3 comments about The Art Spirit.

1. This book is recommended reading by my art teacher...I have only just started reading it, but it appears to be really interesting so far.



2. The Art Spirit is a classic. No artist should ever be without a copy. This book invites reading time and time again. It brings us back to the principles. The value of things. Right thinking. Relationships. As a practicing artist, I can think of few books that have meant so much.



3. I first read about this book while reading "Lynch on Lynch" about the artist David Lynch.He mentioned that "The Art Spirit" opened his eyes to what art could be,and I figured "hey,if he got something out of it I'll bet that I could too!" Then a few weeks ago my Art Appreciation class instructor mentioned that it was top-notch reading(he's involved with the biggest art museum in Minneapolis)--then I knew I had to pick this book up.It's amazing reading and contains great ideas you won't soon forget!

5 comments about Masterful Color: Vibrant Colored Pencil Paintings Layer by Layer.

1. Having a pretty large collection of drawing and colored pencil books I figured there wasn't much I would get out of this one. I was wrong. This book really took my colored pencil paintings to a new level. Like a lot of other colored pencil books, you really need to have drawing skills as this book won't teach you how to draw. What you will learn is how to make your colored pencil paintings look like paintings and not bland one dimensional drawings. This book will teach you how to bring life to your drawings with vibrant, bold color. Get this book and try one of the drawings (I did the marbles) and if you follow the directions and take your time you will be amazed at what you can create. I find myself going to this book to help guide me each time I start a new project and it hasn't let me down yet.



2. "masterful COLOR" is well written in a clear concise format. Explanations from concept of idea to composition using the latest digital equipment as well as basic equipment needed is well taught. This is more of a "how I do it" book, rather than a broad spectrum book detailing supplies, equipment, techniques and other basics. With this in mind, Arlene Steinberg eliminates the need for lengthly explanations so you can focus on how to expediently execute a well conceived painting. A detailed summary of color theory and underpainting styles used by the Old Masters was exceptionally insightful and unique to this fine art medium. I consider this purchase a part of my foundation in learning the art of the colored pencil.



3. I found this to be an excellent book on colored pencil. The lessons have a lot of detail and many step-by-step photos which make it a lot easier to complete the projects than in some books. I am using the book as if I were taking a course in color pencils, completing the paintings in the order in which they appear in the book. Most of my drawings are actually turning out to look like the ones in the book. When they don't I do them again paying closer attention to the instructions. I am learning a lot about layering color to get rich tones. I don't think all colored pencil artists build up that many layers to achieve the colors in their paintings but I think that it is worth it to learn this way. Now, when I do a leaf I won't immediately reach for the greens or when i do a red flower, immediately reach for the reds. I have been trying color pencil and knew I needed more instruction but wasn't sure where to start. I was so excited when I got this book because the book gave me the answer.
   I did find that my paintings came out more true to hers when i traced the finished painting in the book to make my pattern instead of using the line drawings in the back of the book but all-in-all it is a wonderful book.



4. Other reviewers have thoroughly covered the author's inclusion of every aspect of colored pencil in this book. They are right on the money. The reason I bought this book, however, and the reason I like it, is stated in the title. 'Masterful Color.' That truly says it all.
   
   This book is filled with color, glorious color! Color and value, the color wheel, training your eyes to see color, and even some history behind the use of color. The demos sparkle with tints and shades, and the references to the Old Masters, and their use of color and technique, are particularly interesting and useful, especially if one wants to paint like an Old Master someday. And that antique look appears to be coming back into fashion.
   
   The usage and properties of color build, in this book, from the ground up. I love to underpaint, but I am never sure which color to use under what hue. On page 47, there is an extremely handy tool...a chart illustrating color combinations that will make your paintings shine! This color chart must have taken days of work and years of experience to develop. Possession of this chart alone is worth the price of the book.
   
   I buy many colored pencil books, but today's market is becoming so saturated, it is difficult to find something new in every book that comes out. This book contains new and different material, and it is a must for the colored pencil lover's library.



5. As a gallery director and host to one of Arlene's three-day workshops, I am happy to say that she has managed to condense an entire workshop into an excellent instructional book full of step-by-step demonstrations, color information and basic templates. Beginners, intermediate students and artists at all levels will find this book to be a very useful tool. Masterful Color: Vibrant Colored Pencil Paintings Layer by Layer is the next best thing to taking a workshop from Arlene. It is a must have for all colored pencil artists and for anyone who wants to learn about colored pencil.

5 comments about 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die.

1. What an amazing compilation of some of the world's most beautiful works of art through the ages! As a museum geek, I've seen many beautiful paintings in my life and have been very fortunate to have traveled in Europe and was exposed to major art museums in countries than my own. This book has "filled in the blanks" if you will, and has opened my eyes to more modern art, as well as the old masters. I am now studying art history and plan on broadening my horizons by visiting many more museums and galleries throughout the world. I bought a copy for my mom and my girlfriend, and they love it too.



2. I am enjoying this book. I wish the paintings were of a larger scale, stil you can see the pictures well enough for recognition. There are many best parts but I enjoy the alpahbetical index that I am using to highlight my more appreciated works. I enjoy the explanation of the artist and style beneath the paintings. Each painting is pictured in this book in color. Great buy!



3. I bought this book based on the reviews here, I thought the book was pretty good.
   
   My main problem was with the size of the images. Someone here said most images are one to a page, or two to a page... and that the smallest images are an inch by an inch.
   
   I'd expected all the images to be a lot bigger. Many of the images, maybe even 25% - 50% weren't much bigger than an inch by an inch. This is a real problem if you are looking at the book as an artist and want to see how the brushstrokes were made a little bit etc. at least on some of them. But the images were too small for this, and no detail views were shown (except a very smalll number at the start of each section).
   
   I found it really hard to look at all the small images and take in the painting properly too. Many were just too small for me.
   
   I'd rather have had less white space and 30% bigger images, this could easily have been done without sacrificing much text or design quality. (The cover art was awful too!)
   
   I also bought '1000 Masterpieces of European Painting: From 1300 to 1850' at the same time and this book was so much better at having larger images and showing details than this book (despite the book being far SMALLER and having far less pages than this one too!). It had a nicer feel too, the arrangement of the images and text was far less uniform than in this book and therefore much more interesting. It did have less white space but was actually far more elegant despite this.
   
   The selection of images seemed very good though (despite the bad graphic design of the book) and it was well-made. It weights an absolute TON but then it would!



4. An enormous, beautifully compiled collection of artwork whose title I couldn't agree with more. Filled with easily digested insights into some of the greatest artwork in history, this almost 1000-page book is great for people only mildly interested in art or for serious art-core types.
   The pictures are lovely and there's just enough text to get you interested in someone new (or old) at every turn.



5. Did I get a bum copy of the book? Or is it a joke that the book contains 1,000 paintings to see instead of 1,001? The Kiss by Francesco Hayez is listed and pictured twice in my copy - but with different dates. The Kiss on pg. 429 is dated 1859. The Kiss on pg. 475 is dated 1881. Also, I've seen quite a few typos and wordos so far, and I'm half-way through. The book is cute, informative, but needs an editor ASAP before the next edition. Or let us in on the "joke" if that's what this is.

3 comments about Bold Visions: A Digital Painting Bible.

1. Beautiful images, great price, and a good overview of the steps Gary Tonge uses to create his spectacular fantasy and science-fiction paintings.
   
   I keep looking for a book, or DVD, that will provide very detailed step-by-step directions for creating digital drawings and paintings from scratch using Photoshop. One that is designed for the beginner, but advances rapidly. I guess my unrealistic hope is to find material that takes me through the process in "baby steps" with directions like "I used this specific brush, with these settings, and this color to paint this area. Then I switched to this specific brushe and color and painted this here."
   
   While this book doesn't get that specific--it does provide a good overview of the steps Mr. Tonge uses to create about a dozen different images. For example, his chapter on "Bringing a Fantasy Landscape to Life" includes 15 steps along with screen shots. In addition he has included useful information regarding composition, lighting, scale and perspective, with illustrations on how these are used in his work. And for the price--I don't think you'll find a better book. If you do, let me know!
   
   One recommendation I have for the second edition of this book would be to include a CD or DVD with a video showing the step-by-step processess for one of his paintings! I'd pay double for that!



2. Bold Visions is an excellent publication! Any aspiring artist will find this book very informative and inspirational.
   
   The quality of this book is of a very high stand and the format in which it is printed makes Gary's work really stand out! Bold Vision clearly explains the techniques used to make great images, and informs the reader in a tutorial way of how the images are created!
   
   Bold Visions is a essential book to anyones collection.



3. This book is really informative from an artistic perspective, I would have like to see more of the PS functions displayed but the way that Gary Tonge explains his techniques more than compensates. This book has extraordinary displays of Gary's artistic capabilities and the direction for me is easy to follow and understand. I have searched for a book like this for years and Gary Tonge delivered! You wont find any better instruction for a better price...Get this book!

No comments about Cave Art.

5 comments about Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan.

1. While "Delirious" has its fair share of archispeak, Mr. Koolhaas pulls off an intelligent, fun and thought-provoking take on the early 20th century building culture of New York.
   
   One of the quirkier aspects of "Delirious" is Mr. Koolhaas's analysis of Coney Island: an "incubator for Manhattan's incipient themes." As a reader, one initially questions the inclusion of such a trashy place in such a lofty manifesto. However, as the chapter progresses, you start to see Mr. Koolhaas's iconoclastic brilliance. He pays an amazing homage to "the laboratory" that was Coney Island, illuminating the vital role it played in the building philosophies that would emerge later in Manhattan.
   
   Scattered throughout "Delirious," also, are compelling supporting images that Mr. Koolhaas clearly spent a lot of time digging up. In fact, flipping through the book for the images alone makes for a near-equivalent, and fun, learning experience.
   
   However, unlike his tasteful use of images, Mr. Koolhaaas's flamboyant use of scholarly English makes his writing difficult to digest at times:
   
   "It is probably inevitable that a doctrine based on the continual simulation of pragmatism, on a self-imposed amnesia that allows the continuous reenactment of the same subconscious themes in ever new reincarnations and on inarticulateness systematically cultivated in order to operate more effectively..."
   
   Given Mr. Koolhaas's journalism background (and assumed mastery of writing), I suspect he made the conscious decision to remain somewhat inaccessible to preserve his "lofty" image. While such a decision may be understandable, his brilliance as a writer often gets overshadowed by the sheer irritation of trying to understand him.
   
   Ultimately, "Delirious" proves itself to be a very intelligent synopsis---just as delirious and congested the themes Mr. Koolhaas puts forth. For the most part, it's a pleasure to read, and it also reflects the exhaustive research on Mr. Koolhaas's end. Much like Mr. Koolhaas's buildings, "Delirious" is on the cusp of being as grand as it intends to be.



2. through the exhaustive historiography of the phases of congestion coney island brought to manhattan, koolhaas provides a rather cynical view of the Grid as being an ulimatley neutral zoning system of constraining ideas that represent the continual decline of a phantastically realistic civilization, represented as mutated symbols of architecture in the "void" of repeated "pregnancies."
   
   it's really well written. funny. uses, like above, a somewhat inefficient vocabulary but remains in the same vein throughout. it is also a graphic design hubris consuming every page, even the left-justified text, showing off koolhaas's interpretation of the importance to combine scholarship and marketing.
   
   buy it. it's a very good book.



3. A very inventive concept of New York's "culture of congestion" and how people are affected by the architecture they create. It is heavily researched and exhaustive, and after pretty much the third page I agreed with his concept of NY being "totally fabricated by man". What could of been a fascinating article becomes a spastic, heavy-handed read with a sledgehammer effect to your brain. (However,for those of us reading it for school, there are plenty of pictures that fill up the almost devastatingly vast 300+pages quickly.) It will scramble your brain with its thousands of nearly bumper-stickerish statements ("It hides life." "The Mountain MUST become architecture.") written with pretentious glee. However, I believe an independent scientific study has concluded that when pretending to read this book on the train people around you will assume your IQ is 40% higher than truth.



4. koolhaas is a bit over-the-top for me, but this I think is is best work. it's worth checking out if only for the story of coney island. once you get past blisteringly pretentious phrases like "coney island is a fetal manhattan", you'll find it gloriously entertaining as both a narrative and theoretical work.



5. This is by far Koolhaas's most accessible work, as it is rooted so clearly in detail from the city's past. Further, the book is simply brilliant. His take on urban history is to Jane Jacobs what Socrates is to common sense. New York is a special case of modernism that sprang from a special constellation of poltiical and technological forces that collectively create a cultural "big-bang" at the turn of the century. Read it. Blow your mind.

2 comments about Art: A Brief History (3rd Edition) (MyArtKit Series).

1. My son needed this book for his college class. It was very useful and the seller was very accomadating. She even offered to take the book to him because she lived across town from him. She opted to mail it to him.



2. This book arrived promptly and in condition that I am very satisfied with. Overall I am very happy with my purchase!

5 comments about How to Write a Book Proposal.

1. Michael Larsen delivers a well thought out approach that is acutely adept in describing and understanding the new writers perspective and guides them safely into the labyrinth of working with publishers, agents and their requirements. He introduces the inductee to how the agent or publisher thinks since they are the ones that have to read and make decisions for hundreds of publications weekly. He educates the reader in writing a book proposal of the anticipated content so as to whoo the editor into seeing the meaning and readability of the new authors desire in a crisp clear written form. An excellent purchase for the serious writer who has a solid intention to get something published.



2. How to Write a Book Proposal is not all bad--I highlighted many sentences, and I did pick up some good tips. However, I felt like I was touring the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose--that 160-room mansion comprised of endless additions and oddities because the heiress compulsively felt that she had to keep the construction continuing. The book is in fact the 3rd edition, but some extra editing would have helped rather than just multiplying pet entries.
   
   Larsen might be able to write an irresistible proposal for himself, but he hasn't written an irresistible book. I wearied in reading countless times that I would have to have a marketing plan that would sweep the publisher off his or her feet, that I would have to obtain quotes and recommendations from famous people, and that I would have to promote endlessly on tours across the nation. Perhaps these are essential to getting published, but then I am left scratching my head in wonder as I look at all the mediocre material on the booksellers' shelves. Lots of people seem to have slipped through. And when I read his sample gems, I quickly grew bored.
   
   The main problem that I had with the book was that it felt like a hodgepodge of ideas that kept overlapping each other. I am a person who appreciates good organization and order. This book left me feeling that I would have to edit it first to then be able to use it.
   
   If you are a new (promising) writer prone to discouragement, I would not read this book. However, if you think writing would be a neat whim and easy, then you should read this book. You will throw up your hands in despair and save yourself and the publisher who might have to look at your material a lot of wasted effort.



3. This book is an excellent template on writing an effective book proposal. The book proposal is a vital component to getting published, and Larsen takes you step-by-step through the process, with great examples. And while I've written 7 nonfiction books with a successful track record, my publishers still require a proposal. This is a must-have resource for anyone serious about getting a book published.



4. This book provides a successful model of what literary agents and publishers are looking for in a book proposal. Although it is written for non-fiction, fiction authors will benefit tremendously from reading it. (Especially now, fiction has to have an engaging slam-dunk pitch.)
   
   I recommend all the writers I mentor to read this book!



5. This book is the best guide to writing a book proposal on the market. It has been updated since the first edition, and contains all the information a writer needs to write a marketable book proposal. I edit books for a living, and have recommended this book to prospective authors for years.

5 comments about Drawing for Dummies.

1. Drawing for Dummies is a great drawing guide. I am somewhere between beginner and intermediate but no where near advanced in my drawing skills. I found this book to be of great help in learning new things and sharpening skills that I already have.
   It offers many exercises to improve and enhance your drawing style.
   It is a simple read; the author doesn't make it all technical and boring.
   I think this is a book that every aspiring artist should have on their shelves.



2. Drawing for Dummies was a gift for my nephew, who likes to draw comic chacters.As you might expect, they are all out of proportion and child-like.He is a teenager now and is looking for some guidance to improve his drawing. When I first received this book, I thumbed through it and read the chapter headings. I'm sure he will profit from this book. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
   A.R.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



3. Well, I really wanted to learn how to draw well, so I picked this up. The first few chapters really help, but then it became was to hard for a beginning artist. Some of the stuff she wants you to draw is insane, and I just gave up on this book. If you want a good drawing book for beginners, don't look at this one.



4. I like this book on some levels. On other levels...erm...there are problems. I agree that there are a lot of cartoony drawings, as well as some more realistic ones where she seemed to go through a looong period of giving people strange looking round clown type noses. The effect is off putting...not charming as I think was hoped.
   She also uses what I think is a lot of inappropriate hatching..making her subjects sometimes seem kind of...hairy looking.
   But these are all style issues...I really can't find fault with her technical ability. In fact, many drawings are beautiful.
   As for blending, she feels it is more difficult to do well , and that's why she doesn't really approach it here. On her website she states more or less that to blend or not should be up to the individual artist and gives a reasonable tutorial on blending correctly.
   Her examples are often not illustrated enough...and written instructions seem hurried, without details on how to do what she is talking about.
   Also the pics in the examples are far too small...
   But this is a good book as far as being approachable goes.
   It gives good solid info, and does cover many subjects.
   One book is rarely definitive in any endeavor one tries to learn...and often you can't cover everything in one book.
   Publishers sometimes have to think about the larger market and what it will pay for.As far as we know she may have a limit on how many words and images she can use!
   These books are designed to be inexpensive and general.
   Given that fact, I think this particular "Dummie" book, does pretty well.



5. This is a nice basic drawing book. This book teaches you how to do tonal drawings by crosshatching. She doesn't smudge her drawings to save time and you can tell by the finished piece. This would be good practice for someone interested in printmaking.

3 comments about Splash 10 Passionate Brushstrokes (Splash).

1. I have most of the Splash series and I think 10 is one of the best yet. I love to see what other watercolorists can do. Their imagination abilities are truly remarkable. Splash 10 is also special to me as my teacher, Susan Stuller, has two paintings included.
   
   Marti Franks



2. Book ten already! I wonder if the folks at North Light thought Splash would last from January 1991 to May 2008 for the latest edition. Especially when you consider the number of books out there. Put 'watercolor painting' into Amazon's advance search and more than 8,000 titles pop up, try 'watercolor instruction' for more than 800!
   
   I mentioned in my review of book nine that I thought the contents rather subdued in comparison with previous editions and ten does rather continue that impression. I must admit that I have no idea about the criteria for inclusion in this series but selection is probably based on what is available and maybe there just aren't many eye-stopping paintings around. I'm thinking here of Deborah Rubin's tram painting in book eight or Hosey Hutson's beautiful painting of the side of a barn made up from 7-UP signs in book six.
   
   So what does this latest book have to offer. There is certainly no reduction in quality from the ninety-nine artists included and the range of styles is as wide as previous books. Dan Burt's included again (he's also in book seven and eight) with his amazingly flamboyant casual brushstrokes and so is Soon Warren's glass bowl with flowers done in an almost photorealist technique. Ted Nuttall (also in book eight) contributes a lovely portrait rather reminiscent of Charles Reid's style: an apparent casualness of color and brushstrokes that makes it look so easy but is in fact the epitome of creativity and professionalism. John Salminen lives in the Minnesota woods and so is intrigued by big cities. He has two paintings that nicely capture the feel of a metropolis, his starting point are his own city photos. As with previous editions all the artists write about their techniques and inspiration.
   
   Book ten is the same size as the others, printed on good paper with a 175 screen. The paintings are divided into seven sections with the usual favorites: landscapes, still life, flowers (with some really good exhibits) and people. I always thought the design of the series rather good, clean and uncluttered but this book has a rather annoying design conceit: there are three examples of display type printed on the paintings. This seems to me a totally unnecessary idea, empty areas of a painting are there for a reason and not to be considered as an optional place to add text. I've not noticed this in previous books.
   
   Despite the fact that this tenth book (like the ninth) doesn't quite come up to the creative exuberance of the previous eight it still has plenty of wonderful watercolors to inspire you and the series still continues the very high painting selection one has come to expect.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



3. Rachel Rubin Wolf must be doing something right with now a tenth in the series. The Splash series is a collection of current watercolor artists and some of their most inspiring work.
   
   This one is Passionate Brushstrokes. The colors, the ideas, the perspective of the paintings are once again terrific.
   
   It is especially helpful, as an artist, to read from each artist their breakthroughs, their inspiration, their secrets along with each painting in the book.
   
   It is not a how-to book but looking through the book is motivating and inspiring if you are trying to get a new painting going.