Design!: A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftspeople [Hardcover]

Steven Aimone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 28, 2004

Effective design inspiration for everyone, from crafters and artists to Sunday museum-goers.

Professional artists, photographers, gardeners, and even chefs and hosts trying to set a pretty table will welcome this user-friendly, handsome exploration of design principles and processes. Through hundreds of photographs, plus an accessible text, even the most abstract design concepts, such as rhythm and balance, become easy to visualize and understand. Find out how to manipulate visual elements, work within the design space, create attractive symmetrical arrangements, establish a focal point, and much more. The sheer number and variety of images that illustrate each concept make it possible for even the most design-challenged beginner to visualize the principles and put them into practice. Examples of good design range from ceramics, jewelry, architecture, and painting to clothing design, hair styling, gardening, sushi, and vintage movie posters. Plenty of easy yet imaginative guided exercises allow you to experiment with each new principle on the spot. Every page offers delight, inspiration, and instruction.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (May 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579903495
• ISBN-13: 978-1579903497
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,396 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant reading, October 15, 2004

By 

Donny Truong (Poughkeepsie, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design!: A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftspeople (Hardcover)

True! Design is everywhere you look but if you don't understand what you are staring at then design is useless. Fortunately, Steven Aimone's Design! will open up your mind and guide you to see the purpose of design. What are descriptive, narrative, emotive, utilitarian, and decorative of designs? What are the elements of design (lines, shapes, textures, colors, etc.)? Why are a certain elements arranged they way they are? Why is design space important? If you're unclear about the answers to these questions, this book will help you straightened out.

As someone who gets involved with web design as a passion, I had no prior training on design. While my classes at La Salle were too busy shoving down Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, and other software programs, the fundamentals of design were not part of the curriculum. One of our art professors realized the important of the missing part and tried to cover it but the class was not as successful as it should be. The hands on assignments she gave us (the black squares exercises) were definitely on the right track but most of my classmates thought they were kindergarten because the theories were missing. If she had this book to accommodate her assignments, the class would have been a huge success; therefore, Design! should be a required textbook for any Art 101 or Introduction to Visual Design classes at colleges and universities.

Design! is not only an invaluable design inspiration but an enjoyable reading as well because of its easy to read approach and clear visual examples. I recommend this book enthusiastically to anyone who designs for a living or pleasure and to anyone who simply enjoys and appreciates the aesthetic qualities from the work of art.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for DESIGN!, May 12, 2004

By 

Renie Breskin Adams (DeKalb, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design!: A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftspeople (Hardcover)

What I noticed first in DESIGN! were the many beautiful color photos of art on virtually every page. As a fiber artist (with works in the book), I especially appreciate how comprehensive the book is in representing all arts and crafts media. The text is thorough, readable, and complete with design exercises. I recommend DESIGN! wholeheartedly to artists, teachers, and any readers who enjoy the visual arts.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a well-rounded design book, May 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Design!: A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftspeople (Hardcover)

This book was so inspiring. It got me thinking of how design plays a part in so many aspects of my life. Now when I set a table or plant additional flowers in my garden or paint an abstract painting, I have lots of helpful ideas about what would make these projects successful. I think this book is for everyone, not just artists or designers.