5 comments about Life Drawing in Charcoal.

1. This book's main strength is that Graves teaches how to draw the figure using tonal masses instead of a more linear approach .This book teaches the student to draw using vine charcoal with a few exceptions in the gallery at the end. The theory and methods presented do work and are an interesting and useful way of drawing .The author explains his method of drawing is more amenable to those who wish to paint , as painting is less concerned with lines and more with masses of color and or value.A valid point in my opinion. Most of the drawings are nice but a few are iffy and some are crude .The chapter on "keeping the figure from looking stiff" may be correct from what he writes but it is laughable from the standpoint that some of the drawings in this book are exactly that: STIFF LOOKING . I don't know how one can contradict oneself like this and not notice.I just don't know.Also sometimes the limbs look pasted on the figures instead of looking like they belong there .Then there is the drawing of the guy pulling on a rope; it suffers from the look of someone that has been in the same pose for hours and winds up looking like he is tired of holding the rope. It really lacks the action and movement that is really required for such a drawing. Now despite my complaints of a few cruddy drawings I think you should look more to this book for the interesting method it presents and not just the quality of every single drawing . The author is capable and in more than one example it shows .
   The ones I didn't like are maybe "hurry up" drawings he did to get the book finished quickly .I don't know. If you want to draw figures in charcoal and want to use a tonal mass approach, then this is worth checking out .



2. Graves goes on about scaring the student with such phrases as "plunging immediatley into frantic production of your own thing." The entire book is a number tricks. I don't object to "tricks" if the ends result in a good drawing. The first rule of art is ; there no rules. I agree with many of Graves' didactic, time tested academic step by step progress. However what I see here is not unlike many of the popular TV how to draw/paint....Like ME. In fact Graves' drawings are rather poor. His concepts about tone and form are sound. My fear is that is that want of the student to advance in there truest of artforms; the charcoal drawing. It is the purest of all medium. The art of drawing is the most important vehicle to which the artist can move on to painting, printmaking etc.; not that that is even important. A good drawing can stand alone and equal to any painting. If you really wish to draw well I would suggest "The Natural way to Draw" which is also very exercize driven and only people who truly want to draw well will follow this regimine. Nicholides does not present his own work as an example of how to draw; but rather chooses to present and challenge the student to work and work hard. I believe this a better way in which to convey the principles of draughtsmanship.



3. I am a painter/illustrator and a professor of art and I knew Douglas when I was a student at The American Academy for 4 years, and later at Leo Burnett, he was a fine gentleman and a superior artist. I own a copy of Douglas Graves book and several others of his and treasure them along with Vandepool's book and George Bridgman's. In Doug's book, there is a consistent and exhaustively comprehensive approach to drawing and rendering the figure concentrating on drafting and rendering in tone with strong light and shade and shadow. The drawings are excellent. I would recommend it without reserve for anyone wishing to become a painter or an illustrator-I would also recommend several years of figure and anatomy study at a good art school. I consult all three books and many others in my own painting and illustrating, and teaching regularly. Doug's method is similar to that of the artists/Teachers, Mosby, and Vandenbrock, and theirs is one very good way to approach rendering the human figure and especially good training for painting in oil. You will not regret buying and using Douglas Graves book, and I would buy a copy of Bridgman as well as Vanderpool's along with it and then get thee to an art school if you want to make a living at painting and drawing.



4. I really liked the book as others share in their review. But, I guess I really need some basics in regards to a break down. This book covers how to just get in and do the whole body, slowly laryering with charcoal. I like working in the charcoal, it is fast and easy to work with in regards to fixing mistakes. Once charcoal is in place, other mediums can be used over it if you are wanting to make your drawing into a painting. It is a good book though. The fours stars is only because I was expecting some breakdown of the figures.



5. You can learn a lot abt the human anatomy and charcoal techiques. Good buy!

5 comments about Animal Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form.

1. Excellent reference book. 5 stars from the first to last page.



2. I got Goldfinger's human anatomy book, but in comparison, this is even better. Great multitude of drawings and diagrams of different species of animals, from bones to muscle to final skin with great angles. Highly recommend it.
   
   And many of the reviews here were very helpful.



3. This is a very detailed book and a must have for those that need to know more about animal anatomy. This book does layout the skeletal and muscular design of the used animals very well. One thing that it does not give you is a detailed description of exactly how the joints move or muscles work. But overall a must have if you are doing an animal study for sculpture or 3-d modeling.



4. Artists who plan on focusing on animals had better pick up a copy of Animal Anatomy For Artists: The Elements Of Form: a virtual 'Bible' of animal anatomy, is features over five hundred original drawings and over seventy photos which painters, sculptors, and illustrators can use to understand the underlying anatomy of a range of common and wild animals. Forms created by muscles and bones provide artists with a three-dimensional figure of the final surface of the animal, while Goldfinger provides discussions of how each piece of animal anatomy interacts with another.



5. Artists who plan on focusing on animals had better pick up a copy of Animal Anatomy For Artists: The Elements Of Form: a virtual 'Bible' of animal anatomy, is features over five hundred original drawings and over seventy photos which painters, sculptors, and illustrators can use to understand the underlying anatomy of a range of common and wild animals. Forms created by muscles and bones provide artists with a three-dimensional figure of the final surface of the animal, while Goldfinger provides discussions of how each piece of animal anatomy interacts with another.

2 comments about The Pastel Artist's Bible: An essential reference for the practicing artist (Quarto Book).

1. Must admit to adding this to my collection of pastel art books in the hopes of returning to my penchant for this type of painting. Have been removed from it for some years and plan to resume the hobby in the near future. All knowledge for the project reside on my book shelves. Can't wait to apply that knowledge.



2. I have worked in pastels on and off for over 50 years and I was looking for a book to help me catch up on the latest techniques and what materials were available. I found this book to be very concise and helpful it is well laid out and the information in it is very credible the illustrations are both colorful and well done and are good examples of what is being expressed in words. I highly recommend this for anyone starting in pastel work because it is simple and well laid out and easy to follow. I also recommend it for anyone who has worked in pastel but has not worked in it for the last few years.

3 comments about Draw 50 Birds: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Chickadees, Peacocks, Toucans, Mallards, and Many More of Our Feathered Friends (Draw 50 Series , No 25).

1. My child loves to draw, even though admittedly is not yet very good at it. This book has shown the way to better drawing skills in a step-by-step way. There is nothing "cartoon-ish" about the drawings, as they are realistic portayals, which is what my child is striving for. Not too difficult though, for a younger child either. My 8-year-old absolutely loves all the books in this series. They don't involve much reading at all. Each pictures shows many steps from beginning to end, not just a few.



2. This was the most useful book for learning to draw birds that I have found to date. It was easy to follow, the drawings were accurate without being overly ornate, and the diversity of birds was perfect. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn to draw, and especially for those who want to draw birds.



3. good book. when Lee J. Ames draws with someone else it is a bit harder. still easy and fun.

5 comments about Splash 9 - Watercolor Secrets: The Best of Watercolor: Watercolor Disoveries (Splash).

1. Sometimes Rachel Rubin Wolf"s Splash books all seem to be one and the same. But each one really does have a different flavor to it.
   
   This one is heavy on the still lifes: fruits, flowers, plants.
   
   I am always inspired by Wolf's books. There are some paintings that are so well done that attaining that level seems impossible. Others seem easy and friendly enough to maybe attempt to do something similar and excel.



2. High quality reproductions. Excellent book for artists to see the techniques that others are using. Also the quality that would allow you to set it out for others to enjoy.



3. I have the whole series, which is the only reason that it was not 5 stars.
   I have an earlier favorite. But this one is great in that you get to read the artists' thoughts on why or how. I've always been interested in what inspires other artists. This one gives me/us that.



4. If you like your watercolors with lots of intricate details and reflections in crystal, you'll like this latest Splash. If you're looking for something different, experimental and creative, don't bother. I have the entire series, and I'm thinking of reselling this one. (I won't be purchasing any future editions without checking them closely first.) The Splash series was quite cutting edge in the early years, striving to showcase the new trends. But it hasn't kept up. Now it just feels like a profit center for North Light.
   
   Of 130 pages, only 12 pages (the shortest chapter) is devoted to experimental watermedia. And even then, one painting includes reflections in crystal (just so you don't stray too far...)
   
   Publishers, it's time for a change. We need a new series for the 21st Century (edited by Betsy Dillard Stroud or Nita Leland?) devoted to the exciting trends in watermedia, mixed media, collage, monotypes, and digital hybrid art.



5. With this ninth book in the remarkable Splash series I was rather disappointed. To me the strength of the previous eight books has been the remarkable diversity of painting styles. Even though each had a rather loose theme you could turn the pages and not really know what to expect apart from the fact that every picture was a watercolor. So many of the paintings just make you stop and look and look and frequently wonder how an artist achieved that painting. Luckily part of the editorial format in each book allowed artists to reveal their creative thoughts or techniques in words next to the picture.
   
   All of this is true of book nine but I just didn't feel it had the excitement of the other books. Many of the paintings seem rather casual, the range of subject matter and composition perhaps too ordinary, safe and predictable and plenty seem to have sombre dominant colors, like the front cover for instance. Essentially I think that I've seen better versions of so many of these paintings in the previous eight titles.
   
   Still there is plenty to enjoy though. Three from Laurin McCracken caught my eye, she likes to make things difficult by creating still life compositions with crystal glass and silverware. Equally interesting is how she works: with a digital camera and pc to improve the composition even before lifting a brush. Paul Sullivan creates some almost photo-realist paintings of everyday scenes from Milan, Rome and Sienna. His exterior detail of a church in Milan is amazing. Diane Maxey does wonders with flowers, so much so that her Poppy Parade looks just like an oil painting.
   
   I've just looked through Splash 1/America's Best Contemporary Watercolors, which came out in 1991 and what an amazing start to the series and it does rather overpower this latest book. I'm hoping book ten will continue the magic so evident in the previous eight books.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

5 comments about How To Draw Caricatures.

1. I really like this book very much. I do think that there is an expectation of a certain amount of artistic ability from the get go but there is a certain amount of rudimentary skill building included as well.

   It is a nice large size that I think is necessary for art instruction books and it is also a fairly big book as far as total pages go. One issue I have with many *how to draw* books is that they tend to be pretty thin. This is quite a nice size.

   In the beginning there are a lot of examples of types and styles of features that people have...not in caracature form but just in general. I like this. I find this very helpful in general drawing as well as helping you focus on what features you can play up for the art of caricature. Proportion is also discussed with an eye on how to manipulate it. It is also a great lesson in general drawing.

   The examples that are used to show what to do are quite good. there is a photo (or photos) on the page and the drawing that accentuates certain of the features. It's very helpful, I think, to start with an actual photo and see how the artist picked up on certain features in his finished drawing. I do notice that the people selected for photos *do* tend to have obvious traits that are easy to pick up on (a VERY square jaw... A *very* pointed chin... Large bags under the eyes, etc) I think this does get you used to looking for these things but perhaps a few more examples of less obvious features would be a big help.

   Over all I like this book very much. It shows different styles and while the focus is on the caricature it isnt on making the subject look bizarre. Quite a good first book.




2. This book is a dissapointment. All it tells you to do is picture a perfect face in your mind with all of the facial features the perfect size. Look at the face that you're drawing and if he/she has any facial features that are too big, you make them even bigger and if he/she has any facial features too small, then you make them even smaller. Only true beginners will benefit at all from the information stated in this book. It never tought me how to draw caricatures like the ones I see people draw at amuesment parks or the ones I see in MAD magazine. The author doesn't have the same drawing style as them. It only told me the very very basics of caricaturing, which I already knew. If I were you I wouldn't buy this book, you can learn just as much by looking at how Tom Richmond and Chris Rommel draw their caricatures at tomrichmond.com and chrisrommel.com.



3. i really taught this book was going to be another step-by-step book,i mean it`s entitled `HOW TO DRAW` rayt?but it doesn`t mean i didn`t like this book,i found some of his theories quite heplful,like the use of the in-betweener.i`m still hoping guys ...would really put out a really,really,really helpful `how to draw caricatures` book.



4. Len Redman could be an ok cartunist but he's definetely a great professor. His book shows how to catch the comic detail, a corner stone for a good cartoon, in a simple and direct way.
   If the wannabe cartunist have some talent, this book will be a great help for a good start. I recomend.



5. June, 2001- I own more than twenty books on the subject of how to draw caricatures and cartoons. Following only five weeks of practice, I recently started working part time as a caricature artist at a major theme park (mostly for the fun of it). I have no previous experience in art or drawing. Studying Redman's book did more for me than any other. The key to success in caricature is being able to produce a clean, simple sketch that has adequate likeness to the subject's face yet, in a kind way, also employs some fun with "exaggeration" -- not distortion. Redman's book does the best job, for the complete beginner, of any text out there. This is one of the only instructional references that makes a special point to include at least one and often several photographic views of each subject before showing you how to construct the basic caricature drawing. There are many such examples of photo studies and caricature results. He also covers children and and a wide variety of ethnic groups. Redman includes examples of how to draw the same subject using several different caricature styles. There are also examples of famous people done in caricature. Too many of these to even count. If you combine this book with Jack Hamm's Cartooning: The Head & Figure to learn cartoon bodies to go along with the faces, you have a great pair of reference books. As a cautionary note, Redman's book does contain some cartoon nudity which I feel was not needed at all to make the text a valuable learning reference. Parents might want to remove these few pages before the book is used by children. This is a great learning tool. Good luck!
   July 2, 2002- As a follow up to the above review, for those seeking the very best caricature training references, I must add a third book from the many that I have reviewed. I recently purchased, for a reference on cartooning, The BIG Book of Cartooning by Bruce Blitz. To my surprise and delight this turned out to be perhaps the best text yet on CARICATURE as the art form is applied in theme parks and private parties. Like Redman's book, Blitz offers many training exercises starting with actual photos of the person to be sketched and showing step by step how to "construct" the caricature. More than this, Blitz ties together at a beginner to intermediate level the techniques of "catching" a caricature likeness and adds a huge resource of comic techniques and gag ideas.
   Redman's and Jack Hamm's books are still the best for starting to draw caricature. However, a theme park or private party caricaturist in their early years of development will see a BIG jump in skill, income, and tips after a thorough study of Blitz's BIG Book of Cartooning. Blitz's book, having been published in 1998 is more current in its examples and styles, and, due to its emphasis on gags and cartooning, more likely to hold the interest of young artists of say junior high or high school age. Warm regards, Brock

5 comments about Master Class in Figure Drawing.

1. The author goes into lengthy, detailed explanation of how Rembrandt
   understands the ligaments and bones underneath one of his quick sketches of women. Right. The author actually urges the reader to "go buy some bones"!
   This is taking anatomy too far! I've studied anatomy intensely one summer.
   It helped me a little, but still one must simply draw nudes from life or photos in natural (not schematic) poses. If you peel away the skin of the body, the muscle formations do NOT look like how flesh and fat lays over them! Therefore, RB Hale (who has no work of his own to show here!) overstates the necessity of anatomy with these
   books. No doubt the old masters knew some anatomy, but more importantly they just practiced drawing a lot from life and their imagination, and memorized "how light hits flesh". Knowing the name and placement of all the bones and muscles in the world won't make your figures sing, but look like "anatomy studies". To make them sing, you need to know how flesh looks under light, in SPITE of what's underneath. Also, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to know how a deltoid, or any other muscle, looks in 360%, in different levels of flex, on different bodies! Therefore, buy this book for the master drawings alone, and skip RB Hale's text. It's pedantic and useless. A better book on anatomy are Joseph Shephard's books.



2. The missing piece of the jigsaw for me.
   
   After a coupe of years of drawing from observation, Beverley Hale finally revealed the truth - what you is only half of the equation.



3. I bought another book, anatomy lessons from the greaat masters by Robert Beverly Hale and Terence Coyle, which contains 100 great figure drawings analysis. Its printing is bigger and easier to read than Master Class in Figure Drawing,compiled and edited by Terence Coyle



4. This book is incredible,every artist should have it in his/her reference library.
   Page after page of artistic anatomy and drawings of the masters,Leonardo,Rubens,,Degas,Michelangelo.
   I practice my drawing skills by copying the masters and learning a lot in the process.



5. I purchased the companion tape series from Jo-An Pictures Ltd in NYC (212-532-5003) several years ago. The book and tapes record the lectures given by Robert Beverly Hale at the Art Student's League in NYC. You may never find better instruction on artistic anatomy and drawing the human form! He was without doubt the greatest instructor of this subject! The tapes are almost like attending his classes! You must draw from life as well as study this material to master the subject. If you cannot afford the tapes, at least get this book! You will not find a better investment but you must also make the effort! A valid observation from his lectures: 'You can not draw a form, if you don't know it exists.' If you want to draw figures that will impress other artists, clients with medical training or other sophisticated viewers, then master the lessons in this book!
   
   I believe Tony Ryder may have attended Robert Hale's lectures at the Art Student's League. Also get Tony Ryder's book entitled "The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing". It represents the other traditional approach to figure drawing. His explanation of light and shadow on the human form is the best I have ever seen. He emphasizes that it takes many hours to complete a finished drawing. Quick sketches are good for warming up but it's only one aspect of practice. Both books are well worth the investment!

5 comments about First Steps Painting Watercolors (First Step Series).

1. I have never really painted with watercolours until I read this book and it made the transition into this medium with ease. I heard constantly that is medium is difficult to control etc. The techniques described in this book broke that myth for me and I have been using it to compliment my photographs.



2. Cathy Johnson is a down to earth and talented instructor. I thoroughly enjoyed working through "Painting Watercolors" and it came highly recommended to me. I used this book as my basic guideline for studying watercolor and I greatly improved by doing all of the exercises she recommends. She is a very natural teacher and I found it very easy to follow her demonstrations. I am encouraged and feel as if I am really on my way to becoming the kind of artist I always wanted to be.



3. Great book, perfect for ideas. Detailed easy to follow. Poor delivery service from the seller.



4. If you are looking for a good start-up book you can plan on this being the one. Her easy going style belies the amount of information and great try out activities that establish basic necessary techniques. True--no book can do everything and eventually one would want a supplement but think purchasers would be generally pleased with this user-friendly book. It is not a cookbook (thank goodness) but rather in a format that will establish a base and encourage and confirm to a budding artist that he/she really can paint.



5. I like all of Cathy Johnson's books, but this one is my favorite. It is very practical, understandable, and well illustrated. Although anyone would enjoy it, this book is especially beneficial to someone just beginning to paint with watercolors. It deals with the basics. I love it.

4 comments about Raw Colour with Pastels.

1. I highly recommend this book for those who want to go to the essence of color and design. This is a wonderful book, that concentrates on pure color and uncomplicated shapes. I think everyone who wants a fresh look to their painting style can benefit from this book in their repetoire. Sylvia Casillas



2. One of the best books in my art library. Mark Leach describes clearly his process in developing luminous color with pastels, while abstracting subject matter to the simplest of shapes. I love this book and use it constantly, and I am an oil painter. Valuable, in my opinion, regardless of your medium.



3. The first person who commented on Raw Colour evidently was under the impression that this wonderful book was merely a how-to title. Having read Raw Colour from cover at least twice, I can truly say that the person who wrote that negative comment was totally wrong in interpreting this book as a how-to for abstraction! That could not be more mistaken! It's definitely not a how-to book. It's a wonderfully exciting book covering one artist's way of exploring his feelings about his subject and how he is able to express them through his use of color. I found it a very freeing book and one that reignites my desire to paint every time I open it, which is often. It is an exciting new addition to my very large library on art and pastel in particular. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in color, pastel and art expression in general. Mikki Root Dillon, PSA



4. There are so many better books on abstraction. I would give this one a pass.

No comments about Winsor & Newton Colour Mixing Guide: Oils: A Visual Reference to Mixing Oil Colour (Winsor & Newton Color Mixing Guides).