The Artist's Craft: A History of Tools, Techniques, and Materials

Book Description

Patterns and Poetry: No Robes from the Lucy Truman Aldrich Collection, Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, is a beautiful and informative publication on the RISD Museum's collection of costumes for the Japanese No theater. This collection, arguably the finest in the United States, was assembled largely on the spot in Japan during the 1920's by Rhode Islander Lucy Truman Aldrich, sister-in-law of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The 47 robes came to the Museum by gift and bequest from Miss Aldrich herself and represent all catagories of No costume. Four essays document the history of the collection, including Miss Aldrich's encounter with Chinese bandits; poetic allusion in the imagery of the robes; the traditional methods of making No robes; and the evolution of No costume over 650 years. Individual entries with color illustrations discuss each of the 47 objects.

Average customer rating:

Fashion Poetry and Design

Manufacturer: Distributed Art Pub Inc (Dap)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Italian Books | Italian | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 8871840046

Lace: The Poetry of Fashion : With Representative Values

Average customer rating:

Terrific Book, But with a Bizarre, Bizarre Flaw
An Absolutely Gorgeous Book

Lace: The Poetry of Fashion : With Representative Values
Bella Veksler
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Textile & Costume | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Lace & Tatting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0764305387

Book Description

The most ingenious and ephemeral of textiles, lace ispresented as the poetry of fashion. Here is a fascinating glimpse into this extraordinary art form and its role in our culture presented with over 225 pictures, including dramatic original photographs as well as historical illustrations, to portray various types of lace and lace garments from different periods. This is a delightful journey through the history of a celebrated ornament of fashion. An outstanding resource for fashion historians, designers, collectors, students, and aficionados, this unique study will be cherished by all who appreciate beautiful clothing and fabrics.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Book, But with a Bizarre, Bizarre Flaw.......2000-08-27

The good stuff first:

This book is wonderfully photographed, and has an absolutely superb array of antique and vintage garments that articulate better than words can the stunning, breathtaking, intricate inspiration of lace.

I'm not a lace expert, though I'm roughly familiar with types and terms. I was looking for a book to give me a solid foothold into the world of lace: How is each particular type made? What are the distinguising characteristics of each? How do I distinguish machine-made lace from handmade? I'm still looking for my dream book that addresses all I just mentioned, but this book is a good start.

It's a better reference book for those who have a bit more than a beginner's knowledge of lace (because of the lack of side-by-side comparisons; lack of illustrations right next to descriptions of types of lace). However, for beginners, it's still a really fantastic feast for the eyes, just the volume to get one excited about lace.

I already loved lace, but this enhance my appreciation more. Really, enough good things cannot be said about the photography. Truly excellent, with lots and lots and lots of color.

The bad stuff:

The author is in some way affiliated with the museum that supplied most of the antique and vintage garments and examples of lace (she is the curator, I believe). This was an absolute bonus to the book as there are truly some great examples of clothing shown.

However, somehow the power of the curator has swept aside the power of the editor (or publisher), and as a result this book is +filled+ with silly and absolutely non-useful photographs of the author's doll fashion handiwork (which involves, of course, lace).

By no means is this just a couple of pictures. Full color after full color, full page after full page (some even in double-page spreads) the reader is forced to endure what may not be in actuality, but what comes across a bit as the author's artistic vanity.

Small mannequins in the form of Barbie dolls litter and disrupt this book, clad in period-style apparel composed in whole or in part by vintage and modern laces. The sheers number of these doll photographs disrupt the focus of the book. They add nothing to one's knowledge of lace and add little to one's appreciation of lace (the dolls are small and are too minute to model the lace if the intent is to see the lace better by putting it on a doll). It's just a Barbie doll fashion show.

Now, there are many that might delight in this type of thing, in its own place (i.e., its own book: "Vintage Fashions as Modelled by Barbie"). I think even one or two of these photographs would not have detracted from this book. But there are +so many+ of these full-page Barbie photographs that I feel readers are cheated out of information that might have been in its place.

I didn't want this book because I had an interest in the author's doll fashion-crafting hobby, nor am I interested in her design skills as pertain to human-sized fashion (there are some of these photographs as well). This book was supposed to be about the history and pricing of lace, not some ego trip for the author. These dolls belong in another book (which probably would be a fantastic book on its own).

It's like getting squash when you ordered pasta. Some won't mind this inclusion, but a lot of folks will probably feel cheated.

Overall, I recommend this book, but every reader +deserves+ a heads up about this bizarre, misplaced doll parade.

An Absolutely Gorgeous Book.......2000-01-08

I first found this book at my local bookstore and just glanced at it. A few months later it was still there so I decided to take a longer look. I am not sure why it remained in the store so long! This book is full of pictures of antique laces and original antique garments. Most of the garments are from the collection of the museum the author works for but some are from private collections.

Each chapter covers a different type of lace. From Brussels Lace to Chantilly, you will find detailed historical remarks as well as pictures of antique fashions, historical catalog pages and fashion plates.

If your recreation specialty is fashions of the 1900s to the early 1930s, you will regret not even glancing at this book. It is full of fashion ideas and ways to use modern laces to recreate historical fashions. My only regret was they put historical garments on models who obviously weren't wearing period undergarments.

Book Description

Clothing and accessories in the middle ages functioned socially as status symbols, counted economically as portable wealth, and signified metaphorically the wearer's spiritual condition. Chaucer's costume descriptions suggest all of these connotations and more. This book presents the first sustained literary analysis of the meanings inherent in the costumes of Chaucer's secular pilgrims, illuminating the extent of their (non)conformity in their dress to fourteenth-century occupational, socio-political, and religious norms. The author discusses the significance of individual fabrics, dyes, accessories, garments, and assembled costumes, and explains technical details and specialist vocabularies for cloth-making, clothing, accessories and armor, drawing on a wealth of contemporary evidence including wills, household inventories, wardrobe accounts, manuscript illuminations and church decoration. LAURA F. HODGES has a doctorate from Rice University in medieval literature and an undergraduate degree in clothing and textiles from Auburn University; she has taught English literature for many years. As an independent scholar, she specialises in the semiotics of textiles and costume in literature.

Book Description

In the aftermath of dying and being resurrected, Xena travels to Egypt for some much needed R&R. But a run-in with slave traders and the rescue of a young girl in chains leaves little room for rest as Xena discovers the girl is Egyptian royalty and the center of a plot involving none other than Cleopatra - and Set, the Egyptian god of evil! Xena must stop the blood sacrifice that will bring the fearsome Set into this world, but she`ll have to cut her way through the Egyptian priesthood and the Roman Army to get the job done!

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Graphic Novel!.......2001-04-05

I just recently bought and read Xena:WP "Slave" Graphic novel and I was very pleased with it. The artwork was fantastic and the story was absolutely well done. It was interesting for them to involve Cleopatra in this paticular storyline. I think that the Xena books help fill the void when they show repeats of episodes on TV, you can read a totally all new Xena adventure in Novels and graphic novels. I highly recommend this Graphic Novel and the very First Graphic Novel "The Warrior Way Of Death" To any Die Hard Xena Fan.

Average customer rating:

A powerful and pointed collection

Especially for political science students in need of levity

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2003 (Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year)

Manufacturer: Pelican Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Political | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Practical Politics | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2004 (Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year)

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year, 2001 (Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year)

Best Editorial Cartoons Of The Year 2005 (Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year)

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2006 (Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year)

ASIN: 1589800907

Customer Reviews:

A powerful and pointed collection.......2003-07-17

Charles Brooks edits the 2003 edition of BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONS OF THE YEAR, a powerful and pointed collection which packs in political commentary and cartoon renditions of major events of 2002. Newspaper readers will find these satires hilarious.

Especially for political science students in need of levity.......2003-04-19

Best Editorial Cartoons Of The Year 2003 Edition is a superb collection of black-and-white political and social cartoons that aptly summarize the turning points of the year. Including numerous award-winning cartoons among its 420 selections, Best Editorial Cartoons Of The Year 2003 aptly captures the range of political turmoil, governmental indecisions, social ills, and sardonic looks at the near and far future. Highly recommended, especially for political science students in need of a little levity showcasing what are often keen political insights.

Book Description

Signs of Life explores the representation of doctors, nurses, patients, diseases and disabilities and their political implications. By considering how formal qualities of cinema - empirical observation, mise-en-scène, propaganda and education, melodrama, documentary, narrative construction - impact our understanding of medical procedures and the public image of medicine. Films discussed include Apocalypse Now, M.A.S.H., Schindler's List, The Fly, Philadelphia, Face/Off, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Thelma and Louise and The Tin Drum.

Book Description

Released in May 1966, Pet Sounds was the album that saw The Beach Boys graduate from perfectly crafted lightweight pop like "Surfin' USA" into a vehicle for the mature compositional genius of Brian Wilson. It also inspired The Beatles to make Sgt Pepper.

Kingsley Abbott draws on hours of new interviewers to tell the full story of the album; from its composition and recording, through to its long-term legacy, as the greatest album popular music has yet produced.

Brian Wilson tours the US in Fall 2001, performing Pet Sounds in its entirety with a full orchestra.

Customer Reviews:

This book was a joke.......2003-04-27

This book just isn't credible. You can't trust what it writes. It quotes from Brian Wilson's auto-biography which, with just a small amount of research, the author would have learned that book was ghost written, and Brian Wilson barely checked the book. This also frequently makes absurd statements. It also gets off track. Too many of this thin book's pages are wasted on Brian Wilson's life and growing up. There are plenty of books on that, it didn't buy this looking for a Brian Wilson Bio, or a history of the Beach Boys. I just wanted to learn more about the making of that album. Do I really need to know how Surfin' USA was made in order to understand this album???
I don't read a lot of books, and it really makes me mad that when I finely get around to reading something, it turns out to just be a bunch of [hooey].

Beach Boys Pet Sounds.......2003-03-04

Pet Sounds is a good read for people just discovering the Beach Boys. It talks about the albums' making and how it was marketed. The influence of how Pet Sounds was created and the influences it had on music. There is also an interview with Brian Wilson that talks about his 2002 tour and interviews his band members that give an insight to the man.

Nothing new here.......2002-09-29

While it's always a pleasure to read anything by someone who loves Brian Wilson, there's nothing here that we didn't already know that hasn't been said by better writers. Very pedestrian writing and padded out with lots of material that are easily found elsewhere - do we really need a listing of all tracks on the Pet Sounds Sessions box set? The whole book is badly in need of a good editor...doesn't do the wonder of Pet Sounds justice...

Poor writing - anyone with the info. could do it........2002-06-13

So unfortuante that this is poorly written, Pet Sounds may very well be the greatest album of all time. Even agreeing with the premise though doesn't stop me regretting paying for this. I love the album but haven't bothered finishing the book, finding myself too disappointed - after reading most of it - to go on.

Been Here, Read This.......2002-02-11

I was really so looking forward to this book about my favorite album of all time, "Pet Sounds." I was very disappointed when I received it and read it in less than an hour and a half. Everything here has been written before; there's not a lot new, other than some rather superficial interviews with Brian Wilson (not a lot new to say, as usual) and others. The meat of the book is taken from other sources, including the "Pet Sounds" boxed set booklets and the various Beach Boys/Brian Wilson bios. In fact, it even quotes Brian's autobiography, "Wouldn't It Be Nice," directly in a couple of places. Now, we all know how accurate that book is (Brian didn't write it, Eugene Landy had a big hand in it). There are also factual errors here and there and some rather uninspiring analysis. The only interesting part is the bit at the end about Brian's 2002 Pet Sounds tour, which at least has a few newish photos and a little bit of insight about Brian today from his band members. But you can find the same kind of thing on archived interviews of that period on the Internet. Save your pennies and save your dimes and buy the music instead. There's nothing new here, not even many photos (and they've all been printed elsewhere).

Customer Reviews:

Moderate supplement under the right conditions.......1998-03-10

This is a pretty good book for Storytellers to pick up. Not a lot for the player unfortunatly. The scenario in the back is pretty weak IMHO. Unless you are an ST wait for Descent into Darkness.

Book Description

Discover why being a "fast second" is often more financially rewarding than being at the cutting edge.

If you get there first, you'll lead the pack, right? Not necessarily! The skill-sets of most established companies, say strategy experts Constantinos Markides and Paul Geroski, are far better suited to scaling up newly created markets pioneered by others (in other words, being "fast seconds") than to creating these markets from scratch. In Fast Second, they explore the characteristics of new markets, describe the skills needed to create and compete in them, and show how these skills match up with different types of companies. Drawing on examples of successful fast-second firms such as Microsoft, Amazon, Canon, JVC, Heinz, and many others, they illustrate how to determine which new markets have the potential to be successful and how to move into them before the competition does, when to make a move into a new market, how to scale up a market, where to position a company in the market, and whether to be a colonizer or a consolidator.

Order your copy today!

Download Description

Why being a "fast second" is often more financially rewarding than being at the cutting edge
If you get there first, you'll lead the pack, right? Not necessarily! The skill-sets of most established companies, say strategy experts Constantinos Markides and Paul Geroski, are far better suited to scaling up newly created markets pioneered by others (in other words, being "fast seconds") than to creating these markets from scratch. In Fast Second, they explore the characteristics of new markets, describe the skills needed to create and compete in them, and show how these skills match up with different types of companies. Drawing on examples of successful fast-second firms such as Microsoft, Amazon, Canon, JVC, Heinz, and many others, they illustrate how to determine which new markets have the potential to be successful and how to move into them before the competition does, when to make a move into a new market, how to scale up a market, where to position a company in the market, and whether to be a colonizer or a consolidator.
Constantinos Markides (London, UK) is author of the bestselling strategy book All the Right Moves (23,000 copies sold) and Professor of Strategic and International Management at London Business School and Harvard Business School. Paul A. Geroski (London, UK) is Professor of Economics at London Business School whose specialties include competitive strategy and market structure.

Customer Reviews:

Easy read for someone who want to get into new markets.......2007-09-16

This book primarily focuses on the concept of Radical Innovation. As mentioned in the book, the questions that get answered are:
- should the companies create these radical markets or get them created
- when to enter radical new market
- how to scale it and how to position.

Chapter about where do radical innovations come from is quite interesting.

Another concept that I come to learn is the difference between Colonists and Consolidators.

The section "Further Reading" is a good chapter-by-chapter breakdown of various sources that the authors tapped into. Lot of good stuff in here.

It is one of the required readings for MBA capstone project at Babson College.

In short, recommend this book.

Analytical. Good academic support for the relevant strategy.......2007-07-04

The main theme of the book is:- "Established corporations should subcontract the creation of new, radical products to start up firms and concentrate their efforts on consolidating the markets because the skills, mindsets, and attitudes required for creating a radically new market not only differ from those needed to grow and consolidate the market but also conflict with one another." If you buy in the above, you will be satisfied with the tons of well written samples and analysis which can be helpful to support any relevant strategic proposals to the board in real life. However, I am obliged to warn passionate readers of the need to remain skeptical of the suggestions of the authors to put their strategy into real practice. No matter what, recommended as a good business read!

Fast Second Review.......2007-05-08

I believed this book was excellent. Anyone that is in the business industry should read this book especially finance career bound individuals. The author breaks down and analyzes what pioneers of certain products have done wrong to lose the market to a "fast second" company. Some reviews of this book claim the author has gone into way to much detail on his examples. In fact, the details will help you further understand the point. One chapter is devoted to what characteristics firms have that are the inventors of the product and what character tics firms have that dominant the market. Additionally, the author lists several companies that have the substantial market share of everyday products we use and you will be shocked to find out who the actual creator is. However, he claims that very rarely do companies become both the inventor and the dominant producer of the product. After reading the book I do believe it would be difficult to do both, but with research ahead of time, as many of the companies discussed in book have failed to do, companies can invent and become the dominant producer of the product.

Demythologizing Radical Innovation.......2006-08-29

In his previously published All the Right Moves (1999), Constantinos Markides asserts that "superior strategy is all about finding and exploiting a unique strategy in the company's business while at the same time searching for new strategic positions on a continuing basis." First he explains how to create and execute such a strategy and then locate its most favorable position; then he explains how to prepare for strategic innovation which will strengthen that position. In the final chapter, he concedes that "designing a successful strategy is a never-ending quest. Even the most successful companies must continually question the basis of their business and the assumptions underlying their 'formula for success.' (In fact, in one way or another, this is what most successful companies have done to get where they are.) New who/what/how positions are constantly popping up around the mass market, and established companies must be on the lookout for them. Like a modern-day Christopher Columbus, each company must set out to explore its industry's evolving terrain, searching for new and unexploited strategic positions."

In this his newest book, Markides and co-author Paul Geroski explain what a "fast second" strategy is and how to formulate it as well as how "smart companies" using that strategy have been able to bypass radical innovation to enter and dominate new markets. They identify and then examine four quite different types of innovation: Major, Radical, Incremental, and Strategic. "Our thesis is that it is impossible to offer proper advice on how to create or colonize new markets without first understanding where new markets come from, what they look like, and what it takes to succeed in them." They focus on demand and supply-side influences, arguing that, in the main, "most radical new technologies are pushed onto the market from the supply side." Therefore, radical innovations are by nature disruptive. For both customers and producers. Moreover, radical new markets are rarely created because of demand or customer needs. "Instead, they are created in a haphazard manner when a new technology gets pushed onto the market."

Others have their own reasons for why they admire this book so much. Here are two of mine. First, Markides and Geroski (in effect) call for a "Time Out!" on initiatives to create or respond to disruptive technologies, suggesting that less heat and more light are needed insofar as assumptions about such technologies are concerned. In this book, as noted, they identify four types of innovation and explain the significant differences between and among them. Each requires different strategies and tactics. This is especially important before decision-makers "set sail" in search of what Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne characterize as "blue oceans" (i.e. uncontested market space). Without really understanding the nature of the given technology and market, decision-makers will be victimized by what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton characterize as the Doing-Knowing Gap." This book will be invaluable to those who struggle to get appropriate align of strategy and market.

I also admire what Markides and Geroski share because their insights challenge another durable but questionable assertion: that larger, established organizations can become more "entrepreneurial" by developing cultures and structures of much smaller, start-up firms. This challenge will, I hope, require decision-makers to re-evaluate their own assumptions about pioneering, creating new products and/or services for new markets, the proper role of internal R&D, etc. With all due respect to Markides and Geroski's material, however, I think it would be a fool's errand to implement, without rigorous scrutiny, all of their opinions and recommendations.

It remains for each reader and her or his associates to formulate what Markides and Geroski refer to as a "dominant design," one which lays the groundwork for the rapid expansion of the given market and which not only shapes the nature of the near-term competition in that market but will be a significant influence on market competition thereafter.

Being 1st Guarantees Nothing!.......2006-04-03

Advanced Technology is not the only road to innovation. In fact, technology alone often leads to failure for a couple of reasons: 1) Even with a patent, your concept will be worked around - especially by those with deep pockets, and 2) Technology is highly overrated, it's much more important to serve genuine needs without all the bells and whistles that simply confuse consumers.

Fast Second shows time and time again that you don't need to be the first horse out of the gate to win the race. From a strategic viewpoint, being second gives you the distinct advantage of seeing what works and what doesn't - before committing scarce resources. Also, it's been said that The Second Mouse Gets the Cheese!

Markides and Geroski point out significant advantages for larger enterprises. For example, most big companies find it difficult to create radical innovations. However, large enterprises excel at scaling up markets.

Fast Second is segmented into eight compelling chapters that will definitely stimulate your creative mind:

1) Spotting the real innovators
2) Where do radical innovations come from?
3) From new technologies to new markets
4) Colonists and consolidators
5) From colonization to consolidation
6) Racing to be second: when to enter new markets
7) The changing basis of competition
8) Creating the markets of the twenty-first century

While not concisely set out in the test, you may want to consider acting as a fast second by looking at the competition for sources of inspiration. Observing what works and what doesn't in the marketplace sets up the opportunity for real-time strategic experiments.

"The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be only sustainable competitive advantage." - Arie de Geus

------------------
Michael Davis, Editor - Byvation

"Business Success through Innovation"

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books