Retro Designs of Japan Ready-to-Use Lines, Frames and Background Patterns

Alwyn Crawshaw

Alwyn Crawshaw's Ultimate Painting Course: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Painting in Watercolour, Oil and Acrylic

In Alwyn Crawshaw's Ultimate Painting Course, the artist encapsulates 50 years' of painting and teaching in one volume. He begins with the basics: brushes, paints, and surfaces; choosing a medium; and the fundamentals of simple perspective, color-mixing, composition, and tonal values. He then starts you off with simple three-color exercises, which are followed by a number of helpful half-hour exercises. He also shows you how to work from photos and sketches and includes a section on painting outdoors. Finally, there are more than 20 step-by-step demonstrations - in watercolor, acrylics, and oils - that feature landscapes, seascapes, and human figures. An outstanding guide for aspiring artists.

Richard Cawthray, Edward Denison

The Big Book of Packaging Prototypes: Templates for Innovative Cartons, Packages, and Boxes [With CDROM]

"The Big Book of Packaging Prototypes" is both a source of inspiration and an invaluable reference tool. It provides a visual catalyst for the creation of exciting packaging designs. The diverse range of carton templates, which are also included on the accompanying CD, demonstrates the huge variety of packaging possibilities, and the beautifully photographed finished models inspire the imagination. Product suitability and distinguishing characteristics are included for each design, and a system of icons provides easy access to information on every aspect of the designs, from their ecological implications through to their material suitability. Authoritative essays detail the principles of packaging, along with the issues and challenges faced by contemporary packaging designers. A handy guide covers all the major types of closure, and a quick reference list summarizes common packaging materials and their typical uses.

Didier Ludot

Little Black Dress: Vintage Treasure

An essential piece of clothing in a woman's closet, the little black dress has maintained its popularity thought all trends because it is always the "right" thing to wear. It is a timeless classic and all great designers have created their own variation. Didier Ludot owns the most famous vintage clothing store in Paris, the fashion capital of the world. The store, La Petit Robe Noire, is housed in the prestigious Palais Royal, just steps away from the Louvre. Ludot has meticulously built and maintained a collection of black dresses, which features designs by Chanel, Balmain, Balenciaga, and Gaultier, among others. Photographs of these dresses are juxtaposed with archive photos of Romy Schneider, Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau, Sofia Loren, Edith Piaf, Paloma Picasso, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor - all in their black dress finest. Ludot's collection is a delightful tour of the black dress from yesterday to today.