5 comments about Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil: Basic Techniques for Mastering Traditional and Watersoluble Colored Pencils.

1. This is one of the "keepers". Kristy has done an excellent job here in not only instruction, but in very informative tips and techniques. Saves the new artist allot of time in getting right to the point and avoiding common mistakes. Kristy's book is highly recommended and I'd have given it more than 5 stars if I could have!



2. Drawing And Painting With Colored Pencilery good reference book, I was very happy



3. There are many other books available on this subject and they are all better than this one. There is nothing to be gained from reading this book. Forget it!



4. The illustrations for the techniques are Kutch's own colored pencil artwork. Her flowers are stunning and if I ever achieve a drawing on the level of her poppies or the morning glories, I'll be very happy.
   Unfortunately, I struggled with some of the directions, bogging down over the art terms and special tools that I don't yet have. I think I'd benefit from rereading this book after I experiment more and stock in some of the supplies (special papers, ball burnisher, citrus thinner, etc.).
   The techniques are shown in 5 or 6 steps with the illustration progressing as she describes the colors used. Most of the examples are flowers or fruit, but a few landscapes round it out.
   The first 49 pages deal with regular colored pencils, then the rest of the book goes on to watercolor pencils and the techniques for those.



5. This is a wonderful book, don't get me wrong, however I expected it to relate more to colored pencils by themselves. The first section does, then it goes on to a much larger section on watersoluble pencils and the final section is devoted to using them in tandem. If you are interested in using them in tandem then by all means, this book should be on your shelf! The text is precise and easy to follow, the artwork is wonderful, to say the least.

1 comments about Strip Happy - Quilting on a Roll #5306.

1. Strip quilts are not new but the ideas and the availability to pre cut strips is. Nicely detailed. I am happy with my purchase.

No comments about LogoLounge 3: 2,000 International Identies by Leading Designers (Logolounge).

5 comments about Charles Reids Watercolor Secrets.

1. This book, Charles Reid, author, entitled "Watercolor Secrets" was picked by an instructor at Washburn University for a class on watercolor. I am taking the class and find the book weak on instructions, but good in presenting the
   variety of work this artist has done. It certainly could be written in a more instructional style.



2. Charles Reid is a wonderful artist. I enjoyed reading the book but it falls short as an instruction manual as it is very difficult to understand from the text and illustrations how Charles actually achieves his very loose wet in wet effects.



3. This book is not intented to deliver technical help. It's a book full of tips
   & tricks about general aspect of Mr. Reid approach to painting, with
   differents conditions and subject. It's a great bed time reading.



4. The title of this book is rather misleading. I had thought I was going to get some real expert tips on watercolor painting but instead this book is just a reprinting of the artist's watercolor "NOTEBOOKS" with VERY little in the way of useable and tangible tips about painting in watercolor. The book is slender, sparsely laid-out and over-priced at that. It struck me as just an excuse for a book with a cleverly disguised title to market and sell it (everyone wants the "secrets", right?) . Save your money!



5. Put 'Watercolor painting techniques' into Amazon Advance Search and you'll come up with well over a thousand titles. I'm sure most of these are worthy books but I'll stick with anything by Charles Reid. I have five of his books and 'Watercolor Secrets' together with Painting Flowers in Watercolour are probably the ones I look through most often.
   
   All of the books, of course, show what a stunning artist he is though I much prefer his watercolor work rather than oils. It's his studied casualness that I love, colors define shapes, they merge into each other, large areas are just left blank and look unfinished yet the overall effect is controlled precision. His work is totally convincing and rather unique.
   
   The five chapters in this book throw up lots of interesting techniques for the established painter*. I particularly liked the Demonstration pages in each of the five chapters. Each shows a step-by-step series of paintings from the original drawing to the finish with comprehensive captions to each picture. There's something for everyone in the book: figures, landscape and seascapes, flowers, buildings and more.
   
   Another reason I like this book is because it's so good to look at. Visually it is based on a landscape sketchbook and nicely each spread has part of a used sketchbook printed in the spine. The layout and typography are first class (a tip of the hat to Wendy Dunning) and how refreshing to find a publisher that is prepared to go that little bit extra for the reader.
   
   If you like Charles Reid get this book for some excellent examples of his work and positive thoughts on watercolor techniques.
   
   *Just starting out? Have a look at Reid's Painting What You Want to See (Practical Art Books) which has some very basic instructions, especially on drawing.
   
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

5 comments about Basic Colored Pencil Techniques (Basic Techniques).

1. This book, by a pioneer in Color pencil painting is the standard work on this subject for both beginners and advanced artists...a good reference book as well.....Most of the other books are repetitions of this work only.



2. I bought this book with several others, and if I didnt have a comparison I would probably rate it better. The images are washed out, cartoony, and poorly drawn. The author doesnt seem to like using colors at full value, rather he/she prefers to have all the pictures in soft colors.



3. I was immediately struck that the author uses Prismacolor Professional Colored Pencils, my own brand of choice. This made it easy to practice her techniques using the same colors as stated by each image. I learned the best way to layer color - basic tonal layering, heavy pressure layering, two layer approach, spot layering (basic, bold, blended), plus doing the single layer approach. Other techniques covered are the lifting of color, covering large areas, using various colored paper for special effects and so much more that it would take another paragraph to fully describe the multitude of methods the author covers in this book. This book has steered me on the path to produce interesting works of art with colored pencils, where before I managed to use my college art classes to some degree, but not in the quality I really wanted to see my work develop. This is a good book for beginners and intermediates, maybe even good review/reference for the advanced artist. I am so pleased with this book over other colored pencil technique books that I am sure that the others will get dusty from lack of use, while this one will become a true tool to help me with my future artistic endeavors.



4. I read the reviews on all the colored pencil technique books on Amazon and chose this one. I taught myself watercolor and had been doing some colored pencil illustrations, but needed some help! This book shows all the tricks and tips I could ever need and the steps are usually broken up into understandable stages of a drawing - but not always. I would have liked to see more of the tools at work in the instructional photos. Sometimes just "use an eraser for this effect" doesn't make sense without the eraser right there, doing it. I am actually creating my art using Corel Paint with the colored pencils and this book is a terrific help!



5. I would recommend this book for beginners and intermediates as well. Easy to follow and the techniques I learned are priceless.

5 comments about Word Painting.

1. Word Painting
   
   While Word Painting is a book to help one write more descriptively, that is only a part of its value. Journey along with McClanahan to discover what description is and how it differs from person to person. Discription, she states, is word painting--that part of your book that helps the reader to visualize. It doesn't have to be intricate detail, but it has to be effective.
   
   Through the book's ten chapters, the author shows you how to write descriptively and effectively through exercises in observation, through proper naming of things, through active, vivid prose and action verbs, through all the senses. There's a lesson in metaphors, how to describe character through environment and how to handle point of view shifts. Another chapter explains plot and pacing, and at the end of each chapter there are a series of exercises to illustrate each topic.
   
   I especially like the chapter on using setting to illuminate a story's theme. McClanahan, using examples from Eudora Welty's No Place to Breathe, shows how the character's emotions are revealed by setting.
   
   This is a book to study once, and then study again.
   
   Recommended.



2. You want to touch the heart of the reader? This
   book will map it out for you. Sight, sound, smell,
   touch, brings the reader into the fictional dream
   and keeps him there. A must for your writer's toolbox.



3. This author's writing is exciting to read. I've learned more from reading this book than any other writing books that I've read.



4. Weak, unconsidered, cliche ridden, mundane, obvious, repetitive -- How are those for a few descriptions? Well, they fit. This is not a good book. She repeats the most obvious and then repeats them again (where was the editor?). Some facts are just wrong, such as most scholars see simile and metaphor as the same. I am sure those who say they "highlighted" it or "read it over and over" must either have been dreaming or reading a different book. It's one long bad Writers Magazine article, one that says, Hey try using "carmine" instead of "red." Try using a metaphor instead of simply saying it was "brown." Duh. Keep reading the reviews, past the ones her friends wrote and you'll see the real reviews -- it just is not a good book at all.



5. Word Painting was recommended by an excellent writer. I ended up reading the book, cover to cover, four times. Each time I came away with numerous fresh ideas. This book does more than lay down and explain a list of rules. It also draws from the works and advice of great authors in a way that makes reading the book enjoyable as well as instructive. Ms. McClanahan's own experiences, as related in the book, were particularly beneficial, often coming back to remind me how I could make the passage before me more palatable to the reader. The exercises were not as helpful to me as they might be for others, but they are marvelous drills for the more disiplined reader. Whether you want to improve your ability to write a novel, a report, a legal brief, a letter or an e-mail message, try this book!

5 comments about 100 Creative Drawing Ideas.

1. The exercises are good ways to experiment with different ways of drawing and thinking of composition, materials, spatial concerns, etc. I try to do one every week.



2. As any art instructor will know, students can only take working from a still life for so long. This book offers some alternatives to break up the monotony of foundation drawing classes. My students responded well to many of the ideas in the book.



3. I am a high school art teacher and am always looking for fresh ideas for creative and relevant assignments. This book is full of great ideas. I would recommend it to high school or college instructors.



4. Another instructor at my university loaned me his copy, and before I totally dog-eared it, it seemed only right to return his and buy my own. While this is NOT an "everything you need to know about drawing" book, it IS a great resource of (mostly) university level drawing assignments from various instructors. Of course not every assignment/idea is workable for all classrooms, but there are certainly enough good ideas to make this a worthwhile support for one's library. Many of these would be excellent for high school level classes, which would certainly raise the level of instruction at a critical developmental point in student's seeing and drawing skills.
   The biggest frustration in teaching a beginning drawing course at universtiy, is "fresh-out-of-highschool" students who have no clue about the rigorous study needed to develop competent drawing skills. The assignments outlined in the text are intriguing and challenging enough to engage these new students and get them over the frustration stage of this foundational art skill. The one drawback I've found is the singularity of some of the ideas, a lack of knowing what came before or followed after, so a consideration of how the selected assignments fit into particular curricular goals is necessary.



5. could easily provide inspirations for artists and is very very useful for art instructors in particular.

5 comments about Moving On: The Art of Steve Hanks.

1. I greatly enjoyed Steve Hanks' first book. This second book continues in the Steve Hanks' tradition. He has a wonderful way of expressing the beautiful things in our world, it's people, with a suffusion of clarity and light. His work continues to entrance me, and I find myself gazing at his many prints that I have in my home.
   
   This latest book always draws favorable comments from those that have viewed it. It makes a great coffee table book. I have yet to have a friend pick it up, then put it down. They all become deep in thought, with a smile on their face, as they slowly work their way through this masterpiece.



2. Everything I thought it would be. Great book. I would recomend it to a friend.



3. I am jealous. Admit I love the artist; I've purchased several dozen of his works. But,I don't want you to ever own his books or his paintings; let me explain. As our children were young, I would surprise my wife each year with one of Steve Hanks' paintings. It was the last present opened at Christmas. The children would always watch in anticipation to see my wife cry as the wrapping would unveil the lastest painting. It is probably the most profound gift I've ever given - or gotten. Each year I would mount the latest painting; our bedroom walls have nothing but Hanks' works. It is said that sharing is the most precious gift we gift to each other. I, on the other hand, don't want to share Steve Hanks. You have given my wife a lifetime of memories, as have you have given my children treasure in the world of art. Don't buy this book; I want all of the copies. Mound them on the floor; stack them to the ceiling. But don't buy the book. In fact, buy any other book "but" this one. I'm begging you! Hanks is certainly worthy as an American treasure - a Michelangelo, a Raphael, a Cezanne. So please, don't buy the book!



4. This is an absolutely fabulous collection of works produced by Steve Hanks. The artwork is beautiful and the written excerpts provide insight into the artist's life and inspirations for the pieces.



5. Book was as expected and arrived on schedule. I buy many books from Amazon and will continue to do so.

No comments about Jaime Hayon Works.

5 comments about The Writers Idea Book.

1. I bought this book in 2004 and I still use it to this day. It's witty and a fun read, not to mention inspiring. It isn't that I have a shortage of ideas, but I have a hard time putting it on papaer... and this book definately puts things in a new perspective for me!



2. A great book with a lot of writing prompts. Perfect for the fiction author, however as a writer of non-fiction I felt there was a lot of character development exercises. The trick for me was to try to turn the ideas into ones that would fit into non-fiction. The surprise was this book got me back into writing fiction which I had not done for many years.
   My recommendation is if you are looking for writing prompts for fiction, definitely buy this book. If all you do is non-fiction, this may not be the book for you, but it never hurts to look it over.
   It was quite well written and Jack Heffron certainly presented some good idea generators.



3. With over 400 prompts in this book there is one to suit every mood and these will not only encourage you to write regularly but get your creative juices flowing. What's more each of the prompts target specific areas of your writing such as story endings, developing character & plot. It also addresses nonfiction, poetry & screenplays...and I am using it to improve my blog writing.
   I own a number of books on this topic (including "What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers") but find the format and content of Jack Heffron's Writers Idea Book to be the most practical, inspiring and effective. Thanks Jack!



4. to add to the other reviews, I like this book because I'm the type of writer that needs an "assignment" to make sure I don't keep writing about the same things. With this book, it's easy to follow along and take out what you need and go back later to the other prompts the second or third time around. I'm a firm believer that a person should go through a book like this two or more times to get the full benefits.



5. Jack Heffron's "The Writer's Idea Book" is a very good specimen of a book of writers' exercises. It mixes "prompts" of various sorts (more than 400 of them according to the cover, and I believe it!) with short riffs of practical advice on a wide range of writing matters. While Heffron is a professional editor and does give advice regarding methods that he believes work best, he concentrates on writing for yourself in this book rather than trying to get published. This is just the idea phase after all--check out his later book, "The Writer's Idea Workshop," for practical advice regarding taking your idea from raw ore to refined metal.

   There are many prompts meant to help you mine your own experiences for ideas and plots. (As well as your likes and dislikes, your family, your home town, places you've visited, "public moments," secrets, dreams, and more.) There are prompts to help you explore different forms of writing, structure your story, and more. There are even good solid hints on dealing with openings and endings. The huge number of prompts in this book guarantees that you should be able to find something to spark your creativity no matter what mood you're in.

   In fact, about the only thing that bothered me about this book was the lack of the unusual. I love genre. Horror, science fiction, fantasy--I love the strange, and this book had a very "literary" feel to it. That'll make it perfect for many other writers out there, but it left me a little flat. I like to have a certain otherworldliness come into play when looking through lots of writing exercises and warm-ups. This book is meant to push you into finding inspiration from the ordinary rather than the extraordinary; I would have liked a better balance.

   It's certainly a fun book, however, and definitely a kick in the inspiration department!