The Norse Myths that Shape the Way We Think by Carolyne Larrington - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 02-03-2023 - 320 pages.
General History - General History - A fresh look at the stories at the heart of Norse mythology, exploring their cultural impact right up to the present day.
The heroes and villains of Norse mythology have endured for centuries, infiltrating art, opera, film, television and books, shape-shifting – like the trickster Loki – to suit the cultures that encountered them. Through careful analysis of the literature and archaeology of the Norse world, Carolyne Larrington takes us deep into the realm described in the Icelandic sagas, from the gloomy halls of Hel to the dazzling heights of Asgard. She expertly examines the myths’ many modern-day reimaginings, revealing the guises that have been worn by the figures of Norse myth, including Marvel’s muscled, golden-haired Thor and George R.R Martin’s White Walkers, who march inexorably southwards, bringing their eternal winter with them.
This sophisticated yet accessible guide explores how these powerful stories have inspired our cultural landscape, from fuelling the creative genius of Wagner to the construction of the Nazi’s nationalist ideology. Larrington’s elegantly written retellings capture the essence of the original myths while also delving into the history of their meanings. The myths continue to speak to such modern concerns as masculinity and environmental disaster – after the inevitable, apocalyptic ragna rök, renewal comes from the roots of Yggdrasill, the World Tree.
Branded Interactions: Marketing Through Design in the Digital Age by Marco Spies and Katja Wenger - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 01-10-2020 - 352 pages.
Advertising, Business & Management - Advertising, Business & Management - Digital design plays a crucial role in how customers experience a brand. However, corporate websites and online shops are only part of interactive brand identity; complex user experiences closely interlink conception, design and technology, and integrate consistent prototyping and testing. The importance of mobile experience has grown exponentially in recent years, while interactive ads, chatbots and digital billboards are increasingly found in the real world. The interface is now the brand, and this changes the professional profile of designers.
This extensively updated edition of Branded Interactions is a practical handbook for professional digital designers and those just starting out. It guides the reader through the process of digital brand design in five key phases: discovering a demographic, defining an action plan, designing an interface, delivering a quality product, and distributing the design to the marketplace. Packed with real-world examples from brands like Google, Amazon and Lego, as well as plenty of case studies, this book incorporates a wealth of design theory and diagrams to help build a solid framework for any project – incorporating brand strategy at every stage while remaining flexible to leave room for creativity.
The Art of the Illustrated Book (Victoria and Albert Museum) by Carolyne Larrington - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 03-11-2022 - 288 pages.
Design - Illustration & Animation - The story of the illustrated book from the earliest printed books to the present day, told through the collections of the V&A’s National Art Library.
Throughout history, images have been used to reflect the meaning of words and to enhance our understanding of texts. With the invention of mechanized printing in Germany in the 15th century, illustrated books were no longer the preserve of the elite and became a source of knowledge, instruction and pleasure for a wider audience.
Traditional accounts of the illustrated book survey its history in terms of technological advances, from illumination to hand-drawn illustrations and photography. This study offers a new approach, grouping books by subject – from natural history and travel to art, architecture and fashion. Gathered here are some of the most influential and compelling examples of the illustrated book, all chosen from the collections of the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Each chapter starts with a general introduction to the subject, followed by key examples accompanied by narrative captions. The commentaries range beyond the illustrations to consider the whole book, the design, typeface, binding, inks and papers. Many of the books are not on display to the public and have been specially photographed for this volume. Most examples have been chosen for their significance, being innovative and beautiful. But humble books, often overlooked in histories, have also been selected, when particularly effective in their field, or simply memorable.
From beautiful printed Psalters and Books of Hours, to striking natural history books such as Audubon’s Birds of America, La Fontaine’s Fables illustrated by Marc Chagall, Serlio’s treatise on architecture and Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament, this book gives a fascinating overview of some of the finest illustrated books ever created. In the face of recent pronouncements about the death of the printed book, this volume demonstrates the enduring appeal of the illustrated book.
