No comments about One Hundred at 360 Degrees: Graphic Design's New Global Generation.

2 comments about Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper.

1. Leo Steinberg wrote a very intellectual, rigorous book about Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. I liked the way it gave so many fresh perspectives on how to analyze and interpret the painting. The genius of the book is that is amalgamates an enormous amount of information about the Last Supper...and somehow leaves you feeling that only part of the information has been uncovered. It's a feeling of ambiguity; so much has been learned, but we have so much more to discover. Just like da Vinci would have wanted! Steinberg is a great author for this subject.
   
   I will leave most of the surprises and delights of the book for you to discover, but consider: Steinberg writes about connections between pairs of apostles in the painting (threes are not only significant, and in fact are probably less significant); he shows how Leonardo possessed an advanced understanding of perspective and created an impossible location; and the book contains an overview of (da Vinci) Last Supper copies throughout history.
   
   I do not recall Steinberg discussing John the Baptist as actually being a woman or more speculative aspects of the Last Supper such as secret society messages. Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper attempts to give an analysis of the painting that unearths why and how Leonardo da Vinci painted it, and in my view Steinberg comes closer than anyone I have read. econ



2. You have seen the image hundreds of times. It has been copied and parodied relentlessly for over five hundred years. It shows Jesus at the center of a dining table, flanked by six disciples on either side. Everyone knows _The Last Supper_, but few know as much about it as Leo Steinberg, who has looked and written and thought about it for thirty years. The result of these decades of concentration are poured out in _Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper_ (Zone Books), as close an examination of a painting as you will ever find. The book is not about the painting's history, its decay, or its restoration; it is, in astonishing detail, about the looks of the picture itself and a demonstration of how it continues to be an "incessant" font of thought and speculation as to its meaning. Steinberg's big book is wonderfully well illustrated, with details from the original, a generous gatefold to show it in its current restored state, pictures of how it looks within the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, how Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, and a host of others copied the painting (and how they left out significant parts, and what the omissions mean), and plenty of diagrams to show such things as the lines of perspective and the effects of matrices and diagonals on Leonardo's meticulously planned original.

   Steinberg has chapters on the disciples, on feet and hands, on the disciples, and more. The main figure, that of Jesus, bears, of course, the closest examination, and Steinberg details the history of thought about it, with writers weighing in on the meaning of the pose and the timing within the Gospel story of the scene depicted. Over and over, Steinberg shows that to seek a meaning and a timing is in vain. Leonardo has deliberately engineered his work so that any explanation involving a single meaning will be an oversimplification. Jesus's right hand is downturned in a gesture of apprehension. It is close to a mirror image of the left hand of Judas as they reach simultaneously towards the dish by which Jesus will designate his betrayer. It is also gesturing towards the wine, so that it marks the institution of the Eucharist; after reading Steinberg's work, the idea that Leonardo drew these two separate parts of the story together and told them as one is only one of the multiple meanings that seem natural on further reflection. Jesus's left hand is upturned, gesturing toward the bread. It also underlies the portentous hand of Thomas, hovering directly above it. Thomas's hand has an index finger pointing up, continuing the upturn theme of Jesus's left, and indicating, of course, higher things. It is Thomas's index finger that would soon be feeling around for confirmation of Jesus's wounds.

   To read this book is to appreciate a hundred telling details in the painting which one did not notice before, and consequently to admire Leonardo's genius anew. It is also to admire the fruition of the decades of Steinberg's close study. His readers may feel a sense of humility that there was so much to see that had previously escaped them, but his witty, sure, and genial expertise will welcome them into seeing _The Last Supper_ with new vision.

5 comments about Methods and Materials of Painting of the Great Schools and Masters.

1. I am working on my MFA in art. While I am not a strict conservative in the tradition of painting, I am very serious about my training in the techniques of the old masters. Many new books have been published that claim to give you the substance needed, but most of these books show you what you can do, not how you can do it. We are in a period of time in art education where the late modernist and early postmodernist curriculum is strongly emphasized. It is a rare opportunity to find a teacher that has the information this book contains. A true painter ought to know where his materials come from and how they are made. This book gives direct translations from the old masters on how to create pigments and vehicles for oil painting. Like the fact that masters would save the bones from dinner and them char them to create lamp black. This book also gives techniques for purifying raw linseed oil. Little facts like these have been a mystery to me for so long because few teachers know this information.
   
   This is actually a two volume book compiled into one. The first volume deals primarily with recipes of the masters and correlating schools of their time. The second volume deals with techniques such as sfumato(Da Vinci) chiaroscuro(Caravaggio) and other important concepts in painting.
   
   If you learn more about the materials you work with, you will be a better artist, no matter what type of art you do. I recommend this book to the traditionalist, modernist, and postmodernist.



2. It took me several days to bull through the first 50 pages. I found out that must cultures used some sort of "drying oil" -- linseed or other for oil painting. This discovery astounded me so much, that Ii have been unable to continue reading. Perhaps the people who gave it a high rating could tell me something to encourage further reading.
   
   By the way this system won't let me give this book a zero star rating.



3. Out of the thousands of dollars I've spent on art books over the years to understand and improve my knowledge as a realist artist, this has to be the only one I've ever bought so far that I found completly useless.
   If you want to impress another artist, sure, hit them over the head with it. But apart from that I can't really see the point of it being marketed to modern day artists. Written in 1847 with language to match, it just simply describes what most realist artists can usually figure out for themselves by looking at the pictures. And come to much clearer conclusions. Something that your average artist without a generous income and the time to travel round europe during that time period probably couldn't do. Hence the reason I imagine, this book was written.
   
   As a teaching aid for your modern day realist artist, in my opinion forget it. If you want a book this thick and scholastic that will actually help you, get Ralph Mayers 'The Artist's Handbook of Materials & Techniques' instead.
   
   Beware of impressive, studious sounding reviews - I'm sorry I wasted my money on it.



4. A seminal work - referred to by authorities (Ralph mayer, etc) on painting technique. A must have if you're interested in painting technique throught the centuries.



5. My initial reaction on receiving this book was "Bloody hell is it big enough!?" At 1024 pages you're certainly getting a lot of information for your buck.
   
   Eastlake (1793-1865) was a former president of the British Royal Academy, director of the National Gallery, and in his day an major expert on painting techniques. Do note the book was first published in 1847, hence the writing style can be somewhat turbid. Perseverance pays with there being more information in here than you can shake a stick at.
   
   My comment about caution is based upon recent studies of old master paintings. The old masters would typically have a team of apprentices working alongside them, mixing paint, painting parts of the painting that the master was probably too bored to bother with (as well as good training for the apprentice) etc. The Master/Apprentice setup allowed for a continuous stream of knowledge being passed along the generations. However as oil paint technology advanced, in particular the ability to buy premixed paints off the shelf, the painter no longer needed a team of apprentices. He could pretty much get by on his own. Hence there was no longer anyone for the painter to pass on his knowledge to. This resulted in a considerable amount of technical knowledge being lost. (A good example is the recent theory promulgated by David Hockney that the old masters were able to paint such realistic paintings as they used rudimentary projection techniques to place a guide image on the canvas, overwhich they painted. No one knows if he is right or wrong).
   
   From the 1800's on, technical experts such as Eastlake and Max Doerner ("The Materials of the Artist") began to impart their wisdom on how the old master paintings were created. But the techniques thay had available were very rudimentary, more often than not being a case of the expert trying to reproduce a certain style and looking at the painting surface close up. The experts proferred their theories and techniques, often with much aplomb leaving no room for doubt. Unfortunately they were often quite off the mark - they could emulate a style somewhat but never 100%. There are too many variables involved even for a discerning eye. It has only been with recent advances in scientific analysis, chemical and visual, that a truer understanding of the old master technique is finally being determined. Van Wettering's excellent "Rembrandt - the painter at work" book details the findings of extensive research carried out on a number of paintings considered to have been painted by Rembrandt. The book is 340 pages, and they still haven't got all the answers. But what they have done is to throw in to doubt the theories and techniques of the 19th/20th C experts.
   
   There is a welter of information in this book, but if you are trying to perfectly replicate a certain old master painterly technique, and failing to do so, then be warned the experts might not be such experts afterall.
   
   All said and done, I do recommend this book for the wealth of information it contains. Numerous recipes for mediums, varnishes etc. along with many techniques that it lends itself to study in its own right. Dover books have once again provided an excellent product at an excellent price.

5 comments about Thomas Kinkade: Paintings of Radiant Light.

1. Real Review:
   The reviewers below (the ones who get to harsh on Kincaid's art work) are just envious because they don't know how to paint at all, and because they are not making millions of dollars in the end. Beautiful art does not have to be in the major museums of this great nation, they can just be sold anywhere and be in minor museums. The true public who decides whether the art is good or not is the People (the masses), and not the snobby elite who only go with one protocol (which for the most part is so biased). Second, this art has been mentioned on TBN in where his work is admired and respected.
   ------They even had a nice show on him not that long ago (for the holidays-i believe it was Thanksgiving) which explained to the viewers that his art has a hidden Christian message in it.
   ---I have seen his art, and it is excellent. It has detail. I don't have to be an art critic, etc., or even a painter-either pro or amateur, i know when i see good art and this is it. It is perfect, warm, beautiful, and inspiring, etc., whatever comes to mind to and for anyone, but in the end everything is simply positive, and that is the way things should be.
   ------Art should inspire happiness in one as well as warm feelings about life, and family.
   -----I have a masters degree in education, and i know when i see beautiful things in life and Thomas Kinkaid's work is a work of art, etc.
   -----Thomas Kincaid paints and knows how to do it, while his critics below (may not be blessed with a God given ability).
   Thomas Kincaid is the (Johanne Verhmeer) of America. If anyone meets this artist, get him to paint you a live portrait (pay him thousands for one), something original, it will be worth it!



2. Ah, Thomas Kinkade's "art" -- an oxymoron if one ever existed. While Thom can take comfort in his fortune, his millions will never buy him what he truly seeks -- The respect of the art community. Nope, Kinkade's kitch will never grace the walls of a major museum or art gallery (unless of course he happens to own the place). Instead, his mass-produced, brass-plated monstrosities can found at a mall near you. It's the fine art of "collecting" for the art-ignorant -- people who can't wait to dump their kid's college funds on an over-priced "limited edition" reproduction from a professional marketer. Those of you that have a Kinkade numbered art-product hanging over your Levitz sofa may like this book. Those with taste in art, run -- run fast.



3. This work is healing in the same way a butterscotch sundae is healing...feels good...but no substitute for excellence..for substantive work.For artists in this genre(representational beauty/landscape) see Gustav Baumann or the work of photographer Christopher Burkett(once you see this mans work..Kinkaides will appear as primitive in concept, execution,and emotional investment as a childs paint by number set!!)



4. This book is a bit pricey but is absolutely marvelous. Thomas Kinkade is one of the premier artists today and this book is full of his incredible work along with Kinkade's insightful comments about the idea behind each work. The book is divided into various sections: Gardens, cities, cottages etc that add a nice touch and make it easier to find a print. In addition, there are a couple of prints that fold out to larger size as they are bigger than the page allows. If you love Kinkade's work then I think you will love this despite the high price tag.



5. I recently received this book in my home and was just totally mesmerized by the beautiful artwork; I couldn't put the book down. You could not possibly pick a favorite amongst his works; I just love them all. To me personally, his works make me appreciate God's beauty all around us, gives me a calming feeling when I am hit by hard times which I am personally going through now, and I could just go on and on about this magnificant painter! Whenever I feel sad or upset about something, I just look at this works and a smile comes across my face, making me feel like things will get better and everything is all right with the world! I highly recommend anything by this man! You will never regret purchasing anything by him. It is definitely money well spent.

No comments about Anselm Kiefer/Paul Celan: Myth, Mourning and Memory.

2 comments about Exploring Color Coloring Book.

1. I have several books on color theory in watercolor and allrecommend that you do exercises to practice choosing apallette.

   This book is cleverly printed on 140 lb watercolor paper,a very useful weight as it won't buckle very much when wetted... Someof Handprint's pallettes are those of other well known watercolorists,so this is a good place to visit if you buy this book.

   The bookhas exercises on each page; so put in extra sheets of 140 poundwatercolor paper along side for any other pallettes you try out or foryour own developments. If you do pastel, acrylic or colored pencil,this book works just as well.




2. I recommend Nita Leland's Coloring Book for leaning colors and keeping a record. Before I've done color exercises here and there but never could keep up with the different pieces of paper; the book provides a record that's always available. Just finished the Split Primary page and found it very helpful. I think these exercises will help my painting. This book can be a compainion workbook to Leland's "Exploring Color" but it also stands on it's own.

5 comments about Superman: Peace on Earth.

1. The authors are able to reach the core of the heart of the Superman carachter. This volume combines Alex Ross beautifully illustrated pages with Paul Dini very simple and meaningful storyline. Also read Batman War on Crime from the same authors.



2. This is a great story line and incredible art(literally beautiful art, this book should be bought just for the art work). The story revolves around Superman seeing the incredible needs of mankind and chooses to solve one...hunger. He does all the right things and finds out soon enough even a Superman is no solution to the deep fears and hatreds of man that seem to be the root of these evils.
   I really enjoyed this rather short but very touching and human touch to a Superman. Even the frustration of a man of such power being powerless to stop even one problem that you would think everyone would be glad to eliminate. A very thought provoking scenario for all of us. Though he is SUPERMAN he is no GOD and he knows this..I highly recommend this one on many levels...JB



3. Superman : Peace on Earth is a bigarse sized character spotlight by Alex Ross, basically. Also, it is Superman looking at the everyday basic problems that people on the planet face, as opposed to chasing Lex Luthor around. What to do about people that are hungry, and that sort of thing. So, lots of people will find this tame.



4. I love this book. The art is what drew me to it and a double plus is that it is Superman, the world's greatest hero. EVER!



5. The bigger the better for ross's beautufl paintings, so this supersized book is a joy. Collect them all!

3 comments about Vermeer, 1632-1675: Veiled Emotions (Basic Art).

1. i am enjoying the book, however, I expected a bigger size book, because the photografs look better.
   
   Thank you four your attention.



2. This little book is amazing! The author discusses each of Vermeer's known 35 paintings, bringing intelligence and insight to the artist and his works. Though not much is known about Vermeer's life, we learn a fair amount about his techniques and the influences from which he drew. I found it extremely impressive and useful that when the author mentioned another artist or a painting that Vermeer knew, these were also pictured, so that I really learned a great deal about this fascinating artist's time as well.
   
   All of Vermeer's paintings are shown, as are the works of other artists, and these are reproduced in color in combination with intelligent, informative notes.
   
   Extremely well done, with beautiful color reproductions of each painting, this volume would be a bargain at double the price!



3. Norbert Schneider has written many excellent books on art and among them is this small volume in which he addresses ALL of the paintings of Vermeer. Though the book is short (96 pages) it mirrors the output of the artist - he only painted thirty five works! Schneider's commentary is intelligent, brief, and in obvious adoration of the Dutch School of painting and Vermeer in particular. Not only is each painting reproduced with surprising accuracy of color and clarity, but Schneider provides many details of each work, opening the Pandora's box of each of these little masterpieces with microscopic precision. As is gratefully the tradition at Taschen Books, the price is so affordable that in addition to adding to your own library, this very special art book can be an elegant and dignified gift for your friends!

No comments about 100% Evil.

2 comments about Traditional Finishing Techniques (New Best of Fine Woodworking).

1. With this book I'd learned new techniques for finishing my furniture.
   Buy it, it's readable and very interesting at good price.
   regard
   Ferdinando



2. Very informative...