The Designer’s Guide to Astounding Photoshop Effects Review

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(More customer reviews)What a crime that this excellent design book's weakest, tackiest page is the only one that most people will ever see: its cover. I grabbed this book as a joke, because its awful first page promised a Saturday afternoon of unintended laughs and head-shaking at astounding misuses of Photoshop. But the joke was on me--there's a treasure buried under that Photoshop-ravaged front cover.
The Designer's Guide to Astounding Photoshop Effects begins with a brief but concise history of photo manipulation, which was first achieved with physical tools like airbrushes and blades. A heroic propaganda poster from the 1950s and a silly, contemporary Weekly World News cover (headlined "LIPOSUCTION FOR WORLD'S BIGGEST BABY" ) invoke completely different psychological responses and seem as though they have nothing in common, but both were achieved by the deliberate manipulation of reality and are landmarks in the evolution of the technique. It was a great idea to include this section, because most Photoshop books show no interest in the historic or psychological relevance of manipulation; they just get right to the showoff stuff. Because, let's face it, that's what most Photoshop users want.
The Designer's Guide... is geared more toward people who appreciate photo manipulation when it's done with style, grace and purpose than people who are looking to lens-flare their every document. There are some tips and they're all pretty good, but you have to accept the fact that most Photoshop wizards--like traditional magicians--have no intention of revealing the secrets behind their best tricks. So if you're like me, you'll find yourself doing a lot of backwards engineering to figure out how they created those astonishing effects.
But before attempting any of the tricks in this or any other Photoshop book, I think it's important to ask yourself, For what purpose?. A great Photoshop artist should use his skills only when necessary, and always with discipline. Because it's just too easy and tempting to get carried away, and wind up making the kind of mess they made with this cover.

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21st-century technology now allows graphic designers to create incredible images and designs that would have been difficult, if not impossible, to execute in previous years. With the introduction and evolution of Photoshop, today's designer can bring a completely different perspective to any image. The Designer's Guide to Astounding Photoshop Effects illustrates how every designer can use Photoshop techniques to create astounding visual effects. This book is a comprehensive tool for designers using any version of Photoshop. An inspiring variety of visuals are included, showcasing how masters of Photoshop have utilised certain techniques for astounding results. Step-by-step techniques and tips also help the readers learn how to make better use of Photoshop. Each case study focuses on innovative thinking in the field of photo creation and manipulation. Designers will also gain insight into the historical background and evolution of the digital age.

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Pro CSS Techniques (Expert's Voice) Review

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(More customer reviews)Pro CSS Techniques by Jeff Croft, Dan Rubin, and Ian Lloyd is a very thorough book on practical CSS. Having just read Simon Collison's Beginning CSS Web Development I found this to be a great continuation of the learning process. This book picks up where Simon's book ended, and even briefly covers some of the same topics. This book is full of great information and author's each had a fun personality (and sense of humor) with their chapters.
The book jumps right in and walks you through specificity and the cascade and how this will help you keep your markup neat and tidy (without any superfluous markup). This topic can cause confusion for many beginning CSS and even those who are advanced. Having a strong understanding of the cascade and specificity will greatly help you write cleaner code and solve any debugging issues that may arise. This chapter was full of examples, charts, and interactive walkthroughs to help you understand the process.
The next few chapters were spent discussing the browsers, managing your CSS files, and many of the hacks used to fix problems. These were similar to some of what was seen in Beginning CSS Web Development - but they require special emphasis. I didn't feel that any of the authors ever advocated using hacks to solve problems. They challenged you as a developer to dig deeper and find workarounds that didn't require hacks. However, when it is necessary - they explain the process of using conditional comments versus mixing any hacks into their own sheet/section of your other files.
Chapter 7 was by far my favorite chapter of the entire book. I have read many other CSS books that show you advanced layouts and techniques, even full of the code and images, but don't fully prepare you for the frustration that may arise. This chapter walked you through creating different layouts. Absolute positioning, floats, liquid layouts, fixed with layouts, and elastic layouts were all discussed. The best part about the chapter is that the author walks you through your failures. In seeing these failures and being aware of them, it will ultimately help you avoid them in the future (or at least be prepared when something goes awry). Failure is a part of learning CSS, and the author comforts (and humors) the reader as he shows the failures, explains why/what failed, and how to fix and continue with the layout. In the end you are working towards a very simple, yet flexible, layout.
Another topic that is not often discussed is that of typography. This chapter was an exhaustive covering of typography and the web. It included information about upcoming typefaces available in vista, as well as some current typefaces that you might not know about. It also covered things like leading (line height), kerning (letter spacing), and how to make sure your liquid layouts (or high contrast layouts) don't ruin the legibility.
The last few chapters walk you through styling everyday elements like tables, forms, and lists. The last two chapters were focused on stylesheets for other media (print, screen, projection, etc). I found this chapter very interesting as we are moving toward supporting mobile devices. I think initially it would be easy to think you can serve up the `handheld' stylesheet and all is well - however we are finding that this is not true (Which is why I can't want for Cameron Moll's book on Mobile Web Design). With so many different devices and services out there, what will be the best way to target them? I used to think the handheld stylesheet would solve many problems - but I am re-thinking that as a solution.
Finally, the book wraps up with an exhaustive list of CSS References including: allowed values, element type, and initial/inherited values. Also covered is the CSS specificity chart and the browser grading chart. The appendix of this book makes a nice desk reference to help solve an issue.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. If you are still dipping your feet into CSS, then this book will help you understand the inner workings of CSS and help you avoid many frustrating hours of debugging. Yes, there were some advanced topics that weren't discussed that could have been (hasLayout), but overall the book covered everything exhaustively. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book.

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This is a very important advanced CSS book for any modern web developer to own. It is completely up-to-date, with information on browser support in all the latest browsers (including IE 7,) and CSS levels 1, 2, and 3. Whereas a lot of CSS books show CSS in a lighthearted fashion, this one gets serious, giving CSS the proper, professional treatment it deserves.It is a collection of proven, professional, modern CSS techniques that you can use every day to get the most out of the time you put into your projects, from start to finish. Each technique is dealt with in an informative tutorial style, with each point backed up by multiple real-world examples and case studies. The authors cover hacks and filters, code management, advanced layouts and styling, typography, and much more. It also includes several reference sections to allow developers to look up details quickly and easily.

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Architectural Sketching and Rendering: Techniques for Designers and Artists Review

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(More customer reviews)there is really nothing design related in this book, it's basically all architectural rendering techniques.

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Do you want to become more confident sketching buildings with a pencil or pen? How about refining your skill in rendering the projects you are designing? Whether you are a designer, an architect, an artist or a student interested in architecture, this volume, filled with a broad range of sketching and rendering techniques and styles, offers the complete intermediate level of instruction that you need. How to achieve effects with pencils and pens is covered in Part 1. The various types of media, including charcoal and ink brushes, are discussed in detail, as well as the different papers, boards, and accessories you'll need. A series of exercises shows you how to draw lines, shapes, textures, and tones and then combine them in renderings. A special sequence is included on how to do freehand perspective drawing. Techniques and examples of capturing buildings, interiors, and land- and cityscapes are thoroughly explored in Part 2. For instance, drawings of such highly respected architects as Henry Hobson Richardson, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, Raymond Hood, Julia Morgan, Eliel Saarinen, Mies van der Rohe, Robert Venturi, and Michael Graves are included in the section on buildings. Different types of furniture for the home are shown in the section on interiors, with a special emphasis on the traditional to meet today's renewed interest in historic styles. The array of interior spaces ranges from the S. Maria Maggiore in Rome to Paul Rudolph's Chapel for Tuskegee Institute. Drawing trees (from palms to pines), water, skies, clouds, snow are covered in the section on landscapes, and a special demonstration sequence shows you how to draw cityscapes from photographs. Three personal approaches are given an in-depth review in Part 3. Hugh Ferriss is known for the soaring skyscrapers he so dramatically rendered during the 20s when they were first being built. The process that the designer goes through in creating a finished project is shown in Norman Diekman's work, while the wit and whimsy of Paul Hogarth's caricatures show you how to make even tired wooden buildings sag with interest. Profusely illustrated with 325 illustrations, Architectural Sketching and Rendering is required reading if you want to learn how to create your own successful drawings.

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Couture Sewing Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)This is truly a wonderful book for those ready to step beyond "speed sewing" and rotary cutting to creating beautiful garments with exquisit finishing. I've been sewing for 40 years and never knew how different couture sewing techniques are from those the rest of us commonly use. As precisely used in this text the word "haute couture" only applies to those 20 or so designer houses in France who meet certain strict standards regulated by the government. Fascinating!
This is a book to read and study, lots of carefully detailed text and good photographs of haute couture designs and finishing techniques. Did you know there are at least five different hand basting stitches and even more permanent hand sewing stitches for garment construction? Did you know couture houses don't use paper patterns? That their seam allowances are usually at least one inch wide? That most of their basting is done from the RIGHT side of the garment? That most seam edges are finished by hand -- even into the curve clips? That most garments are constructed entirely by hand? That steaming, shrinking and molding garment sections by pressing are as important to the shaping process as the sewing? And I'm not just talking about pressing seams open here. Wow! And I thought I knew how to sew.
While other books may use "couture" in their titles this book means it. While I've said this isn't for the fainthearted anyone who sews clothing will find some new and accessible technique here. Grab it, keep it near your sewing machine and if you only add one new technique with each project your skill, pride and satisfaction in your work will grow immensely.

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Sewers who have ever longed to create clothing with the distinctive look of haute couture will love this book. They'll learn the finer points of hand sewing, shaping, and finishing for a high-end, professional look. This book is for all sewing enthusiasts who appreciate fine workmanship.

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Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers, 2nd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, I will be honest. I have the older edition. It's got some campy early 80's scenes in it, but I found it essential in understanding how color hits building materials. If you are an architect or architectural student, you will need this book so that you can put some life into your drawings. If you are just an amateur like me, you still need this book.
Learning how to draw using Doyle's techniques is useful for travel diaries, sketching, and so on. Since you are using color markers and pencils and blending the colors, you get a kind of richness and depth in drawings that don't come from just one medium alone. Also, the media (markers and pencils) are dry and won't spill in your backpack or attache when hauling it around places to do sketches and so on. (I took a mess of pencils and markers to Europe and it was easier to deal with than the trip I took after, where my watercolor paint froze on the travel diary!)
I'm gonna put the latest edition on my wish list and hope Santa is good to me this season :-)

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Stunningly updated, totally redesigned, practical, and ready to use This new edition of Michael Doyle's classic Color Drawing is the ultimate up-to-date resource for professionals and students who need to develop and communicate design ideas with clear, attractive, impressive color drawings. In an easy to use, step-by-step approach, this comprehensive guide presents a total system of color design drawing that encompasses approaches to sketch communication as well as more finished presentation drawing. Totally redesigned to provide quick, easy access to key information, this Second Edition covers the basics of color phenomena, media, techniques, and approaches to illustrating materials necessary to communicate design ideas. With nearly 400 new color illustrations, it contains a new section on color and design principles for creating more sophisticated presentation drawings and offers innovative ideas for the reproduction and distribution of finished drawings. Color Drawing features:* A complete body of illustrated instruction that demonstrates the development of design ideas from initial concept through presentation drawing* Finely honed explanations of each technique and process* Faster and easier ways to create design drawings* Methods for combining hand-drawn and computer-generated drawing techniquesThis remarkably versatile volume is both an illuminating textbook and a completely reliable self-teaching tool, as well as a handy quick reference. It is an excellent guide for students at any level and an unparalleled resource for design professionals.

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Making It: Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design Review

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(More customer reviews)This book just takes the complicated stuff out of understanding how things are made. It's a great quick reference not just because of the concise information in it but also the size of the book makes it easy to carry with you.
Highly recommended book for engineering/industrial design students, teachers and anyone interested in understanding what processes "things" go through before they end up in stores.

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There are many different ways in which a product can be manufactured, but most designers probably know only a handful of techniques in any detail. Using contemporary design as a vehicle to describe production processes, this book covers a broad range of almost 90 production methods with descriptive text, specially commissioned diagrams, product shots, and photographs of the manufacturing process. It will appeal not only to product designers involved in lighting, consumer electronics, packaging, domestic accessories and tableware, but also to interior designers, furniture and graphic designers who need access to a range of production methods, as well as to all students of design.

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Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm thrilled that I finally have a book that tells how to digitally as well as manually color architectural and landscape drawings. It gives tips on using a scanner to get drawings or photographs into a layer of Photoshop and then how to manipulate the layers including opacity and filters. The technics for using markers and colored pencils to achieve realistic wood, rocks,leaves, water, and chrome are outstanding. Includes great tips on paper colors, and what to include or leave out of a drawing to give it visual punch. The entire 414 pages are drawings and tips specifically dedicated to the needs of architects, landscape architects, and interior designers though any graphic person would find tremendous value in this book.

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The Third Edition of Michael Doyle's classic Color Drawing remains the ultimate up-to-date resource for professionals and students who need to develop and communicate design ideas with clear, attractive, impressive color drawings.Update with over 100 pages, this Third Edition contains an entirely new section focused on state-of-the-art digital techniques to greatly enhance the sophistication of presentation drawings, and offers new and innovative ideas for the reproduction and distribution of finished drawings. Color Drawing, Third Edition Features:* A complete body of illustrated instructions demonstrating drawing development from initial concept through final presentation* Finely honed explanations of each technique and process* Faster and easier ways to create design drawings* Over 100 new pages demonstrating methods for combining hand-drawn and computer-generated drawing techniquesStep-by-step, easy-to-follow images will lead you through digital techniques to quickly and easily enhance your presentation drawings.

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Sketching (5th printing): Drawing Techniques for Product Designers Review

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(More customer reviews)You can order this directly through the publisher!! (about 60 bucks)
I have been designing products for 15 years and have purchased quite a few reference books. This would be the bible of sketch-o-rama. LOTS of different techniques and excellent breakdowns of method. Worth every penny. Ir you are a product designer get one and saddle up the Cintiq for a ride!! Giddy Yup!! Hopefully Amazon will pick this up soon.


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Sketching is an incredibly broad and practical survey of sketching techniques for product designers. It goes without saying that the book is suited for the classroom, but every design studio will also find this manual an asset, because in spite of the ascendancy of the computer, hand-drawn sketches are still a very much used.

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The Environmental Imagination: Technics and Poetics of the Architectural Environment Review

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(More customer reviews)College-level readers of architecture or environmental design will find this a fine history which uses themes and a chronological arrangement from the 18th century to modern times to survey the history of environmental design. While The Environmental Imagination: Technics and Poetics of the Architectural Environment could have also been featured in our Arts section, it's reviewed here for its wider applications to any college-level holding strong on poetics and environment: essays consider qualitative dimensions of the environment and both old and new technologies of mechanical services, building design choices, and diversity.


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This title, from a well-regarded and established expert, explores the changing relationship between the poetic intentions and technical means of environmental design in architecture. Working thematically and chronologically from the eighteenth century to the present day, these essays reach beyond the narrow conventional view of the purely technical to encompass the poetics of architecture, redefining the historiography of environmental design.Through an assessment of the works of several leading figures throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Hawkes deftly shows the growth of environmental awareness and adds a consideration of the qualitative dimension of the environment to the existing, primarily technological, narratives. Essays on earlier buildings highlight the response of pioneering architects to the ‘new' technologies of mechanical services and their influence on the form of buildings, while the late twentieth-century designis explored in particular depth to illustrate individual strands of the environmental diversity of modern practice.

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The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are a LEGO builder like me, you have gotten pretty proficient at building what is called the System type of models. These are buildings and vehicles that are the scale of the minifigure and are the majority of the things that are built with LEGO elements.
However, there are other scales and other parts that are not the typical brick and plate. Once called Expert Models, these became the Technic theme, which are models that have working features, like working steering and gear systems. These are sets that are more complex, and as a result, are tough to explore building possibilities. With The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines, using Technic parts becomes a much easier exercise.
As the first book in the LEGO Technic Idea book trilogy,Simple Machines explains the parts and their uses in a clear, easy-to-understand format. There are no words used in the diagrams: all ideas are explained with graphics and colorful photos of example models. This makes it really easy and fun to pick up on building. The simplicity of the photos and diagrams also allows the builder to adapt the model to his creations.
For the beginning builder this is a great guide to learning how to make working models. For the experienced builder, this is a good reference on building techniques. This book would also be useful for FIRST LEGO teams, as it explains how to use gears, which is useful for MINDSTORMS robot builders.


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Each project uses color-coded pieces and is photographed from multiple angles, making it easy to see how the models are assembled without the need for step-by-step instructions. Every model illustrates a different principle, concept, or mechanism that will inspire your own original creations. You're encouraged to use these elements as building blocks to create your own masterpieces.

The Technic models in Simple Machines demonstrate basic configurations of gears, shafts, pulleys, turntables, connectors, and the like. You'll learn how to create small, elegant machines like cranes, operable doors, motorized cars, a rubber band-powered rocket launcher, a hand-cranked drag racer, and even musical instruments.

This visual guide, the first in the three-volume LEGO Technic Idea Book series, is the brainchild of master builder Yoshihito Isogawa of Tokyo, Japan. Each title is filled with photos of Isogawa's unique models, all of which are designed to fire the imaginations of LEGO builders young and old.

Imagine. Create. Invent. Now, what will you build?

NOTE: The LEGO Technic Idea Book series uses parts from various Technic sets. If you don't have some of the pieces shown in a particular model, experiment by substituting your own parts or visit the No Starch Press website (nostarch.com) for a list of the special parts used in the book.

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