5 comments about Art Since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism, Volume 2: 1945 to the Present (College Text Edition with Art 20 CD-ROM).

1. Art Since 1900 probably shouldn't be read by artists, younger ones at least. Here is where all your sincerity, all your peer support, all your sudden joy in thinking you've finally got it right this time, goes to die, splattered like meaningless bracken against the wall of Context, of History. Probably what's enraged so many people so much about this book is that its authors, scholars of 20th century art if there ever were any, aren't in the least afraid to make judgements, to call a bad idea a bad idea, to explore the limits of an artwork's relevance to the question: can art still matter? The criticisms of the book all seem to want to posit some grand democracy of artistic endeavor, or better still an anarchy, all the while ignoring the fact that we've already gone past the point of anarchy and moved into pure spectacle, which can only exist within the disavowal of history, and of judgement. Utopia's already here, but this book wants to mean more than that. Ultimately its message seems to be, simply: not making crap takes hard work. Read it and suffer.



2. Ok, parts of this book, especially the first few chapters, are really, really hard. But if you slow down enough, you can sometimes figure out what the author(s) are saying. Some of it is clearly written, so there must be at least one writer on board who can write for the educated masses.
   
   This book does deal with a lot of issues that are important to contemporary visual artists, especially in the second half of the book. The roundtable discussion at the end is worth the price of admission alone.
   
   The reproductions are really good.
   
   I taught art history for a couple of years, and I would love to teach a class using this book. It raises a lot of issues that would be fun to talk about in a seminar. I wish I had had it when I was in graduate school in photography.



3. As a visual studies major, I've read my fair share of theory and art history books, and this is by far the worst. It is filled with statements that ramble on for full paragraphs leave you looking for both the period and the point. The reader gets the impression that an intoxicated art historian is rambling on at a party, completely unaware of how uninteresting he or she is, or how little sense is being made. The legitimate information in this book could be presented in a pamphlet. I was forced to read this, and sift through 704 pages of hay to find the needle. I literally read this book while walking on a treadmill in order to maintain consciousness.



4. The best example I've ever seen of art historians taking themselves so seriously that almost every paragraph drips with pretension.



5. I suspect that a number of these comments were inspired by a scathing review in the Wall Street Journal by Eric Gibson (the "culture war" ones at least). But maybe not...
   I would have liked to write a more critical review of this book, although, or perhaps, because I liked it so much, but with all of these rather "blunt" opinions, it is hard to do anything but just praise it. Still, I'll throw out a couple of points of critique:
   
   1. It is obvious that the authors are trying to create a kind of definitive history of 20th century art. This is in part based on their particular take, and indeed, sometimes this is more evident than others (esp. the closer you get to the present), but in general it is a very thorough book (presenting numerous positions). That they were among the founding editors of October should make it more interesting to read than otherwise. Needless to say, it should also be read in this way. There is definitely a certain direction to this work. But isn't that what writing and scholarship is all about? See also point 3.
   
   2. I do wish that they would call into question some more of their own philosophical and political "foundations." For the most part, much like in October, their critique and development of Marxism, structuralism, psychoanalysis, "post-structuralism" etc. all seem to focus on a historical or art historical USE of these fields rather than going to the "heart of the matter" and maybe trying to address them on a philosophical or for that matter on a "real-political" level. It would be nice to be able to read the work from a philosophical or political vantage point too, not just an art historical one...they seem to SOMETIMES ironically mirror their "blunt" critic's weak position of lumping everything into one common trend of "continental philosophy" or "postmodernism" etc.
   
   3. The tension between textbook and the "avant-garde" art critic: I find this to be sometimes a bit too much, end up asking myself, am I in some "contemporary art 101 class?" or am I directly "on the front"...but in the end I find this also to be interesting. Trying to make an institution, a textbook classic out of all of these disparate attempts to undermine such an idea... I hope the next version is less well-mannered and proper and a bit crazier (less a text book).

1 comments about Classical Art: From Greece to Rome (Oxford History of Art).

1. This innovative and deliciously illustrated guide to the arts of Greece and Rome is composed in a light-hearted, humorous vein and provides as much entertainment as artistic edification. Furthermore, its unique exploration of Greek art through the prism of Roman culture offers a refreshing new perspective on the development of the wildly influential high classicism of the empire. In short, a delightful and beautiful book.

5 comments about Flip Dictionary.

1. I'm an aspiring author and the Flip Dictionary has become my new best friend. It is one of my favorite resources. Very handy whether in the office or on the road.



2. My husband just bought a second book for his office. Turns out that the Flip Dictionary makes sense to him when a regular thesaurus is too complicated. Since he has to write a great deal of correspondence, as well as personnel reviews and standardized procedures, finding the right word is terribly important. With dyslexia, finding the right word, and then writing the right word can be very challenging. He has decided the Flip Dictionary is a tool he cannot work without. If you need a simple thesaurus, this is the one.



3. As a journalsit, I never found Roget's Thesaurus to be of the slightest use, but I turn up Dr Kifner's Flip Dictionary at least once a week. Evan Whitton



4. I've had this book for over a year, and it has been helpful one time. It never has what I'm looking for.



5. I keep the Flip Dictionary right within my reach whenever I'm writing, along with my dictionaries and thesaurus.
   The Flip Dictionary is a great source of information if you're looking for just the right word to use. It should be on every writers' book shelf.

5 comments about Atlas of Foreshortening: The Human Figure in Deep Perspective (Second Edition).

1. This book is a valuable tool for drawing and understanding human bodies. I actually used it a lot. It's worth the price. (But there arent any shots of standing people from the top).



2. I saw a copy of this book for all of about 5 minutes before I
   knew this was it for demonstrating foreshortening in figure drawing.
   I have not had much time to spend with the book in the interim, but I
   fully believe it will stand up to it's promise.



3. I happen to like the fact these are in black and white, since the simplicity of it makes you familiar with the form. I already have The Nude Figure for my other references for life drawing. As another person said, this is not the best book to get reference for illustrative foreshortening. This book is more to train your eye to capture various parts of the form in foreshortening.
   
   I thought it was interesting how the author noted that it was difficult these days to find models because of people's need to do body alternations like piercings and tattoos.
   
   While I find the models average, I would have liked to seen a few different models like overweight or even more athletic to get variations of the form in perspective. I wouldn't even mind old people, but I'm not sure if the elderly could perform in some of those poses.
   
   Most of the poses are in seated or lying down positions, I remember the author saying also that a lot of poses even in perspective started looking the same.
   
   I got some use out of the book, for the photography was clear enough for me. I also like using it as an exercise to recognize the form, like certain muscle and bone groups would look like in certain perspectives. I think too many people want to copy and not understand the true value of learning and utilizing reference.
   
   It's not an AMAZING book, but it's still useful.



4. If you're an artist like myself and have trouble imagining parts of the body in odd perspectives then this book will probably help you. It contains literally hundreds of photos of both male and female models in various angles. My only issue with this book is that sometimes a pose will spread between the two pages, loosing some of the model in the binding.
   
   As a student I worked with drawing real models in a studio environment, and find this to be the next best thing to having a real person in front of you. This is a book any serious artist should not be without!



5. It's a great material!!!! a great research book and reference!!! there really are few chances for people in arts field to gain the knowlege this book provide. Usually the best way is real life observation, but you don't have a model any time you want to draw, do you? so this book is a great material when you don't have that chance and a guide for those who want to improve his work with a real model.
   My only complaint is the poor contrast on the pictures. It doesn't have to show deep black shadows but a little bit more of contrast could emphasize better different muscular groups. Any way, most of reference books are the same at end, but not this one!!! Foreshortenig is one of the hardest views to archive for artists (painters, art and human figure students, comic book artist and illustrators, etc)

No comments about Style School Volume 2 (v. 2).

5 comments about A History of Illuminated Manuscript.

1. Christopher De Hamel's "A History of Illuminated Manuscripts" (now in its second edition) is certainly the definitive history for lay readers, but it is probably the best starting place for aspiring professionals as well. It is well-written, faultlessly researched, and copiously illustrated. I happily use it in my university course on illuminated manuscripts together with Ingo Walther's "Masterpieces of Illumination" (published by Taschen)--in my opinion, the perfect companion piece.
   
   The second edition of De Hamel's book is structured as was the first: an informative introduction is followed by chapters which divide and discuss the manuscripts according to their intended users (missionaries, emperors, monks, students, aristocrats, everybody, priests, and collectors); an extended bibliography precedes several useful indexes. This Phaidon paperback edition is a beautiful book, with a white paper cover adorned with a full-color dust-jacket. Many new illustrations have been added, and there are many more color illustrations than there were in the first edition. More importantly, the text has been updated to reflect ongoing research in the field.
   
   My only complaint about this edition is that many of the important full-color and full-page illustrations in the first edition (to which I often referred in my classes) have either been reduced in size or eliminated entirely in the new edition. There are also significant (and inexplicable) differences in the color reproduction of illuminations between the first (David R. Godine, Publisher) edition and this second (Phaidon Press) edition--sometimes the differences are so radical that only a close inspection (or a familiarity with the actual documents) reveals they are photographs of the same manuscript. And since many of these manuscripts are from private collections (to which Mr. De Hamel apparently gained access by reputation or through associations established during his tenure at Sotheby's), it would be impossible for most readers to know which of the differing reproductions are the more accurate. My own experience would suggest that not all the changes in the new Phaidon edition are indeed improvements.
   
   Publishing faults aside, this is a fine book by a scholar with impeccable credentials and a gift for clarity and sensibility in his writing. I highly recommend it.



2. The title explains exactly what is in the book. It is very infomative and has tons of color illustrations of illuminated manuscripts.



3. I am thoroughly impressed with this book. Its scholarship is impressive and helpful in my preparations to study medieval history at Oxford. And the thoughtfully written bibliography and through indexing of the manuscripts illustrated assist further studies. Even though it's not on my official reading list and is certainly not a light nor compact book, I'm packing it and taking it with me.
   
   But, as scholarly as this work is, if one simply wants an attractive coffee table book on the subject, this can certainly be one. If one wants a very readable, engagingly written, well illustrated introduction to illuminated manuscripts, this is for you as well.
   
   There is even some helpful guidance on collecting the more available manuscripts such as Books of Hours. And as the Fellow Librarian of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and with his 25 years experience in evaluating manuscripts for Sotheby's, Dr. De Hamel's knowledge is not just theoretical.
   
   Yet the price is extremely reasonable for a book of this quality.



4. Simply a treasure in print, Christopher De Hamel's work on medieval manuscripts is an enjoyable and fact-filled romp through the Middle Ages as if no "darkness" in the period ever existed. Focusing on a descriptive narrative that is as delightful as it is informative, the text leads the reader from one interesting setting to another, belying the breadth and scope of its coverage. One meets the educational reformers in Charlemagne's court, the scribes of the cathedral schools of Laon and Chartres, the workers in English scriptoriums, and many others in this highly researched, but clearly and engagingly written book. The reader feels as if he is simply touring the European countryside from one location to another and watching the patient and unrelenting work of scribes, copyists, and illustrators as they seek to develop the most enduring artifact of the period. Underpinning the entire work is a series - no, a PLETHORA - of beautifully reproduced and highly detailed medieval manuscript reproductions, many of them full-page, to the extent that one finds himself questioning why the text doesn't cost three times the price. A rarity in that it contains both outstanding prose as well as stunningly reproduced photographs, this text should be in every medievalist's (and art lover's) own scriptorium.



5. I loved this book! I used it for a graduate course on Illuminated Manuscripts, and it was one of the main textbooks we used, but I used it often after the course as well. I really enjoyed reading it, and found that it was unlike most of the typical text books I had formerly used. For any art history student, it is an outstanding resource. For anyone who loves illuminated manuscripts, book arts, or the Medieval period in general, this is a wonderful resource. It is a book that I consider an indispensable resource in my personal library. It is very well written and easily accessible for anyone. Although some of the terminology may be unfamiliar, it isn't so esoteric that it is beyond the scope of general understanding. It is clearly one of the best resources on the subject that I have ever come across!

5 comments about Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil: Basic Techniques for Mastering Traditional and Watersoluble Colored Pencils.

1. This is a good book and it does show you a lot of information for beginners and includes water-soluble colored pencils (watercolor pencils). It's one of the "old-school" CP books and it's quite useful. The only think I don't like is that you can see the paper on some of the demos, I personally prefer lay down several layers very light and with a sharp point in order to make sure my transparent layering is good coverage but that's a personal thing. If you aren't a stickler for that, you'll love the book.



2. This is one of the "keepers". Kristy has done an excellent job here in not only instruction, but in very informative tips and techniques. Saves the new artist allot of time in getting right to the point and avoiding common mistakes. Kristy's book is highly recommended and I'd have given it more than 5 stars if I could have!



3. Drawing And Painting With Colored Pencilery good reference book, I was very happy



4. There are many other books available on this subject and they are all better than this one. There is nothing to be gained from reading this book. Forget it!



5. The illustrations for the techniques are Kutch's own colored pencil artwork. Her flowers are stunning and if I ever achieve a drawing on the level of her poppies or the morning glories, I'll be very happy.
   Unfortunately, I struggled with some of the directions, bogging down over the art terms and special tools that I don't yet have. I think I'd benefit from rereading this book after I experiment more and stock in some of the supplies (special papers, ball burnisher, citrus thinner, etc.).
   The techniques are shown in 5 or 6 steps with the illustration progressing as she describes the colors used. Most of the examples are flowers or fruit, but a few landscapes round it out.
   The first 49 pages deal with regular colored pencils, then the rest of the book goes on to watercolor pencils and the techniques for those.

5 comments about Painting the Landscape in Pastel.

1. I found it very informative, giving me new ideas to use in my art. Great pictures.



2. I ordered this book because it was supposed to provide "lucid instructions for first time pastelists" but I found this definitely not the case. There are no instructions--just advice and that is so general that it is close to useless. Much better instructions with demonstrations can be found in other books. There are many illustrations in this book, but for my taste, the paintings are crude and unattractive. Certainly nothing I would care to emulate.



3. Handell"s current work doesn't impress me as much as his former style. Sometimes longtime artists get carried away with their own notoriety, and get just too artsy. This is more a"coffee table " book than something to learn from.



4. (I'm not clear on the contribution by author Anita Louise West; the text is largely in the first person singular -- Handell's.) This is a decent, if short-winded, introduction to common, fundamental art concepts (color temperature, intensity, complementary colors) and a few pointers specific to the pastel medium. There is little that you cannot get elsewhere in more depth, and some puzzling statements ("A toned paper helps the artist enhance contrast in values" -- p. 20) that beg elaboration. Many of the points are theoretically demonstrated by Handell's own paintings, with a paragraph each of his discussion; but his comments often seem arbitrarily chosen, if not downright wrong for the painting in question. For example, p. 40, he states "these light green colors [of the spring outside the studio window] contrasted with and complemented ... all of the darker interior colors of the studio," but the highest-key portions of the painting are in the interior. On p. 39 a view of a pier shows a flag at half staff. Hendell states, "I purposely played down the detail of the flag," yet it is in plain sight and eye-catching. In fact, the most interesting thing about an otherwise trite scene is the flag (I would have titled the picture "Half Mast") because it adds particularity and involves the viewer ("what's going on?"). The painting is divided exactly in halves horizontally, classically a compositional no-no, so I would have liked to read the artist's discussion of this choice. In some other paintings the artist seems confused (or unconcerned) about the principal light source -- although since Wayne Thiebaud routinely gets away with this, maybe it's not a big issue. In summary, this book is a lightweight, and hopefully encouraging, introduction to a wonderful medium, but the discussion of individual paintings should be read with one's critical faculties in place. Plus, it never hurts to browse another artist's works, even if the lessons contain nearly as many "what not to do's" as "what to do's".



5. Though I paint in other mediums, I am new to pastels. This book is the only one I will ever need. The pictures are beautiful and lush. The instructions and explanations are simple to understand. Would heartily recommend this book to new or experienced artists.

5 comments about Art: Multiple Choice and Constructed Response (Praxis Study Guides).

1. This product was not really that useful. Its study terms were very broad and didn't help me narrow down my search. The practice test was partly helpful but I had already taken a practice test and was looking for something a little more substantial. Over all I can't really recommend this product to anyone.



2. Was recieved in a timely fashion. It covers basic info on the tests. One would have to know more than what is in the book to pass the test with a respectable score.



3. I read other reviews before I bought this book and found that they were helpful. This book only is helpful in a few areas for Art: Content Knowledge test (0133) - test-taking advice and taking a practice test. All the content of the test is based on art history, aesthetics and experience in art media. The book is not worth full price, get a used one or study art history throughly and become an expert in all fields of art!



4. This study guide gives a good outline of what topics to study as well as tips on understanding question types. If you are only taking the 0133 portion of the test you will only need a portion of the book. There is a good practice test, I wish there were more, or even a longer one. Explanations of the correct answers are provided which really help in understanding whether the answer you provided is right or wrong.



5. Try to get a used copy otherwise this is a waste of money. The only good part is that it has a practice test with the answers. No real tips or other good info. I Suggest just studying from Garner's Art Through the Ages.

3 comments about Chromophobia (FOCI).

1. I picked up this book from a list of gotta-haves for a class on aesthetics and I gotta say this enormously eccentric work of journalism/philosophy/strange-spooky, kaleidoscopic-microscopic assorted collection (loosely connected?) on art and its psychological reception is worthy of many, many more clauses weighed down with much, much praise.
   
   Anyone with a theoretical interest in aesthetics will find this book packed with gems begging to be peeked at.
   
   A quirky and compelling read. And short too (+).



2. Fascinating and readably well-written argument that western civilization has a long-held prejudice (though not one shared by the author) against color, especially bright color.

   Batchelor is highly literate and informed, plus has an impressive knowledge of contemporary art. His suggestion that color tends to be seen as frivolous/minor/feminine/or even evil is backed up with wide-ranging references to culture (contemporary and earlier), art history, lit., and more. (Including an unexpectedly timely observation that historically, evidence of the decadence of Islam included its profusion of color and pattern.)

   Just a few other examples:
   --the white space as sign of seriousness and quality in the modern gallery or collector's home
   --the art historical ranking of disegno as superior to colore
   --in French lit, the symbolic association of rich hues and precious materials with decadence
   And much more.

   As for me, I almost had to buy this book for its hot pink cover alone




3. Batchelor's own take on color theory is not only a well-researched overview of color in art, architecture, cinema, and literature; it is also a call to action of sorts for artists to reclaim color from its minimalist bastardization in art and its commercial bastardization within the market culture. Batchelor uses the terms "chromophobic" and "chromophilic" to characterize to what extent this bastardization takes place and cites examples from (mainly contemporary) art history as to where the shift from color-as-representation to color-as-color took place.

   That discussions of color as secondary to drawing (or design) are neither prevelant in the industry nor in academia proves how engrained into art theory the secondary status of color is. Also of interest is the chapter on the role of semantics and color interpetation. How for example some colors in the abstract such as green-yellows are univerally more difficult to convey than others.

   Every serious artist should read this book to reintroduce the importance of color to his/her concerns and to adress contemporary concerns over the loss of color by its oversaturation in less artistic settings.