I read a post recently that expressed the fear that people aren't reading enough books anymore. And it got me thinking.

Why, in 2014, are books are still considered by so many as somehow superior to other forms of media? It seems to imply that television and online resources are somehow intellectually inferior. That lazy people watch TV and smart people read books.

That's not true is it? Of course, books are a wonderful way of communicating ideas and stories, but so are films, and videos, and podcasts, and web pages, and audio recordings.

A book may very well be the best way to present a particular message, but let's abandon this idea that books are somehow sacred. That because information comes in book form that it deserves some special merit.

In this case, the medium is not the message.

Be well, Chuck

This is a heads up for graphic designers and marketers. If you're not paying attention to the field to virtual reality, we need to.

If you look at the current lineup of stories involving virtual reality, you'll see that many of them are dated in the last year or so. That's because, in part, there's been some breakthroughs in the technology. The big story is about Palmer Luckey and Oculus...

From Popular Mechanics: Palmer Luckey and the Virtual Reality Resurrection...

Here > http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/palmer-luckey-and-the-virtual-reality-resurrection-16834760-2

From Advertising Age: Virtual Reality: Advertising's Next Big Thing?...

Here > http://adage.com/article/digital/virtual-reality-advertising-s-big-thing/294328/

The Oculus VR website...

Here > http://www.oculusvr.com/

Jaunt has developed an "integrated suite of hardware and software tools to produce the highest quality immersive content"...

Here > http://www.jauntvr.com/#about

Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University...

Here > http://vhil.stanford.edu/projects/

How to virtually "possess" another person's body using Oculus Rift and Kinect...

Here > http://singularityhub.com/2014/07/30/how-to-virtually-possess-another-persons-body-using-oculus-rift-and-kinect/

BTW: Lynda.com is a learning machine-one of, if not THE best way to learn about using the tools of the design trade. Click here and try it out for a week free.

Here > http://www.lynda.com/promo/trial/Default.aspx?lpk35=1833&utm_medium=ldc-partner&utm_source=SSPRC&utm_content=754&utm_campaign=CD4245&bid=754&aid=CD4245

I'm betting, even if you don't recognize the name Roz Chast, you know her work. Her cartoons look a little like they were drawn by a right-handed person with their left hand-to me, it gives them a, "I'm definite about being unsure," feel. And that's what I love about them and Chast's wonderful sense of knowing.

I typically don't point to illustrators who don't do commercial work (I don't see any in her portfolio), so this is the rare exception.

Maria Popova's thoughtful review of Roz Chast's latest book Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir...

Here > http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/07/21/roz-chast-memoir/

Interested? Here's the book...

Here > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608198065/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1608198065&linkCode=as2&tag=ideabookcomju-20&linkId=PALRKEZHXJAJZPZ6

An interview with Roz Chast from NPR...

Here > http://www.npr.org/2014/05/05/309742981/why-bring-up-death-when-we-could-talk-about-something-more-pleasant

Chast's website...

Here > http://rozchast.com/index.shtml

In the unlikely case you are unfamiliar with Maria Popova's website, Brain Pickings (one of my all-time favorite web places)...

Here > http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/07/25/c-s-lewis-problem-of-pain-free-will/

Lynda.com

Learn any software program, when you want, for only $25 per month.

Here > http://www.lynda.com/promo/trial/Default.aspx?lpk35=1833&utm_medium=ldc-partner&utm_source=SSPRC&utm_content=754&utm_campaign=CD4245&bid=754&aid=CD4245

MyFonts.com

The comprehensive collection of fonts from the world's top type foundries.

Here > http://www.myfonts.com/bestsellers/?refby=ib

Last month we discussed the logistics and etiquette of taking photographs and I heard from a few folks who shared their experience. I though you'd appreciate, this fascinating story from Ed Lain at Lazer Grafix"

"For anyone interested in history, here's a brief article about a Philadelphia photographer turned Sci-fi writer who took a picture of the Liberty Bell...

Also, somewhat related, do a search of YouTube for "recording police" or "photographing police" and you'll see that the laws are different from state to state and that not everyone even knows what the laws are."

The Liberty Bell story and how Ed's granddad fits in...

Here > http://lazergrafixdesign.com/?p=250

This is interesting: Carlos Miller's The Citizen Journalist's Photography Handbook...

Here > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1285859022/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1285859022&linkCode=as2&tag=ideabookcomju-20&linkId=IZ5S7O4MXDKSI2CKr

Haha... The shirt...

Here > http://www.pinacnation.com/collections/frontpage/products/american-apparel-be-the-media-t-shirt

From the ACLU: Know Your Rights: Photographers...

Here > https://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers

From the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP): Frequently Asked Questions About Privacy And Libel...

Here > http://asmp.org/tutorials/frequently-asked-questions-about-privacy-and-libel.html

ASMP: Frequently Asked Questions About Releases...

Here > http://asmp.org/tutorials/frequently-asked-questions-about-releases.html

ASMP: Property And Model Releases...

Here > http://asmp.org/tutorials/property-and-model-releases.html#.U9FtQIBdW-g

The two recent posts that got the conversation started, one: What you can and can't photograph for commercial purposes...

Here > http://www.pageplane.com/photography/etiquette_and_law_of_photography.html

and two: What you can and can't photograph for commercial purposes...

Here > http://www.pageplane.com/photography/what_you_can_and_cant_photograph.html

Hard core type freak?

You might be interested in acquiring an original hand-rendered letter form salvaged from the Linotype font foundry on the outskirts of Manchester, England.

Here > https://www.etsy.com/listing/190375534/original-linotype-font-drawing-11-pt?ref=related-7

Here's a new-to-me feature of iStock, a look at trends in illustration. From "paper effects" to "vintage print techniques," some of the recent trends they are following.

iStock Illustration Trends 2014...

Here > http://www.linkconnector.com/ta.php?lc=075990000012004382&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.istockphoto.com%2Farticle_view.php%3FID%3D1732&lcpt=0&lcpf=3

Typeface designer Tobias Frere-Jones, formally of Hoefler & Frere-Jones, is now blogging.

Tobias Frere-Jones' blog...

Here > http://www.frerejones.com/

While we're at it, his Twitter account...

Here > https://twitter.com/Tobias_FJ

The BIG design world lawsuit...

Here > http://www.pageplane.com/typography/tobias-frere-jones-v-jonathan-hoefler.html

Three gorgeous typefaces designed by Tobias Frere-Jones: Griffith Gothic...

Here > http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontbureau/griffith-gothic/?refby=ib

Interstate...

Here > http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontbureau/interstate/?refby=ib

Niagara...

Here > http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontbureau/niagara/?refby=ib

An interview from the current issue of Surface Magazine (925KB PDF)...

Here > http://www.frerejones.com/assets/Surface-Power100-2014.pdf

All about Frere-Jones...

Here > http://www.frerejones.com/about/press/

They call this old school. Harry Anderson, a member of the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame, had that loose, realistic illustration style that became so prevalent in the first half of the twentieth century. But he was special. His light and shade, his idyllic-looking characters, and the story quality of his illustrations put him in the master class.

This tribute website was set up by another illustrator, Jim Pinkoski...

Here > http://www.harryandersonart.com/

Another collection can be found on the Leif Peng Flickr feed...

Here > https://www.flickr.com/photos/leifpeng/sets/1603970/

Example 1...

Here > http://www.harryandersonart.com/images/art/GH44Feb_web.JPG

Example 2...

Here > http://harryandersonart.com/images/Art1/Ford1941web.JPG

Example 3...

Here > http://harryandersonart.com/images/Harry/GH39NovMag_web.jpg

Adobe's Twitter feed... points to a mention of my "Step-by-step logo" article on Design Taxi...

Here > http://designtaxi.com/news/367073/Designer-Reveals-The-Step-By-Step-Process-Of-How-He-Creates-A-Logo

The idea is simple. Modifying a well-designed template is far easier than starting from scratch. My InDesign Ideabook includes 315 researched, designed, and meticulously formatted documents in a clean, simple style that it easy to build on.

The Ideabook lets you breeze through time-consuming document setup and get right to the important stuff. Instead of spending 15 minutes to create a simple layout, you'll spend 15 seconds. For complex projects-books, newsletters, catalogs, reports-you'll save HOURS.

"If you need to create winning design and your time is important to you, there is no better investment than Chuck Green's Idea Book. I write copy and create marketing materials for small business, and Chuck's world class layouts have me up and running in minutes instead of hours. I can't recommend this book enough!" Kory Basaraba, Copywriter and Consultant, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

For Adobe InDesign

Here > http://www.ideabook.com/the_indesign_ideabook_59.html

For QuarkXPress

I try to remain as objective as possible about the information I share here. Unless I tell you otherwise, I receive no compensation from the organizations and people mentioned except for occasional product samples. I am an affiliate of Lynda.com and MyFonts.com -- that means, if you purchase something from them, I get a small commission. Comments? Suggestions? Write me at chuckgreen@ideabook.com -- Chuck Green