Customer Reviews

Graphic Design Cookbook: Mix and Match Recipes for Faster Better Layouts

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I think this book is for people that don't have any experience on graphic design whatsoever. It doesn't explain a thing about layout, why to use this or that layout, what that layout represents, etc... It's just blank pages with variations of the same concept. Though to be fair the book can start a tiny little spark here and then.

The only thing I was surprised of was the quality of the paper used. My advice to the publisher: invest more in the content (or invest at all, maybe some text or explanation would be nice) and less in the stock paper.

If you are looking for a nice book about layout I strongly recommend you buy Jim Krause: 'Layout Index' (That or any from the "Index" collection)

I knew what I was buying when I purchased this book - a collection of layouts. However, as an aspiring graphic designer I haven't really found the book of much use. When you design, you need to have the content first, and the book doesn't acknowledge this. It achieves what its title promises - "recipes for faster... layouts". Whether they are better is debatable. Indeed, it is an eye opener, but there is more to good designs than merely aesthetics and cookie-cutter layouts.

If you know what to expect you will not be disappointed with this book, unlike some of the other reviewers. Graphic Design Cookbook is an extremely useful tool for graphic designers looking for layout ideas. Rather than sorting through dozens of graphic design books to get ideas, this book has sections for every aspect of page layout placement including: page numbers, paragraph placement, titles, and MUCH MORE!!
This book has virtually NO writing or explanations in it. This reference should be used only for visual layout placement ideas, and not for concrete explanations. I use this book whenever I need to make flyers, print ads, or any other print materials. EXTREMELY HELPFUL source and for this cheap cheap price, you can't beat the resourcefulness of this little book.
Another great resource that is very similiar to this book is Jim Krause's "Layout Index."

When you first thumb through the book, it seems somewhat corny. The illustrations look deceptively simple and boring. Once you really sit down and pour over the pages, however, you really start to absorb how useful these layouts are.

Mixing and matching the components will guarantee that you will never have another boring brochure or newsletter. The designs can also get your brain churning in the direction of a better logo design and a definite help in business card design.

The book's stiff spine and short page width means page turning requires two hands and you can't lay this book flat to study designs - a definite failing in a book of this type. In spite of this, it is still an essential to have in your creative library.

The book is almost what the title says: a Cookbook. It is full of sketched 'recepies' of layouts (most of them mediocre), almost no text, organized in categories.
If it really were a Cookbook, you would have some text, explaining a bit more thoroughly what you could do with the idea presented.

It's a book you learn very little from - you are supposed to apply what is presented. The book laid in a very arid manner, being plainly dull at some points. I did not like it at all.

If you're looking for a real Cookbook, get Jim Krause's 'Idea Index'! It not only gives you the ideas, but also has 'suggested serving variations', so you can spice-up the concepts presented.

This book isn't available in New Zealand and a tutor had one. I came to Amazon.com and ordered the book. It took 10 days to get to New Zealand and was cheaper than it would be if available here.

I design publications, CDs and web sites and the book is incredible for giving me ideas. It's brilliant. If you are a designer and you are a little short of ideas, or you're learning how to design BUY THE BOOK!!!.

Thanks too to Amazon.com for perfect service.

I like this book, alot. It doesn't have any wordy explanations behind the techniques, just various ways to design common elements.

People complain that the book is too basic, but the purpose of the book is to be used as reference and to combine several of the techniques into one design. I think the simplicity of the designs are important because you are not distracted by a pretty photo or bright colors, all your attention is on layout.

This book is a great guide to generate ideas for your designs, buy it.

Not worth it

Is VERY general, no meaningful text, the entire book is ONLY about redundant and basic examples of layouts, you can easily live without it!
Don't buy it!!

I was eager to get this book after reading good reviews...so I was surprised to find there isnt one line of text in the entire book, just a collection of uninspired layouts anybody could conceive if forced at gunpoint. If you want to get ahead in design, this is not the path.

It's no more than the print out of a clipart/styles/templates/borders collection and other amenities that you can find in any Office-Automation-Software application. EXTREMELY POOR