1 comments about Design Matters: Brochures 01: An Essential Primer for Today's Competitive Market (Design Matters).

1. This is a great reference and learning tool. Clearly laid out and concisely written, Brochures 01 is very handy!

5 comments about Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design.

1. A really beautiful book. One of the best I have seen. I live in Mexico and will be using many ideas.



2. While I was in the process of planning and building my next casa in Baja, this book provided mucho inspiration. The Spanish Colonial, and Hacienda designs, the avalanche of colors and gardens provided me the basis of making mi casa as Mexico as I could.
   Yes, the binding is weak, but the book remains as an Essential. I now have 2 copies, one very worn out copy.



3. If you love the bold, life-affirming colors of Mexican houses and interiors but not necessarily the traditional architecture and furnishings of the mexican tradition, this is the book for you! I ordered several books on Mexican interiors and details and this was the best. It gave me great ideas for using bold, bright color in my house without turning it into a hacienda. The book is beautifully designed and the color just blows off the pages. It has in it everything I love about Mexico that is bright, lively, joyous, and enlivening and nothing that is stodgy. As An artist, I found the book irresistable.



4. i've been to colonial mexico, and i've seen more exciting stuff than what's on this book. also, the pages come appart easily



5. I have always loved everything about Mexico, especially their use of color. When I bought my new house I wanted to bring that freedom and joy into my home.
   
   This book was a wonderful guide. Almost every page reminded me to let go and celebrate. There are so many visual feasts and ideas. If you are timid about colors this book will definitely give you a new lease on life.

2 comments about Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: The Fashion of Frida Kahlo.

1. Magnífica obra que muestra con fotografías y lúcidos textos las obsesiones de una de las artistas más importantes del s. XX Frida Kahlo, quien a pesar de su atormentada vida supo con el color y la gracia de su indumentaria legarnos una alegría y pasión por la vida admirables. En las notables fotografías del fotógrafo Pablo Aguinaco descubrimos la inusitada faceta de una artista excepcional. Las imágenes logradas con un gusto y acierto exquisito, nos conducen por la Casa Azul, morada de Frida y despliegan colores, texturas y luces, para todos aquellos interesados en esta gran artista.



2. Apparently in 1954, the year Frida passed away, Diego Rivera had her dressing room and bathroom at the Casa Azul locked, with the stipulation that it could be opened 50 years later. In 2004 the day came to unlock the room, and discover its contents. This book explores those contents, which included many of Fridas clothes, hair ribbons, medical devices, linens, etc. Its an amazing archeological discovery of sorts. A time capsule that reveals much about the day to day life of what has become one of the most influential women artists in history. Lavish color photographs of her clothing, paired with photos and paintings in which they appear; a treasure for those passionate about the life, art and fashion of Frida Kahlo. Really destined to become a personal favorite.

5 comments about Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

1. It works!
   
   I've picked up a few drawing books and always found myself losing interest after an exercise or two. With this book, I not only made satisfying drawings from the beginning, but found that I couldn't wait to get to the next exercise. Some of my portraits (but not all) were faithful to the subject in spirit as well as mere appearance.
   There are some objections to be made. The statements about consciousness may be mere assertion-or they may be exactly what's needed to sedate an overly analytical brain.
   But the objections, while they may be true are completely unimportant. What matters is that by following this method without sabotaging it, a complete novice can learn to draw quickly and have fun doing it.
   
   Lynn Hoffman, author of New Short Course in Wine,The and the workable bang BANG: A Novel



2. Some may quibble over the left-brain, right-brain theory, but this is still that rarest of things-a book that actually delivers everything it promises. Experienced artists probably don't need it, but anyone who yearns to draw and thinks they can't will be amazed.
   
   I was 40 years old when my husband bought me this book and some drawing materials as a birthday gift. All those years, I'd been convinced I couldn't draw a thing. Using the instructions in this book and a beginner's class, I was thrilled to find myself producing some excellent drawings, including very realistic 3-dimensional portraits. Thank you, Betty Edwards, for one of the few books that really did change my life.



3. This book gives a very good understanding on how to use and control your creative side of your mind. Good how to's and good reading. i would also recommend her other books she has written. all are well written and gives a good insight on how to improve your talents and creativity.



4. An amazing book. Note that it has been updated so there is an updated version too. This includes 12 chapters that are outlined here: 1) Drawing the the art of bicycle riding, 2) Expressing yourself in drawing: the nonverbal language of art 3) your brain the right and left of it 4) Crossing Over: Experiencing the Shift from left to right 5) Drawing on Memories: Your History as an Artist. 6) Getting Around your Symbol System: Meeting Edges & contours 7) Perceiving the Shape of Space: The Positive Aspects of Negative Space 8) Relationships in a new mode: putting sighting in perspective, 9) Facing forward: portrait drawing with ease 10) The Value of Logical Lights and Shadows 11) Drawing on the Beauty of Colro 12) The Zen of Drawing: Drawing Out the Artist Within and an afterword-- is beautiful handwriting a Lost Art and a Postscript.
   This is the most widely used and highly praised drawing insruction book in the world. It has sold millions of copies and has been translated into at least 10 languages. As it says on the back cover-- it can teach you to draw even though you feel you have little talent and doubt that you could ever learn. It will allow you to gain skill even if your drawing is still childlike. If you're already a professional artist or artist in training it gives you greater confidence. First published in 1979 it is a classic. Most importantly it talks about the dual nature of human thinking -- verbal, analytic thinking mainly located in the left hemisphere and visceral, perceptual thinking mainly located in the right hemisphere. It follows the work of Rober Sperry psychobiologist who received the Novel prize in 1981 for his studies. According to the author, the key principle is that "drawing is a global (or whole) skill requiring only a limited set of basic components. It has some similarities to other global skills that are key to live-- driving, walking and even skiing. The author even talks about the perception of the whole (the gestalt). R mode -- right mode may seem difficult and unfamiliar -- and even off the wall. BUT learning to draw also helps one to control how one's own brain handles information.



5. All the stuff about "R-mode" and "L-mode" is really just pop-science. Like Freud before it, and as is the current trend with "memetics", it's a popular idea which people use to pigeonhole and explain social and psychological phenomenon which rely more on theory than anything else. Edwards makes the all-too-often assumption that any difficulty facing a potential artist is the "right-brain's fault". And after the first few chapters it gets really tedious. I wouldn't be surprised if she read this review and said to me that my "right-brain" is tricking me into thinking it's not really doing anything ;o)
   
   However, Edwards does indeed make a few valid points. She argues that drawing is a skill, much the same as reading as writing, and therefore it can be taught and learnt by almost anyone. Makes sense to me. She further argues that the reason why most adults can not draw is because drawing is not considered a survival skill and isn't stressed in the education system. Makes sense, too.
   
   The underlying theme behind the brain-hemisphere nonsense is simply perception. To draw realistically requires that you actually process the visual information of what you want to draw, rather than relying on any preconceived information. It's a bad habit, really, but hardly a "right-brain" conspiracy theory as Edwards makes it out to be.
   
   The book is broken down into various exercises, all of which force the reader to get into the habit of perceiving things "as-is", such as "vase-faces" and upside-down drawing, and well-established concepts like negative space are also discussed. This is where the book shines.
   
   Good for both beginner to intermediate artists, the overall theories, instructions and exercises make it worthwhile... if you don't mind sifting through the junk, that is.

5 comments about Hellblazer: Original Sins.

1. Delano takes a deeper look into the world of John Constantine. This first take on the character since introduced by Allen Moore (comic-diety) isn't as crisp as later versions, but the edginess is what gives it the old horror comic charm. A great launch from once-supporting character (that at times overshadowed the main character in Swamp Thing) to a lead that can hold his own, plus some.



2. I started reading Hellblazer from the beginning recently. And I have to tell you...the first 40 issues suck root. I kept plodding through thinking it had to get better. And it did. As soon as Garth Ennis took over writing duties. The first 40 issues were quite literally painful. I can't even begin to tell you all the things I hated about this book until Delano went away. After that, it actually starts to get interesting. Save your money and invest in some of the later books.



3. With the new film soon out I thought that I should defend this comic book. I fear that the film will remove everything that is good, which is not unusual for Hollywood anyway! First of all I have serious doubts about Keanu Reeves as Constantine. Why not Jude Law?
   John Constantine, is a punk-gothic anti-hero. He has a conscience, but it is hidden behind too much cynicism, alcohol, and tobacco. He has seen too much. His world is not the cosy world of nine-to-five jobs, or simple cause and effect. He is a mage, albeit a minor one. In the comics he is first and foremost a facilitator. He is one of the few that can move freely in both 'normal' and supernatural society. Of course, that leaves a twisted mind.
   What really made this comic stand how it delivered its political message. All stories in this collection are very political, but they deliver their message in a very allegorical form. They chill me out because they capture so well the atmosphere of the 1980s, or the 2000s for that matter! The portray a spiritual poverty that opens up doors for forces both from heaven and hell to enter and exploit.
   Some stories deal with the people that are just out to make money, other, more frightening stories, deal with the forces of hell and heaven that are trying to take over our daily lives. Yuppies are created by demons from hell and satan worshippers sacrifice runaway children. By far the most dangerous threat is posed by the well-organised and fanatical christian fundamentalists. Try the truly shocking story "When Johnny comes marching home" which deals with the scars left by the Vietnam war on the US. This is my favourite since it really transcends the classical horror genre and creates something truly new. It is not rotting corpses coming back - it is something so much worse that comes back...
   The drawings can be very evocative, capturing extremely well the grime and filth of industrial England. Sometimes they are bland, but sometimes they are extremely evocative and powerful.
   I just want to add that this review is for the first book only; the other ones are not half as good.
   John Constantine is also a minor character in the comics Swamp Thing, Books of Magic, and Sandman.



4. Originally a supporting character brought to life by visionary comic scribe Alan Moore in his legendary run on Swamp Thing, the hard drinking, hard smoking, bad luck magic mage named John Constantine got his own series with Hellblazer. Collecting the first nine issues of the series written by Jamie Delano and drawn by John Ridgeway, Original Sins is really nothing special compared to the following volumes helmed by various creators. Delano's story is sufficient enough, albeit sometimes incoherent, while Ridgeway's art is nothing more than average at best. However, Original Sins is a nice starting point for newer Hellblazer readers (of which there possibly will be more with the upcoming release of the feature film entitled Constantine with Keanu Reeves in the starring role) and it only gets better from this point forward. Future volumes which feature work by future Preacher creators Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, Transmetropolitan creator Warren Ellis, 100 Bullets scribe Brian Azzarello, and current writer Mike Carey, are much better and amazing comic work, and are more than worth your time.



5. A first-time HELLBLAZER reader might finish ORIGINAL SINS, which collects the first 9 issues of the series, and wonder why there is such a fuss made over John Constantine. They wouldn't be in the wrong: unfortunately, these stories aren't nearly as good as the original JC appearances written by Alan Moore for SWAMP THING, and they get this series off to a shaky start, at best. While Jamie Delano does introduce some elements that have major effects in later issues, his stories are not all that interesting, and his narrative is a horribly overdone and laughable attempt to capture a noir mood. John Ridgeway's art is barely sufficient to keep the reader's interest, and it takes the later addition of Alfredo Alcala on inks to finally give it some depth and form. Still, you should start here, keeping in mind that the payoff comes with the pairing of writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon in later volumes.

5 comments about Dead Children Playing: A Picture Book (Radiohead).

1. It's worth the comments alone from the less artistic guests that happen by. Nice little compilation of Radiohead inspired or inspired by art.



2. There really isn't a bad recipe in this book. I was a little turned off by some of the "progressive" stuff at first, but my wife insisted and I loved it. Really gives you some great new ideas about food.



3. This book is great, cheap, and you can go back and look at it again and again. Stanley Donwood is a genious. Buy it!



4. I don't imagine that you're looking at this book if you're not already a big Radiohead fan, so you're lucky that this book's target market is definitely you. There is a lot of good artwork, sketches, and lyric pages from Stanley Donwood and Dr. Tchock (Thom Yorke) from the OK Computer era through to the recent artwork for Yorke's The Eraser solo album. One of the things that I found most interesting was that the Hail to the Thief word collage/maps were identified as the cities on which they're based. Of course, NYC was easy, but you probably had to be a real geography whiz to know the rest.
   
   Anyhow, for this price, it's a good book to flip through, although your friends might give you some funny looks when they see the title.



5. The paintings are spectacular, the text is unpretentious and the price is unbeatable. I would not mind paying a little more for higher quality reproductions.

5 comments about Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure (Practical Art Books).

1. Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery by Burne Hogarth is another must have for any artist, as are all of Hogarth's books. The way shoes crease over the foot of a figure dancing, how shirts gather at the armpits when the figure is twisting, these are just a miniscule example of what you will find in this book. Whether it is cloth hanging on a window, a cape blowing in the wind or a woman's long skirt Hogarth shows how to draw it. The sketches are wonderful in themselves, but also invaluable as quick references as to how external materials behave when they are static or in motion. Rags, uniforms, gowns, togas, bundles, men's three piece suits, these are just a few of the things Hogarth uses to illustrate how things look. His no nonsense explanations and instructions are to the point, without being stark or clipped. What he says is not only interesting, it makes sense. Many of the drawing have arrows showing the direction of force being applied to material so the artist can learn to anticipate folds and drapes in other compositions. For an artist in the throes of creating a quick look at Hogarth's motion arrows can be the greatest of helps when you are suddenly fuddled by how some external should fall or drape. Some of the sketches in this book have partial backgrounds and these give context to the figures movement. The drawings span the spectrum from inspiring to mysterious and are wonderful in themselves as artistic renderings.



2. I flipped through the book after ordering to see what kind of art tool/reference I had gotten my hands on. Turns out I got a gem. (Well as far as I am concerned)
   
   Who knew that wrinkles in cloths, could make such a HUGE (I cannot emphasize this enough!!!) difference. All of this artist characters look so lively and realistic.. and some of the ladies in the book actually look voluptuous and the guys look all rugged and manly. And' its really the outfits and the way there drawn out, that make all the difference in the world.
   
   Honestly from flipping through front to back, this looks like it will be an extremely useful tool for myself if I put my nose to the grind stone. I am truly impressed by the artist work. Mr. Burne Hogarth really kicks some butt and knows what he is doing.(The back of the books cover tells of what hes currently up to, and about some rewards he has received) I will definitely be checking out his other books after seeing this.(When I get the cash...) Because I feel like even though I draw just for the fun of it, I feel like I would be doing myself wrong by not looking at the others. This book is just that good. (From the Images)
   
   I have not read the book yet. But drawing is about visuals, so that is what I am going from. There is about an equal amount of text vs art.
   You will have to check out the other reviews as far as how good things are explained in the book.



3. A very nice book, with a lot of important notes about the subject, but the drawings look a bit like comics.



4. Burne Hogarth was one of the very first artists I came across when I began teaching myself to draw, and Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery is one of the very first of his books that I purchased. Very few books that I have come across deal with the folding and wrinkling of cloth and other materials in so meticulous and compendious a manner as does Hogarth. Wirtten less as a 'how-to' and more as a series of well-designed examples, Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery covers nearly every kind of clothing wrinkles one might think of, and provides exceptionally detailed illustrations to show you how you can apply these lessons to your own work. While other books give short shrift to drawing realistic-looking clothes, this one is simply THE only source you will need on how to give your characters' costumes that extra pop of realism. An indispensible book, and highly recommended.



5. As most Hogarth's books, this one is not at the least descriptive. The drawings are a bit more frequent, and you may find it useful. Some of the drawing I did not enjoy too much, but, all-in-all, they still demonstrate the proper material. The author provides 4 decent approaches to the illustration of wrinkles in different situations, mostly differenting dependent on the type of physical movement the character (human, in all cases) makes. Most of the book talks about drapery, but there is some information on how to apply the same principles onto skin.
   This is a must-have for a character designer, whether you work in 2D or 3D. It will provide a beginning artist with the basic understanding of the dynamics of drapery and clothes, but it won't be much use for a medium-to-experienced studio artist, especially when she/he draws from life.

1 comments about Action/Abstraction: Pollock, De Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976 (Jewish Museum).

1. This is a magnificent artbook enriched by breakthrough studies on the most important movement in post-war American art, namely Abstract Expressionism (and its offshoots like color-field painting). Based on the intellectual rivalry between the two most famous critics of the period, Clement Greenberg (the advocate of abstraction, who insisted on the importance of the work of art versus the creative process, abstract art being the only valid modern form of art) and Harold Rosenberg (who coined the expression "action painting" in a 1952 article in Artnews and to whom what counted was the act of creating, more than the end product) it enables the reader to discover some of the most canonical works of the movement, by De Kooning, Pollock, Newman and many others, lavishly illustrated.
   
   The book accompanies an exhibition held at the Jewish Museum in NYC and is a trove of information and documents on the roots, the influences, the governing ideas, the artists' personalities and their reactions to the various opinions stated by Greenberg and Rosenberg on their art but also on the state of contemporary culture.
   
   The reproductions of facsimile of letters are especially interesting, such as the ones Clyfford Still sent to Harold Rosenberg, first urging him to get into art criticism and then condemning him for doing so ("I am deeply disappointed" he ends up writing).
   
   A landmark exhibition enlightened by this rich catalogue (a highlight is Irving Sandler's article on the convergences and divergences between Greenberg and Rosenberg)which I strongly recommend.

5 comments about Spectrum 14: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)).

1. You can't lose with Spectrum editions. They are all awesome and inspiring to anyone who loves art. Collect'em all and enjoy the art when ever your in the mood. I've browsed through each one several times and find something inspiring every time. Priceless...



2. I don't have the others nearby to judge from, but 14 seems thicker than previous installments. This one is paperback, and as usual, the color and print quality are good. Unfortunately, also as usual, cramming three or four pictures on a single page means that many are too small for you to really enjoy the details. Still, if you're a fan of fantasy and sci-fi art, I know of no better yearly collection of some of the best stuff out there.



3. I have purchased the last five issues of Spectrum and enjoyed this almost as much as Spectrum 12. I have just started puchasing the re-issued original issues and can say that Spectrum 1 may have fewer pages but still is well worth the money. I find myself looking online for the artists that impress me. I just wish there was more information supplied on the art shown. Overall, I would definitely recommend Spectrum 14.



4. This is my second purchase of spectrum books. 13 was the first one I brought. All I can say is this is one of the most stunning art books I have ever owned...that and after going through this one I may have to pick up all the other books. Every page is full of beautiful work from a wide arrange of different styles. I can't say how many times this book has saved me when It came down to me trying to complete a illustration. It constantly inspires me and makes me want to pick up a paintbrush or any drawing tool for that matter and create.
   
   Spectrum deserves all the praise in the world for the great effort that they put into all these books. To top that off most standard art books like this go for itleast double the cost. Love these books!



5. Like Santa Claus, Spectrum only comes around once per year and is always highly anticipated. This annual collection of the world's best contemporary fantasy and Sci-fi art is always a favorite not only due to its sheer size and beautiful production, but also because of its diversity in scope. Spectrum presents the best art from the fields of books, comics, advertising, editorial, concept, and even sculpture into each year's volume.
   
   As always, the book begins with a look at the year in review and the trends in contemporary fantasy art before getting into the opening category of advertising art and presenting the first of its gold and silver annual awards to the best in each category. This year's gold winner in the advertising category went to James Jean for his Retro-hip "Spacerace 2020" painting for Nike. This gorgeous pop-art piece is a tribute to Sci-Fi imagery of the `40s and `50s.
   
   I'm not sure how they could have picked a winner in the book category as there are so many outstanding pieces. While Jon Foster's winning painting for Night Shade books was very good, Luis Royo's offering for his graphic novel, "Dark Labyrinth". Adam Hughes took home the Gold Award in the Comics category for his depiction of the sleek and sexy Scarlet Witch from Upper Deck. As a long-time comic book fan I love seeing the industry's artists getting their just due as the outstanding artists that they are. Other standouts included Gary Giannni's standout art from the Prince Valiant comic strip that is in the best tradition of Hal Foster, and Charles Vess/Mike Kaluta's work from the Vertigo Comics series "1001 Nights of Snowfall".
   
   One of the categories I look forward to most each year is the dimensional chapter featuring the year's best sculptures and models and this year was certainly no disappointment. A. Brent Armstrongs mammoth 54" tall piece featuring King Kong atop the Empire State Building is simply breathtaking! The Alex Ross designed Superman resin sculpt by artist Karen Palinko features the distinctive look of Ross as Clark Kent rips open his shirt to reveal Superman's legendary logo. Shawn Nagle's "Tarzan and the Golden Lion" based on art by longtime Tarzan illustrator, J. Allen St. John, is another winner.
   
   Spectrum never fails to deliver a little something for everyone's taste and Spectrum volume 14 may be the best edition yet. Grade A.

No comments about Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques.