1 comments about Better Than The Real Thing.

1. In one word, Outstanding!!!! Highly recommend for anyone's collection who loves perfection in art. Very much worth the cost and you will not be disappointed.

No comments about Illuminating Video: An Essential Guide to Video Art.

5 comments about Beginner's Guide to Community-Based Arts.

1. I love this book.
   (Of course, I read all the Keith Knight cartoons first, then went back and read the book.)
   
   Lots of good information here. It's a wonderful resource in these times of massive budget cuts for the arts.
   The lesson is: DO IT YOURSELF (but get help!)
   
   This book will get you started, and teach you to allocate the few available resources and align with like-minded activist folks to get the job done.
   
   Should be required reading in every high school and college.



2. This book is wonderful; it's accessible, fresh, and inspiring. Its playful tone will appeal to young adult audiences. The illustrations are dynamic, the language is clear, and the structure is elegant.
   
   Having taught reading and literacy for many years, I am suspicious of books that teach "methods." (There is always a new method or 'miracle program' out there being foisted on teachers.) Methods almost always become stale and tired and eventually end up constricting learners and teachers. What I like about the Beginner's Guide is that in lieu of a "method" the authors present a sound philosophy in which they make a connection between art and community. This is presented in a charming and informal manner and without needless complication or fuss. The authors' philosophy seems to be based on common sense, a deep feeling for humanity, and an understanding of art as a vital expression of that humanity.
   
   The authors present their ideas in a clear and simple framework that can be used by artists, art students, and community members in any number of situations and for any number of purposes. It's difficult to imagine such a process becoming 'stale'; what you can do with this book is only limited by the energy and imagination of your community.



3. Great stories that provide models for meanigful arts programs. One reviewer here on amazon referred to the book being political and not arts centered. I found that to be way off base. What I got from the book is how art becomes a reponse to the struggles of different communities, and in turn helps to address those challenges. So, art is both an end in itself as well as a tool for articulating and facing the world. The drawings and the approach itself is grounded in how art is practiced with everybody, how art is powerful for everybody to engage in (not just those who get to call themselves "artists' and lead the "artistic life" of writing grants to arts councils). Keith Knight's comics in particular rock!



4. "Community Based Arts" is new slang. It basically means, how to get someone who is so far outside the political realm of reasonableness to be politically influencial by using art as the method of empowerment. Art? Not important. Political impowerment..according to the general message of this book is important. It really goes into the face of what art is, and has been for a millenia.
   
   Make no mistake about it. Schwarzman is a political activist that does not understand art, nor does he have a background in art.
   
   This book is NOT for artists that want to learn how to write grants, because there is NO practical information about how to do anything except to teach non-artists about using their political beliefs to be artistically inspired.
   
   If you are an artist and you need some REAL advice about how to get work and survive, then I'd go to the local arts council or to the web to other professionally oriented resources.
   
   If you are an artist and you need to seek new sources of inspiration then you should read Robert Henri's book The Art Spirit, published in 1923. It's a beautiful book, and it has inspired artists of many mediums since its publication.



5. This book can be used to formulate a grant, jazz up the funders, get students to learn about community work through comics, to teach college art students how to get out and get to work. I am so excited about this book because of how it outlines and lays out in simple forms the organizing process. They want you to be able to repoduce the processes. It's not high falutin art or theory gobbldigook. It is, on the other hand, a highly engaging funny cool and groundbreaking book about art. Comics of real artists doing real art. Great for artists, teachers, organizers, and people who work for social change.

2 comments about Sketchbook-Hunter Green Spiral Bound-Landscape Format, 10x7.

1. The size and design of this sketchbook is perfect for tossing into the back of your car or truck, tucking into a tote bag, or slipping into an oversized purse. It also lends itself well to an illustrated journal, which is why I bought it for myself... two, in fact, as I'm sure I need to practice and polish very rusty sketching skills! Affordable, portable and (I'd think) giftable, though not recommended for water color. It's a sketchbook with pages that will not take much moisture (even dry brush), and I don't think Prismacolor markers would work either, as the colors would definately bleed. For colored pencil, charcoal, graphite or pastel pencils, though, it should be perfect!



2. Sketchbook is priced well and also has a cover that self-supports. No need for travel desk or other support.

5 comments about Airbrushing (Artist's Library series #09).

1. I've read seven airbrush books in the 4 and 5 star range. This was book number seven and by far the best book on simple airbrushing techniques. The frisket cutting and blending exercises are precise and inexpensive to reproduce. Getting into airbrushing is expensive and it is difficult to find classes or good books. This book will get you started on airbrush painting technique in an hour or two of reading time. Sometimes the cheapest book is the best!



2. I studied technical illustration many years ago and wanted to try airbrushing as a hobby. I think that this book covers the basics well and provides useful exercises with emphasis on the shading of objects. Well worth the price.



3. I love this book and i'm in airbrushing schoo



4. I love this book and i'm in airbrushing schoo



5. I love this book and i'm in airbrushing schoo

5 comments about Digital Manga Workshop: An Artist's Guide to Creating Manga Illustrations on Your Computer.

1. Don't let the title fool you.
   
   While the subject matter covered within the book is aimed at "Manga" based characters, there is a lot of great information contained within that can be easily applied to ALL cartoonists seeking enlightenment on using digital techniques to create their work.
   
   The book covers many subjects, including the required tools (hardware and software), the pros and cons of digital drawing vs. analog, and, of course, useful techniques for scanning, inking and coloring your work. There are many color examples to look at and study, and the text is easy to read and digest - making it a great book for younger artists.
   
   Experienced traditional artists who are considering digital workflows should also consider this book. The nuts and bolts of getting started are sure to get any artist quickly up to speed.
   
   Many of the techniques are presented using both Photoshop and Corel Painter, so if you have one or the other, you should be able to progress through the techniques with no problem.
   
   I highly recommend this book for artists young and old who wish to learn more about creating their work digitally - whether its in the Manga style or not.



2. When I first got Photoshop, intent on learning how to color my drawings in that comic book style, I didn't know where to start. So, I started surfing Amazon for computer coloring books, and bought a few. Some of them were good, some just plain awful, but of all of the ones I bought, this is certainly the best.
   
   "Digital Manga Workshop" is an excellent introduction for amateurs looking to get their work colored via computer. It provides handy, step-by-step guides on the process, and is extremely useful. Even the novice Photoshop user (much of the book focuses on the use of Photoshop, much to my delight) will have no trouble following their instructions. I cannot recommend this highly enough.



3. As many have already stated, this book has little to specifically to do with manga. I personally think the title and drawing style were probably chosen to be more catchy and specific than just "digital coloring." There's no shortage of digital artwork out there that has nothing to do with manga or anime style, and this book is relevant to anyone wanting to learn to color their artwork digitally, regardless of how it's drawn.
   
   Whereas many web coloring tutorials are either very locked in about techinque or horrendously general, Digital Manga Workshop covers several specific options. It shows not just how to color in the typical cel style of a lot of digital artwork, but also airbrush, painting and watercolor styles as well.
   
   The book gives instruction in both Photoshop and Painter depending on which is best suited for the style being covered and even offer some low-to-no cost alternatives to those programs.
   
   The book also covers the important step before and after the coloring process, such as scanning and digitally inking drawings so you have god base to start with, and export so all your hard work doesn't end up as a blotchy web graphic.
   
   Digital Manga Workshop definitely isn't the be all/end all book of digital coloring, but considering the wealth of information covered for such a low price, it's surely a worthwhile book to have around



4. I wish I could give this book a good review. Unfortunately, I can't. The title is very misleading. If you expect this book to teach you how to draw manga images digitally (as I did), you will be very disappointed. 99.9% of all manga images are black and white, and use frames, speech bubbles with text, sound effects, black and white line effects, and tones (black and white patterns that read as gray when printed). This book does NOT cover any of this.
   
   It also contains some ludicrously incorrect information. For instance, it says that unlike American comics (where you have a penciler, inker, and letterer), Japanese artists do everything themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth, as any interview with a mangaka (Japanese manga artist) or perusal of the copyright page will tell you. In fact, most manga are created by a primary artist and several assistants.
   
   Here's an even worse example. In the introduction to digital inking, they say, "In manga-style artwork, inked lines are usually contour lines...the linework of a character's hand would depict the outline of the fingers, but wouldn't show shading, wrinkles, or folds in the skin. It is up to the colors to show depth and texture." Um, except, manga is published exclusively IN BLACK AND WHITE. There are no colors! Have they ever read a manga? My mind boggles. Pick up any manga and open it and you will see for yourself. They go on to say, that "inking techniques such as hatching, stippling, and spotting black...are atypical in manga style art, but can be employed for stylistic purposes to achieve a distintice look."
   
   This would be news to CLAMP, the studio that created many manga bestsellers, who are famous for their beautiful black and white line work. Or to, well, any of the mangakas, really.
   
   This book teaches very basic color, digital techniques in anime `cel' style. It focuses on Photoshop and Painter, and ignores Illustrator and the manga-specific software (such as ComicWorks and Manga Studio) completely. They don't even cover the fact that most Japanese mangakas as well as most American digital art, is done on the Mac platform.
   
   I gave it two stars because it does teach some simple techniques to create layered, color digital art, but these techniques are better covered in the many free online tutorials available on the web or in other, more comprehensive art technique books.



5. I love this book, I picked it up after I saw the interview on G4tv and fell in love with it. My art has expanded so much since I read this book. I've been thinking about using my computer for my art for a long time and when I saw this I said to myself " wow this was just what I'm lloking for." If you even think you would enjoy this style of art I highly recommend this book.

No comments about Adventures in the Human Spirit (3rd Edition).

5 comments about Draping for Apparel Design.

1. it's required txet book for our college.
   it's readable and understandable easily.
   if you are a serious learner in this field, it's the one for you.



2. Excellent book about drapping and worth to buy especially for the beginner who learn how to modify your basic pattern, it would be better if in the next edition shown how to modify the pattern more specifically, with measurement sample.



3. I wanted to wean myself off dependency on commercial patterns and having invested in a dress form, I came across this book. It's a bit pricey but it turns out that it's a fashion school text book, hence the price tag. The text is very well-written and illustrated. The author has the reader analyze a fashion drawing, and identify the structural components of a particular garment as most embellishments can be broken down to basic components (i.e. dart excesses).
   
   My only peeve was that some definitions for terms I wasn't familiar with (e.g. Princess Line) couldn't be found in the back of the book. Also, not all the formats seen in fashion are portrayed in this book. Most, if not all, garment examples have a waist or empire seam, and designed for woven fabrics (no knits); and as far as I can tell, the author doesn't direct the reader/student on how to accomodate for that. However, I am happy that there is a section on bias-cut gowns (the info. is very hard to come by on the Net) As a self-taught sewer and wanna-be designer, this book will definitely help me to go to further.



4. A detailed, step by step guide for designing using the drape method. Easy to understand and also inspiriing. I wanted a way to create the designs I had in my head. This makes it so much clearer. A great resource to have.



5. This book is so beautifully illustrated, you hardly need to read a line. To me, draping is the most rewarding method of apparel design, in that what you see is what you get -- no sketching, drafting, sewing up a muslin, and then seeing the results. That is why I find this book to be the best of all popular draping texts on the market today. The instructions are clear, the book itself is clean and well laid out. The illustrations are flawless. You can follow the drawings and easily achieve the same results. There is so much clarity in the way the material is presented, it's easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to learn from. The quality of this book is similar to her pattern drafting book. I would recommend any book authored by Helen Joseph-Armstrong, as you will certainly get the best book on the subject. This book is absolutely delightful.

1 comments about Riviera Cocktail.

1. This is a very unique, well produced coffee table book / gift. Definitely for someone who enjoys fine arts and nostalgia.

5 comments about John Singer Sargent.

1. I bought this book on sale at a book store for less that ten dollars. The illustrations are far larger and better than in the sixty dollar books on Sargent I've bought.



2. This book accompanied an international exhibit traveling from the Tate Gallery, London, to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and finally to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Edited by Richard Ormond (the artist's great nephew and Director of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) and Elaine Kilmurray (author of catalogue raisonne of Sargent's work), the book encompasses the breadth of Sargent's work as an artist.
   I used this book as a reference while reading the biography "John Singer Sargent: His Portrait" by Stanley Olson. This is a comprehensive collection of Sargent's art from his early works including The Oyster Gatherers of Cancale to later works such as the painting Gassed (a monumental canvas done for the British War Memorial Committee of the Ministry of Information).
   As represented by this book, Sargent was much more than only a portraitist. "He was not a portrait painter who practiced as a muralist and landscapist on the side, he was all three in equal measure, and he gave to each in succession his undivided attention." The book includes: many of his Venetian hours (Venise par temps gris and An Interior in Venice), Paris and the Salon (the painting of Carolus-Duran at whose atelier he studied), and the Madame Gautreau debacle (the painting Madame X). It continues with Sargent reinventing himself in England with the painting Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, which was a success when exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. It follows with portraiture--many Victorian characters such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Henry James, and "a gallery of Edwardian personalities." Later chapters include the Murals at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Boston Public Library (definitive works as an artist), and Sargent the Watercolourist, especially Venetian watercolors (perpetual architecture, perpetual fluidity).
   Sargent's art is a unique blend of realism and impressionism. "His pictures do not dissolve into skeins of color like those of Monet or Renoir because his instinct for defining forms and constructing spaces is too ingrained." For anyone who wants to see as Sargent sees, this is the book to have. Next best thing to viewing the exhibit.



3. First off, you will never be satisfied with any reproduction compared to the original painting. Sargent's paintings in the MFA in Boston looks like the paint was laid yesterday. But I have seen several reproductions of this work, the originals in the MFA and MOMA in NY, and of all the major books I have seen, this has the most disappointing reproductions. The colors seem muted and flat.
   On the other hand, the information on each painting is great, and for specific info on his works in a one volume set, this can't be beat.



4. I have no idea what the others are complaining about. I compared this Sargent book side by side at a book store with other published Sargent books, and this one had the best reproduction by far. It is even better than "John Singer Sargent : The Early Portraits (The Complete Paintings , Vol 1)", which is by the same author and editor as this one. Make no mistake, this is the best book so far I've seen on Sargent. I'm not concerned about the writing since I'm a fan of Sargent because I'm a painter, and he's one of the best there ever was. Sure I'd read the text, but it's not nearly as important as the reproductions of his paintings. It's all about the paintings, and he is an artist. That's all that matters.



5. I saw this exhibit at the Tate Gallery, London. The exhibit was terrific, though something seemed lacking in the over all presentation. Sargent is one overlooked watercolorist. He is one of the greatest, on an equal or superior platform to Homer. His Valasquez like eye made him a superior artist, though he seemed to get trapped in his facile technique in society portraits. Sargent is an amazing artist. One whose personal power has always been challenged by those that believe technique is secondary. Tell that to someone who appreciates his lively beautiful brushwork and intelligent landscapes. They won't buy it! The reproductions are not second rate as stated previously. They are rather good!The essays are good reading too.