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Marian Bantjes I Wonder (Hardback) /anglais Hardcover – October 1, 2010

by BANTJES MARIAN (Author)

4.6 73 ratings

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Quirky, poignant, astute, funny this beautiful book presents a colourful collection of observations on visual culture and design, written and illuminated by world-renowned typographic illustrator Marian Bantjes. Whether intricately hand-drawn or using precise computer illustration software, her highly ornamental, craftsman-like word-pictures have earned her professional acclaim and a cult following around the world.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ THAMES HUDSON; First Edition (October 1, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0500515298
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0500515297
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.81 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 0.79 x 9.65 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,339,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #185,213 in Reference (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 73 ratings

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Marian Bantjes

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Marian Bantjes is a designer, artist and writer working internationally from her base on a small island off the west coast of Canada, near Vancouver. Her highly personal, obsessive and sometimes strange graphic work has brought her international recognition. Her work has been featured in design magazines around the world and appears in numerous design compendiums.

'Pretty Pictures' is the only book of the complete works of Marian Bantjes from 2003–2013. At 26cm x 35cm and 272 full-colour pages, this compendium is packed with sketches, development and finished work, all with descriptions, anecdotes and amusing or ascerbic asides. The presentation is chronological and the construction is dynamic. Each spread has been carefully designed by Bantjes, not within a grid but mindful of structure and balance. Is the book mind-bogglingly too much? Yes, but that is, after all, the point. It allows many days – perhaps months – of perusal and ongoing surprise. A year in the making, it was published in September 2013 by Thames & Hudson / Metropolis Books.

'I Wonder' is an eclectic circus of original writing and ornamented illustration, conceived, authored, and designed by Bantjes over a period of 15 months, resulting in her best and most interesting work to date. It was published in October 2010 by Thames & Hudson / Monacelli.

Images of her work was published in a small 120-page book by Pyramyd (France), as part of their design&designer series.

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4.6 out of 5

73 global ratings

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Book Hungry

Arrived fast

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2024

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Arrived fast and was packaged well and in great condition

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Kelley B

Design Meets Practicality

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2011

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This is an incredible book. Not only is it visually stimulating, but it's thought provoking to anyone who struggles with the practical and economic needs of any project vs its visual potential. The idea of written words and the visual space around them is the central theme of the book. I understand why some people think these are just artistic ramblings, but once you get past the feeling of being lost in someone else's thoughts, it becomes apparent that these "ramblings" are examples of how the visual space around the words demonstrates what is being written. The section on the Stars is a lot more scientific explainations of stars than I ever wanted, but the photos of jewelry that was inspired by the stars described in the text creates a symbiotic relationship showing how the visual space around the writing truly enhances the subject matter. The section full of quotes debates what should and should not be decorated and to what extent. Rigthfully so, no conclusion is reached but shows the wide range of opposing opinions, each with its own validity. Overall, a beautiful book to awaken the senses and deepen our perception of what we are visually fed.

2 people found this helpful

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Barb

Wonderful, magical book!

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2011

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This book was purchased as a gift for a fellow graphic designer. I couldn't resist looking through it before wrapping it. WOW! Every page was a revelation of sorts. Although I immediately identified with her musings on typography and her beautiful and sometimes quite amusing adornments, I was really touched by some other sections. One of them was the pages of scribbled notes that her mom had written through the years, and then into dementia. Who wouldn't be fascinated by such personal and poignant momentos of a loved one? This book is a treasure...it's the kind of roadmap of a psyche that I wish I could do for myself. Instead, I'll purchase my own copy, as well as a few for the truly special people in my life. Thank you, Marian for sharing this with us!

4 people found this helpful

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Nancy Harris Rouemy

I Wonder by Marian Bantjes: Spellbinding

Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2010

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This book is like holding a miniature treasure chest in your hands. From its lustrous cloth cover, with gold and silver foil-stamping to the gilt-edged pages to the purple, satin bookmark to the carefully considered folios to the thoughtful prose to the intimate disclosures to the labyrinthine patterns that keep you entranced for a very long time - I Wonder inspires. If you want to witness awe from Shredded Wheat and granola, read a design analysis of the alphabet, meet people lost and found like Ronnie & Sheldy, experience the relationship between honour and pasta, learn about the galaxy through precious-stone encrusted jewelry, see a writer exquisitely express gratitude and so much more - buy I Wonder by Marian Bantjes. And enjoy every little detail.

9 people found this helpful

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Juan Madrigal

Beautifully crafted, The book itself is a piece of Art.

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2010

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Marian Batjes, "I Wonder", is beautifully crafted, The book itself is a piece of Art.
208 pages of different work, different styles and materials, different approaches and different levels of complexity for an exquisite reproduced manuscript. This kind of work makes me proud of my love and devotion for books, and it reassures me why books have a place in the digital era.
Marian Batjes, "I Wonder" is a must for those who think to have decent art/design library.

Marian is one of the very few contemporary scribes left in this world.

3 people found this helpful

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GildaGilda

So far, I like it

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2010

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I just got this in the mail today and have just started skimming it. Well, I've read "Memory 2" which might be the last chapter... it is collected notes of her mothers. I have found it to be interesting. So far I think of this book as a "Free to be You and Me" of design books. It is kind of a personal journal with interesting observations. The graphics are eye catching. I don't know really what I was expecting this book to be, but it met my expectations as far as graphic stimuli.

If you are the kind of person who sometimes starts journals of your life, enjoys thinking about the simple but wonderful moments of mundane life, or are inspired by illustrious graphics, this book may be for you.

If you are looking for a tale of fantasy and wild imagination, this might not be the book for you.

But I am happy with this purchase and will enjoy reading her thoughts as much as I will enjoy letting my eye wander across the shapes and colors of the pages.

11 people found this helpful

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kmhook

amazing

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2021

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i am so inspired by this artist and her meticulous and singular vision.

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2019

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Beautiful book. If you need an example of the post-postmodernism in graphic design -- buy this book and show it to your friends and students.

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Salva Domingo

El contenido maravilloso, pero el libro con desperfecto

Reviewed in Spain on December 31, 2021

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Esto debería anunciarse antes de venderlo como nuevo.

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cinders

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on September 4, 2017

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Super good. thanks

Officina Grafica

wonderful

Reviewed in Italy on April 29, 2019

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bellissimo e ottimo prodotto!

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Doro S.

Ein Wunderwerk der Typographie

Reviewed in Germany on September 30, 2017

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Marian Bantjes lernte ich zufällig im Internet kennen. Ich bin hobbymäßig an Graphik interessiert und gestalte digitales Scrapbooking. Dieses Buch war für mich ein Muß, weil ich auch Bücher, Sprache, Schrift und Ornamente liebe. Es ist einfach ein Traum, wie kreativ Fr. Bantjes mit der Gestaltung von Schrift und Ornamenten umgeht. Immer wieder hole ich diese Kostbarkeit von Buch hervor und laß mich inspirieren. Was mir auch gefällt ist, daß sie den Beruf der Schriftsetzerin ( heute "Mediengestalter" genannt) gelernt hat und so die handwerkliche Grundlage und das Verständnis für Schrift bekam, daß sie nun nur aus Buchstaben, Worten und Sätzen eigenständige Kunstwerke in Bildform kreieren kann.
Sehr empfehlenswert!

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