5 comments about A Book of Artrageous Projects.

1. This book had a lot of really fun art ideas that my boys loved. It is very hands on, and you can mix in science with your art. My history buff loved the art history, and this book inspired much online investigation and a planned trip to our local art museum. It is a great way to introduce your child to real art- but is also fun and "crafty." My high-energy boys loved this book, and I can not recommend it enough.



2. I buy these books because my grandkids love them too. They always have age appropriate topica and seem to keep pace with their interests as they grow. They are challenged and they learn as they work through the books. Mom & Dad love them too.



3. I bought this book for my nephew, who is 10 years old. He opened his present and started looking through it right away, ignoring his other presents waiting to be opened. There is a nice selection of different activities in this book. I would recommend it for older children as it includes activities that require lots of cutting and pasting, and the tempura painting could be messy with younger children.



4. Crafty people will like this book, and all of klutz other books. This one has lots of fun things to do, and will keep you busy for a long time. You get to play with stickers, do sunburn art, paint with eggs (this sounds strange, but it works!!), and tons of other stuff. It's a cool book.



5. This was a huge hit with my two daughters, ages 6 and 8. They passed many hours going through every project/exercise in the book. Later they devised ways to create their own projects based on ideas form the book. We also discovered which crafts the kids wanted to follow up on, we have ordered materials for metal foil embossing, etc. based on our experiences with this introductory book. I recommend this book highly, your kids WILL enjoy it!

5 comments about Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist (Galaxy Books).

1. As a teenager, I bought this book to help me draw people better. Learning body and head proportions is key to drawing more realistic-looking people, and this book can help you along. Peck's illustrations show you different ways to look at the human body, sometimes using blocks, spheres, and other objects to represent how a certain muscle group works or looks to help you better understand how it should be drawn. He covers everything from musculoskeletal structure to facial expressions, emotions, and photos of faces from around the world. And for those who like to warm up their skills by sketching people but have no model to use, there are several human model pictures towards the back of the book to help you out. Before I took college courses and had real models to work with, I used these photos to do my many quick pencil or charcoal sketches as a warm-up for drawing. Having this book before those courses definitely helped me draw better and faster than some of the others who were learning to draw people for the first time. I have referenced it several times since then when drawing or painting people to make sure I'm getting the right idea of the muscle structure. I have used other books for learning to draw people that was more step-by-step, but this book has a lot of different detail other books don't have.
   And I was surprised to find out it was from the 50's when I looked it up here on Amazon, since it doesn't really appear that way at all.



2. I am an art student who wanted a guide to the human body. I could not be happier with "Atlas of Human Anatomy" because of the detailed illustrations combined with easy to grasp sketches. The written sections are not extremely long, and while they do delve into technical language that can be difficult, it is overall all well balanced with the illustrated elements. I find both sides important, and as a comprehensive resource on the human body for the artist, I highly recommend "Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist".
   I can only say that it has helped me tremendously.



3. My professor/adviser of art advised me to get this.
   
   It was great advice :D



4. This book surprised me. I already have several dozen books on art anatomy, but Peck's book has more. He goes into expressions, cultural and age distinctions, and locomotion. Is this the only book you'll need in studying anatomy, probably not. But each book you get on the subject, and study (NOT JUST COLLECT) will hone your visual memory until drawing the figure becomes second nature. Note: Study means putting time and effort on that drawing pad!!! Also, nothing beats drawing from life or imagination! These books are to supplement these areas.



5. This book is a cheap and good reference for beginning figure drawers. The diagrams are fairly clear but some of the hand-drawn references get confusing.

2 comments about Megaman Zero Official Complete Works.

1. This is a great book filled with tons of art, a nice amount of concept art never seen before(like phantom's second form which wasn't used in-game). My only complaint is the way the last sentence on Pg. 169 is left off "Since we had left the first game with such an open ending, I think we managed to pull of the...", I assume he was going to say sequel so I left it at that. Aside from that small flaw, which might not actually be a flaw and might just be what he had exactly said considering it's a translated interview, the book is great. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves Megaman Zero or great art.



2. After so many moons of waiting and waiting for this book to come out it is finally here! To put into perspective how long I've been waiting for this book to come out I believe that the first pre-order I put with Amazon.com was on February 20th, 2007. That's over a year ago! I can safely say that this book delivers on all fronts and is well worth the wait.
   
   This book is 176 pages of filled with great art and information about the Megaman Zero Series. It provides inside information on the characters of the series as well as how some came about and more information about them that might not necessarily have been included in the games. It even provides great insight into characters that were cut from the final product of said series. Great art, great insight into the series and it's creators, what more could you ask for?
   
   There are actually two things that I could ask for and those come in the forms of errors. On page 169 leading into page 170 there is a sentence that seems to have been cut off. "Since we had left the first game with such an open ending, I think we manage to pull of the..." Pull what off? Pull of the correct way to open the second game? Pull of the best way to start the second game? What is it? As soon as you hit page 170 a new question is asked and the previous sentence is never finished.
   
   The second error comes in on page 153; there is a picture that was reused from page 152. The picture in question fits perfectly in 152 but not in 153 which a different scene is playing out entirely. You're reading scene after scene then you stop abruptly at this scene that doesn't even belong there!
   
   These two errors make me feel a bit disappointed in the book. For a book that was often delayed as this I feel like the book should have no errors in it what-so-ever. Very disappointing indeed.
   
   Still this book makes a great accompaniment to the video game series overall with beautiful artwork and a better insight into the creation and the things that were created in the game. If you love the Megaman Zero series then you'll love this book.

5 comments about Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting.

1. This book is a must for artists who want to learn the correct way to paint the landscape. It not only teaches the important concepts of landscape painting, but also gives reasons for the concepts. Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting will be a study guide and reference book for me.



2. This book is full of important information on how to approach landscape painting.
   I will read this book over and over again
   very recommended!!!



3. Carlson's Guide truly is the bible of landscape painting. It's loaded with invaluable information for landscape artists, but studio artists will get so much out of it, too. Over the years, I've returned to the book again and again, and I always find some fresh insights that help me resolve whatever issues I'm dealing with that during that period. If you're looking for a sophisticated text that goes beyond the basic fundamentals like value, color, shape, etc. covered in most art instruction books, this one is for you.



4. A great reference and interesting reading for all phases of landscape painting, Carlson's guide has been referred to by art instructors, and novice painters alike. If there was only one landscape book you had the money to buy, this would be it. All black and white examples. Easy to understand concepts.



5. I BOUGHT THIS LITTLE GEM, ON THE RECOMMEDATION FROM MY LAST EN PLEIN AIRE INSTRUCTOR, KEN DeWAARD. HE HAS TAUGHT ME MORE, IN HIS WEEK WORKSHOP ABOUT PAINTING, THAN I HAVE LEARNED FROM ALL THE WORKSHOPS I HAVE TAKEN DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS. AND THE BASIS OF HIS TEACHING METHOD? HE WORKS TO PASS ON ONLY THE "PEARLS" OF WISDOM, LEARNED FROM MANY OF THE PAST MASTERS, WITHOUT CLUTTERING YOUR MIND WITH ALOT OF NOT-SO-RELEVENT INFO.
   [HE TOLD ME THAT MOST OF HIS QUOTES COME DIRECTLY FROM CARLSON'S BOOK!]
   ....THE ENTIRE CLASS OF SEASONED ARTISTS CLAIMED THAT, BY THE LAST DAY, THEY HAD GROWN SO MUCH IN ABILITY AND UNDERSTANDING, THAT NO ONE WANTED THE CLASS TO END. SO, IF YOU ARE NEW AT ART, BUY THIS BOOK AND KEEP IT, UNTIL YOU HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND THE JEWEL THAT IT IS. .... ITS BITS OF ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT ITS NOT A PICTURE BOOK..
   ANYWAY, I'VE DONE COMMISSIONED PORTRAITS FOR 30 YEARS. AND YET, WITH THE COMPACTED INFO IN THIS BOOK, AND BY PAINTING THE NATURAL COLORS OF OUTDOORS, I AM FINALLY STARTING TO GROW AS AN ARTIST.

5 comments about Case Study Houses: 1945-1966: The California Impetus (Taschen Basic Architecture).

1. I think this book is an incredible value. Wonderfully satisfying photos for the price. The designs are still very inspirational for Mid-Century Modern fans. I love the series and intend to buy the other editions in the near future.



2. The Case Study Houses -- The Complete CSH Program 1945 - 1966 by Taschen is a wonderful, comprehensive study of some of the best of the archetectural projects created from this time period. The principal photography by Julius Shulman is breathtaking and some of the original, vintage photos are presented on two pages within the huge book. When open, this jumbo edition is almost a yard across and at 34" is nearly overwhelming...and by some, too large to handle.
   The text is well written, informative and easy to comprehend. It describes, in detail, the development of these ultra modern homes located in the Los Angeles area of California which mostly use metal, concrete and glass. All of the materials were derived from various industrial usages and were considered new in the home building area, and innovative to say the least.
   Combined with the text and the extraordinary photographs, this book is destined to become a collector's item in the future and well worth the investment.



3. Ok, Ok, there's a beautiful, gigantic, definitive book on the Case Study Houses at $136. Then there's this small, slick little book, presenting each and every case study house, in order, editorially excellent through and through. An outstanding summary of an under-documented era of modern architecture, one with a crucially democratic agenda. $9.99. The book itself represents the case study ethic--great design at a price VERY within reach.
   Not a difficult choice. Highly recommended.



4. This is visually interesting as well as informative. Those interested in mid-century architecture will enjoy this concise book.



5. Optimism is the prevailing theme of the Case Study Houses. The unerring faith that the future is the brightest it can possibly be. Each house profiled in this book shouts this theme loudly and proudly! Taschen has put together a loving yet compact introduction to the Case Study Houses. If you love architecture, design or mid-century modern style, this book is a must have for your collection.

5 comments about The New Creative Artist.

1. The New Creative Artist: A Guide To Developing Your Creative Spirit
   
   Here is another WOW spiral-bound book!!! It is full of COLOR,a lifetime of ideas, activities, and opportunities to s-t-r-e-t-c-h. The coverage of the Design Element is full: Line, Shape, Value, Color, Size, Pattern, Movement, Harmony, Contrast, Rhythm, Repetition, Gradation, Balance, Dominance, Format Options, Compositional Choices, Design Strategies, and touches on when to give the rules a rest. If that isn't enough, there's lots more! I especially look forward to working through the section: The Realism-Abstraction Connection during my next artistic transition. A beautiful book!
   
   Patricia Eastman



2. This book wasn't as good as "celebrating your creative self."
   
   It was a little wordy with inspirational messages. Not as much about technique and new ideas as I was hoping.



3. This book will get any creative body with a block back into their creative hobby. She gives so many great ideas, like that you should write down all the great creative ideas you think of and put them in to a jar. That way, whenever you can't think of something to get your creative juices flowing, just grab your jar and do whatever the piece of paper says!
   
   On a sidenote: I also love that the binding is ring - so that you can fold the book flat and not worry about pages closing on you when you are trying out something new - but that it is also protected by a larger cover so the ring binder doesn't fall apart like they usually do - THANK YOU PUBLISHER!
   
   Anyhow, great buy for any artist or artists' library - a book I will forever reference...I only wish that Leland explained more of the techniques behind rare art forms (but that would add a whole other book!).



4. Jam packed with useful tips. You can always count on Nita Leland for the best information.



5. This is the best motivation and help book I've purchased in a very long time. Lets you know that you can create (and feel very good about it) what pleases "yourself". I had to get over worrying what other people thought of my work. Thank you.

5 comments about Drawing the Head and Figure.

1. This is an excellent book, written by a man who was an absolute master of drawing. His depth of knowledge is extraordinary, as is the clarity, simplicity, and comprehensiveness of his approach. As an artist and illustrator I own many books on painting and drawing, and this is one of the best.



2. I grew up reading and using Jack Hamm's "How to Draw Animals", like it was a bible. As a professional illustrator, relying heavily on realism for all my work, his books are a great introduction in learning to see correctly, to gain insight into proportion and drawing skill. Anyone who doesn't get anything out of it isn't putting the time and effort into studying the material. It will help you if you take the time to read it. I just bought this book, as a refresher, as he always has something to teach, no matter what stage of art skill you have. I recommend his books to my students all the time. Art school basics in a book.



3. This book is absolutely overrated. Im not very good at drawing people, and thats why I bought this of course. But it simply doesnt help. The things you learn from this book are widely spread on various free internet sites already. Really useful anatomy guides provide various angles and muscular structure of body parts, not just a childlike how-to-draw a head in front perspective from an ellipse. It doesnt help you a tiny bit on how to draw the exact same head if you want to draw it from a slightly different angle.
   I recommend Gottfried Brammes books, they are expensive, and they are sophisticated, but hell: they are good.



4. There is a reason this book is still in print. Never mind that the drawings are a bit outdated. Never mind that his drawing style might not be yours; everyone needs to find their own. What matters is the instruction. His style is easy to read with just enough text to get his point across. The sections on proportion alone are worth buying this book. If you are able to "draw what you see" with the right brain, this book will help with the details of hair, musculature, clothing, facial expression, etc. This book would be a bargain at twice the price.



5. You can't beat these Jack Hamm books for learning the fundamentals of drawing. copy the drawings in these books and you'll be a master in no time.

5 comments about The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War.

1. The Rape of Europa is an eye-opening book. Nicholas has done a tremendous amount of research that reveals the almost unimaginable extent of Nazi art looting during World War II. But the book never gets bogged down in details. The chilling story moves along quickly. I recommend this book highly for anyone interested in World War II, or for readers who are curious about the political uses of art.



2. What an eye opener. after reading this book one think the world war II was ment by the Germans to get hold on art only. One can never visit an museum in europe/america/ Argentina/south america/auction houses without thinking: what is the provenance of said article: also robbed / fenced/ stolen? How much blood is on it? Is there not an exhibition in London (March 2008) with stolen art by the Russian (so called reparation payment taken from hidden German wareshouses) this month full with French/Paris school / entarte kunst and more? Comming from France the loot was 28 thousant train wagons(containers)
   
   After reading, one should feel never be save anymore regarding own collection!



3. After seeing the documentary movie with the same title, I was anxious to buy the book. The movie is based on the book and generally I find books preferable to movies. In this case, however, I would recommend the movie unless you are an art history major or World War II history buff. The book is a scholarly work with dense writing and extensive footnotes. While I can appreciate such texts, it was not what I was expecting since the movie is so engaging that I sat through it utterly entranced and with an intense desire to learn more.



4. The movie, THE RAPE OF EUROPA, is a gripping documentary about the plan by Hitler to take over all of Europe's cultural treasures and the way that the U.S. dealt with these artworks after the war. The Nazis' success at stealing paintings, sculpture, and other art was phenomenal and this film does an excellent job of presenting all the facts. Many of the participants, or their descendants, are still alive and speak to the filmmakers movingly of their efforts, whether it was as the "monuments men" or the owners.
   At a time when it is all too easy to forget history, the filmmakers have created a terrific movie that reveals yet another horrific aspect to the Nazi regime. Highly recommended.



5. Nicholas traces the plunder of cultural treasures by Nazi Germany followed by the Allies' efforts to locate and return the booty. The Germans also engaged in the wanton destruction of others' cultural treasures, beginning with the very start of WWII. For instance, the German forces deliberately bombed and shelled the historical section of Warsaw (the Old Town). (p. 61)
   
   The reader soon learns that the pillage of conquered nations was done not just by Nazi hacks, but also by German intellectuals, as in German-occupied Poland: "Even the most distinguished German scholars were not immune to the opportunities presented by a cultural scene so open to exploitation...once the country lay at their feet many of these academics felt not the slightest qualms at transferring the collections, libraries, and even research notes of their erstwhile colleagues to their own use." (p. 74).
   
   Spectacular German thefts include that of the giant Wit Stwosz (Veit Stoss) altar of Krakow (Cracow), and the Bursztyn Komnaty (Amber Room) of the city of Pushkin. The latter is yet to resurface.
   
   Nicholas touches on those German genocidal plans against the Slavs that were to be implemented after Germany's expected victory over Russia: "The basic policies would be the same as those applied to Poland. After conquest, areas would be cleansed, exploited, and Germanized...In these [German-appointed districts] the cleansing would again be cultural, racial, and ideological. Not only Jews and `Bolshevists' would be eliminated by immediate execution; much of the general Slavic population would be allowed to expire naturally when their food supplies were diverted to the worthier citizens of the Reich." (p. 185)
   
   There are some distortions and omissions in this book. Nicholas repeats the myth of the Poles "arriving at" an already-abandoned Monte Cassino (p. 247) when in actuality the Poles had to overcome fierce German resistance, and to take grievous casualties, in order to take Monte Cassino. She elaborates on the Germans' burning of the libraries and archives of Naples (pp. 232-233), and the agony of the Soviet-betrayed Warsaw Uprising (p. 77), but not the magnitudes-greater destruction of Warsaw's cultural treasures. AFTER the fall of the Warsaw Uprising, the vindictive Germans burnt and blew up the still-standing architectural treasures of Warsaw. They also burned all the libraries and archives of Warsaw, causing the loss of 13 million volumes, including about 500,000 irreplaceable ones.
   
   All in all, however, Nicholas has given the reader a good overview of this sad subject.

5 comments about Gardner's Art Through the Ages (with ArtStudy Student CD-ROM and InfoTrac ).

1. The book came as described by the seller and the CD that comes with the book is has great resources for studying the chapters but I have never waited so long for a book to arrive from amazon, I ordered on the first week of my class and I got it the third week into my class which wasn't very helpful to me



2. I had to buy this book for school and I have to tell you, it isn't easy forking out over $100 bucks for a textbook. I have no regrets now after finishing my course and exploring this amazing Art Histoty book. It is something you will have for a lifetime and be glad that you do!



3. I purchased this book for a class; Ancient Art history. This book really is beautiful. Most of my textbooks I would resale once my class ended, but I definitely plan on keeping this one. The authors did a great job of giving high level overviews and thorough descriptions for each work; both in artistic form and historical context. I would highly recommend this book for both art enthusiasts and students.



4. The main strength of this book are the pictures - most of them in colour and all of superb quality. To each picture corresponds a section in the text which describes the displayed work in a vivid and informative way, cultivating the reader's ability to look at art, understand and appreciate it. Another excellent feature are the "boxes", containing e.g. a description of an artistic technique or an excerpt from an original written source.
   
   However, questions arise when it comes to more general parts of the text, e.g. chapter introductions aimed at conveying a broad picture of art and society of the epoque. Simplifications are expected, but they shouldn't be misleading - here are just some examples of the contrary: it's not correct to include Merovigians among the barbarian tribes (Goths, Franks, ...) that invaded the Roman empire! This is absent in the 11th edition but present in the 12th. Or, one cannot say that the Treaty of Westphalia granted religious freedom in Europe: that freedom mostly applied only to the local sovereigns, while their subjects were forced, sometimes quite brutally, to follow the religion of their boss. The Centre Pompidou in Paris is not quite a place of "popular entertainment", etc.
   
   Conceptually, the book follows a certain point of view, emphasizing e.g. the question of gendre - the reader learns, for instance, that the communities in ancien Grece were dominated by "white males" ... The authors have also decided to include some works which are not generally accepted as art - but is an introductory textbook like this a good place to redefine the notion of art?
   
   In summary, if you want in the first place to enjoy splendid pictures described in revealing yet understandable terms, go for this book. If you are looking for a more solid and reliable information, look somewhere else.



5. Wonderful Art History textbook. Very comprehensive. CD-ROM quite useful. Used this text for Advanced Placement Art History course in high school for 2006-2007 school year. Liked the book so much I purchased one from Amazon in May. The copy I bought is bound upside down (the cover is upside down compared to the text inside).

3 comments about Who Owns Antiquity?: Museums and the Battle over Our Ancient Heritage.

1. The book underlines the attitude behind Cuno's outspoken cultural superiority. In a recent AP interview, Cuno said: "Cuno: I think any of these modern nations can exercise a greater claim than any other nation on antiquities found within their jurisdiction. But not in terms of an identity with those ancient people. It is not on the basis that they are the modern heirs to the achievements of these ancient peoples, that they descend from them in any kind of continuous or natural way and that the modern culture is akin to the ancient culture."
   
   This is a century old canard that claims an ethnic group has only a tenuous tie to their ancestors. His words about a "continuous and natural" descent are offensive and bigoted, reminiscent of some particularly odious racial theories from the 19th century which read a mixture of bloodlines as reason enough to dispute strong connections with ancestral pasts. What, after all, does Cuno mean by "a natural way"? Is language not enough for him? That some nations use artifacts for political reinforcement of nationalist goals is not reason enough to dismiss a people's ethnic and cultural affinities with these same artifacts.
   
   Take the case of the Elgin marbles, for instance. He worries that cultural artifacts may be destroyed if located in a singular place. Yet Lord Elgin destroyed the marbles themselves in removing them, lost many in the Mediterranean, and the British Museum allowed patrons to spill wine on them during fundraisers. To insist on spreading the wealth of the Parthenon marbles is as smart as perhaps cutting Lincoln's face off the memorial and giving it to Singapore, or amputating the arm holding the torch on the statue of liberty, and sending it to Uruguay.



2. Cuno is a defender of the so-called "universal museums", now called "encyclopaedic museums" and perhaps more correctly, imperialistic or totalitarian museums. The museum that never has enough of anything and seeks a total control of all cultural objects by all means, including the use of force by the army of the country where the museum is situated-Louvre, British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. These museums now lament the end of the imperialistic and colonial period in which they amassed most of their stock. This was the period when the Europeans could take virtually from any country whatever cultural object they desired. That period is, mercifully, at an end and Cuno and co are agitating for the return to that system, so-called partage system which enabled the Europeans to take away massive archaeological objects from countries like Egypt. Cuno labels those who seek the return of the stolen cultural objects as nationalists but what about those who fight to keep the objects in the museums of the West, are they internationalists or what?
   This new book does not advance in anyway the debate about the restitution of cultural objects. On the contrary, it will only help to solidify the known positions. That leading museum directors do not understand the desire of Africans and Asians to recover their stolen cultural objects, is a sad commentary on the cultural landscape of the world. The perspective would have appeared better without the addition of this book which will only serve as additional object for heated controversies and it comes from a museum director of one of the leading museums of the Western world.
   Kwame Opoku. 22 May,2008.



3. Anyone who has ever been enthralled visiting one of the world's great archeological museums would benefit from James Cuno's book. So would archaeologists, museum directors, curators, antiquities dealers...and journalists who have signed on to the out-of-control drumbeat demonizing museums and collectors. Source country bureaucrats and power-wielders should read it as well, but they probably will not. Cuno's is a refreshing, insightful and intelligent counterpoint to mainstream misinformed denigration of the world's great archaeological museums. It convincingly argues that nationalistic retention laws for antiquities neither preserve sites nor objects, nor do they benefit the larger interests of civilization and mankind. There is probably more here than the non-specialist is interested in, but the beginning and end of the book are more than enlightening, and the reader can go back to middle chapters for background and revealing histories of the modern nations of Turkey, China and Italy. This book is an eloquent plea to save the inspiring fragments of mankind's long history which belong to us all. Cuno believes using them for nationalistic agendas is not the way.