5 comments about Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working Artists.

1. I don't normally write reviews, but this book is truly special. As an art teacher for many years, this book is so practical and spiritual in its approach, it's hard to describe. I marveled over such an open and honest approach to workshop ideas, and the benevolent freedom of sharing that the author brings. I carry this book with me everywhere...continually reading and re-reading through it, and thinking, "Why didn't I think of that?"



2. You can't but be inspired after reading this wondrous book! I will admit first hand, I personally have no intention (nor the talent), to ever become a world class artist by any means. I do have passion to create however, and this book along with another I received around the same time, Your Home A Living Canvas: Create Stunning Faux Finishes & Murals with Paint, by Curtis Heuser, have almost convinced me to rethink my day job. How rewarding (and envious), it sounds from all these talented souls, to be devoted and fortunate enough to get to spend their time without a doubt, doing what they love. Not to say it is without effort, but the pure joy and love for expression, explodes off the pages and simply can not be denied in both of these glorious titles.
   
   Unlike the various first hand artistic testimonials featured throughout "THE CREATIVE LIFE..." - "YOUR HOME..." follows just one decorative artist's amazing creative journey, leading to the publishing of his extroidinary first book which documents the rebirth of his ordinary historic home, through must see mural and faux painting techniques and decoration. In addition, Heuser's book is full of beautiful before, during and after photography, and inspiring how to do the same for your own home-projects. There are similarities in both of these titles however, as the reader will discover and can almost touch the often unexplicable creative passion in the hearts and spirits of these diversely talented artistans.
   
   There appears a special kinship between the artists and authors of both these books - as each are driven by the undeniable desire to express themselves through a wide range of interesting art mediums. I want to personally "Thank" both authors for so eloquently and unselfishly sharing their work and individual views on creativity with us! Both books offer rare insight and are worthy of our every penny! ENJOY!!!!



3. It is hard to imagine anyone could read this book without stopping multiple times to experiment with some form of art explorations of their own. The author makes it seem natural and oh so inviting. The only drawback is the small print on busy pages. It is sometimes difficult to read the suggestions.



4. This was the most boring book on art I have ever read or should I say flipped through and returned.



5. Living the Creative Life is challenging me to look at creativity in many new ways. The approach taken from the viewpoint of many different artists in many different media shows the versitality of our innate creative spirit. The idea that all humans are creative if they allow that part of the whole person to flourish is not new to me, but the way this author discusses the creative spirit is fresh. The book is beautiful to look at and I love the format -- small size, lovely illustrations and great ideas for jump starting creativity.

5 comments about Classical Drawing Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice.

1. The book is nicely designed and some of the drawings are well duplicated. I expected the book to have more practical information about drawing in the atelier. However, the instructions were very general, fit only for a top professional artist who only needs some refreshing of techniques. There are exercises but the explanations are too sketchy and general. In one of the exercises there were photos of the various drawing stages. But each photo is of a different drawing! It's difficult to follow the drawing process this way. The book is good only as a general guide to get an idea of the atelier method, but you won't get much practical information from it. All in all it's disappointing because I was expecting practical information. Good drawings to copy I can find over the Internet.



2. I had to buy this for my Life drawing class, but I'm not going to sell it back to my school. This book is great. Though it is a bit repetitive, it helps break down drawing skills. After reading this book, I drew a portrait that sold for over $100. It also has some beautiful pictures in it, so now my mother has stolen it, to have on her coffee table....



3. After working with Juliette in her Atelier and practicing these exercises I've discovered things I never expected to learn. Her methods are priceless tools. Whatever you might glean from this wonderful book will most certainly serve you. She is an excellent painter, writer and teacher.



4. This comprehensive manual displays a appreciation of the human form and explainns the most important aspects of figure drawings executed in a classic timeless style.



5. First off I'd like to say that this book will prove to be very helpful for any artist, ranging from a beginner to a professional and will show you new ways to approach drawing. However if you have studied classical drawing this will prove to be a bit of a let down. I have studied under one of Juliette's instructors and most of her lessons in the back of the book were actually derived from his his. There is one thing however I don't agree with in this book but that wouldn't discourage me from recommending it to others. The problem is that I don't like the way she shows how to draw the casts, its more of an outline that you then go through and work with value rather than working with a line drawing then introducing value. I'm not very found of this technique, but the drawings are very good and there are tons of useful information and great introductory lessons in the back of the book (though there could be more). I would also recommend studying George Bridgman, Gottfried Bammes, Joseph Sheppard, and Robert B. Hale for anatomy and designing the human figure.

5 comments about Masterful Color: Vibrant Colored Pencil Paintings Layer by Layer.

1. I have bought a lot of books on colored pencil art over the years, and this one is perhaps the best of them all...it is absolutely packed with color illustrations- the artwork in it blows me away- and the color information and how to build up colors in colored pencil work is first rate.
   
   The information is vast- from supplies, to transfering, to using photos and grids, building a good composition, color and value, underpainting, reflections....and on and on. My big weakness (still) is to go in with a thick layer of the color I want to use- but the author shows us step by step how using many thin layers of different colors builds a much richer overall color and makes a much more beautiful painting in the end. There are MANY color tips- including a great chart of using greyed complements for darker values.
   
   The illustrations in the book are fantastic- beautiful glasswork in particular. The style is all photo-realistic- I do wish a few more 'imaginary' works were included, where the end result does not look like a photo, but that is just me. I would have to say if I had to rid myself of all my CP books but one, this would be the one I would keep.



2. The author provides a clear explanation of the colored pencil techniques and materials she uses to create her vibrant paintings. Very helpful to artists experienced with other media who want to master colored pencil.



3. Having a pretty large collection of drawing and colored pencil books I figured there wasn't much I would get out of this one. I was wrong. This book really took my colored pencil paintings to a new level. Like a lot of other colored pencil books, you really need to have drawing skills as this book won't teach you how to draw. What you will learn is how to make your colored pencil paintings look like paintings and not bland one dimensional drawings. This book will teach you how to bring life to your drawings with vibrant, bold color. Get this book and try one of the drawings (I did the marbles) and if you follow the directions and take your time you will be amazed at what you can create. I find myself going to this book to help guide me each time I start a new project and it hasn't let me down yet.



4. "masterful COLOR" is well written in a clear concise format. Explanations from concept of idea to composition using the latest digital equipment as well as basic equipment needed is well taught. This is more of a "how I do it" book, rather than a broad spectrum book detailing supplies, equipment, techniques and other basics. With this in mind, Arlene Steinberg eliminates the need for lengthly explanations so you can focus on how to expediently execute a well conceived painting. A detailed summary of color theory and underpainting styles used by the Old Masters was exceptionally insightful and unique to this fine art medium. I consider this purchase a part of my foundation in learning the art of the colored pencil.



5. I found this to be an excellent book on colored pencil. The lessons have a lot of detail and many step-by-step photos which make it a lot easier to complete the projects than in some books. I am using the book as if I were taking a course in color pencils, completing the paintings in the order in which they appear in the book. Most of my drawings are actually turning out to look like the ones in the book. When they don't I do them again paying closer attention to the instructions. I am learning a lot about layering color to get rich tones. I don't think all colored pencil artists build up that many layers to achieve the colors in their paintings but I think that it is worth it to learn this way. Now, when I do a leaf I won't immediately reach for the greens or when i do a red flower, immediately reach for the reds. I have been trying color pencil and knew I needed more instruction but wasn't sure where to start. I was so excited when I got this book because the book gave me the answer.
   I did find that my paintings came out more true to hers when i traced the finished painting in the book to make my pattern instead of using the line drawings in the back of the book but all-in-all it is a wonderful book.

5 comments about Color - Messages & Meanings: A PANTONE Color Resource.

1. This is an excellent resource for those who have the desire to understand how color can be used to relay powerful messages. The graphics in this book are crisp and vivid. A topic which could be daunting has been presented in a way that is easily understood and absorbed by those that currently work or wish to become more acquainted with color.



2. This is a newer edition of a book we've had in our graphic design studio for several years. Even after 34 years in the business, sometimes you just need a kick in the pants to come up with a great color combo, and this book gives you countless ideas sorted by feel, emotion, application, etc. I've gotten to a point where it's as important as a software manual when we get into a jam. Buy it!



3. I had the pleasure of attending the seminar: Future Color/Design Trends by Leatrice Eiseman. She addressed the major challenges in today's marketplace in satisfying consumers' more demanding perceived needs and desires in both styling and color. She told us color is the first thing a consumer considers when making a purchase, then shape, then words.
   
   This book is an incredible resource for trendsetting color combinations for anyone making color choices. Whether your designing a new product for the home, a retailer buying at market, a graphic designer or an artist creating a new line of stationary, you will be inspired by this Pantone color resource.
   
   Thank you Leatrice for providing this valuable color resource.



4. This book is a nice little book, but it is too much like it's predecessor, Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color by the same author. I would not have bought it had I known, I assumed (like a dummy) that it was an addition to the other book, not basically a copy with a few very minor extras and a bold new cover. I have since discovered the Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color is being discontinued and no longer being printed at this time. My feeling is that the author and publishers duped the public by not simply saying this is a (slightly) updated version. If you already own the older book, don't bother purchasing this one. If you do not already have the older book, then by all means purchase this book as it is a good one for any artist and designer working with color. Shame on Leatrice Eiseman and shame on the publisher.



5. This is a great book on color that helps one see possibilities/combinations you wouldnt think of.
   Very helpful.

5 comments about Fashion Artist (Fashion Design Series).

1. i bought this book based on the reviews for my daughter. they were right on. her work is already improving. she loves this book and is constantly referring to it now. she is excited that it shows body movement, proportions, how to put together a portfolio, the right tools to buy, etc. the price is so reasonable too, especially compared to some of the $50 to $100 books!



2. I wore holes in piles of paper trying to work up to the basic points so magnificently outlined in this book! It's like having an art teacher with you (without the snide remarks) to bring your abilities to the top.
   
   If you are planning on studying fashion, or just doing it for fun, you need this book.
   
   Highly recommended!



3. This book is a great start for beginners who want to work in the fashion industry or for those who consider fashion designing a hobby and want to improve on their illustration skills, like myself. Burke starts with the basics, like learning how to draw the female figure in different poses and drawing some examples of clothes, but she also touches upon fabric rendering and ideas on how to make a presentation. There's even a section on designing for men, childeren, and costumes. Overall a very informative, clear and consise book to get started and to encourage and inspire amateurs to want to learn more.



4. I haven't really had a chance to play a lot with this book since I got it a month ago, but so far, I like it. There are very colorful designs, croquis', and many illustrations. It seems like it gives a lot of information in a short amount of time.



5. I'm wanting to become a fashion designer and i bought this book and i was amazed. it really teaches you how to draw fashion models (and people in general) in all different poses. it shows you so many different poses both with an actual person modeling the pose and then a block figure showing you how to draw it. after the structure is learned, it teaches you in a really easy way how to flesh it out, and then how to draw the clothes and how the clothes are supposed to look at folds and creases. if you like this book, i recommend Draw Fashion Models! by Lee Hammond, a great book that goes in depth into more poses and how you should draw the clothes and how they look when the arms are raised, when you're leaning on one hip, etc.
   
   i really recommend buying this amazing book, it's straightforward and very helpful!

5 comments about Tuttle Learning Chinese Characters Volume 1: A Revolutionary New Way to Learn and Remember the 800 Most Basic Chinese Characters.

1. I have tried many books, audios, dvds and I found this book extremely clever - it presents the information in a clear manner and attached each symbol to a story; it is really easy to memorize characters following this book, Highly reccomend it as well as "A chinese character a day" (pad) -by Philip Yungkin Lee - also check out www.chinesepod.com great stuff.



2. I have purchase many publications and some av materials intended to RE-learn Chinese. Heller's approach is the effective and easy to follow.



3. I agree with the other glowing reviews. One of the hard things about Mandarin is remembering the tone of the words. There are four tones - high, rising, falling/rising, and falling. The characters are either building block characters or formed out of two (and rarely three) building block. E.g., the character for good is comprised of the symbol for woman and child and it has a falling/rising tone.
   
   The book has a "dorky" story about each character that help you remember the constituent building blocks which has one of 4 prototype characters woven into the story depending on the tone. Thus, if I am trying to remember the character for lamp, there is story about a giant (which signifies first tone) and fire and nail (the two constituent buiding blocks) plus a sound word which helps to jog the memory.
   
   As someone who went through medical school, I appreciate good mnemonics. This is an excellent book. If you want to learn the hanzi (Chinese characters), just get this book! It teaches the 800 most common characters. But also, it teaches a method to learn even more. When I see a character now, I start making up my own stories following the pattern of the book.



4. When you start the book, it doesn't seem like it is going to work. But it does somehow, and it is a rather fun read. I can picture myself going through all 800 characters (I'm in the 50's now) in slow but steady fashion, reviewing them at lunch each day.



5. Following the success of their popular books on learning Japanese, Tuttle releases its first comprehensive guide to learning Chinese characters with mnemonics. Matthews presents an organized and thorough system for learning the 800 most basic hanzi by creating a short, visual story to associate with each character. While some of the stories are simple and effective, others seem to be too long and complicated to actually help the beginning learner of the language. Words referencing pronunciation and English translation are written in bold in the text, but it sometimes becomes difficult during recall to remember which was which. A solid effort and a good desk reference, but some of the stories - which require the reader to remember the special linguistic significance of flying saucers, ghosts, and dwarves, among others - could be edited for length and clarity.
   
   Nathan Dummitt
   author of Chinese Through Tone & Color

5 comments about Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition.

1. This coffee table book is one of my favorites. It doesn't go in depth into the subject matter but rather grazes over real-world examples with diagrams and simple explanations. Fun book to read, but not for the serious of study.



2. I bought this book primarily to see the studies of proportions in architecture. There are very few examples (really only 4 pages dedicated to that subject and 3 buildings analyzed) shown here. It does, however, give a myriad of ways to lay out different proportions using rectangles, circles, triangles, pentagons, etc. These, along with the examples of proportion in nature and on the human body were enough to spark my imagination as to how proportion can be used in design of buildings, but if you are looking for broad analysis of architectural proportions, look elsewhere. The examples that are given are mainly of poster design in the 1900s and Modern furniture design.



3. Want to be better or the best at what you do? This is the kind of book you use to fuel inspiration at a foundational level.



4. Kim Elam's book is not only a fascinating read, but beautifully designed as well, making it a perfect example of its subject. A must for all artists and designers.



5. It was very fast to get the product and I experience a very good seller!

5 comments about Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type (Design Briefs).

1. Grid Systems had excited me to the point that I went to the store and bought it while my Amazon order was delayed in shipping (t'was never delivered). I tore into it with great delight until I reached about page 20. It was then that I started to notice an abundance of the same types of 'grid example thumbnails' with one-sentence notes. While, in the first half, these are informative, they just become page fillers that speak to the same principals again and again. There are far too many of them. It's clear that this is designed to make the book heavier.
   
   My interest peaked again, though, when I got to Jan Tschichold's 'Die Neue Typographie' layout (as promised on the cover). There was an overlay of vellum with the grid for the piece. "Finally," I thought, "some applied theory!" But no. The overlay shows the grid and a triangle (mystery triangle to me- never explained). The accompanying 7 sentences do little more than to describe the piece and provide a history. This is par for the rest of the real-world examples in the book: A complex overlay with zero supplemental information on it.
   
   This book is well-designed to sell if you flip through it or look at the Look Inside on Amazon because you'll think there are in-depth analysis for historical and popular works based on the grid. But there aren't.
   
   Consider another option.



2. The organization of the book seems a bit disjointed to me. I would have also liked to have seen a lot of the examples use actual type rather than block diagrams.
   
   The overlays are helpful, more discussion about them would make them even more useful. I want to like the book, but am not quite there. If I had to describe the book in one word it would be sterile.



3. I am a web designer and a someone who appreciates good print design. A lot of books on CSS (cascading style sheets) try to explain the concept of grids, but these are usually written by people that have a great grasp of the tech side of things, but their writing skills, or ability to relate these concepts are limited.
   
   This book doesn't mention web design (so far as I've read), but she perfectly explains grids.
   
   Lastly, this book is a piece of art. It is pretty. It is stylish. It has semi-transparent overlays in many of the sections allowing one to see a page without grids. This book is special.



4. amazon has super slow shipping. took a month for the book to arrive. had to buy another book at a bookstore.



5. If you want an excellent book dealing with the grid - and if you want to actually learn something - get Tim Samara's Making and Breaking the Grid. I was very unhappy with this purchase.

5 comments about Charles Reid's Watercolor Solutions: Learn To Solve The Most Common Painting Problems.

1. Another great colourful intelligent book from Charles Reid, who is willing to share all of his knowledge with fellow artists! It's hard to find a book for intermediate and advanced artists, most are for beginners, but this book is highly recommended for those painting over 2 years. Do the exercises! They really help. A must for watercolourists and for Reid fans.



2. The problem I usually have with Reid's books is that his style is SO distinctive that I feel I don't want to follow his advice. This is because I don't paint in a style at all like his. But unlike many watercolor books, where you pick the book based on the style of painting (realism, abstract, impressionist, expressionist) here, you can follow Charles Reid's advice and APPLY it to how YOU paint.
   
   For example, there is a wonderful section on lost and found edges--how you blend areas of similar intensity and value with soft edges and make hard edges where values (lights and darks) are very contrasty. This gives the effect of diffused light and sharp, angled light where needed.
   
   There is also a very fun section on how to convert a photo to a portrait without it looking like a cartoon--for this example, Reid takes a famous photo of John Singer Sargent and paints it in not only HIS style but in an extremely clever homage to Sargent's characteristic watercolor figure style. This is absolutely outstanding work and when you see Sargent under his parasol, you'll remember his own beautiful "Simplon Pass: The Lesson" and "Reading". This is very clever, very wonderful work and gives you the feeling of double-vision; you're seeing a Reid painting AND a Sargent painting. Worth the price of the book alone for that.
   
   One of the best things Reid can teach you is how to do a contour drawing. This art class exercise, where you don't take your eyes off the subject and you don't lift your pencil from the paper as you draw the outlines of forms seems almost irritating when you first learn it. You get a funny, squiggly drawing that doesn't look like a finished sketch. But Reid shows you how to use contour drawing to great advantage when composing a watercolor.
   
   As always, there are abundant large photos of Reid's work, and also some works of other artists to give perspective on watercolor technique. If you admire how Reid paints, then this is just fun for visual eye-candy. But if you are serious about watercolor, the book has much to offer and is really an excellent extension to the books Reid has written in the past. Highly recommended--in fact, if you own just one of his books, I'd say this would be the one to have.



3. I love Charles Reid's style of watercolor! He explains how he achieves his loose, but very expressive style and how you can, too! The only thing better than a book by Charles Reid is watching him in action on his watercolor videos.



4. This is yet another wonderful book by the watercolor master, Charles Reid. Great book not only for beginners but for experienced watercolor artists as well!



5. This ought to be the best book Charles Reid has written on watercolor. It's absolutely honest and generous at giving his best painting knowledge and advise to anyone who loves watercolor. C.Reid is undoubtely one of the greatest watercolor masters of our time and his style is unique. I was a little hesitant about buying this book (I have most of his) because of the title, but "solutions" turns out to be a series of master classes, with excellent examples and critique of watercolor paintings. I'm eager to start reading it and applying all that knowledge. Just wished it was more comprehensive in each subject, but guess nothing is perfect. The book has beautiful plates and pictorials, it's nicely written, and intermediate-to-advanced watercolor artists will take the most advantage of it. It was worth the wait. Thank you, maestro!

4 comments about Juxtapoz Illustration (Juxtapoz) (Juxtapoz).

1. I bought this book so that I could get a collection of great Illustrators and because Juxtapoz is awesome. This book is awesome if you want basically a picture book of artists. Theres a short description of each artist followed by 4-6 works of each one. No long biographies, just artwork to look at.



2. this book is great to leaf through, it is filled with brilliant illustrators such as David Choe and James Jean, amongst many, many others. The page format allows the images to breathe without the book being too cumbersome to hold. If you are a fan of contemporary illustration, you should have this book already.



3. I am a big fan of the magazine and this book is just mind blowing, Page to page full of artworks and different artist, some featured in the magazine and some new comers never seen before. If you love juxtapoz get the book you wont be disapointed. The makers of Juxtapoz really have out done themself's this time. Even if you have never heard of the magazine or don't like the magazine you will love this book.



4. Even if you're not a subscriber to the legendary Juxtapoz magazine, this is a must-purchase for anyone even mildly interested in the modern 'pop surrealism' or 'low brow' art movements. Some of my very favorite artists appear in here.
   
   All in all, this is chock-full of absolutely stunning works of art. Buy it now if you have any unusual artistic aesthetic tastes whatsoever. This is dirt-cheap for a nicely hardbound book with great printing and sturdy paper.
   
   Disclaimer: One of my main goals is to have my work appear in the magazine or the Great 'FSM' willing, an esteemed publication such as this, so if I sound like a fan-boy, I must admit the shoe fits... ;)
   
   PS: I plan to pick up the other books in the series too, they have a tattoo one out now as well but others are on the way. Check 'em out.