Design Books

After acquiring a pretty vast library of boat building literature- this is still the most used to reference back to. It is definitely tailored to their processes but these too should be used as models of how the plans should be done also. Cheers

I have followed Bruce's career for over 30 years. In that time he has changed from a naval architect who sells hand-drawn boat plans to a designer using the most sophisticated technology to produce first rate boat plans and kits for the perceptive buyer. This revision of Metal Boats has built on that excellent work and explores all current knowledge about steel, aluminum and copper-nickel boatbuilding. I think that the book lives up to Bruce's promise to "turn a welder into a boatbuilder."

As The "Complete Guide to METAL BOATS" is about to be re-printed I thought this a good time to write an 'Author's review'. Over the past few months I have received hundreds of emails from customers expressing favourable comment on my book. When an author writes a book much of the content is usually 'researched' material ... In this case most of what you read in MB came out of my personal knowledge and experiance in designing and building metal boats. I personally find MB a great reference for the the researched material and the many pieces of information that occasionally 'slips ones mind' If you are planning to build or own a metal boat I can recommend this book without reservation. MB will NOT teach you how to weld but it WILL teach a welder how to build and maintain a metal boat. Regards, Bruce Roberts-Goodson

I waited with interest for the new edition as was advertised on www.bruceroberts.com website, and talked with the folks at Bruce Roberts, who explained that the whole book was being updated. They were quite helpful, and quite correct.

The book explains the "mysteries" and answers most questions regarding building a metal boat whether building from scratch and plans or from a computer cut kit. It explains the differences in the various materials with no great bias and plainly spells out the pluses & minuses of each. Welding techniques and materials are outlined as are methods for fitting out and installing systems.

Mr. Roberts-Goodson's writing style is down-to-earth, explaining items in plain English which makes it very easy to understand. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone considering building or buying a metal boat. Additionally metal boats owners would enjoy this book and would use it as a resource for repair and maintenance.

I brought this book because I was planning to build a kit (plasma cut boat).
The information in this book is valuable and to the point.
He also makes some important points about buying a steel boat.
However, in common with most boat building books it needs a whole chapter on costing and time to build to make it complete.
To get a handle on costing I would recommend:-
1) "Steel Away" by Smith and Moir
2) "the Cruising Life" by Jim Trefethen (I keep on rereading this book).
3) "Insider's Guide to Buying a Powerboat" by J.P. Lamy

Christians weren't and aren't necessarily "right" when it comes to art. Often uninformed and bias, Christians tend to pigeon-hole art, making it have no place in the lives of humanity. This book takes a look at art through a historical and biblical viewing glass. Rookmaaker does not just say "sin is the problem" and leave it at that (though he speaks plenty on the root of the problem which is sin). Rather he looks to history, the artist's intentions of a particular "movement", and both Christian and secular mentalities that pervaded the times. Rookmaaker ends the book splendidly, answering questions that are left in the Christian's mind (concerning faith, morals and art, good and bad art, beauty, aesthetics, what is art, and more), calling Christians to take courage, and finally charging Christians with the responsibility to go out and make good art.

Rookmaker uses words like existentialism, nihilism, anarchy, irrationality, and anti-art to describe a lot of what we call Modern Art. He has good reasons for saying this as he gives a great overview of art from medieval times, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment to now. The art started going downhill, in his view, from about the time of the Impressionists, when art became "non-thematic" or "art for art's sake". He sees Post-Impressionist Cezanne as the father of Modern Art who fostered movements such as cubism, abstract, expressionism, and fauvism; Picasso then picked up the artistic baton from him and greatly influenced the rest of 20th century art.

I liked the author's overview of art probably the best, followed by his philosophical take on what each phase means. It's an interesting debate as to the value of art for art's sake, which I personally like, even if it does give equal value to everything in a given painting and 'does not say anything'. I also still admire the clever imagination of the modern artists, while shuddering a little more at what they are trying to express after reading this book.

If you like art, and want a Christian take on what's really going on, you should read this book. But if you're like me, you'll still decide for yourself what you like and don't like about Modern Art, even if you don't agree with the world view. Besides, isn't it important for Christians to understand what the world stands for?

I used to really like this book. Finding it at the Dales Bible Week in Harrogate was a stroke of exceptional good fortune. Together with various texts by Schaffer and Guinness, I found a good deal of clear explanation for the kinds of encounters with literature I had had in recent years.

However, I think that in later years I became somewhat anxious. Oddly enough there was the coincidence that nearly all the actual content of the Dales Bible week was suddenly coming under very close scrutiny and rightly being found wanting, I re-read quite a few of the texts I picked up in that period (which was the late 70's and early 80's), this included.

What passes for scholarship in this book is quite hard to resist, and requires the most detailed knowledge to refute. I have some friends who have tried to do this. It takes years to absorb the whole impact of 19th century machinations in the arts, and the 20th century is far more difficult. I found that Rookmaakers analysis still held up, though it is hard to rationalise how this book has now become the sole element in far too many arts and literature courses in Christian establishments. Not every stream of arts development led entirely to despair, and not every artist abrogated their responsibility to truth quite so wilfully as the author seems to suggest.

The book has become, in fact, far too embedded in the Christian subculture now. And this of course is a dreadful trap. In some institutions this form of criticism has become an alternative and if fact, vicarious alternative to real scholarship.

At the risk of being classed as a reckless fool, I would suggest it would be best if there was a concious attempt to point focus away from the L'abri fellowship for a while and to allow people to develop and sharpen real critical skills. This should never compromise real faith. Once again, what is happening in the real world is a loss of dialectic clarity among those who should be the salt and light.

Another concern is that now the arts are so degenerate, it is now almost certainly the case that the canary is now thoroughly dead, and very little, if anything is to be gained from it's postmortem. I suspect that far more is to be gained by shifting the focus of action to other spheres.

I'm afraid I must sound very critical of this - I don't mean to really. The book contains invaluable truth and should be read. However, things in the secular world are changing rapidly and it is important for us all to think on our feet.

One of the joys of fathering a bunch of boys is taking them fishing. My oldest is only eight, so as of yet we have not had a lot of success actually catching fish! Nontheless, there is a lot of joy in teaching them about bobbers, hooks, bait, casting the line, etc. - there is truly an art and a science to the task. One of the difficulties that little hands have is pulling all the information together and using it properly.

Just as little children need a good teacher to help them integrate a lot of facts, so do we often find ourselves in the same condition. In writing Modern Art and the Death of a Culture, the late Hans Rookmaaker comes alongside us to explain how a lot of different topics intersect and interact with each other. Art, aesthetics, culture, theology, philosophy world history - these various areas are laid out on the table for discussion, and then integrated together to make a strong point.

Rookmaaker, a lifelong friend of Francis Schaeffer, provides us with a biblical perspective on the modern world, focusing specifically on the philosophical agenda behind modern art. Beginning his overview with the dawn of the Renaissance and Reformation, Rookmaaker quickly covers a lot of historical ground in the journey toward the modern era. In the end, he reveals the roots of modernity's despair. The autonomous reason of mankind put God outside of the box of the world, and as a result began the slow descent into subjective meaninglessness.

Don't let the topic of the book scare you. Even while addressing heavy themes, Rookmaaker writes with great skill and passion. He is not trying to impress you with ivory tower gibberish and a specialized insider's vocabulary. Although he knows his material exceedingly well, his aim is to edify Christians. He wants to teach you how to pull a lot of cultural data together in order that you understand the times in which you live. If you have ever been puzzled at the message, or lack thereof, of modern art, Rookmaaker will help you understand and discern what you are seeing. I highly recommend this work, and wish that many more works like this will be written that help Christians to understand the worlds of high culture, popular art, and music.

Note: This 1994 Crossway edition is actually a reprint of this classic work originally written in 1970, about seven years before the author's death.

Modern Art and the Death of a Culture by Rookmaaker

This is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. I heard a lecture by Rookmaaker in Amsterdam in 1972. I thought a lecture on art would bore me to death. Instead I was on the edge of my seat even after an all night plane ride. The book shows through art how our culture has moved away from the concept of a transcendent God since the 1300s. It is an exciting read because it takes the words of the artists themselves right up the the 1970s to explain their art and their spiritual beliefs. It is very hard to put this book down even for someone like me who is not all that excited about art. It is ominous in its predictions of what impact this has on our present culture.

You can get it used [...]. I value it so much I don't even loan my copy out.

Excellent pictures. Good overall introduction to Yurts. Quick read. Not a lot of stupid info.

None of the chatter, just good info on how to build yurts and gers. Forget the other larger books. Simple and to the point. Most of the drawings are freehand and not cad, but nothing is lost in the process.

It's amazing how much information is in this rather small book. You could keep it in your pocket as you built your own functional yurt. The writing is to the point and very informative. I've checked out many books on building yurts and this is the best. High points of this book for me: clear patterns, listing of materials and tools needed, time estimates for building, vocabulary of yurt parts, basic history of the people who use yurts, their various regions, and yurt variations. Get this book if you really want to build a yurt and do it right.

One of the best books I've found with concise building instructions. It also gives the historical context and more period method of construction as well. Great book for a beginner, which I am.

This book is an invaluable source of information on the history, building and use of the portable felt structures called Gers. Well researched and clearly written, the book covers all the detailed procedures needed for building one of these structures including authentic plans for a variety of sizes. There is a good glossary of terms and many helpful suggestions for the sourcing of materials.

Patience is the key word as you review how to create the numerous book covers, inserts, and themed boxes included in this ingenious book, and the outcome is worth the effort.

You'll realize that architecture plays a vital part in this craftsmanship. Rulers, triangles, sewing needles, knives, and more are among the necessary tools. However, the one-of-a-kind creations are worthy of your time and energy.

I've seen similar items sold at New York craft shows for a pretty penny, so if this is your interest, start with the Accordian Book or Simple Box as a foundation to other projects.

No one will ever say they can make the same creations, unless like you they've invested this book. And even then their interpretation will be different.

Shirley Frazier
The Gift Basket Design Book, 2nd: Everything You Need to Know to Create Beautiful, Professional-Looking Gift Baskets for All Occasions

Paper of all kinds is easy to come by. This book teaches you how to create useful and decorative items from different papers. The author's handmade structures are well illustrated, and the directions are easy to follow. Once taught and inspired the sky's your only limit. Happy Papering!!!!!

I have taken classes with Ben, and his book is written so clearly and easily followed that it is almost like he is standing next to you, going over it step by step. Illustrations are very helpful but his 'real' work is even better. There is such a variety of projects in this book that I know I will keep it as a handy reference.

I own several books on book-binding, but I'm still struggling with case-bound books - so when an artist whom I respect recommended this one, I ordered it. I found that the instructions are very clear and well-illustrated; and that each project builds on the previous one. Each project contains lists of specific measurements and supplies, but the author also provides formulas for measuring, so that if you have some book-binding experience you can immediately modify the projects according to your own ideas. I felt so excited by the projects and the clarity of instructions that I went on a book-making binge, and made 5 of the projects in 3 days (including a very nice case-bound book). I haven't made any of the boxes yet, but I can see that the instructions for them are as clear as those for the books. I highly recommend this book.

It is an excellent introduction to book arts and box-making craft, and yet it contains information that are helpful to readers with more advanced skills. I have taken several classes from this author, and this book helps me to remember all the important techniques/principles that I learned from his classes: gluing, sewing, cutting, and figuring out the sizes of the paper/chipboard needed to create a specific book or a box. There are 11 book projects - four are of accordian type, one is of photo frame type, and the rest are bound type. And there are four box projects - one is three sided and the rest are four-sided, some with dividers. One of them requires no glue. Each project in this book contains a list of formulas and materials, thus making it easier for me to plan. The directions and diagrams are very readable and easy to follow. The surface treatment section is a nice and brief introduction to altering the appearance of the paper surface - four different techniques are presented. The gallery section contains many beautiful examples of how the basic techniques covered are used in different ways by various artists. It is truly a very informative, instructive, and inspiring book.

The authors have done an exceptional job of making the process of data modeling from requirements analysis to conceptual to logical very, very clear. Even their coverage of seeminingly simple concepts like nomenclature explanations and expecially UML were very helpful. The sections on transformation, 3NF, and BI (including data warehouse, OLAP adn mining) were clear, and a great "how to". Given the state of BPM, SOA and BPEL this is a must have reference for anyone who is responsible for enterprise information and data.

I also am a reviewer of the book and an interested colleague. I've used this book since its first edition as my main reference on basic data modeling, and I have been happy to comment on its newer editions. This 4th edition improves on earlier ones by including the Unified Modeling Language (UML), my own first choice for a design language for data modeling. The chapter on the UML includes everything you need, but it keeps it as simple and straightforward as possible, making the material very accessible. The real contribution of the book is in the normalization chapter and in the excellent description and examples of n-ary relationships and the consequences of their multiplicities, a very-hard-to-understand corner of the data modeling world. The inclusion in this edition of material on OLAP and data warehousing is also welcome, though very limited in scope. Finally, moving the physical design material into a separate book makes this book much more cohesive and useful as a reference for data modeling.

This book is clear, concise, and to the point. The language is in such a way as to pack the maximum information into the minimum space and yet remain fully intelligible.
The techniques and methods described are top rate. If your desire is to not simply learn database design and implementation but to "understand" it, this is the book for you.

For those in Data Modeling, Data Architecture, and similar disciplines, I highly recommend this book ! An excellent discussion of database design and modeling, practices and techniques.

This book is now next to my desk as a reference text. It does a good job at explaining the basics of relational database models and how they fit into a modern business architecture. The authors obviously have a methodology that works for them and the chapters seem to be organized according to their methodology. They start with UML, analyze the model in UML for potential problems, then move into SQL, normalization at the SQL stage, and end with an example. It's nicely written and concise.

-Frank Cohen
http://www.xquerynow.com
http://www.pushtotest.com

This book covers the changing styles and images from the 1890s thru the 1990s. Each section covers the life & times, faces in vogue, film and media, fashion, hair and hats, cosmetics, body shape and underwear, and work and play for a particular decade. Filled with interesting facts and tons of photographs, this makes the perfect addition to the library of anyone interested in fashion, cosmetics, or history! Fun and unique!

A nice collection of fact & photos on the beauty industry. Contains information on styles of each period--including the impact of film! I thought the 1920's invention of "twist-up" lipstick & the use by flappers was a hoot! Pick this book up & grab another as a gift!

Don't be to eager to dismiss this book as superficial, for females only or aimed at the fashion/ art set. It is a well researched and knowledge packed directory into the ploitics and social history of fashion and beauty, throughout the entire 20th century.
It would be of immense value to students of 20th century history, women's studies as well as an invaluable and pictorial journey for children exploring the recent past.
The layout is well structured and the photography, art and fashion plates are breath taking.
Even if just a coffee table book, it's far more engaging than the average trendy photo album.

Decades of Beauty is both an excellent pictoral as well as literary history of beauty through the decades. Great pictures that have not been often seen showcase the fashion fads of each era along with the fashion icons who are responsible for that decade's fashion hype. I loved that this book also gave equal space to the history of cosmetic beauty through the years. Its fascinating to see what type of makeup each generation "had to have" along with the "hippest" hairstyles of the day. The contents are easy to read and allows one to pick and choose a decade of interest without having to read the book start to finish. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a cosmetic junkie, fashion obsessed, or just a history buff. This would also make an excellent gift for those in the beauty industry. Enjoy!

I purchased this book a year ago and read it from cover to cover the day it arrived. But I find myself picking it up and flipping through it every now and again. I love the fact that the authors wound in all kinds of fascinating pop culture trivia along with fashion history. I learned all kinds of amazing things -- like the fact that Elizabeth Arden brought out a velvet gas mask during World War II and that someone actually saw fit to bring a bra to market that could be inflated by blowing into a straw. This book is very fun reading indeed. It's also a gorgeous coffee table book. Highly recommended.

Before I bought, I open inside, then not more than a minute, I can feel, "Yes, this is what I want". Most books are full of pictures and say what happen, but do not give the reason of why or how. This book is what I like, it explianed in details. Well, what can I say, if you like to read pure theory, buy it, if you don't really like formular, just only theory..think about it, if you like picture book, don't buy it. Summary: it is not for beginner. But once you understand it, it is amazing.

The only one book I ever red about aeronautic, where I dont feel me badly stupid on mathematics, physic and other academic disciplines... From propreller to tail, wing AND cabine measurements, every thing is in the Stinton's book. And a bit more, an excellent sense of humour !

I am a pilot and aircraft builder and found this book essential for the comprehension of the structures and flight characteristics of the various aircraft designs. It is clearly written and contains explanations of immediate comprehension along with the more traditional calculations.

This book uses an incredible number of line drawings to very clearly illustrate points. One of the better fundamental aero engineering books I have seen. (note: This book is written in 'British English'- and is stuffed with a number of words that are spelled differently from 'American English' yet very 'recognisable' (ie: manoevrability, aeroplane, etc, etc). Makes it a fun read too).

I used this book as the main source of information and design data for the development of my own airplane design. The author goes directly into design carachteristics without spending too much in complicated aerodinamics formulations, but deep enough to cover the necessary details of the design process. Just basic engineering knowledge required.

This is a thorough and well-written book that would work well for the small to midsize business with a small or no HR department. It's loaded with sample forms and tips on creating a personnel handbook and step-by-step instructions on formatting, printing and updating it. There is a virtual plethora of pre-worded phrases, paragraphs, policies, letters, etc., as well as, possible reasons for including or eliminating certain portions.

The author even included a few sample personnel handbooks in their entirety. One merely needs to substitute one's own business info, as well as state and local specifics to make it your own customized handbook. The author also recommended you consult with an attorney regarding legal specifics and ramifications. Overall, it's like having a mini HR department you can "file away" in your bookcase at the end of the day.

Michelle Devon's DESIGN YOUR OWN EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR STAFF comes with a companion cd-rom and provides a basic instruction manual to producing an employee handbook. While the cd-rom makes it easy to just fill in the blanks with company-specific information and policies, the book does a fine job of considering the ramifications of an employee handbook, from legal considerations to difficult subjects such as safety and harassment, drug testing, reduction in wages, and more.

As a small business owner, I appreciated the direct, instructional approach of this guide. Every business should have an effective employee handbook, but after receiving quotes for hundreds and even thousands of dollars to have one written for my staff, I decided to go it alone. I was still afraid that it would take me weeks to accomplish, but after reading Design Your Own Effective Employee Handbook I actually had mine finished within a week.

This guide contains every last helpful tip and important consideration you need to know before writing your own employee handbook. My staff now refer to it often, which has saved me a lot of time in training and answering questions - I now just send them to "The Book"! Devon's guide is well organized and easy to read, which is a good thing, since I didn't have a lot of time on my hands to sift through things I didn't need to know. Her guide walked me through the planning, writing and polishing stages from start to finish; what I ended up with was a comprehensive guide including everything from legalities and a code of conduct, to a new "no tolerance" policy - things I could not have written on my own. I saved a good deal of time and money in using Devon's book to guide me through the writing of my own employee handbook, which is why I believe it's a must-have for any business owner.

If you've ever tried to organize all the employee information from within a company then you have some idea of what type of job this snowballs into. There is so much material that needs to researched, compiled and organized and properly written that most people don't even want to think about the review process and getting final approval. And just when you think you have it all, you realize there are sections you've completely forgotten about.
This book leads you step-by-step through the process. It starts of with an excellent section on how to use the guide effectively. It then leads you through each of the major steps in the process. Comprehensive chapters cover every aspect of employee information, employee classifications and even a twenty page chapter on working hours.
The author was meticulous with details and generous with samples. She's included many sample forms, covering everything from Welcome to the company forms, Sample Time Sheets to Employee Handbook Acknowledgment Forms.
If you're in a position where you're wondering if your company needs an employee handbook and you're trying to figure out what to include and how to handle certain aspects, then look no more. This book has it all.

Devon's book provides a detailed guide for creating a company handbook that will both serve your employees as well as protect the company. She provides example handbooks as well as a pre-written template where most of the work is already completed for you. The book explains which policies to include in your handbook (such as employment "at-will", work hours and break policies, reward and recognition policies, how to handle nepotism, etc). It also explains what you should and should not state in your handbook to help you avoid legal conflicts. There are many sections which are useful, but I think the most important aspect of this book is that it gets you thinking about how to create your handbook and how to avoid potential employee relation problems in the future. It also helps inspire you to really figure out what your policies are and what you want them to be and then helps you put them in place. If you want to create an employee handbook, this book contains all the information you would need to complete the task.

I haven't referred to this book as much as I thought I would, but it has proven to be a good resource for computer, internet, photography, typography, paper, prepress, printing and finishing/binding information.

This book provides definitions of hundreds of terms and includes illustrations and photos where needed to make a point.

I will hang on to this book for a long time.

Not only is this the most complete reference for terminology, it is one of the most inventive and best examples of infomation design (similar to the work of Richard Saul Wurmann in its approach to looking up information, but without the maps and graphics). It's cross-referenced to the hilt, and contains explanations even seasoned old-timers will find useful. I'm currently using it as a required text in one of my design courses (graduate-level); my only hope is that it stays current and updated as the field and technology progresses.

I have a fairly minimal background in graphic design, except for a two week class I took when I was 12 (I'm 24 now). Other than that, I'm just computer literate and I learn things quickly. This book gave me a wealth of knowledge in an easy to digest form- Running into terms in your Adobe help files that you don't recognize? Get out the lexicon. Talking to a printer and you don't want to sound like an idiot? Get out the lexicon. Everyone from beginners to pros should have this book. The definitions are simple but precise, with examples of the more difficult terms to make them easier to understand. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.

A great book for defining all those confusing terms in all the computer and design books. It clearly defines the terms you will come across in the design, layout, pre-press, and printing fields as well as offering many illustrations and diagrams or useful charts further explaining terms.

I looked long and hard to find it and for this price, EVERYONE who works in the field should own it!

Have you read about the story of a designer who went for an interview with a design company and was not considered because they didn't know terms such as "gutter" or the difference between "seriff" and "sans-seriff".

Sure, many of us should know those terms but if you are an individual who wants to continue to learning these terms that printers or professionals tend to use and you are asking yourself in yourself "what the heck are they talking about?". Sure, no one will blame you if you were nodding off in your graphic design class or didn't really read that chapter on print terminology or just plainly forgotten the terms but the thing is, if you really want that job, don't want to look ignorant in front of certain people or if you don't want to continually badger that professional, printer or broker of terminology, then "the designer's LEXICON" is the book that you will find quite helpful.

The book is broken down to chapters for terms such as:

· Computer Terms
· Internet Terms
· Photography Terms
· Typography Terms
· Prepress Terms
· Paper Terms
· Printing Terms
· Finishing Terms
· General Terms

And to find these words, you are provided with a word finder which helps finding that word in a jiffy.

You know paper but you are asked by a client about satin laid paper, a printer wants you to ad a bleed, a designer asks you about glyphs or asks you about a pica size for print where you usually are working more with pixels, it's important to know these words and it's good to have a book that you can look to and get the definition quickly.

There are a few reference books that I highly recommend which include popular books such as "Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market", "Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color" to name a few, "the designer's LEXICON" is one of those books that is worth owning.

Este livro é muito importante para aqueles que estão se aventurando pelo universo da tipografia.

For either those that have been loving typography for many years, or those that just recently have fallen infatuated. This exhaustive documentation of type-crafting minutiae is a MUST-have for reference and obsessive appreciation of classic forms and details.

Karen's careful eye will help you dissect all the classics... Perhaps even discover missed aspects of a much-visited serif, perhaps finally understanding the commonality of a specific "m" proportion, perhaps understand the evolution of "g"...

Many hours of delight await for you within its pages. Get it.
You posted this review 5 days ago.

Anyone who is serious about Design and Typography will appreciate this book. It is a perfect compliment to Bringhurst's "Elements of Typographic Style." What Bringhurst does for typographic composition Cheng does for letter-form design. More imagery than text, she presents a deep exploration and comparison of typographic forms from the major historic periods. Whether you are interested in composing your own typeface or simply seeking deeper understanding of typography, this is an outstanding reference. This one should be on every designer's bookshelf. - db

Absolutely a must have for aspiring and junior typeface or logo designers. However, the book is not an easy read; it should be read cover to cover with patience before being used as a workbook reference. Its text requires a sound prior knowledge of typography and related technologies. And it must be read in tandem with close observation of the numerous illustrations and diagrams to be fully understood and appreciated. The information shared by the author is not available elsewhere unless one attends graduate school in type design or apprentices to a type designer. I had completed my first roman & small cap font before I acquired this book and hadn't started my companion italic yet. And though the author doesn't cover italic type design her thoroughness in her analytical and comparative approach is such that I have the book open like a workbook for every italic character and am redrawing some of my romans. I've been teaching graphic design for 30 years and though so much has changed the fundamental and essential have not though they have evolved. This book will become a classic for serious professionals because of the level of insight that it gives into the essentials of type design.

Most typography books I've seen are showcases of designers and their client projects. These books may have their place for readers who are seeking inspiration and brief but helpful tips for project management. However, none of these books discuss the actual nuts and bolts of creating fonts. Cheng's book fills this gap by focusing only on typographic design, and does so in such a highly informative way that anyone who designs fonts cannot afford to be without it. Not only are all the individual aspects of type examined, but different fonts are compared and contrasted to reveal their sometimes very subtle differences. Cheng showcases many examples of her own students' work as well so the reader can see creative applications of typographical principles. A brief but highly valuable section on punctuation is also included. The only caveat I have to offer potential readers is that this book does not cover cursive fonts, which makes sense and isn't worth deducting a star for. In all, this book is the one you need if you want to make your own fonts. Amazon currently only has it available through third party sellers so get it while you still can!