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Rating: 
Summary: Dated, cluttered designs... this is a book on MINIMALISM?
Review: I bought this book in the hopes that it would contain cutting-edge visual ideas - hypermodern typography, low-contrast color schemes - I mean, just look at the picture Amazon has up - it looks cool, no?Well, while it does contain a wide variety of interesting visual ideas, this book doesn't really specialize in MINIMAL design. The whole idea behind minimal design is to have a curve, or one letter, or a few colored shapes together to effectively convey an idea. I mean these are just ideas, but the stuff in this book is, more often than not, convoluted and cluttered - far from minimal. If you're looking for a TRULY MINIMALISM-ORIENTED book of design, this is probably not the one for you. Go buy a copy of URB or one of the other DJ/pop music magazines. There's more potent stuff in one issue of that than in most of this book. Still, though, there are quite a few different ideas in here, which does make it a somewhat valuable resource. If you do a lot of corporate work for guys in suits - give it a shot. Just my two cents.
Rating: 
Summary: Minimalism is a good thing!
Review: This book is truly helpful as compared to so many others which are, well, less than helpful. First, the design projects are remarkably similar to design projects you might actually DO in real life. The common denominator is well-conceived designs, that have a natural flow. These great ideas and effects are suggested by the purpose and not by the latest "cool technique" you learned to do. I warn you, there are a few typos in the book, but if you can get past that, it's really worth the time and money.
Rating: 
Summary: first step into the world of design
Review: This is the first design book that I've concentrated most. Why? I can learn how to make things beautiful and stylish with the minimal colors, shapes and lines.This book is so good that covers many kinds and styles of graphic design. And among the works, they all seem to direct a message: what simple is true and beautiful. I remember there's a design which is very stunning. Although there is only a white number '23' inside a black circle, that's it! Simple is the best, minimal is wonderful. I cannot imagine that this design is so impressed. I would recommand my friends and people who see this review to read this book before they go to work on designing assignment covers or even banners. Of course, not to copy others works, but to get inspiration from them.
Rating:
Summary: Yet another illustrated picture book
Review: What I hoped I was getting was a design book that would teach the concepts and principles behind minimal design. What I receieved, however, was yet another picture book of business cards, stationary, annual reports, and posters that other designers have created with the standard boilerplate verbage attached. You know what I mean: "This beautiful piece was created for the ABC foundation's annual report. Created by XYZ design in three hours on a $25 budget, it illustrates the simple but bold use of colored lines on paper and allows text to flow to any length desired." As I said, boilerplate. The bottom line is, if you want yet another "idea" book with--don't get me wrong--some pretty good designs shown then feel free to buy. If you're looking, as I was, for more of a "how to", then this book isn't it.
Rating:
Summary: Yet another illustrated picture book
Review: What I hoped I was getting was a design book that would teach the concepts and principles behind minimal design. What I receieved, however, was yet another picture book of business cards, stationary, annual reports, and posters that other designers have created with the standard boilerplate verbage attached. You know what I mean: "This beautiful piece was created for the ABC foundation's annual report. Created by XYZ design in three hours on a $25 budget, it illustrates the simple but bold use of colored lines on paper and allows text to flow to any length desired." As I said, boilerplate. The bottom line is, if you want yet another "idea" book with--don't get me wrong--some pretty good designs shown then feel free to buy. If you're looking, as I was, for more of a "how to", then this book isn't it.
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