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Go Hardcover – Illustrated, 16 April 2014 Hardcover – April 16, 2014

4.6 out of 5 stars 220 ratings

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up-In this general introduction, Kidd informs readers that virtually everything is a product of a designer's imagination, and that graphic design, or "visual communication," has been around for hundreds of years in one form or another. He includes some splendid historical examples as proof. Peppered throughout are numerous samples of the author's own and other talented artists' fascinating and quirky work. Kidd's folksy, conversational tone, in which he speaks directly to readers, is appealing. Readers will also appreciate the respect he shows for their individuality and inherent talent. Most welcome will be the 10 thought-provoking, fun projects that allow students the opportunity to use the lessons learned herein to communicate effectively through typography, color, visual imagery, and so on. This is a book not only for art classes, but also for courses in journalism, communications, media, and writing, for units on persuasive writing and advertising, and to demonstrate how strong visual images convey meaning and appeal.-Carol Goldman, Queens Library, NYα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Graphic design is everywhere we look—from the colors on a box of cereal to advertisements plastering the walls of buildings to the shapes of labels on toothpaste tubes and shampoo bottles. Illustrious graphic designer Kidd, who, among other things, created the iconic cover of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park (1990), introduces kids to design elements they likely take for granted. But Kidd dispenses with the boring technical jargon and instead presents a rich, colorful, and captivating overview of the things designers consider every day. He clearly and engagingly explains concepts such as form, color, typography, and scale, but he relies far more on delicious full-page visuals of book covers, advertisements, vintage posters, and photographs to illustrate his points. The chapter on typography in particular makes excellent use of images to demonstrate concepts. Apart from geeking out about design elements, however, Kidd’s primary goal is to encourage aspiring designers to pay attention to graphics they see every day in their favorite book covers, ads, and posters and to use this newfound knowledge to create their own designs. Captivating, eye-opening, and just plain cool. Grades 8-12. --Sarah Hunter

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Workman Publishing; Illustrated edition (April 16, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 076117219X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0761172192
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1100L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.9 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.75 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 220 ratings

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About the author

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Charles (Chip) Kidd (born September 12, 1964) is an American graphic designer, best known for his innovative book covers. Based in New York city, Kidd has become one of the most famous book cover designers to date.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Luigi Novi [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
220 global ratings
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2018
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Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
By Cambridgejo on August 5, 2019
I am a fine artist who bought this book on a whim. A long-ago neighbor of mine knew Chip, and was enthusiastic about his work, and somehow this lodged in my mind. Also, I read his novel “The Cheese Monkeys” about art school and thought it was wonderfully written and hilarious. So...deep in an internet rabbit hole, I landed on Amazon, saw this book and pressed BUY.

Now graphic designers and oil painters inhabit (at least in my mind) different worlds - Different materials, different intentions, different effects. Perhaps that’s what made this box so compelling to me. Every page is an illustrated example of a visual affect or design principle. Seeing chips amazing work and hearing about how it utilizes these ancient principles was invigorating and helpful to this perceptual painter. I recommend this to anyone interested in the visual arts or publishing. Thank you Chip!
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2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2014
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Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2013
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Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2014
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Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2019
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Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2018
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Top reviews from other countries

I Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2018
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HA
5.0 out of 5 stars Good looking intetesting book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2019
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Rhoda Baxter
5.0 out of 5 stars A visual and tactile treat
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2013
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Jane B
5.0 out of 5 stars Really super - even for a complete novice
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2014
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RK
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2018
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