2 comments about Illustration Play.

1. I found Illustration Play very inspiring. While the hand of the artist is clearly evident in the included work, it brings a warm handmade aesthetic that is not just another gimmicky contrived DIY style, but the real deal. Good solid work throughout.



2. A playful sticker-bound cover gets this book off to a good start. The first artist uses fabric and stitching to concoct her illustrations - something I hadn't really seen before...that is until about 200 pages and a dozen other artists doing the same, later.
   
   Overall, this book was a welcome departure from digital-centric art. While there are various methods and media featured, this book makes it seem like every other "unique" artist has jumped on the fabric and embroidery bandwagon. They all just start to feel derivative of eachother when lumped in a book together. But maybe embroidery just isn't my cup of tea.
   
   Some truly innovative/interesting artists mixed with a bunch that just didn't do it for me.

5 comments about Making & Installing Handmade Tiles (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. Well done. Confidence inspiring for a first time tile maker. Good also for any clay enthusiast wanting to learn new techniques. The method of this author's teaching style is fabulous. You feel as if she is personally teaching you step by step how to custom make tiles. The entire process, not just the painting and glazing. A good value for the price. It is easily worth at least $10-15 more. A bargain. Get your copy before they raise the price!



2. I have been accumulating ceramic tile books for some time, and this one is very good as a beginner volume showing several differing techniques on how to make your own tiles, as well as paint and fire existing tiles. It shows how to make differing shapes, how to glaze & carve, as well as how to properly install what you've created. There is a little bit of everything in this volume, as well as very clear instructions and photographs. I enjoyed reading this very much, and will refer to it more in the future as I work in tiles.



3. Anyone wanting to learn about making clay tiles and tile moulds would enjoy this book. A wealth of information. It gets the big tick.



4. Very good info, and enough of it was unique enough to make it well worth purchasing over some of the other Tile How-to books. Good source for anyone, such as myself, who is interested in delving into a new avocation.



5. This is a well written book full of good advice and sound techniques. It provides good step by step photographs of each technique that shows each process clearly. The book also provides a great range of images for inspiration and ideas. An excellent book for beginners through to the experienced.

5 comments about DK Art School: An Introduction to Art Techniques (DK Art School).

1. This book is a great book for children and adults who want a basic introduction to art mediums. DK always does a good job of describing and it is an enjoyable read.



2. DK books are always a "best buy" when it comes to bringing clear, concise information on how to do almost anything.



3. The book is in wonderful shape! My daughter needed it for a college class so the price helped her out a lot. I am an art teacher and was very impressed with it. I told her when she is finished with it she needn't pay me back...just give ME the book.



4. I had to get this for school. It's not a bad book and certainly is useful. I flipped thorough it to get some ideas.
   
   I've seen books like these on clearance at book stores, so I think paying full price for this was silly.



5. We bought this for our 14-year-old nephew, who is just starting to exhibit an interest in art. It is truly a great introduction to drawing and perspective, painting (oil, watercolor, acrylics), and even mixed media. Don't expect great depth in any one area, but its easy to read and use, heavily illustrated to keep kids' attentions, has a nice glossary. All in all, a really really great value and a book that is exactly what its title says it is.

5 comments about The Writers Complete Fantasy Reference.

1. This is a great general reference guide. It gives you a place to start so you know what direction to go in if you want to delve into a topic further. I liked the generic descriptions on witchcraft, which for being Christian, I found very benign and non-threatening concerning a topic that can get heated very quickly.
   The book had good general descriptions, but didn't get too deep in any one area. This lets me decide if I want to research something further.
   If I had to say something I didn't like; it would be that I wish the book were longer, so it could cover more, and go into greater variety of the topics it covers.



2. I wouldn't call this an in-depth reference, but it is a good place for fantasy writers to start research. When I'm stuck for ideas, I'll often browse the pages and see if something catches my imagination, then take off. The sections do remind the fantasy writer of different aspects involved in world building.



3. If your young, or new to fantasy writing this is a good reference book. It details many subjects that you cant find in normal reference material or that would be hard to find. Clothing, nobility, ancient forms of magic and their use, dark age life ect. Many people have given this book a bad rating but I found it very interesting and helpful. It is not complete, true; but finding a book with everything you need to know about fantasy and ancient times would be impossible to find. This is the basics and I think it was worth every penny. Get it at a discount here on amazon. I love this site !



4. I'm not saying "don't" buy this book. I'm saying buy it used at a considerable discount. It's got some useful information and and few 'exercises' that are helpful, but overall it's kind of flaccid. It's worth a read or two.



5. My son likes to write fantasy stories and plays D&D with his friends. He was thrilled with this book! It gives backgrounds and historical facts as well as advice and tips. The one feature I think is helpful is the vocabulary in reference to castles and costumes of the time periods often found in fantasy stories. Celebrated authors write essays on several subjects, so the information is not without merit. After all, they sold their stories. I am not the one reading this book, but I will say that my son is 16, and teenagers don't get excited over much, so if he was thrilled, you know it must be good!

5 comments about How to Draw and Paint Fairies: From Finding Inspiration to Capturing Diaphanous Detail, a Step-by-Step Guide to Fairy Art.

1. This little book offers a surprising amount of material, not only to a new artist wanting to learn how to get started but also to artists with more experience seeking to refresh their knowledge of the basics and to expand their imaginations. Even non-artists would enjoy the illustrations, especially the collection of fairy paintings by a variety of fantasy artists at the end of the book. Beginners can follow the step-by-step instructions, and everyone can enjoy the Linda Ravenscroft illustrations throughout the book.



2. I was looking for a drawing guide for my daughter's 11th birthday and was hoping this book would be the key. We flipped through it at the craft store and it looked like a great instructional guide. The only hesitation I have and reason I did not purchase the book is the last few pages. There are some ill-clad fairies exposing more than I want my daughter to be drawing or her younger brothers to be seeing. I know it is common to have fairies naked even, so I was grateful there was only a few pages of what I would consider suggestive fairies. But, I wanted to share this review for other "carefully modest" parents who would rather not expose their children.



3. The best How to draw Fairies book for beginners available.
   Filled with valuable drawing and paint tips, along with beautiful fairy prints for inspiration.



4. This book was not only wonderful to look at, it was very instructive also. A fantastic way to spend a rainy day!



5. this is a nice little book. but i don't think the fairy faces are very pretty. it gives you good ideas for the poses. but you'll have to have some knowledge of how you like pretty fairy faces to look cause the artists depictions are not that pretty.
   you could draw inspiration in some of the scenes and poses though. also when you do the -search inside this books pages option- the pics they show are the best pictures in the book. theres probably a more visually stimulating fairy book out there but this book does give some good instruction and i do not regret purchasing it as a gift for my niece.

5 comments about Creating Nature in Watercolor: An Artist's Guide.

1. I found this newest Cathy Johnson book to be every bit as informative and entertaining as her many previous books. The artist's love of nature shines gloriously within these pages. Not only does she give clear and easily understood instructions to 'capture nature', she also inspires you! This book is both working text and entertainment.



2. Having used 2 of Ms. Johnson's books before ("Creating
   Textures in Watercolor" and "Watercolor Pencil Magic-sadly
   out of print") I had great hopes for this new volume, and it
   does not disappoint. More than a collection of pretty
   watercolor studies to be admired -though it is full of
   them! - this book breaks down the process and tells you
   how to get the result you're looking for. Ms. Johnson even
   gives tips on the practicalities of capturing the
   uncooperative moving creatures of nature on paper! I have found something valuable on every page.



3. Cathy Johnson's newest book, Creating Nature in Watercolor, is a most delightful read and it's filled with tips and techniques on appreciating nature and capturing your interpretation of that observation in watercolor. Whether you want to learn how to document botanical samples in a journal or compose an extensive landscape on a full sheet of watercolor paper, this book is a must have! Cathy has a teaching style that encourages everyone to jump right in and have fun learning. This book contains short exercises as well as step-by-step lessons for painting landscapes. A beginner will find this book to be a tremendous start off point and a professional will find many useful tips and notes to help them progress in their treatment of nature and landscapes.



4. Cathy Johnson's newest book is a work of art in itself. The inside page design is simply beautiful. The illustrations by Ms. Johnson are very inspiring. And her tone is one of gentle encouragement ("yes, you can do this too"). I just received my copy recently and have already spent hours savoring it. Many of Ms. Johnson's books seem deceptively simple. One could quickly glance over her notes and paintings and then set the book on the shelf. The real value comes from taking her books, page by page, and actually DOING the exercises she provides. Pay attention to her teaching, follow her examples, and wonderful things will happen with your artwork. Creating Nature in Watercolor is a wonderful book and I am thankful that the artist took the time to create it.



5. I have just recieved Cathy Johnson's new book, "Creating Nature in Watercolor, an Artists Guide." I sat down and read it through, and found it felt like an beautifully illustrated letter from a good friend, who is encouraging me to join her in her love of nature and creating. The art work is superb of course, as I expected, since I already own several of her books, and recently took one of her wonderful Online Classes...and she has been drawing and painting for her whole life...but I also found much more in it than artwork. She not only shares many, many, many valuable techniques and tips...but they seem unique to her charming way of helping us out with some of the little things that become big things when you dont know how to deal with them. And she adds so many details and makes them all so interesting!
   Her 'personal relationship' with nature pulls the reader and artist into a close connection with creation and creating.
   It is a book for everyone...beginning and professional artists as well as all who appreciate nature.
   For me this is her best book....so far...:)

1 comments about Design Basics for Creative Results.

1. This book is very good for someone who is just starting out in design. The photo examples with explanations are top notch.

5 comments about The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression.

1. This book is the best I have read about drawing portraits. You learn a lot from this book as it is in a format that is easy to understand.



2. The author and artist did a superb job in explaining the theory of emotion, and then his actual drawings provide an excellent guide to these basic emotions. This is a rare and unique combination.



3. This book gives you an excellent overview of the anatomical structure of the human head. A distilled amount of studied and learned information. I'm sorry to say that the author is one that is better at teaching than drawing, because almost all of his example drawings are so badly executed that I found myself wondering how the heck it all went so wrong when he applied his own techniques to his subjects.
   
   I got rid of the hardbound paper cover for this book so that I would not be instantly "turned off" by the ones on the front and back of the dust jacket. The drawings themselves are so overworked to the extreme that words fail me. They look forced and do not consistently convey the emotion that the author attributes to them.
   
   I found myself "deflated" rather than inspired to use his techniques because of the example drawings (although this may not bother you as I tend to be a "hothouse plant" when it comes to quality and execution of ideas).
   
   Summing up: On the Pro side: A fine reference to add to your library for the biological anatomy of the head, both in proportion and a broken down "geometrical" approach of it's basic construction - On the Con side: a terribly uninspiring look at those references put to use in the authors overworked, unrealistic and extremely disappointing drawings.



4. The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression by Gary Faigin is one of my favorite art books because it isn't limited to a particular medium. My goal as an artist/illustrator is to portray people as realistically as possible, and this book is filled with hundreds of pictures of expressions along with the facial muscles that produce those expressions. The demonstrations show the artist how to portray even the subtlest emotion. But this book isn't just for artists whose style is realistic; artists who prefer cartooning can also benefit by understanding how to translate complex expressions into simple lines.



5. Love this book, saw improvements within the first hour of reading it. I love the breakdown of the whole head into parts, then the parts are broken down even further. I was also impressed with the "common mistakes" referred to in the book that were my common mistakes!
   
   Very usable information, not too technical, and in addition to helping pin down the emotion you're trying to add to a face, it contains a lot of practical advice to improve the overall "realistic" look of a portrait.

No comments about Digital Art Masters, Volume 3: Volume 3 (3d Total.Com) (3d Total.Com).

5 comments about The Natural Way to Paint: Rendering the Figure in Watercolor Simply and Beautifully.

1. This book shows how to do watercolour figure sketches in a loose free style.
   
   The eye-catching pictures help in showing how to draw people with exercises that are easy to follow and understand.
   
   For learning to draw or paint people and figures this is an excellent book. He also talks about the materials needed; colour mixing, brushwork and practical tips to get the result you are after.
   
   You may not enjoy this book if you like more detailed realistic paintings as his style is sketchy but to me this is the magic.



2. Charles Reid does his usual "bang-up" job. The pictures make you want to pick up a brush immediately. I also have one of his early books...very worn by now...and this one doesn't disappoint me either.



3. This book is so helpful..from the preparatory sketch to painting in watercolor, he teaches it all. His techniques are simply amazing, and I've learned more from this book than anything else...I FULLY recommend this book



4. I have other books by Charles Reid that I love. I didn't know that this book was still available, so I was thrilled to find it. It is a great book on painting the figure. I am an art teacher, so I will share it contents with my students.



5. If you like Mr. Reid work, then you'll love this one. If you have one book
   to buy for watercolor, then this is the only one you need. This book will teach you alot, if you are ready to invest yourself.
   The spontaneity usually associated with watercolor is an illusion, and this
   book with simple exercise will help you control this medium, and help you
   cause accident that others call spontaneity.