Designers Books

Such an interesting book. I you're into fashion, mainly not so mainstream fashion, but a little different, this is the book for you. Ralph Rucci is such a talented designer. I cannot aford any of his clothes but I look at the pictures in this book all the time. I sew too and I am fascinated with his talent. You won't be dissapointed with this book, I hope.

Terrific. I've bought his clothes for years and love his timeless works. Looks as if he has been discovered which is great for him and costly for me.

Rubens, while best known today for his paintings, was also a collector, a diplomat, a linguist, a renowned scholar, and a master of Baroque theatricality who won acclaim for his powerful religious altarpieces and large-scale commissions for the royal courts of Europe. His profound influence on artists of future generations also rested on his superbly executed landscapes and intimate portraits of family and friends. Now the life and work of Rubens is superbly presented in an historical survey by Susan Lawson (Commissioning Editor in Contemporary Art and Visual Theory at I.B. Tauris Publishers) that put into context Ruben's politics, religious beliefs, and artistic mastery of brush and canvas. Superbly illustrated throughout, "Rubens" is divided into eight chapters ranging from his 'Life and Times', to 'Arcadia: Portraits and Landscapes', to 'Architecture and Theatre in the Mature and Late Styles', to 'Figures, Flesh, and the Rubenesque'. Enhanced with a recommended selection for further reading on the artist and his work and a core addition to any personal, academic, or community library Art History collection, "Rubens" is a strongly recommended study of meticulous scholarship that is as articulate as it is informative.

Kerry Downes was one of my professors at Reading University and was one of the most highly regarded art historians in the world. Although most of his work was specific to British architecture (Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh, Wren) he had a deep affection for the work of Rubens. The result was this highly accessible and deeply scholarly book on the Flemish master. Solidly informative this book is an absolute must for any art historian, or anyone with an interest in Baroque art.

I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages who want to know more about Louise Bourgeois and her work. It's beautifully designed, straight-forward, full of information, and inspring.

As you read RUNAWAY GIRL, a beautifully-crafted book that illuminates Louise Bourgeois's story, it is impossible not to keep your eyes on the art. The book is absolutely saturated with vivid photographs of the ninety-two year-old artist's work, as well as a progression of photos of Louise throughout a life that spanned nearly the entire twentieth century and has continued on into the new millennium. Louise's story--from a childhood in France to an apartment in Manhattan--encompasses family, creativity, and personal evolution, as well as her historic role in breaking down sexual barriers in the art world.

But what makes RUNAWAY GIRL such an important piece of nonfiction for young adults is that unique peek at the psychological roots of an artist's creativity. Greenberg & Jordan provide the perfect measure of Louise's early years in order for us to understand those roots without ever getting bogged down in extraneous detail. The extensive access to her inner life that this controversial artist has granted the authors and their readers makes the book inspiring and unique. I didn't expect to enjoy a book about some female artist I'd never heard of before, but to find out why some two-story-high spiders represent her mother and herself totally captivated me.

"From one of Louise Bourgeois's journals:

The Runaway Girl who never grew up.
I need no support nor comfort.
I need no safety net, no breakfast.
No lunch or tea, no visitors, no telephone calls nor little messages.
No little concerts, no hype, or encouragement for big projects.
No ambitions, no spying on my neighbors.
I need nothing...I can wait, I am not afraid, I am an adult.
Nothing is lacking."

It is also fascinating to see little snippets of the artist at work. For instance, the authors describe her creation of one of my favorite pieces of her art:

"She would go back to [the marble quarries in] Pietranta many times in the sixties and again in the eighties. Jerry Gorovoy, who accompanied her on one such trip, says there wasn't much time for sightseeing. They arrived at their hotel in the evening and instead of going to a restaurant or walking around town, she insisted on getting right to work. Jerry says that Louise had a hard time relaxing. 'If you take her to the beach, she can sit still for about five minutes. Then she gets restless.' Unfortunately, Louise hadn't packed any art supplies--no clay, wax or Plasticine. So she asked Jerry for the shirt off his back. She folded and shaped it, stitching the cotton into position until she was satisfied with the form. The next day at the quarry she changed the design somewhat, then applied gesso, a liquid plaster, to harden the fabric. A larger, marble version was measured and roughed out by the craftsmen at the quarry according to her specifications. Then it was shipped to the studio [in Brooklyn], where, upon her return, she carefully reworked it with a chisel. Eventually Jerry's shirt evolved into Femme Maison, 1983, a fresh interpretation of her familiar subject."

RUNAWAY GIRL concludes with a variety of useful resources, including "How to Look at a Sculpture," and "Where to View Artwork by Louise Bourgeois," as well as an expansive glossary, a bibliography, and a chronological listing of her work.

" What happens next? That is her main focus. And so she stays at home on Twentieth Street, spinning her memories, fantasies, and ideas into art. Free with her thoughts and feelings, up to a point, she lets us know that there are other secrets, other ideas and thoughts to consider about her, about her work. 'I'm a long distance runner. I'm a lonely runner and that's the way I like it.' "

It was a delight to "meet" Louise. Long may she run.

I bought 6 books from Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists for my daughter who is 7 years old. We read them together. She liked the books and showed some interest in arts. I suggest this book and other books from this series for all the parents who want their children to learn about art.

Beautifully laid out and written in a way that is interesting for Kids. The Humor in this entire series makes it extremely pleasurable and easy to read.

In Shops & Boutiques 2000: Designer Stores And Brand Imagery, Marcie Stuchin and Susan Abramson collaborate to showcase leading trends in international retail design and is illustrated with more than 250 color photographs. Each of the fifty trend-setting stores covered expresses its designer's distinctive aesthetic sensibility through inventive architecture, interior design, and layout in service of a unique and distinctive entrepreneurial environment. Also highly recommended are Stuchin and Abramson's earlier collaborations: Bedrooms And Private Spaces: Designer Dreamscapes and Waterside Homes And Showhouses: Signature Designer Styles.

Awesome book! A must for enthusiasts of designer stores and brand imagery!

This is a terrific book! I bought it at least three years ago and still enjoy looking at the timeless designs. The photos are crisp and clear. I loved it so much that I looked up the writer to see what over books she had written.

This book is a compliation of showcase design displays across the country; the Best of the Best. Incredible Variety of Styles!
I enjoyed perusing through this BEAUTIFUL volume; had a Tremendous Time! BUT it took me several DAYS! i would pick it up; get so emmersed in the incredible vivid detail of the rich, full colored pictures that time would fly and i had only covered a small section!

I just found this book and was fascinated by the fact that he does so much with so little. I spent a wonderful hour or so trying to track down the artists he is obviously referring to. Because he doesn't include them anywhere in the book, it's like a treasure hunt. The Edward Hopper references are obvious on the first and last page. There's Norman Rockwell (the older sign painter sitting and painting when we first meet him), Ansel Adams (a black and white of a mountain), Magritte (a billboard with clouds), and a nod to Georgia O'Keefe (the cattle skull). There appears to be a reference to Russell and/or Remington with the scene of the two main characters sitting at a campfire against a big sky, but I didn't get around to finding an actual painting since I was pressed for time. The whole situation of the book seems to refer to Andy Warhol and pop art/advertising, but I couldn't find a Warhol work that was specifically used. There are several illustrations that seem to have references (a bright magenta convertible with a blonde driving, a road leading into a stylized landscape, a huge structure of scaffolding, etc.) that I haven't been able to place, but I'm planning on having fun searching with my kids! My husband had fun seeing if he could place them also (not to mention the librarian who was helping me! One of the reasons I'm writing this review is so if others are looking for what the references are they can find a more complete list than I was able to find -- I hope others add their observations!).

The story itself is, like many other Allen Say books, somewhat autobiographical and dreamlike. Not your typical children's book at all. If you're looking for a neat way to give a wide age range of kids an introduction to 20th c. art (mostly American), this is great. They can comb through collections and say, "Hey! Look what I found! This is just like that picture when the boy..." Younger kids can just enjoy the story about a young painter who has to paint things he's not particularly interested in to make a living while he hopes to one day be able to paint what really moves him.

I'm considering using it for a homeschooled kids lit gathering we're a part of, having the older kids go out and hunt down the references (hopefully they'll find some of the ones I didn't!), and letting kids who want to draw their own version of a picture that pays homage to an artist whose work they themselves enjoy.

Wonderful story on many levels. Five stars.

This is a wonderful story about a young man's pursuit of his dream. The artwork is incredible. The author pays homage to many artists in this book - including Hopper, Rockwell, and O'Keefe to name a few. My sons - ages 7 and 9 both enjoyed it as did their classmates. I highly recommend it.

This is a beautiful book. It is geared toward older children, but the presentation and photo quality will make any adult take a second look. Klimt's work is often characterized by the use of gold leaf -- this book actually prints the paintings so that they have a gold surface. Each page discusses an aspect of Klimt's life or work-- his relationship with Emile Floge, his travels to Italy, his Beethoven Frieze, etc. The background of each page is beautifully decorated to correspond with the information and photographs.

I have several other books of Klimt's work-- this one has the best overview of his life and work, best reproductions, and by far my favorite in terms of how it presented the information. It is only 30 pages, but is truly a gem of a book.

If you are interested in art history or art in general, I also recommend the other Adventures in Art books, particulary the one on Van Gogh. The presentation is very similar to the Klimt book.

My wife and I bought the Klimt book as a gift for a friend. Both my wife and I were delighted with the book and its lustrous presentation. We plan to buy four more for four other friends.

just stopped by to write a quick line about this book... its a very well written and clearly explained book. liked the approach used by the author...

thank you
peter kwong

This book is not like any other book you will see, this is a book with a mission---that of teaching you Solid Edge without any hiccups. I am surprised to see the clarity of content in this book. It is written with a very friendly language and covers almost evreything that I require to draw any design in my work. The chapter ending projects are great learning resource because we have to do them ourselves using our techniques. This is a great resources for a beginner and also for experienced guys.

I am an architect who works with the higher end custom home buyer. My clients are always interested in decorating their homes, so I decided to search online for an interior decorating book to give them as a house warming gift. After several follow ups with my home owners, they have expressed many thank yous for their new home and the Designer's Historical Stencils Portfolio. My home owners said they found this book to be very useful in researching their decorating style, because of the information on color and wall design ideas. There are 25 pages explaining basic design principles and the art of interior design as well as all over patterns and ceiling medallions for dining rooms and foyers. It also has helpful "how to" application information for the do-it-yourselfers. I recommend this book as a house warming gift for anyone who needs to buy a house gift for someone decorating their homes.

I just moved into my second move - up home and wanted to uniquely, decorated my home utilizing existing furniture and fabrics from my first home. When I moved into my new home I did not know where to start with wall and ceiling treatments, so I searched on amazon.com for decorating how to books and found this one written by a designer and an artist. If you want ideas on stenciling, color, and mixing pattern, I highly recommend this book to make your rooms beautiful. Even if you have read decorating books before, this book is illustrated and written by the artist who created over 100 border and ceiling patterns that are very unique that I have not seen in Lowes Home Improvement or Micheals Arts and Crafts. This is an "idea" book, and a true home decorating how-to book like you might find in Europe. I highly recommend this portfolio to home owners who are looking to spice up their home.