5 comments about Draw 50 Buildings and Other Structures: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Castles and Cathedrals, Skyscrapers and Bridges, and So Much More... (Draw 50).

1. Great book. A step by step approach to drawing buildings all over the world. This drawing method has proven successful for children and adults alike.



2. I bought this book for one of my 6th grade students whose perfectionism is a problem. He told me that he wanted to be an architect but felt that his inability to draw would keep him from his goal.
   
   When I gave him the book, I wrote a note inside telling him to try two drawings each week. He came to class a few days later with two beautiful drawings and asked me why he should do only two drawings.
   
   I wouldn't have picked this book out for myself. The step by step approach isn't for me - it doesn't feel very creative. For my student, who was afraid to pick up a pencil and draw, it was a great fit.



3. This book focuses on the more notable landmark buildings around the globe but does include a few of your average neighborhood homes. One of our favorites is the castle. It has easy to follow instructions so that everyone, even the not-so-artistic types can create AWESOME pictures with only some concentration and a desire to succeed. I highly recommend this book and others from the "Draw 50" series to ANYONE who is interested in drawing.



4. This is a wonderful and fun activity for someone who may be interested in trying to draw buildings and bridges. It was purchased as a gift.



5. My son took to this book right away. It gives good drawing directions, but what I like about it most is that it familiarizes him with some classic architecture and styles.

4 comments about Painting with Pastels: Easy Techniques to Master the Medium.

1. This is a terrific book for those moving to or starting with pastels.
   I'd highly recommend this as a solid reference.
   
   That being said there is an issue with the printing quality.
   The is printed in China (go figures) and it shows. On almost every single image, except perhaps the cover, there is a distinct bronzing problem with the colors.
   Depending on how it's held in the light you can see the edges around various parts of the image light up in reflection. These are not the quality reproductions of images you'd see with a lot of other books by different publishers. The quality is sub-par.
   
   This same issue occurs in certain pigmented inkjet printers when using glossy paper. The micro-encapsulation of the ink particles reflects certain type of light to produce this effect and is always an issue when making high quality prints on this type of paper.
   
   As I said earlier, the information in the book and Ms. Price's explanations are wonderful but perhaps they should have it printed in a country where quality control is taken seriously.
   
   It's a shame that such nice images has to have this effect.



2. I have begun dabbling in pastels after working with acrylics for many years. My work just didn't seem to go the way I wanted, so I explored the various books out there and purchased several of what I thought would be great beginner books and also for those of us with some artistic background. I have to say "Painting with Pastels" by Maggie Price is my favorite! She covers all the necessary bits (types of pastels, papers, workspaces, choosing subject matter, composition, strokes, color (in many different ways - paper, underpainting, application), use w/watercolor), blending....and so much more. I also loved the sections where discussion, with appropriate figures to compliment the written work, on using either photos, slides, still life, landscape, and models, as your subject when using pastels. I now feel confident in my own work and know I can now expand into producing works of art that even I can be happy with and hopefully someday become an expert, well at least adequate, artist using pastels as my medium.



3. Maggie's book covers many of the techniques for which this veteran artist is famous. The section on painting with light alone, makes this book an invaluable addition to any artist's library. Her writing style is clear and accesible whidh makes following along with the lessons simple. The examples of works in progress that Maggie provides walk you through each exercise effortlessly.
   If I were attempting to paint in pastels for the first time - or, if like me, you would like to kick your pastel painting up a notch, BUY THIS BOOK. You will be delighted!



4. I'm just getting started with pastels and fell in love with this medium. Prior to this I have done oils for years, and teach in other mediums as well. I buy reference books all the time in the areas that interest me. PAINTING WITH PASTELS by Maggie Price is the best of those I have purchased. It seemed to be written just for me! It is VERY informative; the examples are marvelous! Landscapes are my favorites and there is a strong unit on them. I have a student who likes to do portraits and there is good advice for this too. However, if you are looking for guidance on painting animals there isn't any. But the important things like values, composition, focal points, lots of stuff on colors including layering colors, and much more is in this book. Thank you, Maggie Price!

5 comments about Collage Discovery Workshop - Beyond the Unexpected: New Techniques Using Color, Personal Imagery and Creative Surfaces.

1. this second book totally switches gears from her first book in a good and different way. if you are looking for a change this book is for you! her first book had lots of dark and grungy looks while this one goes to bright and whimsical! i would consider myself on the more seasoned side of collage and sometimes i get sooo bogged down in details that i need to step back a couple steps and see the simpler side again to clear my head. this book helps me get back to that blissful middle ground. great techniques to be had and a refreshing look at a softer simpler side of collage. great job claudine!



2. Wow- I purchased this because I am just beginning with collage and she has got some great ideas for different back grounds, and techniques. Her style is unique and whimsical! A great resource book!



3. This is a great book! It contains great directions on making some unique backgrounds for your collage. It also provides a great list of items needed for making magnificent artwork. I have used many of the techniques and have produced some of my best work. If you are new to collage making, this book is a must.



4. I LOVE this book. It really gets my creative juices flowing when I look at it. Full color photos and actual artist examples enhance this step by step book of cool ideas!



5. This book is a great compliment to the Collage Discovery Workshop. It has the same beautiful glossy pages and the techniques are simple to learn and produce amazing results. Your creative ideas will flow and I suggest keeping paper close to write down your own original ideas while you read through this book.
   
   Another great gift idea!

5 comments about Egon Schiele: Drawings and Watercolors.

1. This book provides many clear reproductions of Schiele's preliminary drawings. There are even a few smaller reproductions of some oils. The text is easy to follow and goes chronologically with his work. The only down side is that the pieces are sited in the text and then one has to flip to the page to see them. However, they are grouped by year so you do not have to stray far from the page that you are on. This methold also seems to allow for nice size reproductions. The book is some what small for an art book, but I think the scale of the work allows for it.



2. Following the introduction, the book is arranged chronologically; the first chapter covering the years up to 1907 when the artist was seventeen, followed by 1908-1909, with the successive chapters covering a year each up to 1918. The chapters open with about six or seven pages of illustrated text, to be followed by the relevant drawings; there is no bibliography.
   
   A very readable book, the text provides a year by year account of the artist's progress; his family situation and personal life, his education and development as an artist and what influenced him. It is an intelligent and reasoned account.
   
   The vast bulk of the book however is taken up with the drawings and watercolours. All the images are reproduced in full colour, including the monochrome drawings. It contains over three hundred illustrations which, with the exception of those illustrating the text, are presented one to a page, with the a few double page spreads. The printing is excellent and the images appear rich and strong, well conveying the subtle textures evident in the artist's work.
   
   This is a most handsome volume, fairly modest in dimensions, but at nearly 500 pages certainly not in content. It is beautifully produced and presented; the choice of font for the text has quite obviously been given careful consideration, and perfectly complements Schiele's drawings. The images combined with the sensitively written text cannot but draw one to Schiele, and highlight what a tragic loss that he should enjoy such a short life. If anyone has any doubts about the genius of Egon Schile, a little time spent perusing this splendid book will surely put that to rights.



3. As an owner of many art books, this one is in the top 20 favorites just because of the quality of the item. The quality of the reproductions, the number of reproductions and the price cannot be beat. This publisher has really put out some nice art books. Lets hope there is more to come!



4. This is a book that gives the reader a unique opportunity to discover Schiele's art through his works on paper (which, in my opinion, convey a much better idea of the importance of this artist than his paintings). There is a lightness in these works, and, at the same time an urge to express the uneasiness, the anguish that the artist feels towards the outside world, that is very well shown in the book, through countless high-quality reproductions. The text is very sensible and written by the leading authority on Egon Schiele.
   Highly recommended.



5. There are three things that I liked about this book: (1) great art well reproduced. The colors are well saturated and vibrant. (2) Each section begins with a brief history of the artist's life and points out how his work changed (or didn't) during that period in his life. (3) There are enough illustrations so that you can truly observe his progression and maturation as an artist.
   
   Schiele was clearly enamored by the human figure and he captured its allure and beauty as few have. This is an excellent art book that is also well priced. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Glass Bead Workshop: Building Skills, Exploring Techniques, Finding Inspiration.

1. I really like this book! I have been making beads for over 12 years and have been looking for a book that has information for the intermediate to advanced beadmaker. This book fills the bill!! Lots of great information, excellent photos, good descriptions. The book describes a number of techniques that I have been curious about (like sandblasting!).
   I wish there had been more detail on a couple of things, but overall, I would recommend this book to other intermediate beadmakers.
   Thank you, Jeri, for putting this together! I love the book!



2. Welcome to my studio...so begins the first line of Jeri Warfhatig's new book entitled, Glass Bead Workshop. I've met Jeri and talked to her a few times at bead shows. She's a friendly supportive colleague and has written a beautiful and informative book on glass beadmaking.
   
   The table of contents includes: Welcome to my studio; The Basics; Session one - Falling Leaves Bead; Session two - Beach Bead; Session Three - Geode Bead; Session Four - Off Mandrel Galaxy Pendant; Session Five - Blown Hollow Bead; Session Six - Twistie Pendant; Session Seven - Hollow Vessel Bead; Session Eight - Wreath Bead; Session Nine - Rune Bead; Session Ten - Rose Bead; Appendix A - Sandblasting; Appendix B - Gridning and Polishing; Appendix C - Near Misses.
   
   Jeri explains all of the "basics" such as studio set up, torches, safety, ventilation, etc. Hopefully, there's nothing new here for an intermediate beadmaker but if the beginner picks up the book, it's all important information. Once the studio set up and safety is discussed, it's on to the projects or sessions.
   
   I really like the set up of the sessions. The header,"What Will This Session Teach?" begins each one and gives you a quick overview of the bead you'll be making. For the experienced beadmaker, it allows you to skim and look for particular techniques. The header is followed by a section listing tools, material and any special tools or materials used. Good photos of the tools, materials and finished bead.
   
   Throughout the book, there are good, clear, close up photos of the techniques and steps. I feel as though I'm standing next to Jeri as she teaches a class. The section on making the bead is followed by "Further Explorations" where variations on the technique is described with a photo or two. Each session ends with a "Gallery" comprised of various glass art beads made with the same technique.
   
   As an experienced beadmaker I'm sometimes jaded wondering what a new book will have to offer me. The tips and further exploration were worth the price of the book alone. The photographs are lovely and enhance the instructions.
   
   Jeri has written a classic for the modern intermediate beadmaker. A lovely book from a fabulous beadmaker!



3. This is a great book because the chapters are organized by projects that are written clearly and concisely. It is aimed at intermediate glass bead makers, but would work for beginners almost as well. The ten new projects enable the bead maker to move to the next level. It was easy to understand and succeed with the projects presented. I'm tickled to be so successful without having to go to another class. I enjoyed the final chapter that exhibits "near misses" to the reader. This helped me to realize that even the best are not always successful in their attempts to create. I will persevere in adversity because of this chapter.



4. A well written book with loads of beautiful helpful pictures.
   Jeri teaches a little bit of everything. A perfect book for
   someone wanting to jumpstart their imagination...



5. I loved this book! The illustrations were fantastic and the writing was clear and concise. It was like listening to an old friend describe how to make beads. Even though they are remarkably intricate, I left the book feeling that I could make them given the tools.
   
   Thank you, Jeri, for a wonderful educational experience. I hope to be able to take a class with you in the near future!

5 comments about Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go.

1. This is a well written, easy to read book on creativity. I found it very useful in pursuing my photography hobby. I took off a star because like so many books the author seemed to run out of things to say about 2/3 of the way through and filled the remainder with repetition and unrelated "
   stuff".



2. I loved this book. Lots of food for thought, and lots of directions for exploring. I read it slowly over a period of a couple of months, and plan to pick it up and read a chapter here and there when I'm stuck.



3. Have you ever gotten so sick of the meals you are used to cooking that you will try any recipe? You might then be so hungry that you'll eat it anyway, no matter how bad it tastes. Well, I got stuck reading this book.

   Sometimes you need any kind of creative push you can get, and this book is so bad, I would be willing to do anything besides read it. Check this out--"I cannot augur the creative spirit's labyrinthine ways." There is just no excuse for that sentence. And there are 210 pages full of them. McNiff also mentions D.H. Lawrence twice in the first two chapters when any reasonable person would have to be forced to mention Lawrence twice during their entire writing career. Unless he is talking about his children, or making a truly canned reference to mythology, McNiff can only discuss standard junior college material, which of course, would be any commonly known artist from the beginning of the 20th century.

   Now, let me take the opportunity to complain about visual arts getting kidnapped by academia. Art does not exist as an educational tool. It can be studied, but that is a separate activity. Art exists because people like to make things, and sometimes our eyes get hungry. Put your charge card away this time, don't buy this stilted little book.

   Good luck on your art!




4. This is one of the books I read before I published my own book on art creativity - Creative Painting For The Young Artist. A good point of the book is that it deals with painters block. Not many art books do. This is important for me because I had always thought that I could not paint till the age of 24 years. This book with the book Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain are especially good for right brain learners who have to enter the process of painting through emotion and getting the larger picture before paying attention to details. That is you can't begin painting by sitting in a class and beging to draw a shoe. This has brought a sense of failure to many would be artists. This is more than a book on creativity but also a book about the psychology of the artist as the book also deals with painters block, dealing with criticism, the purpose of being a painter, states of consciousness and childhood origins of the artist.



5. Whether you are an artist, dancer, writer, musician, healer or seeker, you will find inspirition and validation of your path with this book. Shaun McNiff, artist and internationally known advocate of the creative arts therapies, presents a thoughtful and beautifully written case for trusting the natural movement of the creative process. This wonderful book includes observations from "famous" artists about the creative process, anecdotes from ordinary people who are experimenting with new attitudes in their daily lives and suggestions from the author about creating a satisfying life. In a world where destruction has become a form of popular entertainment, this book offers an alternative. Worth reading, then rereading again and again!

5 comments about 1000 Journals Project.

1. If you have ever kept a visual journal or are thinking of starting one this book is a real inspiration



2. This was seriously a huge disappointment. I was hoping to see interesting art journal pages, but instead I found uninspiring, un-interesting journal pages. If you want to see what other average (mostly non-artistic) peoples' art journals look like, then read this book. But if you want to look at cool, exciting, interesting, artistic pages, then keep on looking...you won't want to see these more than once. I read this book once and immediately knew I would never look at it again. It's going on eBay sometime soon.



3. This is a very interesting piece, and an even better conversation piece. Leave it out at a party for your friends and family to view and then discuss. My girlfriend has a couple pages in this book. T.Z. Take a look!
   Enjoy!



4. After seeing the film doc I was excited to order the book to see many other entries that were made in the many journals.
   A simple little image book...lovely, I was surprised by the added feature of stitching on many pages...really made it feel like more of a homemade piece.
   
   If you're in to visual journals, buy this book! (It's priced way under value too.) Love it! So many ideas form so many people.
   
   Thanks "some guy"!



5. A wonderful book for those who think they have nothing to say, be it written or visual. All beginner journalist should take a good look at this book and take heart that you too can add to the conversation of art.
   If you wanted to say something to yourself and didn't know where to start, a journal is a great place to begin. You can look at this book and think, this is just someone elses ramblings, but it is the structure of someones unique thoughts on paper. Jump around inside 1000 Journals Project and elevate your own mind. Grab a pen, paint, crayons, whatever, and using this book start on your own journey. Many happy enteries.

5 comments about Graphic Designer's Guide to Pricing, Estimating & Budgeting Revised Edition.

1. This book is not nearly as helpful as I had hoped. If you want to read to entire book, you'll get an overview on basic ethical and pricing theories, but there is no pracitcal "this is what designers are charging now" basis, and it is less that fun to read. Skip it.



2. I have been operating a freelance graphic-design business on a casual basis for over 10 year and have just recently decided to take it to a more professional level. I purchased this book because I thought it would help me streamline my billing system and teach me something I didn't already know. Unfortunately, I found that this book was much more chatty than informative and that the information was a bit too vague. It would have also helped if the forms at the back of the book were more fully discussed in the book itself.
   
   While I found it interesting and somewhat insightful to read about the author's opinions and experience (which is credible), I did not feel that I gained much new insight from the book. Another book that I found more pragmatic and useful was Cameron Foote's "The Business Side of Creativity". Even though that book covers all aspects of running a graphic design business, it also includes a section on billing with advice that is both practical and concrete (including how to deal with clients who are price-sensitive in an assertive manner). While this book may help someone who is completely new at billing clients for graphic-design services, I personally gained more from Foote's book than this one.



3. Freelance Graphic Designers, or those considering it, get this one. It is excellent. I have read it 3 times and still learning from it. It is Good advice. She's a nice lady. I want to meet her. This helps you in negotiating and deciding on a price, and not letting the client take advantage of you, and invoicing.
   
   The author is a woman, btw. I think it is cool that a woman can have such a hugely successful business.



4. In straight-forward, witty and very business-wise language, Theo Stephan Williams lays it all on the line for anyone in or thinking of getting in the design business. She explains exactly how to negotiate, what to say and how to actually make a profit. While all other books dance around the subject of money, she just lays it on the table, giving hourly rates and project break-downs and without having to feel bad justifying prices that will keep you in business, I finally realize that it is a right to make a profit out of what we do.
   For ten years I've been operating exactly like the kinds of people Theo knows inside out - thinking that breaking even is good enough, afraid to raise prices for fear of losing work. All that gets, she explains, is a huge, unprofitable client base, all making demands and not paying a good price for the services they receive. Theo provides clear, logical, sensible and highly convincing arguments to turn your business around and make a real success of it, as she has done of hers.
   Read it and join the ranks of enlightened designers and design firms who actually make great money out of doing great work.



5. Theo's writing style is lively and at times, entertaining. The multimedia section is starting to show its age, but this is still a very worthwhile read.

5 comments about Graffiti L.A.: Street Styles and Art (with cd-rom).

1. Ample photos and interesting text...a fine book to own if one is interested in graffiti art in the LA area



2. By no exaggeration, this book is the best of its kind. It starts out with the history of gang writing then follows up with the evolution of the art including techniques, paint and cap types, run-ins with the law, etc. The pictures are as clear as can be, and the forever present artist commentary is the perfect compliment to the fantastic collection of pics. This is a must own for any fan of graffiti.



3. Fifty years ago, graffiti was something written in restrooms and was relatively private. Now graffiti is an art form. You can think of it as vandalism; if it is your wall, or a public wall, and it is supposed to stay clean and undecorated, any unwanted spray-painting, no matter how fancy, is vandalism. But even if it is vandalism (and sometimes the owner of the wall invites the decoration, or the painting is done on canvas for a gallery), there is no arguing that graffiti now is some sort of art. This is especially obvious if you examine the hundreds of pictures in _Graffiti L.A.: Street Styles and Art_ (Abrams) by Steve Grody. Grody loves the graffiti of Los Angeles, and booms, "Along with the myriad styles these artists have created, they have also evolved world-class graphic skills now comparable to the best aerosol work anywhere." It seems funny that anyone would be comparing "aerosol work" from any locales, but you don't have to know about the styles elsewhere to enjoy the astonishing colors and designs found here. Grody examines the ethical issues of this sort of work, but it is clear that such evaluation is secondary to the art itself. He includes interviews with many of the artists (they call themselves "writers"), examines techniques and styles, and shows an appreciation of how this peculiar form of art has redeemed many of its practitioners, and redeemed some blighted public spaces as well.
   
   The spray can is the choice of the writers because it is easily concealed and is portable. On the wall's surface, its effects can be controlled, but it can also cover an area quickly. The furtiveness of making graffiti necessitates the use of the spray can, but writers use it even in gallery work. It is also used, when no concealment is needed, on a "permission wall", a surface donated by its owner for esthetic reasons to be the site of an elaborate piece. The writers quoted here have much to say about the work of others; it is clear that they have examined styles carefully and can give intelligent critiques of what they have seen, and that they admire the works of competent competitors. They know "bad can control" or excessive imitation when they see it. The writers are in danger of criminal prosecution if they are not working on permission walls, and are in physical danger if they are working on some surface that is elevated. There is little tangible reward to this type of artistry, which is mainly a means of self expression with little other benefit. Grody writes, "It is this creative passion in light of all the obstacles that gives the best work its pop pulp energy." There are numerous stories here about members who were at risk of descending into drug use or crimes worse than artistic vandalism, but were saved by joining a group of like-minded artists.
   
   The descriptions here of classifications of the work, the social forces at play, and the lives of the writers are all good for putting the pictures here in context, but the pictures are the show in this big and glossy book. Not all the pictures could even get in here, as with the book there is a disk included of hundreds more, along with audio interviews. It is fun to try to make out the letters, which are clear in some of the examples shown here, but are often so stretched and stylized that even if you know the crew that has put its name up, it is hard to pick the letters out. The depiction of figures or portraits is sometimes hyper-realistic, but usually in a comic book style, and is (to my eyes) far less appealing than the letters shaped into abstractions of extraordinary complexity and color. Grody has a couple of pages to illustrate some basic techniques, like cuts, 3-D, or letter blends, but there is no need to acquire a technical eye to enjoy the shows of kinetic mural energy displayed here. There is still some moral ambiguity about some pieces and their execution, but one picture after another shows that this is a vibrant and valid form of folk art.



4. All I can say is get this book!!!!If you love that LA raw stuff.It's pretty well rounded,and gives you a whole look at what's going on past and present.If you have never been to LA.Here is your chance.Oh and it's focus is not on just one crew.Get this book first, on LA graff if you have to choose one.Plus an cd rom with photo's.You can't beat that.Good job Mr.Grody GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



5. I bought this book for my bf, because he loves graffiti art, and used to have his own crew many years ago. He loves to look at the pictures, and see the deeper meanings that a lot of artists present in their graffiti along with murals. Finding the artist's tags in the art is also fun. We both enjoy looking through this book, and plan to buy similar items in the future.

5 comments about The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action Analysis, Caricature (Dover Books on Art Instruction, Anatomy).

1. Ken Hultgren's animal drawing book is by far the best I've ever seen. The drawings are not only beautiful and full of life but rich in anatomical information as well. Studying and copying these drawings, combined with a few trips to the zoo and a horse ranch, enhanced my awareness of animal anatomy and movement enormously.
   I used this book as my primary resource for modeling, rigging, animating a horse in Maya. It's a great asset for animators, modelers, sculptors -- artists of any sort-- or anyone who loves animals and good drawings.



2. Excellent art reference for the developing artist who wants to understand animal anatomy and motion.



3. This book is somewhere right between a "How to Draw Animals" book and a detailed anatomy book. It gives you the basics of the muscles for each animal in beautiful, dynamic sketches that take you from drawing static (but proportional) animals to leaping, rolling, fighting animals. If you're really serious, you'll still need a more detailed anatomy book, but for movement (especially of horses and deer and their running patterns) this one is awesome. Just a warning though, the section on dogs is awesome but smaller than the horses, the section on cats is extensive but focuses mostly on big cats, and the section on wolves/foxes/wild dogs is pretty brief - much more of the book is spent on the larger herbivores and some less commonly studied animals like kangaroos, camels, rabbits, and a big section on bears.



4. The book has lots of great drawing. I wish it had more explanations. But I still love it.



5. if you are studying animal drawing, this is one of the best books ever. this concentrates on the motion and line of action, as well as the construction!