5 comments about Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes.

1. This is a good book if you like to look at pictures of completed bento's. It is very small, almost pocket sized. Some of the ideas are very clever. However if you require any sort of instruction--either cooking or assembly wise this is not the book for you. It is a nice addition to my collection but I have found it pretty useless.



2. Pretty pictures...lots of them. (Though I did expect them to be in high gloss, not just printed on the page - The colors seem muted.)
   Not practical for actually reconstructing said Bentos, there are no directions (other than for some cheesy "beginner" ones in the appendix.) Under a picture of your desired character it will simply say "ham, eggs, nori, fishcake, rice, cucumber. . ." you have to figure out what made what. Amazing pictures, though! Enough so that I don't own this book yet (sat in Barnes and Noble and perused it for 30 minutes) but I intend to make it one of my next purchases.



3. FACE FOOD: THE VISUAL CREATIVITY OF JAPANESE BENTO BOXES could just as easily have been featured in our 'Arts' section: it's a fun little collection pairing color photos of creative Japanese bento box lunches with listings of the ingredients which go into them. Each bento box features 'food art' shaped into various figures that creatively fit into the small food boxes. Any library strong in food art displays will find it an unusual, inviting key to creating food art in smaller spaces than is normally featured.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. If you need recipes and cooking guides this is NOT your book. There are many other books with recipes (Bento Boxes: Japanese Meals on the Go, and Manga University Culinary Institute's: Manga Cookbook both come to mind), and many groups (like eat_my_bento on livejournal) just waiting to help you figure out how to make bento. What this book offers is inspiration; Stunning, unbelievable, "how did they DO that" inspiration.
   
   Focusing on "character bento" this book is full of pictures of theme bento boxes. From the simple and "easy to picture myself doing" box depicting three little pigs (the pigs are rice balls with ham ears and noses)to the Disney Cinderella who is depicted with enough realism (in ham and cheese and spices) to look like a licensed image!
   
   there are NO instructions given on how to duplicate these bento Boxes. the only "instructions" are for the two line drawings in the back by the author suggesting a "Pac Man" and starry sky scene bento box. The ingredient listing given for each box is helpful, but doesn't tell you what is being used in which area of the design. This book is mostly useful for inspiring you to try something a bit beyond the "hot dog octopus" of the typical bento box.



5. I am astounded at the creativity displayed in the pages of this book. Some of the food show within its pages are indeed "to lovely to eat". I never cease to be amazed at the creativity that some people have in preparing a dish and having the level of artistry to make it look so beautiful, whimsical and appealing!

5 comments about Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting.

1. This book was recommended by Tony Couch in his book, "Keys to Successful Painting". I find the material in Whitney's book to be the basis for Tony's book. They are both devoted to the principles of design, and the elements of design. Whitney's book has a more in depth approach and gives reasons why things work and some don't. I have read the book and find the information useful. A must read for those who want to beter understand the elements and principles of what makes a good painting eye catching and memorable.



2. Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting by Edgar A. Whitney is not a coffee table book, not "eye candy;" but the quick readability of the black and white reproductions of Whitney's watercolors shows that he knows what he's talking about when it comes to design and the importance of a good value pattern. This is a book for the serious student of watercolor painting who is willing to take instruction and work at his/her craft, and it is, in fact, an excellent instruction manual for any painter, as the design principles are universal.
   
   After studying dozens of art books over the years and taking university art classes and workshops from nationally known artists, this book is what finally helped me "get it" when it came to putting together an effective watercolor painting. The black and white reproductions do not detract from the soundness of the instruction. It may be helpful to have other books on color theory, various techniques, etc., but these are only peripherals to the sound design basics taught in this book.
   
   If you want a book that is similar to this older model in its instruction on design but with all pictures in color, Tony Couch's more recent Keys to Successful Painting, might suit you well. But note that Tony Couch, along with a long list of other well-known watercolorists, were disciples of Edgar A. Whitney.



3. This book is a great foundational book for anyone looking to know the fundamentals of watercolor. ALthough some of the book is in black and white, the principles are still very well described. If you can learn this book, you will be well on your way. It also goes over somewhat how to paint loosely. Well done.



4. This reissue of a classic is essential to the landscape artist concerned about composition and design. The text and principles are clearly outlined but for visual people it lacks examples in most instances. The black and white copies of paintings are difficult to analyze. It needs updating with color pictures that are examples of the rules of composition that the author puts forth.



5. I was disappointed that 90% of the examples by Whitney were in BLACK and WHITE. It would have been far more helpful had the pictures been in color.

5 comments about Looking Good: Wardrobe Planning and Personal Style Development.

1. This is a book for both the individual trying to improve personal style as well as professionals in the image industry. As an image consultant myself, this is the first book that I have found that really covers every aspect of image. It even includes undergarments something that is lacking in 99% of image books on the market. This is the book to get. I now consider this my image bible. If I am doing workshops, its the only book I take with me in the event I have to answer a question to a subject which my not be the focus of my expertise (e.g. colour)
   Forget the others, buy this book. You will not be sorry.



2. I enjoy this book so much that I have decided to give a class on it.



3. it is amazing how dated a book that isn't THAT old can be. Some older fasion/style books have a nostalgic charm of their own,not this one. Spend your money elsewhere!



4. I owned this and threw it out recently. It was an embarassment. Do not buy it. If you must see it, visit your library. The only thing that's good about this is the descriptions of fashion personality types, which is a fun read. Other than that, save your money and buy the Lucky Manual or Pocket Stylist instead.



5. Very helpful information. Gives guidance on clothing styles that are flattering to particular shapes as well as colors, textures, etc. Quick and easy read with lots of visual examples that made it easy to understand.

5 comments about Marc Chagall: 1887-1985 (Special Edition).

1. This book on Chagall is a steal for the price. The illustrations are lush and the text is very readable.
   
   I knocked off a star because I would rather the book was more comprehensive, even if it meant paying more. Still highly recommended though.



2. After viewing the book I ordered for my husband, he and I loved it so much, I ordered another for my sister-in-law who also absolutely loved the pictures and stories about one of our favorite artists. It makes a great gift for any Chagall fan.



3. This book collects some of Chagall's works, mostly paintings, but also mosaics, stained glass windows, and the ceiling of the Paris opera (stunning), into sections describing different parts of his life and career.
   
   The text was intersting and illuminating in very few words, which was good, because that left more room for full-color plates of Chagall's brilliant works! I could just stare at each one for many minutes and get more out of it with each minute! The man was a genius. And the plates are pretty high-quality, so it's easy to really enjoy them.
   
   The only reason I did not give this book five stars was I thought it was a little short, considering the scope of Chagall's work. It would be difficult, indeed, to produce a book that would be completely comprehensive, and maybe the author had a page limitation because of the series he was writing for, but I sure would have liked to see more works presented.
   
   I have some other books on Chagall in the queue: one on watercolors and gouaches, and two books of lithographs. I'll report back on those once I've read and gazed at them.



4. I'm not sure what this other reviewer is talking about, it has to be for another book and it ended up here. This isn't really a "book" it's just a bunch of stickers. They're nice stickers though - little reproductions of some of Chagall's artwork. Pretty high-quality as far as stickers go.



5. This is the most wonderful book about Chagall I've ever seen. The colorful and beautiful illustrations made me so exciting. The colors are fantastic compared with other books about Chagall. I recommend this book for any Chagall fan confidently. Though it has something to be desired because of being written in Spanish instead of English, this is only for you!

2 comments about Drawing and Painting Animals: Problems & Solutions (Problems and Solutions).

1. I bought this book after struggling to draw birds. While it does not focus specifically on birds, it does cover many different mediums and teaches a few simple techniques that are invaluable to any artist, whether they paint or draw animals, landscapes or humans. While this book does not specifically deal with the subject of digital painting and drawing, many of the techniques within can be adapted to a digital format. I highly recommend this book to any artist, no matter their specialty. The lessons learned in this book have been invaluable, but may be difficult for a younger reader to understand.



2. This was a very informative book. For anyone wanting to paint or draw animals.

5 comments about Architecture: From Pre-history to Postmodernism.

1. received the book in time and hardly any traces of wear and tear. the book looks like new and it had a hard cover binding also. very satisfied with my purchase.



2. I am a Registered architect(with National Certification), Registered Interior Designer and instructor of Architectural History. Trachtenberg and Hyman have written the definitive history of western architecture in this tract. The reading is awkward at times, but the ideas conveyed comprise the foundation of todays architectural theory. There are few, if any textbooks on this subject which maintain a consistant thread of thought all the way through. This one does. If you are vitally interested in the underpinnings of today's designs, you should read it.



3. This book is a very good text book. I have just recently needed it and just started to use it. As far as I have gotten it is easy to read. The only thing that I don't think that I like about it is that it is black and white. If you want to get the full feeling for the achitecture I would think one might need to see it in color but oh well.



4. This book summarizes over ten thousand years of architectural history in such a practical and clear form. Ignoring its price, I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in architecture. However, though the book briefly studies such vast expanses in the history of architecture, it fails to even touch architecture in the eastern world. Asia still continues to remain much of a mystery and covering it would truly enlighten the human imagination. Yet, doing so would also probably double the size of the book, thus increasing its cost to over a hundred American dollars. The book also, I feel, seems to enter into too much detail in the forms of modern architecture. In buying this book, one most likely seeks to learn more of history not 'postmodernity,' nevertheless it can be interesting to learn how modern architecture has come to pass.



5. An update of an acclaimed survey of world architecture that is a much better read than its drab illustrations, dull layout and paucity of plans would suggest. Indeed, itÕs as hard to put down as it is to heft. The close analyses of Philip JohnsonÕs AT&T tower in New York and Norman FosterÕs HKSB tower in Hong Kong are brilliant, and the authors have the audacity to suggest that the high tech look of the one is as dishonest as the faux antique masonry of the other. This is an example of how the authors illuminate architectural history with concrete examples rather than windy generalizations. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

5 comments about The Painted Word.

1. This is an unpersuasive essay about the failure of modern art and about how we are all caught up in the falsity and ugliness of modern art. In my opinion, I think Wolfe is writing without much knowledge of modern art. He sounds like an uneducated critic in this book.



2. Tom Wolfe, that most trenchant of all observers of contemporary American society, turns his gaze to the world of painting and drawing during the first seventy-five years or so of the twentieth century in this book, published in 1975.
   
   Just about anybody with eyes has, I think, wondered by what criterion a good deal of the painting during this period can be considered art. Few of us, however, have Wolfe's command of language to explain the complete vapidity of the work produced during the period that he covers, nor the ability, nearly unique to Wolfe, of allowing artists, critics, and theorists' own words to expose that vapidity.
   
   This is indeed a refreshing work, and written with Wolfe's usual mastery.



3. If your interest is writing or art, you'll enjoy The Painted Word by Tom Wolf. If you like both, then this irreverent, little book will make you laugh, nod in agreement, or cry out in protest. You definitely won't be bored. This is Wolf at the top of his game and you'll find yourself constantly reading passages aloud to anyone within earshot.
   
   First published in 1975, Wolf decomposes modern art movements in a way that is both enlightening and entertaining. His clever style provides the reader with an inside look at the art world and illuminates the follies of our cultural elite. Even if you have only a cursory understanding of modern art, Wolf's insightfulness will prompt numerous "oh yeah, now I get it" moments.
   
   The Painted Word will make your next visit to an art museum more discerning and a heck of a lot more fun.
   The Shut Mouth Society
   The Shopkeeper



4. A Review of Tom Wolfe's "The Painted Word"
   
   Tom Wolfe's rhetoric is at times overpowering but like beautifully complicated music (Bach?) it is a symphony for both the brain and the heart. Wolfe is saying that as art loses its goal to communicate it becomes lousy art, if art at all. He implies that "art for art's sake" is a false concept, and I agree with him. He attacks pretentiousness in both artist and art lover and correctly labels it a game.
   
   Wolfe's title is a word play in two respects. (1) The modernists invent their genres and make them more important that the art itself. (2) Art must have a subject, just as a sentence must have a subject.
   
   The phrase "Art for art's sake" can be used in an adjectival way meaning devotion, obsession, degree of love for the activity of art, and that's fine with me. But there must be more to art than excited devotees. Otherwise, every fanatic, let alone every hard working man who loves his job, would be a creator of art in some form or another. And the crudeness of our world, albeit with beauty scattered about here and there, tells us that is not the case. Of course, beauty and tenderness can exist and not be art. For art does not become art simply because someone says it is.
   
   Much modern art is good and beautiful and meaningful in its dealings with color and form. And a painting might indeed deal solely with color and form, and not with reality. For they are legitimate subjects. On the other hand, an artist's desire to bamboozle is not enough. I love some modern art, and some not, the same as with the other genres. So when is modern art a thing I can accept? When it communicates a subject, even form and color alone; and when it is honest and makes no claims that are not there.
   
   There is a difference between paint-artists and writers in how they perceive their own art juxtaposed others, and how they assign value. Most writers move about, back and forth, and are influenced by all forms, all styles, all of history, and they are capable of learning from the past. They might read Proust one day and Joyce the next, Emily Dickinson and then Virginia Woolf, Goethe and then Vonnegut, Rushdie and then Shakespeare. Take a look at James Joyce's great novel "Ulysses." It depends on the Greek myths, a vastly different kind of writing than his own, but without Homer Joyce's novel would be less than we have now. At the very least, it would be a different novel with a different message.
   
   An exaggeration, even if grotesque, might be characterization, and might be art. James Joyce was aware of that.
   
   On the other hand, more than a few paint artists are bitter in their historical perceptions, hating the art outside their own genre. The Impressionists (whom I especially love) had a vigorous abhorrence for what came before them, and the abstractionists hate everything and everybody but themselves, even denying that their art has to have a subject. "Flatness" is not a subject, it is a technique. A question - why can't I pour paint onto a canvas drip by drip, like Jackson Pollock, and make art out of it? What skill, artistic or otherwise, is involved in that? And what would my spills and splashes communicate?
   
   And then there is the world of hanger-oners and art critics who speak and write in an insane insiders' language, pretentious wanna-be-nabobs living in intellectual temples, wobbly dirty white towers, who feel compelled to tell us what to think, what to love, what to read, what to look at, what to marvel at. And if we disagree they tell us we are bourgeoisie philistines, poor brain and heart limited creatures, incapable.
   
   Tom Wolfe has written a wonderful and humorous look at the sometimes ridiculous world of modern art. Agree with him or not, you will be entertained.
   
   Like Tom Wolfe, I am bemused and irritated by the art reviews in The New York Times. A review of rusted pipes and broken fixtures on display at an art show pushed me over the edge. So I wrote a review of my own and sent it to them. They completely ignored me as I knew they would. My review was of my cat's litter box. Here it is -
   
   **********
   
   A Review of Menace in Simple Things
   
   My love of art and my disdain for the many tortured reviews of art that I stumble across more often than is good for my mental health has led me to write a review of my own. The subject of my analysis is - to say the least - as profound as elephant dung on a Madonna, twisted plumbing, rusting scrap metal, empty white canvasses, or a crucifix inserted into a jar of human urine, objects that are taken quite seriously on the daily art pages of our great American newspapers and in their Sunday supplements. But please, do not take my subject too seriously, for my cat does enough of that for all of us.
   
   A few days ago I happened upon my cat just as he was leaving his litter box after taking a poop. A friend was with me and as he observed my interest in the affair he asked, "You act as though you know what this is all about. I don't get it." Sensing a crisis I suggested that a search through Britannica or The New York Times Arts and Leisure Section might be helpful.
   
   "I can do that." he said, and abruptly left me to my musings. It seemed threatening that I found myself alone with my cat's poop.
   
   The poop seemed to be arranged in a stripped-down manner that made it appear to be on a lighted stage that integrated its various themes into an art form - if you will - that has its roots in Minimalism, and that merged the entire piece into a distinct theatricality. It seemed to have its sources in childhood, a numinous presence having the effect of a domestic twilight zone. Ordinary chunky things were combined in weird ways.
   
   The result was a spooky, dead narrative, perhaps even an autobiographical content. Domesticity - poisoned, entrapped disrupted - was its main theme. And no artist better captured a sense of Foucault's romance with oppression than my cat. At the same time, there was room in the poop for humor, however sardonic, and a strain of poetry that would become more evident with time.
   
   All these morphological riffs loosened up the obtuse, adamant solidity of the poop and suggested a wealth of associations - baptism, slaking thirst, warming, cooling, healing, and of precious things gone down the drain and lost.
   
   It is important to understand the metaphorical dimensions of my cat's poop. But it is not always easy to do that. As time goes on, and the cultural climate that produced this poop moves backward, a new and grand brew of pessimism and nostalgia delivers a shock. But can it be - will it be - a heavy-handed emphasis on a more flexible medium?
   
   Perhaps baby poop next time.
   
   **********
   
   I think I'll go to Macy's and buy me a white suit.
   
   Joseph A. Psarto
   440-835-5179
   jpsarto@juno.com



5. A classmate lent me The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe, published in 1975, and boy, if you ever want some actually intelligent criticism and questioning of the establishment of modern art, this is it!
   
   The beauty of this book is that Wolfe doesn't usually attack the art - though occasionally he does accuse artists of allowing themselves to be too influenced by popular theory - he really attacks the establishment.
   
   And he does so in a hilarious way. For instance, Wolfe starts out explaining the "mating ritual" between the bohemian artists, "boho", and high society that can financially back and establish the artist, the "monde". He talks about how to be successful, an artist must first be an honest boho, live amongst the other bohemians and adopt true anti-bourgeois values. This is called the "boho dance". But once an artist has attracted the monde with his dance, he must "doubletrack", which means learn to gleefully hobnob with the elite and enjoy his success, despite being a hypocrite.
   
   And this mating metaphor is just the beginning. This book oozes sarcasm of the best and most vicious sort. Just check out this passage, about how pop art, according to the theorists, was supposed to be about "flatness", rather than how the subject matter related to real life:
   
   "In short... the culturati were secretly enjoying the realism! -plain old bourgeois mass-culture high-school goober-squeezing whitehead-hunting can-I-pop-it-for-you-Billy realism! They looked at a Roy Lichtenstein blowup of a love-comic panel showing a young blond couple with their lips parted in the moment before a profound, tongue-probing, post-teen, American soul kiss, plus the legend `We rose up slowly...as if we didn't belong to the outside world any longer...like swimmers in a shadowy dream...who didn't need to breath...' and--the hell with the sign systems--they just loved the dopey campy picture of these two vapid blond sex buds having their love-comic romance bigger than life, six feet by eight feet, in fact, up on the walls in an art gallery."
   
   How can you not love writing like that?
   
   This book rocks.

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.

3 comments about Diego Rivera, The Complete Murals.

1. This product is fantastic! It's not a book for the light weight as it is physically heavy to hold. However due to its enormous size, it means you get to see all Rivera's amazing detail close up.
   
   The commentary is interesting and informative about the history and politics that influenced Rivera's art. Seeing the vast number of murals he painted in his lifetime in one book, makes one appreciate his skill and patience.
   
   My one criticism - the excessive packaging by Amazon. It arrived in a massive box full of plastic - this really was unnecessary and I hope Amazon will reduce the amount of packaging it uses.



2. Taschen's XL art series is wonderful in it's own right but this just might be the best they've yet produced. This enormous tome is superb in it's execution. The picture quality is the absolute best and several of the murals are presented as foldouts allowing the rich colorful images to pop off the page. Copious amounts of information, including photos and diagrams are included to give the history and make-up of the pieces even more depth. If you have the money and the space this is the best book on Rivera that you will find.



3. I own several books on Diego Rivera, this new Taschen book is the only one I'd ever need. It's HUGE with to start with, then it has nearly poster sized fold-out illustrations, beautifully crisp close ups of his murals (yes, all of them). The book also includes some of his easel paintings, although the emphasis is on his mural work plus preliminary drawings. If only there was such a book on the rest of my favorite painters, this one is a milestone in art-book publishing, period. Like it's tailor made for artists, and a bargain at the price.

2 comments about Classics of Western Literature: Bloom County 1986-1989.

1. This is vintage berkeley. I enjoyed a lot of his stuff from that time period. Many political references that just made fun of the people of the time. Doesn't get more ironic or insulting than that in just a few frames. I liked the read and the way the characters evolved. Yea, Opus! Good stuff.



2. I'd already owned all of the Bloom County and Outland books, this being my last purchase. I had seen it in the bookstore when it was published, but figured I already had the strips contained therein - why spend the extra money? I happened one day to be flipping through the book when I read the introduction, specifically the first page of said intro. There, in color bolder than life, was a painting from, Breathed claims, his early years, entitled Geshundeit. It was precisely this abrupt style of humor that brought me into the BC fold. The golden years of Bloom County, with Breathed's pithy observations of the late 80's, kept me there. If you want to understand the following Breathed has, this volume is the perfect place to start.