5 comments about Famous Monster Movie Art of Basil Gogos.

1. This book is an awesome book. I remember reading Famous Monsters of Filmland back in the 60s. The quality printing of this book is incredible. I love that they had printed a hard bound version. It's well worth the money. The color of the paintings pop right of the page.



2. First of all...Like so many reviewers before me have said; almost every boy that grew up in the '50s & '60s anxiously collected our 35 cents every month so we could go to the local candy store & buy the latest issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland. This magazine became our bible & 4E Ackerman became our surrogate father. More than 45 years have passed; but I can still remember those magnificent covers as though it were yesterday. Basil Gogos painted the cover of the Gorgo issue which had a blue background & also the Vincent Price issue which had a white background,etc. This Book displays all of Basil Gogos outstanding cover art which graced the cover of FM for so many years. Don't take my word for it...ask Stephen King, Rick Baker, George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, John Landis, Rob Zombie & a host of others..This book is an absolute delight for the senses & like fine art is meant to be treasured,



3. this book is great.Very happy to included this one in my collection.Already have a tattoo planed of bride of frankenstein.



4. I'm in agreement with another reviewer that mentioned the book could have been better written. That being said, it is well worth the price for all the fantastic paintings and drawings. A must for every fan of horror and sci-fi art.



5. Even without text, this book would've earned 4 stars, just for the impressiveness of Gogos' work. Within this book are large, crystal-clear repros of his most famous monster cover paintings, as well as samples of his illustration work.
   The only setback for this book is its lack of depth in the text. It seems that whoever was sent to interview Basil didn't ask too many questions, didn't want to really know too much about him except for his general acheivements, and didn't ask him for a demonstration of how he works. Among all of the great pics, some candid ones of the artist would've been nice, most notably a pic of his studio.
   Still, the images are so rich in color and character. Worth it!

5 comments about Painting Garden Birds with Sherry C. Nelson (Decorative Painting).

1. Very well detailed book, easy to follow, easy on the eyes, just a joy to read and paint. For all levels of painters, Highly recomended.



2. Certainly a great book. Well designed. I am a hobby painter. Self taught and this book has certainly inspired me into painting some of the pictures in the book. If you love nature and painting this is simple step by step book has a wealth of information. Would certainly recommend it.



3. The author provides step by step instructions and photos for painting a variety of birds with oils. This is a great book for the beginner decorative oil painter.



4. I've enjoyed having this book as a reference. The step by step instructions work just as well with other mediums instead of the recommended oils, so far I've painted the Wren in watercolors and the Cardinals in Acrylics.



5. This is an absolutely wonderful book that any beginning artist must have. Ms. Nelson's instructions are so clear and easy to follow that anyone can produce beautiful paintings. Not only does Ms. Nelson tell you what colors to use, but what direction to make your painting strokes, how to hold the brush, what brushes to use..how much easier can you get?! I am currently working on my first bird from the book. My family can't get over how life-like my painting is. I am even surprised at the results! I am definately going to purchase more of her books and I have no doubts that eventually I'll be able to do paintings on my own once I've mastered the techniques in the book.

2 comments about Advertising Now. Online.

1. Its an incredible reference. I recommend that book to everyone with an opened mind, bcs its is the new world for an advertising.



2. a bit long winded. but some great interviews and copy. makes for a great coffee table book.

2 comments about Martín Ramírez: The Last Works.

1. Beautifully illustrated and well written, this catalog (accompanying the Musuem of American Folk Art's second retrospective of the work of outsider artist Martin Ramirez) is a nice addition to an American Folk Art library. Highly recommended.



2. Martin Ramirez spent most of his adult life in a mental hospital in California. His drawings, all done in the hospital, are widely known. This book is an impressive selection of his last works, recently discovered, which are now being shown in musuems and galleries for the first time. The drawings are exhilirating. What is remarkable is Ramirez's ability to go back to the same motifs, and with rhythmic lines, like a great musician, interpret or renew them as an ancient and primitive music. His world of trains, theatrical stagings, and humble animals are timeless. They reflect a sense of his long ago passage from his humble birthplace in Mexico. It is a lesson in how great art can emerge from the most unlikely circumstances.

3 comments about All Over Coffee.

1. I love this book! Madonna is superb illustrator with a mischievous wit and Zen spirit. A native San Franciscan, the Victorian and other architectural details of the old neighborhoods are familar to me, and it is fun to determine locations of his panels. He forces us to be aware of similar details of our lives, of the juxtapositions of form and space, and in but a few words, like a haiku, he captures relationships, moods, and the human condition. Even if you are not rooted in The City, this book deserves study, whether you are an artist or a philosopher. I look forward to a second collection, for Paul Madonna continues his work at the SF Chronicle. What joy!



2. I ended up buying this one essentially sight unseen, after seeing a couple of excerpts on the Comics Journal blog. And excerpted is probably not the best way to comprehend this - Madonna's art is stunning from the get-go, and any individual page has a really satisfying (and very 1970's-ish) feel. But as comics, it doesn't ever come together, particularly when read grouped.
   
   Madonna's vibe seems to be a captured moment, and having 200 or so captured moments in a row doesn't do anything to increase their impact - if anything, it dilutes the strength of whatever standout strips there are.
   
   I give it a four-star review because as a reprint volume, the standards are some of the highest I've ever seen. The sepia washes are rich and nuanced, the color is sharp and vibrant, the paper stock is top notch, etc. If you are already a fan of the strip, or really have a yen for moody yet celebratory renderings of San Francisco, this is quite a gem. If you're unfamiliar, I would recommend finding more than a few of Madonna's strips to read over and then decide if you're on his wavelength or if you want to fork over the cash for what amounts to a nice urban sketchbook with some random dialogue thrown in for effect.



3. I have been a big fan of Paul Madonna's exquisite drawings and thought-provoking captions since All Over Coffee debuted in the SF Chronicle. I left SF nearly 3 years ago and his strip on the web kept me connected to home. The book was very enjoyable because it documents the evolution of the strip, and has forever put to rest the question: "but what does it really mean?"
   
   Do you love San Francisco? Do you appreciate finely rendered drawings of unique architecture or everyday things most people overlook? Ever wonder how much work a working artist really does? Do you like to eavesdrop on strangers' conversations and try to put the fragments of what you hear into context? If you answered yes to any one of the above, you will enjoy "All Over Coffee."
   
   Thank you, Paul for giving your fans something tangible to linger over, with a good cup of coffee.

5 comments about Bulgari.

1. This book is amazing. Brilliant photos and great to read the history of Bulgari. Definitely a great book for lovers of the brand and of gorgeous jewelry as well.



2. Bulgari
   Great book beautifully illustrated with great photography of their products. Interesting information regarding the company and designers.



3. What a beautiful book. I appreciated the jewellery before but this book is a lovely way to see how it is made, the desiging and the creating stages. The photographs alone make it a worthwhile investment. As a jewellery appreciator, I think it's a wonderful addition to my library. I don't get to see these pieces up close so this is a wonderful way to expand apreciation and understanding of jewellery.



4. Any college-level art library strong in jewelry history needs BULGARI: a lavish, oversized and powerful collection of color photos and archival pictures that trace the unique Bulgari style which was born in Rome in 1884. The book first appeared in 1996: its updated edition represents an extensive revision and reflects newly-discovered historical material and historical facts on the Bulgari firm, making it a top pick.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. I was pleasently surprised when I recieved this book. When I looked over the discription of the book I thought I'd enjoy it but didn't know just how much until it came. The images are beautiful, full color and the discriptions are well done. This book gives a great overview of the design house Bulgari. I would recommind this book to anyone interested in learning about Bulgari or if you are just a lover of beautiful jewelry.

5 comments about Idea Index: Graphic Effects and Typographic Treatments.

1. This is a great book when you need ideas for a project but just don't have anything or are burnt out. This helps with graphics and text. Sitting down with a hot/cold beverage and relaxing with this book is a great idea. The page layouts and continuous colors used are nicely done and show how each idea can effect a graphic or text.



2. This book is a great cause it helps to inspire thoughts for designs in a creative way. Ideas that you may not think of to add to a design will help open your eyes. The typographic treatments help broaden your mind by seeing how to create attractive type so your not using the same old style of typographic.



3. 
   
   You may be a design superstar, but you need this. If not now, you will eventually and it will be at 2am in the morning and 4 Red Bulls shy of an 8am deadline when you realize you should have had it, while all the local bookstores are closed and the one person awake that you know owns it lives one hour away, but your car is out of gas due to the money you're not making from the ideas you're not creating from the Idea Index you don't own and anyone else you think may own it is sleeping or competing for the same work and laughing at your naivety because they know they are going to win the job and raise their arms in ecstatic passion, kissing the boss's butt and laughing with an evil smiling scowl in a moment of unfair glory you are not a part of. Invest in saving your tail from that moment.
   
   The greatest designers and artists will tell you they don't always just "make it appear", but go to other sources for inspiration. Even if you don't think you need it, you need it just to give you a fresh perspective at times.
   
   I can't tell you the number of times this little idea factory will save your tail during a mind block! It has saved me many times and probably has resulted in thousands of dollars worth of design work won due to the ideas generated from it during a blank out. Just that alone should be enough to convince you to get it.
   
   This durable, vinyl covered gemlette is geared toward graphic design folks and is divided into two sections:
   
   1. Graphic Effects:
   2. Typographic Treatments
   
   What I really like about the Idea Index is that amongst its 300+ ideas, you will find multiple versions of each individual idea per page, not just one little instance. Also, the ideas use varying techniques, not just what the author may be predisposed to. The ideas are indeed simple in many cases and that is enough to spark that one little idea that will build and build, compounding the ideas until you have just thrown your hands over your head in ecstatic excitement over the design award you just won, after making all that money from that job you wrested from the hands of the other guy 4 Red Bulls shy of an 8am meeting at 2am who doesn't own this book. Uhh . . .
   
   Save yourself the drama. Just get it, my brain hurts . . . from all the ideas this book creates.



4. This is a great little source of ideas to keep in your back pocket. It is good to flip through when you need to work past a creative blcok.



5. I was happy to find this little book. It has two main sections, one for graphics and one for type treatments. In each section are several ideas explained in both words and visuals. There isn't anything ground breaking here. But it's awesome because there are so many ideas and approaches tightly packed in a small book. So when my brain is dead and and I need to pull out of my tunnel vision...it's there for me.

1 comments about Complete Paint-By-Number Set.

1. I bought this really uncertain about what it would contain and was really surprised. It is a paint by number kit, but it goes quite beyond that. There's an approximately 40-page full-color book that talks about different painting techniques and how to create them. The kit also comes with 8 different pictures to paint, I think about 8x12, and there is a second book that gives instructions on how to paint each of the pictures, which are arranged in order of difficulty. I did think the instructions for the pictures were sometimes a little difficult to understand, but overall you do get a sense of how to mix colors, blend paints, use different painting techniques, etc. I wasn't able to immediately do all of the techniques, but I certainly got more out of it than a regular paint by number kit.
   
   The set comes with 8 acrylic paints, a color wheel, a plate with six small pots for mixing colors, three brushes, and a scraping knife (made out of plastic). For some of the projects, they do recommend that you purchase additional tools, mixing agents, etc if you want it to look exactly the same, but at least for the ones I've done, I think you could achieve a good picture if you just do the best you can with the tools you have. I would, however, say that you will have to buy more paint, especially white, to do all of the projects, unless you are great at mixing colors, because most of the original colors are pretty bright and you do need to mix constantly to get the same colors as pictured. The book does state the next few colors that they would recommend an artist have, so that might make it easier. Sometimes, you do have to mix three different colors to get the right color, so for a beginner like me there was some trial and error. I personally, didn't think the color wheel was very helpful, and it was better to just attempt it based upon the written description and then revise as needed.
   
   The pictures include a wooden boat filled with animals for a children's room (looks a bit like Noah's ark, but doesn't actually reference religion), a vase of irises, roosters in a field, a woman with a child at the ocean, a bowl with lemons, a courtyard in Italy, an English cottage, a tree in winter, a field of poppies. They have enough variation to really let you try out different techniques. The pictures are not offensive and, even though I can be picky about my art, I found several pics that I really liked. The pics are a good balance of nothing really modern and nothing too traditional, so your typical pretty but not too saccharine and still interesting pics.
   
   The paints seem fine to me, bright colors, and none of them were dried out, like other paint sets I've considered. The pictures are printed on two types of paper, depending on the texture required, but they are both on thick paper that can absorb the paint and could be framed.
   
   The last of the book talks very briefly about framing recommendations and also provides guidelines for how to expand or shrink the images to accommodate other sizes by showing square grids or utilizing tracing paper. Please note they show more pictures than what they actually provide a paint by number canvas for, so you will have to copy a few of them if you want to do that pic.

5 comments about Bushido: The Soul of Japan.

1. Quite a few studies of the samurai ethos floating about by now, but I would consider this one of the two or three must-reads in the field, along with Tsunetomo Yamamoto's book.
   
   Despite what the copyright date says, this was written in 1905 by a renowned scholar in the field (a Japanese Christian), originally in English. Unlike Yamamoto, the author is fluent with the history of Western philosophy and approaches his subject from that angle.
   
   Unlike other samurai books, it's not like this is a collection of advice on how to be an honorable samurai. The whole thing seems to be an attempt at a historical monograph addressed to a Western student. The author states his goals in chapter one: "My attempt is . . . to relate firstly, the origin and sources of our chivalry; secondly, its character and teaching; thirdly, its influence among the masses; and, fourthly, the continuity and permanence of its influence."
   
   It is quite elegantly written. Take this, from the first paragraph:
   
   "Chivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than its emblem, the cherry blossom; nor is it a dried-up specimen of an antique virtue preserved in the herbarium of our history. It is still a living object of power and beauty among us, and if it assumes no tangible shape or form, it none the less scents the moral atmosphere and makes us aware that we are still under its potent spell. The conditions of society which brought it forth and nourished it have long disappeared; but as those far-off stars which once were and are not, still continue to shed their rays upon us, so the light of chivalry, which was a child of feudalism, still illuminates our moral path, surviving its mother institution."
   
   Fortunately, the whole thing isn't written in this vein, but it is carefully written.
   
   One thing worth nothing: the book came out in 1905, when a newly industrializing Japan had just bonked the Russian giant over the head. As a result of this, Nitobe takes quite the high tone with the samurai tradition, never really looking at its dark side. No, it is the source of everything great in Japanese culture.
   
   There are reports of American soldiers taking over villages in the Pacific during WWII, in which the women and children (their men having been killed), rather than submit to the dishonor of being captured in battle, hurled themselves and their infants over cliffs, to the astonishment of the American GIs.
   
   Things like this were also a by-product of bushido, are they not?
   
   However, if you feel that, in any meaningful discussion of a chivalric tradition, unsavory aspects such as this need to be addressed, then you won't find what you're looking for in Nitobe's book.



2. This book is highly relevant to Japanese society today, and I'm glad that at least some reviewers have noted that fact. Nitobe writes in a style one would expect from a man educated in the manner of Edwardian England, but that does nothing to detract from what he says. It may give the impression that his message is dated, but the opposite is true: he writes clearly and directly and his laconic gems of expression lead straight to a solid undertanding of the modern Japanese heart. He manages to pull off this feat by using apt comparisons to our Western pre-Christian heritage, primarily comparisons to pagan Rome and Greece, writers like Tacitus, Polybius, and Aristotle. Nitobe also often quotes Shakespeare and the likes of Carlyle, Nietzsche, and Emerson, but almost always as an extension of his use of classical literature. If a Western reader wants to know what Western culture would have looked like without the Judeo-Christian ethic, this book is likely a window directly into that alternate universe. Under the best outcomes, Bushido appears as something like a combination of the spirits of Athens and Sparta in harmony.
   
   As a retired US Army officer living in Japan (off and on for the last 34 years), married into a Japanese family, witness to the raising of my daughters in the Japanese way (as Nitobe says, "to be able to hold their own against unexpected odds"), there is no doubt in my mind that Bushido is alive and thriving in modern Japan. When I was a teacher at the US Military Academy, we used this book in some elective philosophy classes to convey to students how Confucianism has become, over the centuries, the dominant influence in the Japanese way of life. Bushido adds to Confucianism healthy measures of resourcefulness, self-reliance, and emotional stamina within the central concept of filial piety. Emphasis on these virtues adds up to a character that values patience and self-control as its principal strengths in a personality whose purpose-driven-life is one of respect. It is hard, even for the most jaded cynic, to not have soaring admiration for the average Japanese person, at least those who have been steeped in this mighty tradition.
   
   Many find it hard to imagine that such a culture could have spawned the war crimes and abuses witnessed in China and Korea during WWII. What most do not know is that the Japanese soldiers were the most chivalrous people on Earth in the early 20th century (during the Russo-Japanese War four years after this book was written). People who feel exploited and betrayed react with virulence and frequently end in moral failure; witness our own history of war crimes which even today we are loathe to own up to. There is no paradox. What Bushido does is foster an excellent environment for the possibility of a strong and honest character--that is what is most compelling about it.
   
   I recommend reading this book with a copy of Aristotle's Rhetoric near to hand. Between the two the reader will never want for moral guidance and will be able to dispense with any library of self-help books or religion.



3. I am a Japanese graduate student, aged 24, who studies molecular biology. I would like to add to the excellent reviews so far that this book is full of insights to understand not only historic Japan but also Japan and Japanese people at present.
   
   The first reason is that most Japanese know Nitobe's name, face and act of writing this book. It is because his portrait was featured on the 5000 Yen banknote printed from 1984 to 2004.
   
   The second reason is that many leaders at present, including, as far as I know, Masahiko Fujiwara, a mathematician, who wrote a recent Japanese best-seller titled Kokka no Hinkaku (Style of a nation) and some professors in my department's faculty, admire this book.
   
   The third reason is that, though modernization and westernization wiped out the great fraction of Bushido customs, its spirits prevail in the minds of Japanese people. You may ask 'How is it possible without Bushido customs?', as M. de Laveleye, a Belgian jurist, asked Nitobe in the preface of the book, 'How do you impart moral education without religion?'. The answer, Masahiko Fujiwara points out, lies in people's reading classics, such as Genji Monogatari, Heike Monogatari, poems by Matsuo Basho and so on. In fact, as I see it, Bushido characteristics mentioned in this book, rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, sincerity, honor, the duty of loyalty, and self-control, still remain in Japan.
   
   I agree with Dr. Fujiwara in general, but, I regard Manga (comic books) and Anime, now summed up as Otaku or Akihabara culture, as the main source of the Japanese moral for the younger generations. People of my age did not read much of original classics, when they are children. Instead, we have been surrounded by and soaked with many classics reproduced as Manga or/and anime (eg Nihon Mukashi Banashi (Japanese folklore), Asaki Yumemishi (Genji Monogatari), Vagabond (the story of Miyamoto Musashi, a famous Samurai), and so on). Some people despise Manga as picture books, but it is not. It is a powerful media of information that is easy to read and, therefore, rapidly, widely, and voluntarily read. So, Bushido spirits prevail in the minds of Japanese people much more deeply than you imagine.
   
   For the reasons above, I assure you that reading this book will greatly enhance your understanding of both historic and present Japan and Japanese people.



4. Not only does this book provide the philosphy behind Japanese culture, this philosphy still offers a reasonable ethic to live by. Certainly I do not recommend seppuku (ritual suicide) as component of a healthy value system. But rectitude(justice), courage, benevolence, politeness, veracity, honor, loyalty, education, and self-control are healthy values which Bushido is based on.
   
   This book is not for everyone, Nitobe assumes the reader is well versed in the classics of western literature, philospophy and relgion. This facility would be common to college graduates of the 19th century, these days we do not receive such a broad liberal arts education. I found I had to do some self education to understand his finer points...yet I am the better for it.
   
   Not only did I learn more about Japan and Japan's place in world history, through Nitobe's analysis I became more aware of my own culture and it's standing relative to the rest of the world.



5. No, really. Bushido is not a science and it's not easy to understand. It is made up of many parts, each designed to carefully balance each other. Justice, Courage and Loyalty are just some of the ingredients needed to be added in just the right amounts. Too much can be as bad as too little. A man worried just about Justice might forget about Benevolence and a man worried about Honor might forget about Politeness.
   Bushido is not like a coat, that you can put on and take off, but a way of life. A Master Chef does not just practice his art on the weekend - and neither does a Samurai.

5 comments about Painting Flowers in Watercolor with Charles Reid.

1. This is a good book which teaches step by step how to paint flowers and other still life objects. It starts off with easier projects and works up to more difficult ones. Each project lists what color of paints to use, along with pictures and instructions. Charles Reid also talks about what kinds of papers, paints, brushes, palettes and other materials you will need. Best of all his book is filled with beautiful full color pictures of his paintings. He is not a watercolor artist who uses many layers of transparent glazes, so if you are looking for that kind of instruction it is probably not for you. Highly recommend this book.



2. Looks great, haven't had time to read, but is similar to one he wrote (currently out of print) loaned to me by my art teacher.



3. I first met Charles Reid and his wife Judy in 1988 and it was the beginning of an endless learning process ever since. I have learnt so much about watercolour from his books over the years since then. Charles' books are amazing in that he holds nothing back and just discloses all his knowledge in a wonderful style that is easy to learn from. Invariably there are step by step demonstrations to illustrate his methods. Even if the reader doesn't particularly like his style but would rather paint in a more classic sense with lots of glazes and so forth you will still learn so much about how the colours interact with water and on the paper. Charles' workshops are a great delight and if you are fortunate to attend one you will find that he is a friendly man of great warmth and charm which is reflected in his books.



4. I discovered Charles Reid at my local library and was smitten with his loose, colorful, gorgeous pictures. This book is a clear, helpful guide to making juicy watercolors of still lifes that sing with color. He has practical tips on brushwork, contour drawing and composition that are easy to follow and clearly explained. He also has step-by-step instructions for several of his pictures that show you how he goes about making his own pictures (often from everyday objects and flowers on his kitchen counter). I'm fairly new to watercolors and I found this book invaluable to improving my pictures and getting me to loosen up and feel creative and find beauty in simple objects.



5. I wish I had had this book years ago. It contains exercises to enable the reader/student to experience and learn direct painting techniques that bring freshness, spontaneity, bright vivid color and realism to one's paintings--inspite of an "untidy" style. If you're serious about watercolor, Reid can take you where you really should go. Reid embodies the principles of the best of watercolor and painting teaching of the past (particularly Hawthorne, Henri, Manet). He puts it all together into what I call a meditative painting style (stroke on color and pause to consider, then soften, add other color wet-in-wet, and so on. Doing the exercises in this book can revolutionize your painting and will, at the very least, bring immediate and important improvements to your technique and approach to watercolor. If you like Reid's paintings--flower, figures, portraits, etc., do yourself a favor--get the book and the two corresponding videos.