DOC Montgomery Ward Fashions of the Twenties (Dover Fashion and Costumes) by From Dover Publications in Arts-Photography

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Cutting Edge Designs! CREATIVE CHARACTER DESIGN: A Critical ReviewBy Andre Lawrence[[VIDEOID:mo19ELVSEC9LLD8]]"The one thing that you as the character designer must remember is that the characters are always in service to the story--is not; nor will ever be; the other way around." Bryan TillmanThis is one of those unique books on illustration that you often wonder why hasnt a "style" like this been published before or on a grand scale that a publisher like Focal Press would produce.CREATIVE CHARACTER DESIGN is a illustrative how-to book with a distinctively hip-hop; urban rendering. If these books How To Draw Caricatures and Cartooning the Head and Figure (Perigee) are considered the foundations for learning how to illustrate people/ "characterizations" for a mass "pop" population; then this book CCD is such a book for this second decade of the new millennium.In a sense; Tillman is saying about illustration and the storyline; form-follows-function.Whats special here is that Tillman; the author and creative director for a design firm; has some very simple-to-follow illustration basics as well as a psychological outline to get the most out of ones talent.According to Tillman; before one can approach an illustration; he/she should possess the following five (5) traits in order to correctly capture the image. They are as follows:Starting Points: * Archetype* Story* Being Original* Shapes* ReferencesOf the five; only one "Shapes;" struck me as not be self-evident.As I read and re-read; I found the psychological breakdown of personalities based on the shape of the head intriguing. What do we typically think when we see a person with a circular-shaped head? Do we really have a distinctly different set of feelings for one with a square-shaped head? What about a triangular-shaped head; what do we presupposed about their personalities?"Shapes and Silhouettes;" Chapter 5; is a must read.It is my guess that even experienced artists; even those of us whove been illustrating for more than three decades can learn something from this book.I also want to point out; which is not explicitly stated here; but needs to be pointed out about "illustrating;" and it is a comment made by a former art professor (in an unusually boring and unproductive class.) He said; that when it comes to illustrating a person--how you feel about a person will have a dramatic effect on the way that subject is rendered. And; theres nothing that can be done to dramatically change the output unless theres a change in impression by the artist. So; for instance; if the model is profoundly beautiful; lets say a "Cheryl Ladd." If the artist has some ill-feeling toward her; the rendering will undoubtedly show the character flaws that the artist feels the subject has. The opposite is also true. If the subject is; politely-speaking; not at her/his optimal and the artist has an exaggeratedly positive feeling; then the resulting image will no doubt reflect a generous display of admiration. (And; Im guilty of this myself.)When you go through this fine book; bearing in mind; the subjects that Tillman mentioned fascinated him as a young man; youll clearly see that images of warriors and women (not a bad combo ;) ) are by far his most creative and best executed designs.CREATIVE CHARACTER DESIGN--an excellent resource for learning illustration.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. An Amazing Resource; No Matter How Skilled an Artist You AreBy Rebekah GThis book should be in everyones collection. Bottom line.Creative Character Design actually teaches you how to build a character. Not just how to draw one. It actually goes into details you wouldnt necessarily think about when building your character; their past; and how they fit into their world and the story. This book really makes you think about your character. It doesnt just teach you how to make your character look awesome.Most instructional art books in my collection have a little instruction and then a lot of step by step drawing explanation. While that can be helpful in some cases; I always gain more from the instruction and explanation than someone showing me how they draw.If youre looking for a step-by-step "How do I draw my character?" book; this probably isnt for you.However; if you are looking for an extremely useful tool that helps you build your character; flesh them out and really develop them; you definitely need this book.It may say "beginner" for the level; but this will continue to be a wonderful reference; no matter how long you are in the industry.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great ReadBy Robyn L WilliamsIll begin by saying excellent book and even better artwork. Unlike stuffy; and dry art books out there; this book was not only an easy read but it was a fun read. There is a wealth of useful information for beginner and seasoned character artists. Its refreshing to see creative character designs represented in multiple styles all in one source. As much as I love buying and collecting art books; it seemed most of them out there were filled with fluff and poor artwork. Bryan is somehow able to gather and point out relevant information that applies to a wide array of art disciplines (3D Artists; illustrator; sculptors; painters etc...). As a 3D artist; the knowledge I gained from this book will stick with me and go a long way in improving the quality of my art. If you consider yourself an artist; this is the book for you.Kudos and congratulations to all the great artists who contributed to this book. Enrique Rivera; Daniel Araya; Jon Stuart; Elvin Hernandez; Sam Ellis; Alex Buffalo; Jerald Lewis; Kenny Hill; Kevin Martin; Chris Lie; and last but not least Bryan Tillman. Im proud of you all and honored to call you all my fellow artists and friends. Keep up the great work.~Bakia "Gadget" Parker