Design Books

And that thought never wavered once as I agonizingly slowly fiddled with the corners of each page to the next, completely awed and feeling like I wanted to go to New York and show off my skinky legs as well. This book is unreal.

There's flash everywhere. There's pizazz. There's an army of sequins, a rainbow of sparkles, a lifetime of gorgeous reds, beautiful greens, and dazzling blues that you would have never dreamed would have graced this earth in all of eternity. They all flash, they all sparkle, they all wink out and grab you by the eyeballs and force you to gawk and gawk at them until you feel like all your pupils have dried up and you can't possibly gawk anymore, but you just do.

The book is sort of divided into sections, but the reader (or watcher) won't pay too much attention to that except for the divisions for the Hollywood and Barbie section. You've got funky fonts that pop out at you from this unknown corner you never knew was there; you've got these curvaceous paragraphs shaped like a woman's body; and you've got so many other things that I couldn't possibly explain to you until you've bought the damn book. So buy it already.

My only complaint is that the "Hollywood", "Barbie", and his own fashion line sections are too brief. How can you possibly fit more than forty years of glory, fashion, and Bob Mackie into just over 150 pages?

It ain't nobody, but Mackie. Get it for yourself! You will never, *ever* regret that decision.

Wonderful book! Such gorgeous pictures and I loved the Bob Mackie story too. My only complaint is that it just wasn't long enough.....hoping for a sequel.

This survey of the fashion and fantasy of fashion designer Mackie examines his many contributions. Mackie created works for popular television as well as film and stage: Unmistakably Mackie considers his life, fashion designs and revealing outfits. Plenty of color photos of actresses in full outfit abound.

I bought Unmistakably Mackie after drooling over the book for nearly a year. It is beautiful, it is entertaining, it is over the top, it is history. It is also a fine education in costume design and fashion illustration.
I have other books that feature Mackie's unrivalled fashion illustrations, but here I can see and almost touch the finished costumes that made Cher and Carol and Ann-Margaret. I can finally analyze how they are made.
Please, don't wait to buy this wonderful book. and it is well worth getting a new, pristine copy of this treasure.

WOW! WOW! WOW! Unmistakably Mackie is a fabulous fashion book! This is by far my favorite book! The photography is stunning. The creative type layouts are imaginative. The sketches are wonderful. Anyone interested in costume &/or fashion design will LOVE this book writen by Frank DeCaro ("Style over Substance" columnist for the NY Times).

As a designer & illustrator just starting out, I find no end of inspiration in this book! The sketches are delightful and the outfits are always immaginative. (Looking at the photos & sketches, I found out I can draw Cher too!) :o)

Before reading this book on Bob Mackie, I had no idea the extent of his influence. I just knew I liked his designs. Now he is undoubtedly my favorite designer. (I want to do what he does!) This man has done everything...from his own ready-to-wear fashion line to Broadway, television (Cher and Carol Burnett), movies, ballet, an opera, Vegas and Barbie! If there's something he hasn't designed for, I'd be surprised.

I heartily recommend this book!

This book has a little something for everyone, whether you rent, own or are planning to build. You can be inspired by the creative uses of old and second hand objects for something unexpected and functional. The spaces are all very unique but in a simple and useful sort of way.

This is a physically beautiful book with many illustrative pictures. I have been simplifying for about two years and have been moving from the 'country' look toward more of the 'loft' or modern style. This book came at the right time with it's simplified style which complements some of the older furniture. The book has some good ideas but you have to be adventurous to try many of them. I wish they had included more older homes, the majority seemed to be pretty modern. I'm keeping the book and plan to refer to it as I renovate and remodel.

You dont have to be a design expert to read this book. Gent and Hickman have managed to write a book that appeals to the novice as well as the expert. They use language and terminology that the average person will have no problem understanding. The photographs are very descriptive and help the reader to understand the concepts. There are tons of pictures and they're BEAUTIFUL! I have never read a design book that speaks to all ages and tastes. This concept is for today what Shabby Chic was years ago. The book is amazing and I highly recommend it. You may want to pick up two - one for the coffee table and one to dog-ear and get dirty while you're taking it with you while you shop. Trust me, you wont be sorry you did!

I saw this book in a Wash Post review and thoroughly enjoy flipping through it - the photograpy/styling is so crisp and clear and makes it look like you could actually DO this with stuff you alreay have. All the furnishings are really attractive - manage to combine modernity and nostalgia. Simple but not simplistic layout and clear, easy to follow philosophy (or so it seems - we'll see). It encourages you to be bold and I do think confidence is the key to dressing yourself or your house. A bit of moxie goes a long way! Really an attractive book and looks great on your coffee table even if you never get aroudn to styling it!

A wonderful and unique book unlike anything I have seen before. Urban Country Style combines country and urban style but it's more sleek, urban, modern and cool. Beautiful pictures and practical easy to follow advice especially for the "decorating challenged" like myself. I will refer to this book over and over again.

It ranks side by side with the other book The art of Florence. Ihave these books and I have lot's of books about Venice. But on the subject of art and architecture. This is the most comprehensive to date.
It's more like a general book. It lacks though some focus on La Serenissima's various museums and other works of Art . But of any books out there to date this is certainly the most exhaustive of all. Bravi!

I borrowed these books from a friend. I could not believe my eyes. They are most fantastic! I have ordered a set for myself. I recommend them highly!

The book consists of two books in a slipcase, and given its unusually large format and high quality paper, it weighs a ton. The weight is however well substantiated by the contents! The progression is chronological, right from the beginnings of Venice in Volume I, to modern items at the end of Volume II. The architecture side of things is covered by hundreds of top quality photographs of buildings inside and outside, as well as drawings, old photographs, and building plans. As for the art, there are countless clear representations of the masterpieces of the city. Having been in the city a few times, this book adds so much value, firstly by showing me reminders of the places and objects I have seen, and secondly by exposing the interiors of buildings usually closed to the casual visitor.

The reason why I rated this four stars instead of five, is because the book does not give as much coverage to Venice's art museums as I feel it should. Sure, the contents of the art museums were in large part not manufactured by Venetian artists, but all this art now forms part of Venice on account of having been in its museums for decades. Understandably, however, that would probably require another two volumes! Another area that was perhaps not covered sufficiently is that of glass. After all, Venetian glass is world famous, and it deserved more than a short chapter.

Overall however, this is the sort of book one would expect to find in the reference section of a top class library, and yet the price makes it affordable for your own home. It is also very much a scholarly work, filled with details in the text section. It is thus perfect for both those who want to look at the stunning pictures, and those who want to really get into the story behind it all. You will not be disappointed, and I recommend this work without reservation.

I concur with others who reviewed this book and give it top billing! The photos are exquisitely clear and are a good representation of what the city offers. The text is quite complete, although I, too, would have liked to have seen more on Venetian glass. Another fabulous collection for those who love the jewel of a city or for any lover of fine art and architecture.

a very wonderful book for people who love art and architecture especially for a wonderful and enchanting city such as venice. Through this book one is able to be transported in time and view its art and architecture one that cannot do in even the most dedicated of travelers to this fascinating city.

This is an absolutely incredible book that looks at what Vietnam really was through the eyes of others. I especially enjoyed John Plunkett's artwork, which is excellent. Highly recommened.

Would you believe I got this book for just over a dollar brand new?

Well at that price I decided to take a chance on purchasing it and I am glad I did.

What an amazing book is all I can say.

Nearly very page is filled with stunning, shocking, haunting, humorous, reflective and horrific artwork, created by Vietnam Vets over the years and you are treated to a Table Top book with a difference.

In a nut shell this book, along with its down to earth narratives bites at your soul.

This is no Gung Ho patriotic war book about the glories of war; this book turns war on its head through sculpture, painting, photographs, poetry and pure raw self expression, Vietnam vets, both men and women able to tell their story, as they experienced it.

Nothing prepared me for what I was going to behold, not only visually but through the written word too.

This is one hell of a book that leaves you with a bitter sweet taste in your mouth that you will never, ever forget.

This book is an extremely moving overview of the experiences of our nation's young men and women, who traveled half way around the world to fight in America's longest and most unpopular war.

For those interested in the NVVAM's artifact collection, check out Weapons and Field Gear of the NVA and VC and the forthcoming Viet Cong due to be released in January 1999.

These works of art tell so many strong and painful stories, I will never forget these images of a time (that I hope) will never be repeated.

Vietnam - the war we would all rather forget and bury, so painful are the memories and wounds it engendered on America and on Asia - is at last viewed from the standpoint of artists who lived it. This visually magnificent collection of works of art made by Vietnam Veterans, both while they were in Vietnam and in the tortured years subsequent to their return as "non-heroes", not only introduces for the first time another form of documentation about the Vietnam Experience. It provides a touchstone as powerful as the Vietnam War Memorial Wall in Washington DC where surviving veterans and the families and loved ones of veterans can begin to understand what happened there. VIETNAM: REFLEXES AND REFLECTIONS is at once a catalogue of the artists (some 95 men/women, US/Vietnamese ) represented in the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, IL; with the tender forward by Director Sondra Varco and insightful essays on art and war through history and art in the Vietnam setting, this book becomes the standard for scholarly studies about a particularly painful time and the body of art it produced. This book should be required reading for all Americans: the art contained in it touches us all.

I Thought I know how to work with Photoshop, but after I read this book I discovered that I didn't. This book was extermely helpful to me in building web site graphics, and has introudced me to many different techniques that I used in to build the effects that I need in short time; Everyone was amazed, and so was I. Most of the Books has very boring and useless Intrduction, this book doesn't. It was very useful to me ( I confess I was about to skip the first two chapters , but the writer urged the readers not to).

Although this book is useful, I was able to get all the techniques it offered in less that three days !

If you know your way well in Photoshop, don't buy this book. If you are a confused designer; you see these amazing designs and wonder How did they do it ?, then buy this book, and the best of luck.

I've been using Photoshop for years, but only recently for web graphics. This book totally opened my eyes to things I never knew it could do! I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get more out of Photoshop. It's written clearly, even though it has too many typos, and gets right to the point.

This book is simply great for an amateur photoshop 5 user. I know what I'm doing, but I wouldn't consider my a pro. However, with the aid of this book, I can create graphics for my web site just like a professional. This book is invaluable as a learning tool and as a reference.

I have only scratched the surface of Photoshop. The directions in this book are very clear, and easy to follow. Even for me who jumped right into the middle of the book. It's set up in a logical learning sequence and covers EVERYTHING for someone wanting to use Photoshop for their webpages. I admit, it was an impulse buy for me, but it has been worth every cent.

I Thought I know how to work with Photoshop, but after I read this book I discovered that I didn't. This book was extermely helpful to me in building web site graphics, and has introudced me to many different techniques that I used in to build the effects that I need in short time; Everyone was amazed, and so was I.

Most of the Books has very boring and useless Intrduction, this book doesn't. It was very useful to me ( I confess I was about to skip the first two chapters , but the writer urged the readers not to).

Although this book is useful, I was able to get all the techniques it offered in less that three days !

If you know your way well in Photoshop, don't buy this book. If you are a confused designer; you see these amazing designs and wonder How did they do it ?, then buy this book, and the best of luck.

As a Feng Shui Practitioner and instructor I love this book. I have read many Feng Shui books and have a sizeable collection. I am always looking for new books to add to my library and to recommend to my students. The project per page format of this book is excellent for those who have a knowledge of Feng Shui as well as beginners. There is enough Feng Shui information for the beginner to be able to follow through with the suggestions and at the same time it works beautifully as a "refresher" for experienced practitioners. I am using it as a guide for doing a few "what else can I do?" adjustments with specific goals and intentions in mind. I look forward to recommending this book to my students. For the record, my "Real Name" does not have a period after the Z.

I'm a complete novice to Feng Shui, so I am writing this review from that perspective. I had never even heard of Feng Shui until a friend gave me this book as a gift. I absolutely loved it! Author Carol Hyder's writing style is crystal clear and actually fun to read. She has broken the subject up into a mostly single page format, each page covering a different facet of the Feng Shui practice. Which makes it easy for a novice like me to start trying out the principles in bite-size manageable pieces. I am very inspired by Carole's writing and am looking forward to creating my home "sanctuary."

I'm a complete novice to Feng Shui, so I am writing this review from that perspective. I had never even heard of Feng Shui until a friend gave me this book as a gift. I absolutely loved it! Author Carol Hyder's writing style is crystal clear and actually fun to read. She has broken the subject up into a mostly single page format, each page covering a different facet of the Feng Shui practice. Which makes it easy for a novice like me to start trying out the principles in bite-size manageable pieces. I am very inspired by Carole's writing and am looking forward to creating my home "sanctuary."

This book is wonderful - for the beginning student or for someone who has studied Feng Shui a bit and would like a Feng Shui quick referencebook. She is clear, concise and straightfoward in her approach. There is an uncluttered honesty present in her writing and the energy of the book. I have a dozen Feng Shui references and it is the one I use the most.

Carole has provided us with a clear and concise book on the sudject of Feng Shui that even your parents will understand. I am a Feng Shui Practioneer and give this book to beginners more than any other. It is orgainized well into catagories like Clarity and Abundance. The single page adjustments keep it from becoming overwelming. And there is a great Introduction to Feng Shui at the beginning of the book as well. I also love the small square shape, it just feels good to hold it in your hands!

This is another great book for getting ideas for designing freeform pieces as well as other things. I love it.

I want to crochet specific words to hang as Christmas tree ornaments and couldn't find a stand alone type alphabet; I even tried to design one. I got nowhere fast with that idea. This book has a wonderful alphabet crochet pattern. It has many original motifs of various sizes, shapes and designs, for example: stars, triangles paisley, squares, hearts, a leaf, ladybug, flowers and circles. And, it explains how to put the motifs together to make a crochet fabric, gives several projects with directions, & ideas to get you brainstorming ways to use the motifs. I'm going to use one of the paisley patterns to crochet a patch for my daughter's jeans. The photos are also top-notch. This is my favorite crochet book.

The cover on the American version is much different -- and better -- than the one shown here. This book is bursting with great stuff, and even includes some wonderful patterns for a cute adult flower granny jacket,
adorable baby booties, fashion tops, pillows, afghans and my favorite -- a mini bag with a crocheted Siamese cat motif.

The book is worth its price for just one thing alone: a well-done set of crocheted letters, forming an
alphabet. Each letter is individual to use as you please. But it's also full of wonderful flowers, motifs of
all shapes and sizes.

There are delightful touches, such as a leaf with a ladybug, a Scottie Dog block, a fish block, a darling sheep, plus many more blocks of all types and shapes, ranging from the easy to the intricate. A paisley motif
(much better than the one shown on this cover) is a great find. From hearts to trees, if it can be crocheted,
you'll find it here.

Photography is good and shows all stitch detail. Symbol charts as well as written instructions are provided for most of the designs.

A useful and really fun book, it would make a great gift for a crocheter.

This is a wonderful book for patterns and ideas for embellishments and freeform crochet motifs.

The book has great pictures and explanations. One thing that would have made it unbeatable is if each sample shown told the crocheter the size hook used and finished size of each project. From there, you could scale up or down to your desired outcome.

Beautiful designs, can't wait to try them out. anything by Carol Doak is cool and easy to follow.

The book contains very clear paper piecing instructions and beautfil blocks. I love to sit and look at the book as well as make the blocks into quilts.

Carol Doak's outstanding 40 Bright & Bold Paperpieced Blocks provides twelve inch designs in block style to be used as quilt foundations and inspirations. Eight projects cover wall to bed quilts, small and large. Blocks are gorgeous and provide fine examples of color-coordinated piecing.

The patterns and information in this book are easy to follow. Since these blocks are made up of only 4 "quadrants", the teens in my 4-H sewing club were successful and enthusiastic about trying this "new" quilting method. It makes it a great book for those of us new to paper piecing!

Just flipping through this colorful book will make you yearn to start gathering fabric and start sewing. Each block is shown individually in vibrant color and arranged in "mini quilt" that shows how the block looks arranged in a grouping of 4 joined blocks. The facing page gives you the foundation layout for the block. Of course, copying the layout page also gives you a place to use crayons to play with color before committing to a fabric selection. Each block includes a cutting list with sizes and dimensions clearly outlined. The book starts with advice about selecting colors and gives illustrated step by step instructions on how to paper-piece. The book ends with photos of 8 completed quilts with fabric and cutting charts. Whether you need patterns or inspiration this book will motivate you!!

My wife asked for this for her birthday. She absolutely loves it. So much so that we recently purchased 7 more as gifts for her friends in different crafting groups. She insists that 4000 Flower and Plant Motifs has inspired her with tons of quilting/craft ideas. This book is a great gift.

Sam Hendricks, author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comrehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" and "Fantasy Football Almanac"

I love this book for the quilting designs it inspires. If you're stuck for ideas, open McCallum's book and start drawing.

I have a collection of books on designs and historical motifs. This is one of the most useful. I'm using it to create designs for decorating pottery.

I've been looking for a good sourcebook for a long time now. At last a book that meets all my expectations. I've been able to use it in many of my creative endeavours. There are so many designs(in varying styles) to choose from. Once again, I'm excited about my creative endeavours ahead.

This book has found a permanent spot in my home, namely, on my desk, where I do all my hobbies. It has loads of great ideas that I've already used. Can't wait for the author's next book --apparantly its a sourcebook on animal designs.

Very funny fashion overview of the 70s fashion fiascos.

The 70s were a decade of flamboyant styles and fashion statements influenced by the hippie era, and 70S FASHION FIASCOS captures them all, with full-page color photos capturing styles accompanied by notes on designers, objectives, and culture. Any collection interested in contemporary fashion trends will love the attention to flashy detail of the 70s, offering plenty of whimsical, fun moments.

This is a fantastic, high quality book in full color (wouldn't get the effect if it was in black & white, that's for sure!). It brings back memories of when I was a kid in the 70's. It's like looking through the old photo albums and making fun of what mom and dad were wearing. The color pictures, the ads, the history, the little tidbits of info.. what fun! Sure to bring back memories for anyone who was around in the 70's, and some of the fashions will.. well.. make you cringe. :) The book even gives some shopping resources on where to find some of these vintage 70's fashions if you'd want to dress like that. Overall, a very fun book! I love it! I hope Maureen Valdes Marsh comes up with an 80's fashion book.

When first 70s Fashion Fiascos: Studio 54 to Saturday Night Fever by Maureen Valdes Marsh crossed my desk, I admit, I screamed in horror. The caftan on the book cover alone was enough to put me in a swoon. But a pleading letter came with it, begging me to give this book my imprimatur.

Look it up.

Little did I know that I would be swept up by its contents: a blend of American social history, wit, and truly hideous clothes! Ms. Marsh is a marvelous writer, with a knack for the mot juste. Of leisure suits, she writes, "Color became the key to individuality, and no shade was too effeminate for the 1970s man to wear."

Since the youth of today has taken a great interest in the clothing of the decade, Ms. Marsh has even provided an up-to-date Shopping Resource Guide in the back.

- excerpt from my review in my blog, "Diary of a Mad Fashionista" at blogspot dot com.
[...]

This book is much smaller than I expected it to be looking at it on the computer screen when I ordered it. However, it does have lots of great photos and resources and I'd say its worth getting for your collection or it would make a great gift. I wish it would have gone by year, rather than style. Also I hoped that by the name "fashion fiascos" we would see more extreme styles of platform boots and shoes and other stereotypically 70's styles. Don't get me wrong, there are some, but not nearly as many as I'd thought and most of the book focuses on the "Marsha Brady" era of clothes, more so than the later 70's when you had a totally different style that was more 80's than 60's. The style of hair worn by somebody like Pam Dawber on Mork and Mindy in 1979 was radically different than the hard, sculpted styles of the earlier 70's. Clothes changed as radically as music did in the 70's. Even the sound of disco between the early stuff like "That's the Way I like it" was radically different from the later Disco sounds, such as Donna Summer and that change took place within only 5 years. Perhaps the author would do a Fashion Fiascos Vol 2 to include the onset of Disco to the end of the 1970s. This book doesn't even feature a John Travolta white suit. Still, aside from everything, it is a nice book for my collection and reference for those who sew period clothing.