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Travel Guides. We’ve all seen them, there’s hundreds to choose from. All with some sort of pitch for the best places to go. But, will the places be good? Will I even like them? I am basing my entire exploring experience on what ‘some guy’ in this book says… Enter: Graphic USA – An alternate guide to 25 US cities.

Graphic USA is an alternative guide that offers a fresh perspective into the boring travel guide segment. Each of the 25 cities are reviewed, written and illustrated by designers living in their respective cities. Not only does this book contain great places to go it also includes cutting edge creative design which, is a heck of a way to chart your way across these fantastic cities and a lot more user friendly that travel-guides in the past. The book is arranged with beautiful full color spreads and no detail has been left untouched. The best part about the book is that since each section has been handcrafted by an illustrator, artist or designer each section feels unique and showcases the vibe of the current city being reviewed. It also gives unique insight into local places that are off the beaten path. The great dive-bars that offer the best views or the best fresh seafood. You will use it as a gallery of beautiful images or a directory of talented illustrators and designers and most importantly a great travel-guide for a weird and wonderful alternative road trip across America.

The content of the book includes:
Anchorage, Alaska | Laura Feraco
Atlanta, Georgia | Laurie Forehand
Austin, Texas | Bryan Keplesky
Baltimore, Maryland | Elizabeth Graeber
Boston, Massachusetts | Esther Uhl
Charleston, South Carolina | Jay Fletcher
Chicago, Illinois | Daniel Blackman
Denver, Colorado | Gwenda Kaczor
Detroit, Michigan | Angela Duncan
Kansas City, Missouri | Ramzy Masri & Morgan Ashley Allen
Los Angeles, California | Tal Rosner
Memphis Tennessee | Alex Harrison
Miami, Florida | Michelle Weinberg
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Mike Krol
Minneapolis, Minnesota | Adam Turman
New Orleans, Louisiana | Tom Varisco
New York, New York | Camilla BenBassat
Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia | Katie Hatz
Phoenix, Arizona | Jon Ashcroft
Portland Oregon, | Briar Levit
Providence, Rhode Island | Adam Lucas
San Fransico, California | Cameron Ewing
Seattle, Washington | Björn Soneson
St. Louis, Missouri | Rachel Newborn
Washington, DC | Joshua Graham Guenther

Graphic USA also has an older brother Graphic Europe which which takes you through 31 European cities. These titles are released from cicada books based out of London. If you want more information on either of these titles check out Cicada for the full details and availability. This book has taken it’s place in my suitcase for my new definitive travel-guide. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re looking for travel inspiration, great places to eat, drink or stay or something fresh in the travel industry.

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HTML & CSS Web Standards Solutions – A Web Standardistas’ Approach is quite possibly one of the most authoritative books that you can learn XHTML & CSS through. This book makes learning easy opposed to monotonous reading and technical jargon. Even if you are an absolute beginner in web design, this book will teach you how to build future-proof web pages the right way using easy-to-master tools which are, in most cases, free. This book is easy to pick-up at any point, read a few chapters and learn, then practice (through their easy tutorials) and then go back to your day! However, this book is addicting and once you start catching on, you’ll want to finish and learn more! Here are what a few people say about HTML & CSS Web Standards Solutions – A Web Standardistas’ Approach:

Every Design School on the Planet Should Make ‘HTML and CSS Web Standards Solutions’ a Required Textbook.
— Jon Tan

Reading this book felt like I was at the web design school I never had the chance to attend. It’s truly a course in a book: it explains the basics that every web designer should know.
— Yaili

More than just another book: it’s a textbook. Each chapter builds appropriately on the previous and each chapter ends with an exercise for the reader. The exercise enforces what has been learned up to that point and sets the stage for the chapter to come.
— Jonathan Snook

About the Authors

In addition to their role as lecturers in interactive design at the University of Ulster at Belfast, where they have been active in promoting a web standards-based curriculum, Christopher Murphy and Nicklas Persson are practicing designers and digital artists. Their work has featured in a variety of design books and magazines alongside numerous internationally respected designers and they are regular speakers at design conferences and workshops worldwide.

The What

3 copies will be divvied up among the participants and winners will be notified on August 23rd 2010.

The How

Fairly simple: follow @fuelcreativity as well as @standardistas and tell us something you love about design on the web. It could be your favorite site, the coolest thing you’ve ever seen, the best site you’ve ever designed or a just a reason why you think web design is awesome. There is no wrong answer as long as it pertains to web design.

Need more Standardistas?

Follow them on twitter

Dig through their site

Buy the book on Amazon

Winners

Elizabeth Bartoccini @ebartoccini

Rowell Cruz @rowjie

Robin Doty @dakotadesigner

Contact me at chad(at)fuelyourcreativity.com to get things set up for shipping & receiving prizes!

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“Making Ideas Happen” was written by  Scott Belsky of Behance. The team here at FUEL wanted to showcase the book and congratulate Scott on his huge success!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ideas are worthless if you can’t make them happen.

Many of us believe that great ideas inevitably lead to success. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether it is the perfect solution for an everyday problem or a bold new concept for a creative masterpiece, you must transform vision into reality for an idea to have value.

This book chronicles the methods of exceptionally productive creative leaders and teams – companies like Google, IDEO, and Disney, and individuals like author Chris Anderson and Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh – that make their ideas happen, time and time again.

Making Ideas Happen will change the way you work:

Overcome “reactionary workflow” and start pushing ideas forward.

You can easily spend your entire day just responding to incoming communications – email, texts, voicemails, tweets, etc – while never finding time to push the big, meaningful ideas forward. Learn proven methods for organizing with a bias-toward-action, prioritizing amidst a creative process, and pushing bold projects to completion.

Let go of the myth of the lonely creative genius.

Understanding how to leverage your community for feedback, resources, and exposure is crucial to gaining traction with your ideas. Discover the advantages of broadcasting your ideas early, seeking out competition, tapping into the power of “Circles,” and overcoming the stigma of self-marketing.

Push through the “project plateau”… and finish!

Most ideas get lost in that dreaded period of execution where your natural creative tendencies turn against you. Acquire methods for thriving when long-term vision is not enough. You will learn how to short-circuit the traditional rewards system, fight your way to breakthroughs, and gain strength from the doubts you will face along the way.

If you are interested in picking up the book or ordering it online, check out this link.

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We recently had the opportunity to check out the book, More Than One Way to Skin a Cat by Meowza Katz and we wanted to do a review of this wonderful resourceful book. The book is a series of high quality, full color tutorials for Aviary’s Phoenix graphics program, which is an online based application the book provides a year of service for. Having never used the program before receiving the book, we were blank canvases on which to try out this promising looking program.

The book, along with the tutorials contained within, were fun filled and easy to follow, imparting numerous helpful techniques and tricks of the Phoenix app as we went through it. There was only a short period of adjustment as we settled in to the unfamiliar UI and found our way around, with a lot of the functions being fairly intuitive. Not to mention that the tutorials included within the book range from beginner to advanced skill levels, so no matter if you are experienced with other graphics programs or not, there is something for everyone.

Another fantastic element that makes the book extremely useful beyond just the Aviary and Phoenix frameworks, is that the tutorials in the book will also work for any imaging program like Photoshop and GIMP. So if for some reason you do not feel like learning a new application, you can use the book to enhance your skills at whatever image program you are used to. The accompanying CD that comes with the book also contains all of the source files for the tutorials in the book so that you can easily recreate them.

Notes on Phoenix

• Very limited brush options and no ability to load or create new ones.
• You can however import custom filters
• Great forums, very helpful
• No pressure sensitivity yet for tablet users but they are working on it
• Only online now but Air versions to come soon
• Still kind of buggy since it’s in beta

We would also like to point out that even though Phoenix cannot currently load in or create custom brushes, when we contacted Aviary with this question, they asked for specific examples of what we were wanting to do, and they asked if we could send them some custom brushes that they are working to build in this incorporation of new brushes in future releases. So kudos to the team for so openly receiving and responding to our feedback. It shows that they are working with the community to improve their products and services, which is always encouraging.

Like with all products, there were a couple of hangups, but nothing beyond the lack of adding new brushes that made the program feel lacking or unusable, and the pro column definitely comes out ahead in this case. The book itself is such a useful skill enhancing guide, that even if you are not a fan of the Phoenix imaging software, there is still a world of developmentally helpful tutorials inside. So we definitely recommend More Than One Way to Skin a Cat to anyone looking to grow and hone their skills as a graphic artist.

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We recently had some time to sit down and check out the preview of Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During Times of Change from Trend Hunter founder Jeremy Gutsche. From this full-color and wonderfully illustrated preview it seems that Exploiting Chaos promises to be as visually stimulating as it is verbally engaging, and the powerful first chapter of this book had us scribbling down ideas and longing to get our hands on a full copy. For that reason, we wanted to recommend that anyone interested go check out the first chapter for themselves, to see what we are talking about. We are sure that you once you do, you will never approach creativity the same way!

It is a colorful and rebellious guide to innovation, with glowing blurbs from people like Guy Kawasaki, Daniel Pink and CEO Read. John Jantsch from Duct Tape Marketing even called it the “best book on innovation”.

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The Geometric book is sure to feed your inspiration of pattern illustrations! Beautifully created this is one book you’ll want to have on your shelf.

Truth is I couldn’t stop flipping through the pages over and over again. Took me a good week before I got to the actual cd that was with it!

Quick Facts

• 336 pages
• 264 pattern illustrations
• CD includes 100 pattern fonts (Mac, PC)
• Where to buy the book

About the Book

Geometric is a unique pattern resource book featuring an exciting collection of 264 colorful and monochrome pattern illustrations.

It is beautifully printed on heavy matte stock, features an embossed cover that’s wrapped in an American-style poster and bound in a distinctive rhythm technique.

The Geometric book comes with a CD containing 100 pattern fonts – the most extensive pattern font collection available from any foundry.

It also includes a helpful font index and easy to follow tutorials. We hope that you will be inspired by the innumerable possibilities the Geometric font collection has to offer. With thousands of characters you can create your own patterns for years to come.

Pattern Fonts

Included with the book is a CD containing 100 Geometric pattern fonts for Mac and Windows.

The extensive Geometric font collection provides a fantastic resource for designers who want to use patterns in illustration, graphic, textile, fashion, surface and wallpaper design, animations, web design and so on.

About Kapitza

Kapitza is an independent design company run by sisters Nicole & Petra Kapitza who share a passion for everyday life, minimalism, patterns & color. Their studio is based in East London, a vibrant and dynamic area which forms part of the inspiration for their work. Other inspirations include nature, people and software.

They have been developing an extensive series of unique picture fonts and illustrations that lie somewhere between image resource and art project. Kapitza supersede commercial boundaries with their own mix of genuine curiosity and technical expertise.

Where to buy

Head on over to their website, there are over 6 options depending on where you live and where you would like to order from.

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Capsule, hooked us up with the latest book in their Design Matters series. Design Matters: Packaging 01. This one can definitely fuel and inspire your packaging design.

Unfortunately, most design books only focus on type, color, and layout issues. The Design Matters series takes a more in-depth approach, allowing designers to learn not only how to create work that is aesthetically appealing, but also strategy-driven and smart. This book focuses on developing, creating and implementing package designs, while others in the series dissect brochures, logos, publications, and letterhead systems. Each book offers all the essential information needed to execute strong designs in concert with beautiful and well-crafted examples, so readers can successfully hit the mark every time.

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Uncoverring the Web, one interview, one review, and one book at a time.

Uncoverr is a new site that has recently launched by Lachy Groom. It’s a great resource to check out and quickly find books, reviews and interviews with authors.

Pros:

• Recently launched but has plenty of content
• Scored some great interviews
• Overall a solid site with plenty of room to grow
• On my list of sites to watch this year
• Great picks and “Newest Titles” right up front
• Already a nice list of growing categories

Cons:

• No “About” Page
• No “Contact” Page or email that I could easily find
• Needs some sort of “dropdown menu” to quickly get to categories

Things to Check Out:

• The Woork Handbook (blog post)
  
• Interview with Darren Rowse
• The big debate: eBooks vs. Physical Books

Currently Seeking:

Uncoverr is currently looking for people to write reviews, if you’re interested – you can email them at lachyg (at) me (dot) com

Overall I can’t wait to see how this site progresses in the coming months. Should be a great solid site to check out and subscribe to.

Let me know what you guys think!

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‘Wandering Off Info Space‘ is a new book by Chuck Anderson of No Pattern. The visual imagery and art looks amazing, I’ve included a few shots of the book below – however if you’d like to see more I suggest heading over to the site and/or grab a copy!

Here’s the skinny:

64 Pages / 8×9 / Edition of 2000 / Signed
$25 + Shipping / A portion of sales will benefit Invisible Children

ALL WORK © CHUCK ANDERSON / NOPATTERN 2008

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I was able to get my hands on a brand new book 8 days before it hits the shelves. The Principles Of Successful Freelancing is written by Miles Burke. I was allowed to post an excerpt from Chapter 1 just for my readers and I hope you enjoy it.

The book is an inspirational and instructional guide to setting up business as a freelancer. Readers will gain the confidence, and the knowledge, that they will need to succeed – and I would highly recommend grabbing a copy when it comes out.

Some Key Features

• Targeted at people who want to make the leap towards freelancing in the Computer & Internet sector
• Readers will walk away with the confidence that they can succeed as freelancers, and the know-how to do so.

Subject Area

More and more people worldwide are ditching the 9-5 office job and the long commute in favor of the independence that comes from self-employment. Full of anecdotes and practical advice, this short, hands on guide is written for people who want to become freelancers in the technology sector. Topics covered include:

• How to pitch clients and decide what to charge
• Maximize efficiency through time tracking, contact management and scheduling
• Grow profits through expense and cashflow management
• Fundamentals of project management, including reviews of commonly used software programs
• Winning new clients through networking, advertising, blogging, referrals and public speaking
• The Principles of great customer service, including dealing with problem clients and managing scope creep

What You Will Find Deeper Within The Book

• Advantages and Disadvantages of the Freelance Life
• Deciding on How Far to Jump (on the side or full-time)
• Considering Your Business Structure
• Creating Your Brand
• Cost Checklists
• Accounting Basics
• Learning to Sell
• Polishing Up Your Contracts
• Interviews from Top Professionals

To Summarize:

This book definitely gained a high spot in my eyes. I especially enjoyed Chapter 7, “Achieve Work-Life Balance”. Who doesn’t need pointers in that area?! Since I do a lot of freelancing on the side and not full-time (currently), it gave me a lot to think about before diving into a full-time freelance life. I think this will be very helpful to those considering the jump and also teach freelancers currently working full-time how to become more structured and rigid.

A must read for any freelancer.

Feel free to check out the excerpt below.

–

The Principles Of Successful Freelancing

(Excerpt from Chapter 1)

Are You Freelance Material?

Thinking of becoming a freelance web designer or web developer?

One of the hardest yet most rewarding personal development steps you can ever take is to discover what you are good at, and where you have areas that can use development. Accepting our own limitations can help make all of us better people.

When it comes to web design and development, it’s a demanding industry—even more so if you’re freelancing. However, although the freelance life may seem hard at times, successful freelancers never look back.

Successful freelancers often start by evaluating their own skills and personality, especially their ability to work solo. Once you have a clear understanding of your areas of weakness and what you need to improve upon, you have solid goals to work toward.

Although you may feel that you have all the technical competencies to manage the freelance role, you’ll soon find that there is far more to being successful as a freelancer than the ability to write great code or design the coolest layouts.

The skills required for being a great freelancer can be broken down to four distinct areas: technical, business, organizational, and interpersonal.

Technical Skills

For a developer, possessing technical skills means that you’re technically competent in your language or languages of choice: PHP, Ruby on Rails, Microsoft .NET, and the like. As a designer, you’d consider the strength of your skills in design software, colour theory, typography, and overall design knowledge. As a designer or developer, you need to feel confident in your own technical ability, as this is what you’re going to be relying upon. You can’t just lean over to a co-worker’s desk and ask about anything you’re not sure of! Consider your areas of weakness, and research what’s involved in strengthening these areas—you’ll probably find that they’re easier to fill out than you thought.

Business Skills
It’s vitally important to have, or at least be aware of, the fundamentals of business before you consider running your own. If you plan to succeed, you’ll need a solid understanding of cash flow, marketing, time management, customer service, and other areas. Many of these elements can be outsourced, but you’ll still need a working knowledge of all of them.

Organizational Skills
Your ability to be well organized, or at the very least to keep on top of those dreary administrative duties, will be paramount to your success. Start by reading personal productivity books and blogs, and research the different techniques of organization.

Don’t go overboard though; you could end up being hampered by trying too many productivity methods and not doing enough actual work! You’ll soon find a method you feel happy with, which can be defined in this context as feeling that you have the smooth running of your business under control.

Interpersonal Skills
You may think that the freelance life would suit the shy or socially inept recluse, beavering away alone. Unfortunately, however, an aversion to social contact could limit your opportunities more than you think.
Productive interaction with clients and prospective clients, not to mention your suppliers, will become a crucial part of your success, so embrace human contact and be personable.

This article is an excerpt from the book The Principles of Successful Freelancing (by Miles Burke, published by SitePoint). You can find out more about the book, which comes out on December 9, from www.principlesofsuccessfulfreelancing.com.

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Creative Time // Download PDF

(pdf article – “Manage the mundane – create the extraordinary”) written by Mark McGuinness via# his blog, Wishful Thinking. This e-book is published under a Creative Commons license which allows you to copy and distribute the e-book as long as you keep it intact in its original format, credit the original author and do not use it for commercial purposes.