5 comments about Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History.

1. The book was in very good condition and it came in very fast, within one week.



2. Maus is one of the captivating page turners I've every laid eyes upon. The story is Art Spiegelman the author writing his fathers tale and what exactly was involved in surviving the holocaust.



3. Art Spiegelman's critically-acclaimed graphic novel chronicles both his father Vladek's misadventures in Hitler's Europe and a rocky relationship between father and son. Depicting the Nazis as cats and the Jews as mice (and the Polish as pigs, a hot-button topic in an already controversial piece), Spiegelman's illustrations actually gives "Maus" the type of appeal that couldn't be achieved in any other medium except this one, as well as lure readers who wouldn't have picked up the comic otherwise. The story itself reels you in but "Prisoner on the Hell Planet," Spiegelman's comic-within-a-comic about his late mother, offers even more insight on Spiegelman and his family history despite its contrast with the main story. This is truly the stuff survival stories are made of.
   
   This comic is unrated: Violence, Adult Language, Adult Situations.



4. I really thought that in this point in my life I had learned all there was to know about the Holocaust. I've been to the museums, seen the movies, seen survivors speak, and studied the awful events in school. I didn't expect to gain a new sense of understanding from this survivors tale.
   
   Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History was a shocking, at times truly disturbing account of a family trying to survive day to day during the Holocaust. This is not a cut and dry tale, it is artfully told through a graphic novel.
   
   I went into this novel wondering "why mice?". As you can see from the cover, the center of the swastika is a cat face. Art Spiegelman has used symbolism to portray a cat and mouse game. The jews are all mice, forever foraging for food and shelter, trying to outsmart the cats that want noting more than to destroy them. The use of this idea in his artwork makes the novel that much more interesting.
   
   I imagine that I could learn something new each time I read this book. There is so much depth, and raw descriptions of what occurred to the authors father and his family. It goes one step deeper in showing how it has affected their lives beyond their time struggling to survive the Holocaust.
   
   A powerful and deeply affecting graphic novel that is an absolute must read.



5. When I was eight years old, this book was included in a Scholastic book order through my school. I was fascinated by WWII at the time, and had every kids book on it, so of course I wanted this one. I had no idea I was ordering a comic book, and when I finally held it in my hands I was mad that it was - up until that point, to me comic books were all shoot 'em ups and superheroes. This book proved me wrong, and started a lifelong love of comics. I'm now in college studying sequential art and plan on going to the field, so you can appreciate how much of a difference this book made to me.
   
   The overall Maus story is a back and forth between the present events of a young Jewish man and his difficult elderly father, and the father's life in WWII as a Jew. This first book - My Father Bleeds History - focuses on the family's relatively normal upscale life diminishing into their eventual going into hiding at the end of the book. It's a side that isn't as commonly told: the diminishing rights, the daily strain, the rumours of the horrible things that were going on, and even his life as a prisoner of war. These stories aren't as well-told in the media, and I really liked seeing them. As someone who was already well-versed in WWII history reading this, it helped me understand better how people could not realise what was actually going on, and that daily life still must continue in horrible situations.
   
   The art is stark, with thick black lines and a very sketchy feeling to it - this is very fitting for the dark story being told. Visually it's a little busy, and during my first reads I remember being occasionally confused and having to reread pages. Nothing too unforgivable or difficult, however!
   
   Like most graphic novels - it's a fairly quick read, it took me about two days to read it as a child, but now I can zip through them back to back in an hour or two. Yet they reread very well; I pick it up several times a year and my copy is quite well-worn.
   
   I would also recommend this to anyone with an appreciation for historical fiction, biographies, memoirs, or those interested in WWII. History is my favourite genre, and I fully believe this book stands strong right against some of the other classics illustrating the picture of that period. This is not only a great graphic novel, this is a great book.

5 comments about Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began.

1. This was an excellent book. I received the first one for Christmas, and completed it within a day.



2. It doesn't get any better than this.}
   It's almost beyond giving it a "review"....Both I and II are so important and so good. An honor to the six million and more.



3. Maus II is a great depiction of the Holocaust. It tells the second half of the story of Vladek Spiegelman and his journeys from Auschwitz to liberation through the Holocaust. The sequel gives more of an insight into the mind of Art Spiegelman as he records his father's stories. But part of what makes the Maus series so different from the rest of the books on the Holocaust is that these are not only the story but a comic book. In the graphic novel it's easy to pick up on the differences between father and son. It tells how the Holocaust and events surrounding the concentration camp shaped those that had to suffer through it all. Art realized the importance of his father, and learned to look through his father's seemingly selfish actions to understand that he was just trying to teach Art all he had to learn through his experiences. Vladek loves Art because through the Holocaust he came to realize that family is really the only thing a person has. He lost his money, he lost his job, and all he had that got him through the days was the thought of seeing Anja again. The thoughts of survival and perseverance were his only thoughts because of the truly horrific experiences he had to go through. In this tale of Art Spiegelman's survival, it gives readers an inside look at the Auschwitz death camp, the death marches, and life after liberation. Through this novel it is also shown the lasting effects the Holocaust had on the men and women who survived, the continual trouble it caused them. It was something they would never recover from, it affected their future children even. It is a tale of triumph, self discovery, and family.



4. The sequel to Maus I by Art Spiegelman definitely sustains the originality and ingeniousness present in the first portion of the series. Everything within Maus, from the images to the dialogue is profound. The anthropomorphic figures are present in the sequel as well and give the reader the opportunity to absorb the incomprehensible and gruesome events. The novel picks up with both Anja and Vladek Spiegelman standing at the gates of Auschwitz, unsure of the significance of their location. The struggle to avoid the crematorium, death by starvation, the bitter Nazi guards, and other horrific factors of concentration camps begins. Art chooses to emphasize the vitality of luck, resourcefulness, and will power in the survival of his father. The presence of these attributes in Vladek brings a hopeful light to the account, amidst the depressing reality of the situation. However, the present day account of Vladek that is given is much less flattering. He has become a racist, pragmatic, and bitter man, and people who can stand to be in the same vicinity as him come few and far between. Vladek may have physically survived the war, but the notable man he once was died in Auschwitz, according to Art. The bickering and disagreements between Art and Vladek persist throughout Maus II. Likewise, Vladek and Mala, the woman who he married after the death of his first wife, are constantly at odds and certainly go through their fair share of problems in the novel. It becomes clear that the coalition of Vladek's experiences and his demeanor in the last years of his life are directly related. For instance, Vladek's rule for Art to complete every part of his meal is a result of his experience with starvation and lack of food. Vladek remembers what it is to be starving and he does not believe in wasting food, at the expense of his son's emotions or not. Art begins to see this relation as he spends more time with his father. Just as Art would begin to sympathize with Vladek because of his experiences, Vladek would typically demolish Art's sympathy by his racist actions or combative moods. However, Art still retains feelings of pressure to properly convey his father's story. Both Art and Vladek struggle through coming to terms with the past in Maus II. Art realizes the extreme significance in retelling his father's account of survival, and he tries to make sense of the events. Yet, Art Spiegelman realizes that making sense of the Holocaust is impossible because it made no sense at all, there was no justification in it. Therefore, Art does not attempt to tell a moral in the end, he simply tells the story. Wisely, Spiegelman let history speak for itself once he had presented the facts.



5. This is a very good comic book regarding the Holocaust.
   
   It sounds like it would be weird but it is a very good series.
   
   Easy to read and well worth the short time.

5 comments about Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs).

1. a good intro on how to work with type and what mistakes to avoid when formatting type



2. This book talks about the history and elements of type. As a part-time designer I really enjoyed reading this book and learning about some of the creative people behind typefaces.



3. If you're looking for an instructional guide to typography, check out The Elements of Typographic Style or The Complete Manual of Typography. After revisiting this book, I've upped it to 4 stars, realizing that while it doesn't serve as a typographical reference, it is thought-provoking.
   
   This book, while it does contain some practical dos and don'ts, is more useful for: seeing good examples of interesting typography; learning a bit of history about typefaces, layout, and grid; and for learning about how typographical grids and other techniques apply to web design.
   
   I agree with some other reviewers that the design and layout of the book at times is overwrought, and distracts from the content. This is most evident in the first chapter, Letters, which I found very difficult to get through. However, the second (Text) and third (Grid) chapters aren't laid out so busily, and are much stronger.
   
   I wouldn't recommend this as a first or only book on typography, but is worth reading after more complete, nuts-and-bolts volumes.



4. After reading all the glittering reviews (and realizing that I could probably do with a little more typeface history and design knowledge), I purchased this book from Amazon. To be honest, I found the inside of the book to be laid out in a very ADD manner, with varying multi-colored, different-sized, intersecting sections of what-not COMPETING FOR ATTENTION. The information itself was good, but to be honest it was so badly laid out that it hindered me from reading any further, and had to force myself to read to the 20th page. As a Master's level Graphic Design student, I am APPALLED at the design or lack thereof of the pages of this book (with the exception of the cover), and even more shocked that this is considered one of the best typeface textbooks there is (and even more so that it was written by a PROFESSOR who is currently teaching in this field). There has to be a MUCH better and reader-friendly textbook on type out there.



5. Good learning material. I needed it for my class and i like the ease of reading it and the useful amount of knowledge it has. since i am a graphic design major, i found it helpful. Good condition when i bought it as well.

5 comments about Keys to Drawing.

1. The best drawing book out there! I recommend this one to all of my adult and teen students.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R27B82B4AIGAX3 Here's a pretty good book for anyone who's thinking of picking up drawing. Bert Dodson has written it in a crisp straightforward manner. The are 55 keys of drawing, introduced at a very comfortable pace. Alongside are 48 easy-to-follow lessons.
   
   The examples are all sketches from Bert Dodson, his students and selected pieces old art masters. They are all pretty sketchy but this book isn't about techniques on realistic drawings. It's also not about specific technical rendering techniques, although some are briefly introduced.
   
   This book is really about the approach to drawing, which aims at helping students tackle any subjects confidently.
   
   The principles are very similar to The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: A Course in Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidence. I prefer this book as the lessons are shorter but effective, and the book can be picked up at anytime after reading for some inspiration.
   
   This book is recommended to beginner artists.
   
   (More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)



3. I have purchased this book enthusiastically reading all the excellent reviews, and it is with mixed feelings that I write this review, since I was fooled by the good reviews which all lacked a neutral point of view. One thing that is crucial is do I want my drawing to be artistic, similar to painting, or do I want it to be illustrative, as in comic books? It is the difference between art and illustration. This is a book for illustrators, there is no doubt about it, and the author is an illustrator. This does not mean that the book is bad, but the book is a bad choice if you try to be an artist in the classical sense--it lacks information of the drawing's decomposition, upon making correct lines on the first try, detailed analysis on the changing of angles and on drawing the change, and it lacks the detailed discussion of the scope of the drawing tools, as would be needed for academic drawing. On the other hand, the author does not try to hide that this is a book on illustrating, and moreover that is a book mainly for beginners, so in a way my criticism is a bit unfair, since the ones to blame for the ill purchase I made of this book is not the author, but the reviewers.
   
   Anyone who draws for some time know not only how to draw with an HB and a 4B pencil, but also how to draw with a songle pencil on any surface, but this could be a better subject than simple perspectives.
   
   Or better to say, a book dealing with the analysis of the traces made by Escher or Kokoschka, i.e. what pencils did they use and how on which drawing would be more in the line of what I was looking for, and what the title suggested-- keys to drawing in my mind means tips on drawing, not drawing for beginners.
   
   This book offers none of that. In my opinion, a better title would be ''Illustration for beginners'' or something similar, and in that case I would give it five stars, but the title is too badly misleading,and most of the reviews do nothing to correct the wrong impression one could have, so my final verdict is three stars: one star down for the misleading title and one star down for taking in account only the illustration part of drawing



4. This book, is probably the best drawing book i've ever read. Not only does he cover so much, but Bert Dodson also goes into detail with out boring the reader to sleep (unlike drawing on the right side of the brain)
   If you used amazon.com's online reader and see some drawings that look childish inside, don't let those discourage you. I was discouraged by those and immediately saw a new light when I actually READ the book. Many books that have fanciful pictures haven't covered NEARLY as much as Bert Dodson's book. I am ordering his other book, Keys to Drawing with Imagination: Strategies and Exercises for Gaining Confidence and Enhancing Your Creativity
   
   Keys To drawing covers things like drawing what you See NOT WHAT YOU KNOW. Drawing from your mind or knowledge tends to be the problem with most people, it is not that they necessarily know that they are doing this because that is how the human mind is. It is by that, that we as humans think we can't draw. Because our minds dont take in as much information and detail about the subject as we think it does.
   It also covers things like restating, self critiquing, analyzing, the power of squinting to flatten objects around you, mapping, light sources, shadows, negative space, merging shapes, proportion and so on (all of which I thought weren't going to help me the least bit, but were actually the mistakes i made in drawing.
   
   Has anyone ever read those get rich quick books that always promise you that they know ways to make YOU rich, but always disappoint you anyway? Those people sell those books to you so that they could make more money, they don't have any wealth of information stored in them. Well, keys to drawing is definitely the opposite. He breaks the stuff down clearly and doesn't encourage you to draw one specific way or clone someone else's style of drawing. Some artists or authors have a hard time explaining themselves but him, oh he definitely knows what he's talking about.
   I'm only thirteen so please excuse the lame review and just hold my word to it. I drew little people who were far from realistic, but with this book, along with Carrie Stuart Parks books (Secrets to Realistic Drawing, Secrets To Drawing Realistic Children, Secrets to Drawing Realistic Faces) I can already see drastic differences. I would also recommend Lifelike Drawing with Lee Hammond. But lifelike drawings with lee hammond probably doesn't break it down as easy and have as much detail as Bert Dodson because she tried to squeeze so much things into the book without putting much detail for each subject.
   
   All in all i wish i could rate the book higher. I can not begin to describe how pleased i am with this book.
   P.S the book is about the size of a textbook with less pages. (REALLY BIG) and I got my own (new book btw) for a really low price because I don't buy from amazon, i buy from the sellers within the amazon website.



5. I love this book so much, that I recommend it to my friend and bought one for my grandkid who loves art.

5 comments about Building Construction Illustrated.

1. Smooth transaction and great price. The packaging, however, is a little too much. I am not really sure why a used book was shipped in a big box filled with bits and pieces of styro foams. It's a little messy.



2. Great book. Lots of good building info and the images help you really visualise the building process.



3. I got this to help with some of the harder construction code requirements. Handy book to have if you get a building code book and need a bit more explanation. For instance, I was looking at foundations - it illustrated different types of foundation systems, support systems, footings, walls, foundations on different kinds of grades, etc. If you are a visual learner, definitely a must.



4. I thought the book was the 4th edition as the thumbnail( cover illustration). I was made me misunderstood. When i got a book I was so upset because it turned out different edition. I got 2nd edition.
   
   I am so disappoint for buy stuff online. If you are not sure about the cover book's illustration, please write which edition is it.



5. I bought this as required text book for my Architectural Course at College, it has been very useful converting my UK Construction industry terminology into USA terminology, easily understood and so many illustrations, recommended !

5 comments about Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Animals.

1. My daughters loved Ed Emberley drawing books when they were younger. Now one is going to be a mother and requested this particular book for Christmas. She wants to decorate the nursery with Ed Emberley drawings. My other daughter still has one of his books and shared it with her sister--one condition--"I get it back".



2. Bought this book for my daughter - she loves it! Easy to follow on her own (she is only 5)!



3. My son just turned seven and really enjoys this book. He does enjoy How to Draw books in general, but he really liked this one a lot. The images are fun and Emberley breaks them down into very simple steps. This is an important concept for a child to grasp. Small doable steps can lead to something that may look impossible.



4. My 7 year old daughter had used a similar book by the same author at her school for Halloween. She asked if we could get another one of Ed Emberley's books and we picked the animals book. She was able to draw really great pictures of animals very easily, on her own. I highly recommend.



5. The book is great, my daughter loves it. It did take a long time to receive.

5 comments about PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives.

1. I loved reading other people's secrets and was amazed by how many emotions the random statements evoked.
   The secrets made me feel sadness, humour, pity, despair, disbelief and revulsion (the wife that puts boogers in her husband's soup when she is pissed off with him); as well as making me recognize myself and ponder my own untold secrets and the freedom of letting them go anonymously.
   I love the idea of gaining control over something by making it concrete and putting it outside of yourself.
   I think it is an absolutely wonderful and insightful project.



2. I absolutely adored this book! I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. I recommend this and other Frank Warren books to anyone that needs a small dose of humility.



3. This was the first used book I had ordered from amazon and I was a little nervous. But I was extremely happy with the quality of the product as well as how quick I got it.



4. If you're looking for a few entertaining, albeit clichéd anecdotes to read off to cornered house guests and family members, then this is the book for you. Post Secret is intentionally provocative in the worst kind of way. If a high school creative writing class was asked to do an anonymous project on Twitter, this would be the result. But even that hypothetical situation would probably produce more original, thoughtful commentary. While the presentation of the postcards and the overall design of the book are attractive, the content is transparent, predictable, and egocentric.
   
   The premise of the book is interesting. I love the idea of using anonymous confessions as a healing tool, but there is something fundamentally wrong with the execution of this book. Perhaps its the fact that when creator, Frank Warren encourages people to "Reveal anything," he actually means write something shocking. The majority of postcards published in this book contemplate regret, self-loathing, jealousy, lust, abuse, narcissism, hypocrisy, etc. The project allows participants to relieve themselves of guilt, even get a little attention for their ventures into the "taboo", but ultimately these words do not translate into real change. Readers and writers get to alleviate their guilt with the reassurance that everyone else is just as self-centered and insecure as themselves. No uncomfortable confrontations, no consequences, no responsibility towards anyone else. Any chance that the participants in this book are also Facebook addicts? This book can be considered very successful, if the goal is to feed our self-indulgent emotions or popularize suicide and abuse. No wonder postal workers are depressed. While I do see value in collaborative, forward-thinking writing projects that bring people together, I cannot help but feel that Post Secret represents a rather narrow socio-economic group. Did anyone notice that a lot of the handwriting looks the same?
   
   Kudos to those who got what they needed out of this project, but it makes me sick to think of the number of trees and paper wasted. They should have printed the Suicide Hotline number on every page. Instead, they placed it just above the publication information. Because readers always pay special attention to that page, right? This book makes me want to stick my head in the oven just so that I can forget that someone at Harper Collins actually published this.



5. Any absolutely amazing collection of people's inner thoughts and secrets, each submitted to the author on a post card. A great idea, and a great read. This book really makes you stop and think about the secrets in your own life, as well as wonder what inner secrets those around you have and never share.

5 comments about First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos.

1. Like any mom, I have days where I cannot for the life of me think of something new and interesting to do with my toddler. Always wanting to stimulate her growing mind in a playful way, I picked up this book. It has been a lifesaver for us! We have had so much fun with this book!
   
   Not only are the ideas in here lots of fun for the two of us, but they are also inexpensive and easy enough to do at home. They don't take a lot of supplies, and the books gives lots of variations to try with each 'recipe'. I love that I am able to make doughs and paints for my little girl to play with, just using items found around our house. The recipes have always been spot on as well. Not once have we mixed something up and thought it didnt turn out right.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone with a toddler, that is looking for more activities. Its great fun, written well, easy to use, and it lets your toddler begin to explore art! (as well as the world around them) I plan on picking up more of the authors books as my daughter gets older!



2. I love this book. I was looking for new things to try with my 2 year old and this book is perfect. There are a lot of things that were completely new to me (which is what I was looking for). My son loves all the different textures and most are super easy setup/clean up. I would give this as a gift to all toddler's parents.



3. This book is really inspiring. It's easy to use, the instructions are clear and the ingredients clearly laid out, so you know just what you need. It includes set up times, including what the grown up should do & what the child can help with.
   
   It comprehensively lists different media for craft activities. I have started collecting all kinds of things to be used in future art projects.
   
   It emphasizes that the process is important, rather than the end project - I like that. I have repeated the same activity a few times as my toddler seemed to enjoy it so much.
   
   My 2 and a half yr old boy has loved the things we've tried from it so far: different kinds of play dough & feely goop, collages, painting with different materials, sand drawing and more. I think we're both excited to try to more activities from this book.
   
   You do need to work out what you need in advance, so for some of the more complicated activities, I try them first myself, and set up during naptime, so we're all ready to have fun when he wakes up.



4. Most of the "recipes" are rather simple. Lots of focus on exploration of color, color movement, textures, building fine motor skills, etc. No grand works of art will likely emerge from this book, just a book of fun ideas to help little ones explore the simple wonders of the world they live in. Many of the projects call for ingredients that most of us have, such as kitchen and around the house items that many of us have or can borrow from friends. You'll have to buy paints and things like that, but that is part of the fun!



5. If you are familiar with making art, this book will give you some new ideas and ways to adapt materials and activities for a little one. If you are not familiar with making art, this book will help you get started with clear step-by-step instructions and tips. The activities are very creative and cover a range of developmental skill levels. My toddler and I are having a blast!

5 comments about Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking.

1. This classic is the FIRST BOOK every artist/creative must read and re-read when feeling off-center or blocked or being hindered from trying to begin their work.
   It strips away the theories and questions and critics and what-ifs and mind games, then lets you get:
   into the studio,
   in front of the keyboard,
   onto the practice floor,
   with your instrument,
   or to the script,
   and MAKE YOUR ART.
   Period.
   I give it away as gifts to young artists, and keep it handy for myself to become centered as I approach my work.



2. "To all artists, art is a verb" (pg 90).
   
   This book is absolutely fantastic! If you're stuck in a rut, have any self-doubt, or want to redefine/rediscover your artistic soul/self, this book is for you! I randomly picked this book off the shelf at Boarders (Art and Architecture section) and sat there for 3 hours reading it. Art & Fear reassures the artist about being an artist and dives into the psyche of every one who creates. It brings to light those little voices in your head that hold you back from creating art. Those voices are subtle and natural among all human being which makes them very easy to overlook. This book makes you aware of the fears that hold us back from making art, helps you look within yourself and realized that those fears are minute and unnecessary.
   
   Art & Fear is very well written -clear, concise, and to the point with LOTS of great quotes. The take-home message (for me) is very simple, "Your job (as an artist) is to learn to work on your work...You learn how to make your work by making your work"(pg 5). You have to constantly be creating and making so you can refine you process. It's all a learning process -you can't make good art with out making bad art, so don't be discourage by making stuff you are may not be proud of.
   
   All in all, I recommend this book to all artists. Personally, this book just makes me feel good about being an artist. It's so incredibly reassuring: "To make art is to sing with the human voice. To do this you must first learn that the only voice you need is the voice you already have" (pg 117). I would love to leave you with the final passage from the book, but I won't because it's worth reading yourself after going through the journey of reading the entire book. This is a feel-good book that will motivate you to reexamine who you are.
   
   Good luck with all your arting!



3. I first checked this book out at the library when J.Scott Campbell recommended it on an Artcast. I loved it so much I bought my own copy so I could highlight in it and read it whenever I want. I think every artist should read this. It helped me understand my fears and concerns about making art.



4. A very thoughtfull and revealing look at what can happen not only in the psyche of an artist, but anyone who is passionate about his/her work or profession.



5. I thought I was alone in the world of art, fearing being not too good, comparing constantly with others, and not knowing if there were other artists that felt like me. Well, since the first page I felt like if this book was talking personally to me.
   Not only amateur artists fear being not too good, compare to other artists, and try to fit their art to what they think others may like, but even succesful artists all around the world have the same feelings.
   Your thoughts are always ahead of the creative work. In your mind your picture is already finished, and when you notice what you are creating isn't exactly what you envision, delusion appears. This book teaches you how that happens to EVERYBODY, how you must be true to your art, and how to accept your achievements.
   
   In a word: this book has helped me greatly. It is a must.

5 comments about Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes: Volume 1: The Walt Stanchfield Lectures.

1. This book is better than I expected. It's a very big book full of amazing tips for animators at any level of knowledge. The way it explains how you can give life and shape to characters is very simple and efficient, it can be used for animators, illustrators and character designers. I bought the two volumes and they are both really helpful.



2. Stanchfield's voice is so clear in his writing, you get the sense of his passion for the art, and his desire to teach and inspire the next generation of animators as if you were one of his students. His writing ranges the philosophical discussion of what it means to be an artist (animator) and it's place in society, to very specific instruction on what to draw and why. You should read this. Animators in any style should read this.



3. This book is a real wonder of the animation art. Deep knowledge of how to bring our drawings & sketches to life. A must have/read/enjoy book for sure!



4. I really enjoy this book, I find it great for beginners. He bashes into your brain the need for gesture and exaggeration. I found it repetitive... and at times some pages were repeated. I like the repetition because he really tattoos on your brain gesture drawing. I had a hard time getting through the 2nd volume... so repetitive. I also enjoyed his spiritual approach, and really shows you that to draw, you must love it with all your being.



5. Drawn to Life, Volume 1 is an excellent book for aspiring animators and artists who want to improve their craft and take their work to the next level. Walt Stanchfield was an incredibly influential animator and instructor at Disney Animation. His conversational notes have been passed on from animator to animator for over 30 years. With this volume, artists the word over can now benefit from his wealth of knowledge.
   
   He breadth of topics covered include major sections covering:
   
   The Principles of Animation
   
   Anatomy vs Gesture
   
   Seeing (observation and 'talking' to your audience through drawing)
   
   Action Analysis (Angles and tension, "essence" drawings)
   
   Creativity - going beyond the gesture
   
   Thinking - inspirational words of wisdom for artists
   
   This book is all meat, no filler. Be aware, it is NOT a paint-by-numbers book on how to draw. Walt's lectures provide a lot of food for thought for artists - it's a treasure trove of valuable information for students, teachers, and anyone who loves to draw. Reading this book, you will learn about drawing for animation, motion, acting, and the core of underlying animation principles. Walt's lectures are the quintessential refresher course for fine artists, sequential artists and film professionals.
   
   I am incredibly fortunate to have a copy of this book. It is written in a very conversational, and often times, humorous tone. There are several pictures and Walt's illustrations interspersed throughout the text, to clarify the author's talking points, but potential readers should bear in mind that this is primarily a text-heavy book.
   
   "Drawn to Life" is excellent for anyone who has a serious interest in drawing. You do not need to be in animation to appreciate the wealth of techniques and words of wisdom that are in within this book. Highly recommended for the serious artist. Highly recommended.