Editorial Review

Rather than a project-driven craft book, Read more

Reviews (10)

An excellent book of techniques
As a collage artist, I own many books on collage techniques. This one is especially nice because is presents many established artists and their techniques vs. one artist showing all his or her own work. The materials lists and photos of a work-in-progress are also excellent. This is not a craft book, but for those serious about art making.

Collage /Mixed Media book for arists
This gave a great range of techniques and effects for both collage and mixed media. Oddly enough this is the best sourse of mixed media approaches that I have yet seen in any book currently in print. The techniques are clearly and comprehensively explained and the illustrations are perfect. I highly recommend it!

This one was juuuust right..
Being new to the area of collage, I have been searching out interesting and inpirational books from which to 'get the motor reving' so-to-speak.I've felt like Goldilocks in the Bear's house looking at some of the available materials."This one is too short, this one is too weird, this one is too singular, this one has no background or wisdom to offer..."But, ah! this one, Collage Techniques, is just right.I found the educational and historical perspectives to be useful and interesting to read, as well as the lessons and explainations.The author uses many good examples that come from a variety of sources, so it is possible to look through and say, "Yes, that's the skill or portrayal that I'm looking for."Collage Techniques doesn't get dry or repetative, nor does it foist a single technique upon the reader.It is an older book, but in-my-opinion, a more comprehensive one than many of the newer collage books.I recommend it very highly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Assemblage Art    4. Clip Art    5. Collage    6. Graphic Arts - General    7. Reference    8. Techniques - General    9. Art techniques & materials   

Reviews (5)

Lots of Dragons
Many kinds of lovely line drawing dragons. These are b/w line drawings, no colour, despite the cover. Still, very much worth the $$.

Great patterns
These dont have color but I bought them for the patterns..to use parts of this one and parts of that one on tracing paper to comeup with my own dragons..the pictures are very good quality..and for any dragon lover or artist.Its well worth adding to the library...B.W.

The title says it all
This book is what is says, nothing more, nothing less. It is a good thing that there are some samples in colour, in case your inspiration is not at its best. The degree of simplicity is variable, so you can choose the design according to your skills in the technique you plan to use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Decoration and ornament    5. Design - Decorative    6. Design - General    7. Dragons in art    8. Themes, motives    9. Art / Clip Art    10. Graphic design    11. Illustration & commercial art    12. Renaissance art   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Asian    4. Clip Art    5. Design - General    6. ASIA    7. Art / Design / General    8. Decorative arts & crafts    9. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design   

Reviews (4)

Great book with beautiful illustrations!!
I was looking for a great illustrated coffee table book and I found it right here! All the pictures are black-and-white and beautiful!

Look for the edition published by Prestel as well!
Anyone who 'knows' Dover books, will probably agree that they offer good quality for very reasonable prices. There is nothing 'wrong' with this book, except that all the plates are in black and white, and there is no information on Haeckel and his times. Prestel has also published this book of plates, with a highly informative article on Haeckel, his influences, and those influenced by him included, AND with many of the plates 'in color' (that is, often one color in different -subtle - hues, or a color scheme based on two colors). Unless you are a strictly 'black and white' person, I would advise you to look for the Prestel book.

I Love This Book
I purchased this book as a reference book for my personal library and found that my children also love it.The illustrations are stunning and helpful on both an artistic and scientific level.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Botany    3. Clip Art    4. Commercial - Illustration - Science    5. Life Sciences - Biology - General    6. Morphology    7. Nature (Aesthetics)    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Pictorial works    10. Zoology    11. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design    12. Science / Biology   

Reviews (9)

1,419 Copyright-Free Illustrations of Mammals, Birds, Fish, Insects, etc.
This book is great!I teach Middle School Art, and my students use this book as a reference for drawings, paintings and sculptures.

Terrific Book!
I purchased this book after I saw a copy that my Art Teacher showed me.I knew I had to have one of my own.I was not disapointed!This book is fountain of inspiration.It is so well done and facinating that it will keep children (or adults) quiet for hours.The printing is exemplary and the variety endless.I highly recommend it.

A veritable clip-art zoo!
Wow, 279 pages of wild, wooly and unusual animal species from Victorian times. Great for art projects, scrapbooking and collages. Very well defined black and white illustrations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Animals in art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Clip Art    5. General    6. Graphic Arts - Use of Ornament    7. Pictorial works    8. Reference    9. Wood-engraving    10. Zoology    11. Nature / General    12. Prints & printmaking   

Reviews (6)

Historical and not useful
If you are a craftperson, do not buy this book, though pictoral, it is more historical and you need a magnifying glass to see some of the stencils.

Great Resource for Designers
This book is chock full of great Victorian design. It has cartouches (ornamental borders), patterns, single filligree elements, and the best part is that they are all royalty free. You will need to scan the elements and clean them up a bit, but this book is a fantastic resource for the "flourish" trend that is going on in graphic design right now.
Useful for engraving
I use these stencils as layouts for gun engraving. While many designs are too small and lack enough detail to be able to reproduce (about 30%) most are of good quality and detail. It's a great value for the price and I strongly recommend it as an indispensible aid for all engravers, wood carvers, and stencil makers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Catalogs    4. Clip Art    5. Design - General    6. Graphic Arts - General    7. Stencil work    8. Stenciling    9. Art / Clip Art    10. Decorative arts & crafts    11. Handicrafts    12. Planographic processes (eg lithography, screen printing, stencilling)   

Reviews (5)

Great reference
This book is chock full of illustrations! It has gates, doors, door arches, stair railings, and fence sections. It runs the gamut from simple to very intricate designs. If you are a designer, this is a great resource. If you just appreciate design, you will enjoy browsing through it.

Very interesting reference
I enjoyed this very much.I wish there could have been more photographs, but that would have been a different book.This is almost exclusively line drawings. Beautiful Work
I have a different use for this book than perhaps the typical buyer. I bought it because I love adapting these iron designs into borders or patterns for my pen and ink drawings and paintings. Each page was such a delight when I discovered this book I bought it immediately. You need not use it as a home furnishings book. It works just as well as an inspiring art book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural ironwork    2. Architecture    3. Art    4. Clip Art    5. Decoration & Ornament    6. Design - Decorative    7. Metal Arts And Crafts    8. Metal Work    9. Art / Clip Art    10. Art techniques & materials    11. Base metal & ironworking   

Reviews (4)

pleasent viewing
Koch was a type setter with qualifications in Theology. Heavily Illustrated
This is a well illustrated book on symbols. I would not call it an essential book for research purposes but it is a nice addition to the library. Some of the symbology is redundant (the furca is illustrated at least 3 times within the book) and I don't find all the explanations agreeable with other resources.

A Graphic Historical Reference Book
Rudolph Kock, graphic designer, typesetter and bookbinder put together these some 400+ signs along with a good historical capsule along each symbol. I found it to be useful when looking up a symbol and to understand some aspect of the sign, although not entirely in full, but a brief understanding of its roots. While not every sign of occultism is assimulated in this book, there is still plenty for one to be satisfied with. Most of the signs are from Early Christian traditions and those that have stemmed from that religion. Orginally these designs were woodcuts by Frik Kredel, Offenbach and Main. The font used to print in the book was created by Koch himself known as magere deutsche type. Originally published in 1930, this Dover edition is worth every penny, for the artist and the occultist. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Graphic Arts - Use of Ornament    5. Signs and symbols    6. Art / Clip Art    7. Graphic design    8. History of art: BCE to c 500 CE, ancient & classical world   

Reviews (2)

Check contents, not just title!
This is a terrific clip art book however, Dover has sold this exact same book under the title, "Printer's Ornaments and Dingbats." So if you already own that book, safe yourself the money and don't buy this duplicate under a different title. What a bummer!!!

An excellent design reference book
A wonderful and wide range of designs great for motifs and decorative design development.Don't miss it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. CD-DVD Technology    3. Clip Art    4. Computer Books And Software    5. Computers    6. Antiques & collectables: ceramics & glass    7. Art / Clip Art    8. Ceramics   

Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Card Games - General    5. Clip Art    6. Games    7. Games/Puzzles    8. Graphic Design    9. Art / Clip Art   

Reviews (4)

A Definite Collage Library Addition
As a collage artist, I found this book to be great for a beginner or a expert.The photos and precise instructions are excellent.The creative inspiration is remarkable.This a very nice "starter" the curious and a great reference for the practicing artist. This book really runs the gamut: paper collage, mixed-media w/found objects, fabric collage and digital. It's a an all-around sampler for someone trying to use collage as a creative outlet but not yet settled on the "how" of it.Check out Claudine Hellmuth as well.Enjoy . . . I sure did.

A --muse zing book
this book got my muse back where it belongs, in my heart. not only are the techniques shared simple yet sophisticated, the examples bring out the "experimenter" in you and you can't help but want to grab your glue, brushes and colors and play again.

Fantastic guide to all kinds of collage, inspirational
This is a fantastic book on creating a wide variety of great collage projects. It covers numerous collage techniques including using paper, mixed-media, fabric, decoupage, photomontage, computer art, found and three-dimensional objects. The beautiful galleries after each collage type are sure to inspire you. Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Assemblage Art    3. Clip Art    4. Collage    5. Crafts / Hobbies    6. Papercrafts    7. Reference   

Reviews (4)

great tattoo resource
if your fed up of looking at the same old rubbish for your tattoo have a look in here folks!!! its full of great designs for you to get on yourself.... the mexicans tattooed themselve anyway.. eerr i think .. well watever have a look its top stuff.

Interesting Designs
Good reference book. Full of designs that can be reproduced. If one is trying to teach a unit on Aztec designs this is the perfect book to get. Students can reproduce the designs and have fun. If the purpose is to create graphics, there are several great designs to choose from.

Valuable resource book
This book is a bargain and especially useful for artists working in various mediums that want to include the ancient designs of Mexico. All of the motiffs are authentic and come from extensive research with such collaborators as Mexico's National Museumand it's diretors and associated profesors. Numerous individual contributors, such as artists like Diego Rivera and Miguel Covarrubias have contributed their own personal collections for reproduction. The author, Jorge Enciso, first published this book in 1947 and it has been out of print for quite awhile, that is until Dover Press came out with a paperback edition. The designs are all magnificent reproductions of stamps used in various parts of ancient Mexico. Many of the designs you've probably seen before in artwork where a Mexican motiff is used but there are countless others that are unique and rarely seen. Intricate, geometric designs abound as well as drawings that feature the natural world and the use of animal figures both real and imagined. The decorative patterns are eloborate manifestations of the cultures of pre-Columbian Oaxaca, Veracruz, Azcapotzalco, Yucatan, Puebla and Teotihuacan amongst others. Many of these designs are still used in the arts and crafts that are produced in these areas.There are more designs than any one artist could ever use. These designs are useful as well as springboards for other ideas inspired by the ancient designs. Dover Press has given permission to use up to ten designs for any project without permission so any artist can use them without copyright infringement. A very handy book for people interested in preserving the artistic traditions of Mexico. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Clip Art    5. Design - General    6. Folk & Outsider Art    7. Indian art    8. Indians of Mexico    9. Mexico    10. Native American    11. Seals (Numismatics)    12. History / Native American    13. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Reviews (8)

It isn't a stencil book
Actually this book is not a stencil book but it's very inspiring if you're intrested in Indian motifs.I used some of the designs in my authentic graphics.

Pretty clip art, but no stencils
I got thrown off by the use of the word stencil in the book title. This isn't a book of stencils, it's a book of clip art. :(

Disappointing
Personally I was not impressed with this book. I expected for 250 designs the author would have included a greater variety of indian, turkish, african, egyptian and other mehndi designs.The designs mainly resemble each other although there are a few pretty ones in between. Also for the novice the book does not offer any information on the history of a design pattern, or identifies them and gives no clue to the significance or meaning of any of the designs.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Decorative arts    5. Design - General    6. Graphic Arts - General    7. India    8. Popular Culture - General    9. Stencil work    10. Themes, motives    11. Art / Clip Art    12. Decorative arts & crafts    13. Illustration & commercial art   

Reviews (3)

EXTEMELY VALUABLE AND USEFUL SOURCE BOOK
I purchased this one some time ago and do not have one regret.I have it in almost constant use.The graphics are wonderful, easy to use and well identified as to tribal origins.I use this publications and it's designs primarily for my gourd art, i.e. carving and burning and drawing.The designs are printed on one side and I have found that by making a copy of the page I can then enlarge or reduce the designed I need.There are approximately 391 different designs here and I have check several of them out and not found one that was not authentic.The designs cover quite a bit of area, from the Pacific Northwest and Artic to Estern Woodland to the Great Pland and Rockies to the Southwest and Mexico.Each design is quite crisp and quite accurate.Cannot recommend this one highly enough.

North American Indian Motifs
I have just started to do gourd pyrography and wanted a source of authentic Indian designs to use as paterns.This book contains 391 designs which are outstanding.Most designs also includes the name of the Indian nation which used and/or originated the design.The designs are also "permission-free" which means I don't have to worry about copyright violations if I sell my gourds.An excellent book.

Absolutely fantastic!
This book is chocked full of Native American motifs and designs from many nations!Each graphic is titled by tribe, even branches of Tribes (eg: Dakota Sioux) and the book is broken down into sections of geographic areas, eg: Pacific Northwest, Great Plains, Southwest, etc.Very well put together, this was an excellent resource and the best N.A. Tribal design book I've found! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Design - Decorative    5. Native American    6. History / Native American    7. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Reviews (5)

Same content as Ready-to-Use Calligraphic Ornaments By Takahashi (Dover)
Buyers shoud be aware that this book has the same content as an earlier Dover book,Ready-to-Use Calligraphic Ornaments by Kiyoshi Takahashi.This is better becuase it comes with a CD, but it is the same collection of images.
No Vector But Great When Converted
I must say I am glad that I read the other reviews so that I was prepared when I purchased this item. It is a bit misleading that the CD contains files in EPS format because they act just like a placed image in Illustrator. HOWEVER, with a program like Adobe Streamline, the images are absolutely GORGEOUS. I highly recommend this item along with Streamline. In the end, the quality workmanship of a Dover book is found in this product.

No Vector...
When i first saw this book, i was very excited because it said that i had .eps files, which to me, mean vector, easy to use etc.These files are all raster, thus if you are seeking full vector, you might need to order a copy of Adobe Streamline and covert these.Big disappointment.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Techniques - Calligraphy    5. Art / Clip Art    6. Lettering & calligraphy   

Reviews (1)

Interesting starting point for floral graphics
The graphics are crisp and very reproduceable.The majority of the flowers are a little dated, but easily altered. There is a wide variety of different motiffs from traditional colonial to Indian in orientation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Decoration and ornament    5. Design - Decorative    6. Design - General    7. Flowers in art    8. Graphic Arts - Use of Ornament    9. Leaves in art    10. Plant forms    11. Art / Clip Art    12. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design    13. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Europe - Ireland    5. History / Ireland    6. Illustration & commercial art   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Clip Art    4. Graphic Arts - General    5. Art / Graphic Arts    6. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design   

Reviews (1)

Fills all your butterfly clipart needs!
Victorian clipart: I liked this volume better than the bird illustrations CD-ROM.The butterflies resemble 'scientific' artwork of the period.The illustrations look great on envelopes, letters, CD jewelbox labels, youfind a use.The color pics seem to print faster than Dover's B&W ones,too. As with the other Dover CD-ROMS, you can pull the images off the diskwithout installing them on your HD. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Clip Art    3. Design - General    4. Software - Art & Architecture - CDROM / Universal    5. Art / Clip Art    6. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    7. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design   

Reviews (5)

A Wonderful Collection of Symbols
Dover Publications scores yet again!This book hits a home run with bases loaded for many reasons. A thorough collection of symbols, signs, and signets...
This book has over 200 pages of various symbols, ranging from simple drawings to intricate designs. They are arranged in historical order, begin with various gods and end with hobo signs. Each chapter is preceded with a list of references (the signs are identified by number) and the symbols included are grouped like so: No one-day checkout for me!
The books in the Dover Pictorial Archive series offer aninsurmountable number of clean black-and-white plates, usuallyfollowed by a caption detailing the original materials where the plates originated. Unfortunately, Symbols, Signs, and Signets doesn't have captions at the bottom of the page, instead making do with an page-by-page index at the beginning of each section.Otherwise, this volume includes symbols from quite literary all over - astrology, alchemy, religion, signatures, cattle marks, and many others.The book is excellent for hatching new interests, probably because most of the intriguing images have uninspired captions. A worthwhile purchase, if you are interested in this sort of thing. Quite cheap, too.END ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Clip Art    3. General    4. Graphic Arts - Use of Ornament    5. Photography    6. Signs and symbols    7. Art / Clip Art    8. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design