5 comments about Akiane: Her Life, Her Art, Her Poetry.

1. Very inspirational and faith building book. Akiane has not chosen this path, she's only following where God leads her. There are always going to be nay sayers about anything, specially in this world of instant information. I choose to believe that she is what she says she is, and does what she says she does, because with God anything is possible.



2. The first time I saw this book, I was on a cross country plane ride and had the fortunate experience of sitting next to a kindred soul. She shared this book with me to pass the time. And the time passed quickly. After looking at the paintings of this young artist, Akiane, I had a kink in my neck because I couldn't turn away. But it was worth it. I ordered the book immediately and have enjoyed sharing it with my daughters and displaying it on our coffee table.
   
   Akiane is an artist and a poet and an inspiration. She believes she's been touched by God, and one look at her work will make you a believer as well.
   
   From the author of A Line Between Friends and I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner.



3. This book is a good introduction into the girl behind these amazing paintings and poetry. Her insightful artwork is reproduced well. This girl's visions and understanding of who God is and His heart of love for people of the world is astounding. (Especially when you consider her mom USED to be an atheist) The poetry is a little beyond me, but the art work speaks volumes.
   Lovely. Keep up the great work Akiane.. your goal is being reached!



4. Akiane's story has always inspired me. I directed a friend of mine to her website recently to show her the amazing art, and she told me after surfing it that it restored her faith in God. When I read this book, it only accentuated my love and admiration for Akiane. You don't have to be religious to appreciate this girl. Her story is still a powerful message of how faith can change your life. If you're an art lover, you'll be inspired by the reproductions of her paintings and be stunned by her use of color and imagination. Her art is so realistic, but so mystical too. If you prefer the written word, read dozens of Akiane's poems. They are guaranteed to blow you away.
   
   All in all, this book helps you remember that there is goodness in the world.



5. I got to meet Akiane in San Diego for a show. She is truly an inspiration. Her gift is enough to make a believer out of an athiest!

5 comments about Face Off: How to Draw Amazing Caricatures & Comic Portraits.

1. This is one of the best commercially available books on caricature. However, I would recommend looking at a few books, rather than just this one (this isn't a standalone caricature education resource). Some of the caricatures don't look a lot like the real people they represent; whether this is an artistic choice or a limitation of the talent involved is a mystery. Many, useful techniques are contained herein; some readers may be disappointed in the results achieved and need more instruction in achieving a recognizable likeness. Worth a look; one of the best.



2. I used to do caricatures and this pretty much is what I did for over a year. This is a well designed instructional book... It gives many variations of eyes, noses, mouths, facial structure and hair style. I recommend this book as a handy reference source to my students.



3. I purchased this book about a week ago after seeing it at a bookstore and seeing all of the excellent reviews for it. I have been studying art for a few years and having worked at a bookstore as well I know when I read a good art instruction book and this is definitely one of them. It has practical to do steps that gradually build a persons skill. A common pitfall of art books is they show a finished product of the artist but they leave it a mystery as to how they got there. This book will help seasoned artist as well as give newer ones confidence in their ability to do caricatures. Highly recommended!



4. I have several books on caricature and have to say this is the best. The funny thing is that some of the pages looked kind of familiar and I realized that they were some of the handouts used at the local amusement park. After looking at Harry's picture at the end, I do remember him holding some excellent training classes at the park. He has an excellent way of explaining the whole process. This is an excellent book on the subject.



5. Very good explaniation and a lot of figures for practice.
   I like so much.

5 comments about Mastering the Twister: Jiu-jitsu for Mixed Martial Arts Competition.

1. Eddie's system is freaking awesome! I am an accomplished grappler and have always been interested in new techniques, etc. I was already familiar with the twister and a couple of the setups, but Eddie's book blew me away. My top game is so sick right now, that not one of my fellow students, nor my coach, can touch me!
   If you have some grappling experience, this book will revolutionize your top game.
   If you are new, this will help you, but you might get lost in some of the more complex transitions.
   Either way, Eddie Bravo and his system kick butt!



2. This is one of the best jiu jitsu books ever it gives in great detail insight to Eddie Bravo's game.



3. I got this book because I really liked how Mastering the Rubber guard was set up and hoped that Mastering the Twister would be just as useful and enjoyable. I can honestly say that it was and that I was very pleased with the purchase. What I liked about both products was that they both teach a System of techniques that all link together and include "go to" moves for when things don't go according to plan. I also liked the personal stories that Mr. Bravo included; I felt that the combination of these two elements took these books well beyond what most martial arts books provide. The value of these books is that they are useful as reference, good for new ideas as they contain an unorthodox BJJ game, and they are highly entertaining. Definitely well worth the purchase. Keep up the good work!



4. Just like his book on the Rubber Guard, Eddie Bravo's 'Mastering the Twister' is an innovative, effective and insightful system of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu without the gi, that both intermediate and longtime practitioners will benefit in many ways from.
   
   Like 'Mastering the Rubber Guard', this isn't just an encyclopedia of moves and positions, but a complete gameplan and system. There is a flow-chart that details each position as it transitions to the next, and Eddie goes into excellent detail on the intricacies of each technique. Like other Victory Belt published books, this is as good an instructional you will get short of a DVD video release. Highly recommended.
   
   This is advanced BJJ however, so beginners will be adviced not to just jump in without a firm grasp of the basics. It should also be noted that Mastering the Twister is a direct "sequel" if you will to Mastering the Rubber Guard, so it will be good to start with that book first, though not totally necessary. What MTRG did for the bottom game, MTTwister does for the top game.



5. Anyone interested in no gi grappling should buy this book. This book is very clear and well organized. There are some different and new ideas in this book that should expand your game. This book as well as EB first book Mastering the Rubber Guard are two of the best bjj books you can buy.

3 comments about Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits: More than 500 Color Combinations for skin, eyes, lips & hair (Color Mixing Recipes).

1. This is great value for a novice that needs help to mix skin colours. The text is kept to a minimum and the charts clear to understand.



2. This book is cool. Flip the hard pages (wipeable), and you have all ethnic colors at your fingertips. Of course you will need to adjust, but it is full of basic eye, nose, lips etc. colors and carts. Im glad I bought it.



3. If you are looking for a technical guide on how to mix skin colours for all the different races of people (well most anyway) then this is the book for you. It gives you all the information you need (which paint and how much)to mix just about every shade of flesh, covering both cool and warm versions, it covers the full tonal range for each mix and shadow effects. In summery it is the most comprehensive flesh colour mixing book I have come across yet and I have got most of the more popular books on this subject. At this price it is a bargin
   

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

1. This is the most effective system for learning Chinese characters that I have found.
   
   Why I recommend this book:
   
   1) Fully developed system for learning simplified characters
   
   Unlike other character learning books which try to shoe-horn the simplified characters into the semantics of the traditional ones, the memorization system in this book is rooted entirely in the simplified characters. I consider this a plus because I WANT to learn simplified characters.
   
   2) Very high retention of characters using the method in this book
   
   I must admit that when I first flipped through the book and saw the stories for each character I thought that memorizing a story for a character is more effort than simply memorizing the character...
   
   Now that I have been using this study method for a while, I have seen huge gains in character retention (compared to 'rote learning' or 'equation' methods I've tried in the past). Now when I see a complex character that I have not studied for a while, I can easily use this book's method to break it down into it's components. The story then pops back into my mind, and I've successfully recalled the meaning, tone, and pronunciation of the character.
   
   3) Easy to review
   
   The table of contents are laid out in such a way that they can be used to easily review all characters learned so far. There are also many 'review boxes' as you progress through the book to help reinforce previously learned characters.
   
   4) Basic radicals are illustrated to help you visualize them
   
   5) Introduces characters based on frequency AND builds-up on previously learned radicals/characters
   
   Most character books that order characters by frequency-of-use neglect to introduce the character's components first, making the learning process more difficult than it needs to be. This book makes sure to introduce all basic characters as they're needed AND introduce the characters based on the frequency-of-use.
   
   6) Introduces compounds which only use characters learned up to that point
   
   This allows you to start rapidly building up vocabulary using the characters you know. This also helps helps reinforce the characters.
   
   7) Includes ALL HSK Level A characters and compounds as well as additional useful character compounds.
   
   ------------------------------
   
   Things that could be improved:
   
   1) Some of the basic radical/characters do not have illustrations or suggestions to help memorize their shape. In these cases I dig up my set of Fun with Chinese Characters 1 (Straits Times Collection Vol. 1), Fun with Chinese Characters 2 (Straits Times Collection Vol. 2), and Fun with Chinese Characters 3 (Straits Times Collection Vol. 3) to fill in the gaps. Overall, only a small percentage of the radicals fall into this category.
   
   2) A review list for the introduced character compounds.
   
   ------------------------------
   
   I recommend using complementing this book with Tuttle Learner's Chinese English Dictionary (which covers all HSK Level A/B characters and vocabulary) which provides sample sentences and usage information for each character and compound introduced in this book.
   
   Eagerly awaiting Volume 2!



2. This book really works for me. For three years I have bought and studied flash cards and various books with hope of learning to recognize and remember Chinese characters with not much success. This book uses various mnemonic techniques coupled with brief stories sometimes with drawings based on the character.
   For example the character for "cup" is composed of the tree radical and the character for "not". In the book there is a drawing of a tree with a cup on it and a logger saying to his fellow logger, "NOT the TREE with the CUP". /The giant collects the sap from that one and to cook his BACON in." It seems sort of corny but since I read that "story" I have had no trouble remembering the character and it's pronunciation of bei1. The "giants" are always related to the first tone.
   It is not for everyone. I have shown this book to many fellow learners and some like me have been quite enthralled and others have turned their noses up and turned away.
   I hope that Volume 2 is published soon because I will buy it in a Flash.



3. I bought this book after looking at many "Learning Chinese" books. I bought it because I wanted to learn reading, writing, and pronunciation of Chinese. This is a formidable challenge starting from zero, but this book is very helpful. I would suggest supplementing the book with other Chinese instruction methods, particularly as they pertain to conversation, pronunciation, and grammar of the Chinese language. Consistent effort with the book has increased my Chinese vocabulary quickly.



4. I feel compelled to share that I think this is a reasonable and admirable effort, however the semantics of the characters are lacking in most instances, and the effort required to learn the stories can be counter-productive...
   
   I would actually recommend two key books: "The Chinese Characters - A Genealogy and Dictionary", and the DeFrancis Chinese Readers. The former provides a more thorough and accurate semantic definition of the characters (at the atomic and composite levels), whilst the latter will actually teach you to read Chinese Text in a logical and efficient manner.
   
   Both concentrate on traditional characters (with simplified supplement), which should hold you in good standing to then learn the simplified characters - which unfortunately have lost much of their beauty and meaning (but that's another story)!
   
   That being said, this book is interesting and I would consider buying a Volume Two if and when it becomes available.
   
   
   Good luck, and enjoy the fascinating journey of learning Chinese!



5. I took a Chinese course for a year in pinyin and I learned a lot of words, but I could never begin to learn any characters or read anything. I tried the workbooks where you write them over and over again and it was meaningless, it didn't stick. I found this book and immediately started learning them-it's like this method flipped a switch and suddenly they no longer looked like a jumble of lines. The first time I sat down to read it, I spent a half hour and learned 25 characters. The success right away made it really fun to study, now when I see characters I don't know I try to figure them out, I look for elements I have learned instead of feeling overwhelmed. I would recommend this book to anyone-casual learner or serious.

5 comments about The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition.

1. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the correct way to draw the human figure in an accurate and realistic way. I went to art school in the early eighties and was never taught this approach to drawing and now that I have read this book my life drawing skills have improved immensely.



2. The study of classical drawing of Old Masters is not only necessary step, but enjoyable touch to timeless magic of art.



3. I actually started out using the Bargue Drawing Course (invented in the 19th century) to learn classical drawing methods. This book is the PERFECT addendum for anyone that is trying to understand how to draw accurately from life. The Bargue Drawing Course is VERY light on technical tips (since it was intended for use in an atelier where a master could instruct the student on proper technique).
   
   Most drawing classes today emphasize gestural drawing and 'quick' drawing. These are very useful skills to have (no doubt!), but accuracy and good draftsmanship will never come from gestural and quick practice. Someone seeking to be well rounded in the technical aspects of drawing can do no better than with this book. Before exposure to this book my drawing was 'topped'.. this gave me the tools to take my drawing to the next level.



4. This is an excellent book. It takes a fresh look at teaching both beginners and experienced artists on his approach. It's very well written and easy to understand. This is one of the best art instruction books, if not the best, that I've ever worked with.



5. I got this book for my life drawing class and I really like this book. It does not teach anatomy or proportion. It shows the classical way of doing figure drawing and how to do finish rendering. It's more traditional approach and really helpful. I have learned a lot from it.

4 comments about Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project.

1. This book emphasizes how to produce botanical paintings, and it really succeeds there, with a profusion of color illustrations and explanations of color handling. There are also about 20 pages on pencil drawing.
   One thing I do object to is the total absence of pen and ink techniques. This book is described as the best and most complete course in botanical illustration ever produced, and yet this cannot be true without pen and ink techniques. The vast majority of botanical illustration - as opposed to botanical art - is published as black and white. (I am a published botanical illustrator, all of the publishers I worked with wanted ink illustrations, not pencil). If someone is hoping to use this book to help start their career, it is lacking. But if you are looking to start painting botanicals as I am, it is great.



2. Everything the first 2 reviewers stated is so very, very true. The only comments I can add are superlatives to what has already been written.Garden Eden : Masterpieces of Botanical Book Illustration



3. This book is a wonderous compilation of educational guidelines on producing artwork and properly representing the beauty and complexity of plants using pencil and watercolor media. It also could pass as a coffee table book as the images are incredible. I was immediately struck at the techniques covered as every art book should - recommendation on watercolor/paper/pencils to use, other tools needed, shading & highlighting, importance of representing the tiniest details, color development (e.g. how to make the right green - I loved that part), depth and so much more. In many ways I was reminded of my university art classes I took many years ago, but this book covers so much more than I garnered through formal education. Those that purchase the book for learning how to bring plants to life on paper or canvas should follow the educational component of the book from the beginning to the end in order to gain the most on how to illustrate plants. By following this method, each artist will definitely get what this book offers - and makes one wish they could take part of the art classes taught at the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK. I definitely wish I could do so!



4. This is an in depth clear book about the process of botanical illustration. Well written and great pictures. Recommend highly!

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 Pencil Drawing Techniques.

1. The book have techniques that I already knew but can be helpful if you are trying to learn



2. the book was in good condition when it arrived. And it helped me a lot



3. This is an excellent resource for beginning pencil drawers. I refer to it consistently and I highly recommend it. Definitely worth the money.



4. This was a gift for a person who had just started pencil drawing as a hobby. He declared it an excellent book with many good pointers.



5. It helped a bit, only in a way to be able to look at the photographs as reference WITHOUT ANY WAY OF KNOWING HOW TO DRAW THEM BEFORE I PROCEEDED!
   this book is pretty unorganized & gives half-way step-by-step looking illustrations, and the ONLY ONES are for the landscaping section in the book (which there is only about 4 pages total of them)! so, in this "book", you are pretty much to geuss for yourself to know what TO do & what you CAN do with the book!
   Also, the section that claims to focus on a portrait only gives one-paged illustrations "drawing a man", "drawing the eye", & "drawing a teenager", THAT'S IT!!!
   
   I now no longer a biginner, but this book barely helped me remove that title...
   
   So, what I'm trying to say is,
   if you are a biginner, DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, IT WILL NOT HELP YOU IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOOK TO LEARN FROM!
   but... if you are not, YOU SHOULD ONLY BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FEW REFERENCE DRAWINGS IN LANDSCAPE (which would probley be a waste of money, also).
   so if you want to buy $13 bucks worth of 8 or 9 pages in landscape reference drawings without knowing how to draw them first, then go ahead.

4 comments about Color Index 2: Over 1500 New Color Combinations. For Print and Web Media. CMYK and RGB Formulas..

1. This product is a jewel for all designers alike. It eliminates all some time in the theory period of designing and allows you to work.



2. I thought the book was a little whacked until I realized my monitor was out of calibration. I used the Eye-One Display 2 Monitor Calibrator to calibrate my monitor and now I am getting colors that are VERY close to the book.
   
   There isn't much to say about it except that is it very easy to use, very intuitive, and will have you making better color choices without having to learn one single thing about color theory. You can be completely color-theory illiterate and still make great choices using this book.
   
   In fact, you could be writing hex code for html on a monochrome monitor, while using this book, and still get it right!
   
   The book is split up into sections based on color. "Combination of blue hues" is the first section cluster. Within that section is "Blues + neighboring hues", "Blues + opposing hues", "Blues + neutral hues", and "Blues + black and tints of black." These section clusters continue for Reds, Violets, Orange, Yellow, and Greens. At the end you will find "Mixed combinations of Saturated Hues", "Mixed Combinations of Semi-muted Hues", "Mixed Combination of Neutrals and Muted Hues", Mixed Combination of Neutrals and Saturated Hues."
   
   I highly recommend this book, just be sure that your monitor is calibrated before you start complaining about the book's color numbers being wrong (like I initially did.)



3. This book is really helpful when you're stuck using the same color palettes over and over. His first book was good too, but this one is grouped by colors instead of being so random. It's a small book and great to have near computer for when you need a creative boost.



4. this book is FULL of color combinations to the point it may be borderline overwhelming. the CMYK formulas are extremely helpful and is a handy small book to jog your inspiration. the side of the book shows what colors are where so you can easily turn to the section of the book you need and flip along. if you do lots of graphic design, this is great to have within arms reach