No comments about Drawing And Learning About Fashion (Sketch It!).

1 comments about Dolly Mama Beads.

1. This is a wonderful, colorful, idea book. The designs are amazing, and easy to follow. If I was not a crafter I would still buy this book just to have it for the amazing, whimsical, and clever material. Easy to follow, and I am now starting on my next project from the book. I would love to meet the author; she must be a hoot.

4 comments about Too Fast For Love: Heavy Metal Portraits.

1. Don't be fooled by the title of this book, the only "Heavy Metal Portraits" here are of the fans. There's not a rock star in sight. The closest you'll get are 2 KISS fans in full Destroyer-era regalia. The amusement factor is high though as it's amazing that these people would not only step out of the house looking like this but would put themselves on public display at a concert. Most of the women here look like they have more testosterone then the men. Be sure to check out the 2 page spread of the guy advertising 9 inches of imagination who only needs a moustache to double for Carl on ATHF. Caveat emptor indeed.



2. I feel like people in reviews have been a little harsh on this book. Yeah, I could go to a show and see some of the same crowd that's pictured in this book. But I am not going to see every sweet detail like the Black Hills Gold Jewelry and the awful fake nails and the hideous tattoos. It makes me glad that the tattoos I started getting 15 years ago aren't as bad as they could be. I can flip through this book and stare. I'm not going to trail someone at a show and do that. And I can show my friends the really awesome pictures that no verbal discription could do justice. But the coolest thing is that I feel connected to these people (I just have better hair and fashion sense and....). I mean, we go to the same shows. I just won't make any photo books for looking fabulously hessian. I recommend this book. If you're a butt rocker at heart, you've got to love it.



3. This is a classic case of a picture is worth a thousand words. Each person you see has a story that you come up with in your own mind. My particular favorite is the guy with the tee shirt that says, "Chicks dig scrawny white guys." It's also impressive to think that may of the ladies spent lots of time to make themselves look the way they appear in the book. Not so much for the guys. Some ink, torn up jeans, Marlboro Reds and a torn concert tee and you're ready to rock.



4. This book was a total waste of money. Unless you were in this book or know somebody in this book don't waste your money. Spend your money on a concert ticket and you'll see everything in the book.

4 comments about 100 Boots: By Eleanor Antin ; Introduction by Henry Sayre.

1. I found this book on sale in a New Jersey mall. It doesn't belong on a sale rack! What a funny and inspiring book. It got me back taking pictures after a too-long hiatus. Highly recommended for anyone with a quirky sense of humor.



2. I found this book on sale in a New Jersey mall. It doesn't belong on a sale rack! What a funny and inspiring book. It got me back taking pictures after a too-long hiatus. Highly recommended for anyone with a quirky sense of humor.



3. While taking a photography course at my school, I stumbled across this book in the bookstore. The idea of taking a series of photos of 100 boots and then mailing them as postcards appealed to me immensely, even though i was not alive at the time of of the postcards. Not only do the 100 boots tell a story through pictures, the photos themselves are wonderful works of art. Definitely buy this book.



4. I remember Antin's postcards and am so thrilled to see them collected in book form! Her work was considered revolutionary at the time, and it's a great pleasure to own such an elegant reproduction of the entire series.

5 comments about New Directions In Jewellery.

1. This is not jewellery for the masses. It's art jewellery, featuring alternative materials, strange forms, and with no guarantee of wearability. Think: 'contemporary body adornment' rather than anything you could buy in a store. Sure, a lot of it is highly impractical - it's art, it's not supposed to be practical. If you're interested in seeing where jewellery's been headed for the past decade, this will get you up to speed, and the small essays about each artist give valuable background information, as well as starting points for future research. A definite yes for jewellery students, or anyone interested in contemporary art.



2. As the title says, this book is about "New Directions", which loosely translates to High End, Over the top designs. If you are into contemporary designs, a student of Jewellery design (high end not a bead stringer!), then you will love this book, it is inspirational with at least 80% of the book. The other 20% is just plain silly. It is not jewellery, it is more a garment or sculpture. Probably only 50% of the pieces shown could be worn in every day use, the rest is destined for a catwalk exhibition or gallery. If you are not in the above category you will hate this book, plain and simple and probably wish you had purchased something else.



3. Over 80 jewelry makers who are creating radical new designs, blending textiles with sculpture, are changing the way jewelry is made and presented, and NEW DIRECTIONS IN JEWELLERY discusses these changes in essays which profile artists and their approaches. Distinguishing design paths, examples of various designs which defy the usual geometric and material choices, and commentary on artist and fashion statements make NEW DIRECTIONS IN JEWELLERY an excellent survey of the latest trends in style and jewelry creation. Informed and informative, NEW DIRECTIONS IN JEWELLERY is a 'must' for any college-level or professional reference collection strong in modern art and jewelry.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. I am a BFA student majoring in Metalsmithing and Jewelry and I really found this book helpful. The essays in the beginning are very clear, inspiring, and have given me a new understanding and appreciation for jewelry as a fine art practice. This book is not for the reader interested in jewelry as the mass produced, shiny, practical or trendily designed piece, or for the reader who is interested in metalsmithing techniques, but for the reader who is an artist interested in jewelry as an avenue for creativity and personal development. The book contains many contemporary pieces, their descriptions, and artist biographies in the back with a good balance of the different directions art jewelry is heading today. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Metalsmithing and Jewelry as a major, anyone currently in that major, or any artist interested in jewelry.



5. I am a jewelry designer myself and it often inspires me when I see interesting jewelry by other artists. My work is sometimes considered to be a bit out there, but definitely wearable. So photos are important to me, not prose. The first part of this book is essays which may please others but not me. The rest of the book is indeed photos, but most of the work isn't wearable and much of it isn't interesting to me. Much of it is more art, less jewelry. Lots of it was tacky-looking, in my opinion. I often get inspiration from all kinds of non-jewelry things; nature, fabrics, clothing, shapes, materials. These pieces didn't do anything for me. I was really disappointed.

3 comments about David LaChapelle.

1. This is a gem of a photographic exhibition catalogue. There was only one thing that bothered me about the beautifully done book. It was too small and there is a lot going on in many of LaChapelle's photographs, which was difficult to see because of the volume's 5 1/4 by 7 1/2 inch format. The brief introduction by the curator Davide Faccioli was printed in large type so it was easy to read in either English or Italian, but when the reader turned to the last few pages of the book where the captions and photo titles were printed, it was time to get out the magnifying glass in order to read the 1/16h of an inch high text. And the reader definitely wanted to read that material if only to find out whom the subject of the portrait was. Some of the celebrities have never looked better.
   Man Ray and Salvador Dali would have been jealous of this collection while at the same time loving them. They are surreal fantasy scenes and visual puns containing both slapstick and biting humor. LaChapelle takes the traditional approach to people, products and ideas and turns them inside out. One of my favorites from this collection was entitled `Make-Over, Surgery Story, New York, 1997." That shows two topless models in a doctor's office after plastic surgery. One model is black and the other is white. Their heads have been switched to the other model's body. Huge Frankenstein-like stitches accent the surgery that took place. The expressions of the two face and head-switched patients are priceless.
   Most of these celebrity portraits are part of much larger fantasy sets. The sets and picture environments are worthy of an Oscar Winning Hollywood Set Designer. They are wonderful and the photographs would still be wonderful even if the human subject of the portrait weren't famous. Tommy Lee is shown sitting in his living room with the rest of his family in 1999. Everyone in the photo is nude including his Mother who is in a wheelchair and wearing an oxygen mask. Madonna floats in a sea of purple fog with a fire-breathing dragon for company--that's the book's cover photo as well. The material girl is a mysterious sexy Siren beckoning the unwary to come closer.
   One visual pun was entitled "The Morning After" and shows a semi-clad woman just waking up from a rough night in which the entire world around her was destroyed. A similar photo is entitled "Mama Smoked A Crack Pipe and Wore Fancy Shoes, Las Angles, 2000." In the latter picture Mama must have burned the house down because only her gold shoes still remain in the fire-gutted bedroom.
   This fanciful collection of 37 color photographs was from the 2001 one-man exhibition at Milan's "Photology" gallery. In his many later book-length photo essays, the small format was replaced by coffee-table book formats that allow the interested viewer to better see and enjoy the photographs. There is no doubt that David LaChapelle is one of the most creative commercial photographers in the business. And he appears to be having a good time with his celebrity portraits. His portrait subjects are obviously having a blast as well.
   This is a fun book that will have the reader both wondering how the photographer got his subjects to cooperate in such silly nonsense and at the same time giggling at the results.



2. The pix are (as one would expect from LaChapelle) amazing. Visually intriguing, vibrant, eye catching, and entertaining, the book was a great purchase, but it does fall short on quantity. I gave it as a Christmas gift and my recipient paged thru the whole thing standing by the fireplace immediately after opening. Be prepared to greatly enjoy it and be disappointed at the same time. Or at least in a very short span of time.



3. David LaChapelle goes beyond images. His work transports you to another realm where there are no boundaries, no guilt, and no limits. His imagination is captivating bringing life and new adventures with each photograph. I love his work because it rocks the boat. The super high quality images are an unbinding, mesmerizing and absolutely inspiring. His creativity is so multi-dimensional, and multi-faceted. This is no ordinary artist. His work will take you on an extraordinary adventure with every page and image. Simply outstanding!

5 comments about Victorian Fashion in America: 264 Vintage Photographs (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. I will enjoy looking through this book endlessly, but I actually prefer sketches to actual photos because the detailing is much clearer. I good book added to my library.



2. This book is chock full of photos and information...I was a bit disappointed in the quality of the images though. I understand that the original photos are old, but I think the print quality in the reproduction on the publishing end might have been better. Fine if info only is what you are looking for, but if you are making copies to include in a project...don't expect too much.



3. I liked this book because, although it is mostly studio portriats of Victorians, they are often in everyday dress. If you like old photographs, you like this book, and if your looking for some 'design' elements for historic costumes then you'll love this book.



4. Costume resources from this period tend towards drawings from period magazines, and use highly stylized model forms. This great collection of pictures shows a wide range of people, in a fairly wide range of clothing types. The limitations of period phots are that the clothing is almost always the fanciest outfits the person owns, and does not reflect day to day wear. Other photos are clearly theatrical costume, but the author has clearly identified them as such, even where the oroginal information is missing.
   
   As with any black and white source, colors are left to your imagination, but the details of finsh and construction that can be gleaned from the photos makes this a necessary tool in researching clothing of this era. Teamed with a Harper's Bazaar drawing reference, and an accessory reference, and you are ready to start making your own victorian clothing!



5. Kristina Harris won my applause in her introduction, where she says that knowledge of costume AND knowledge of photographic processes must be used together for maximum accuracy in dating pictures. Seems obvious, but the obvious is seldom stated. She is certainly well-schooled in both fashion and photography. However, neophytes will find it difficult if not impossible to recognize each photographic process even with the best of written descriptions. This skill is attained through experience.
   
   Readers may also be in danger of inaccurate dating if they take the guidelines provided in this book too literally. For instance, the popularity of carte-de-visite photographs may have peaked in the 1860s in Philadelphia, but they do not even appear until 1869 in frontier areas and are certainly more typical of the 1870's in Ontario.
   
   The chief strength of this book as a resource is in the captions to the illustrations, which include the name and location of the photographer, the photographic format, the name of the sitter(s) if available as well as a few comments to indicate significant aspects of the costume. We don't have to jump to endnotes: the information is right there. Bravo!
   
   Harris also knows to use "circa" (c.) to indicate that the date is a best guess. --And therein lies a weakness. This is yet another work in which photographs have been chosen to illustrate a history, as opposed to basing history on dated photographs as documentary evidence.
   
   The warning that dates written on backs of photographs are "frequently added long after the photograph was taken" disquieted me. Although Harris is absolutely correct to warn us never to make assumptions, I worry that beginners will devalue what might be critical evidence. The fact is that folks often wore out-of-date or very personal choices in dress and that 'questionable' date may turn out to be right.
   
   I gave this book three stars out of five for the above reasons, and because it is neither indexed nor sourced. An index based on photographer/city/sitter would have been very useful, and there is no bibliography.

No comments about Hats in Vogue Since 1910.

2 comments about The T-Shirt Book.

1. My friend and I are starting a tshirt company and the T-Shirt book has been a terrific reference and resource for us. It's filled with a variety of styles and ideas to get your creative juices going. love it!



2. Very disapointing book, very little in the way of in depth design research. More of a novelty item, coffee table book than a useful referance guide. Like so many design books, a great concept that does not deliver.

No comments about A Passion for Stilettos.