From Library Journal
This disc reproduces the printed The Grammar of Ornament by Owen Jones (London, 1856), with supplementary color plates from the 1868 edition. The original printed work was considered a masterpiece of 19th-century color printing, with thousands of examples of ornamental motifs and designs (many from ancient monuments and buildings) from the ancient world through the Renaissance, including both Eastern and Western design motifs. The complete work is represented here, viewable (as with other Octavo discs) in a variety of resolutions, searchable, printable, and supplemented with a critical introduction. This disc continues Octavo's pattern of creating digital reproductions of rare books that are themselves works of art. However, paper reprints of the original are available at a reasonable cost, so it is hard to understand why this title was selected for Octavo's otherwise rare books on disc series. This is the first Octavo disc with which this reviewer experienced performance problems. Response time was consistently slow even on a robust machine, owing (presumably) to the graphics-heavy nature of this title. The Bottom Line: The Grammar of Ornament is for libraries developing electronic text collections as well as art and design libraries; not an essential purchase.AEd Tallent, Research Instruction, Harvard Coll. Lib. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Susan A. Kitchens, The KPT Bryce Book and CD-ROM, Addison-Wesley Pub Co, August, 1995
A classic art resource that has been beautifully transformed into digital format. The Grammar of Ornament is a treasure trove of visual resources for the Digital Artist. Whether graphic design for print, 2D imaging illustration, 3D modeling, Multimedia, Web design or motion picture graphics, this is an indispensable package for any artist.


Olav Kvern, ADOBE-On Line, Issue #8, July 15, 1996
My hat's off to Direct Imagination, They've shown me how good an electronic book can be.

FROM OUR EDITORS

An enormous influence on hundreds of artists, designers, and architects, from William Morris to Frank Lloyd Wright, this decorative sourcebook, first published in 1856, is still widely used as a survey of decorative styles. This edition includes 112 full-color plates and dozens of black-and-white illustrations and details, taken from panels, borders, capitals, illuminated manuscripts, and ceramics from many cultures and centuries. A clear, easy-to-follow text explains the uses and development of each pattern, describing the part it played in each civilization. 9" x 13".

FROM THE PUBLISHER

First published in 1856, The Grammar of Ornament—the first organized catalog of decorative elements from many European and Asian cultures—influenced designers from William Morris to Frank Lloyd Wright and continues to inspire artisans today. This outstanding contemporary edition includes the more than 2,350 beautifully engraved patterns and designs found in the original version, plus commentary and captions for today's readers. A classic of design in an accessible pocket format, The Grammar of Ornament is an excellent resource for artists, designers, architects, craftspeople, or anyone interested in the decorative arts.