3 comments about Frida Kahlo: The Artist who Painted Herself (Smart About Art).

1. Frida Kahlo is a very wonderful artist. Her pictures are Beautiful. She paints things really good and I think I cant even paint that good! This book tells you how good Frida Kahlo was at art. She paints herself she paints animals she paints things that blow off your head, her paintings are so good! Well, read this book to find out how frida saved her life by doing art. Reccomended for people who may want to be better at art.



2. I am a middle school art teacher and this book fits right in with my artist report unit. Using a graphic organizer, my students explored the world of famous artists. This book is great for kids because it breaks things down into simpler terms than academic or more adult works. Colorful, sweet and to the point.



3. Great idea contained in this book. Having a student present the book as her report. I used this to have my students pick artists to write a report about. Read the book to my older students. 4-7th grade. A little lengthy for the little ones.

5 comments about One Hundred Flowers.

1. Zen of Watering Your GardenHi I am the Author and editor of a book that has good to great photographs. All are not as great as these. But my book has a wide array of not just flowers but other wonders to be found in Mother Nature's vegetation. Each photo is paired with an aphorism, poem or thought to encourage the viewer to see where one can easily immerse themselves in the garden process and achieve an inner peace. Matt Cohen



2. As a fashion designer, I look for inspiration everywhere.
   I felt attracted by the picture on the cover and I wasn't dissapointed at all when I received the book.
   The author capture trough his vision the simple beauty of nature and gave me that sense of movement and fragility that I was looking for while working with the colors and textures of my next collection.
   A real treasure.



3. I just gave this book to my mother, who paint flowers, and she just love it. A lot of excelent models for painting.



4. There are many varieties of flowers presented here in beautiful and detailed images. Very little text accompanies the images, but enough to chase down further if other information is needed. It is the images which are the prime focus -- and rightly so.
   
   If I could wish for anything, it would be for more. And more. The design makes me wonder about why each specific flower/composition was chosen, and how many were not. I tend to want to see groupings and images that elaborate on one another.
   
   Receiving this book is like being given a gorgeous and lasting bouquet.



5. This is a beatiful book with extreme close-ups of many different types of flowers. The large size also is a plus so that each image looks grand and brilliant.

2 comments about Arts, Inc.: How Greed and Neglect Have Destroyed Our Cultural Rights.

1. In March I attended the Symposium called "The Importance and Value of Art in Health Care". One of the best speakers was Bill Ivey. Since he was such a good speaker I figured he would be a good writer so I ordered the book he just wrote : Arts, Inc.: How Greed and Neglect Have Destroyed Our Cultural Rights
   
   Conclusion: I disagree with his argument that the government needs to do more to protect the Arts. The book is well written and interesting to read, but I just don't agree with the premise.
   
   The crux of his argument is that he arts need the advocacy of government to protect us from the greed of big business. I just can't accept that. The digital era is starting to liberate artists from being dependent on big business.
   
   Most artists these days have websites to reach the public directly. They don't need the government for that.
   
   Artists now have the tools to produce their own finished product without having to rely on a big studio. Musicians can record and distribute their own CDs. Digital tools (cameras, printers, high-speed Internet) have allowed me to run a thriving art business in a remote rural area.
   
   I would argue that the Arts in America are stronger now than they have ever been. One reason for that is that our government for the most part stays out of the way. If we want to ensure that the Arts in America continues to thrive we just need to be sure the government does nothing other than assure artistic freedom.
   
   Note: when I first wrote this review I gave it two-stars, but that is not fair. The writing is clear, the argument is interesting. Just because I don't agree does not justify such a low rating. I would like to raise this to 4-stars. I tried to revise the post can couldn't.



2. It's amazing that we've made it all the way into the 21st century without anyone attempting to write about the condition of the entire U.S. arts system and how it connects - or doesn't connect - with the public interest. But Bill Ivey has done it in Arts, Inc., a comprehensive and very readable look at how market forces and an inattentive government have allowed our culture to drift away from public purposes. Ivey is convinced that we can enhance quality of life for all Americans if we assert his six "cultural rights," and I tend to agree. Although I wish the author had spent more time on specific art forms like theater and the art gallery scene, Arts, Inc. includes plenty of eye-popping examples of how we've got things wrong. The book defines a whole new arena for public policy and goes beyond complaining about what we haven't done with art and art making to paint a picture of how a vibrant cultural life can give the U.S. a high quality of life in the coming post-consumerist age.

5 comments about Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees: A Life of Contemporary Artist Robert Irwin.

1. If you're an artist, you need this book. Even if you don't like Irwin's work (or never heard of him.) Remarkably, this biography of the most minimal of minimal artists contains no abstruse language, no mysteriously self-important pronouncements, nor even a single reference to any French esthetic theorist. Not only is this written in clean, straightforward prose; you can hardly put it down. It also raises critical, fascinating questions about the nature of art, and of the way we see. I've recommended this book to several people. It's never what they expect. They've always thanked me.



2. *
   
   I am fascinated by the creative process. I am fascinated by physical manifestations born from the spark of an idea. I am fascinated by the complex psychology, rigorous philosophy and simple backbone evinced by those devotees of method. And I am blown-away by Robert Irwin.
   
   My first contact with Robert Irwin's work came in graduate school when a few friends and I drove from Philadelphia to Manhattan to visit the Dia Center for the Arts. There on an upper floor I encountered a truly shocking, yet subduing, experience. Irwin had taken over the entire level and divided into rooms demarcated with translucent scrim. I walked slowly, from space to space, enclosed but not, silent in presence yet bursting with internal applause, and in awe. I marveled at the solidity of light that slid through the Dia's industrial steel windows, tracing its way across two layers of the thin white fabric and gently landing on the concrete floor. My eyes were tickled by the subtlety of color emanating from the vertical fluorescent lights wrapped in gels. There must have been thirty others there at the same time, meandering like ghosts whitened by one, two, three layers of scrim, yet the space was absolutely quiet. This was the first time that I truly understood the word ?perception.? It came in a space filled with exacted simplicity.
   
   Since then I have tried to follow Irwin's work, both past and present, only to find that it is rarely photographed, as the medium cannot do the work justice. However, Lawrence Weschler's biography on the artist is a tremendous piece of writing that will give you much more appreciation for Irwin than any catalog ever could. Weschler spent years interviewing the artist, tracking down collaborators and researching the works. He exhibits an amazing understanding of Irwin's intentions and adds much needed commentary to keep the story straight while tracing the complex and highly personal evolution of the man and his art. From descriptions of Irwin's self-imposed eight month exile in Ibiza, to his two year long rigorous exercise (and again, exile) to create what amounted to twenty lines, Weschler gives us an in depth look at the zen-like disposition of the artist in his search for the perceptual (and hence, not conceptual). Irwin's diligence and rigor will stupefy even those most devoted to their process, and discussion of his material experimentation will act to spur imaginations. Robert Irwin supplies the majority of storytelling, however, and lets the reader in on often humorous tales of the art world from the point of view of a very personable and highly influential artist.
   
   In short, I highly recommend that anyone devoted to design, be it fine art or architecture, read this book. I also recommend that you travel to San Diego to see the first major exhibition of Irwin?s work since 1993, "Robert Irwin: Primaries and Secondaries" at the MCASD through February 23rd.
   
   Note: The installation at the Dia Center was reviewed thoroughly, with an included history of the artist?s work, in an article entitled "Robert Irwin?s Doors of Perception" by Carol Diehl in Art in America magazine, December, 1999, findarticles.com



3. This is simply the best book about art I have ever read. Like other reviewers, I can say that this book permanently altered the way I see the world (and art). Irwin did it and he still does it.



4. I picked up this book in 1984 because it was on a reading list for an Art History class I was taking at Oberlin College. I stayed up all night in the library that night. I couldn't put it down. My mind has never been the same.
   
   I still often think of it,tell stories from it and give it as a gift. I always say "skip the first chapter-it gets much better." If I remember right, the book begins with a description of Irwin's perfectionism when cleaning the engine of his car. I figure that will bore my friends.
   
   I tell my students about Irwin's many years attempt to make the perfect line, to his wife's chagrin and his painting the back side of his paintings because it matters to him. They like the story of the riots that occured in South America due to the disorientation of his discs-concave and convex-the viewers couldn't tell where the wall started and the disc stopped. I have given the book as a graduation present.
   
   I thought about this book at the mechanic the other day. My engine is very, very dirty.
   
   I will never forget,forgetting. Great book.



5. if you want to understand the mind of a modern conceptual artist and his life...read this....profound,interesting,illuminating,inspiring...read this

1 comments about Materials for Inspirational Design.

1. Chris Lefter did a very good job combining his previous books. If you are a product designer, this book will definately benefit your career.

2 comments about Twelve Monet Bookmarks (Small-Format Bookmarks).

1. If you like Monet and don't mind postcard-style bookmarks these are good for the price and include some of Monet's more famous paintings.



2. These are nice every day bookmarks. They're not fancy, there's a book of them and they are made of cardboard. The back says the name of the painting,and the front with the picture is kind of glossy. I wouldn't give them as a gift, as they are not really gift quality, unless it was to someone who is a Monet enthusiast or admirer that would be thrilled to have a little of their favorite author nestled between the pages of a novel they are reading. I think they are a fair price. If you lose one, you've got several others to tear out of the book they come in... the edges end up slightly perforated because you have to rip them out of the book of bookmarks. They aren't hard to rip out though, if you bend them a little bit. They rip out fairly clean. If you wanted them to be more durable and not get stained or bent I guess you could laminate them.

5 comments about Step-by-Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It!.

1. This is a good and quality written book. I have used the information as a beginner and have started my knifemaking hobby successfully. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in bladesmithing.



2. This is a great book for the beginner to someone who has built some knives
   But needs help in refining their technique
   This will be a great reference for years to come



3. This was the first book I bought on knifemaking, and my copy is falling apart (it's 28 years old!) I absolutely love David Boye's sense of design, and his work has inspired my own considerably. That said, I learned a great deal about knifemaking from other sources, and I use few of his methods. Specifically, I would never use a wheel grinder on knife steel, it generates a great deal more heat than a belt grinder, isn't nearly as accurate, and the cutting surface is smaller. I would NEVER cut out blades with a cutting torch, unless you wanted to grind away at least 1/4 in from the cut edge, you're messing up your steel's microstructure doing this (see p. 111 under grain growth!) I appreciate the lengths he's gone to to describe heat treating, but had little luck with it myself; I would strongly advise against trying to heat-treat complex steels like D2, 440C, or 154CM yourself, unless you like throwing your work away. Finally, though I absolutely love the acid etchwork in the book, the beeswax/asphaltum etching ground recommended here is a very tempermental one, I would use commercial etching ground if I were doing this. Since messing with aqua regia at home is not the safest thing, I'd suggest looking into some of the other methods, such as electrochemical etching. So, I would say to the beginning knifemaker that I'd use this book for inspiration, but go elsewhere for methods. If at all possible, talk to someone who's been doing it a while.



4. I got this book out of my local library and I can't wait to get started making a knife. I've recently ordered a copy for myself. It will be edgeworn soon. This book is an excellent place to start making knives for the beginner, since Boye uses recycled steel. His explanations and diagrams and photos of the process are invaluable for this endeavor. I only wish he wrote one on folding knives.



5. This book primarily covers making knives (mostly kitchen knives) by starting with thin plates of steel (HUGE bandsaw blades), cutting out a knife blank, and shaping the knife by grinding it. I personally far prefer forging a blade, which this author does not even touch on.

   However, Mr. Boye does offer solid knowledge on grinding, heat treating, attaching handles and bolsters (all necessary skills no matter how you make knives)... and an extensive section on acid etching which I have yet to find equalled in any other knifemaking book I've read.

   So while I may not care for Mr. Boye's chosen method of production, I recognize his pure artistic ability and am gratefull for his willingness to share his hard won knowledge.

3 comments about The Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion.

1. It's a good reference book when you need information fast. The book is set up that way. It's a wealth of information



2. This is the ultimate resource for a student of costume and fashion design, the key for readers of all levels to decode the jargon that fills this profession's books. The organization is impeccable, the language clear and concise, and the rare but sufficient pictures are crisply adept at illustrating the necessary word or concept.
   
   It covers everything from names of period pieces, accessories, and undergarments to modern terms in the fashion world. It has everything you'd need.



3. A thorough, detail-packed reference book that's invaluable for anyone connected with the fashion industry. We have found it to be the best "first place to turn" for terms and descriptions that add insight and excitement to the marketing messages we create for our fashion clients.

1 comments about Picturing the Bible: The Earliest Christian Art (Kimbell Art Museum).

1. This book is essentially the catalog for the world-class exhibition held from Dec. 2007-March 2008 at Ft. Worth's Kimbell Art Museum. Curated by Jeffrey Spier, the exhibtion titled "Picturing the Bible" brought to this country 100 treasures, many of which had never left their countries before. For those who couldn't see this once-in-a-lifetime collection, the catalog presents pictures with articles of all the exhibits. More than that, however, well-known art historians, classicists and archaeologists provide major articles on the Jewish art of late antiquity, on pre- and post-Constantinian Christian art, as well as on book illustrations of late antiquity. The volume is beautifully done and provides a fine addition to the library of anyone interested in Christianity and Christian art in late antiquity. Personally, I appreciated Dr. Spier's vision for assembling this collection and editing this volume. It is rare to have an opportunity to experience these works in a U.S. museum.

5 comments about Zen of Seeing: Seeing/Drawing as Meditation.

1. Although the whole `Zen and the Art of [fill in the blank]' shtick seems rather tired nowadays, this book was written back in the day before it had been done to death. And even though many of the insights in *Zen of Seeing* may now seem as trite as they are timeless, its hard to give this classic anything less than four stars, for it still manages to inspire, enlivened as it is by Franck's irascible spirit and sheer zest for life and the practice of drawing. What's more, this oversized trade paperback is filled with Franck's own uniquely beautiful pen and wash drawings--delicate, suggestive, almost calligraphic, they depict people, landscapes, animals, leaves, anything and everything that caught Franck's enlightened eye. And that's pretty much the point of *Zen of Seeing,* that all the Ten Thousand Things are worth seeing--and drawing--and by drawing even the lowliest insect or common weed, we see it and marvel at its inexpressible wonder for the very first time.
   
   This is really not a book about creating "Art." It's a book about the reverence of life for those who would use a sketchpad instead of a prayer book. Franck doesn't teach you about perspective or negative space, anatomy or shading--he's not teaching you *how to draw.* He's doing something far more important. He's showing you the *why of drawing.*
   
   You can draw on anything with anything and in the end it doesn't matter what your drawing looks like--or doesn't look like! What's important is the act of drawing itself, the quiet contemplation of the thing drawn that engages you fully in the moment and opens your eyes and your heart to the world around you. Have you ever seen--really seen--a sparrow, a turnip, your child's face? Chances are you haven't until you've sat with them, a pad on your lap and a pencil in your hand, and traced their outline as if you were touching them with your heart's own flesh. Chances are you'll see things in each that you've never seen before, that you'll never forget, that will become a part of you forever. For those moments when you draw an object, a person, or a landscape you become a part of what you see--and it becomes a part of you. In this way, drawing becomes a form of meditation, the Zen of Seeing.
   
   For those who already love to draw, this book will serve as inspiration; for those who think they'd like to draw, it will encourage you to do so. For both, it's the sort of book one should have on one's shelf even if it sits there untouched and forgotten for many years. On a rainy day of the heart, on some idle restless afternoon of the spirit, it's the sort of book one stumbles upon again and maybe that's exactly the time you need it most, when what Franck has to say sets off that lightning flash of understanding and you pick up your pencil and begin to see for the very first time the heretofore invisible world all around you.



2. The Zen of Seeing is exactly what it says in the title: Seeing/Drawing as Meditation. It is not a "How to Draw" book. It is intended for artists who love to draw, but are stuck in the "academic" theories of Art. This book will teach you how to free yourself from your high-school or college art instruction, and enable you to look at the world in a more precise and creative way. In addition, it provides techniques that will introduce you to the subject of meditation, or enhance your current meditation process. I highly recommend this book!



3. i ordered two, and they came out perfect! in excellent conditions, great quality and delivery!



4. This book suggests an approach and a point of view for art. The approach is a direct, no-holds-barred grasping of what you see with the eye and letting the hand do as it will. The point of view is the Zen attempt to remove your small mind to make way for the real one. If you are comfortable with the idea of drawing from the basis of nothing more than your being, the subject's being, a pencil and paper, this book will give you moral support in that direction. But that is all this book is -- a nudge. This is a good nudge. And for some, a nudge is enough.



5. When I start reading book, I was enjoying it. I thought it is new view about life and art. As soon as I moved forward, I realize than nothing new was introduced except book appearance (very inconvenient by the way). If you want to learn drawing and see world around you differently, better to take book The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards (brilliant book). If you looking for philosophy or meditation, I think you will find much better books. Also original drawing in the book does not inspirit.