Graphic Design Books

All I can say is that my project fees have tripled by adding motion graphics and using an ipod Touch to show clients the completed video segments to seal the deal and get a check in hand for such profesionalism.

Great book for anyone who wants to get an understanding of Visual Effects.
Steve Wright's book explains a lot of techniques that are used on many films today.

This book is valuable because it gives the reader a solid foundation in a straightforward and fun way. I read slowly and it still felt like a quick read. Readers with a background in motion graphics (for example Flash or After Effects artists) who don't think of themselves as "compositors" will probably take away much that can improve the quality of their work. The author does a particularly good job at explaining the structure and attributes of digital images. The writing is precise and well edited. From learning the basics of color correction, to gaining a working knowledge of video and film workflows, the book delivers. It comes across as an industry veteran who likes what he does, giving "Aspiring Artists" a simple and strong foundation. Well done!

I had originally wanted to get Steve Wright's other book, Digital Compositing for Film and Video, Second Edition, but read another review of this book make mention that it is geared more towards a beginner. At first, I thought this to be what I needed and when I got the book and scanned through it, it just seemed like an overview of the variety regarding compositing. I was a bit disappointed, until I started to peruse through more thoroughly.

What I liked (and am liking) is that it is geared towards more of a primer in the sense of the fundamental operations involved in digital compositing. And ironically, it was also what I did not like. I expected to have a more thorough or at least a methodical approach (not necessarily step-by-step) towards teaching basic compositing principles. That is what the aforementioned book describes. (And I say this based on the Table of Contents.)

So, I give a 5-star review to let people know that if they want to get a handle on "essential" concepts, that is easy to understand and comprehend, then get this book. Even if you have no interest in making movies or working in a VFX field, this will be a fun read to see the tricks the pros build upon to create some truly imaginative results. However, if you know what bluescreen compositing is, multi-plane compositing, premultiplication, etc., then this book might be redundant for you.

Once I'm done with this book, though, I'll be moving onto his other text and will be better prepared to absorb more detailed techniques.

I first bought the other book from Steve Wright and I found it quite difficult. This book, 'Essentials' is just as it says. very clearly written with lot's of pictures. It covers every compositing aspect so it's very valuable.

Duane Barnharts Cartooning Basics has just been so much fun for my kids ages 12, 10, and 7. Using the Books step-by-step guidelines to cartooning they have created some of the most fabulous characters and cartoon strips. Not only is it great from a drawing perspective, but it also has some fun and interesting facts about the history of cartooning. Love this book!!!

'Cartooning Basics' is a wonderful tool for young aspiring cartoonists. No. 2 illustrates how to create friendly, familiar characters from simple shapes, which every child can relate to (ie circles, ovals, squares, triangles, etc.). Art teachers can gain lesson ideas that are effective and easy to implement. This is a great buy and a must read for any aspiring cartoonist, art teacher and student alike. Duane and Angie have created a fun, creative, well-illustrated tool in 'Cartooning Basics'.

Great how-to book, lots of practice exercises. The most helpful, how-to book I've read so far, and I've got a ton of them. Wish I'd found this one sooner!

'Cartooning Basics' is a wonderful tool for young aspiring cartoonists. No. 2 illustrates how to create friendly, familiar characters from simple shapes, which every child can relate to (ie circles, ovals, squares, triangles, etc.). Art teachers can gain lesson ideas that are effective and easy to implement. This is a great buy and a must read for any aspiring cartoonist, art teacher and student alike. Duane and Angie have created a fun, creative, well-illustrated tool in 'Cartooning Basics'.

This book has helped me learn to cartoon, and now, I teach it to my 2nd grade class!

It's essential for any chick who is drawn to the darker things in life to own at least one Emily item but once you enter her bizarre world it's hard to go back. I received both "Emily's Book Of Strange" along with the 2004 calendar for my birthday and those were a perfect introduction to this quiet (but nowhere near shy) cat-luvin' Goth grrl who's preferred favorite color is everything black...or red. Her attitude is anything but cheery but sometimes us open-minded people have to shield ourselves from the ones that are afraid to venture outside the box and to explore what's beyond the edges. I could be wrong but I believe her image is a symbol of encouraging individuality. Or, in other words, to think for yourself without following the crowd by listening and dressing according to what's considered "normal".

There's not a lot of text within these pages (there's often a bare minimum of two words) but the illustrations by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker are creatively "strange" and pure (or is that tainted?) candy for the eyes.

I especially enjoy perusing this on cold, rainy days.

Hey there, my name is Emily, that's not why I love Emily The Strange. I am also 12 years old, but 2 years ago, thanks to someone special, I got into Emily stuff. My friend Ashley, well, her big sister showed me some of her Emily stuff, I really liked Emily then, she told me to look out for some Emily the Strange stuff and that it's probably right up my alley. And she's right, 2 years later, I'm an Emily the strange freak! I collect all the cards, I 've got tons of stuff, actually, I think that's all the stuff I have, Emily the Strange stuff. Maybe a few hello kitty stuff, but nothing else. I went onto hot topic, and spent some of my birthday money on Emily the Strange stuff, I have a really nice bed spread and pillow cases that match. Anyway, about the book, I love every single thing about it. It really inspires me. I like the way Emily can speak cat, I like the plan with the cats to attack the dog, I'm an animal lover, and I would never hurt one, I wouldn't hurt someone either. I like the way in one of the pages it says hell-o-kitty, you have to see that. I have 2 cats, who are very friendly, I have my own posse. This book is a must have, I do recommend the Emily's good nightmares book, I only have 2 of Emily's books, I'm looking out for the other one. I know Emily's morose code all by heart, so does my friend Ashley, we do all sorts of letters to each other with the morose code, that way, no one knows what it says but us!But this book is really cool, I like that it has such big, and discriptive pictures, but with such little words, I like that it's simple. A good item for a strange collection, like mine!
Now, get strange, or get lost!
Emily the strange, the stranger!

I actually had never heard of the Emily books, untill my friend showed me her autographed copy of this book & I fell in love, my copy is on the way via mail, this book has neat pictures with very cool secret writing on each page. A fun book for anyone.

I really like the Emily's Secret Book of Strange because it has really cool pictures. Although, it doesn't really have that many words in it either but the pictures are amazing and fun to look at. the secret messeges that are on the pages are really cool, but you have to look closely to see them. If you like to look at a lot of pictures, Emily's Book of the strange has a lot of them.

Emily is an intelligent little black and white child who started out as a small internet idea but spawned into a large merchandise line and nows the chance to see for yourself why this little goth girl is so popular. With wit, sarcasm, insight, and her four dangerous cats, Emily will show you the dark side of life that has already been favored by many of us. I love the awesome cover, the illustrations and each page in the book has many secret codes and messages for you to find. I've had this book for months and theres still things i find myself noticing for the very first time! Rock on Emily!

This incredible book for me is a totally new
way of illustrating a fairy tale.
The description of this fantasy world using
postcards is innovative and very interesting.
I strongly suggest this book to all the
art lovers.

As an artist of middle age, I sometimes think of my art as good and my growth as complete... that is, until I look at work like this.

Suddenly I feel like a beginner again, with nothing to do but learn and get better at my art. Mr. Scheurer teaches this teacher how to teach better, just by the inspirational settings he creates and the drawings he does from deep in his imagination. There is a whole world residing in him that is too fanciful to describe. He is my new favorite artist.

Even though this book, at first glance, appears to be an art book, there is a very charming story woven into the "stamp" descriptions, as well. Each page features an illustration of a stamp from the imaginary realm of "Entropia" and a description of the event or history the stamp is commemorating. I read this book in two sittings, only because I had an appointment to keep that tore me away from such a beautiful book. Once finished, this book left me with a strong desire to read and see more of Christian Lorenz Scheurer's "Entropia".

Christian is one of my favorite artist. This new book is full of great stories and wonderful pictures! It's great for all ages.

Bought this book as a gift for a friend but then ended up keeping it for myself.
The fantastic story and beautiful illustrations felt like a mix between Nick Bartock's Griffin and Sabine and Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
This is most inspiring fantasy book I read this year!:)

Exploring Digital Video provides well-organized and reliable information. This book is quite appealing, with distinct photos and graphics, lucid text, and clear-cut chapters.

Notably, a beautiful full-color insert offers a look at Star Wars. And the DVD-ROM that comes free with the book contains surprising and useful free offers and specials and a feature on The Philadelphia Eagles! A must-have.

This book covers so many areas of digital video that I'm sure it will have what you need. It talks about topics such as purchasing video cameras and includes technical specs and quality. It also discusses bluescreen technology, capturing video and audio, scriptwriting, storyboarding and so on. And this is all just the beginning. It goes on to discuss how to edit, render and output film for the internet, television, or for multimedia presentations.

Other than just being a great source of information this book also has a lot of fun extras that will keep you interested. At the end of each chapter there is a quick question formatted review to make sure that you understood and remembered the important aspects of the chapter. There are also various inserts with profiles and interviews of some of the professionals in the field. Although all of the inserts are interesting and informative, the best was the piece about Star Wars. This particular insert is about Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) which is part of Lucas Film LTD. It discusses how one of the scenes from Star Wars was created. It's really cool to hear how they created something and made it look so amazing on film.

As if this weren't enough already, this book comes with a DVD/DVD-ROM with interviews with the Eagles Television Network and a number of tutorials. For those unfamiliar with the ETN, it is the Emmy award winning network of the Philadelphia Eagles. You get to hear about digital video from experts in the field through watching the DVD and reading the book. For such a low price it is one of the best literary investments you can make if you want to learn about digital video.

The book does a great job of offering an overview of digital video, including things like using still photos, what type of equipment would you need, and how to set-up a shoot.

Only complaint is that the author occasionally states opinions as fact example: wide screen is better than standard, when in reality, it is an artistic choice, and it is how you use the space provided that makes something like widescreen better or worse.

Finally! A book that makes a difficult subject easy to understand - creating and working with digital video (DV)! Each chapter is well laid out with great illustrations and nicely sized titles for each section and lesson. It also enhances its content by making good use of sidebars, to add relevant information.. Each chapter ends with an very useful set of questions and exercises, which furthers the reader's comprehension.

Lesson 6 was a highlight for me because I often incorporate photographs into my videos. This sometimes results in a badly distorted photo, forcing me to omit some great photos because of that distortion. Other times, I've been lucky and able to successfully place a photo without any distortion. Until I read this book, the causes were unclear; the author demonstrates the correct way to prepare a photograph for digital video in a way that I could understand and will remember. Though math and computations are a turn-off to many, she successfully covers the meaning of pixel values without confusion. The DVD included with the book contains tutorials which do an excellent job of taking the viewer step-by-step through cropping a photograph vertically and horizontally, so it is properly proportioned for video. The reader therefore has a visual and a written source for future reference at any time.

As a bonus, the author interviews Fred Meyers and Ben Snow, the makers of the Star Wars movies from George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Meyers and Snow re pioneers in the DV field. She interviews several other DV professionals as well, adding their vast experience to the subject.

The DVD also includes discounts from major retailers, saving readers money on computer and electronics products.

This book is a keeper-excellent for the both the beginner and the experienced hobbyist.

The book is great. All you have to do is open it up and glance through it to see that it will be helpful.

The Companion DVD is even better with step by step tutorials. The DVD also offers discounts with retailers on equipment, stock video and a great DVD duplication offer from Action Duplication in West Conshohocken, PA (800-847-3827).

I was going to avoid reviewing this book because I'm too close to the authors and my copy was free so I thought I would be too biased, but the book merits a stellar review...bias aside.

Generator concepts are in bite size chunks and easy to follow, yet not so easy that they bore the reader. The book follows a natural progression in complexity and will be usefull to developers of all experience levels stepping up to the Generator plate.

The level at which the author's stand in the developer community gives them the opportunity to bestow their knowledge in "we know it all" manner, but instead they maintain a humbleness that says "hey, we're just developers like you who've had a lot more time on our hands."

Chock full of all the essentials, and the non-essentials, this book is a must have for the Generator developer (or the developer wanna-be) and looks to have a long shelf life.

Chris, Phil, Mike-nice work!

Finally someone to really take the shrink wrap off two of the best tools in the business. It shouldn't surprise anyone that the eccentric behind flashenabled.com would be able to show all of us common men how to take the next step with Flash and Generator. Awesome.

I was going to avoid reviewing this book because I'm too close to the authors and my copy was free so I thought I would be too biased, but the book merits a stellar review...bias aside.

Generator concepts are in bite size chunks and easy to follow, yet not so easy that they bore the reader. The book follows a natural progression in complexity and will be usefull to developers of all experience levels stepping up to the Generator plate.

The level at which the author's stand in the developer community gives them the opportunity to bestow their knowledge in "we know it all" manner, but instead they maintain a humbleness that says "hey, we're just developers like you who've had a lot more time on our hands."

Chock full of all the essentials, and the non-essentials, this book is a must have for the Generator developer (or the developer wanna-be) and looks to have a long shelf life.

Chris, Phil, Mike-nice work!

Want to learn Generator? This is it, bar none!
As a Generator and Flash trainer I always look for good material to add to class for future reading, this book will not only top the list but will be integrated into all future classes. Having used Generator since 1.0 I thought I knew many of the tricks but this book showed me a few that I have never seen before and will use immediately.
If nothing else know that the authors are top of their game and that the material for this book matches their excellence.

This book is a must-have resource for anyone interested in working with Generator. Mike, Phillip, and Chris not only know their stuff, but they did a great job at sharing their knowledge in a way that even a novice can understand. They are able to share their real-world experience, and make using Generator just a little (maybe even a lot?) more palatable for the average Flash user.

Ample photos and interesting text...a fine book to own if one is interested in graffiti art in the LA area

By no exaggeration, this book is the best of its kind. It starts out with the history of gang writing then follows up with the evolution of the art including techniques, paint and cap types, run-ins with the law, etc. The pictures are as clear as can be, and the forever present artist commentary is the perfect compliment to the fantastic collection of pics. This is a must own for any fan of graffiti.

All I can say is get this book!!!!If you love that LA raw stuff.It's pretty well rounded,and gives you a whole look at what's going on past and present.If you have never been to LA.Here is your chance.Oh and it's focus is not on just one crew.Get this book first, on LA graff if you have to choose one.Plus an cd rom with photo's.You can't beat that.Good job Mr.Grody GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought this book for my bf, because he loves graffiti art, and used to have his own crew many years ago. He loves to look at the pictures, and see the deeper meanings that a lot of artists present in their graffiti along with murals. Finding the artist's tags in the art is also fun. We both enjoy looking through this book, and plan to buy similar items in the future.

Fifty years ago, graffiti was something written in restrooms and was relatively private. Now graffiti is an art form. You can think of it as vandalism; if it is your wall, or a public wall, and it is supposed to stay clean and undecorated, any unwanted spray-painting, no matter how fancy, is vandalism. But even if it is vandalism (and sometimes the owner of the wall invites the decoration, or the painting is done on canvas for a gallery), there is no arguing that graffiti now is some sort of art. This is especially obvious if you examine the hundreds of pictures in _Graffiti L.A.: Street Styles and Art_ (Abrams) by Steve Grody. Grody loves the graffiti of Los Angeles, and booms, "Along with the myriad styles these artists have created, they have also evolved world-class graphic skills now comparable to the best aerosol work anywhere." It seems funny that anyone would be comparing "aerosol work" from any locales, but you don't have to know about the styles elsewhere to enjoy the astonishing colors and designs found here. Grody examines the ethical issues of this sort of work, but it is clear that such evaluation is secondary to the art itself. He includes interviews with many of the artists (they call themselves "writers"), examines techniques and styles, and shows an appreciation of how this peculiar form of art has redeemed many of its practitioners, and redeemed some blighted public spaces as well.

The spray can is the choice of the writers because it is easily concealed and is portable. On the wall's surface, its effects can be controlled, but it can also cover an area quickly. The furtiveness of making graffiti necessitates the use of the spray can, but writers use it even in gallery work. It is also used, when no concealment is needed, on a "permission wall", a surface donated by its owner for esthetic reasons to be the site of an elaborate piece. The writers quoted here have much to say about the work of others; it is clear that they have examined styles carefully and can give intelligent critiques of what they have seen, and that they admire the works of competent competitors. They know "bad can control" or excessive imitation when they see it. The writers are in danger of criminal prosecution if they are not working on permission walls, and are in physical danger if they are working on some surface that is elevated. There is little tangible reward to this type of artistry, which is mainly a means of self expression with little other benefit. Grody writes, "It is this creative passion in light of all the obstacles that gives the best work its pop pulp energy." There are numerous stories here about members who were at risk of descending into drug use or crimes worse than artistic vandalism, but were saved by joining a group of like-minded artists.

The descriptions here of classifications of the work, the social forces at play, and the lives of the writers are all good for putting the pictures here in context, but the pictures are the show in this big and glossy book. Not all the pictures could even get in here, as with the book there is a disk included of hundreds more, along with audio interviews. It is fun to try to make out the letters, which are clear in some of the examples shown here, but are often so stretched and stylized that even if you know the crew that has put its name up, it is hard to pick the letters out. The depiction of figures or portraits is sometimes hyper-realistic, but usually in a comic book style, and is (to my eyes) far less appealing than the letters shaped into abstractions of extraordinary complexity and color. Grody has a couple of pages to illustrate some basic techniques, like cuts, 3-D, or letter blends, but there is no need to acquire a technical eye to enjoy the shows of kinetic mural energy displayed here. There is still some moral ambiguity about some pieces and their execution, but one picture after another shows that this is a vibrant and valid form of folk art.

Great book. He displays how to cartoon men, women, children, elderly and many types of animals. He does it in an extremely visual way that even a child could follow along. This book is packed with 95% illustrations and 5% text. To me, that's a winner. The 5% text that is in there is invaluable. The print is nice and large and easy to read. I am very happy I bought this book. It is a keeper.

From the beginning of this book to the end, it is filled with (finally) basic, step-by-step instructions on drawing cartoon people, body parts, the "action line", body language and style. And then it starts all over again with animals! Mostly dogs, cats, and different fowl, it also includes less common animals, like beaver, porcupine, raccoon and many sea animals. Can't forget the great alligators and dragon. Finally, the book spends time on placing the characters, reference lines and specialty shots and the all-important "balloon". Another great one by C. Hart. I think I own most of his books and they are all worth great merit, better than the other books I've seen out there by far.

A few years ago, on a whim, I decided to start drawing. I didn't know where to begin so I bought this book. I really believed I couldn't draw. The techniques in this book were so easy to learn that soon I went from drawing stick figures to expressive cartoon characters. My confidence went up and I took on more complicated projects. Now, I work part-time doing illustrations and it all started here!

Christopher Hart has truly done an excellent job with this book. Filled to the rim with illustrations, techniques, explanations and inside information, if you've ever wanted to learn about humorous illustration or cartooning, put this on your list. You'll be glad you did. :o)

This is an excellent book for any beginning artist or anyone else wanting to learn cartooning. Chris Hart publishes some of the best books on art that I've ever seen. This book gives good details on drawing that is easy to follow and understand. All in all, this is one book that should be in every artist's library.

This book was informative, insightful and a quick read. A must have for both students and designers alike!

Insights into how world-famous graphic designers come up with winning designs make for an outstanding collection of lively interviews revealing best thought and practice in the world of design. Over twenty designers reveal their designs, outlining how a love of design developed, influenced their lives, and how it translated into a passion for producing better graphic design results. Any library covering graphic design simply must have this, whether it be at the college arts level or the general-interest lending library.

I can't believe only 6 people rated this book. This is such a great book and I had so much fun reading it. I lent it to my program coordinator and it became one of our program's textbooks(graphic design). I totally recommend this to any one interested in design, art or in general, LIFE!
worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY!

This book is a must read if only to get a glimpse on how real these great graphic designers are. I enjoyed reading milton glaser's not because he's a favorite but because I found his insights humble and encouraging for the not so great graphic designer like myself. I was also bowled over to find a designer from my country and from my college included here, Lucille Tenazas! Great book!

It's always refreshing to learn something new about the creative people that you idolize. This is a great book that will not only inspire you but also answer questions about design that are not quite so easy to articulate. You will read every page without any regret.

I've bought a copy of the translation of this book to Hebrew, which covers Hebrew contents in HTML pages, and it's my favourite and recommended HTML book.

Actually, I have two copies - one is always loaned to a family member or co-worker who wants to study HTML quickly and easily, and I'm surprised this book is out of print without a newer edition (e.g. HTML 4.0) coming out.

This small book covers everything about HTML in a concise manner. For someone who knows the very basics of HTML, every chapter is stand alone - no need to read half a book to get a specific topic.

The coverage is very good. e.g. many CGI manuals assume the reader knows the HTML side of forms and continue straight to code, even though most people want to learn both subjects together (how much can you do with a form that has no script begind it ?) - this book covers the HTML side of forms clearly, complementing those manuals.

Though a few of the chapters that dont deal directly with HTML (e.g. finding a home to your pages) are a bit weak, those dont make the core of the book.

I hope a new edition of this book comes out covering HTML 4.0 and fixing the weak chapters (e.g. giving URLs to sites such as geocities and giving a short hands-on manual on uploading pages).

If you use HTML or any related technology (JavaScript, CGI, etc), I recommend you put your hands on a copy of this book and stick to it.

I hope this book is reprinted. It is the single source book of code that I keep on my desk. I have recommended it everyone who asks and I am sorry to see it is gone!!

This book is probably the best and easiest-to-use HTML books out there. It's a little out of date now, since browsers have been updated, but I still use it and recommend it for quick reference.

I also use this book as a text, even though it is a bit dated compared to Castro's Visual Quickstart Guide (which I also use). The layout of the book is the reason it remains of value, and will so for years. For someone learning the basics of HTML, each two-page spread covers an HTML tag. The lefthand page describes the tag and dissects it, describing all attributes and values they can take. The right side shows an example of the code and how it looks in a browser. There is no clearer way to explain HTML for beginners than this. One caveat, though ... the appendix with the numeric codes for special and reserved characters is seriously flawed. If there is an edition for HTML4.x, the editor of that book had best make sure the errors in that table are corrected.

I've really enjoyed this book very much. This book provides a disection of each tag and a picture of the source code and the outcome. As a reference it's helpful, because it provides a clear and consise format. Plus, it'a a great size to carry around. Can't wait for the next edition!