For any Moleskin snobs such as I, this will make the perfect gift for a loved one or for oneself. Moleskin gives you the chance to customize your cherished notebook or sketchbook (photo books are available as well) to your liking. By adding your favourite filtered photos, you instantly become your own editor-in-chief, art directer, photographer, and audience. I must say, I may create one for Christmas.





Check out: http://moleskine.milkbooks.com

----- Piotrowski Sandwich Book -----

Ridiculously useless but ridiculously awesome. Brilliant piece that reminds me of livre d'objet.

----- Great, I'm a Walking Stereotype -----

Tumblr: Check. Blogger: Check. Pinterest: Check. Kid Robot toys: Check. Overflowing bookshelf: Check. Graphic t-shirts: under construction.

Don't you hate when you read a book when the book acts as a mentor and critics you in a voice. That is happening from reading the page off of a recently purchased book, Popular Lies About Graphic Design. It's an excellent, self-motivating book for any creative but more of a hard hitting punch at graphic designers. Truths are told; honesty is shared. Although it hurts my self-esteem, it is a necessary one.

"It sometimes seems there are two kinds of graphic designers in the world. One kind sees each project as an opportunity for self-expression, producing a body of work that bears an unmistakable mark, that is more alike than different, that is more about the maker than the message. At its best, the output of this kind of designer is personal and passionate; at worst, it's repetitive and self-indulgent, the mark of the attention-seeking diva.

The other kind of designer attends first to the client, to the message, and to the audience. This graphic designer's role is to be neutral and invisible, an efficient conduit between broadcaster and receiver. The best of this kind of work is devastatingly effective; the worst is anonymous and forgettable, the product of the kind of hack who gives design a bad name."

Michael Beirut of Pentagram, Victore or, Who Died and Made you Boss?

I love receiving new books in the mail. I love turning the untouched pages. The smell. The feeling of paper. The stock. The excitement it brings. The unveiling adventures, page after page. Being gentle so not to fold the corners or bend the paper. The delight of hard-copy vs digital. Sorry trees.

----- It's a Stripe Post, Again -----

Montreal's Paprika created this catalog for the Jean-Paul Gauthier exhibition held last year.

coffee table must!

----- Yellow Owl Shop -----

During the summer when I crazily flew into Toronto for a weekend to satisfy my inner Wolverine fantasy by waiting for the one-and-only Mr.Jackman to sign my PlayBill, I passed by a cute bookstore in the market and found a DIY book of printing like screen, lithograph, stamps, etching... called Little Owl Workshop Book. Love the handy tips and information on how to make your own printed cards, placement mats, canvas bags, birthday cards, etc.

Source

----- Book Review # 1 -----

(while back, I began a series about reviewing design books that I own and read, but never actually typed a single word, so sticking to my promise, here's the first entry and hopefully not the last)

Thinking With Type by Ellen Lupton

A book for many graphic designers, or for any designer, will claim as the bible of typography; the best within its category. And I couldn't agree more. Ellen Lupton is a notable designer/author/critique/professor, and this book reflects her expertise and fluency with type. Written and laid out succinctly, the information is never mundane even for those type savvy-less. I would summarize the books in three sections: 1. History 2. Technical 3. Practical.

It begins with a thorough history of the written word, guiding us into the history of typography and the creation of the art, which opens the door into the technical discussion of the type. The page, "The Anatomy of Typography" is cheekily termed as Lupton demonstrates the terms for every bits and pieces of a letter: serif, counter, ascender, descender, stem, crossbar..etc. Soon after, the section moves on to teaching other elements of text such as leading (spacing between sentences) and tracking (spacing between letters), font-size (useful info: 72 pt is equal to one inch on paper). Lupton throws in a few exercises and samples from her students, allowing a clearer, visualized understanding of the explanation. Nearing the end, the book provides samples of prohibited things to do as a graphic designer or whenever one is to deal with text.

All-in-all, it's worth investing and having this book on your shelf. Comes in handy for those tricky situation and references because learning the technical terms helps and facilitates in collaborative work when these lingo are exchanged frequently. Plus, it's impressive and attractive to listen to people talk about typography.

"I think a 16 pt on a serif font will fit perfectly as the descender falls nicely on the sentence and aligns with the other letters."

Beauty.

"The quest for inspirational reference materials, is one of the best parts of being a designer: leafing through strange books and bumping up against unfamiliar worlds is a neverending joy". - Adrian Shaughnessy, Graphic Design: A User's Manual, p264.

Amen. This book is seriously the best reading investment. I'm going to call it my bible. Never grows old or tired. Maybe I'm going to marry it—you I know I probably can like that Japanese man who married a robot or his gaming console, it was something gadgety.

----- Eye Candy -----

Show—Read—And Tell.

Most girls take pride in collecting shoes, treating them like humans. I, on the other hand, have a lackluster collection of shoes, but I compromise them by my collection of design books. They're like my heirloom! Precious books that I would be horrified if they're stolen or burned. I mean they are not cheap; sometimes I wish those annual design magazines didn't cost $40, least they could do is make them a special hard cover edition. I digress. If I have a daughter, unfortunately or fortunately for her depending who she turns out to be, won't be receiving any vintage jewelery and clothes, she'll probably receive my design books and magazines. Photographed in the picture are a selected few from my growing collection. I chose them because I habitually go back to them as resource and inspiration—a good book never ends at the last page.

I will be writing mini reviews on each and giving a short synopsis. Stay tune.

Currently reading, Graphic Design: A User's Manual, by Adrian Shaughnessy

No, it's not a step by step guide on how to make a brochure or how to photoshop away your belly. The book gives you a glimpse of the behind scenes of graphic design, written humorously and sincerely from the experiences of a designer. Chapters are categorized alphabetically, A-Z, of different subjects from branding to finding the first job; kerning to hyphens to cliches. It's like having a veteran designer friend that you wish you had to give you his/her advices and experiences in the industry. Informative book for all kinds: student, amateur designer, professionals, and even for the non-designers. Definitely recommended for many young designers and post grads like me who sometimes needs a bit mind stimulation, and guidance.