4 comments about The Complete Mosaic Handbook: Projects, Techniques, Designs.

1. After I bought this book, I read the reviews. So I ordered two other books...The Mosaic Artist's Bible and Mosaic Patterns. I by far like the Complete Mosaic book the best for the beginner. It has all the information that would be important for the beginner to know. I like the other two books I ordered, but I will use them after I get started and am into it for awhile. I read The Complete Mosaic Handbook often and get more and more insight how to go about my mosaic projects. So don't pass up this book! It's great for the beginner!



2. There are so many books 'how-to' books out there on mosaic technique. Some are accurate, clearly based on extensive practical knowledge and experience, and some have very misleading and incorrect information. I'm afraid this book falls in the former category. When an author mentions using Elmers craft glue to create a mosaic or seal a substrate, then I would hesitate to trust any of the other information in the book.
   
   For a proven 'how-to' book on creating mosaics, I would suggest 'Mosaic Techinques and Traditions' by Sonia King or any of the books by Emma Biggs, Tessa Hunkin, or Elaine Goodwin. These are all working mosaic artists and instructors and the techniques they share can be counted on to provide you with a solid foundation in this wonderful art form.



3. This is an excellent book which has a variety of projects that are sorted into difficulty, cost and time levels. THese useful categories help you to decide how you will proceed with projects. The how to parts are easy to follow and the pictures are beautiful. OVerall this is a great book for the beginner to the more advanced mosaicist.



4. The book was received quickly. It appeared that the book was taken good care of.

1 comments about Watercolors in a Weekend - Flowers (Watercolours in a Weekend).

1. After months of sitting with my preschooler at the easel and painting nothing but crude daisies, I bought this book. It's been three days and I am already painting flowers that look like flowers. The techniques are simple and are explained well with text and photographs. I find that many how-to-paint books are filled with the artist's own finished works but never show the intimidated beginner how to get there. This book is different in that it takes the reader through a step-by-step process that begins with the first stroke and ends with the final product. I highly recommend this book to the beginning watercolorist.

1 comments about Drawing Made Easy: Flowers & Botanicals: Discover your "inner artist" as you explore the basic theories and techniques of pencil drawing (Drawing Made Easy).

1. This is an excellent book on how to draw flowers in graphite pencil. The flowers look realistic. The book discusses tools and materials, anatomy of the flower, blocking in basic shapes, changing viewpoints, working with value scales, shading to create form and texture, light & shadow, shading techniques, creating floral arrangements and types of vases. There are drawings of a stem, bud, branch, tree flowers, basic leaf, twisted leaf, long leaves and a thorny stem. Step by step instructions on drawing a calla lily, tulip, hibiscus, freesia, heliconia, ornithogalum, water lily, clematis, hydrangeas, sunflower, and a rose. You will also learn how to draw a scene of a box of flowers on a windowsill. One demo (stylish landscape) shows how to incorporate an ink wash. It also discusses reflective surfaces when drawing vases and dull materials such as wood and unglazed ceramics. Plus there are 2 more step by step demos on drawing still life arrangements with flowers.

1 comments about Colour.

1. Rudolf Steiner gave indications for the significance of color in human evolution. As a spiritual form of cosmic expression, art, embraces and propels humanity into the future. It is my intention as a photographer to share this stream of wisdom made flesh in art form for the benefit of all...

5 comments about Caravaggio.

1. I just purchased this book based on previous reviews. One disappointment I have with it is the cropped paintings or paintings with the seem slicing through them. It's frustrating as a student of the arts to try and copy the tiny details out of the bindings. Aside from that, I am glad I bought it. The works inside are fantastic.



2. This is an excellent book. The pictures are amazing! and the explanation is precise. I give it 5 stars!



3. I did so look forward to receiving this book greedily unwrapping it as soon as it arrived. I'm a huge fan of Caravaggio and having seen many of his paintings in situ I was eager for any new information. Unfortunately I'm one of the people who can't read the small silver text on glossy white paper. When I say "can't read" I mean that within about two minutes all of the little silver words on the page just dissolve into whiteness. I agree it looks pretty but perhaps that combination of ink and paper might best be reserved for an invitation to a Winter Solstice dinner and not used in an obviously superb book such as this one. Catherine Puglisi was done a terrible dis-service in the design of this book. The quality of the photographs of the paintings (and the quantity) are fantastic and I have enjoyed them immensely. Maybe the paper version is black on white but I sure don't like to have buy the same book twice. I'm giving two stars to what is probably a five star book.



4. Dr. Catherine Puglisi is not only a fine scholar, well informed about her subject, she is also a fine writer. CARAVAGGIO is a richly produced heavy volume (hardcover reviewed) that spreads the text throughout the course of the book as each of the points about the artist's life and technique and gifts to art history is explored.
   
   The color plates are reproduced with clarity and two-page extensions of the larger horizontal works aid the reader in gaining perspective. Multiple images of details offer close examination of Caravaggio's technique, a manner that continues to influence representational artists today.
   
   Puglisi gratefully does not shy away from the controversial aspects of Caravaggio's life and sexuality. She deals with the facts and presents them in context with his concurrent paintings. The volume includes an exceptionally fine body of appendices that offers a complete checklist of the paintings including small reproductions of some, a terse bibliography, and a series of extracts from the myriad sources from which Puglisi extracted information.
   
   The one criticism of this book, and it is a significant one, is the small type font in the pale gray ink selected by a designer who seems more concerned with 'making a pretty book' than in respecting the written word! But in the end this is a definitive volume about one of art history's more interesting and gifted painters. Grady Harp, December 05



5. Anything showing photos of this fellow's incredible oevre would probably deserve the highest praise even without editorial guidance. But just browsing thru this one will stun anyone not familiar with Caravaggio, which is probably 98% of the populace.Ms. Puglisi interweaves the artist's life and times around the glorious color photos. The print may be a tad small,but the fact that there's around two spaces between each line of text makes it, IMHO, even easier to read than otherwise. The raw,harrowing originality of this artist are beyond description, and his life is a near match. He died violently before the age of 40...Especially recommended for those (mainly males) who may think that Art and Art History are less than manly pursuits!! (Yes there are plenty of guys out there who think like this.) Give this book, the author,publisher, and the artist way more than five stars!!

2 comments about Art From Many Hands: Multicultural Art Projects Revised Expanded Edition.

1. I'm going to be homeschooling my three kids and we're starting next year with a world tour theme in Kindergarten. My search for multicultural resources led me to this book but I resisted buying it because the price is so much steeper than for others out there. I kept coming back to it though, hoping there would be a new review to tell me more. Finally I bit the bullet and bought it because I wanted richer art experiences for my kids than what I found in other sources. Specifically, I had already purchased Global Art: Activities, Projects and Inventions from Around the World and I found it lacking in pictures, historical/cultural linkage of the art, and authenticity of materials. It felt much more crafty than artistic to me, although there were quite a few good ideas in it and I do think it was worth the price. I also have Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters (Bright Ideas for Learning). I do like it but its scope is fairly limited in terms of time (mostly Renaissance to modern) and culture (mostly Western). That said, this book has far exceeded my expectations.
   
   I have a big problem with the abundance of arts and crafts in schools while true arts programs are being dumped left and right. A morsel of the latter is worth buckets of the former, in my opinion. I think arts and crafts have a use and they're fun for kids (albeit short-lived fun without as much pride in craftsmanship that can come from creating original art). This book, however, is not about arts and crafts. In contrast, it is full of history and culture. The author instructs educators about art from a wide variety of cultures and gives them the tools they need to help kids create similar art. Sometimes the medium is altered because the original material is not practical or is unavailable. Solid gold is out of my budget and I don't have any whale bones lying around!
   
   Because these activities are so visually interesting and based on history, I think they would actually appeal to kids from K-12. As the author points out, kids of different ages will obviously get varying results based on skill level. The author gives instructions for modifications to make activities manageable for younger kids. As a special note to homeschoolers, I should say that because most of us have more one on one time to spend with our kids during these activities, many of the modifications might not be necessary. They just might need more direct guidance.
   
   I'm thrilled that this book pulls true art forms from all over the globe and then presents projects based on that art. Below is an outline of the projects included.
   
   West Africa - tie-dying cloth, traditional dashikis, papier mache masks and sculptures
   Ghana - Adinkra designs on paper and cloth
   Nigeria - Adire Eleko cloth designs and Counter-Repousse (metal work)
   Egypt - plaster hieroglyphic tablet, jewelry/clay beads, tapestry
   Israel - paper and tile mosaics
   Iran - Persian miniature paintings
   France/Spain - prehistoric cave paintings (impressive - they make a whole caves system from cardboard!)
   Cro-Magnons in Europe - stone engravings
   Ancient Greece - sculpture
   Great Britain - stained glass (originated in Middle East but famous in cathedrals)
   Sweden - cookie stamps (she even includes a recipe)
   Poland - Wycinanki (paper cutouts)
   Ukraine - Pysanky (decorated eggs)
   Belarus - straw designs
   Germany - flower arts (pressed, woodcut)
   China - calligraphy, paper making, woodblock prints
   Japan - haiku and sumi-e ink paintings, accordion books, fish banners, fish prints, decorated paper
   Burma - lacquer work
   India - marble inlays
   Indonesia - Javanese shadow plays, batik fabrics
   SE Asia and Taiwan - kites
   Central/Northern Asia - felt rugs and balls
   Hawaii - canoes
   South Pacific - Tapa (decorated barkcloth) including Fiji for stenciled designs and Tahiti for fern designs
   Tonga - design tablets
   Micronesia - gift-giving bowls
   Australia - Aboriginal bark paintings, didgeridoos, carved Emu eggs
   Mexico - Huichol Indian yarn painting, Amate paper cutouts and paintings, clay figures and suns
   Central America - Cuna Indian Molas (cotton panels), gold/silver sculpture
   Peru - embroidery
   Caribbean - maracas
   Puerto Rico - seed necklaces
   Haiti - steel designs
   United States - Pueblo Indian pottery, Navajo weaving and sand painting, Plains Indian Buffalo Robes, Headdresses, shirts and vests, Woodland Indian quillwork and beadwork, Inuit stone sculpture and printmaking, early American applehead dolls, scrimshaw (carving in whale bone and ivory), and weathervanes
   
   I am extremely impressed with these activities which are firmly rooted in the history of the cultures from which they originate. They would add so much to school art programs as a supplement to history. This is a book I know we will use for years. The kids won't be ready for the Javanese shadow plays for quite some time but until then, I'll be looking forward to the experience! I can't recommend this book highly enough. With this book and the Dick Blick art supply catalog, I know my kids have an incredible wealth of art activities ahead of them.
   
   As a side note, a few other resources that I love for our homeschooling program are
   
   Art in Story: Teaching Art History to Elementary School Children Second Edition
   
   30,000 Years of Art
   
   Artistic Pursuits, Book One: An Introduction to the Visual Arts and the rest of the program that takes kids from Kindergarten through high school.
   
   



2. I've done many of these projects with children, and they are both educational (the book gives some cultural and historical references on the projects) and a cut above some of the really simplistic projects found in a lot of books. I go back to it again and again! I'd highly recommend it.

2 comments about The Golden Age of Advertising - The 70s (Taschen 25).

1. Julie scoffed at the purchased, and then was seen absorbed in the book laughing and smiling and waht not.



2. As the preface to this book points out, print advertising in the 70s was ugly and uninspired. The book does an excellent job of presenting a variety of ugly advertisements, for ugly products, that support this assertion.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who is curious what advertising looked like 30 years ago, or if you want to see if advertising from the 70s was as bad as you remember (it is!).

4 comments about Style School Volume 1.

1. Style School is a book full of manga style art, a lot of it submitted by regular people. It has some tutorials on using different mediums, like ink, photoshop, etc. I would have to say that if you're looking for a step-by-step book then this is not it, get the How to Draw Manga. However this is good for inspiration and to get an idea of the different styles of drawing, be warned there are some ecchi images, but not really graphic like the Robot series.



2. Its a good book in general. It has a good print quality and the tutorials, tips are good. But it only has 40 pages of tutoriales over 150 pages more or less. The rest of the book are illustrations from readers. I think the images of tutoriales are a little small.
   
   Perhaps, the tutorials are too varied... I suppose people want to learn about photoshop o inkinkg more than watercolors...



3. This book is full of truly amazing color artwork by talented people, there is no denying that.
   
   Unfortunately the majority of the book is like the that. Probably less than 1/3 of this book has tutorials and I would consider them to be rather advanced techniques.
   
   But Id still suggest it to those with a good knowledge of drawing manga already, especially if looking for inspiration.



4. This Book is FREAKING AWESOME! The frist time I pick up this book. I had artist over load. I mean this book is really freaking amazing. The first 44 pgs. are all on different types of Style using color. and how to do them in full detail.It also has 50 page of pure Illustrations.Plus, on top of that. there's section on black and white styles in the back. This book, is a how to draw and Ilustration book in one. trust me, save ten dollars.and buy this BOOK. It's wroth it. seven times over. with the information inside.

5 comments about Watercolor Painter's Pocket Palette.

1. Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced artist, this little book is an essential part of any watercolorist's library.



2. This is a lovely practical guide. Most books on color or on watercolor color never quite get to the point of what you want out of it, which is plain information and palettes of color.

   The Pocket Palette sets up a palette and clearly shows how each color looks when mixed or glazed (painted over another). There honestly isn't another book of this size and practicality out there. This is not necessarily a book on color theory. It is covered but is not the aim of this at-a-glance, application kind of book.

   As this book is concise, this review will be concise! This book, plus a color wheel and a short book on color theory (a Walter Foster book will even do) should fill out your arsenal for dealing with watercolor color. (That might seem like a lot, but for a lifetime of using watercolors it is the least you can do for yourself.) This book is an excellent value, even if it is short, and it IS portable, perfect to bring along with your sketchbook and notes.




3. I purchased this little book with high hopes that it would be a timesaver, but I was disappointed enough to return it. There are several types of problems. First, although I could find no statement of this, all the paints used are Winsor & Newton; if you use even similarly named paints from another company, the printed results of mixing and overpainting will be irrelevant. Second, only the Winsor & Newton names for the colors are given, and no pigment information is supplied. This is inexcusable, since formulations change even with a single manufacturer, and "Bright Red," fpr example, means one set of pigment ingredients and properties for Winsor and Newton, but completely different ones for paints from other companies. Third, a statement is made that all paints depicted are durable. This is untrue and potentially disastrous for anyone who trusts this statement. For example, it is well known that alizarin crimson and genuine rose madder (both in the primary palette oin this book) are easily damaged by light; permanent alternatives must be used if a painting is to be hung in a normally lit room. Finally, results will vary depending on the paper you use, and -- this one is not the fault of the book -- color reproduction in printing can never truly match what really happens on the paper. It's a pretty little book, well put together physically, but it is often misleading and is in no way a valid substitute for making your own notebook of color mixes and relevant information. This is essential both for understanding the properties of your pigments and paper in the first place but also for recording the compositions and behaviors of mixes used in your paintings.



4. If you want to learn how to mix watercolor without getting "mud" then this is for you. It is not a substitute for the real experience of mixing colors for yourself and watching what happens (such as any blue with cadmium red. Did you get a purple? Hmmm! Interesting!)

   The section on mixing flesh tones is especially helpful. It's fun just to browse this book and enjoy the tonal variety. A really nice book, in a small, portable format. One of my favorites.




5. Being new to watercolor painting, this book has been extremely helpful to me in determining the mixtures to use to create the colors I need. I've just sent one to a friend who is just beginning classes in watercolor and I'm sure she'll enjoy it as much as I have.

2 comments about Painting Fairies in Watercolour (Fantasy Art).

1. Great instructional book, very helpful when beginning to create whimsical fairies.
   Lots of drawing and watercolour tips.



2. This is a Wonderful wonderful book! Such structure and easy to use.
   The book has been looked and looked upon since I recieved it.
   I luv this book ... You will too.