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 Creating Fiction.

1. There are many flattering reviews of CREATING FICTION on Amazon, but I find the book to be filled with friendly chatter that doesnt contain much instruction or helpful information. The one piece of solid advice in this book is Maxwell Perkins' suggestion to read WAR & PEACE several times and forget about how-to-write books.



2. Imagine having 23 professional writing coaches at your disposal - each instructor teaching the fundamentals of writing they've perfected over the years. "Creating Fiction" is the best of nationwide creative writing programs taught by respected novelists and short story writers.

   Established authors offer their expertise in these informative essays. Every entry ends with related exercises pertaining to the writing elements you've just learned. In fact, you'll find over 100 writing exercises taught in expensive workshops.

   These writing essays tackle the challenging aspects of your writing venture. This in-depth guide to writing covers:

   * Thinking About Fiction

   * Characterization

   * Point of View

   * Plot, Structure and Narrative

   * Style and Voice

   * Revising, Editing and Marketing

   Every category provides a variety of essays, offering several unique perspectives to help you perfect your craft.




3. Well I have not read Ms. Checkoway's book just yet, but I can say from experience that Ms. Checkoway knows writing and how to teach it. As one of my first writing instructors, she gave me tools I still use today. I know that every aspiring writer can benefit from reading "Creating Fiction."



4. A decidedly uninteresting collection of essays. The essays are written in a sort of univerally vanilla style, which is maybe indicitive of how writing classes are taught, but which hardly gets the reader exciting about the writing process. The exercises are hokey, and may be of interest to people just getting started on the work of writing, but will most likely be useless to anyone who has completed a few stories. "The Eleventh Draft" and "Why I Write" are much more interesting, inciteful, and inspiring books about creating fiction.



5. I've purchased a lot of books on writing. This is by far one of the best. Each chapter is written by a different author, handling a different aspect of the writing process. Ms. Checkoway has done a brilliant job of editing and choosing her authors and their topics. I've used this book in every point of my novel's progress from start to revision and found the advice helpful, practical and accessible. I highly recommend this book for beginners and experienced writers.

5 comments about The Pastel Book.

1. You'll love this book if you want to know just about everything there is to know about all the types & brands of pastels available to you and if you would like to know what artists are using out there and what can be achieved with all these products. It's all here for you to explore for yourself through Mr. Creevy's thorough "walk-through" of materials, supports & tools. The excitement comes from his step by step demonstrations using many products, such as soft pastels, hard pastels, and oil pastels of many types, and the effects achieved with mixed media. If this book doesn't get you motivated, nothing will! I carried this book around with me for weeks and I am still referring to it. I enjoyed Mr. Creevy's "out of the box" techniques and subject matter. His knowledge & talent are obvious and we are fortunate that he chose to share with us.



2. Very good technical details but the book need to be updated with current materials. There is no coverage of Unison or Ludwig pastel sets and paper coverage is outdated.
   
   If I had to buy just one book on pastels it would NOT be this book.



3. I recently took a pastel workshop and this book was recommended. It is thorough and offers advice that you can easily impliment. It is a good reference when I have a trouble spot. The author's solutions are worth remembering.



4. Very very helpful book to browse if you are getting started. It helps one better understand which types of pastels do what, oil, soft, hard etc.



5. I found this book to be a terrific reference for any artist beginning to explore pastels. There are lots of charming paintings by the author, and demo photos of how the paintings came into being. There is also a WONDERFUL section on supplies: what and where to get them, how they're priced, and if they're worth it. Yet, I do wish that the author had spent a little more time on showing and explaining works that were JUST done in pastels and less on mixed media with pastels. But that's just my opinion. It's a great book and worth buying, regardless of how much of a purist you may be.

5 comments about Blue and Yellow Dont Make Green.

1. I'm a sorter. I organize. I put things in boxes. Color doesn't want to go in boxes. Or categories, or areas, or mix well with others. It drove me nuts. Sometimes it was too bright and sometimes it was so dull it hurt like a toothache. This book began my understanding of why color does what it does. Michael Wilcox put together a dictionary which unravels for me the complexities of color and the how's and why's of hue, tint, and shade. He has broken down the chemical compounds of color in an understandable way and broken the secret codes of the paint manufacturers so that you and I can read the labels. Now we can purchase exactly what colors we want and either mix our own exact shades and tints or get the individual paint supplier's.
   
   Ever wonder why you sweat in your sister's bathroom and not in your's? Her's is painted peach and your's is blue. Why that works, now, is someone else's story. And then there's black. Who knew there were so many different kinds of black? There's a black to fit each room in your house, made out of every color in the room in which it is to reside. And it matches perfectly. Amazing.
   
   Now when I see two shades of lemon yellow I don't see yellow at all. I see either greenish yellow or brownish yellow and refer to them as green or brown. It's very tricky to see the primary hue over the secondary color anymore. Huh. I guess that's what an educated color sense sees nowadays. Never thought about it before. Three cheers for Michael Wilcox and PO3, PV15, PY3 and others! I get true colors every time.



2. this book gets more interest for its paradoxical (and inaccurate) title than for its contents, which are straight out of 18th century color theory and painting practice. for a review of this book and links to background materials, google "wilcox handprint" and click the first few links. i should add that some of the positive reviews posted here appear verbatim at the wilcox "school of colour" website and are therefore just viral marketing.
   
   the quiller book "color choices" and the hilary page book "color right from the start" are excellent resources. this book is heavy on simplification, routine, and computer generated color samples.



3. This ia a fabulous book for any artist or aspiring artist. From a pallet of only 12 colors he show you the hows and especially the whys of mixing just about any color you want. Especially good for water colorists. You'll never be mixing "mud" again.
   
   Ben Albert



4. I am very pleased with this book. It is filled with valuable information for the painter which is presented in terms that are easy to comprehend. I am currently working my way through the exercises and by doing so can already see where the book has been worth every penny. As someone well acquainted with "mud" I think the book will save me a fortune in paint down the road. I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to recommend this book to anyone interested in painting whether new to painting or an experienced artist. We can all learn something new from it. In fact, I think it would make a great text book.



5. Before reading this book, I already had a good basis in the basic color theory: the primaries, secondaries, tertiaries, and the ideas of complementary and analogous colors. I even knew that mixing complementaries would result in browns to blacks.
   
   However, I hadn't learned how to apply that knowledge in the way this book presents it. As a result, sometimes I would mix colors that were muddy or shaded, and I didn't know why. This book explains it all so clearly and so simply that you are sure to retain and use the information with ease.
   
   In summary, this book tells you how to mix any color you want, reliably and with confidence, just using six colors, two of each primary color. Everyone who understands color knows that yellows fall on a range from almost-orange to almost green, blues fall on a range from almost-green to almost-purple, and reds fall on a range from almost-purple to almost orange. The fact that these colors are in a range means that, when you mix them, you will get different results depending on where the colors fall in that range.
   
   This book tells how to determine where a color falls in those ranges, and also gives you a clear and understandable way of knowing what to expect when mixing different primaries. The system works.
   
   One nice thing is that, with the price of paints today, if you need to, you can only purchase six colors and you will pretty much be set. Accordingly, this book recommends that you purchase those six colors, two from each primary, with one color each that tends toward each end of each primary (a green-yellow and an orange-yellow, for example).
   
   Of course, you can always buy a larger range of colors, but armed with the information in this book, when you do so, you can confidently purchase and mix those colors and have a good idea of what the results will be each time.
   
   If you are impatient with theory, you can skip all the stuff about reflected light, additive versus subtractive color mixing, color perception in the brain, and so on; it may or may not all be true, and is anyway only Mr. Wilcox's theory about *why* his system works. Instead, if you are impatient, just read the juicy stuff about the colors themselves. It will definitely improve your ability to mix colors well. If I were making a list of "must have" books in an artist's reference library, this would be one of them.

5 comments about The Acrylics Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist.

1. I borrowed this book and am planning to buy it. There are a lot of ideas to expand on. It's not really a step by step book although some steps are shown for each style the artist introduces. He shows how watercolor, oil and other looks are achieved. I feel, it's the best comprehensive book directed specifically at acrylics I've come across to date...



2. This book gives a really good intro into acrylics for beginners. I've dabbled in acrylics, but the info in this book gave me the why as well as the how to different techniques. It's absolutely a beginner's book, but very thorough on the basics.



3. I found this book just as I was beginning to paint. It helped me confirm that it was acrylics, rather than some other medium, that I wanted to use; and it gave me great instruction to get me going. I have subsequently read other painting-technique books (some excellent, others not) and I still think that, as a general discussion of acrylics, this book is perhaps the best I've seen. It has beautiful paintings as examples of what can be accomplished in acrylics.
   
   I was probably a bit stingy in giving only 4 stars, but I feel that, on a very few points, there might have been more detail or elaboration. Still, overall, I know of no better book for anyone new to acrylics--indeed it continues to be a favorite of mine. I recommend this book together with the website of Golden Acrylics; those two resources might be all you will need to educate yourself about the use and manipulation of acrylic paints and acrylic mediums.



4. Very informative with regard to brands of paints, brushes, mediums, and surfaces. Has recommendations for your beginning palate, brush set, etc. Expands on technique with demonstrations. REALLY like this book and glad I bought it.



5. I recommend this for the beginner level acrylic painter. What you need to know to get started with a lot of great product information.

5 comments about Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered (Klutz).

1. I bought this for my niece as a Christmas gift. She really enjoyed it!



2. Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered has been a fun workbook for our whole family. My daughter received one for a gift and it was so entertaining we had to order two more so everyone could sit and do it together. The book's layout is in page by page exercises that might inspire further fun and thinking, as well as build on each other to create a more versatile way of looking at painting. In my opinion, the most fun part is being able to paint in a book and even cut out parts and glue them elsewhere. Kids have a chance to breakout from the usual parental mantra of "Be sure not to write in the book, watch out with the paint...". The pages are very sturdy and good quality and the author's sense of humour is wonderful. I have my very own copy to play in, which is sometimes just the thing to inspire me in my own work. And well, there is something about turning squiggles into bugs....



3. This is a great place to start. The paints and paper provided are 1st class quality allowing serious exploration, and the excerises are fun. Add a few more colors - dark green and light blue- and a extra, nicer brush, and there is no better way to start



4. I am extremely intimidated by painting, so I took baby steps and bought this book. It comes with some beautiful watercolors that are rich and color--and a brush as well.

   They start you off with painting some small pictures, even blobs if you are comfortable with it, and you will be amazed to see how much your lil paintings look like paintings instead of a piece of crap (which is what i expected---can i say crap?) anyway, they give you pages where you can "play" and you don't start color mixing and other frightening things until later.

   Later on, you do landscapes and play around with some light and shadow. Its like the fisher price version of learning to paint!! Sometimes, my pictures blended in with their little pictures along the way, which made me happy. They just turn something very scary, into something a lil more easy.

   If you run out of paints or brushes, or you want some more paper, there's a phone number in the back you can call to order some more!! I love klutz products, cause I am one!! Highly recommended!!




5. This fun, whimsical book takes the mystery and frustration out of painting with watercolors. Learn watercolor basics by following the book's simple instructions and then practicing alongside on its watercolor-paper pages. Witty sidebar commentator Thatcher Hurd adds humor to an otherwise indimidating process. Discover what makes you the best painter you know--paint this book and unmask your watercolor painting personality

5 comments about Bass Bible.

1. Westwood's book is really quite the handy resource to have. If you have a question as to a musical style and how to play it on the bass, this is what to use. Having the standard notation, tabs, and audio to learn from will be helpful for beginners through more advanced players.
   
   One caveat I would bring to the potential buyer is that this is by no means a book on theory, it is a huge collection of examples. There is a small introduction describing techniques at the beginning of the book as well as a paragraph to a page or so introducing each various style, but even that is in more of a historical context. At the point that i bought this book, I really just wanted to find really cool stuff to play and I couldn't have cared less for any theory, and that indeed I received. Even after 4 years of having this book, I still find the riffs at the end of this book (progressive jazz) to be some of the most challenging and fun to play.
   
   In conclusion, this is a fine reference to have as it attempts to cover the myriad of styles out there...and it does a decent job.



2. i have just started reading this book and i'm already learning something. the quality of the recordings on the CD's is top notch and the font size is great(i only wish the book was spiral-bound). thank you Mr. Westwood for an invaluable source of inspiration. :)



3. If you're interested in bass, and not a pro yet, this is one of the few worth buying. If you read my other reviews you'll know I don't give out unearned compliments. If the book is a farce I will say so. There is no worthless drivel in this book, but 250 pages of bass lines showing different techniques.



4. The bass bible is intimidating when you first open it up. there is alot of info. But i have thoroughly enjoyed learning the bass lines and progressions



5. Just when you think you know it all, flip through this book!

5 comments about The Sumi-E Book.

1. Calligraphy and brush painting are not easy to learn WITH an instructor; learning from a book is daunting at best. Yolanda Mayhall's book is as close to having an instructor as any I have found - and I have tried many books. Her style is informative without being pedantic, guiding gently without drifting into boredom.
   
   If you take nothing else away from reading her book, you will realize that art is not "taught", it must be appreciated, understood, to be learned. Like a foreign language, sumi-e demands inspection and appreciation before you can begin to replicate it! Even those who can read printed Japanese will have difficulty understanding how the strokes are created. Those impoverished by a lifetime of penmanship will find the basics of "brushmanship" as foreign as Japanese language!
   
   Never fear! This book will lead you gently through the process. From preparing ink to holding the brush to creating those first tentative strokes, this teacher is at your side. She will guide you through the strokes of the "four gentlemen" at the core of brush art. Bamboo leaves will give way to the orchids, birds, mountains and waterfalls all illustrated s0 beautifully in her book.
   
   Remember that brushwork requires practice. I have used many a fat Sunday newspaper as an inexpensive substitute for rice paper (a point worth remembering to all the "grasshoppers" out there). Practice makes perfect. Yolanda will inspire you to practice and lead you through the levels until you could paint bamboo in your sleep! I have yet to find a live teacher who can inspire me to improve my brushstrokes like Yolanda can in her book.



2. If you are new to Japanese brush art work and want to learn the technique, this is the book to start with!



3. If you're a beginning Sumi-e painter you might want to wait on purchasing this book until you're more comfortable with the basics of brush loading and color gradiation.
   
   This book tends to avoid going into detail about the intricacies of brush loading and the importance of your paper quality and it's absorbency.
   
   If you are a beginner looking for a solid book that explains in alot more detail the four gentlemen and the importance of your brushes quality and methods for loading the brush, buy "Japanese Ink Painting: Beginner's Guide to Sumi-E" (Paperback) by Susan Frame. It's a marvelous book with alot of great examples and step by step instruction as well as some history and excercises you can do to become more comfortable with your brushes.



4. Personally I am also interested in using colour in my sumi-e works, this guide only has black and white. But the images are just beautiful. Hope I reach that level soon!



5. After exactly two lessons in watercolor and an appetite to learn more precise brush strokes I purchased Sumi-E. I immediately was able to make headway using the carefully written examples shown in this lovely book even without purchasing the precise Japanese brushes. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Creative Collage Techniques.

1. I'm speaking as someone who knows zilch about collage -- or close enough to zilch that it doesn't matter. Which means I'm extremely impressed by the way the authors clearly explained techniques and concepts in a manner that didn't confuse the ignorant (me) while informing both beginners and experts. I'm guessing they DO inform experts just because of the wide range of information. The result is that I feel I really begin to understand the basic concepts without being overwhelmed. My only problem is to choose which fun methods to try first. There is certainly an exhaustive array of options. I can't speak for more experienced people but, for beginners, I can't imagine a book being more helpful than this one.



2. I have dabbled with collage and assemblage and want to do more. What I mainly want is info on supplies and technique, rather than an overview of what other artists are doing in the field, or a history of the art, or coaching to overcome fear of doing art. I took six collage and altered book books out of the library. This one worked best for me. The information about what supplies, adhesives, and papers/boards to use was well organized, clear and simple. Each technique was presented in a straightforward, step by step way accompanied by examples. This book had more techniques in it that seemed like ones I would want to work with than some of the other books - I'm not at a stage where I want to build a complicated studio setup or use photocopiers and photography a whole lot in my artwork, but I appreciate knowing about techniques that are a little more advanced than gluing paper down.



3. This book was actually a text book for a college class. As a not very artistic person, I found some of the projects to be a bit intimidating. However, the explanations were very helpful. The pictures are beautiful. I found the descriptions of the elements of design very helpful.



4. *****
   I have been reading collage books in order to get ready for a collage class I'm taking next month; while all the ones I've read have their strong points, this book is truly the "Bible" of collage---it contains the widest and most in-depth information of all of the books I've read. It covers so many topics, and for a beginner, enables me to see just what can be done with collage. As I become more experienced, though, I am certain that I will refer to it again and again.
   
   Ever type of collage conceivable to me is covered here, with step by step instruction. It is written in an instructional (as opposed to entertaining) style, and is definitely a reference book, but one that I think every collage artist should have.
   
   If you are wanting to learn more about collage and can only afford one book, this one is it. It covers many different styles, so unlike other books, if your style is not the same as the author's, you might be left out---no chance of that with this book.
   
   Highly recommended.
   *****



5. This book does offer specific projects and yet leaves an open-ended aspect for artist innovation and personal touch. There are a lot of methods explored and so this text is a great one in addition to the works of others in this genre. The greatest part about this book is that contemporary collage artists are featured and this gives the reader a connection with his/her peers. There is no "art history" and "these are the famous collage artists" feel to this book: it is 100% TODAY people who are creating collage art. This aspect makes the world of collage feel approachable and in the here and now.

5 comments about Painting Flowers on Rocks.

1. Follow the simple step by step directions for a beautiful "rock garden."



2. Whether you are simply curious about rock painting, or have a desire to paint flowers on rocks, this book is for you. It is well written by a world class rock artist and teacher and in addition to offering know-how, it is an encouraging book that shows the way to get involved in this fascinating and not too expensive art form.



3. This book was as I expected it to be.. the demonstrations were clear and instructons easy.. I ordered it because of an episode on the Carol Duvall show in which the author painted a beautiful bouquet on a simple smooth rock ..I have ordered other books of the same nature from Amazon before and have been equally satisfied.



4. It was such a pleasure to receive Lin's book about painting flowers on rocks. I have several of her other books which has brought us lots of hours of fun and fantasy. We appreciate her talents and her sharing her ideas with others like us. Her flower painted rocks are perfect for places like cemeteries that don't allow fresh flowers. It helps bring beauty to our loved ones graves without the work and worry of live plantings. The rocks require "no watering!" Thanks Lin for all your creative ideas.



5. Great seller! Excellent product, fast shipment. Will do business with seller any time.