2 comments about Ralph Rucci: The Art of Weightlessness.

1. Such an interesting book. I you're into fashion, mainly not so mainstream fashion, but a little different, this is the book for you. Ralph Rucci is such a talented designer. I cannot aford any of his clothes but I look at the pictures in this book all the time. I sew too and I am fascinated with his talent. You won't be dissapointed with this book, I hope.



2. Terrific. I've bought his clothes for years and love his timeless works. Looks as if he has been discovered which is great for him and costly for me.

5 comments about The Art of Buying Art: An Insider's Guide to Collecting Contemporary Art.

1. I've just started exploring art collection and discovered this book. I thought the book had some great advice about how to get started thinking about what art I want to collect and why. As the author says "art should be fun." After reading this book I realized that my approach was all wrong, I was dealing with galleries that weren't fun and it was nice to hear someone in the business tell me that it doesn't have to be that way for beginners like me.



2. "The Art of Buying Art" is a wonderfully comprehensive primer for anyone interested in real art collection for real people with real budgets (but sophisticated taste levels to boot).
   
   The author's unpretentious take on collecting is a refreshing point of view, and the scads of illustrations and pics help introduce new contemporary artists and new art styles that a fledgling collector may otherwise overlook. As a budding collector myself, I came away with an "I can actually do this" attitude, and look forward to applying this book's lessons to building my own little gallery in my own apartment.



3. For anyone leery of investing in art, anyone interested in starting collecting, and anyone simply interested in learning more about contemporary art, Ms. West's book is essential. "Buying Art" is well written, engaging and very informative and will make you a much more knowledgeable and shrewd collector.



4. I'm not particularly well-versed in art history, and visit museums infrequently (there are few notable ones near my home), but have always intended to learn more about fine art, and particularly contemporary art. Either from the perspective of a novice collector or someone who wishes to educate him/herself, I highly recommend this title. The book is accessible and informative, infuses the reader with the writer's clear sense of enthusiasm for the subject, and lacks the condescending or arcane tone taken by some of its similarly-themed predecessors. If you want to familiarize yourself with the basics of the fine art trade, sharpen your tastes, and/or eventually own a small collection, I strongly recommend this title.



5. When someone recommended this book I was skeptical, as I thought of art collecting as something beyond my means. But Paige West does a good job of demystifying the art world, with solid advice on understanding, selecting, buying and living with contemporary art. It's an easy and enjoyable read, and the book is packed with examples of works from emerging artists. Some I don't care for, but there were others whose work I'll seek out. Fortunately, the book also explains how galleries work, and how to find artists you like. This book is not a coffee table decoration - read it and use it.

5 comments about Grace Kelly: Icon of Style to Royal Bride (Philadelphia Museum of Art).

1. A bride figure of really beautiful Grace.
   The photograph which photographed her is splendid. Various articles used at the time of marriage are carried.
   This is a precious document.



2. I bought this book for the sole purpose of learning more about Grace Kelly's wedding dress. At the time I bought the book, I was planning my own wedding and I wanted a wedding dress that looked similar to Grace's. However, I had not been able to find good pictures of the dress online or in other books I had of Grace. Therefore, I was delighted with this book, which has beautiful pictures of the dress. Furthermore, the book has also proven to be a great addition to my collection of Grace Kelly books as it provides particular attention and detail to one of the most important days in Grace's life. I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Grace, and particularly in her wedding dress.



3. I, for one, think that Grace Kelly was the epitome of the most beautiful, elegant brides of the modern edge...even to Princess Diana..that dress and the work that went into it is mindblowing. I've seen the dress in person and it TRULY is BREATHTAKINGLY stunning! The lace, alone, in this modern age (although no longer available) would be over $10K ALONE! I plan to copy some of Grace's elegance in my very own wedding...a Rose Point Lace garter, the beautiful Juliet Cap...all I can say is this: It's not a Grace Kelly Bio--this is strictly dedicated to the dress and it's making: fabrics and laces used and how they were all put together. Truly and informative book besides being a wonderful reference as well as a Keepsake. At LEAST 5 stars on this. Check it out..you won't be disappointed!



4. This book gives a very detailed representation of Grace Kelly's Wedding Dress. It also gives lots of details of the events leading up to her wedding day. It is not a biography of her life. It focuses on her wedding day and the events leading up to it with the wedding day itself being the culmination.



5. I was a bit disappointed when I received the book as I thought it would have more colored pictures of her wardrobe. Many were in black and white. The photos of her wedding dress were lovely though -- I guess that was the true focus of the book.

2 comments about You Go Girl Paris: A Women's Guide to Paris (Paris Travel Guide).

1. I purchased this book because I thought it would give some insider tips on things to do/see that would be of interest to women. Unfortunately, it is basically a generic guidebook, that doesn't say anything new. It does have good info on what to see in the museums and divides it into where things are located, but you can get this from just about any other guidebook. The book looks like it was printed from someone's home computer, there are quite a few typos and the few pictures that are included are in black and white.
   
   I was very disappointed, and wished I had spent the money on a different book. I will not be taking this book with me when I travel to Paris.



2. Planning to celebrate my 50th birthday in Paris and just found this book on the Internet (I loved their previous book regarding London). I was thrilled to see that I have read several of the books they recommend so the references were especially meaningful. I plan to start reading others on their recommendation list and then bring their guide with me when I go!
   
   Barb and Polly are sisters and they "do Paris" on a shoestring budget which is right up my alley. They suggest many sights and experiences but always give you an idea of how much, how seedy, how "must-do" certain activities are. I like the perspective they give as two women traveling about because the trip to Paris I am planning is with two girlfriends from grade school!
   
   I think if you are in a Book Club and are wondering what sort of theme you should have for the year... think about getting You Go Girl Paris, read several of the book recommendations and then head off en masse for a trip detailed for you by Ms. Chesley and Ms. Boline. It sounds absolutely fabulous.

5 comments about The Art of Drawing.

1. The artist is very good. The descriptions are a bit sparse but concise. Lots of examples. What this artist seems to emphasize is the flow and the subtlety of human anatomy. Something which has been lost in the modern art world. So it's refreshing to see this demonstrated in the 21st century. Now I totally disagree what another reviewer says about learning art, e.g. Betty Edwards method verse classic. Classic is an advanced form of what Betty Edwards teaches which assumes you've already demostrated that you can 'see'. Willy Pogany goes well beyond just drawing what you see. This comes with much experience.



2. ...yet it took a long time for this thing to really grow on me. It looked a little *too* basic at first!
   
   Reasons to buy this book: 1. Beautiful, *clear & simple* figure linework & shading; and 2. It's 120+ pages, filled with 100% pure pencil drawings for beginners.
   
   Why do I like it? It's all about the clear & simple figure linework & shading. Including a brief introduction to perspective, the basics of figure drawing here are *really* rock-solid. His excellent drawings of women & children really stand out, and are the highlight of the book for me. The earliest copyright in my copy is 1972, but it was originally published way before that, as Willy Pogany actually lived between 1882-1955. A book doesn't last this long without reason(!). When you have linework & shading as clean & accurate as often seen here, the technique can be applied to any drawing style at any time. It's certainly helpful for life drawing in general, and that's something that never gets outdated (at least not quickly!).
   
   Similar great books for beginners: George Bridgman's Heads, Features and Faces & Constructive Anatomy; Jack Hamm's Drawing the Head and Figure; Andrew Loomis' Drawing: The Head (HT197); and Barbara Bradley's Drawing People: How to Portray the Clothed Figure. All, at the time of this review, available here on Amazon! And for intermediate artists: see Loomis' Figure Drawing For All It's Worth.
   
   P.S. There are 2 versions of this book right now: The Art of Drawing by Madison Books, and then Drawing Lessons reprinted by Dover. They have the *exact* same content, except that Dover for some reason has considerably worse printing quality in Drawing Lessons. Get the Art of Drawing instead!



3. I was given a copy of this book when I was a teenager and am happy to have found it again by chance from reading a review of another drawing book, based upon my copying the drawings in this book at that time which I still have.
   
   The reviews of this and some other drawing books many times do not acknowledge the fact that drawing serves vast and varying purposes. When it comes to the rendering the figure at least 2 conceptualizations for rendering should be considered before criticizing the manner of information in a book on the subject.
   
   1. Abstract concepts of rendering the figure can be kept in mind while working from the model and serve mostly to allow one to construct the figure accurately and believably with no outside reference--only using well established skills and rules to create credible expression of the human form.
   
   2. Drawing from life can be strictly copying what you see - as challenging as the required skills are to acquire.
   
   Ultimately the serious artist who may want to render a likeness of a living person needs abstract or conceptual references while drawing from the model to provide more information than is seen to express more fully what is there or, conversely what is not tangible. This is the difference between "taking a photograph" and the purpose of all the hours and persistence in development of the talent to draw skillfully and beyond.
   
   Finally, reading a drawing book must be considered no different than reading the rules of driving a vehicle--without application of the information and experience using it, you might as well be watching TV for all you genuinely know of the subject, no matter what you believe.
   
   This book is one to work from, especially if you are not able to attend an art school to study full time, as part of a study course you develop to learn various figure drawing skills. Also, for example, Betty Edwards' exercises are good and separate from the skills mentioned in this book. No one book, teacher or method will provide all the information you may need to draw the way you can best express your unique talent. These two authors' exercises contribute substantially to a small and excellent drawing library to get solid drawing skills so you can find and express exactly what you want with your talents.



4. Really good, but with some "mature audience" themes, thus, not for minor children etc. Otherwise, I very much recommend it.
   
   Conflicts abound in how drawing is to be taught, and the current popular books reflect this ongoing conflict. For example, many popular books disregard the classical method. They are full of master sketches, and unfortunately, putting those pictures in the books doesn't show us specifically how to draw them, because they employ "Invisible Problem Solving" teaching methods, skipping the use of "simplified figurettes" or "human puppets".
   
   Pogarny breaks it down to geometric basics, and he does genuinely use the CLASSICAL METHOD, unlike the many books which make such a claim but lie outright about it. His demonstration of PERSPECTIVE is not to be found in any other book.
   
   I rate this book very highly as a beginner instruction. Pogany's illustrations are lively, highly animated and expressive. It's a book whose pages will be thumbed again and again.



5. This is a time-honored book, it seems, that shows you many symbolic approaches to representing reality in drawing. It is in direct opposition, I think, to the "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" approach, which teaches you a method of "seeing" what's in front of you, so that you don't have to represent it as symbols. For example, this book shows how you can draw the hand by seeing it as a collection of triangles and cylinders, connected by ropes (a classical drawing approach). Well, we know that it isn't triangles and cylinders--it's irregular and organic, and besides, everyone's hands look different: understanding it geometrically is just a symbolic crutch to help you see it as it is. Wouldn't it be better just to be able to "see" your hand clearly enough to draw it? Try Betty Edwards' approach, and then come back to this one. You'll see what I mean.

   Being able to see already, however, I find some of the pencil drawings helpful, and I'm glad I bought the book. Sometimes reducing drawings to schematics, as these are, can help you to discover your own, lingering visual symbols.

1 comments about Twelve William Morris Bookmarks (Small-Format Bookmarks).

1. If you're like me, you read a lot, but you have trouble remembering the precise page you were looking at when you set your book down. I respect my books too much to dog-ear the pages or lay the volume open, facedown, which can damage the spine. So for years I tried either to commit page numbers to memory, or to recall just where in the story I had left off. Both techniques were unreliable. Frequently, I would reread passages I had read before, or, worse, I would inadvertently skip ahead and find myself completely lost.
   Then a good friend turned me on to the miracle of "bookmarks." These handy, decorative little strips of cardboard come in books of twelve, arranged in heavy, perforated sheets. To use one of them, all you do is gently separate it from its companions, place it between the pages of the book you're reading, and voilá! You'll never lose your place again.
   For me, bookmarks have taken all the guesswork and embarrassment out of reading. They can do the same for you.

5 comments about This Is Not a Pipe (Quantum Books).

1. This essay entitled "This Is Not A Pipe" is a fascinating excursion into the intriguing art of the great 20th C. Belgian painter. In this essay Foucault blurs the space between the critic and the subject being criticized. His thorough analysis inculcates his own hypertextual "isms" and replicating terminology that adequately reciprocates Magritte's offbeat beauty. From Foucault's view of what he considers the two principles that ruled painting (European painting?) from the 15th C. to the 20th C., to the relationship between resemblance and similitude, the mystery and static of a Magritte painting is transported onto the pages of this book. Ultimately this text is an interesting display of the interplay between text, image and the elements inculcated in the analysis thereof.



2. if you consider this treacle then you certainly lack any real insight into philosophy or art criticism of the 20th century; either that, or you're carrying some kind of baggage or childish grudge.

   foucault offers us just one interpretation of magritte's _pipe_, and some thought in general about art, representation and the sign. it's really just part of an on-going discussion. it's a shame he's dead; he'd have loved usenet.

   in any case, this book is one voice in a chorus of discussion on the matter; his is also an informed, intelligent, and original voice - albeit controversial (see review below for ruffled feathers).

   this book stands on its own, but is definetly not a good introduction to foucault per se; I think it's best to start with a history of sexuality volume I, then read the introduction of history of sexuality volume II, and then you can pretty much read any foucault from there.




3. I read this in college while studying semiotics and surrealism, yet the message of Foucault should not be relegated to the exotic and extreme "isms" of academia. I found "Pipe" to be a marvelous and playful illustration of the tryanny of language and the Orwellian control of thought which follows. Readers of Postmodern thought, Zen, Marxism, Film Theory, Psychoanlysis, and Modern Art will find moments of illumination throughout.



4. No, Foucault is never easy. He sometimes even writes in Foucault-ese. But the intellectual payoffs are well worth it. Seeing him approach a single painting -- which you can look at while reading the book -- is much less taxing than seeing him dissect huge topics such as the history of prisons or the history of sex. Sure, those bigger Foucault tomes carry immense rewards all their own... but for a good, stimulating, and challenging (but not TOO challenging!) introduction to Foucault's philosophy of seeing and of naming, this is a great read.

   Perhaps this book is a better choice for philosophy or lit-crit fams than art / art history fans. The "artistic" value of the painting is really of not much importance to Foucault; he is more concerned with its self-referentiality, its use of meaning and names, and so on.




5. "If you are looking for a quick read"? What are you doing with Foucault when there's always another Tom Clancy? If you think that looking at pictures precludes thinking about them, then this book isn't for you.

5 comments about The New Typography (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism).

1. This is a nice handbook for creating stark minimal layouts but the dogmatic, unwavering theory of 'objective' design is best taken with a grain of salt. Reading this reminds me of when I took painting with Modernist painter Guido Molinari and everyone around me ended painting squares out of fear of retribution. But even with his strict approach, I don't think he would have quoted a text that says "The more primitive a people, the more extravagantly they use ornamentation ... To insist on decoration is to put yourself on the same level as an Indian." While this book has some great tips on reducing clutter and improving readability, reading the 'ideals of Modern Man' stuff is like sitting through a fire and brimstone sermon. Nice diagrams.



2. Typographic history, at least. This book was first published in 1928, and seems to have been the founding manifesto of the "Swiss school" of typography. This is a must-read for all serious students of type, and for a few others as well.

   First, the messages for typographers. The book itself is part of that message: sanserif body text, bright white paper, and geometric red and black graphics. Tschichold uses a few conventions that I quite like. Footnotes are indicated inline and at the end of the page by a heavy black mark. At first, it looked like a blot on the gray of the body type. After seeing it a few times, though, I realized that the heavy mark was very helpful for recovering my place in the reading after my eyes moved away to read the footnote. Emphasis is shown with heavy rules in the outer margins around text, much the way I mark books myself. My only complaint about the book as a whole has to do with indistinct paragraph breaks - there is clue from indentation or line spacing, so it is actually possible to miss a pragraph break altogether.

   The second half of the book shows a number of examples, good, bad, and (today) historically interesting. Almost all examples are bold red and black - the first two colors to be used up in most sets of crayons. It is easy to forget that these examples were often designed for letterpress, since photocompostion barely existed as we understand the term. Despite Tschichold's passion for modernity, the style now looks as dated as Bauhaus, streamlined locomotives, and Art Deco.

   The first half of the book is for typographers, but also for any modern student of polemic. Not many people have strong feelings about typography, so the ranting can be considered by itself. Tschichold's style is based on "the spirit of our age" somehow revealed to him alone, and on Germanic philosophical absolutes. It is ironic that, during the cultural purges of pre-WWII Germany, Tschichold was among those rounded up for politically incorrect artwork - another absolute in conflict with his own.

   Happily, Tschichold was able to emigrate to Switzerland before war broke out. He had a long and influential career, and later regretted the strident excesses of youth that this book captures.

   This is useful as a guide to typographic style, but beginners will probably get more from modern texts. It gives a very informative view of the DIN standards for paper and business correspondence. Most of all, however, it captures a time and a mentality that no longer exist, but that guided one strong school of typographic practice for over 80 years.




3. As other reviewers have written before me, this book surely has an historical value to it. It allows the reader to have a quick glance to a particular historical moment of typography in pre-WWII Germany, written in a Marxist tone. Also, the layout of the book is a beauty in itself, with its glossy paper and sans-serif Futura font. But that is pretty much it, unless you want to read it because you are a student in History of Typography. Do not expect to learn basic or advanced typographic elements here. If you want that, read "The Elements of Typographic Style" by Robert Bringhurst instead.



4. I'll confess I was expecting something more contemporary when bought this book. If you're not carefull the title will fool you. "New" in this case means early 20th century. Tschichold, as I came to learn, is one of the great names in typeface design. This book is reissued as his classic rant/manifesto on graphic design and type.
   
   Tschichold makes strong statements on what constitutes good typography, even going so far as to make philosophic natural law arguments in favor of san serif type. Serif fonts, particularly black letter styles, are the enemy. You have to take a historical leap in order to understand Tschichold's sour view of black letter. To us, black letter is a period typeface appearing outside pubs of the "Ye Olde Ale House" variety (or alternately to tattoo your back with gang symbols). But to Tschichold, black letter type was the Times New Roman of the day, plastered over every document and sign around. He argues correctly (in self-righteous, quasi-Marxist tones) about the unintelligibility of black letter type. He champions san serif styles, such as Futura.
   
   Strictly speaking, Tschichold's arguments aren't of much practical use to contemporary designers now that the scourge of black letter has fallen aside and Helvetica/Arial rules the world, but I enjoyed the reproductions of Tschichold's own Weimar Republic era work. It reminds me of the possibility of using a strictly typographic solution to a design problem. I think if you were ever a fan of Emigre's type and design philosophy, you'll find things to like about this book.



5. Este libro introduce en el estudio de las nuevas tipografias que surgen a principio de siglo en Alemania. Si bien el traductor reconoce que el autor esta equivocado en algunas de sus apreciaciones (tengan en cuenta que se escribio a principios de siglo) no deja de ser una forma de comprender los cambios mentales que surgen de las tipografias, y como estas interactuan con la sociedad.

No comments about The Price of Everything . . .: Perspectives on the Art Market (Independent Study Program).

3 comments about Exploring the Invisible: Art, Science, and the Spiritual.

1. This is a challenging read. A prerequisite to finishing this book is that you have a developed interest in all three areas noted in its title. There are some wonderful insights offered the reader, but these are buried in excessive, pedantic detail. Not a page burner.



2. A wonderful book; interesting, beautiful, profound, well-made. Exactly what I had been looking for for a while.



3. An instant after picking up this book I knew I had finally found a worthwhile treatment of science-art relationships. The impeccable good taste exhibited in the choice of illustrations, some of which are new and stunning, the fine layout, and the incisive prose devoid of the usual desultory obfuscations all point to a refreshing, enlightening experience. Lynn Gamwell's broad knowledge of both science and art illuminates her subject crisply. The prose is clear, devoid of any condescension. Her subjects range widely. Every page brings new delights and insights inextricably linking science and art, so confidently presented one wonders why all the recent overblown clutter surrounding this subject was ever printed.

   One curious omission in the book is the role of the computer in the science-art relationship. One does not find the word "computer" in the index, nor the word "digital". Yet, some very modern examples are given, e.g recent Hubble telescope images. One can only hope this means she is saving this topic for another book.