Drawing : Meggs' History of Graphic Design

Meggs' History of Graphic Design

Now in its Fourth Edition, this unrivaled, seminal work continues its long tradition of providing balanced insight and thorough historical background. Under the new authorial leadership of Alston Purvis, this authoritative book offers more than 450 new images, along with expansive coverage of such topics as Italian, Russian, and Dutch design. It reveals a saga of creative innovators, breakthrough technologies, and important design innovations.

A significant attempt at a comprehensive history of graphic design...it will be an eye-opener not only for general readers, but for designers who have been unaware of their legacy. -- The New York Times

With this book, Meggs made it easier for designers to envision their work in terms of history. The final pages of each edition attempt to put young designers into historical context, perhaps before their influence can be accurately assessed. Although some may argue that it's an effort to control history rather than report it, this book makes for a lively debate. A History of Graphic Design, now in its third edition, stands as a monumental contribution to the field. -- Critique Magazine, Pamela Williams, Spring 1997

In my opinion, this 3rd Edition "A History of GD" is the best reference book written about graphic design. This 500 plus pages book/bible is simply divided into 5 sections, 1) The Prologue to Graphic Design, 2) A Graphic Rennaissance, 3) The Industrial Revolution, 4)The Modernist Era, and 5) The Age of Information. The topics range from the invention of writing to, creation of new typogrphic styles to, the digital revolution and computer art. There are plenty of graphics and photos on every page to accompany the wonderfully written text. If you study art history or graphic design, I think this would be a great reference book to have. It will take some time to read the entire book. But this is like a text book, so, reading only part of the chapters would be quite informative as well. Once you are done, you will definitely appreciate graphic design/graphic designers.

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Design and Decorative Arts : Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for

Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs)

The organization of letters on a blank sheet -- or screen -- is the most basic challenge facing anyone who practices design. What type of font to use? How big? How should those letters, words, and paragraphs be aligned, spaced, ordered, shaped, and otherwise manipulated? In this groundbreaking new primer, leading design educator and historian Ellen Lupton provides clear and concise guidance for anyone learning or brushing up on their typographic skills. Thinking with Type is divided into three sections: letter, text, and grid. Each section begins with an easy-to-grasp essay that reviews historical, technological, and theoretical concepts, and is then followed by a set of practical exercises that bring the material covered to life. Sections conclude with examples of work by leading practitioners that demonstrate creative possibilities (along with some classic no-no's to avoid).

Personally, this has probably been the most influental design book that I own. I felt like I was a better designer after having read half of it, without once touching my mac. i just knew that what I had absorbed was going to come out in my work, and it did. The book takes an overview look at design, and speaks in plain english about many things that I've heard or dealt with. But catagorizes stuff and explains things in a fluid manner so that the different bits of information come together and make sense. It is good for the novice and the struggling self taught. Full of great examples. It's too elementary for the serious designer. But for someone who did not go to Design School, but now works with design, its the perfect basic "education in a book".

This book and some of the other books from the Design Briefs series, have become an integral part of my working resource library. Ellen Lupton's book has been one that I have used over and over again. I often reference it when I am faced with a blank page that I am having a hard time laying out.

The section on typography, the largest section of the book, was a very interesting read. I enjoyed learning about the history of printing and typography. Beginning designers will appreciate the categorizing of typefaces. This leads into the discussion of electronic typesetting and the limitations and challenges that has created for designers.

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Saxon Math : Saxon Math 65: An Incremental Development

Saxon Math 65: An Incremental Development

This book is being used by my grandsons 6th grade, and I am helping him with his homework. I have three university degrees, including Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate in science, business, and economics. And I have taught at the university graduate and undergrate level for more than twenty years. I was astounded at the efficient and advanced technique used by the author, Stephen Hake, to gradually introduce most basic concepts of logic, arithmetic, alegebra, geometry,and other subjects to my 12 year old student in this book, in a practical manner with practical every day applications, so that he absorbed them as by osmosis, without actually knowing it. This will provide him with a solid foundation for the four years of mathematics he will receive in high school, and for his later studies at university level. Hake does this without muddying up the young students mind with such distracting technical terms as "algebra, geometry, solid geometry, trigonometry, logic,and other subjects," by introducing the basic concepts of each subject with practical problems that require the student to, unwittingly, apply them.

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