5 comments about Artistic Anatomy (Practical Art Books).

1. Way more technical than the anatomy I took for nursing. I can't think of why I would need to know the Greek and Latin names for bones and muscles to paint or draw them. I felt like I needed a terminology class to read the book. I was disappointed. Due to the name I thought it would be a lot more visual, very dry and laborious to read. I felt like the author(s) were flaunting their knowledge of the subject more than trying to teach artists the relevance of anatomy. I like Gray's anatomy much better



2. This is a classic anatomical text. The drawings in this book are scientifically accurate and elegantly interpreted. As opposed to Peck's Atlas of anatomy where the plates are quite clunky.
   The only qualm I have with this book is the fact that the text portion is difficult to use in conjunction with the illustrations. One needs to constantly flip back and forth from the plates to the text. One way to get around this is to photo copy the text portion and have it as a seperate pamphlet to refer to. One thing the Peck book has that would have been useful in this would have been a table of muscle origin and insertion points but since Dr.Richer is long since passed on I dont think that will happen.
   For the serious student of Anatomy this is required reading...and dont forget to draw all of the plates either.



3. Any artist working in illustration and any art library or general-interest holding strong in art instruction must have ARTISTIC ANATOMY on hand: it appears here in a new 35th Anniversary Edition, translated by Robert Beverly Hale, and is still considered one of the finest works on anatomy for artists since the Renaissance. Its original edition first appeared in 1889: the new English edition brings together the 19th century teacher Dr. Paul Richter and today's anatomy teacher Robert Beverly Hale. An outstanding pairing perfect for contemporary artists.



4. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS WE ALL DO WHO DRAW, THAT THERE'S NO ONE STOP SHOP BOOK FOR ANYTHING REALLY. BUT IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ANATOMY; I MEAN REALLY LEARN (NOT JUST SOME SHORTCUTS AND TIPS), THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOUR. CAUTION, STUDY IS REQUIRED...SERIOUS ARTISTS ONLY.



5. Artistic Anatomy published by Watson-Guptill is a new-millennium Renaissance book. It is a combination art and reference book. It will certainly be useful for artists but might also be useful for a writer looking for the precise term for the part of the ear that looks like a shell--which, it turns out, is called the "concha." Even a romance writer might learn something from an illustration on page 101. "He moistened his finger and traced the demicircular line where, he knew, his child might one day grow." Sorry, I couldn't resist. But it illustrates how a book like this might also inspire more than the visual artist.
   
   Artistic Anatomy, might also be a teaching tool for a parent intense about showing her child the beauty of the body, how it relates to art, or the scientific-minded parent eager to have her child exposed to the science of anatomy in a softer way that most biology texts approach the subject.
   
   The credentials that went into the making of this 35th anniversary volume are impressive. The French author, Dr. Paul Richer (1849-1933), was Professor of Creative Anatomy at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The book is translated and edited by Robert Beverly Hale, also deceased. He was Curator Emeritus of the American Painting and Sculpture Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He was also Adjunct Professor of Drawing at Columbia University, and this is but a brief list of their credentials.
   
   Writers, educators and others will recognize the sheer volume of careful research that went into this book by the contents pages. It is as extensive as some indexes. The index is comprehensive enough to serve the needs of anyone researching anatomy including morphology, myology, oseology and arthrology but a writer can easily find a page with the intricate parts of the torso pointed to and labeled.
   
   Only an exquisite hardcover with Leonardo and Michelangelo flyleaf designs could have made this book better. And then only for the collector. This huge paperback--256 nine by twelve pages and 150 drawings -- is perfect just as it is for practical use.
   -----
   Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of This Is the Place, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered and books of poetry including Tracings and Cherished Pulse. Her poems and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and anthologies. More on her award-winning The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't and her soon-to-be-released The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success may be found on Amazon.

5 comments about Under the Sea (Beyond Projects: The CF Sculpture Series, Book 3).

1. This is a very small book. I had no clue it was what I would call a pamphlet. The instructions of the few projects inside are wonderful and the pictures are perfect, there just is not much there. When you look at the insie of the book and hit surprise me a couple of times, you have seen the entire book. It is less than 50 pages. It's best asset is the photos, particularly the piece building sequences.



2. Such a fun book! Christi is highly entertaining. Her lovely personality comes shining through Loud and Clear!!! I have a great time pulling out these books and following along with her step by step. I am always very satisfied with the results. And usually I am not a step by step kinda person. I am more of the no rules/color outside of the lines kinda gal but, Christi makes it fun to follow along! I can't wait for the rest of the series. So far I've made a few frogs, a dragon, a sea-horse, and some flowers, vines and foliage.
   
   I recommend the entire series. Even my young nieces and my mother-in-law creating projects from these books!



3. This is a very cute book that is so funny and enjoyable to read and study. I would love to meet and get to know this author and artist in person. What you learn in here is laced with so much humor it makes it so much fun to learn the techniques. It was the first time I read instructions all the way through for anything!!
   I'm a diver and this gave me so much inspiration to do some ocean figures.
   Also, fantastic condition for a used book. I saved lots of $$ by buying them through Amazon, used.



4. I love this pamphlet. The projects are beyond cute and the author has a sense of humor that makes the instructions clear and humorous. I intend to buy the series.



5. Having just received this book, I just wanted to say how fun and different it is from most polymer clay books. This is the first of the series of books from this artist that I have bought.
   I haven't had my clay out for a few years but it's coming back out now! I have so many ideas for gifts for my friends and family. This artist has written a great book to stimulate the imagination and if you don't have one, you can just use hers. I am very happy with this purchase!

5 comments about The Figure in Watercolor: Simple, Fast, and Focused (Simple Fast & Focused).

1. I am so very pleaseed with this book . It is one of the most helpful I have ever had . I highly recomend it to anyone interested in painting figures and portraits.



2. This book is a treasure. If I could buy only one book on watercolor painting, this would be the book. Each chapter is a small gem of information simply expressed with wonderful accompanying pictures.
   The watercolors in the book are delicious to look at. You get to experience Mel Stabin's process and philosophy.The approach is clear and simple, wise and deep at the same time. The approach is inspiring and speaks to the deeper places inside us.



3. This is a wonderful book with lovely paintings in it and clear prose to help one improve and try new techniques.



4. An excellent book for those who wish to improve 'figures in transparent watercolor....One of my favorites....Jack, Ohio



5. I agree with another reviewer who finds this otherwise beautiful book light on instructional details. I happen to love Stabin's painting style, and I do find copying his paintings to be very illuminating. I still rate this book highly because much can be gleaned from studying and copying his work, which is fresh, economical, and transparent. Perhaps I would rather recommend it, though, for the more advanced artist.

4 comments about Watercolour Textures (Collins Artist's Studio).

1. 
   If you are looking for someone to hold your hand, forget about
   this book. Ann Blockley is a better painter than teacher, since she assumes you know quite a bit about watermedia. However, if you have a good foundation in painting, she can introduce you to some very nice techniques.



2. If you are familiar with Ann Blockley's flower paintings, you will be surprised by this book. (You can see a gallery of Blockley's paintings on her website.) It is no ordinary, watercolour how-to book, and the cover and title give nothing away. In this book, the author admits that she has stepped well outside her comfort zone to explore an entirely new approach to the painting process. We can be very glad that she did.
   
   The simple chapter headings give no idea of the innovations Blockley presents. There are the usual texture mediums described in other art instruction books, but Blockely applies these mediums in entirely new ways: clingfilm, salt, inks, granulation medium, bubbles and foam, gold and silver pigments, paint resist and more. The beautiful colour illustrations inspire and encourage the reader to experiment, but the text is even more important.
   
   You could approach this book in one of two ways: either you can use it for the techniques alone, or you can use the techniques to move outside your artistic comfort zone as Blockley has done - beyond what is familiar in your established approach to painting. Blockley admits that it took courage to do this publicly in a book. Any artist - of any medium - can take heart - and inspiration - from what the author shares of her out-of-the-zone process.
   
   This book has plenty of demonstrations and includes three guest artists: Shirley Trevena, Moira Huntly and John Blockley, all of whom explored art mediums in daring ways. You can google all three names and take a look at their on-line galleries.
   
   I nearly didn't buy this book because watercolour is not my medium. I am so glad I did. It's one of the best books I've come across for encouraging the exploration of new ways of artistic expression - in any medium. Better still, Blockley makes the process simple, interesting and fun.



3. Beautiful and inspirational book! I can't wait to try by myself all the examples and exercises.



4. I pre-ordered this book quite a while back and it finally arrived yesterday. WOW! Was it ever worth the wait! Every page is inspirational. I am primarily an oil painter but this book has inspired me to get back into watercolor. I must have 100 watercolor books but this is the one I would save in case of fire. What a great book!!!

1 comments about Just Us Guys.

1. This book is great if you like homoerotic artwork. It makes a perfect coffee table book! My only complaint is how short the book is.

5 comments about Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and Expanded Edition.

1. As an aspiring illustrator/artist/graphic designer/film maker/whatever I felt I had a grasp on drawing the human figure. I could more or less draw what I saw or if I could plan something well enough in my head I could put that to paper.
   
   However therein I came up against a limitation. I could only plan so well. My understanding of the human body - its proportions and limits of motion only reached a certain point. My figures always looked static and never seemed to leap off the page in the way that I intended.
   
   There's a multitude of conflicting information that I've read through before coming across this book - the human is six heads high, no, wait, seven, no eight and a half... if you've suffered this problem then I suggest you read this book. It gives you a base, or rather, flexible rules to work from. Reading it you feel the only step beyond it would be actually going to study life drawing at University.
   
   I strongly recommend this book for anyone who wants to add a sense of 'life' to their figure drawings, be they cartoonish or realistic styles. Especially if you've suffered the 'conflicting advice problem' as I have. It also aids in being able to invent dynamic figures rather than just understanding what you're seeing.



2. the book met all my expectations regarding its detail and content.
   the pictures show the human body in all its musculature glory.
   some of the bigtures are repeated throughtout when describing the human form and that was rather disappointing but overall the deatil and particular style of anatomy drawing is dynamic as the title suggests. buy this and a standard science text book and you will have enough source material to work from



3. Definetely a must have. Wonderfful drawings, perfectly explained. You will learn anatomy in the most romantic way you can imagine. I love it!



4. The book is absolutely excellent for anyone that is trying to learn artistic anatomy. It is precisely oriented to the artist's needs and it doesn't go around talking about medically or biological explanations.
   I took a point out because I'm not so sure this new edition has really improved the quality. It has a couple of long initial chapters talking about the history of human anatomy in art and a disclamer about the modern arts. But I don't see this comments add as much value as the space it consumes.
   Also, the yellow figures are not as clear to see as the old black and white figures the old edition had.
   Anyway, I think is a really good book and I absolutelly recommend it.



5. This is a fascinating approach to anatomy, utilizing over-emphasized musculature to better illustrate the human form. Anyone considering purchasing this book must possess the understanding that these are exaggerated proportions not demonstrative of a realistic human form. But they are not designed to be. They convey the inter-relationships between masses that would normally be only subtly perceived. I did not require the art history lesson in the beginning, but perhaps that may appeal to some customers who would like to see the artistic past that helped inevitably shape artists like Hogarth. Overall, this is a good work that acheives its purpose.

4 comments about The Art of Travel with A Sketchbook.

1. Mari expresses the ideas eloquently and assures you of your own acceptance as an artist along with the love of travel and beautiful people and beautiful places.



2. To start at the end, "Make each day in life more meaningful by capturing Priceless Memories" is the beginning of an adventure everyone should take. Marie Le Glatin Keis' book, "The Art of Travel With a Sketchbook" is just plain captivating.
   
   She provides simple instructions and major motivation to capture memories using art and words. There are six sections with easy-to-follow tips on how to make memories not only when traveling but even in daily life. The examples of her student's words, art and growth are proof that it works for beginners and even experienced artists.
   
   I am already a daily sketcher and I was motivated to do, try more and enjoy more.
   
   Art and words: so simple yet so powerful!



3. The book was a gift for my husband. He must have loved it as it kept him busy for several days.



4. If you are an artist or someone who has a need to draw this is a great book to get you started or keep you going. Mari's approach is simple, fresh and inspiring. She not only makes you slow down and smell but draw the roses as well. A beautiful book full of wonderful tips and messages from Mari and her participants.

2 comments about Pastel Workbook: A Complete Course in 10 Lessons (Workbook).

1. Clear, simple teaching guide for pastel beginners. 10 progressive lessons. Examples range from simple to advanced, to encourage and inspire the reader. I think it needs a bit more information in fixatives and surfaces, which are a large factor in the whole picture-making process. Overall, it's a good book to get started.
   
   s_tomsik



2. This is one of the best written and demonstrated art books that I've purchased -- I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn to create art with pastels. This book will give you the basics in about 10 lessons.

5 comments about Roy Lang's Sea & Sky in Oils: Painting the Atmosphere & Majesty of the Sea.

1. An excellent book of ideas for those attempting, for the first time, the complexities of the sea. I would like to have had a few more work studies under different lighting conditions. Certainly a terrific starting point for first timers such as myself.



2. this guy knows how to paint water but never give you a good tutorial at all, i bought this book 'cause of the painting in the cover... thinking that I'll learn to paint at least that painting... WRONG!!! only shows you how to paint small waves, boring scenes nothing great... last time I'm buying books of this kind in amazon... I'll better go to half price books



3. I made the mistake of not reviewing his work before buying the book. While his water is well done, his rocks look like they were painted directly from a squeezed tube. It's a distraction in many of his paintings. It is hard to learn from a book when you aren't impressed with the artist's work.



4. Very well presented. Well written. I would recommend this book as a manual for aspiring painters like myself. Some experience with oil painting is needed to follow instructions.



5. Living on the coast I can't get enough of the magical light, intense colour, reflections in water or a dark brooding sky over rough seas, the tranquil flat calm of a still day - the ever changing scene. This book shows how I may be able to use paint to capture the excitement of the sea on canvas. I am itching to get going after reading this simply set out art instruction book. It is ideal for beginning artists who wants to paint the sea in oil.

5 comments about The Acrylics Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist.

1. I borrowed this book and am planning to buy it. There are a lot of ideas to expand on. It's not really a step by step book although some steps are shown for each style the artist introduces. He shows how watercolor, oil and other looks are achieved. I feel, it's the best comprehensive book directed specifically at acrylics I've come across to date...



2. This book gives a really good intro into acrylics for beginners. I've dabbled in acrylics, but the info in this book gave me the why as well as the how to different techniques. It's absolutely a beginner's book, but very thorough on the basics.



3. I found this book just as I was beginning to paint. It helped me confirm that it was acrylics, rather than some other medium, that I wanted to use; and it gave me great instruction to get me going. I have subsequently read other painting-technique books (some excellent, others not) and I still think that, as a general discussion of acrylics, this book is perhaps the best I've seen. It has beautiful paintings as examples of what can be accomplished in acrylics.
   
   I was probably a bit stingy in giving only 4 stars, but I feel that, on a very few points, there might have been more detail or elaboration. Still, overall, I know of no better book for anyone new to acrylics--indeed it continues to be a favorite of mine. I recommend this book together with the website of Golden Acrylics; those two resources might be all you will need to educate yourself about the use and manipulation of acrylic paints and acrylic mediums.



4. Very informative with regard to brands of paints, brushes, mediums, and surfaces. Has recommendations for your beginning palate, brush set, etc. Expands on technique with demonstrations. REALLY like this book and glad I bought it.



5. I recommend this for the beginner level acrylic painter. What you need to know to get started with a lot of great product information.