3 comments about Stacked Decks: The Art and History of Erotic Playing Cards.

1. Interesting topic, interesting book. Good images, but resolution could be better. If you are into fine photography and a collector of cards this book is a good reference of this subject. Every card collector should consider getting a copy of this book. Emphasis is on the fine art and attractive models, and historic approach. A nice book worth the price.



2. Mark Rotenberg is the obvious choice to do a book on pin-up playing cards, the intro says the contents are from his 450 decks (the world's biggest collection? Probably!). There isn't too much to say about a product that has very few clues about the models, photographers, printers yet over the years the numbers manufactured must run into the millions of packs. Of the 452 cards in the book the majority show anonymous females in predictably unimaginative stock glamour poses that card printers could buy for next to nothing.
   
   I thought the illustrative cards much more interesting. There are a few showing the paintings of Heinz Villiger, Joyce Ballantyne, Al Moore and Gil Elvgren. Strangely no Petty or Vargas decks, were the reproduction rights too expensive? The best cards in the book are surely the two decks put out in 1955 by Parisian manufacturer Editions Philibert who commissioned artist Paul-Emile Becat to paint a series of miniatures showing erotic Florentine life during the Renaissance and another set about Casanova. When compared to these two decks the book's photo glamour material come across as the tacky cards they really are.
   
   It is unfortunate that the book's production is very dull. The cards are presented full on, with none angled or overlapping each other. The addition of a drop shadow would have given them a lift. As most of the cards are visually unimaginative perhaps a few still-life photos throughout the book would provide some interest: a poker hand on a card table with some chips, a scattered deck of cards as a background with four or five prominent. I thought it was particular annoying that so many cards are shown larger than the originals (and some really are too big) which only emphasizes their cheap subject matter and poor printing.
   
   If there had been more creative input in the way the contents had been presented I think this could have been a much more interesting book.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



3. Stacked Decks is fabulous! There are many, many pages of kitschy, campy 1940s through 70s "nudie" cards, featuring both photos and illustrations. Some are sweet in that girl-next-door way, some are sexy and sultry (or even a bit slutty), and some are just plain hilarious! There are also some really old cards dating back to the 1800s and some fascinating history. It's a perfect present for anyone who loves poker or is interested in pin-up art.

5 comments about The Doodle Formula: A Step-by-step Guide to Creating the Perfect Doodle.

1. This is one of those books that when I look inside a part of my artist side feels validated and some of my "weird" or "quarky" artwork/doodles seems to really have a place in the world.
   I know this is something that most aLL artist battle with - the critic within, but most times than not - my journals and doodles remain hidden away in journals and notebooks.
   I'm thrilled to see people with the courage to put their unique work out there for publishing and for people to judge. I'm also more than thrilled to see a book that incorporates doodling and scrapbooking but in not such a "cookie cutter" sort of fashion!
   I loved the book and her format had my attention from the first page!
   I wish there was a little more, but in many ways I was glad that she kept it simple and to the point!
   Sometimes you have to find that extra, extra from within yourself!
   LOVED IT!!!!!
   e.



2. I almost am reluctant to post this review. The book is all that previous reviewers have posted. I should have paid attention to the number of pages. For the money, I just thought it would provide more examples and more detailed step by step. I'm sort of in the beginning stages, and I would have liked to have seen more details. But, very creative artist.



3. Her 'formula' is pretty simple: pick a shape and embellish it. Out of this, she manages to get a whole book...ummm, somehow. She's a big fan of black and white markers, and I do have to say that her sample pages are really quite stylish, but as to ideas, well, I found it a little on the thin side. Yes, I supposed some *instruction* would take away some of the spontaneity one expects with the word 'doodle', but, well, even so, a FEW insights into how she developed her ideas would have been nice. On, I should say, stuff OTHER than how to do shadowed lettering, which I think I learned to do in like fifth grade? I know how to doodle, I was hoping to see a lot more of her style and her explanation of her vision of her style. I got a few nice pages, yes, but almost nothing I could use as a model for a creative process; which, with a title like this, I'd sort of expected.
   
   Her attempts at 'interactivity' (are you a messy doodler or a neat one?) are nigh useless. Pretty much, pick which of these two 'gs' you like best. Shazam! Your doodling destiny!
   
   And, alas, like most craft books, editing is more or less omitted. She misspells several words (porous?) and most humiliatingly for *her*, she uses 'your' instead of 'you're' in one of her own personal scrapbook pages--her illiteracy left for all posterity! OUCH!
   
   I learned more about how to incorporate new styles of doodling in my pages from a book on lace painting. I was VERY unimpressed with this title: her 'formula' is self-evident to anyone over the age of five.



4. Good ideas on how to go about creating your own doodles. Not a book to copy from but one that shows you the steps you need to do your own designs. Use simple shapes, outline and add patterns and textures to your drawings. Voila! You have your own doodles. Good for scrapbookers and journalers.



5. This is a great book, with tons of ideas for doodling. Better yet, the author gives you step by step instructions, and provides lots of ideas to spark your own creativity! This is THE book I turn to when I need inspiration.

5 comments about Lettering & Calligraphy Workbook.

1. Thank you very much for your excellent description of the item being sold and the speed of the delivery. I will watch for your items in the future.



2. I tried to take a course that would teach me the basics of Calligraphy and wasn't about to find one that fit in with my busy schedule. So, I attempted to learn on my own . . . and this book is a great place to start. With my starter Calligraphy pen set and this book, I am well on my way to learning the basics. The workbook even includes projects. For the price, it is a great deal.



3. I agree with other reviewers that this book is informative and will benefit those looking for a general book on the history of calligraphy and on various alphabets. If you are looking for a book that will let you practice individual letters on pre-lined sheets, however, this is not that type of book. I've given the book three stars so that folks may read this and consider what they really want from a calligraphy book. Personally, I would like to get better at calligraphy, but calligraphy books tend to insist that you buy a panoply of supplies, set up an ergonomically correct workspace with an adjustable drawing board, and line several sheets of paper--using a T-square and other such materials--before you practice a single letter. With limited free time, I would like to be able to sit and practice calligraphy casually for relaxation. This book is not the type of workbook I sought to facilitate that goal. To be fair, this book does emphasize that it takes time and dedication to perfect a craft; since I bought online, however, I did not know the book's approach until it arrived! If you are looking for a hobby rather than a craft, you already own a calligraphy set with basic instructions, and you are looking for a workbook of the type used to learn cursive in elementary school, you may want to just buy a practice paper pad.



4. Lettering & Calligraphy Workbook is the most thorough and well though out approach I've seen for both teaching and learning the art of calligraphy. Yes, it would make an excellent textbook and the reasons why are plenty; it's readable. It is straightforward in approach, the language is clear and direct. There are a plethora of illustrations; everything from compasses, brushes, writing tools and specific calligraphy instruments to setting up your workspace, studio layout and tips and tricks of the trade are drawn out through out the book. The Workbook is not overly scholarly, but it is professionally done; artistic principles are explained and the correct terminology is used throughout the book.

   Do you have a specific project like producing a poster, want to get help with greeting cards, or do you want to add some variety to the repertoire of alphabets you can already produce? Did you get a calligraphy book that doesn't tell you much about paper products and now you need more direction? Maybe another calligraphy book doesn't cover the general history of writing and development of alphabets and you want your students to be aware that writing is a part of the culture? This book has all of that, and MUCH, MUCH more.

   I find it surprising that others have not made this book the obvious choice for all levels of calligraphy practice. This book will be an excellent resource for anyone teaching, self-teaching, a student, a hobbyist, a beginner or advanced calligrapher. As you gain more experience of course you'll want to collect other books that are only about showing different type faces and nothing at all about how-to-do some things or investigate problem solving methods. A professional may have several books that are very artistic in scope, using watercolors and employing other very advanced techniques, but they may contain no information at all about how to make a quill pen.

   This book will teach you everything you need to know to get started, get practicing and get excited about calligraphy. While I also like and use other books, this is by far the most important and indispensable one on the subject that I own.




5. I teach calligraphy at the local community college, and I considered selecting this very excellent book as the text for the class. It covers all the basics and much more. After I showed it to some of my students along with the other book I was considering, most of them found the other book, Learn Calligraphy by Margaret Shepherd, which is totally written in calligraphy, more inviting, less intimidating. So I will use the Shepherd book for the beginner's class, and this book for the intermediate class. It is a good enough resource for even the advanced calligrapher, and offers a wealth of information on how to use calligraphy for fun and profit.

5 comments about 500 Fairy Motifs.

1. i am an official fairy art addict and this little book has soooooo many pics for me to admire. they are beautiful illustrations by a variety of talented artist. any fairy art addict will love this. even my 4 year old son loves looking at the pics.



2. Beautiful little book. Delightful collection from various artists - shame they cannot be copied.... some are 'way out' - CAT fairies?? but inspiring to the fairy devotee. Particularly liked designs from the author, Myrea Pettit also Erin Minks: but that is a personal choice - there are mny other contributions from a variety of artists displaying alternative styles and ideas (inc. a few elves). The author's passion for the subject, and inclusion of contact sites for all contributors is to be commended.



3. 500 Fairy Motifs is so much more than I expected. I want to thank the author for putting toegther such a great collections of artists and artwork. This is exactly what I was looking for --- a great reference for fairy lovers and believers-
   I am truely inspired thanks :)helene



4. This is an awesome collection of fairy artwork that takes your breath away with it's beauty. It arrived promptly and in beautiful condition.



5. There are so many wonderful images of Fairy for inspiration in this book along with websites where to contact the Artist. It's perfect.

5 comments about Street Scene: How To Draw Graffiti-Style.

1. I'm not sure how this book could even be labeled graffiti anything. There is nothing graffiti about it. This is a book on how to draw cartoon characters, period. I have been a graffiti artist for over 15 years and the characters in this book aren't even remotely close to being graffiti characters. I bought this book for a nephew of mine who has always been into my graffiti work and I thought he would enjoy it. But, it's a HUGE disappointment.



2. Great book, an interactive, inspiring, fun and funky way to learn how to draw characters in this form. Easy to read & understand, gives detailed explanations on how to draw different parts and has clear diagrams to accompany. Great for all ages, not only the younger generations... Highly recommend.



3. I have no idea why this book is called graffiti style. It has almost NOTHING to do with graffiti. It is just a how-to-draw cartoons book LABELED graffiti style (not graffiti characters, just regular cartoons!). Seriously a pitiful book. Do not buy this book if you are looking for a graffiti book. This is a complete waste of time. As soon as I received the book and took a quick glance at it, I laughed and resealed it back into the box immediately for return. If you bought this book, return it!! Just look how many new&used versions of this book there are. That should give you a good idea of how many people DON'T like this book.



4. It should be pointed out that this is a unique book on drawing cartoon characters, not actually making graffiti. My young son particularly likes the skateboard stuff in this book, and he is able to follow along with the step-by-step demonstrations easily. Kids will like this.



5. Seriously? Is this serious? This has to be someones bad joke. If so, hilarious!

5 comments about Rock Painting Fun for Everyone!.

1. This book has really awaken more creativity within me. Up until now, I never would have considered painting on rocks, but the book has changed my perspective. It taught me that art can be displayed on pretty much any medium. The author really breaks down each stroke for you in the book, which is a must for me since I've never taken up painting as a hobby. The materials needed will not break your budget, which is a bonus. I loved the book so much, that I purchased more of Lin's books. I've even just recently read her book about painting houses, cottages, and towns on rocks. Imagine that! I would encourage anyone with even just a small interest in painting to buy this book. The projects are charming and inspiring.



2. Yes, it is fun for everyone, as the details are well written and easy to follow.



3. I thought it was a good book but too expensive for what you get in it. She has another book, Painting Rocks for Kids, that is a lot less expensive and has many fun projects for starting out.



4. This book is great. You must have experience in painting and talent also. It provides with ideas in how to decorate your garden. I think that if you folow the instructions your landscape will look very original.



5. Rock painting is fun and most of the time rocks are free..
   Lin Wellford and her talents makes this craft available to everyone with easy, fun instructions for all ages to learn how to paint almost anything on rocks..
   Thank you

5 comments about Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Artist (Serious Beginner).

1. "Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner," though not everything you are going to need, will probably be indispensible for your first steps in serious colored pencil drawing. Bet Borgeson gives the basics you have to have in color theory, composition, and how to keep your inspiration flowing. She also talks about the ins and outs of how to sell your wares and actually establish a career in the arts. So there is alot of good here.
   
   I didn't find all that I wanted, though, to tell the truth. In addition to the composition and mood and so forth of a piece, I was hoping for some more prosaic advice on how to do things like make an apple look like an apple instead of a tomato, or a blueberry look like a blueberry instead of a grape. "Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner" was frustratingly short on topics like this, or what colors to belnd together to get flesh tones, or what colors to use to make convincing shadows, and so forth.
   
   So you won't find everything in this book, but what book will give you everything anyway? In summary, it's pretty good for what it's intended for, and if you're a beginner, you're probably going to need it. Four stars.



2. When she says serious... in the last few pages she tells you about becoming a full time artist, pros and cons kind of thing and options. She gives suggestions of places you can look into to show your work, but does not tell you how, just where to go. She does however say to go to the library to find out more or the internet. I guess most people don't know that, to me it is obvious. But hey, now you know and you didn't have to buy the book!
   
   The artwork in the book sucks. It lacks depth and looks flat. Sure there is color, but it all seems to have the same pressure to it. Some may be better than others, buy my eyes don't want to look at it long. So, a tip that I know in becoming a serious artist is that if you actually want people to buy your work, you will want to create something that captures the attention of the viewer and keeps them there. The more they look at your work or the longer, the more likely they will buy it. The only one in there that looked pretty cool was the monopoly picture.
   
   It's odd, she shows some basic examples of creating the illusion of 3D using tonal values from light to dark as well as discussing form, volume and space... but does not fully carry it through in her own work.
   
   I just think if your going to learn from an artist, you would want to learn from someone who can give a good example. Why not learn it the right way the first time? There are too many other books that could do it better for ya. Check out books by Ann Kullberg, Janie Gildow, Gary Greene, Vera Curnow, or even Bernard Poulin. These artists have books for beginners and advanced, check them out and find the level best for you. They are better examples to follow. And if you want to start selling find a book strickly for that. Though Ann Kullberg, in "colored pencil portraits step-by-step has a section where she explains how she sells her portraits.



3. How did this artist ever get this published? The artwork in this book is so amateurish I did not even want to read what he/she had to say. I don't want my pieces to look like theirs. It looked like junior high artwork. The proportions of animals were totally incorrect, color wasn't eye catching, pieces looked like crayon drawings. This must be self published. I returned the book I didn't even care that I lost my shipping costs, I would never look at it or read it again.



4. I think this may be a fine book for more advanced artists. There was little help for true beginners,even"serious " ones. There was much philosophy and opionion, but little practical help.



5. If you can only have one book on colored pencil, let it be this one. I had to buy another one when my professor saw it. It is another book that I read with pen and highlighter in hand. I couldn't just read it I had to study it.

5 comments about The Tribal Arts of Africa.

1. Excellent overview for collectors and amateurs alike. A great book with which to begin a library of African art.



2. Excellent Book!!! Layed out perfectly to help people understand each & every aspect of tribal art. Describes museum pieces in detail, where they were from, why they were made. Excellent book for beginners or advanced. Well written book. I highly recomend if your studing African art or if it is just a hobbie. Knowledge is power.



3. My husband and I recently purchased a mask at an African and Caribbean festival. We loved the mask, and it definitely found its home over our fireplace. However, the vendor only could tell us that the mask was from Mali. With a desire to learn about our mask (which sports some unusual features) I decided to purchase a book, with no idea whether or not information about my mask would be included. I browsed on Amazon and located this book.
   
   I was very pleasantly surprised, not only was our mask in the book, but the book contained beautiful photos and histories of masks from every region in Africa. Although it is a paperback, it is sturdy, and the glossy photos are stunning. We will definitely use it, to guide us in future purchases.



4. My paperback copy fell to pieces after ten days! It is full of nice photographs but when the individual pages are lying in a chaotic heap on the floor it hardly matters how pretty the pictures are or how intelligent the text is, does it?



5. AFRICAN MASKS by Iris Hahner-Herzog is a superior book because the color plates are more numerous, larger and printed with greater resolution. Some of the photos in Tribal Arts, especially the smaller black & white ones, were difficult to read about because the plates were scattered across the pages in no apparent relation to their descriptions in the text. What's worse is, some had no descriptions at all and some art was referred to where there were no photos. While trying to indentify a particular mask that I owned, I found I had to skim the text backwards, to try to find the description of a photo...since photos that were on the righthand page were described earlier in the text (on the lefthand page). Whomever edited this book seemed to have no regard for a visually organized presentation.
   
   The CONTENTS were divided regionally and then sub-dived by tribes in those regions, this was informative and helpful, especially if one is trying to identify a masks (and you know the region by not the tribe). This IS a very good book for someone who is a collector or very interested in the subject, but if you are just buying ONE book on this subject, IMO, AFRICAN MAKSKS is the better book.

5 comments about Drawing Crime Noir: For Comics and Graphic Novels.

1. Great tips for using expressions, postures and shadows. Package arrived in good conditions and on the expected time.



2. Great job of deveoping this genere. Hart, gets to the point-it is all about the mood and drama! His artistic ability to state the obvious shows that he dosen't mess around with the sissified PC crowd. Attitude with brooding emotion is what this life is all about and Hart is the master at pushing you in the right direction to capture this in your art.



3. I've purchased a number of Christopher Hart's books on drawing certain genres and facets of comic books; as a self-taught artist, I'm always looking out for the next book to help me out. Paging through "Drawing Crime Noir" I was initially impressed, and decided to pick it up.
   
   This book offers a number of interesting sections: discussions of character, clothing and accessories, drawing composition, and, of course, the all-important chiaroscuro shading. However, nice to look at as all of this is, little of it is really "teachable" - in other words, this book talks a good game, but frequently doesn't really "show" you, step-by-step, how to develop principles in creating your own scenes. Probably the most useful section is on drawing costumes for femme fatale characters - it will help a great deal those who are having difficulty drawing the more "cutting edge" fashions. Most disappointing is what one might think would be the most important section, the one on shading. It shows you some different shading options, but doesn't really delve helpfully in how to apply these principles across the board.
   
   Overall, this is a well illustrated book, but it lacks a really hands-on, helpful tutorial style. Definitely for artists of the intermediate skill level and above.



4. Nice little intro to the concepts and style of crime noir comics. Covers basic fundamentals of drawing and mood for genre. Great for neophytes and novices. A little too specific in dictating the author's view of how the genre should be depicted. Overall a great little book that's fun and insightful.



5. Many images. Little explanation.
   As another reviewer wrote, Watson-Guptill is very good at cutting cost in producing books.
   Christopher Hart books are theme-centered books designed with publishers to titill you curiosity and your wish to study art.
   His books are only complemental books. No foundation of study/construction here. Its marketing hype just like the almigthy marketing power of microsoft.
   If you want to study art seriously, get the real bibles of Art by Andrew loomis.
   1.Figure drawing for all it's worth
   2.Drawing the Head and Hands
   3.Successful Drawing
   4.Creative Illustration
   5.Fun with a Pencil
   I would not be surprised if Christopher Hart himself studied from Andrew Loomis.
   Beware though, Watson-Guptill has done it again!!!!!
   The revered Drawing the Head and Hands has been trimmed to another book Drawing: The Head (HT197) of only 32 pages and
   Figure drawing for all it's worth trimmed to Drawing: Figures in Action (HT191)
   Get the genuine ones. They are pricey but it's worth every penny of your cash!
   NB: It's a pity these loomis books don't have a 'search inside' facility.
   Many students are passing by just because they can't get an evaluation of the contents.

5 comments about J.W. Waterhouse.

1. beautifull book a number of people at my life drawing session have seen it and want a copy



2. Was absolutely delighted when we received this book. This is an artist who is so ripe for a reappraisal! Waterhouse managed to pull off a genuine and moving romantic vision. The writing is thoughtful and spirited. The reproductions are first rate. Can't imagine anyone would fail to love this one.
   
   Philip Koch
   Professor of Fine Art
   Maryland Institute College of Art



3. 
   This is the best book I have found on J.W. Waterhouse. Not only does this book talk about the painter's life, but more importantly, each of J.W .Waterhouse's paintings are described in very full detail (eg: OPHELIA).
   
   I was so intrigued by reading about Waterhouses' pictures, because the author of this wonderful book (ie: PETER TRIPPI) elaborated in great detail about each work of Art, by contrasting and comparing Waterhouses' paintings to other famous paintings and sculptures (eg: Bourne Jones from the 1800's, and also many famous Italian 1400-th Century Artists) .
   
   The author has attempted, (& with great success, I may add), to show how Waterhouse was influenced by past Rapheaelite Artists and also by some of the other famous first-phase Pre-Raheaelite English Artists.
   
   Each synopsis, of each Waterhouse painting is quite amazing and like no other interpretation that I have read on this famous late-Pre-Raphaelite Artist.
   
   The repro-photos of Waterhouse's works are amazing, -----showing such wonderful details and colors.



4. If you are an art lover of paintings that can take your breath away, and pulling you int it than John Waterhouse is a must for your collection. He is such a great artist and this book is so incredible you want to devour it. He is one of the greatest artists of his time that I would recommend this book because it is affordable and wonderful.
   
   I received this book quickly and with no delays.



5. Would love to have ordered the hardcover for a coffee table book but this one does just fine for the cost and over-seas shipping it would have taken for the hardcover. Lots of information on J W Waterhouse and great pictures. It even has some of his less known works and pictures that you can't find prints for. A true keep sake and treasure for those who are interested in this artist and his time. Oh, and a few of the house guests, students, have even asked to borrow the book. First table book to have created some interesting conversations.