Commercials Books

Many of us, in reading Janet Arnold are familiar with this book due to her citing it numerous times. Now we can own it...and own it I do! This book is indespencible if you want to know what paterns from the latter 16th century looked like. It was written in 1589 by master tailor Jaun de Alcega to show others how to lay out patterns to conserve fabric. This book, is like having someone hand you a layout diagram from a modern pattern for many many differnt items of clothing ranging from doublets; to dresses; to cloaks; to horse barding. This book includes the actual 16th century Spanish work, followed by a translation...It even includes a conversion chart from the period Spanish measurements to modern ones ESSENTIAL!

Today my copy of this book arrived in the mail. I am very excited, this is a reissue of the 1978 edition which has been unavailable for so long! The book is a facsimile (with translation) of "Libro de Geometria, Pratica Y Traca" (Book of the Practice of Tailoring-- Measuring and Marking Out) by Juan de Alcega, printed in Madrid in 1589. Alcega was a master tailor.

The book was apparently intended as a guide for journeymen tailors, to help them figure out economical ways of cutting out garments, as well as giving them diagrams for some standard styles of garment. For each garment, there is a cutting diagram (much like the cutting diagrams that come with modern patterns), an estimate as to how much fabric is required (in Castillian ells) and brief directions on how the garment goes together. He also includes charts to help figure out how much fabric is needed based on desired length of the garment and fabric width.

In "Patterns of Fashion" Janet Arnold cites this book extensively (the '78 edition), though she complains that the translation is not as perfect as it could be, because the translators were not costume scholars. Any Spanish speaking folks doing graduate work in this area? Here's your chance. However, at least after a cursory examination, the translation seems good enough to me. And Arnold commented that it was extremely useful even without a perfect translation.

The first 4/5 of the book is a facsimile of the original, the remaining 1/5 is a translation, glossary, and notes (including a conversion table for Castillian ells to centimeters).

The book contains diagrams for 73 garments, plus a diagram for a "war banner," and two diagrams for "silk saddle trappings for jousts." The garments are for both men and women. The men's garments include ceremonial cloaks and church vestments. There are no diagrams for trousers, because trouser-making was apparently a different craft in Alcega's time.

This is a good book, if you're really serious about this time period, and you're also an experienced costumer.

The first 3/4 of this book is the original patterns in Spanish. The last fourth is the English translation. The patterns are mostly cloak patterns, with a few gowns for women, and a few doublets and gowns for men.

The pattern is given with a name and a brief paragraph of basic instructions, but no illustration of the garment. So unless you really research it, you won't be sure how the garment will look when you finish it. If you are an amateur costumer, I wouldn't buy it (since you need to know how to scale up patterns, tailoring tricks, and lots about the clothes of this time period.)

If you are enamored of late renaissance Spanish clothing, go for it. But before you buy this book, I suggest you buy Patterns of Fashion: The Cut & Construction of Clothes for Men & Women C. 1560-1620 By Janet Arnold.

For those who wish to re-create 16th century Spanish clothing and make them as authentic as possible, this is the book for you! The patterns should be used as general shapes and adjustments made for various body types. One word of caution: these patterns are not like those sold by Simplicity, McCall's, etc. Extensive experience with tailoring is required. However, even a novice can appreciate the value of this book as a source of documentation.

For music fans, this is a magnificent treat. Storm Thorgerson's Hipgnosis was responsible for some of the most quirky, eye-catching album cover art of the past 30+ years and this book gives an insight into the thinking that went behind some of these classic covers. (Pink Floyd fans however, might also want to read "Mind over Matter'' for fuller details of the covers done by Hipgnosis - they did all except The Wall). Better yet, Thorgerson dry wit and oh-so-English sense of humor permeates his writing, which means the text as well as the pics will entertain the reader - a real bonus. Highly recommended.

"Taken By..." meaning this book focuses on the amazing surreal imagery of Storm Thorgerson, rather than the finished product (i.e., album cover) itself. So, the book is geared more toward photography than a graphic design point of view. Recommended for all album art book collectors (a dying breed itself!).

Storm Thorgerson is the artist that designed many classic and current rock album covers.
This book is a facinating review of many of the album covers and how they were made.
I recommend this book for any fan of Rock or commercial art.

Taken By Storm is a great collection of works by my favorite artist/designer Storm Thorgerson. He gives insights into where ideas came from, how elements of pictures came to be, and which ones held special meanings. Storm also includes many that were made, but NOT used by the bands in question (and therefore previously unseen by the public). Storm went to great lengths to get just the right set-up in just the right place, with just the right lighting...a testimony to his dedication to this form of art. Fans of Pink Floyd, The Cranberries, Catherine Wheel, Mars Volta, Led Zepplin, and others will be zapped into Storm's world, captivated, and sometimes shocked by what they find there as they are taken by Storm...

To refer to Mugler merely as a fashion designer would be off target and a great injustice. He has, over the years, managed to transcend the limitations of conventional clothing design and develop his work into an amazing and dazzling art form. This book exemplifies the way photography, art, design and adornment can be brought together and crafted into something unique.

Mugler's designs are staggering, drawing on influences too diverse to adequately list. These are fantasies of the imagination; marine and insect worlds, avian and feline; couture fetish, European old aristocracy, the African and Oriental, along with Metropolis style sci-fi. The photos are beautiful, reminding me of Pierre et Gilles. There are stark graphic locations captured in a superb minimal style, and also many dynamic shots from fashion shows. It is a book of images that renders its few words almost unnecessary.

On the back cover is a quote - "Fashion doesn't suffice. I try to pass on a feeling, a sensation... I always tell stories. Stories about women. From the spy to the madonna, to the heroine, the goddess, the small Parisian, the secretary. I create clothes women will wear in these imaginary adventures." Mugler breathes life into dreams. An inspiring and wonderfully produced book.

This collection of images and commentary on the creative work of Thierry Muglerserves you some killer imagery of famous people wearing infamous couture..Hardly a single item you would sport at a PTA meeting but, then, would you want to ever GO to a PTA meeting? An unbridled imagination, combined with the technical and architectural skills required bringing his visions to life, are made obvious as you slowly turn the pages ( with scrupulously clean hands, thank you ) and imagine a world where you play the starring role with Mr. Mugler as your wardrobe master..Don't try to attempt to recreate these garments at home. These get-ups come from a PROFESSIONAL!! Wear them at your own risk and don't turn your back on any houseguests who express an interest in this book.It is tough to find and sports a hefty price tag. I keep three copies in the house..and they are all tagged with a Low-Jack!! Glorious production values, high quality paper, and a front cover that defies adequate description make this title a MUST for the dreamer on your holiday shopping list..

Beyond the bland, banal and often sleazy worlds of fashion and fetish there exists a hidden and beautiful world exemplified by Mugler's work and friends (whom he acknowledges with exquisite charm and tact on page 188). All these people 'get it' at a level of subtlety and taste that the lesser practitioners will never understand. They understand the power of bodily eroticism, the magic and mystery of masks and concealment, the attraction of helplessness (try to walk in those shoes and you will understand, too) coupled with the dangerous appeal of domination and submission.
FFF is to EXTREME as vintage wine is to mere plonk. Of course EXTREME had to be assembled as a Met show/book toying with cultural anthropology with the mainstream in mind, but although excellent (and so rated by me and others) EXTREME pales into insignificance by comparison with FFF. FFF combined extremes of other kinds: extreme eroticism, extreme physical transformations, extreme emotional danger. It is hugely to the credit of everyone involved, including models, photographers and the celebrities who comment with dazzling power, that it all comes off as beautiful and powerful, never beyond the bounds of taste. When you read those names, and consider what they have done in their own worlds, you will find yourself thinking (at least I did), that these are people whose persons and work you have admired, whom you would like to know in person, with whom you could have unusual and interesting times. They include Pedro Almodovar, David Bowie, John Epperson, Tippi Hedren, Ute Lemper, Julie Newmar, Jennifer Tilly (yes!), Bruce Vlanch and Raquel Welch, all relentless pushers of the cultural envelope.
Tension is the great sexual aphrodisiac and FFF is all about sexual tension expressed with body, face and hand adornment that is at the very limit of what can be done. My copy is not for sale, ever.

Wonderful eye-candy - page after page of beautifully innovative photography of Mugler's imaginative creations. Much more than just a fashion book. Highly recommended!

rich in graphics and details, perfect companion when you need quick answers, specially if you get a used book at a fantastic price like these, it is worth it!!

This is a book that sometimes resembles Neufert's, but it has a lot of additional information you might need that will make easier the process of designing various types of buildings. It gives you notions, ideas, proportions, measures and everything you need to know when starting a project. A must-have to any architect (specially with these incredible low-priced used ones. I got mine for 13 bucks and it's absolutely like new).

dear sir/madam

am in need of a book call newfet Architectural data so plsss help me find it plss

from terry

Amozon.com says that they save you money on books but this book cost a cool 150 smackers even if a customer has purchased many books from them -- the book is valuable and used like a dictionary for reference -- why can't we get a resonable price for it -- Amozon.com send out thank you and promises to do their best to keep the price lowest but why do they continue to bate and switch.

Very nicely designed book and ideal to bring on a trip to Tokyo (I would have preferred it in soft cover though, like a lonely planet pocket).

If you love Tokyo and love toy culture this is a great resource. Old favourites like Tokyu Hands, Parco and Kiddy Land are in here, along with a whole bunch of lesser known beauties. Nice pics of shoppers and merchandise, as well as additional info explaining some of the strange mascots you encounter. Upfront basic information and clean maps means I'll definately be taking this with me next time I go exploring in Tokyo.

amazing book. as someone who lives in tokyo and guides dozens of visitors, both personally and professionally, through this city every year, i promise you that this is one of the best guides i've ever come across. for anyone interested in the design, toy and misc subcultures in and around tokyo, this is a must-have.

This is a MUST have if you are a toy nut and/or visiting Tokyo. I can not begin to relate how difficult this city is to navigate. T-Under cuts throught the language and concrete barriers. Bravo!

Ed

This is my daughter's favorite artist and I get her one of these calendars each year.

First of all, the calendar got to me pretty quickly. It was gorgeous. I'm absolutely in love with it.

I've been a fan of Victoria Frances since the first time I saw any of her pictures, so my opinion may be a little biased. As always, Victoria's artwork is amazing and beautiful. This calendar would not be good for those who dislike blood as she tends to draw vampires a lot. For anyone else, I would recommend this without a second thought.

Absolutely perfect for all of us who long for some anaemic, safe gothdom.

This calendar actually reminds me a lot of the posters displayed in hairdressers windows advertising l'Oreal's majirel hair colour range. (I always make that comparison.)

A word of warning to potential gift-givers though. This calendar is put out by a fantasy t&a publishing house. So make sure you undo the cellophane so that the ads for some very racy mags fall out.

Don't know what happened to March though.(!!!)

Roger Dean is best known for his groundbreaking work in LP cover art, including Yes, Uriah Heep, Osibisa, and other names from the 1970s music world. This great collection pulls together Dean's early work, including sketches, student work from his time at the Royal College of Art, and set design for the Yes tour stages.

I usually think of Dean as a visual artist, so his furniture, sets, and architectural interests were a pleasant surprise. It would have been helpful to have better identification of year in which each piece done. That's a small enough complaint, though. This is an outstanding collection of his work, and an interesting reference point for comparing the 70s culture to todya's.

//wiredweird

The architypal album cover artist of the early seventies period, Roger Dean produced covers for seventies album artists such as Yes, Gentle Giant, Greenslade and even Osibisa. This, his first of a number of publications, contains his early and best work. For fans of the progressive rock group "Yes" it also contains a number of photographs from their ambitious "Tales from Topographic Oceans " tour. This book should be reprinted NOW and is a must for all ardent "Yes " fans.

Roger Dean's artwork has been featured on the record and CD coversof Yes, Aisa, and Pink Floyd. He has displayed his artistic talent since Yes' "Fragile" LP in 1972. His work belongs in a museum display (I did see a print of the Fragile cover in the Hayden Planetarium) and this book (if you're lucky enough to get your hands on it) is recommended to avid Yes fans! It features the covers of "Topographic Oceans", "Beginnings", "Relayer", "Yessongs", and the inner gatefold of "Close to the Edge". Simply breathtaking! And in need of a reprint soon!

Groundbreaking when it was first published, this unique book has remained a benchmark in both art and publishing. Dean founded his own Paper Tiger imprint to release this collection of his designs. The book is sized the same as an old vinyl album, and contains dozens of his architectural/fantasy world renderings, know best as the covers of the majority of the YES albums, along with many other rock projects. Essential for the fans of Dean, it covers his schooling, 2D and 3D design projects, and an amazing array of full color, high quality reproductions of his ink and watercolor paintings.

This book brought back the wonderful world of Big Biba. I was 19 and in London for the first time when my friend and I walked into Big Biba. What an amazing site--I felt like Alice in Wonderland just stepping into a fantastic new world. We had never seen anything so splendid, creative, beautiful. We didn't have much money to spend but I bought eye shadow, lipgloss, and grapefruit face toner. I kept the bottle for years as a keepsake. I wish the book had even more photos but the ones that are in it are wonderful. What a great way to relive these memories! I recommend this book for anyone interested in fashion, design, the 1970's, or if you were ever lucky enough to have visited Big Biba.

This book makes me want to go back in time and step out in 60's London and experience Big Biba. Such a great story with so many fantastic photos that really capture the punkiness of the atmostphere. Great book. I highly recommend experiencing Big Biba.

What else can I say but buy this book to travel back to a time when fashion was fun! A great read and a treasure to own.

For those who were there, it brings back memories. For those who were not, "Big Biba" shows what you missed. For everyone, a look through this over-sized picture book will fill you with awe-- how could this have been???? But it was... Although, as a transatlantic visitor, I had mixed opinions about Big Biba (see reviews of "The Biba Experience"), it was still a wonder to behold. Time has done nothing to dilute that wonderment. In fact some of the most successful retail concepts (Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters for example) lightly but lovingly tiptoe down the Biba path. "Big Biba" is a classy 96 pages of heavyweight stock including a repro of the 16-page Opening Day Newspaper and a garment hangtag for use as a bookmark. Barbara Hulanicki herself writes the forward and doesn't dwell too much on the crash-and-burn aspect of the Biba phenomenom. As she shouldn't. Biba was obviously a product of its times, and now we have this lovely book for all time.

I'm currently an architecture student and needed some information on Bruder's library. The books that i found weren't informative enough. A friend introduced me to the PA series and I eventually purchased this copy and it really surprised me by how thorough it was. It's a great tooL!

The cd-rom format offers an expanded range of possibilities for architecture publishing in the future! The projects are covered in amazing detail- its possible to pick a point on the plan and view photographs from that spot. In addition you can view enlarged sets of drawings and extensive photographic documentation. Dana Hutt's commentary is well researched and insightful, and the realtime interviews and slide shows with both of them is the next best thing to seeing a lecture in person. A very exciting format!

When I came across this CD, I was quite hesitant about buying it because, I felt more comfortable investing my money on a book rather than unfamiliar CD, not knowing what kind of content it would have. Luckily for me I couldn't find any books about Will Bruder, that I urgently needed. So I decided to try planet architecture. I was quiet impressed with what I found. Besides really valuable information, such as drawings, photos, panoramas, and interviews; the design and layout of the CD is very clear making it very easy to gain valuable knowledge and understanding of Bruder's work. For example, most of the drawings have points of reference that you can click on to view a picture of that exact point. The panorama option works kind of the same, but instead of just getting one view (picture) front a reference point, this feature lets you rotate around the point so you can better appreciate the architecture, like if you were physically in these buildings.

Let me start by saying that I'm not a big fan of "books on CD." This volume on Will Bruder, the first I've seen from in-D, is possibly the best use of the CD-ROM format that I've seen. With minimal use of text on screen, "Will Bruder-Recent Works" brings his vision and architecture to life in a way that the printed volume cannot. The navigational interface is unexpected, yet highly intuitive. Excellent coverage of the architect's works includes detailed floorplans, lush photography, and 360x360 (full immersion) panoramas that are probably the next best thing to being there. Insightful video interviews with Will are cut into manageable lengths and organized by topic. I can't wait to see more of the Planet Architecture series!

Sell is admittedly an outsider, always studying Boeing from the periphery of a neutral journalist, or family member of one employed there, yet he manages to deftly describe the essence and culture of Boeing as a longtime employee would. He understands and conveys the conservative approach Boeing has always taken toward state governmental affairs, and presents Boeing as above reproach in these matters, a reputation Boeing has gone to great lengths to ensure. I appreciated the detail to which Sell went to explain the legislative aspects of growth in Washington state and Boeing's occasional collisions with it - a good read whether one is interested in the evolution of Boeing from Bill Boeing's hobby shop to the economic powerhouse it is today, or if one is interested in the impact of growth. Sell also slips in delightful, but subtle witticisms.

A great read, especially considering recent events (Boeing leaving Seattle.)

This is a balanced and even-handed look at an issue that is confronting communities all over the country: How to deal with the costs of growth without losing the benefits. A good read.

Sell's book cuts through the fog of loyalty to green or greed parties and explains the paradox of growth with facts not fictions. Everyone has something to learn from this book. Sell makes both sides of the growth issue stand naked before the mirror and it isn't always pretty. "Wings of Power" is a well written and thoroughly researched book that, unlike most of this genre, is not devoid of humor.