“So many books have been published on the subject of design and the topic has been attacked from so many different points of view that one wonders sometimes whether the field is not altogether covered. There are so infinite a number of angles from which the subject may be viewed however, that every addition is welcome. As might be guessed from the title “A Text-Book of Design," is intended primarily as a text book and is arranged accordingly. The fact that both authors have been university instructors, one in the University of Illinois and the other at Harvard is a guarantee that the book fills its place in this respect. To our mind the idea of a text-book and a book for general reading is rather incompatible and for that reason we doubt whether it will have as wide an appeal as the authors think in their preface. The excellent selection and use of illustrations by which the principles are developed make it valuable, however, to anyone who wishes to establish in his own mind the standard of pure design.”
—Arts & Decoration


“This book is designed to be used as a text-book for advanced students. The theory of pure design is presented in a very clear and comprehensive manner. The fundamental principles known as sequence, rhythm and balance have been illustrated by the rudimentary forms of spots and lines. Spot, line and area composition in repetition and field have been thoroughly presented, many illustrations supplementing the text. One chapter is devoted to values and their combinations in design, another to the theory of color, which is illustrated by diagrams. A short chapter on lettering as governed by the principles of design, is followed by one on design in architecture.

“The book contains 147 illustrations, many of which are Japanese stencils, interesting Coptic textile designs, and other historic textiles and ornaments.

The book is valuable as a text-book for the study of pure design.”
—Industrial Education Magazine