Arabic for Designers: An inspirational guide to Arabic culture and creativity

Really beautiful book, and just in the nick of time. As an Arab American studying the Arabic language as my second language, and as a graphic designer/marketer by trade, it is as though the book was written just for me. It is good to see something like this which cuts through all of the nonsense and delivers the beauty our culture has to offer that the news media fails to display, and does so in a concise and useful manner. The author was able to give the western reader a glimpse of our culture using a medium that nobody would expect...visual design. A medium that is straight to the point, easy to quickly understand, and beautiful to the eye!!! Every designer should own this book - whether or not you plan to work with the language...

This is a nice introduction to Arabic graphic design. But it is dated and the writing never delves deep into the work it covers.

As I am learning to read and write Arabic, and now starting to do more designing in Arabic, this book is very valuable. Helpful for those of us who are designing with the Arabic alphabet. Gives plenty of examples and ideas.

This book is a must have if you're interested in calligraphy. It's amazing, full of wonderful designs and adaptations.

A report released on 6 June by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute finds that at a time of rapid globalization, most U.S. states don't even try to provide young Americans with a solid grounding in world history. That's why books like Arabic for Designers are more relevant than ever for designers to read and to absorb for today's globally competitive market. Arabic is now used in 23 countries and is spoken by over 300 million people. Although feelings about Arabic cultural integration may still be colored by events like 9/11, western businesses have sought to expand brand recognition to appeal to Arabic speaking people.To that end, Arabic for Designers incorporates over 200 black and white and color examples of the best in Arabic calligraphy and graphic design. Beyond a current focus on design and advertising transitions, chapters also deal with historical backgrounds and cultural intricacies involved with the Arabic language and mindset. The focus is devoted to Arabic and Western Latin, or America and English-speaking Europe, but other global-reach advertising problems are included to expand on the difficult processes that are involved in cultural expansion and understanding.The evolutions are universal, and the author notes this fact when he states that, "As the application of language change, so too does the identity of its speakers." This transition is visible in the examples of how the Arabic and Latin typography blend to create new cross-cultural designs, which are explained through text and illustrations that range from corporate products to fashion to fine art.Mourad Boutros speaks from experience, as he has worked to combine traditional Arabic calligraphic techniques with the latest technology and materials for over forty years. Boutros has achieved more than just a beautiful book with this publication, however. He's reached across cultural boundaries with text that's missing in American history, social studies, and design books. After a designer reads this book, he or she will have an absolute advantage over anyone who attempts to understand the mysteries and beauty hidden within Arabic typography and culture.

Disappointing - lacks history, good and comprehensive graphics, in-depth explanations. Wish that I could have looked inside before I purchased.

Arabic for Designers is a much needed insight into the changing face of communication in the 21st Century. The author skilfully and tactfully offers the reader an insightful introspective on the need to recognise that the written word is as powerful symbolically as it is directional or explanatory. The political landscape being as it is, the book addresses key issues not just for the Arab speaking world, but also to western designers and the need to recognise the cultural and sociological effects of the influences each culture has on the other.When raising important questions about cultural expansion and the need for greater understanding, the author highlights the issues with over 200 pictorial examples and demonstrates an astounding depth of knowledge and sensitivity to the Arabic mindset, whilst pointing out the need for those in the West to seek greater understanding of the historical and social imapct of the coming together of cultures.It is the evolution of cross cultural design where the author comes into his own, highlighting exceptional examples of the hybrid of cultural communication, the pitfalls and successes, whilst at the same time offering caveats for the future, and insights into how and where new designers can create for a changing and demanding new world.A highly recommended book, offering any designer a distinct advantage where one is creating communication patterns, with a changing and complex language.

I wrote this book to share my knowledge with others...

I could not stop reading till I finished it.It is a clear and honest western look to the Arab world of design and advertising through the eye of a Lebanese typographer/calligrapher. For me, as a Lebanese reader, beside its information, it was entertaining.Finally, I hope many Lebanese artists/designers would follow the initiative of Mister Boutros and write.Antoine Abi AadUniversity of Tsukuba,Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences,5h year Doctoral Program, Art and Design.

For a beginner trying to understand the background and some the nuances of arabic typography in graphic design this is a good starter, but it is far from inspirational. Its reference plates are dull, poor and often outdated examples, not very creative. It does not illustrate the best of contemporary arabic design, two books that do are Arabesque and Arabesque 2 that showcase a beautiful array of stunning, contemporary arabic design stretching the possibilities of arabic used creatively, displayed as full size plates in a large coffee table sized book. There are better books on the market to inspire the graphic designer working with arabic designers.