5 comments about Artists' Journals and Sketchbooks: Exploring and Creating Personal Pages.

1. This book is one of the most inspiring books I have seen for creative inspiration. If you are interested in journal writing or book making it is a "must have"! Also makes a wonderful gift !



2. I have my high school students complete visual journals as a part of their high school art experience and this book provides great ideas for this endeavor. I keep it in my classroom so students can brouse when they have free time and I use it as a resource for visual journal ideas/prompts. It is one of my favorite books.



3. Great inspirational book for students and professionals.
   Excellent quality pages and photographs. Lots of good examples.



4. I did not find this book horribly inspiring. Although many of the pages were absolutely wonderful, this book did little to excite me. I will keep it as an occasional reference...there were a couple descriptions and different techniques I may try. Not bad, not great.



5. This book is very practical, and I go back to it again and again. I'm fairly new to art journaling, and this book is great because there are a LOT of examples and easy-to-understand instructions for each one. I expect to be using this book as one of my main resources for a long time. It's a book I can grow into.

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

3 comments about Art in Renaissance Italy.

1. I lived in Italy for over a year and this was the primary text book for my renaissance art history class. It was a wonderful book with pictures and so much information, I had to purchase it for myself.



2. I needed this book for my college Ren. Art class and our bookstore wasn't getting it in on time. PLUS they were ONLY selling it for $80.00!! I have always had wonderful results with amazon and trust their speedy delivery.
   The books information is extremely indepth with wonderful colored pictures to go along with our professors lectures. I've developed a desire to see Florence and the Or San Michele there. If someone were to ask me about it 2 months ago, i would have asked them to repeat themselves. But indepth on monuments, paintings, cities and regions all over the country and throughout the 12th- 16th centuries.



3. This book is far and above what I had expected. Emphasis was placed on being user friendly, which is paramount with such a heavy topic. Side bars on the inner political, religious, and general public life help to clarify what influenced the artist in making choices of subject, style, and composition. I now have a clearer understanding of why I paint how I do, and why we as a culture critique art the way we do.

5 comments about Painting Animals.

1. I ENJOYED THE ARTWORK VERY MUCH BUT REALLY HOPED THAT THE DEMONSTRATIONS WERE MORE INVOLVED. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE ARTIST IS ONE OF THE MOST ACCOMPISHED IN THE WORLD AND HAS A VERY GIFTED EYE WITH WHICH HE VIEWS NATURE. THE UNUSUAL POSES, USE OF COLOR AND DELICACY OF BRUSHWORK CREATES
   AN ANGELIC EFFECT OF HIS SUBJECTS. HOWEVER, AS FAR AS THE BOOK GOES, ITS A FORUM FOR HIS ART AND STYLE BUT HE DOES NOT GIVE AWAY AS MUCH ABOUT HOW HE ACHEIVES THESE FANTASTIC EFFECTS. WHAT WE WHO BUY THESE BOOKS NEED IS A MORE INVOLVED "HOW DID YOU DO THAT" APPROACH. SHOW ME MORE STEPS. SHOW ME HOW YOU HANDLE THE INTRICATE DETAILS. REMEMBER THAT IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY. OTHER STRUGGLING ARTIST WILL IMITATE YOU FOR A TIME AND THEN THEY ARE OFF TO DO THERE OWN THING. IN THESE TYPES OF BOOKS WE LOOK FOR MORE DETAIL. I FOUND THAT TO BE SOMEWHAT LACKING IN THIS BOOK.



2. This is an exceptional wildlife artist, however I bought this book specifically for the purpose of learning to paint animals in detail. There's not a whole lot here to explain how to get certain effects. One thing that bothered me was how it was written. Not that it was poorly written, but that it was from the viewpoint of someone other than the artist. I want to read what the artist thinks, how they came up with the idea & how they acheived their results. Not from the viewpoint of someone who interviewed them.



3. This book is exceptionally well done and an inspiration to anyone interested in wildlife and art.



4. This is not a book for the beginning artist but perhaps another reference for wildlife artists, especially acrylic and oil painters. Full of lovely paintings by Christophe Drochon but I found the instructive aspect to be somewhat thin on specific detail. Discussions of technique and composition were very general and although I agree with the author's comments, I felt that a lot more could have been said that would have made this a more instructive book.



5. If you aim to paint ultra-real, exciting wildlife art, Christophe Drochon's work can't help but inspire you. His rendering of lambent cat eyes, fur glowing in the sun and dramatic scenes are some of the best.
   
   This book is aimed to the oil and acrylic artist or anyone working in opaque mediums as opposed to the more expressive and loose styles of watercolor and pastel. You can get ideas for colored pencil and sharpened pastel as well as gouache but this is really primarily for oil painters.
   
   There are sufficient demos to give good instruction for the more advanced artist, but you need some grounding in your medium before you attempt work such as this. In other words, not for beginners except as inspiration and simply to admire an exceptional artist's work.

5 comments about The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book (Kitchen Sink Press Book for Back Bay Books).

1. I just picked up the hardcover edition yesterday at the bargain section of my local bookstore. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It's in chronological order of R. Crumb's work broken into chapters. Each chapter starts with a write up by him telling about what was going on in his life at that time, and how some of the drawings came to be. I find him to be a fascinating artist. He bares his soul in his work, not really caring how he appears or what people think.



2. I have the hardcover edition. I collect Robert Crumb's works and this is a favorite of everyone looking at my collection. It you are an art student this along with his Gotta Have'Em Portraits of Women by R.Crumb is good resource material. I'd give The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book in (hardcover) ten stars if I could. I have not had the opportunity to look at the soft cover version but I would bet it is well done.



3. A generation ago, American poets such as Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, John Berryman, and Anne Sexton gave birth to a genre that's come to be known as "confessional poetry." Their verse revealed intimate facts about their lives that simply weren't spoken of in polite company: fears, phobias, sexual hang-ups, pettiness, depression, suicidal tendencies. Some of their work wound up being rather pathetic, more confessional than poetic. But when it was good, it invited readers to face their own demons.
   
   Robert Crumb, whom the art critic Robert Hughes has called the "Breughel of the 20th century," is a confessional artist whose chosen genre is comics. For 50-odd years (with the emphasis on "odd"!), R. Crumb has explored his many identities and personae in thousands of sketches, drawings, and paintings. The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book is actually an autobiography put together from a handful of the work Crumb has produced over the years. It's interspersed with essays by Crumb on his childhood, school days, the hippie scene in San Francisco, his marriages, his "personal obsession with big women," his spiritual yearnings, and his love of old music. Taken together, it's a fascinating portrait of a man who's dared to explore some of his deepest and darkest places, and to do so (at least sometimes) publicly.
   
   Crumb believes that the pivotal moment in his personal and artistic life was the period in the mid-60s to the early 70s when he dropped acid on a regular basis. Although he sometimes worries that he might've fried his brain, he also thinks that the LSD trips liberated his psyche and helped him break through to new and deeper levels of creativity. The LSD was, he tells us, his "road to Damascus."
   
   Perhaps. It's true that Crumb's work has changed over the years--it's become more brutally honest, more introspective, darker and at the same time funnier. Perhaps the LSD had something to do with it (although, personally, I quite dislike some of the work that comes from that period, finding it rather flat and silly). But I suspect that the single greatest influence on Crumb was his childhood and his family, especially his brother Charlie, who seems to have been just as much a genius as Robert. Crumb the man really is the child of Crumb the boy. The LSD may've helped Crumb get in touch with the raw energy generated from those days.
   
   Crumb has become notorious for the sexuality of some of his comics, and has taken his share of political correct knocks. But The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book makes clear that the bottom line of much of his art is his existential need to explore and expose the shallowness and absurdity of much of modern life. Above all, as he tells us (p. 247), he wants to tell the truth, not only about himself but about us as well. Whether it's in the pages of "Zap" or "Weirdo" comics, or in panels featuring Shuman the Human or Mr. Natural, Crumb continuously questions racial, sexual, cultural, and artistic conventions, pushing the envelope as far as it can go and frequently causing readers discomfort. There's also a longing on Crumb's part for deep meaning in a universe that appears crazy. This most often reveals itself as nostalgia for bygone days (his love of "old" music, for example), but also more explicitly as a yearning for a god that he can no longer fully believe in and frequently mocks.
   
   Reading R. Crumb is an intense experience. Like all good art, his stuff can make one laugh with joy or send shivers down the spine. The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book is a good place to start if you're just discovering Crumb, and an equally good collection to help long-time admirers get some idea of the big picture of Crumb's work and to better appreciate its depth. It's also a good catalyst for getting in touch with one's own multiple identities.



4. Just about every huge page (this book is big!) is filled with inspired color drawings from the legendary underground artist. Crumb gets very personal in this book, it's incredibly honest and, at times, deep. He takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through his childhood, life, and career. It's about growing up, finding the artist within, and adjusting to the insanity of the world. Or, you can simply read it for the edgy, often sexual comics. Either way, this is a big heavy book that is hard to pick up, but harder to put down.



5. This book is the ultimate Crumb. You won't be disappointed if you love his work.

5 comments about Marks of Excellence.

1. This book is a great resource for the methods behind some of the most sucessful logos created. Even if you are not a "logo designer" this book is a good reference. The author gets extremely deep into the psychology and methods of successful logos. Although sometimes laborious - it provides great background.



2. If you want do develop a brand name, this is the right book. It presents an overall process on how to buid a branding.



3. This is a beatifully designed book that is very complete. There are hundreds of examples of good design, and enough text to satisfy those who need detailed explanations. Quite simply, I have seen nearly all the books available on logo design, and this one of the best I have ever seen.



4. I basicly see this book as an art book. Enjoy the design of old and contemporary trademarks and their functions. The text though, is very technical - as in other areas of marketing, the science of trademarks and branding is overacademized for nothing.



5. Per Mollerup's Marks of Excellence is an interesting and beautifully illustrated look at trademarks. The most interesting part for me are the little anecdotes which occur here and there about particular trademarks. For example the Guinness harp is based on the O'Neill clan harp, when the Irish State was formed in 1922 they had to reverse the harp because Guinness owned the copyright.
   The look and feel of the book is similar to any of the Graphis range. The book begins with a brief look at the precursors of trademarks such as heraldry, monograms and brands for animals and goods. It then examines the design process looking at the type of corporate identities that can be created and their application. The bulk of the book though is the taxonomy of trademarks breaking them down into classes, such as birds, botanical, buildings etc. There is a brief look at the background to the trademark accompanied by the name of company which uses the trademark and the designers behind it.

5 comments about Drawing People.

1. Not only is this book an invaluable guide to drawing the clothed figure, it is also one of the best books I've seen on drawing period. All of the important principles of drawing are in this book. These principles are clearly presented and well organized with a good mixture of easy to read text and beautiful illustrations. For clothed figure there is nothing else remotely comparable to it on the market. I am a college art instructor and often use this book to illustrate drawing lessons. The sections of the book on kinds of folds and how different clothing reacts to the moving figure are the best I have seen. Anyone, from novice to professional, who want to know more about basic drawing principles, how to draw the figure or the clothed figure should have this book in their library.



2. I am a figurative painter, illustrator, and part time university instructor who owns two copies of this outstanding book: one for personal use and one as a supplement to teaching.
   
   There are very few books available on drawing the clothed figure, and fewer that are useful. This book is a must have for anyone who is a serious beginner or professional figurative artist.
   
   It is filled from cover to cover with clearly written text, outstanding drawings and diagrams, and valuable information and insight. Part 1 in the book covers the oft overlooked imperative issues of stance and holding the medium, direct drawing, telling a story, drawing in a sketchbook and drawing in your studio. Parts 2, 3, 4, and 5 progress in a logical way through valuable information on the figure and clothing, including: clear information on how body forms and clothing wrap around, folds including their types and how they move with the form and action of the body, fabric types and textures, patterns, and how to construct clothing on the body, plus pages on drawing hats and footwear. Part 6 includes information on design of the figure in clothing, drawing heads, hands, and children.
   
   Barbara Bradley's mastery of subject, joyful spirit, and understanding of how we think and feel moves this far beyond being a simple "How To" book. This book is about drawing the clothed figure, but it is also about expressing an opinion and portraying a living human being.



3. Earlier this year, Barbara Bradley was selected by a jury of 75 illustrators, art directors and educators to receive the New York Society of Illustrators' 2007 Distinguished Educator of the Arts Award. "Drawing People: How to Portray the Clothed Figure" is an organized, comprehensive collection of the lessons this outstanding teacher and former illustration department director distilled from 25 years of teaching clothed figure drawing at San Francisco's Academy of Art University. The breadth of Bradley's knowledge and understanding of drawing made this an ambitious undertaking. The result is a book densely packed with key concepts and tips for producing believable, expressive, well-drawn figures.
   
   It is unfortunate that two of the recently posted reviews here are so bafflingly critical--especially since one is written by someone who admits he lacks the skill to draw clothed figures himself. As a working illustrator for over 20 years (Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition, The Wishing Tree, Water Beds: Sleeping In The Ocean, Octavia And Her Purple Ink Cloud, The Rainforest Grew All Around), let me assure you that "Drawing People" is a valuable resource both for beginning artists as well as for more advanced, life-long students. Contrary to the title of my review, the inspiration and skills Barbara Bradley passed on to her many students is her real legacy. Her clothed figure drawing book is a bonus--a gift to those not fortunate enough to have experienced her teaching first-hand.



4. I just finished my first year of art school and picked up this book to give me some more practice over the summer. Have a background that includes nude figure drawings first before delving into this one. But if you are ready to delve into drapery, this book is a godsend. Not many books deal with clothing studies, and she offers good tips for creating drawings using both value and line.



5. 
   
   This book is not so much about depicting clothing but discussing figure drawing and depicting folds in clothing. It doesn't do what it sets out to do. For it to do that, ti would have actually had to explain more abotu how clothing wraps around the body. Understanding the figure is a must in depicting clothing, as cloth twists and moves to the contortions of the body. This was not discussed in the book. Soem real life examples would have wokred wonders toward achieving it's aim. The book can also be a bit wordy. It could have been made concise if they had used a greater amount of photos and clearer graphics.
   
   With that being said, I still enjoyed this book. Even thoguh it didn't quite delve deeply into process some of the suggestions were reasonably helpful. I liked the rough figure sketches she includes. These are great examples of how to capture form. Also, her interest in telling a story and explanations as to her choices in for depicting mood were very interesting to me. I would like to get into illustrative work. So those msall points on telling a story. It a very kind of open beginners book to pencil drawing the human figure. Other mediums are ignored. Still, i like the art, and even though I took the book out from my local library. I'
   m thinking of buying myself a copy.
   My advice, Buy it from the bookstore, if oyu don't like it, return it.
   
   
   There really should be a half a star sign, this book isn't quiet a four but it isn't a three either.

5 comments about Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.

1. I got this book at Disneyland yesterday. It was SO great! I'm glad I bought this instead of a stuffed Sally doll. It was very interesting, and I'm very pleased to see storyboards and the very informative contents of the book, especially the poem of The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, I wish I could've read more of the poem Tim Burton wrote. Then I could compare it to the original poem of The Night Before Christmas. Tim Burton is an exceedingly creative man, and I'm glad he makes stop-motion animation, because I'm SO sick of all the stupid computer animated movies that studios make nowadays. Tim Burton follows his own ideas, and this movie inspired me to be a stop-motion animator when I grow up, alongside with a career as an author.
   -Jo W.



2. If you've ever seen Tim Burton's truly excellent stop-motion animation film The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you've probably wondered, "How was all this done?" This book can answer that. Inside you'll find the stories behind the screenplay, the music, the process of stop-motion animation itself, and see some of Burton's original sketches that gave inspiration to one of the most imaginative and outright magnificent movies in the last fifteen years. If you love The Nightmare Before Christmas, then you'll go nuts over this book.



3. If you're interested in knowing more about Tim Burton's movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, this book is a great buy. It has all the details about the making of the movie and the characters plus loads of great pictures. A must have for every Nightmare Before Christmas enthusiast.



4. This book is definitely very illustrative about the process of creation of a film of the caliber of `The nightmare before Christmas'. With a foreword by Tim Burton, the book includes everything related with the making of this stop-motion animation classic. This book is more a documentary about the making of the film; it is divided in three sections (described below) and takes you through the whole process of creation of the movie. It is an interesting document indeed for people wanting to know about the creative process of making a movie of this kind. A perfect companion for the film!
   
   The Film
   
   The first part of the book focuses on the story ans the lyrics of the movie songs, beautifully illustrated with pictures from the movie, designs and Burton's sketches. Some movie facts are also given in this part of the book.
   
   The Art
   
   The original poem by Burton in which the movie is based on is presented in the firt part of the section. Most of Burton's sketches and character designs are here. The design of the sets, the characters and storyboards are well explained and presented in this section of the book with beautiful pictures, colored sketches and original drawings by Tim.
   
   The Vision
   
   In this section we get to meet all the people involved in making this film possible, and a little background on her profiles and how they were selected to partake on this project. Tim Burton, Henry Selick, Danny Elfman, Caroline Thompson, Kathleen Gavin and Denise Di Novi participate with comments and thought about the project.



5. I bought this book wanting to know more about the making of the movie, but didn't get as much as I'd hoped for. It does include many sketches from Tim Burton, but hardly an from others who worked on the film. Yes, it does include lyrics to the songs featured in the film, all except for the one I was hoping for ( I can't remember the name, but it's the last song in the movie sung by Jack & Sally... "if you don't mind, I'd like to join you by your side, Where we can gaze upon the stars, And sit together, Now and Forever..")
   Most of the book is a pictoral reference on the movie, and though I certainly would have loved to see more, it was still a good buy. It's just too bad I didn't get to read anything on the making of the film, or Burton's thoughts on its production.

5 comments about Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi (The Force Behind Fritz the Cat, Mighty Mouse, Cool World, and The Lord of the Rings).

1. There are a lot of great things in this survey of Ralph Bakshi's work. Through his films, Bakshi is in some ways the essence of 1970s by-the-seat-of-your-pants filmmaking. His films, though, are always compromised, if not by budget then by his own shortsighted vision. "Fritz" and "Heavy Traffic" have some great, even beautiful, moments but the pacing is off in each. His reliance on rotoscope in later features is gimmicky, just as motion-capture is today.
   
   After reading this book, I got the impression that in the end, Bakshi is a sentimental old softy. The pacing in his own career was a bit off at times, especially with later projects such as "Cool World" and "Spicy City", of which art is scant in this book save for some publicity stills. The cringe-inducing writing is scant on details and heavily romanticizes Bakshi, while Bakshi's jab at R. Crumb for the "Fritz" fighting seems petty and stale.
   
   The developmental art, film stills, and doodles are the real treasure of this book. Among them, the rich studied caricatures by Louis Zingarelli and the fantasy archetypes by the legendary Frank Frazetta.



2. Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi is one of the best animator/animation books I have read in the last 10 yrs. It is not only full of information on Ralph Bakshi, but also with tons and tons of his artwork. This ranges from cells to ink drawings to roughs and at the end they have put a bunch of his paintings. This book has really inspired me and is an easy read.
   Before reading this book I had only seen Fritz the Cat and some of the Mighty Mouse series. I knew I liked Ralph Bakshi, but after this book I have such a stronger love of his work, and how he changed the Animation industry. His films were real, and based on his experience growing up in New York. They might be vulgar and push the line of decency, but his works reflect who he is and how he grew up. They were vulgar for a reason, not just to be vulgar for vulgar's sake. The movies reflect the man.



3. I've been an animation fan my entire life. Yet, there has always been a wierd thing about Ralph Bakshi I could not understand. The rotoscoping, the crazy backgrounds and somewhat unfinished quality to the work. After reading this book I understand clearly now who the man is behind the work and I appreciate his work even more so. This isn't a book about animation, this a book about a man's soul thrown onto the silverscreen and dares you to watch with an open mind. I sat and read this book straight through without stopping. A very awesome and unique book!



4. Very pleased to report that my copy of Bakshi's new book "Unfiltered" arrived yesterday via Amazon.com. The pre-order price was $25 which was a amazing for a $40 list hardcover book from Amazon.
   
   The book is insane! Everything you could ask for about his life, history, artistic phases from early cartooning straight through Harlem Shuffle and Spicy City. So pleased to have my Bakshi fix in one "huge" book!
   
   Mostly enjoyed understanding his life and the doodles and art that is sprinkled throughout. Also enjoyed the dedicated sections tied to his movies. Heavy Traffic and American Pop are my favs here.
   
   If you don't have it...get it. What a blessing...



5. If all you know about Bakshi is his rotoscope pictures, you're in for a surprise. Ralph is one of the most innovative and wildly creative geniuses of recent times. His influence on animation is immense. On the back cover, Frank Frazetta is quoted as saying, 'Ralph Bakshi is one of the finest artists I've ever met.' He isn't exaggerating a bit.
   
   If you are an artist working in animation, whether you know it or not, Ralph Bakshi is the reason you're here. Don't believe me? Throw your mind back to 1970. Look at what the animation business had turned into... Disney was cranking out Robin Hood, a film without a single new idea. On TV, Filmation was lowering the bar so Hanna Barbera could play 'quality limbo' with them. Animation was dying, animators were choosing retirement over flogging the dead carcass of the art form they loved, and it looked like it the situation would never get any better.
   
   Enter Bakshi. With his first three films, he turned animation upside down. He showed that it wasn't just a medium for big bears with Phil Harris's voice and crappy sitcom characters in outer space. His films shocked and terrified people... they were crass and sloppy. They were made on a shoestring, and sometimes it showed. But they had something honest to say, and that got noticed. Ralph showed that animation- the most collaborative art form ever- could be an intensely personal medium.
   
   Ralph's first three films- Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic, and Coonskin- came totally out of the blue. They are the animation equivalent of Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives. Great old time animators like Irv Spence, Ambi Paliwoda and Virgil Ross were offered the opportunity to cut loose and make films that weren't just cats chasing mice and dogs chasing cats. These films dealt with what it meant to be an artist, the battle of the sexes, race relations, and the unsenimentalized realities of urban life. They were improvisational and had no rules.
   
   These three films, made in the darkest of the dark ages of animation, offered a glint of hope for what animation could become. If all you've seen of Ralph's work is Lord of the Rings and Fire and Ice you don't know what I'm talking about here. All of the adult targeted animation you see in the US today has its roots in Ralph's example in these three films. They stirred up controversy and caused riots at screenings back in the day, but now they seem to us like they could have been made yesterday, not three decades ago- except for the fact that today's world has trouble accepting brutal honesty when it comes to politically charged topics. Ralph has never been one to pull punches.
   
   In the 1980s, Ralph did for television animation what he did for theatrical features, blowing the lid off of CBS's Saturday morning schedule with Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures. Ralph took a chance on the ideas of a kid named John Kricfalusi, and set up the studio after the unit structure model used at Warners. Artists were cut loose to create cartoons. Without Mighty Mouse, there never would have been Ren & Stimpy or The Simpsons. The artists who worked on Mighty Mouse have gone on to lead the TV animation industry. Ralph is an absolute genius when it comes to spotting raw talent. He can take a kid straight out of school and turn him into a pro faster than anyone else. Every film had its 'graduating class' of kids. Those kids now populate the animation business on every level, from the top Producer at Disney feature to the creative sparks at Warners. I know of Bakshi alumni who are top dogs at Dreamworks and the CGI companies too.
   
   As a filmmaker, Ralph is one-of-a-kind. He doesn't make films for executives... he doesn't even make films for a specific audience. He makes them for himself. You can count the number of animators capable of using this unweildy medium for personal expression on one hand and still have fingers left. Ralph is one of them. But Ralph is not only the greatest living animation artist. He is the catylist that has more than once pulled the industry out of a hole so deep people had just about given up on cartoons. For that alone, he deserves the respect of any and all animators, whether they like his work or not.
   
   If the animation business needs anything right now, it's another go round with Bakshi. The era of shi-shi 'distressed' animation desks complete with faux wormholes, and middle management producers driving Jaguars paid for by their bonus checks is over. That was great for the people lucky enough to hook up to the gravy train while it lasted. But times have changed. The people left standing will be the ones who REALLY CARE about the medium of animation.
   
   You can take my word for the fact that no one loves cartoons more than Ralph. Read this book and hear him talk about Jim Tyer. (Ralph was Tyer's assistant...) Listen to what he has to say about Spence or Maltese or any of the other old timers he brought in to work on his films. Ralph lives and breathes animation. His drawings are imbued with the whole history of the medium. He announces his retirement every once in a while, and swears off cartoons forever, but it's in his blood. Just count the days till the bellowing voice out of the blue hollers 'BAKSHI'S BACK, YOU BASTUHDS!' over the studio intercom again.
   
   It's time for Ralph to rent a warehouse, fill it full of kids with big dreams, raw talent and lots of ideas and crank out a film. It doesn't even matter if it turns out crappy. It'll be a shot in the arm to the whole business, and it just might lead to something even better. I know I'd love to be a part of it.
   
   UNFILTERED: The Complete Ralph Bakshi isn't one of those 'art books' with postage stamp sized pictures floating in oceans of tasteful white space and huge text blocks of scholarly blather that crowds out the images. It's just pictures, pictures and more pictures... along with just enough text to put them in context. Artwork by Frank Frazetta, John Kricfalusi, Barry Jackson, Louise Zingarelli, Michael Ploog, Ian Miller, Irv Spence, Robert Dranko, Mark Kausler and Ambi Paliwoda. The book is organized to show Ralph's career from his earliest days at Terry-Toons, to his groundbreaking features, to his revolutionary TV work, to his most recent fine art paintings. BUY THIS BOOK!
   
   Stephen Worth
   ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive

5 comments about The Watercolor Bible - A Painter's Complete Guide.

1. The Watercolor Bible by Joe Gracia had been highly rated by Barbara Farrell, a watercolor teacher and accomplished artist. I am taking a class from her in Lake Forest, Illinois, and the book has been a big help in understanding color mixing from a limited palette such as the one Barbara recommends for her students.



2. This is a wonderful book for the beginning watercolorist. I also recommend his other book on watercolor washes, one of the most important techniques for anyone who wants to be successful with watercolors.



3. This is a good book which goes over the fundamentals of watercolor.
   
   It's excellent for a beginner, as it walks the reader through:
   
   - Types of watercolor paints available (tube and pan, translucent and gouache, student grade and professional grade),
   - Brushes and the types (synthetic versus natural),
   - Paper (cold press, hot press, hand made) types and weights,
   - Stretching your paper versus watercolor blocks,
   - Use of resists,
   - And much more...
   
   It also has sections on composition, technique, sketching, etc... For someone who was a complete beginner it will walk them through the processes of beginning a painting, making color and value charts, etc...
   
   For someone who has worked with watercolor before they might end up skipping some of the fundamental chapters on composition, sketching, etc. but this book will give them tips and information they may not have known before, additional ideas, etc...
   
   The book has a hard bound cover, with the pages being spiral bound so it will sit open on a page comfortably when you're working in your studio, kitchen, on your living room coffee table, or wherever you do your work.



4. This is one of the best general information watercolor texts I've seen. I teach watercolor to adults, and this is the most thorough book I've seen. It covers technique, materials, design elements, color and much, much more. I highly recommend it.



5. I first bought the book with a book club.
   The artist's work is more into the realism aspect, but his skill is very matured in watercolor. He has included alot of detailed sketches and experiementation with this medium, and alot of visuals.
   After reading it, one can't help but to try some of the stuff out.
   
   If you are looking for a book to improve and learn the various technquies in watercolor, I recommand it.