5 comments about Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms : 1600-1945.

1. This book is set up in a way that is simple to flip through and pinpoint details on buildings.



2. Excellent pictorial coverage of styles combined with clear definitions of criteria



3. While other "field guides" to American architecture provide more details or bigger/better photos than this one, a key part of what makes 'Identifying American Architecture' so good is what it DOESN'T tell you. That is, it focuses on naming basic (and often not-so-basic) architectural elements in a broad range of styles for you, without the encyclopedic details of each style's history and genealogy, which can be researched elsewhere.
   
   This pinpointed, in-the-moment approach is VERY helpful when you're walking around an area with a rich mix of architectural styles, as in Boston, Chicago, New York, Nashville, San Francisco, and other major cities established 150-300 years ago. In Boston, for example, you can easily find yourself looking at a 1790 Federal-style townhouse one minute, a Richardsonian church from the 1870s the next, and a Second Empire government building (circa 1890) a minute after that. With this easy-to-carry guide in hand, you can quickly identify the differences, point them out to friends, make notes, and move on.
   
   Likewise, this book is a good, easy access reference to have on hand when reading any book -- fiction or non-fiction -- featuring a lot of architectural description. Again, it doesn't have deep details, but there's enough to help you picture and/or understand scenes better. Students and writers also find it helpful in knowing their pilasters from their parapets when writing descriptions of historic buildings and neighborhoods.
   
   In addition to offering at least 4 examples of each architectural style, with the various elements all enumerated clearly, this book also features an alphabetical index of primary architectural elements that make up classic buildings. That's then topped off with a Pictorial Glossary of Terms, where many of the architectural elements that make up classic architecture are shown and denoted in just enough detail to be useful and clarifying.
   
   All in all, for a 128 page book, this one has A LOT of very useful information, presented in an even MORE useful and accessible format. Worth every nickel.



4. Well, it's not the worst field guide I ever saw but as a previous reviewer said, it has some serious flaws. Most notably, I struggled to focus on the wee tiny numbers that identify the architectural characteristics.
   
   Man, those are some small numbers. And sometimes they get so clustered together, you're not sure which number goes with which architectural feature.
   
   The long, thin layout of the graphics works against this book, too. The pictures of houses just don't fit well in this format.
   
   And (sadly), I agree that some of the photos are a little washed out. With all that said, I do believe you can learn something from every book and this book does contain a wealth of information.
   
   Rose
   author, The Houses That Sears Built
   and co-author, California's Kit Homes



5. I have been collecting field guides to American domestic archiecture for many years and beyond a doubt this is the very worst guide that I have come across. This guide has many strikes against it.
   
   First, it is too short to give the reader any real understanding of the different styles of American domestic architecture. Many styles are ignored and the styles that are covered are done so superficially. As an example, the section on the International Style of architecture only has two washed out black and white photographs. The few details that are explained are done so in the most superficial manner.
   
   Second, the quality of the printing is very poor. The quality of the paper and binding makes the book look like it was produced int he 1970's. Worst of all, the photographs used to show the different styles are washed out. A revolution in publishing has happened in the past twenty years and this publisher has missed out in the opportunity to produce a modern looking guide.
   
   Finally, there are some wonderful field guides in current production. Don't waste your money on this guide. Check out the guides produced by Lester Walker and Virginia McAlester. Those are the types of guides that can inspire the reader to learn more about history and American houses. Avoid this guide!

5 comments about The Dog Chapel: Welcome All Creeds, All Breeds. No Dogmas Allowed.

1. Great book for anyone who likes dogs. My wife wants to go to the Dog Chapel now.



2. This book should be required reading for all dog lovers and those that have lost their canine loves. Huneck is in touch with those feelings. Recommend to all.



3. Very sweet and comforting book for those who have suffered the loss of a beloved pet. Good for children & adults. How wonderful to be offered an opportunity to send pictures of your pet to be placed in memory at the Remembrance Wall at the DOG CHAPEL-
   Mr Huneck- the author as well as artist for the book-must be a special person to create this loving tribute. I'll bet his dogs think so too!



4. This is the best book. I always gift it when someone has a beloved dog pass away. Huneck has a gift with his books.



5. This is a beautiful book, well written, and full of wonderful pictures. The authors account of how the book came to be is touching. For anyone who has had to put their dog to sleep, a gift of this book would be of great comfort. There is even a memorial picture frame in the back of the book in which you can send a photo of your dog up to the chapel.

No comments about Jazz Covers.

4 comments about Color Your Own Modern Art Masterpieces.

1. I bought this book for its completeness and thoroughness, the very nature of which provide variety, for use in an applied study of color theory for people who work with color and are not necessarily graphically/two-dimensionally oriented. The line drawings are well done and "relevant," in that they are neither of the color-by-number variety nor are they too broad and general drawings of shapes.
   
   Personally, I prefer to color on a smaller scale with prismacolors, just for fun (and do academic experimentation with color just for fun), and like to have a lighter line than black indicating the shapes and color areas, as it shows through the prismacolors. The paper is, however, thick enough to be painted on with opaque paints. For my purposes, then, I scan these, reduce them in size, and then lighten the black to a light grey.
   
   This review started out as a shocked response to a post below, in which the reviewer states she/he had been "looking forward to using this with . . . art students" and didn't give it 5 stars because it didn't "provide a brief intro before each piece:"
   
   Her/his review was mitigated by later posts from "amiemv" and The First Lutheran Church "Bookfairy" who got it right: the information is there, the teacher should have the background already and be able to provide the connections by integrating it into lessons/lesson plans.
   
   These are reinforcement activities and/or enrichment activities when applied in an educational setting. For home use, they are those same kind of activities as well as springboards to finding out more about the artists. It is not an illustrated book, as that first reviewer might want; it is a collection of images made ready to color and to be used by people who have a use for those images for reasons of their own.
   
   For that reason, no introduction to each artist is provided; it is assumed that people buying this book would already have that knowledge or would be motivated to find out the information.
   
   A generic introduction to an artist and a coloring sheet for one of his/her pieces is no more than busywork if they are employed in the "art" classroom or in the general classroom for an "art activity" without connections to other knowledge bases being made, the least of which is the background knowledge of the artists and pieces being a part of the teacher's understanding, or a part of research assigned to accompany the busywork.
   
   As mentioned at the start, these can be used as springboards to the exploration of design elements, color theory being an application I have found for them, the details of which are too long to go into here.
   
   However, in response to that surprising 4-star post, I went on to suggest a use to which one of the images might be put in the art classroom, in the hopes that it would stimulate her/him to think more about how to use these, rather than see a fault in the lack of text. The "you" in the paragraphs below are, then, the personal "you" directed toward that poster; the content, however, of the use to which one image in the book may be put, is addressed to the general "you," as in the more formal "one" or as a substitute for the passive voice.
   
   If anyone does apply this lesson plan, please contact me and show me some process images and finished product images.
   
   This is a very fun activity to use in the classroom; I have used it in varying forms from 5th grade on up (I wouldn't go into the pointillism detail for students below high school level; other images with other ways of producing color -- even artist-specific in terms to technique (van Gogh and oil pastels, for example) and color selection -- would be more appropriate, and the research step might be a presentation by the teacher after the initial "free-style" approach, dealing with the artist's focus, followed by the grid/scale activity as reinforcement of that artist's choices in technique, color, paint application . . . .)
   
   Here is what belongs more in this review than as a response to that post, and remember, don't take pointed comments personally: they are specific responses to one particular reviewer, and meant to be helpful:
   
   For some ideas on how to apply artists' coloring sheets in the classroom, see back issues of _School Arts_ (your school library should have them; if not, at least one school in your district will have them), and by all means, secure yourself a subscription to this number one art educators' resource.
   
   Just for one example, if you were to use George Seurat, would you introduce him as a pointillist and then suggest the students follow suit? Would you hand out the sheets first and have them color them, pin up the group, and then assign them research on Seurat after completion? Would you then, after completion, ask them to do another, using what they learned? Who knows.
   
   What I would do, after completing individual images and pinning them up and having them do research, is explain the concept of pointillism and its relationship to the impressionist's concepts (light, changing light, and perception of light and color), grid and cut the coloring image up into squares, one for each student (or two -- depending on the number of students you have; if you have a lot of students, perhaps you would need to grid and cut up more than one copy and divide the class into two or three teams for this project). After the grid is cut, glue each square to the center of a square white paper or a 5" x 7" white index card and pass them out to the students, along with a blank white square 4" to 6" big. Then you will ask them to duplicate, in pencil line, the abstract image they have on those small squares on the larger square. When they have done that, tell the class that they are to color the abstract image they have using pointillism to make the colors.
   
   When everyone is done, have them paste their squares onto a heretofore unveiled master grid (one for each team or for the class), making sure the top is up and the letter and number match the letter and number on the master grid. You will have a large pointillist painting of "Sunday Afternoon on the Grand Jatte," which is the image in the book, I believe.
   
   Alternately, after they have made the line drawing that duplicates the layout on the uncolored line square, you may have made a color copy of the painting in the exact size and scale of the line drawing, and you can grid and cut this out into squares that exactly match the little black and white ones, and then you can hand out color squares pasted on index cards for the class to duplicate in pointillism: it will give them a starting point. Better yet, you could color in one of these yourself, matching Seurat's colors exactly, but in prismacolors, blended in the traditional color pencil blending technique. Then you could cut this (or those, if you need more than one for your class size) into squares and have the class duplicate the colors on their larger white squares, using pointillism to give the impression of the colors there.
   
   If you are teaching art, you should have a working knowledge of all the artists and works in this book, from only your three general Survey of Art History classes: Prehistoric through Pre-Renaissance/Early Renaissance/Renaissance, Renaissance/Baroque through beginning of 20th century, and 20th Century/Contemporary Art History. These classes would have been completed before you received your B.A. in Art or in Art Education. If for some reason* you managed not to take them, go back to a community college and take them just for yourself; the knowledge you gain from these classes will serve you well in all fields throughout your life.
   
   As to devising lesson plans, you should be able to pull these out after your two practical Art Education classes, in which you have had practice devising lesson plans. These classes would have been completed in your fifth year, before your student teaching.
   
   *(some reason being perhaps being having taken Art Appreciation as a substitute or a specialized area of art history, Women's Art, for example, or even attending a school with a lack of oversight and stringency in standards)



2. I was looking forward to using this with my art students, and it is a really interesting way to introduce them to art pieces. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I've seen other books provide a brief intro before each piece that talks about the artist... not this one.



3. There are 30 different modern art masterpieces represented here, so it is definitely worth the price. All pieces are shown in color on the front and back covers, and each individual page has the name of the artist (years of their birth-death), title of the work, date created and type of medium used. So, it's educational and fun. I recommend it for all ages. Some of the artists included are: Picasso, Miro, Klee and Mondrian.



4. This is a fantastic resource for any children's art program. Whether you are writing your own lesson plans or connecting art with literature. This inexpensive resource is a must for your collection.

5 comments about Icon.

1. The ilustrations in this book portray you to another book that perfectly capture the original paints.



2. When people think of fantasy artwork, they might think first of those Conan and Edgar Rice Burroughs paperback covers, or a berserker warrior on horseback, corpses of foes beneath him and dripping weapon above him. People think of Frazetta first, whether or not they know it's him they're thinking of. He's also done recognizable work for Mad magazine, Little Annie Fanny for Playboy, posters for Peter Sellers movies, and lots more.
   
   Frazetta has done plenty of work in ink, especially for a range of comics, but his oil paintings are best known and most heavily represented here. It's easy to see how he became the inspiration for an entire generation of fantasy artists, and probably well into a second generation, too. No one captures the rippling sinews of barbarian warriors like Frazetta does, or beasts, half-men, dungeons, jungles, and every other fantasy-scape that he's rendered. Above all, no one comes close to the lush, rounded figures of his female characters. They can be warriors and wizards in their own right, or eldritch spirits, or even savable maidens. Some, as in "Moon's Rapture" or the standing figure in "Rogue Roman", show a rich and womanly figure at rest, but somehow promising as much raw physical power as any man.
   
   I recommend this collection to anyone passionate about illustration or fantasy art. Any one of his paintings can be an entire course of study for a budding artist. They can also be seen as powerful narratives in imagery, or as a jumping-off point for dreams of far-away worlds and heroic adventures.
   
   -- wiredweird



3. I read Edgar Rice Burroughs novels as a teen and will never forget the impact of the Frazetta covers. His heros, the settings and the creatures were so wild and vivid; plus I think he definitely set my ideals of feminine beauty for life. This collection is a must for anyone who wants a good biography of F.F. along with some great reproductions of his best work.



4. Frazetta is great and this book is swell... however (as one other reviewer also experienced) the cover came off my book after I had it for only one week! I couldn't believe it! To credit of the publisher they did send me a replacement. I think I will buy the sequel now. Too bad it's only available in hardcover, but at least that way the cover is much less likely to fall off. As for the third book, it seems to be completely unavailable except to those who are willing to pay over a hundred dollars for it!



5. Words cannot describe the beauty and passion in Frazetta's work; This book is filled with amazing art, from the original sketches to the final product; Lots of personal photographs and insightful narratives help to make this a satisfying package, but the artwork alone makes this book a must have. From his early career doing comic books and movie posters, to the grand scale of his fantasy art, this is a book that is sure to excite any and all who have a shred of creativity within them. Totally inspiring book!!!

5 comments about Wood.

1. All the books featuring the works of Goldsworthy are stunning. His work is unexpected and a joy to anyone who loves nature.



2. It's a big and invigorating book. If you like earth art this book (and there are others) offers some of the best of Goldsworthy. The concepts and execution are as inventive as they are cerebral. While I've never seen his work in person the photos and narrative of this book really feel like they capture the detail. In other ways the book itself is as well presented and printed as any book of art I've seen. If you can't afford it (it was expensive for me) try and get your local library to invest. It would be a great contribution to your local enclave.



3. Goldsworthy's art isn't what he makes. It's what he does to things that are already there to make them fresh and beautiful to the jaded eye of an average human. Simple things work best in his art, evoke more raw emotion and longing: he lines tree branches with dandelions and red maple leaves; he hangs large snowballs in trees; ribbons of leaves trail off into the water and spiral icicles circle tree trunks. It's all so simple and captivating, it's really quite astounding. Goldsworthy's art is fleeting. The only reminders of his non-permanent works are photographs. In Wood, Goldsworthy goes beyond the confines of this material and shows us his mastery with the entire spectrum of natural media - snow, ice, rock, leaf, etc. The book is subdivided into sections dealing with each specific medium, the last being Tree - each work is centered around a low-lying branch of a large oak. Nevertheless, I must say that this collection of Goldsworthy's art is slightly inferior to his Collaborations with Nature, which is a better first choice if you are unfamiliar with his principles.



4. This book is so cool! I studied about Andy Goldsworthy for Art, and he is my fav artist. What he does is different and is not boring. When you look at his art it makes you think. They look so beautiful and peacful.



5. Andy Goldsworthy creates forms that echo the patterns of nature so completely the viewer is almost convinced that mother nature herself made them, rather than human hands. Goldsworthy's sculptures are more than works of art. They become integral yet fleeting parts of the lanscape that surrounds them. His shapes are fluid and delicate, and his ideas are deceptively simple,yet appear to defy both time and gravity. His experiments in Wood are gentle and thought-provoking, and prove that beauty exists all around us. Looking at his book makes me appreciate the trees, rocks, and water all around us. Andy Goldsworthy honors the earth with his quiet, sculptural meditations.

5 comments about Perspective for Artists (Dover Art Instruction and Reference Books).

1. This book is like a little paper back novel so dont expect any big diagrams and its printed on butchers paper basically, but having said that it is cheap and a handy little reference pocket book for someone who needs to look up drawing in perspective its very old as well first published way back last cenury or the one before cant rember but it is an oldie ,I got something out of this book so i dont consider it a waste of money has things like drawing stairs in perspective inclined planes elipses , domes spires stuff like that there is a fair bit of info crammed into it . worth a go.



2. Yes the language can be a little hard, but with some logic and patience it's completely understandable. This is an incredibly thorough book and I highly reccommend it.
   
   I give it four stars because there will always be people who are irritated by old fashioned writing and if you are that sort of person, I'd say try another book.



3. I have read 7+ books on perspective and I believe the thouroughness of this book and its explanations make it the one book you could use above any other. It is comparable to G. A. Storey's book but is easier to understand and it fills in the gaps that other books take the reader's knowledge for granted. I would, however, suggest reading multiple books on perspective because many will explain certain things that others will take for granted and vis versa.



4. I purchased this book as a reference, but after getting it in my
   hands, I found it engrossing cover to cover. I would never have
   guessed that a book on a subject like perspective could draw the
   reader in like this one does. Mr. Cole had a nice way of including
   the reader in a way that makes you feel like he's present. I had
   no experience with perspective before this book, but now I can draw
   realistic arbitrary items with confidence. It has helped my
   portrait drawing as well. A must-have for any artists library.



5. Imaginary settings, like fantasy novels, sometimes need to be anchored by a lot of realism. While emphasising getting the perspective of what you're looking at right, there is a tremendous amount here for the artist drawing what only exists in his or her imagination. The last section, frighteningly called "Mechanical Perspective" (anything mechanical is evil, right?), merely deals with how to start with an overhead plan and wind up with a sketch of the building or ship, inside or out.

3 comments about The Worldwide History of Dress.

1. This is one of the most beautiful books I've had the pleasure of reading. If you are at all interested in world culture, or history or people and their clothing, you must add The Worldwide History of Dress to your collection. Within this text you will find everything you ever wanted to know about the history of fashion and gain new insight into the different customs and traditions of world civilization. It is a remarkable book and I highly recommend it.



2. I spent a lot of time over the last week searching Amazon for a book that covers the history of textiles from all over the world, to no avail. I saw this book at Border's this morning and was amazed by it - it's exactly what I've been looking for! I don't know how this didn't show up in searches before, but I'm glad I came across it at the store and had a chance to look through it. This is first on my Amazon to-buy list for when I get my next paycheck.



3. You need this book if you love clothes. Monographs on Dior and Chanel will always be generated by fans and fashion houses. But our design inspiration -the origin of all dress design - can be found on every page of this beautifully illustrated volume. This vast compilation of artisanal, native, and vernacular clothing is compulsory read for the fashion lover, dress historian, and costume or fashion designer. The Worldwide History of Dress fills a gaping void: there is absolutely nothing like this compendium of international dress currently on the bookshelf.

No comments about Brush with Passion: The Art and Life of Dave Stevens.

5 comments about Writing Mysteries.

1. I used this book as a way to refresh my perspective on a mystery novel after finishing a second draft. I highlighted perhaps a dozen relevant/useful passages in the entire 300-page book. There are a handful of interesting ideas, but the biggest challenge I encountered is that the quality of the advice is entirely dependent on the author of each chapter - so, if what you want to learn about happens to have been written about by an average advice-giver, you're out of luck. For a better treatment - more concise and productive, and of better quality throughout - consider Hallie Ephron's "Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel."



2. I have other books concerning this subject. What I like about this book is that it contains chapters by different authors. There is nothing like hearing advice from the very authors that you enjoy reading so much.



3. Mystery Writing is an art in itself. It requires a lot of planning and preparation in order for the mystery story to work. Planting 'red herrings' and false clues in a story is an art that novice writers will have trouble in achieving with their first attempt. That is the reason why this book is so good -- it brings together the creative geniuses in the field of Mystery writing -- and these writers tell you their secrets to producing mystery. Definitely worth the money.



4. I found the book to a helpful review of everything from the unwritten rules of writing a mystery through the submission process. Personally, I enjoyed having different people present their views. I can see that it might be annoying if you want just one point of view. My advise is to read whatever section you are interested in and skip sections that you do not care about. Good job!



5. While I agree with the previous poster that one has to do a certain amount of mining with this, and other Writer's Digest anthologies, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I actually had an opportunity to talk about the book recently with Sue Grafton, who edited it, and she said her goal was to take readers from idea through publication, employing the voices of experts in each area. For example, the chapter on series characters is written by Sara Paretsky, whose V.I. Warshawski is a classic demonstration of what she's talking about. In all, I enjoyed and appreciated the disparate voices perhaps more than I might have appreciated the same advice in a monolithic voice.