5 comments about Galen Rowell: A Retrospective.

1. Spectacular Photos and what an athlete. His death was a loss, but he lives on in these images



2. This is more a short biography with too few of the beautuful photos this talented outdoor photographer made. I would have like to have seen more full page photos and more of them.



3. this book was amazing, the pictures are stunning, and the stories about him are almost unbelievable. I highly recommend this book for fans of photography or anyone who loves the outdoors.



4. If you are familiar with with the work of Galen Rowell I don't need to elaborate on the beauty and quality of his work, if you aren't familiar with this man and his work it will be a valuable addition to your knowledge and enjoyment of photography. Galen Rowell had an unfortunate and untimely death
   after a very active life of globe trotting for photography that transcends
   the material plane. The book presents many of his best works in a lovely format. A coffee table book that will get noticed.



5. If you have every looked at Galen's photos and wanted to see more, this is it. With his life cut short, at least we still have archived material that can be released in a book this nice to bring us more glimpses of his world. The color is amazing, the subjects grand, and Galens storys bring it all alive in my livingroom.

5 comments about Une Semaine De Bonte: A Surrealistic Novel in Collage.

1. great drawings of big author, worth the have it, but I saw originals in Vienna and must say that I was bit disappointed when I saw the drawings in the book. I think that they are not to good scanned. Originals have very thin lines and in the book that lines are not so thin, so much detail because of that is lost. Second, on original drawings some parts are sticked, and you see that in different shades of paper. And in the book all is on white paper so you cant know which part is collage. Hope that was helpful



2. I've never seen a book as random as this. Whether you view it from start to finish, or from finish to start, it makes just as much sense either way. The page you view next has little or nothing to do with the page you have just viewed. It's actually quite fun.
   
   Take for example page 10. You see a guy with a mustache staring at an open mouthed monster with a panther head and human body, standing on some steps, carrying a lantern, and wearing some type of backpack along with a cross shaped medal. Then on page 11, you see neither one of these figures, and instead see a similar monster with a panther head and human body also with a backpack, but this monster is calmly smoking a pipe, and stirring what appears to be some spaghetti-shaped substance on top of the headless body of a topless woman mannequin. In both pictures the panther shaped monster has a backpack and a lantern, but you REALLY have to use your imagination if you are to believe they're the same character since they don't look the same and are standing in completely different backgrounds while engaging themselves in completely different scenarios.
   
   It should be noted that the picture on page 11 definitely isn't the only picture featuring nudity. Like most surrealist works, this book has its fair share of the stuff. I don't know what kind of a maturity rating you'd give the book as a whole, but it definitely isn't for kids. Which is kind of a shame, because I think kids would really like all the weird creatures that fill up a good half of this work.
   
   I mean, we've got monsters with lion heads, bird heads, Easter Island rock heads, and, well, that's pretty much it for the heads, but there's dragons and other monstery stuff too. Then there's all kinds of random, non-monster sights to see, that feature your classic dark humor. I particularly like this picture where some guy is dropping a bat on the ground from a tray, and another one where a guy is just lying face down on the floor like he's dead while a woman's in the room combing her hair like nothing's wrong.
   
   My dreams are a lot like the pictures in this book. Not so much that they feature strange creatures, but that they're nothing more than a string of random, isolated scenes that rarely follow any kind of story. Or perhaps each is a story that never stays around long enough to develop any kind of coherency. Each of these Semaine De Bonte pictures looks like it can be a part of a story, but it's up to the viewer to come up with some kind of way that the snapshot picture he or she is seeing could have happened.
   
   I'd recommend this book to anybody over 18. It's definitely an interesting, unusual item to have in your own personal library and also a golden opportunity to re-live the long gone European surrealistic fad of the early 20th century.



3. My best friend interested me in this book in high school and before amazon.com it was hard to come buy in the small town that we lived where the only art that exists is 'impressionist' paintings of moored boats and whatever you can find at wal-mart in the home decor section.
   
   This is the epitome of black and white, balance and the finest collection of surrealism I think that you can get into a book. Dover does it justice with clear prints and an excellent binding. I've had my copy for years and it's been everywhere with me through several moves and colleges. And the price is quite reasonble. Guaranteed to make you get some of Dovers clip art so you can experiment on your own.



4. This is an incredible piece of work, absolutely integral to any collection of anyone who has an interest in the Dadaists or Surrealists. Ernst's intuitive juxtapositions create an intirely seperate and complete logical (or illogical, depending) world of lurid mysticism and dread. Though not without a sense of humor. If you like this, also check out (if you've not already) the work of Joseph Cornell and the writings of Lautremont.



5. This is probably the best of Ernst's collage novels. Certainly it is a good bargan at this price; moreover, the others (The Hundred Headless Woman and A Young Woman Dreams of Taking the Veil) are virtually unavailable anyway.
   
   Earnst's collage novels are now more of historical interest than anything: that is to say, they represent quite a remarkable event in cultural history as evidence of Modernism, Surrealism, Expressionism, etc. However--that said--they're not quite as spectacular as some other reviewers might otherwise lead you to believe. The collages are not really as shocking as they perhaps once were, and the Dadaist poetry is rather inane and trivial: the worst that could be said of any art--just consult Wilde!
   
   The large oil canvases of R.-F.-G. Magritte are inestimably more significant, worthy, important, and great as original works of art, and as historical artifacts of Modernism and the Surreal.

5 comments about Art Stamping Workshop: Create Hand-Carved Stamps for Unique Projects on Paper, Fabric, Polymer Clay and More.

1. This book is my new stamp carving bible! The projects are inspiring and there are no hard to find tools required. Thanks to the detailed instructions carving a stamp from an eraser is easier than carving a pumpkin. A great book.



2. It's a neat book.But I need to work at doing more stamps more often.



3. If you need some inspiration, I strongly advise reading this book. Before reading the book, I didn't understand and was very intimdated about carving. After reading Art Stamping Workshop, I am now carving and printmaking!! I also teach this form of art in various schools and art stores.
   
   One of the reasons I advise my students and online members to read this book, is because it is both teachable and progressive. It is an excellent book to study for classes, workshops, and personal study. With each technique, Gloria Page teaches in a way that you are bound to understand, and you are not left in the dark or in confusion in any way.
   
   In an online group that I host -Artists of the Round Table- we read this book from cover to cover, and tried each of the projects. "ALL" of the member LOVED it.....adults, as well as the children!!! Gloria Page was kind enough to make herself available during the workshop to answer any questions, and to give advise and commendation. What an "encouragement" this was to the members studying her book!
   
   Loving author.....AWESOME book. A perfect combination!
   
   Sincerely,
   ~Jacqueline F. Graham
   President, Artists of the Round Table
   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArtistsOfTheRoundTable/



4. If you are interested in learning how to carve your own art rubber stamps then you need this book as well as The Weekend Crafter:Rubber stamp carving.
   
   Both books provide clear cut instructions on how to carve your own stamps to make artistic and fun stamps that are one of a kind. But this book is much better of the two and I'd suggest this one if you can only buy one book on the subject of stamp carving.
   The projects in this book are lovely, artistic and not cutesy or cookie cutter similar to everything out there. You will easily be able to begin carving right away with this book alone. Well worth the 15 bucks here on Amazon! I recommend it.
   5 stars!



5. I have always wanted to make my own art stamps but never knew how or where to begin. Thanks to Art Stamping Workshop, all of my questions have been answered! After reading this fabulous book, I was able to create a stamp from items I had around the house. Gloria's instructions are easy to follow and the photos clearly show how each step is supposed to look as you go along. Gloria Page makes stamp carving easy and FUN! The variety of projects in this book are different from anything I have seen in other stamping books and are easily adaptable to any style.

5 comments about Rackgaki: Japanese Graffiti (with DVD).

1. Very good book covering graffiti in Japan. Wonderful paper choice, nice pictures and a simple yet very usefull DVD that takes you to the spots in question with nice edit! I watched it in my imac with no problems.



2. thought it had great shots and i love the DVD, sweet sounds and great edits. the only thing its not a multi region DVD. I watched it on a little "Colby" dvd player which i entered a code so it plays everything.
   So if you have just a regular DVD player your out of luck, or maybe you should be able to watch it on your PC. Either way I loved it.



3. i go this book the day it came it and was very impressed...i had heard from a relative who lived in japan for about 5 years that japan didn't have much of a writing scene...this book/dvd proves otherwise...the dvd wont play on region 1 players but it worked on my laptop without any problems...this is great for anyone who appreciates the neglected art of the streets



4. the book is great but the DVD is PAL format so unless you have a player that can play European DVDS you wont be watching it.



5. Este libro es una obra de arte, la portada y contra portada son serigrafías a tres colores, y el encuadernado es artesanal, lo que lo hace único.
   
   En sus paginas podremos ver muy buenas fotos de graffiti en Tokio y otras ciudades de Japón, leer entrevistas a writers japoneses y conocer los crew mas importantes.
   
   El dvd es el complemento perfecto al libro, la dirección de fotografía, la edición y la música son de las mejores hechas para este genero.

No comments about Purple Anthology: Art Prose Fashion Music Architecture Sex.

No comments about Graffiti Planet: The Best Graffiti from Around the World.

5 comments about Writing Life Stories.

1. That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist by Susan Rako, M.D. The title comes from a song by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Rako's book is remarkably candid, insightful, and wonderfully well-written. The writing just flows.



2. Roorbach guides you step-by-step with exercises and examples that help you write about your life. He also explains what makes good writing different from not-so-good writing. In other words, he holds you to high standards and helps you meet them. Your eventual readers should be grateful!



3. Brief Summary: Bill Roorbach understands that memoir writing is not as simple as putting everything you can remember about your life on paper. Memories are no different than any other source - the characters and the plot must be interesting. To that end, he combines instruction and advice with a series of exercises to produce "the bones" of a good memoir. Starting at the beginning, he covers: finding a good place to write, mapping your memories, scene making and exposition, the ethics of writing about real people, method writing and voice, metaphor and adumbration, and texture. You might not do every exercise in this book - there are 94 in all - but most seem worthwhile. Roorback encourages his students to think of the exercise work as "good, clean rocks for an eventual stone wall." Several of the exercises use a process which Roorbach calls "cracking open," which might involve finding a sentence or phrase from something you previously wrote that condenses or skims over a possible scene, and building a scene of at least two pages. (As a writer, I like thinking of myself as a cracker and polisher of stones and a builder of walls.) Other great exercises include: looking at as many books as you can to make a list of your ten favorite first sentences, making a map of the earliest neighborhood you can remember, and making a list of the subjects upon which you are an expert. The final chapter gives some good, practical advice about how to locate appropriate editors and agents, with a final cautionary suggestion: "The only helpful ambition is to write something good, something that will satisfy readers unknown to you in both predictable and unpredictable ways. If your ambition is about the work, the dream of publication won't eat at you and make a fool out of you."
   
   Sample Excerpts: Roorbach doesn't just "tell" us the rules, he "shows" us the rules. In this example, he shows us how a good scene replaces many pages of explaining. "Instead of a passage about your family's socioeconomic status, you show your dad pulling up in the brown Ford wagon, muffler dragging. Or does he pull up in a shiny Mercedes? Or does he walk up the hill with his jacket over his shoulder, car traded for shares in a new invention? Let the reader write the passage about class."
   
   Primary Strength: Writing Life Stories is to memoir what Joy of Cooking is to cooking. If you can follow directions and do what the book tells you to do, you'll have everything you need to create a fine memoir or a tasty meal.



4. This book has lots of exercises for those just beginning to edge near the writing-ledge and will help you dig into your own story. However, this book is only for those wanting to write an auto-biography and those just beginning to venture forth in their writing. If you buy this expecting help on writing someone else's life story you won't find what you're looking for. If you're not a beginning writer and you purchase this, it's likely that you'll be the proud owner of a book full of exercises you've long outgrown.



5. Good book. Instructs with small easy-to-follow "chunks". Writer has a good sense of humor--evident in his writing. Writing isn't overly academic or political (unlike some of the other "memoir-writing" books out there).
   
   After following Roorbach's lessons, you should be able to competently put out a very nice selection of some of the turning points in your life, special occasions, and those great memories. You'll have enough vivid "word-pictures" that folks will enjoy reading about your experiences rather than fall asleep from extreme boredom.
   
   Overall, this is a good book that will get you started with getting your own story out there. Don't let your part in history be lost--start writing now with this book as a guide.
   
   Regards,
   Dave (aka "EditorDave" -- Capture_the_Memories on Squidoo)

5 comments about Word Painting.

1. You want to touch the heart of the reader? This
   book will map it out for you. Sight, sound, smell,
   touch, brings the reader into the fictional dream
   and keeps him there. A must for your writer's toolbox.



2. This author's writing is exciting to read. I've learned more from reading this book than any other writing books that I've read.



3. Weak, unconsidered, cliche ridden, mundane, obvious, repetitive -- How are those for a few descriptions? Well, they fit. This is not a good book. She repeats the most obvious and then repeats them again (where was the editor?). Some facts are just wrong, such as most scholars see simile and metaphor as the same. I am sure those who say they "highlighted" it or "read it over and over" must either have been dreaming or reading a different book. It's one long bad Writers Magazine article, one that says, Hey try using "carmine" instead of "red." Try using a metaphor instead of simply saying it was "brown." Duh. Keep reading the reviews, past the ones her friends wrote and you'll see the real reviews -- it just is not a good book at all.



4. Word Painting was recommended by an excellent writer. I ended up reading the book, cover to cover, four times. Each time I came away with numerous fresh ideas. This book does more than lay down and explain a list of rules. It also draws from the works and advice of great authors in a way that makes reading the book enjoyable as well as instructive. Ms. McClanahan's own experiences, as related in the book, were particularly beneficial, often coming back to remind me how I could make the passage before me more palatable to the reader. The exercises were not as helpful to me as they might be for others, but they are marvelous drills for the more disiplined reader. Whether you want to improve your ability to write a novel, a report, a legal brief, a letter or an e-mail message, try this book!



5. Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan is, without a doubt, one of the best writing related books I have ever purchased. Oh, other reference books have come and gone -- mostly to an auction site or a used bookstore -- but Word Painting is one that stays on my shelf and won't be going anywhere.
   
   Is it a book heavy on technical information? Absolutely. At times it reads like a textbook for a writing class, so that might surprise some. But the more I read this book (and I go back to re-read it regularly) the more I learn. To say that Word Painting is merely a book that teaches you how to write more descriptively would be an injustice to the material contained inside.
   
   Word Painting tackles all the standard writing "must knows" like tenses and points of view, moves on to the art of creating your own, unique similes and metaphors (avoiding the cliche), tackles passive vs. active & cluttered vs. uncluttered prose, then moves on to the biggies like setting, and how writing descriptively weaves into narration, description, and exposition to form the larger framework of your overall story...how writing descriptively affects your narrative voice.
   
   McClanahan teaches you to look at the world, people and things around you with an "artist's" eye, noticing texture and sound and light, then guides you through translating what you see and hear and smell and touch onto the page in words so the reader can experience that with you.
   
   Not only did this book teach me the importance of description and how it helps shape a story, it taught me the importance of all the various elements of fiction writing AND how to write them in a balance. Each chapter is full of useful information, but I'm not going to lie and say that it's not heavy reading. It is. But then writing is an art and a skill and it takes time, dedication, and the willingness to hone your skills into the craft. This is not light afternoon reading, and it's definitely a book you have to keep coming back to again and again because what you missed one time will click in the next, then something else the next. To me, that's an indispensable writing tool because it's not a one shot deal like so many other books that you buy, read once, then never read again. Word Painting -- like your writing -- is an evolving book that grows with you.
   
   When people ask me for "how to write" book recommendations, Word Painting is first (and often only) book that comes to mind.

3 comments about Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes.

1. I've been growing NW natives for 25 years with successes and failures (and a lot of fun). With this book, I would have had many fewer failures! I've pulled it out a dozen times already this season and it's never failed me. Excellent photos, descriptions, and propagation instructions. It looks like a tea-table treasure, but it performs like a combination field guide and cultivation handbook. Highly recommended.



2. This is the best book on NW natives I've found. Great pictures, descriptions and very complete. If I could only have one native plant book this'd be the one. Worth the pirce



3. The layout and format are excellent. I especially appreciate that the pictures are on the same page as the relevant text. (Books that make me turn to page 437 for the picture annoy me.) You won't be taking this book along in your backpack as you hike in the wilderness, due to its size and weight, but that's what Pojar and Mackinnon's Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska is for. You'll keep this book at home near your garden, and the wealth of pictures will help you dream and plan about the beautiful natives you could have in your garden.
   
   The descriptions feature recommendations for locations within your garden, helping you put the right plant in the right place. With large native evergreens, this is the absolute critical step, as many a cute little fir has grown up to menace the neighborhood. This book is similar to Kruckeberg's Gardening With Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest but with ten times as many plants to choose from.
   
   The book is not as complete as Hitchcock's Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual, but it is much more user friendly. You could spend a lifetime trying to fit every plant in this encyclopedia into your garden, and you would be kept happily busy.
   
   Any northwest gardener with the slightest interest in gardening with natives will want to add this book to his or her shelf.

5 comments about Dynamic Light and Shade (Practical Art Books).

1. This book is killer.... it starts by talking about silhouettes.... then adding 1 highlight... then more and more form definition...
   
   Everything from directional light, to moonlight, to sculptural light.
   
   Great for anyone looking to add detail to their line work.



2. A very nice book, with a lot of important notes about the subject, but the images look like comics to much.



3. This book will not significantly improve your understanding of how light affects and creates shadows on form. However, I don't believe any book can do that. You can learn to draw a realistic face from your imagination, but the variations of how light will affect forms are infinite. Most artists who get good at "faking" it rely on a good understanding of form and perspective, backed by countless hours spent observing and drawing things under various lighting situations. They basically are always relying on observation, be it direct, photographic, or remembered. Try to think of an artist who could create truly convincing, consistent lighting for a scene from their head. I can't think of any. I guess my point is, let's not be too hard on old Burney, he was just trying to make a buck:)
   
   If this book has a practical application, it's probably as a collection of creative ways to light your subjects to achieve particular dramatic affects. Fun to flip through, but just not all that useful.



4. This book is good to illustrate the phenomena of light in a composition. It discusses the different kinds of light and their effect on the environment of the picture. Worth getting to use as reference material.



5. ...An intermediate-to-advanced, in-depth, analytical treatment- I really wanted to like this... yet...
   
   Flipping quickly through this work, it's pretty obvious this isn't one of Hogarth's best. I'm specifically referring to drawing quality- the teaching & concepts here are very detailed, analytical, and sometimes even helpful. Filled with Hogarth's own artwork, as well as work by other artists, it sure seems like someone dropped the ball on image quality & content. The images here *teach principles* well enough; it's just that I can pretty much count on one hand the number of images that I actually *like* to look at. And that's a pretty big problem(!). The entire book is in black & white mixed-media, which is fine by me as long as the artwork is *inspirational*...
   
   Still, the actual teaching here on light & shade is really pretty detailed. Check out this listing of 'light-types' explained & depicted: silhouette; minimal; single-source; double-source; flat-diffused; moonlight; sculptural; spatial; environmental; textural; transparent; fragmentation; radiant; and expressive (whew!). Who knew there were this many kinds of light? But again- the pictures don't do the words any justice when the pictures fail to excite & inspire. This confirms to me something I had already assumed: besides a few good art instruction books to help with getting started, the best way to learn to draw anything is by copying photos & artwork by our own favorite artists. This seems *especially* true in the case of light & shade.
   
   Will some people love this book? Sure! It's nice to see the several Tarzan pictures here- at least for curiosity's sake. But I think most people, including Hogarth fans like myself, will pretty readily admit this book is about average at best- and not really helpful at all for beginners (not recommended!). It's certainly the weakest link in his 6-book Dynamic Drawing series. If it *continues* to stay in print, it'll likely be based mainly on the strength of Hogarth's famous name.
   
   P.S. A better book for beginners? Walt Reed's The Figure! It contains somewhat brief but *excellent* tips on basic light & shade.