of what's possible by finding and capitalizing on the right niche, and the Additional Resources section...well, let's just say it will keep your mind spinning with ideas for months to come!

Overall, a fantastic niche marketing resource that no serious online marketer should be without!

In last 5 years, I do not even remember how many books I have read on Internet marketing and wasted my precious time. The self-proclaimed Gurus do write about methods of online niche marketing but they never tell you how to go ahead with it. There is never a `how to do it' guide.

Eric is not a self proclaimed Guru, but He provides you the meat of niche marketing and how to do it yourself - if only You Act. I have not read another book which provides a lot of to the point information. It is a must read book especially for those who wish to generate traffic to their sites - the most important thing for running any business online. (Which is like an added bonus).

I wish I had met Eric before and read this book instead of wasting my time and money on countless other books. 5 stars No Doubt

This book is one of the absolute best books I've read in the Internet Marketing niche for a very, very long time. No matter if you're just starting out or have years of experience, this book will help you make money online.

This book is literally an A-Z guide covering all the details you need to run a successful online business. I've used several of the techniques and tactics in my own business. But what I loved most was there are little gold nuggets sprinkled throughout that I never even thought about before. I'll be implementing those ideas immediately to make even more money. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent content to help develop approaches to figurative drawing...and keeping loose at the same time.

This book shows how to do watercolour figure sketches in a loose free style.

The eye-catching pictures help in showing how to draw people with exercises that are easy to follow and understand.

For learning to draw or paint people and figures this is an excellent book. He also talks about the materials needed; colour mixing, brushwork and practical tips to get the result you are after.

You may not enjoy this book if you like more detailed realistic paintings as his style is sketchy but to me this is the magic.

Charles Reid does his usual "bang-up" job. The pictures make you want to pick up a brush immediately. I also have one of his early books...very worn by now...and this one doesn't disappoint me either.

This book is so helpful..from the preparatory sketch to painting in watercolor, he teaches it all. His techniques are simply amazing, and I've learned more from this book than anything else...I FULLY recommend this book

I have other books by Charles Reid that I love. I didn't know that this book was still available, so I was thrilled to find it. It is a great book on painting the figure. I am an art teacher, so I will share it contents with my students.

recieved the book fast and in excellant condition will use it for years to come

I have a fascination for period clothing and construction with this being one of my favorites. It provides all sorts of info and patterns on the garments for the periods provided. I have built a couple items using her patterns as guides to create my own. I wouldn't recommend it to beginners because it is a little more challenging unless you have some patterning background.

For the theatrical costumer, I think this is one of the all-time essentials. Not only are pattern sketches included for fashions of the major periods, so are construction details and some good drawings of garment details. However, be warned--this is not for the novice pattern drafter/seamstress. Not interested in making a replica of these fabulous fashions? Just enjoy the drawings and descriptions.

Janet Arnold is the preemminent clothing historian of our day. As with all of her books she has provided a concise reference to the garments of the period in question, listing the fabrics, colors and cuts that are appropriate for the given garments. Also typical of Arnold books is the scale patterns for the given garments in the back of each text, so, with an understanding of pattern drafting one can easily reproduce the garments from the book as well as size the garment for a particular wearer. As with many of Ms. Arnold books she draws examples from extant examples taken from trunks and in some cases the casket. Another exceptional book by Janet Arnold for the clothing historian or the obsessive compulsive costumer.

I was a bit disappointed in this book. Especially as compared with the book that precedes this one in time period. The Elizabethan period book has all sorts of YUMMY details (photographs) of actual garments. Those details more accurately illustrate how a technique was carried out, and should look when finished. This book has exactly TWO photos! And both are of finished modern replicas. ALL the illustrations are line drawings. Exceptionally done line drawing. Very well executed. But nothing holds a candle to a photograph.
The greatest covered fashion period in this book, is about 1750-1800. It is nearly bereft of 17th century examples. And there is only a handful of Victorian era (1830s-1860) examples. That was refreshing, as there are enough other books that cover Victorian decades.
All that being said, it is still a VERY INFORMATIVE and well illustrated book. You could certainly learn a lot about construction techniques and cut.

-- Metric conversion chart included.
-- List of source references
-- instructions on altering a modern dress form to work for period
-- Pattern layouts are not modern with PRECISE measurements. They are
period layouts that assume knowledge of drafting and fitting

This book is a funny compilation of the wacky comic strip gang, a dog with some feathered friends and what else. The hilarious side of children.

Peanuts are totally classic! Dude! Schroeder is like the coolest person on the face of the earth! He is so reserved and that make Peanuts worth the while to read. He also looks so cute at his little piano, playing Bethoven. This book clearly shows that and becuase I love little Schroeder, I love this book too! Beethoven forever! Rock on! (JK)

This book is a great buy! It has the classic lovable Peanuts strips we've all enjoyed. I love the format and size of the book and will purchase more in this series.

I find that after all this time I still love the Peanuts gang. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and others still bring a smile to my face as the wonderful insight of the creator comes through. I wish that I was young again and still had the old paperbacks that I once read so I could go back to some and re-read them. I wish that Shultz could still create those drawings and tears just swelled up from inside reading the ending passage. Charles Shultz will be missed by me and I have read this and other books by him to my kids so they might gain an interest in these type of books. I wish they had more specials of the Peanuts ang for TV rather than some of the stuff on now. Anyone who wants great cartoons with very funny happenings for their children will definitely love this book and others by Shultz.

Peanuts has truly left its mark on the world. I can't honestly say I know anyone who has never heard of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy. We all know and love them. Who can ever forget Snoopy imagining himself as a World War I Flying Ace on the top of his doghouse? Or Charlie Brown's consistent, diligent, but always failing efforts to finally lead his baseball team to a win?

This final collection of Peanuts strips cannot quite live up to Schulz's genius from years past, but they are still very charming and fun to read. I'd like to see you try to come up with a funny idea every day for fifty years. In this collection, Schulz draws more self suffecient strips, than strories carrying accross the dailies, probably because it was easier on him at his old age.

Peanuts is a very rare commodity. It is certainly not gorgeously drawn, but the writing and lovable characters make up for it's visual spareness. Plus, although the drawings were somewhat crude, the were outragously funny, and the whole point of a comic strip is to make you laugh, so there you are.

Charles Schulz is a true comic genius. His later work (i.e. this collection) is not his best, but he was still able to draw a funny comic strip every day. In the words of Bill Watterson, the brilliant man behind the wonderful "Calvin and Hobbes"-"I've never met Charles Schulz, but long ago his work introduced me to what a comic strip could be, and made me want to be a cartoonist myself. He was a hero to me as a kid, and his influence on my work and life is long and deep. I suspect most cartoonists would say something similar. Schulz has given all his readers a great gift, and my gratitude for that tempers my disappointment at the strip's cessation. May there someday be a writer/artist/philosopher/humorist who can fill even a part of the void "Peanuts" leaves behind."

This is the ultimate piece of collection for Pet Shop Boys fans...everything you want to see is here, great pictures and very complete..the best book you can have if you are a fan of this amazing duo

This is a must-have item. It is an incredible beautiful book. If you are a pethead, you must have it. But, if you will buy this item, you must have in mind that is a catalogue of items, pictures and comments, the name is literal, not a book as "PSB vs America" or "Literally".

With 14 reviews already written, I doubt I can say anything that hasn't already been said. But I will give a short review of my impression of Catalogue.

This book is more like Pet Shop Boys history in pictures. While it's true this is a catalogue of all the album and CD covers. It is also the history of Pet Shop Boys in a brief chronology near the back of the book. It gives a time line of what they were doing on particular dates.

There's also an interview from April 2006 with Neil and Chris by Chris Heath. It also includes a complete in depth discography of all their singles and albums they released.

The silver cover of the book makes a great coffee table attraction. It's a must for any Pethead's collection. It's also a great reference book for new fans of the boys. For those who never subscribed to the fan club will enjoy looking at the various Christmas Cards and cover art of the fan club magazine Literally.

I purchased multiple copies so I could have one on display and to thumb through and one is kept sealed. At this great price, who could resist?

Pet Shop Boys Catalogue

El libro es excelente [casi una obra de arte] en el cual se repasa la historia gráfica del dúo a través de sus primeros 20 años de carrera. Un verdadero must para cualquier fan de los PSB.

You can easily forget that Chris and Neil, Pet Shop Boys have been making fantastic music together for close to 30 years now. This large volume is an authoritative visual representation of what the PSB have done throughout their career. If there is one problem (not really) it would be that since they Boys are still active, the book will be outdated nearly immediately following its publication.

Its fun to see all the international releases, versions, one-off items that have come from their musical output, from singles to albums to videos to other books. Catalogue is comprehensive to say the least. And the photos are many, and all relatively great quality.

This is a true gift to the real PSB fans. It is sort of like your own personal scrapbook if you've been following the Boys through the years or a wonderful collection to introduce newer fans to the career that Neil and Chris have enjoyed. Price seems more than reasonable for the quality of the book. The cover is stunning and makes a great conversation piece for your coffee table. It just sort of begs to be opened with its silvery cover image.

Pet Shop Boys fans should be thrilled that such a volume exists and that the artists have seen fit to offer something of this scale. So many bands, defunct or ongoing seem to spurn their fans requests for such items. In this case, no matter what the intent of the artist--whether purely self indulgence or wanting to give back, the fans who purchase this book are the winners.

Love this book. Love the Boys. And most importantly, Love the music they continue to release. Left to your own devices, you probably will buy this book.

This book is a beautiful book and is a must for anyone interested in Ingres or in portraiture. The reproductions are lovely and the many drawings show how Ingres developed his paintings.

What can I say, it was everything you'd want and more from an Ingres book. Highly recommended.

This is very good book of Ingres. There is alot of images of the portrait drawings, almost all that he has ever done, but just few paintings. The quality of images / quality of print is very good.

This magnificent book on Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, is by far the most important piece of scholarship to date on this renowned French portraitist. The chapters are insightful and thoroughly researched with primary and secondary source references. The reproduction quality of the plates is outstanding and no expense has been spared to give the reader not only a stunning work of art in terms of font, paper and binding; but also a deep insight into the life of this important artist of the Romantic Movement. I would highly recommend this priceless collaboration between the Metropolitan Museum of Art-New York, The National Gallery-London and The National Gallery of Art-Washington D.C. to anyone. Although I prefer hardbound monographs, it is equally pleasing aesthetically in paperback.

I just spent a fortune on art books (got a new job!) and this was one of the best of the batch. There was one reviewer on here who really slammed the book--almost made me not get it--and I strongly disagree with his grievances.
The plates are somewhat low-contrast, which I have noticed in other Metropolitan museum volumes; this preserves the subtle middle tones of the artwork, although it may sacrifice a bit of the "leaping off the page" feeling some might be used to. The images are tack-sharp and clear, and you can see all the delicate nuances of Ingres brush and pencil work. None of the plates are blown-out, oversaturated or out of focus. The majority of the reproductions are of drawings, but there are a lot of paintings--I counted 67. Most of the paintings are presented full-page, and there are many close-ups of details, as well as preparatory sketches. "Cherubini and the Muse of Lyric Poetry" was the one annoying goof-up I saw--they included a nice color detail, but the full painting was a small black-and white image. The drawings vary from about 1/4 to full page. There are 206 color images in all.
I did not notice any signifacant cropping, although it's hard to tell without the paintings in front of me. Perhaps that reviewer was confused by the detail plates? This is a serious art book that was put together with love and respect for the artist-- a rare thing, believe me! And the price right now is a steal.
My only complaint is: if you're going to go to this much trouble over Ingres, why not just make a good monograph that covers all his work? The market sorely needs one!