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Eye Candy for a Creative Shot-in-the-Arm
Mark Batty has outdone himself this time!
Just in time for the summer reading season, Mark Batty is where to go for quick, relaxing, sparkling, exciting, thrilling design and graphics books that don't bog you down with deep text. Instead, these books are guaranteed to lift your spirits with a true creative shot-in-the-arm ... we call'em eye candy books, and you're gonna love'em...
The Amazing Pixel Popping Paparazzi
Yes, we used to teach the art of pixelsmithing back at the dawn of the GUI computer. I was thrilled to discover Batty's latest blockbuster. This book is an arresting, colorful global survey of an amazing new genre of art, "pixel art," one which is influencing the future of all design and art today. The pixel is the smallest-sized element that shows up on a computer screen. This book is true eye candy with over 70 designers and artists' works including icons, characters, games, illustration and animations. More than 2000 of their illustrations will blow you away -- making this book a must-have for any graphic designer or computer gaming artist. BONUS: the book comes with a CD packed with pixel "music" and movies -- easily worth the price of the book. For eye-popping, eye candy, get popping with the 1 x 1 Pixel Based Illustration & Design book!
The rebirth of Elvis and Jimi Hendrix...
Now, here's one that's a real treat -- it's not even about graphics, design or art. "Imposters," is a humorous photojournalistic documentation of out-of-work actors and vagrants who spend their days in public dressed up as Superman, Marilyn Monroe and many other Hollywood icons, revealing an odd underbelly of America's celebrity culture. Photographer James Knoblauch befriended these people and photographed them at home, in their costumes -- and now you can enjoy a fascinating peek at the Imposters
WORDS NOT WEAPONS
On a more serious note, this book is for the graphic designer with a conscience and a soul. The Beat Within is a decade-old, nationwide writing program for incarcerated youth. "Words not Weapons" is the organization's credo, inspiring these and images are more effective than violence. This book provides intimate perspectives on these young men and women and the system through which they must struggle, in some cases for the rest of their lives. While not necessarily eye candy, you can be absorbed in Illustrations from the Inside: The Beat Within
All in all, these six books are some of the most entertaining I've seen in a long time. Mark Batty got it going on -- and you get the benefits!
Thanks for reading!
DTG Magazine, and The Design Bookshelf
See similar titles in the Design department Keywords: Design and Publishing: graphic design, layout, aesthetics, arts
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