5 comments about Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers, 2nd Edition.

1. I have a copy of the first edition of this book and am still mesmerized by it. When it first came out, everyone I knew at design school who bought it felt like the information and techniques had given them an out-of-body-experience and it quickly became THE book to own, learn from, and emulate. Anyone who buys this book and applies the material and techniques will become better at drawing, rendering, and creative presentation methods...it is a sure-fire way to achieve "star power" in your office and in front of your clients!



2. great book! Out of the dozens of hand rendering guides I looked at, this was by far the best and the easiest to learn from. It tells you what pencils, markers, and tools to buy to achieve certain effects, and gives you step-by-step rendering instructions for tons of different types of materials and lighting situations. I highly recommend this- in fact, it should be mandatory for interior design students!



3. It's really hard to say too many things about this book. Even older editions of Color Drawing are great, but this newest one goes above and beyond the call of duty. In an age when a lot of books get re-released as new editions with few substantive changes, Color Drawing breaks the mold by updating the techniques with current technology (i.e. Photoshop). It's great to see that the author and publisher realize that pure hand-drawing and rendering is quickly becoming a thing of the past and that the practitioners of today and tomorrow need to have excellent computer skills too. This book is full of very useful tips for combining Photoshop with hand drawings to create great effects. So even if you have an earlier edition, do yourself a favor and buy the new one anyway because you will learn a lot.



4. This is an excellent resouce for the study of rendering. After detailing the elements of color and design, it describes, step-by-step, how to achieve many finishes both interior and exterior. It is both instructive and informative.



5. This is the standard for rendering in architecture and interior design as far as I am concerned. It will most definitely become a required textbook for my classes in visual presentation in the years to come. Doyle takes you step-by-step into the process of rendering with marker, color pencil, and pastels. But he doesn't just spoon feed you the recipe for each material rendering, he presents the basis for a process that allows you to render virtually any material not found in the book.

5 comments about The Practice and Science of Drawing.

1. The text of this work makes references to various illustrations/plates which have apparently slipped the attention of the publisher. This book is MISSING the corresponding pictures. Do not by this half-baked version from Indy Publishing. You can pick up the complete version printed by Dover for a fraction of the price. (paperback)



2. This book hails from an era where people took their time and savored a more thorough approach to their craft, much unlike our present day rushed instant gratification mentality. It will take a good deal of patience to stick with this book, but it will prove a most invaluable tool to any artist, whether an absolute beginner like myself or a more advanced student. It's important to learn how to use your vision and what to look for before trying to duplicate something on a sketch pad. This is the correct approach since it's important to understand the theory behind what you are doing before actually attempting to do it. Excellent book



3. This book presents much of the essential information the student requires to learn how to see and draw accurately. Such a delight to read that since I bought my first copy in the early 80's I have reread it many times, so many that I've had to purchase a second copy.



4. This book was very inspirational to me. He talks about learning how to really "see" what you draw, and had great examples from paintings and drawings of the past, explaining rhythm, balance, unity of line, etc.
   
   At times the language was a little archaic and wordy, but I liked how he emphasized key points over and over again.
   
   This book would be good for artists (it was on the recommended reading list for my art school), but also for people who just enjoy looking at art.



5. I had a very frustrating experience two times I tried to buy this book...each time I recieved book that had no illustrations or plates or diagrams that were listed in the contents...I had books with 174 pages when the book is supposed to have 300 pages...I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS ABOUT BUT I FINALLY CALLED BORDERS AND THEY HAVE THE BOOK WITH 300 PAGES WHICH I bought WITH A SIGH OF RELIEF.

5 comments about Living Color: Master Lin Yuns Guide to Feng Shui and the Art of Color.

1. I purchased this book years ago and found it extremely interesting and informative, not to mention, easy to use. After having lost my copy, I decided to buy it again and am very glad I decided to do so. This book is a classic in the world of Feng Shui, and Master Lin Yun is a very wise and intelligent man. I highly recommend this book.



2. If this is your favorite book, I apologize for not giving it a well deserved 5 stars. I am writing for those who might share my perspective, and do not want to diminish the perfection of this book for many people.

   This is only the third book on Feng Shui that I've read. My immediate interest was sparked by reading 'Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui' by Karen Kingston. Wanting to learn more and using my engineering research skills, I combed the reviews here and picked 'Living Color'. My color IQ is nil and I hoped the book might offer some assistance.

   Unfortunately, I was too dense to make much of the insights offered. The various matrices of color vs. room or color vs. business or color foreground vs. color background went over my head. I'm already a habitual list/matrix maker, but they are memory aids for recalling 'known' insights. In this case, the original insight eluded me, so recalling it offered me little.

   I did enjoy the first 3 chapters, which included preparatory material. Perhaps the book was simply too advanced for me. For example, the notion of a destructive and creative color cycle is very appealing; I just couldn't get a feel for it.

   Near the end of the book, the use of color as part of meditation practice is described. I appreciated this section, too.




3. I am someone who is deeply interested in and in agreement with the foundational principles behind what goes by the name of Feng Shui. And as much as I found this book helpful, I also tried to read it from the point of view of someone who might find the whole FS to be a bunch of BS. And I found it to be wanting in clearer explanations, even if only to explain why and how some of these things were beyond rational explanation.
   This book IS about color theory and practice as espoused by the Black Hat Sect Tantric Buddhism (BTB) in organizing the environment - micro and macro. By now the interested reader ought to know something about the historical dimensions that shaped the BTB, especially including the Chinese input over the last 1,000 years or so. That said, I can say that this book is helpful only to those who are artistically inclined and/or familiar with, AND accepting of the logic behind Chinese cosmology and cultural symbolisms. Why?
   Take for example, the part where the author mentions that the color white for fences is bad and red is best. She recommends a cure that can be had by tying 9 red ribbons to the fence. Okay, let us leave aside for the moment the issue of whether that is "true" or not, on whatever level. The fact that the author would make such a statement is bound to rub the average American reader the wrong way, which is indeed unfortunate.
   The fact that the color white symbolizes death and purity (to the point of permitting no life) to the Chinese is no reason to write off the whole Western practice of investing the color white with other meanings, such as purity (as in chastity), honesty, cleanliness, and new beginning -- all hopeful and positive things.
   This book, as good as it could be, makes the same mistake as some of the other bestsellers in assuming that every reader will (have to) simply accept the Chinese cosmology as universal truth. It is not clear why this oversight continues to occur, but it gives the uncomfortable impression that only a particular culture had access to the "real" truth of colors.
   This sort of explanation right from the start would have been helpful to the reader: That the FIVE ELEMENTS merely represent the five MODES of Ch'i, and the names (that is, the elements) associated with them were chosen largely for easier memorization and visualization, and thus application to the visible material world, including medicine. They could just as well have been labeled A,B,C,D, and E. (The subatomic particles also have names that are there just for easier identification. Are electrons really electronic?) The names of the five modes don't really matter, but the manner of their interaction does. The reader should not accept the (pseudo) explanation that "metal 'produces' water because water condenses outside a copper pail filled with cold water", or that "fire 'produces' earth by way of ash". Nor should the reader reject it as "bad science" and forego the more interesting stuff behind the immensely complicated system of observation (as well as observances) in FS. The five elements structure is a mnemonic device before it is anything else but the author does not tell you this, and the disinterested reader is left to follow wide-eyed, marveling at the "awesome" wisdom of the Chinese; or to reject it without furthur ado as New Age mumbo-jumbo.

   Given that the BTB puts a lot of emphasis on YI (intention, will), and even in its meditation practices it encourages people to activate whatever religious symbolisms with which they feel most at home, it would only makes sense to assure the Western reader that the purpose of Feng Shui is to activate the energy (Ch'i) of one's environment in harmony with one's own psychic disposition, which would certainly include one's own traditional orientation and inculcation of values -- ethical and aesthetical.

   This book, I think, can confuse as well as enlighten, depending on the reader's own level of intutional development. Those who are too uncritically enthusiastic about FS so as to accept everything written here, may end up with a mess of colors all over their house. If it's true that 'You can take a horse to the water but you can't make him drink', then it's also true that if you're the horse, you have to figure out just how thirsty you are, and for what.

   All in all, this is a good book, but if you are trained to think critically, it may not be the best book out there for you....




4. The subject demands illustration and this book delivers--big time! Full of instructive (and beautiful) photography, complimented by thoughtful and useful text.



5. Lineage is not staying in one place all the time. Lineage is a line of living connections. New can be authentic. You may differentiate between old tradition and emerging tradition. Validity is not merely the province of antiquity. We build on what has gone before.

5 comments about Hellboy: The Art of the Movie.

1. Mike Mignola's HELLBOY is no longer a obscure character enjoyed by unwashed comic geeks thanks to Guillermo Del Toro & Revolution Studios.
   A full finished script of the film is included, as well as some background stories on some key characters.
   The book's preproduction art from Wayne Barlowe, Mike Mignola, Simeon Wilkins, & TyRuben Ellingson is no less than phenomenal. Creature, Prop, & Location designs are found throughout each page. Arguably, some of Wayne Barlowe's best designs can be found here. Even Guillermo Del Toro's sketches find their way into the book. This book makes for an excellent introduction to one of modern fiction's most unique characters.



2. I was unfamiliar with the world of Hellboy prior to seeing the movie. When I did and when I ordered this book, I was blown away by the wealth of visual richness that inhabit the Hellboy universe. Being a collector of "Art of..." books, I realized that the strength of Hellboy lies in the visual galore. The book is fully detailed with drawings from every level of production as well as the closeness of working atmosphere between the filmakers and the creator of the original material not commonly known in Hollywood.

   My only gripe in this book is that the structuring is kinda messed up and confusing, since the book mixes up the art section with the script.




3. Besides a complete shooting script and lots of commentary, this has tons of illustrations and concept art done by all the artists involved in the movie. It's wonderful to see Mike Mignola's and Wayne Barlowe's sketches following the development of all the various Hellboy monsters, characters and environments, and lots of stuff that didn't make it into the movie. A must for any fan of the film.



4. A must have for art, comic and production design lovers, has lots new designs by Mignola Barlowe and other great artists including the prop makers. Includes beautiful pages illustrating both concept and the picture of the final prop supported by the commentaries and thinkings of the artist involved in the creation of that specific prop. It also includes the final shooting script, and images from Guillermo del Toro's notebook which are nice sketches and annotations depicting the first idea behind the final design of each character. Great!!! one of the best, just do not read it before watching the movie.



5. A must have for art, comic and production design lovers, has lots new designs by Mignola Barlowe and other great artists including the prop makers. Includes beautiful pages illustrating both concept and the picture of the final prop supported by the commentaries and thinkings of the artist involved in the creation of that specific prop. It also includes the final shooting script, and images from Guillermo del Toro's notebook which are nice sketches and annotations depicting the first idea behind the final design of each character. Great!!! one of the best, just do not read it before watching the movie.

No comments about Forever and Ever: New Works by Shawn Barber.

5 comments about How To Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Volume 1: Drawing Made Easy (How to Draw Manga).

1. After purchasing nearly every "How to Draw Manga" book in existence, I've finally found a series that delivers. The "Ultimate Manga Lessons" (UML from here on) series books may be smaller in dimension to their contemporaries but don't let that fool you, these books are packed full of useful materials for prospective and professional Manga artists.
   
   Instead of focusing on a pornographic perspective often seen in other "How To Draw Manga" series, the UML books offer a refreshing view of the art itself.
   
   "Drawing Made Easy" is excellent for beginners and a worthy companion handbook for intermediate-to-advanced artists. From describing the application and practice of varied-width lines (for internal details vs. external "contour" lines) to the differences in Manga-style gender features, this book presents a multitude of useful art techniques.
   
   If you're serious about learning to draw Manga and wish to purchase a book that actually has useful advice in a well compiled and written fashion, the UML series is for you. There are currently six (6) books in this series (as of this writing) and I'd suggest purchasing them all.
   
   "Drawing Made Easy" serves as a kind of "taster" that samples all material covered in the later books of the UML series.
   
   Your Manga art will greatly benefit y by reading every book in this series in succession and referring to them when you're applying pen/pencil to paper.



2. This was my very firt book my daddy bought me and let me tell you, he made a smart decision on buying How To Draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons! This book is great for the basics of Manga.
   
   My personal favorite was the deep detail the author went into when drawing the head. I also liked how the author clearly showed the differences on age of the child, protagonist, younger adult, mother, and an elder.
   
   I would recommend this book to all ages, only one page with minor, let me repeat, MINOR nudity. Overall, this was a pretty great book.



3. The Good:
   
   Compared to the other How to Draw Manga series, I would say this book was a summary of every book in the series. With multiple artists and varying styles, it offers a beginning artist a definite edge and foundation for drawing manga. Not only does it show a more stylized version of manga, and also shows a more realistic version. This was one of the more useful books for head angles. The heads are a variety of , high, low, and side angles. This is very useful for a beginning artist so that their work doesn't look dull or monotonous.
   
   The Bad:
   
   I somewhat felt a little ripped off when I saw the price for such a small book. Also, it seems as if this book doesn't go deeply into each specific section. It's more of a 'general' help book. For instance, if you want to know more about anatomy, I recommend buying the 'Bodies and Anatomy' book in the How To Draw Manga series. This book is more of a 'overall' book.
   
   In conclusion, I'd recommend buying this book if I was a beginner or intermediate. You can always improve as an artist. Hope you found this helpful.



4. okay this is my first review ever so hang in there with me alright? Now I purchesed this book "How to Draw Manga: Ultimate Lessons vol. 1" mainly because I like the other HtDM books and I wanted to see what this had to offer me. When the book came I was expecting it to be as big as the other HtDM books. Boy was I wrong! it was as thick as the others but the hight and with were 'shorter' none the less the content of the book itself prooved to be of some help. The book itself starts off with the begining mini comic or 'manga' if you will then the table of contents, and then the actual material. The first chapter is all about the basics, starting with "practice by starting with copying" then it moves onto how to go and create your own charatures by showing you the basics of drawing (start with a rough general outline of blah blah blah then refine it and add detale blah blah blah). First they start with the head and face the move down to the torso, arms, and legs. In the book they also show examples of expressing emotions, depicting 'cool action poses', a little bit of sceanery, and how to properly hold your drawing tools. IN the book itself it says these are the goals it's trying to teach you:
   1) The Basics of Faces
   2) Basics of Figures
   3) The ABC's of Tools ans Materials
   4) Basic Background and Special Effect Techniques
   and
   5) Producing and Original Draft of Manga
   
   In all it's a pretty helpful book; however it'll do you jack if you don't put it to use.. in other words keep on drawing. The book is only there to help you get ideas on how you may want it to look. It's not going to do it for you, or magically you'll be able to draw "manga" the instant after you read it.
   
   Now I gave it 4 stars because for some reason I felt that it was lacking a little something in it.. other then that it's a great refference book for anyone, not just people who want to draw manga/anime, who wants to improve their drawing technique.



5. How to draw Manga: Ultimate Manga Lessons Volume 1 is a good book to start with if you are trying to learn the art of drawing manga. This book covers almost all the basics and helped me alot. It tells you how to use different drawing materials and how to start drawing your own manga. It also showes you the differenses between male and female cheracters. Also as to be acspected in any how to draw manga book there is some mild nudity (but nothing that detailled). So alaround I think this is a very good book to start drawing manga with.-_-

5 comments about Capturing Radiant Light & Color in Oils and Pastels.

1. While I may never develop the "scanning for color" technique described in this book, my understanding of color and how it is manipulated by so many different factors in nature has increased substantially. Thanks for a great book.



2. While I had difficulty connecting with Painting the Impressionist Landscape by Lois Griffel I had no difficulties zooming through this book. It is easy to understand and the concept can easily be used with acrylic. I would like to see another book by her, demonstrating the technique perhaps in 10 paintings, step by step.



3. This book is excellent and very helpful. There are many tips and stages presented in a carefully thought out way. I have Susan Sarback's earlier book and this is a stellar update! She shares much of her immensely improved talent and knowledge. Although I am a beginner, I believe this to be helpful to artists of all experience. I highly recommend it.



4. In my opinion this book must be compared with "Painting the impressionist landscape", from Lois Griffel; the focus of both books is the same: explaining a simple step-by-step method to paint with full-spectrum color.
   
   In Sarback's:
   -The "block studies" (painting colored wood blocks) are not so well explained. Griffel gives a lot more insight in the selection of colors, and the cloudy day example is completely missing in Sarback's.
   -There are more step-by-step "real landscape" demonstrations, but they are not so well explained as in Griffel's. Just 4 pictures of preliminary states of the painting. Nevertheless the final pictures of these demonstrations are much better in Sarback's.
   -There is a comparison of different color approaches to painting that is interesting: expressionist, abstract, local, etc.
   -She does not explain how to select colors (which warm? which cool?) or how to compare their values. There is nothing similar to Griffel's idea of a chart for comparing values.
   -She gives tips about brushstrokes or using different types of edges. These subjects are not included in Griffel's.
   -Portrait and figure paintings are not covered at all. Griffel's at least shows some beautiful paintings of this kind.
   -The pages are almost full of text and beautiful paintings. There are no quasi-empty pages.
   -The soft pastels coverage is minimal, but oils coverage is also lacking. The book talks about general principles: do not expect low-level (paint layering, I mean) advice.
   
   A "must have" book? I am not sure, but I think that if you follow Sarback's tips, you will paint beautiful "masterpieces". If you are a beginner consider buying Sarback's DVD "The difference a day makes". The DVD is too short (30 min or so) and a bit dissapointing, but if you want to observe the way she paints wet-on-wet, may be it is cheaper than a trip to California to attend Sarback's workshops.



5. Detailed teachings from a master painter -- can it get better? This is the absolutely best how-to book on painting in the Hensche/Hawthorne tradition that is out there right now. It is a bit surprising that it is called a revised edition, as, IMHO, it is a new and even better book. The method is explained clearly and logically, easy to follow. Many step-by-step demonstrations with clear explanations teach how one can see and paint one's own still-life or landscape.
   
   Although, in honesty, a book can't beat studying with a master in person, I'm convinced that Sarback's new book is so clearly written that a beginner in this method can learn as much of it as is possible. For those who already paint with the light-and-colour method, it is invaluable, and can take you steps and leaps further on seeing and painting light.
   
   My impression is that master painter Sarback does gives it all, and does not "keep secrets". The very best teachers encourage students to become even better than they are, and does not hold back on advice and teaching. This book is a cornucopia of principles, method, and practical advice. I will wear it out, as I progress as a painter of light-and-colour.

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.

3 comments about Lift Off: Air Vehicle Sketches & Renderings from the Drawthrough Collection (Air Vehicle Sketches).

1. I'm no 3d master, but when I wanted to get back into it I was looking for some inspiration. This book didn't let me down. It's filled with mind-bending stuff from really talented people.



2. Scott Robertson is an educator as well as a designer. That shows in this book, editorially, since he reveals early thumbnail, development sketches and final renderings. If you want to see a designer's process laid bare, here's a helpful resource. Don't forget Scott's Gnomon DVDs, as they further expose his process and techniques.



3. For those craving more futuristic design books, the Robertson works are highly desirable. He's no Syd Mead or Ron Cobb, but his works are slick, and well-rendered. A note of caution however; he is a much better artist of ground vehicles than aircraft. Most of his air vehicles are obviously derived from passenger car sketches, sans wheels. If you have the funds for both of Robertson's books, great. If you can only buy one of them, buy his book on ground vehicles.

2 comments about Chinese Calligraphy Made Easy: A Structured Course in Creating Beautiful Brush Lettering.

1. If you'd like to learn to write the "ABCs" of written Chinese, this is the book for you! (That's a joke, by the way, since Chinese has no ABCs.) The book gives very complete and detailed instructions for making the strokes of the Chinese characters, and building them into beautiful characters. I particularly liked the way little arrows show the movement of the tip of the brush, while up and down symbols told you when to lift the brush to its tip, or press it down.
   
   The book is interspersed with attractive little projects you can do with Chinese characters, but the heart of the book is definitely how to write the characters themselves.



2. This is a fabulous introductory how-to book on Chinese calligraphy. The text and examples are large, the overall presentation of the material is clear and artful. Using this book is really easy.
   
   The publisher's description says:
   
   - Unique, systematic teaching method builds
   from basic to advanced brushstrokes,
   enabling you to create new words with each
   brushstroke you learn
   
   - Two fold-out cover flaps carry key
   information to remind you of the anatomy
   of each character as you progress
   
   - Organized into a series of lessons and
   projects which, as they are worked
   through, build the reader's knowledge
   
   - Includes beginner-level projects for
   greeting cards, decorative ceramics, and
   calligraphic artwork
   
   Some 100 characters are covered. There are chapters on preparing the brushes, holding and loading the brush, wrist and elbow movements, pressing and lifting the brush, various brushstrokes, making a traditional writing book, a greeting card, the five golden rules of Chinese calligraphy, mounting a xuan paper artwork, and more. An appendix shows where Chinese calligraphy supplies can be obtained in the U.S and U.K., each listing has a website.
   
   I happily give this book a full five stars.