5 comments about No More Secondhand Art.

1. ANOTHER ART TEACHER HAD RECOMENDED THIS BOOK TO ME. I HELP TEACH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. I LOVE THE VARIETY OF LESSONS, THE IN DEPTH TEACHING AND EXAMPLES GIVEN. (THEIR ARE A FEW LESSONS THAT ARE TOO ADVANCED FOR SOME OF THE STUDENTS, BUT I MYSELF HAVE FUN WITH THOSE.)



2. -this is a good companion to it. He's a bit verbose occasionally but gives you difference insights on the same material. The "creative encounters" are exercises to increase creativity and can be used alone or with a group. This is an old book, but I'd seen it cited several times. Still well worth a read if you're interested in creativity and how to open people to being creative.



3. This is one of the most inspiring books you can read if you are an art student or just interested in art. Peter London tells the artists to go out and find themselves, make their own art, an experiment with encounter. Encounters are excises that are designed to help you know yourself and find out maybe unknown things about you. Since, he is an art therapist, the exercises are very creative and geared to giving you incite into how you can go out and create your own art based on what you have learned from encountrs with self.
   This may be a very unique approach to art-making but it's a journey through your own soul and I believe you need to make that journey to make your artwokd say what you want it to say.
   London's title is roughtly based on a book by Buckmaster Fuller, who wrote "No More Second-Hand God". Fuller states that if you want to know God, go out and find him for yourself. Don't just except whar yu've been told. That is someone else's experience. Peter London also suggest that other aqartist's work is about them, not about you. Go out and find yourself , then you will be able to communicate visually your unique fellings and deepest thought. Presuasive and inspiring,would recommend you pick it up today.



4. Having studied with Peter London over the past ten years I can assure readers that as a teacher he lives what he writes. He embodies what every teacher should bring to students: careful listening, respectful attention, thoughtful questioning. His writings have won the deserved respect of his educator and artist colleagues nationwide. Treat yourself to a fine book.



5. I've read this book three times from cover to cover in the past ten years; every now and again for just certain sections. I wish every teacher taught with the respect and care that comes through in the words of this book; won't you try? It is an invaluable resource for the teacher; covering subjects such as setting up classroom environments, critiques, media, and even giving art experience ideas. If you listen carefully to his words you will be given precious pieces of knowledge for your classroom and your studio, from someone who undoubtedly practices and believes in what he knows to be good. It's that real; and that important.

5 comments about Wood.

1. All the books featuring the works of Goldsworthy are stunning. His work is unexpected and a joy to anyone who loves nature.



2. It's a big and invigorating book. If you like earth art this book (and there are others) offers some of the best of Goldsworthy. The concepts and execution are as inventive as they are cerebral. While I've never seen his work in person the photos and narrative of this book really feel like they capture the detail. In other ways the book itself is as well presented and printed as any book of art I've seen. If you can't afford it (it was expensive for me) try and get your local library to invest. It would be a great contribution to your local enclave.



3. Goldsworthy's art isn't what he makes. It's what he does to things that are already there to make them fresh and beautiful to the jaded eye of an average human. Simple things work best in his art, evoke more raw emotion and longing: he lines tree branches with dandelions and red maple leaves; he hangs large snowballs in trees; ribbons of leaves trail off into the water and spiral icicles circle tree trunks. It's all so simple and captivating, it's really quite astounding. Goldsworthy's art is fleeting. The only reminders of his non-permanent works are photographs. In Wood, Goldsworthy goes beyond the confines of this material and shows us his mastery with the entire spectrum of natural media - snow, ice, rock, leaf, etc. The book is subdivided into sections dealing with each specific medium, the last being Tree - each work is centered around a low-lying branch of a large oak. Nevertheless, I must say that this collection of Goldsworthy's art is slightly inferior to his Collaborations with Nature, which is a better first choice if you are unfamiliar with his principles.



4. This book is so cool! I studied about Andy Goldsworthy for Art, and he is my fav artist. What he does is different and is not boring. When you look at his art it makes you think. They look so beautiful and peacful.



5. Andy Goldsworthy creates forms that echo the patterns of nature so completely the viewer is almost convinced that mother nature herself made them, rather than human hands. Goldsworthy's sculptures are more than works of art. They become integral yet fleeting parts of the lanscape that surrounds them. His shapes are fluid and delicate, and his ideas are deceptively simple,yet appear to defy both time and gravity. His experiments in Wood are gentle and thought-provoking, and prove that beauty exists all around us. Looking at his book makes me appreciate the trees, rocks, and water all around us. Andy Goldsworthy honors the earth with his quiet, sculptural meditations.

No comments about Latin American Art of the 20th Century, Second Edition (World of Art).

5 comments about Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Watercolor.

1. Kinda new to painting. Im a web designer and went to painting to "enhance" my art side. I worked with oils, but wanted to learn about watercolours. This book is a great one to pick up.
   
   Just put paper on the carpet first...........



2. This book gives a broad overview of watercolor techniques, from loose and washy, to photorealism, including glazing, spattering, color theory, and masking. It's a good way to see all the variety found in watercolor today. I only wish it could have gone into more depth on some of the more unusual techniques.



3. I am new to water color and have many questions ,and this book answers them and gives more information that is very useful



4. If you can only purchase one book on watercolor this is the one. It is very comprehensive covering every aspect of watercolor painting from materials needed to showing all the various painting techniques.



5. This book gives good detail and excellent examples to allow various styles to emerge. Very organized and easy to read. It covers so many different aspects that I, as a newbie, have found it a must-have out of the many books that I have purchased to help me learn. This really is one of the very best of the many that have been written out there. You'll not be frustrated or feel left lacking for knowledge.

3 comments about The Russian Experiment in Art, 1863-1922 (World of Art).

1. This book was required reading for a class I took on Russian Art and Architecture, and I assure you that if it wasn't required I would not have wasted my time. I feel that Gray's writing is dense, boring, and difficult to understand. She often includes images that she does not discuss or that she discusses in totally different parts of the book, leaving the reader to constantly flip through the book and piece together information in a totally inefficient way. I feel like better organization would have made this book more reader-friendly.



2. The best single volume on the Russian Avant Garde movement is 'The Russian Experiment in Art, 1863-1922 (World of Art)', orignally written by Camilla Gray (daughter in law of the composer Sergei Prokofiev), and revised by Dr. Marian Burleigh-Motley. Useful for anyone looking to understand how art is inspired by the historical climate of a period, in this case climaxing in a burst of optimism and energy after the end of Tsarist rule.



3. Gray provides an excellent introduction to Russian artists who are less well-known in the West only because of the Cold War and the lack of marketing on the part of the Russian museums. If Western museums had owned paintings by these artists, they would have been splashed across every screen saver, coffee mug and calendar. Gray does an admirable job of putting these artists into their fascinating historical context. If anyone is planning a trip to the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow or the Russian States Museum in Petersburg, this book is well worth reading.

5 comments about Strapless.

1. Amazingly well researched and written. This lovely book goes into the details of how one of the most controversial portraits came to be. I was thrilled to have found this book on one of my favorite painters and one of my most favorite pieces of art. I had been enchanted by Madame X when I had seen the portrait in person. While in college, I looked at a print of the painting daily wanting to know more about the cool, mysterious, woman.
   
   This book offers insight into the world in which Madame X thrived. As you might expect she was a spoiled young woman looking to continue & improve her life of luxury via a wealthy husband. She found it, a fortunate (well, contrived) marriage to a rich older man, whom she doesn't seem to have loved, thrust her from a New Orleans socialite to the forefront of Parisian society. As an American-born, European-raised man, John Singer Sargent's Bohemian-gypsy childhood served as a rich foundation for his life as an artist. As his fame and reputation grew, his desire to run in the privileged circles of Parisian society also grew. He was taken by X's unusual beauty and translated her cool, seductive, unattainable persona to canvas. This book follows their steps and sheds light onto one of art's mysterious subjects. Bravo!



2. When I was younger, I saw this image in an art book and, without reading anything about it, decided that it was a fasion plate from the 1950's. I picked this book up because I instantly remembered the white shoulder. Davis's book puts the painting in a cultural context that greately helped me understand it. There is a black and white print of people at an outdoor cafe on the day of the Salon in which Madame X appeared. The women are covered in bustles, multiple skirts, gloves and hats. I now understand what that audience found so dangerous about her wayward strap.



3. This book is about the French-via-Creole socialite Amelie Gautreau's interaction with American-expatriate painter John Singer Sargent, an encounter that resulted in a painting that altered both of their lives. In weaving together the story of these two people, author Davis has created an engaging volume that simultaneously provides a window into 19th-century French society and a biography of the great painter Sargent.
   
   Sargent's decision to paint Gautreau's portrait with a strap hanging off her shoulder at a time when he was trying to promote his fledging portraitist career was a calculated decision to glean publicity on the heels of Manet's "Olympia." There's a saying that "any publicity is good publicity" -- true in the case of Sargent. The strength of his work outlived the short-term scandal caused by the painting, which was so disturbing to him that he soon repainted the shoulder with the strap back on (now in the collection of New York's Metropolitan Museum). Unfortunately, the scandal ruined Gautreau's life, although simply growing old probably would have had the same effect on Gautreau, whose self-worth appears to have been inextricable with popularity, appearance, and youth.
   
   The author is to be commended for trusting her intuition in following a very small detail -- the dress in Sargent's painting -- and finding the mystery behind it, revealing in the process a fascinating story. In so doing, she has created a marvelous glimpse into the art and society of late 19th-century France, as well as an easily-read biography of Sargent, certainly one of our most complex and greatest 19th-century American painters. I have always loved Sargent's work but have never read a biography of him, and was glad to have the opportunity to do so in such an interesting context. A very good read and interesting book.



4. In a brief, readable book, Davis does a good job giving us an overview of Gilded Age Paris, the social changes between Sargent Madame X's debut and paintings of Mrs. Gatreua just a few years later.
   
   She also gives us some nice background into lives of some of Sargents subjects, and the fraternal band of painters at the time. The only thing I would take with a grain of salt is her 'was he gay theories' some of the examples of drawings she uses to speculate into this show a lack of understanding about the artistic process. I know several professional painters who read the book and liked it but laughed at her 'proof' - the drawing over of a young many with a similar silhouette as Madame X - this is done all the time by artists, sometimes your subject 'turns into' another.



5. Two very interesting lives that leave you with the desire to know more about "Belle Epoque". Looking forward to another book by Deborah Davis.

5 comments about The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action Analysis, Caricature (Dover Books on Art Instruction, Anatomy).

1. Ken Hultgren's animal drawing book is by far the best I've ever seen. The drawings are not only beautiful and full of life but rich in anatomical information as well. Studying and copying these drawings, combined with a few trips to the zoo and a horse ranch, enhanced my awareness of animal anatomy and movement enormously.
   I used this book as my primary resource for modeling, rigging, animating a horse in Maya. It's a great asset for animators, modelers, sculptors -- artists of any sort-- or anyone who loves animals and good drawings.



2. Excellent art reference for the developing artist who wants to understand animal anatomy and motion.



3. This book is somewhere right between a "How to Draw Animals" book and a detailed anatomy book. It gives you the basics of the muscles for each animal in beautiful, dynamic sketches that take you from drawing static (but proportional) animals to leaping, rolling, fighting animals. If you're really serious, you'll still need a more detailed anatomy book, but for movement (especially of horses and deer and their running patterns) this one is awesome. Just a warning though, the section on dogs is awesome but smaller than the horses, the section on cats is extensive but focuses mostly on big cats, and the section on wolves/foxes/wild dogs is pretty brief - much more of the book is spent on the larger herbivores and some less commonly studied animals like kangaroos, camels, rabbits, and a big section on bears.



4. The book has lots of great drawing. I wish it had more explanations. But I still love it.



5. if you are studying animal drawing, this is one of the best books ever. this concentrates on the motion and line of action, as well as the construction!

3 comments about Fashion Designer's Handbook for Adobe Illustrator.

1. this book is great for the adobe illustrator computer program. it helps you work the program and do fashion designs on the computer. trade sketching is easyer on the computer. everything is in line and perfect.



2. If you are a fashion professional who wants to learn how to use Illustrator this is the book to get! What I enjoyed the most is that this book teaches real world skills that you would need to know in the workplace not fluff that you wouldn't use.



3. this is a great book for some one who has a basic understanding of what illustrator and photoshop does and helps them how to apply to fashion

5 comments about Taking Risks with Watercolour.

1. An internet search of images turned up several VERY intriguing still-lifes full of bright color swatches, lacy textures, and over-lapping objects in a style like absolutely no other artist on earth. Dang! Who's work IS this? Hmmmm! Shirley Trevena. Dig deeper and a plethora of utterly brilliant images, each one as exciting as the last - and I'm thinking, "I have GOT to learn more about this woman! Bought both of her books AND her DVD, and if she ever puts out anything else, I'll get that, too. Most artists are creative, but in usually in a rather traditional, safe sense. Not Trevena. Her work reflects both her knowledge of color and how it's supposed to work, of composition, shapes, lines --- all the elements of the accomplished artist, and then she breaks all the rules and STILL makes it work! Perhaps she has some intuitive, mystical sense about color choice, about playing pale colors against daring and dark hues, and expecially about composition. I don't know. But, if I could collect only one artist's work, I would fill my house with Trevena's. Taking risks, being outside-of-the-box creative is exactly what she has done - inspiring you to do the same. I have well over 100 art books now. Hers are my absolute favorites - the ones from which I've learned the most about taking risks, and feeling giddy with excitement when I'm able to take risks with my own paintings.



2. This is a book for the daring... it goes beyond the typical information found in the average watercolor instruction book. Many, many good suggestions and ideas can be found.



3. This is a wonderful book for any artist wanting to expand their horizons in w/c. The author is generous in giving concrete examples and techniques and also gives a step by step explanation as to how she created one of her paintings. As an art teacher I find this an exceptionally good book.



4. I love this book and have read it from cover to cover. Shirley Trevena's paintings are thrilling to look at, the text is very readible and the layout keeps you turning the pages. I have been painting watercolours of flowers and still life for many years but Shirley Trevena shows me new ways to forge ahead, and fun ways to overcome some of the obstacles I have been facing in my work. Congratulations also to Albert Jackson and the other photographers for a truly excellent book. I look forward to the other book by Trevena.



5. Although the title of the book refers to watercolour painting only, artists using other mediums will get inspiration as well.
   
   Shirley Travena dives into the medium with enthusiasm (no tepid, sepia palette here!) incorporating watercolour with mixed media (including of all things, oil pastels and collage) using imagination, flair and ingenuity. The illustrations are vibrant; a feast for the eyes. While tonal values, composition, alignment and other basics are covered, they are presented in an innovative way. No boring lectures here.
   
   The author shows a delightful candour - admitting how hesitant she was when first starting - and even daring to show some of her early works, on which she has since improved. But then she provides creative ways of overcoming problems, including the initial, daunting feeling of confronting a blank piece of paper or canvas. In addition to trouble-shooting, there are numerous ideas for achieving great effects with very simple techniques. Her use of masking tape to create different planes, for example, is very creative.
   
   This is an experienced artist who nevertheless insists there is no 'right' way to create pictures, which is borne out by such headings as "Daring combinations" and "If a picture needs something, feel free to invent it." Whatever medium or style you use, doing some of the experiments and explorations in this book could well give a new lease of life to your paintings, as well as provide inspiration for new works of art.

5 comments about Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 1.

1. I just recieved my Gothic & Lolita mook through the mail today! I jumped and squealed like a little girly when i saw the package waiting for me just outside my door. Well...i have to say i wasnt disappointed! The glossy cover and huge pages are really awesome-plus all the great articles and amazing pictures!XD Still i hope to see more skirt and blouse patterns instead of accessorie patterns in the future. So yeah-i'm totally in love when this mook! Really recommend it for all lolita lovers out there! :DDD



2. I agree with hikikomorihime's review - I bought this book hoping that there would be patterns for tops and skirts. There were just patterns for accessories. Most of the book is about the fashion and culture which you can find easily on the internet, but it's hard to find patterns on the internet. I plan to send Tokyopop some feedback and hopefully they will add better patterns in later issues. :-D If you sew and were expecting patterns, I suggest you do the same. Be nice though. ;-)
   
   Also, the description mentions that this book covers 4 volumes of the original Gothic & Lolita Bible, so the assumption is that this covers volumes 1 through 4. However it doesn't - it covers volumes 15, 16, 21, and 23. That makes sense since they wouldn't want to give us dated fashion information. I just thought I'd mention that in case you were expecting translations of 1 through 4.



3. Really, my biggest problem is that they condensed so many of the mooks into this one, but only included a few accessory patterns, and none of the "how-to" craft/clothing mod instructions. Really, they wouldn't have to include full patterns, they could easily just dedicate a few pages to printed Japanese words commonly used in Japanese patterns and craft instructions, along with the English definitions. At that point, we could just locate the words, and figure out on our own what to do with our original mooks. Of course... that still wouldn't be of much help to those who just discover it, and want the dress patterns, the aprons, the pinafores, etc. Still, I'm hoping that they'll make that change in a future translated mook, if not at least host something of the sort on their site.



4. Wow! The photos of the girls in their Gothic and Lolita fashions are incredible. It was neat to see how the style varies from individual to individual. I only had a broad idea of what Gothic and Lolita fashion was prior to getting this magazine. Both the photos and interviews with girls gave me a more in depth understanding. I enjoyed the article about Japan rock star Nana Kitade. I also had no idea how cutting edge Japan was in the fashion world. I will definitely be buying them every month!



5. i have been waiting soo long for this to come out in English! i had expected so much but they were all blown away.. thank you soo much.