loan-form

I couldn't put this one down. Stalfort captures the crackling intrigue of Maryland commercial forms in a way that grabs you by the lapels and won't let go until this thrill ride is over. Show me where to sign!

This is not a book that will teach you much of anything. Not about design, or the elements of design, or how various design elements might be used either separately or in conjunction to evoke feelings or images.

The book is broken into sections, one for each design element such as color, texture, etc. The first page of each section is a very general description of that design element. This is then followed by 15 pages or so of full-page pictures highlighting that design element. Looking at 15 pages of colorful objects or highly textured objects may be mildly interesting but it isn't terribly informative or useful.

This book may be marginally adequate if you just want to flip through the pictures looking for inspiration. But the pictures are largely mediocre and too few to really exhaust the topics at hand so it isn't even terribly useful as inspiration. No matter what your needs or purpose you would do well to pass on this book and look for something better.

The Elements Of Design: Rediscovering Colors, Textures, Forms And Shapes is a joint-project by Amsterdam exhibitions curator Loan Oei and Antwerp based Decile De Kegel, a graduate in textile design and weaving expert. The heart of Elements Of Design lies not in words, for it contains precious few of those, but rather in the stunning, full-color, full-page photographs that fill it cover to cover. Each photograph presents a different, majestic juxtaposition of colors, shapes, patterns, and fascinating medleys in this inspirational book created specifically to motivate artists and designers everywhere. An amazing treat for the eyes and especially recommended for personal and professional fabric-based art and needlecraft reference collections, Elements Of Design is a beautiful and varied book sure to open one's eyes to brand new possibilities for artistic creation.

I can't image how a well know publisher like South-Western could mess up this badly. I have perfect 20/20 vision and have read countless textbooks in my life - that said, I can tell you that this is an exceptionally difficult book to keep focused on - literally! My eyes begin to strain and ache after 5 min. of reading, primarily because of the poorly chosen typestyle and typesize.

There may be valuable information in here - but I'm going to find it elsewhere.