RIT Libraries Recent Acquisitions - Art

Selling Art 101 : the Art of Creative Selling / Robert Dvorak

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Added: Monday, Oct 13 2008

Garry Trudeau : Doonesbury and the Aesthetics of Satire / Kerry D. Soper

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: Since 1968, Garry Trudeau (b. 1948) has brought his brand of political satire to bear on public figures, movie stars, heads of state, and even on himself. Trudeau has also advocated for artists' rights and challenged industry norms while keeping a decidedly low profile. In Garry Trudeau: Doonesbury and the Aesthetics of Satire, Kerry D. Soper traces the contribution of this groundbreaking artist. Trudeau is arguably the premier American political and social satirist of the last forty years. Amazingly, he achieved this on the comics page, rather than the editorial page. By defying convention, Trudeau has established a hybrid form of popular satire that capitalizes on the narrative continuity and broad reach of the comic strip form, while operating according to the rules of combative political commentary. Garry Trudeau is divided into chapters that offer a history of Doonesbury; an analysis of Trudeau's effective satiric methods; a discussion of the methods whereby he challenged the business practices of the comic strip industry; an examination of the aesthetics of Doonesbury; and a consideration of Trudeau's significance as a social chronicler through an analysis of his character construction, narrative practices, and documentation of the American zeitgeist. Garry Trudeau is a thorough assessment of one of America's most popular and controversial cartoonists. Kerry D. Soper is director of the American studies program and associate professor of humanities, classics, and comparative literature at Brigham Young University. His work has appeared in the Journal of American Studies, International Journal of Comic Art, INKS: Cartoon and Comic Art Studies, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and other periodicals.

Added: Monday, Oct 13 2008

A Mythic Obsession : the World of Dr. Evermor / Tom Kupsh

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: In addition to hundreds of whimsical welded sculptures, Tom Every poured most of his effort into the Forevertron, the world's largest sculpture built by a single person, and in the process, he discovered his alter ego: Dr. Evermor. With the full participation of Tom and Eleanor Every, Every's amazing life is keenly documented, including never published family photos, sketches, and personal memories, producing a detailed portrait of a unique self-taught artist. From a very early age, Every collected, modified, and resold cast-off industrial material. His work as a salvager led him to Alex Jordan Jr., creator of the House on the Rock. When the time is right (and only Dr. Evermor will know when) the famous, enigmatic scientist will climb the winding staircase of the Forevertron and enter its egg-shaped travel chamber, power up the dynamos and flip on the thrusters, and fly away on a "highball to heaven," propelled by an electromagnetic lighting force beam. Or so the story goes. Anyone who has spent time at the elaborate visionary environment created by Tom Every has heard some variation of the Evermor myth. Lesser known is the story behind the story, the fascinating history of this one-of-a-kind creative spirit.

Added: Monday, Oct 13 2008

Detail in Typography : Letters, Letterspacing, Words, Wordspacing, Lines, Linespacing, Columns / Jost Hochuli ; [translated By Charles Whitehouse]

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: How is it that text can be set perfectly and yet look insufferably dull? How do you achieve perfect congruence between the type itself and its meaning? In Detail in Typography Jost Hochuli, master book designer and author of the seminal Designing Books, addresses the finer points of setting text. Hochuli begins with a consideration of how human beings read, moving on incrementally to considerations of letter, word, and line as well as word-space and line-space. Hochuli concludes by examining whole paragraphs and how they carry meaning. Produced in Switzerland to the highest standards, Detail in Typography embodies critical thinking and articulate design in its own physical form.

Added: Friday, Oct 10 2008

Discovering Chinese Painting : Dialogues with Art Historians / Jason C. Kuo, in Conversation with Julia Andrews ... [et Al.]

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Added: Friday, Oct 10 2008

The Difference Between Their and There / [Kelly Jacobson]

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Added: Thursday, Oct 9 2008

Over & Over : a Catalog of Hand-drawn Patterns / Michael Perry

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: Pattern can be derived from many sources, if we remember to look closely. While patterns have been around forever, there's a recent movement, a tendency among designers, to allow patterns to animate their work with colorful and exuberant complexity. "Over and Over: A Catalog of Hand-Drawn Patterns" collects groundbreaking work from fifty of today's most talented designers who create patterns by hand and use them in their work in inventive and innovative ways. From Deanne Chenk's patterns that adorn current fashion to those of Robin Cameron that explore her interest in art to Garret Morin's patterns that arose from an exercise for a character called Eloie, the examples in this book are pushing the boundaries of the traditional concept of what a pattern is. The selected works are often not an end result but the beginning of something else, of something bigger and broader. While the computer is sometimes involved in the production of patterns, the hand-drawn element is always evident in the uniqueness of these works. Featuring more than 250 vibrant and exciting patterns, "Over and Over" explores this magic on every single page and will inspire designers everywhere. "Drawing a pattern is not the easiest way of doing it, but, when the time is spent, something magical happens." — Michael Perry

Added: Wednesday, Oct 8 2008

Encounters in the Virtual Feminist Museum : Time, Space and the Archive / Griselda Pollock

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: In an innovative and experimental format, Griselda Pollock provides another new impetus in ways of thinking and writing about the visual arts. Neither cybernetic nor etherised, Encounters in the Virtual Feminist Museum is a poetic laboratory breaking the museum's rigid rules to create encounters with and between images by and about women as they engaged with and were defined by modernity. Tracking the complex relays between femininity, modernity and representation by means of a sequence of virtual exhibitions, this book reframes art in the twentieth century 'with women in mind.' Initially exploring how modernist women engaged creatively with the legacies of western art's prime representation of femininity — the nude female body — the book also contemplates the traumatic rupture scorched into the culture of the West by the Holocaust. What can be the function of art after the atrocity inflicted on bodies by Nazi terror and mass murder? What can feministtheory and aesthetic practice contribute to the debates about art after Auschwitz? In our era of Liquid Modernity with its dizzyingly accelerating pace of change, how can art making working with media such as painting and drawing call upon us to take time, and reclaim the meaning of time — times of making, times of viewing, times of thinking?Calling upon both the Freudian museum and Aby Warburg's Memory Atlas as resources for feminist cultural analysis, this book is another major contribution to contemporary art history and cultural studies.

Added: Wednesday, Oct 8 2008

The Age of Sinan : Architectural Culture in the Ottoman Empire / Gulru Necipo?lu ; Architectural Drawings and Photographs of Sinan's Works By Arben N. Arapi and Reha Gunay

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: During his tenure as Chief Royal Architect (1539-1588) in the "Golden Age" of the Ottoman Empire, Sinan designed hundreds of structures that helped create the renowned urban image of Istanbul, particularly mosques with seemingly weightless, light-filled centralized domes that have been compared with developments in Renaissance Italy. His distinctive architectural idiom left its imprint over a vast empire extending from the Danube to the Tigris, and he became the most celebrated of all Ottoman architects. In this lavishly illustrated, major new assessment of Sinan's oeuvre, Gülru Necipoglu challenges standard views of Sinan as a "Turkish Michelangelo" driven solely by an insatiable urge for artistic experimentation. Her innovative analysis shows that Sinan's rich variety of mosque designs sprang from a process of negotiation between the architect and his elite patrons, both men and women. Defined though they were by social and territorial hierarchies and associated notions of identity, memory, and decorum, Sinan's mosques simultaneously shaped these conceptions. The Age of Sinan draws on a wealth of primary sources to reveal the chief architect's monuments as bearers of previously unrecognized dimensions of meaning. A sophisticated study of the cultural and social history of Ottoman architecture, interpreting the oeuvre of a seminal figure in the early modern eastern Mediterranean world, it is must reading for scholars and students of art history and other fields with an interest in the Ottoman Empire.

Added: Wednesday, Oct 8 2008

Experimental Eco->design : Architecture / Fashion / Product / Cara Brower, Rachel Mallory, Zachary Ohlman

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: A showcase of outstanding and innovative work that shows that EcoDesign needn't mean dull design. This book highlights new ways of thinking about sustainable design, while showcasing innovative product. It is a collection of outstanding, innovative product, graphic, fashion, and environment designs. The thoughts of the world's leading designers - Ezio Manzini (Italy), Ed Van Hinte (the Netherlands), Droog members Richard Hutten (the Netherlands) and Bless (France), Tom Dixon (UK), Jan Dranger (Sweden) and Edwin Datschefski (UK) - provide a grounding in the materials, methods, and processes behind outstanding projects: their work provides visual inspiration for innovative design.Experimental EcoDesign offers inspirational reading for anyone interested in green design also coming with an extensive directory of sources of materials, manufacturers, design studios, and organizations.

Added: Wednesday, Oct 8 2008

The Designer's Toolkit 1000 Colors : Thousands of Color Combinations / Graham Davis

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: This indispensable resource is the first and only book to include thousands of ready-to-use color swatches and palettes in multiple file formats for both print and digital applications. This entry in the Designer's Toolkit series is a straightforward and accessible guide for both designers and non-designers, in a unique format combining ready-made design elements on CD with practical advice on real-world application. Organized by themes such as historical period or mood, this book-plus-CD package makes it easy to identify the best color combinations for every job. With this toolkit in hand, anyone can make the right color choice to create effective, original, and sophisticated design.

Added: Friday, Oct 3 2008

Rococo : the Continuing Curve, 1730-2008 / Sarah D. Coffin ... [et Al.]

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Added: Friday, Oct 3 2008

Learning ActionScript 3.0 Design / Rich Shupe

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: Product Description In this book, authors Rich Shupe and Zevan Rosser share the knowledge they've gained from their years as multimedia developers/designers and teachers. Learning ActionScript 3.0 gives you a solid foundation in the language of Flash and demonstrates how you can use it for practical, everyday projects. The authors do more than just give you a collection of sample scripts. Written for those of you new to ActionScript 3.0, the book describes how ActionScript and Flash work, giving you a clear look into essential topics such as logic, event handling, displaying content, migrating legacy projects to ActionScript 3.0, classes, and much more. You will learn important techniques through hands-on exercises, and then build on those skills as chapters progress. ActionScript 3.0 represents a significant change for many Flash users, and a steeper learning curve for the uninitiated. This book will help guide you through a variety of scripting scenarios. Rather than relying heavily on prior knowledge of object-oriented programming (OOP), topics are explained in focused examples that originate in the timeline, with optional companion classes for those already comfortable with their use. As chapters progress, the book introduces more and more OOP techniques, allowing you to choose which scripting approach you prefer. Learning ActionScript 3.0 reveals: New ways to harness the power and performance of AS3 Common mistakes that people make with the language Essential coverage of text, sound, video, XML, drawing with code, and more Migration issues from AS1 and AS2 to AS3 Simultaneous development of procedural and object-oriented techniques Tips that go beyond simple script collections, including how toapproach a project and which resources can help you along the way The companion web site contains material for all the exercises in the book, as well as short quizzes to make sure you're up to speed with key concepts. ActionScript 3.0 is a different animal from previous versions, and Learning ActionScript 3.0 teaches everything that web designers, GUI-based Flash developers, and those new to ActionScript need to start using the language. Praise "The best ActionScript book ever written." -Lee Brimelow, Creator of The Flash Blog

Added: Thursday, Oct 2 2008

Asian Art History in the Twenty-first Century / Edited By Vishakha N. Desai

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: With essays by Frederick M. Asher, Melissa Chiu, John Clark, Gao Shiming, Yukio Lippit, Saloni Mathur, Kaja M. McGowan, Rana Mitter, Alexandra Munroe, Jerome Silbergeld, Kavita Singh, Nancy S. Steinhardt, Akira Takagishi, and Gennifer Weisenfeld Since its beginnings in the early 1900s, the study of Asian art has dramatically changed and has constantly been shaped by shifting world politics. Asian Art History in the Twenty-First Century explores the field of Asian art and its historiography, tensions, and possible future directions. It features essays by fourteen leading authors specializing in Chinese, East Asian, Indian, and Japanese art history. They consider what is meant by the term "Asian art"; how it is manifested in museums, exhibitions, and galleries; and how it should be understood in relation to shifting geopolitics. Among the many fascinating topics discussed are the Zen portrait in medieval Japan, the influence of Asian art on American art, and public art and memory of war in contemporary China. The authors also consider what new theoretical structures must be created to suit the realities of the twenty-first century and Asian art today.

Added: Thursday, Oct 2 2008

Signs and Symbols : Communicating with Pattern / Mark Hampshire & Keith Stephenson

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: Rich, stimulating, and varied creative sourcebook with a wealth of material for designersThe latest in the highly collectable Communicating with Pattern series, Signs and Symbols showcases stunning examples of designs that incorporate all manner of signs, symbols, and glyphs, explaining how they can be used in contemporary design to communicate a variety of messages and influences.Signs and Symbols explores the meaning and origin of these familiar forms, starting with the earliest graphics known to man: cave paintings and hieroglyphics. Corporate logos, club motifs, coats of arms, political insignia, and religions symbols represent authority and membership. They are also an essential part of daily life, in the form of wayfinding tools such as road signs, alphabets, icons, and signage.This book is a source of inspiration for designers across disciplines using examples of graphics, packaging, interiors, textiles, products, and more.

Added: Wednesday, Oct 1 2008

Heritage, Museums and Galleries : an Introductory Reader / Edited By Gerard Corsane

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: This comprehensive reader outlines and explains the many diverse issues that have been identified and brought to the forefront in the field of heritage, museums, and galleries over the past couple of decades. The book provides an ideal starting point for those coming to the study of museums and galleries for the first time, and brings the reader the very best of modern scholarship from the heritage community.

Added: Wednesday, Oct 1 2008

Collections Management / Edited By Anne Fahy

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: Collections management is a fundamental apart of museum work, yet recently the poor state of museum collections has been highlighted in terms of physical care and documentation. As a response, there has been increased emphasis on the development of standards for collections management. Anne Fahy brings together recent papers highlighting some of the major issues affecting collections management in the 1990s concentrating particularly on eight aspects. The book identifies the main issues relating to collecting and to the disposal of collections and discusses why museums should develop appropriate documentation systems. The book also examines the status of research within museums, the various sources of advice relating to security and also addresses the basics of insurance and indemnity. CollectionsManagement is an invaluable and very practical introduction for museum professionals. It also provides up-to-date information about initiatives and issues for anyone involved in collections management.

Added: Wednesday, Oct 1 2008

Dictionary of South and Southeast Asian Art / Gwyneth Chaturachinda, Sunanda Krishnamurty, Pauline W. Tabtiang

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: From abhayamudra through ziarat, this is an essential dictionary for anyone stepping into the fascinating world of South and Southeast Asian art. With over 700 entries, 78 line illustrations, and 15 color photographs, this basic dictionary makes a handy reference for anyone interested and engaged in South and Southeast Asia. Explanations are succinct and easy to understand. Entries range from terms encountered in South and Southeast Asian history, religion, mythology, and literature, to those specific to art and architecture. Words are drawn from the diverse religious traditions of the region, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism, and from the countries of the region, including Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Added: Tuesday, Sep 30 2008

A Cubism Reader : Documents and Criticism, 1906-1914 / Edited By Mark Antliff and Patricia Leighten ; Translated From the French By Jane Marie Todd ; Additional Translations By Jason Gaiger ... [et Al.]

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: With radical formal innovations that scandalized the European art world, cubism revolutionized modern art and opened the path toward pure abstraction. Documenting the first heady years of this profoundly influential movement, A Cubism Reader presents the most comprehensive collection of cubist primary sources ever compiled for English-language publication. This definitive anthology covers the historical genesis of cubism from 1906 to 1914, with documents that range from manifestos and poetry to exhibition prefaces and reviews to articles that address the cultural, political, and philosophical issues related to the movement. Most of the texts Mark Antliff and Patricia Leighten have selected are from French sources, but their inclusion of carefully culled German, English, Czech, Italian, and Spanish documents speaks to the international reach of cubist art and ideas. Equally wide-ranging are the writers representeda group that includes Guillaume Apollinaire, Gertrude Stein, Jean Metzinger, Albert Gleizes, Fernand Léger, Francis Picabia, André Salmon, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Henri Le Fauconnier, and many others. These diverse selectionsunabridged and freshly translatedrepresent a departure from the traditional view of cubism as shaped almost exclusively by Picasso and Braque. Augmented by Antliff and Leighten's insightful commentary on each entry, as well as many of the articles' original illustrations, A Cubism Reader ultimately broadens the established history of the movement by examining its monumental contributions from a variety of contemporary perspectives.

Added: Tuesday, Sep 30 2008

The Advertising Concept Book : Think Now, Design Later : a Complete Guide to Creative Ideas, Strategies and Campaigns / Pete Barry

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Description: An essential introduction to the field for all students in advertising, communications, marketing, and allied fields, and an invaluable reference for professionals. How do you write a great ad? Pete Barry, who worked at Ogilvy London and now teaches in New York, goes straight to the basics: work out what you want to say, who you are saying it to, and how you want to say it. No amount of glossy presentation will make a successful ad if the idea behind it is unconvincing. Structured to provide both a complete course on advertising and a quick reference on particular topics, the book covers every aspect of the business, from how to write copy and choose a typeface to how agencies work, to the different strategies used for print, TV, film, and other types of media, including interactive. In a unique feature, Barry provides his own concept drawings of nearly 400 of the greatest ads of all time. Exercises throughout will help both students and professionals assess their own work and that of others. Having critiqued and directed over 45,000 student ads, Barry outlines simple rules about where to start and how to "push" an ad to turn it into something exceptional. He explains how to work in a team, or not; how to best present projects; and how to turn an idea into a campaign. 400 illustrations.

Added: Tuesday, Sep 30 2008