Design Recent Picks

August 2008

The underlined titles will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.

HKDA Awards 07. Vol. 02! Design, no junk food, wrap up your fresh stuff now, Hong Kong Designers Association Awards 07.
"The Hong Kong Designers Association Awards 07 are widely acknowledged by designers around the world as one of the most important multi-disciplinary design awards in the Asia-Pacific region. This bi-annual awards show has become a benchmark for design professionals everywhere. On the occasion of the 35th Anniversary of the HKDA and the 21st HKDA Awards, 2,700 entries from across Asia were submitted in 4 main categories: Graphic, Product, New Media and Spatial. These were subsequently divided into 32 sub-categories that span commerce, culture, arts, society and politics. Some of this year's themes were as exhilarating as they were controversial." (Amazon reviews)

Design and the Elastic Mind, by Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Peter Hall, Ted Sargent, Paola Antonelli (Editor).
"Design and the Elastic Mind," an exhilarating new show at the Museum of Modern Art, makes the case that through the mechanism of design, scientific advances of the last decade have at least opened the way to unexpected visual pleasures... As revolutionary in its own way as MoMA's "Machine Art" exhibition of 1934, which introduced Modern design to a generation of Americans, the exhibition is packed with individual works of sublime beauty. Like that earlier show, it is shaped by an unwavering faith in the transformative powers of technology... "Design and the Elastic mind" is the most uplifting show MoMA's architecture and design department has presented since the museum reopened in 2004. Thanks to its imaginative breadth, we can begin to dream again." Nicolai Ouroussoff (New York Times)

The one show interactive. Volume 10, Advertising's best interactive and new media, One Club for Art & Copy Inc.,U.S.
"Great advertising and design can make the world stop and think. It can make people listen, and sometimes it can even change a person's life. "The One Show" celebrates all of the qualities that go into making a successful ad campaign or design. Considered by many to be the benchmark in advertising annuals, this year's edition features the very best work from around the world from the 2007 One Show and One Show Design contests. In these pages are more than 1600 four-colour images from the finalists and winning entries, insider perspectives from the Gold Pencil winners, a spotlight on the Client of the Year, the college competition winners, and a look into the judging process with a Judge's Choice section. Lavishly produced with four-colour throughout, this book is the must-have annual for creatives, clients, students and anyone interested in advertising and design. Categories covered include print, design, integrated branding, television and radio. (Amazon)

Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers, by Sacha Jenkins, David (Chino) Villorente.
"Before it hits the wall, graffiti is often painstakingly planned out in a sketchbook or piece book. Well-worn and dog-eared, these books are passed along from artist to artist as a way of sharing ideas and offering instruction. Here hundreds of drawings, most of them never before published, are reproduced on uncoated paper to resemble the pages of an authentic piecebook. Bold and beautiful works from graffiti history's most important sources or seeds: Zephyr, Dondi, Daze, CRASH, Lady Pink, T-Kid, CAP and Ghost, among others represent a dizzying array of techniques. The authors, former graffiti practitioners themselves, offer biographies of the artists and an introductory essay on why piecebooks have become such valuable historical records. Fans of graffiti will find this an irresistible inside look at how their favorite artists perfected their talents. (Amazon review)

The Big Book of Illustration Ideas 2, by Roger Walton.
"What if you need someone to draw salad on a plate with a glass of wine next to it? You could go through the above processes, and - after a while - you'd probably find someone to draw or paint it in the style you wanted. Or you could simply pick up The Big Book of Illustration Ideas 2 flip to the section marked "Food and Still Life," and find pages and pages of illustrators who can draw all kinds of food in all kinds of styles: pencil, crayon, watercolor, collage, and so on, and so on. It's a smorgasbord of illustration ideas. In fact, within these pages are the best illustrators from all over the world, found together in one place along with all their contact information. For ease of reference, illustrators' work is cataloged by theme: People; Portraits; Food and Still Life; Buildings; Landscapes; Abstract Concepts; Diagrams; and Miscellaneous." (Amazon review)

When Space Meets Art/When Art Meets Space: Spatial, Structural and Graphic Design for Event and Exhibition.
"Often overlooked, the importance of space design to the overall experience of an event or exhibition cannot be overstated. An environment must be created that takes into account all of the integral parts, which make up a good display. When Space Meets Art / When Art Meets Space showcases some of the best recent designs for museums, galleries, retail shops and other public venues. The first section will examine the role of structures and graphics to the success of a given event. The second part will focus on the customization and use of graphic displays and the use of decorations, backgrounds and promotional items to create a cohesive design. This book is a must for curators, gallerists, and event planners alike." (Amazon)

Pacific Pattern, by Susanne Kuchler, Graeme Ware, Glenn Jowitt (Photographer).
"Many of the most appealing and flamboyant designs of the human imagination have been expressed in the form of patterns. Nowhere is this more evident than in the South Pacific, which is home to some of the most innovative and inspirational patterns in fabric and fiber: an ever-changing story in which the islanders have reacted to the changes brought by contacts with Europe or by contemporary Western popular culture. It is the first book to reach beyond the ritual domain to encompass patterns in the everyday sphere, including the traditional patterns found in floor coverings, cooking containers, or storage baskets and the use of fiber art in architecture and interiors. 327 color illustrations." (Amazon)

Big Book of Fashion Illustration: A Sourcebook of Contemporary Illustration, by Martin Dawber.
"Featuring nearly 1,000 new and innovative images, it provides an unprecedented variety of approaches to the field. An international array of artists offer inspirational examples of every technique, from traditional watercolors, acrylics, and pencil drawings to cutting-edge designs using the latest technology from Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia FreeHand, and digital photography. The fabulous fashions include womenswear (including couture and bridal); menswear (from t-shirts to bespoke); children’s clothing (tots to teens); and the hottest youth styles. Plus, there’s stuff for sport and leisure, cool accessories, and beauty and glamour illustrations.
This eye-catching resource is a must-have for any designer - and for anyone who loves fashion." (Amazon Review)

21st Century House, by Jonathan Bell.
"Jonathan Bell's book, 21st Century House offers up a focus on the home as a symbol of change and innovation, packing in hundreds of color photos of house interiors to prove his point. These photos don't limit themselves to the U.S. either, but cover homes around the world, with architectural writer Jonathan Bell choosing homes which reflect the latest design trends whether urban or rural. Affordable houses are the focus, too: a refreshing perspective in a sea of architecture books featuring mansions." (Midwest book review- Amazon)

Hot Textiles: Inspiration and Techniques with Heat Tools, by Kim Thittichai.
"Textile artists will find this unique guide - which follows up on the bestselling Fusing Fabrics - a superbly practical and inspirational introduction to a truly “hot” topic! With detailed instructions, beautiful photography, and health and safety advice, it explains how such equipment as soldering irons, heat guns, and even household irons can add stunning levels of texture and variety to all types of fabrics. The range of techniques covered is amazing: hot and cold foiling, painted and plain Bondaweb (fusible webbing), bead making from synthetics, three-dimensional work, embossing powders, and so much more. There are even ideas for melting and distorting plastic bags and cellophane, and for using a combination of tools and fabrics to create various layers on a single piece." (Amazon)

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