5 comments about Cartooning: Animation 1 with Preston Blair (HT26).

1. If you are looking for a small, comprehensive analysis of how to do animation, this is your book. Walter Foster is one of the best companies out there on drawing books, though I wouldn't recommend them all. I highly recommend this one. :)



2. This is a great way to see how animation starts. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to choose Animation as a career. I am taking Web design and Animation.



3. The book is arranged like this: Drawing principles, character design, then animation. The principles are about constructing forms and wrapping guidelines & features around them properly, facial expressions, building a simple skeletal foundation, how bodies can be drawn, and hands!
   
   The character design section is small, but brilliant. There are great example drawings to work from and trust me when I say the characters are pleasing to look at.
   
   As for the animation section, it's got the essentials for walks, runs, understanding squash & stretch and line of action in movements. It might not have enough movements as one may want, but really, using what you learn here to analyze actions from life will enable you to learn how any movement can be strengthened for animation. I actually haven't started animating yet (still doing the drawing sections), but I know I'll be perfectly fine with just this. Harold Whitaker's "Timing For Animation" does seem like it could be a perfect supplement to this though, so you might wanna check that out as well.
   
   Other pages include things about dialogue phonemes, takes (when's the last time anyone's seen a Tex-Avery-style reaction in a cartoon? learn this and bring it back!) pointers on animation, and, best of all, TONS of characters to practice from.
   
   The book is only eight bucks and, being from Preston Blair, a genius from the golden-age era of animation, you can't go wrong. Buy it, follow everything that he says, draw from each drawing in the book until the concepts seep in, and make some cartoons. Even if you wanna draw comic strips and/or comic books, get this now!



4. This book is simply the best animation how-to guide for the novice or talented amateur. Very well presented and beautifully illustrated. It's a classic book that has been around for many years and should be around for many more.



5. Very informative in the use of art work. Hopefully, this book will help my son in the future with his career in art work.

5 comments about Linnea in Monet's Garden.

1. This is a delightful living book. An opportunity to learn a lot about Monet, his work and his life while enjoying a beautifully told story.



2. Fabulous book about places I have visited and loved -- I actually
   know Michelle who owns the Hotel Esmerelda (she will autograph my
   copy of book), and have spent many happy hours in the bookstore
   around the corner (never go to Paris without visiting it), and
   of course, Monet's art and home are the pinnacle. A wonderful
   and inspirational book for all!



3. In 1988 I begged my Principal(I was a teacher in the Salinas valley) to purchase a set of this book.I taught in the "middle of nowhere " that now holds a good chunk of my heart. This was the time of teaching through literature sets, wholly in love with language, and inspiring children by creating together environments to make meaning and to find "context" for learning.It was a time to motivate lives. Toni Ungs, my then Principal, turned to me and replied, no, that I would be the "only teacher" on site who would use the set. And so it goes in teaching, yet another opportunity denied by those thinking within their prodigious logic systems.
   So... I bought the set out of pocket as I do most everything, a teacher tale for another time I spend thousands each year to do what matters. This book is just a delight for students. A young, girl, Linnea and her elder neighbor embark on a trip together to see Monet's Gardens.They live in Europe and this book offers a glimpse into another world for the children. Both share a love of the actual plants/flowers/gardens Monet painted, the artist, the paintings and after planning their trip together we in turn share their gentle journey as they go see the L'Orangrie/Paris and head to the gardens. Since I've had the pleasure of those places and share the love of Monet...it's a book that I share every spring with my classes. I choose to teach Monet in the spring when "what so soon will wake and grow , utterly unlike the snow" thoughts crowd my imagination. I am fortunate in that we have a TV and I bought a DVD player to share the DVD of this book.(among other things) The DVD's as good if not better than the book. I have a pop out book of his garden and a book from a Monet Retrospective I went to in New York in my teens to supplement the images and students seem as captivated as the rest of us in these experiments in light. The notion of a "series", of the way light, time, weather affect the same image are very fascinating things for my students.Then we paint. Of course I embed this in my talking of Paris, reading Madeline, trying to teach a bit of the French, and our sharing baguettes, cheese, Napoleons and a petit four or two. My first grade enjoys my attempts at cultural contexts and bringing into their lives a notion of great artists. I can confess here on this site, I suppose, that it's heady stuff to bring Monet, Picasso and the world of art to students.First grade allows you the kind of "you heard it here first" honor. I'm all the more brilliant in their eyes for it. Of course it connects them to much larger contexts and from time to time these are revealed in the year when my class screams out "Monet" at an assembly or "Beethoven, "Ode to Joy" "or somehow lets the school collective know we are up to something in room 10. And that something includes learning about a little girl that ventures to a hotel with her neighbor and picnics on the grounds of Monet's gardens and sees for herself the beauty of his creation from the world of nature. Now that's a sweet confession to share with Amazon readers. Choose this book for a child, you'll be glad you did.



4. I absolutely LOVED this book when I was younger. So, if you're having doubts about your child liking it, I wouldn't...I had the doll of Linnea and I carried it around with me everywhere...and I also brought the book everywhere I could as well.



5. Linnea, a young Swedish girl has developed quite a friendship with the elderly Mr. Bloom, her upstairs neighbor. Mr. Bloom is a retired gardener who is the proud owner of a lovely book about the great French artist, Claude Monet. After hours and hours of studying Monet and his life, the pair begin the ultimate adventure: a trip to Paris, and where it all began! Linnea and Mr. Bloom visit the Marmottan museum to observe the many paintings of Monet. They study his artwork and how the genius painted. They learn about other Impressionist artists--many who were great friends of Monet. Eventually the young child and elderly gentleman make the ultimate trek to Giverny, where Monet lived and painted.
   This book could almost be a 'fun' textbook. The artwork, both of the author's and of Monet's is absolutely exquisite. Becoming familiar with Monet's life and his paintings become a marvelous art history lesson. As an adult, I not enjoyed reading this lovely book but I learned a lot. In fact, a few days after reading LINNEA in Monet's Garden I was watching a Sex in the City episode where Charlotte was showing a group of people one of Monet's 'lily' murals. Being familiar with that painting because of this book was an exciting moment for me!

5 comments about Drawing Realistic Pets: From Photographs.

1. I purchased this book for my daughter because she loves to draw animals. It has fantastic illustrations and pictures with easy to follow instructions. My daughter is eight and it was easy enough for her to understand yet challenging enough to keep her interested. She was very happy with the book & her drawings have really improved with the help of this book.
   
   This book has been great for her & she's since checked out other how-to-draw books from the library. It's helped give her more confidence in her art work.



2. I like to draw but always have trouble getting my sketches exactly looking life like. After doing the lessons in this book there's no stopping me. It is so easy to understand and the final results are amazing. Well done Lee Hammond I also bought the painting copy with excellent results as well.



3. I haven't drawn for about 10 years. I took a few art classes in high school but didn't practice much. This book helped me so much. I had never used grids before and they really helped me get the right proportions for my drawings. My first drawing was a huge improvement over my previous attempts. I wish there was a little more detail on taking your drawing to the final step with lifting out color. But overall I think this is a excellent book for beginners. i wish I had it when I was younger. I'm inspired to start drawing again.



4. I bought this for my daughter and my self secretly figuring if she didn't like it I would. My daughter is 10 and her dad is a very talented artist. She shows signs of his gift, so I wanted to spark her interest in drawing and her confidence. She had a bad experience with her first Art teacher in school this year who really made Art NOT FUN and caused her to doubt her inate abilites.
   
   I looked at lots of different books and setteled on Lee Hamond Series to try. The other books in series that were similar to this had a heavier, boring feel too them. Lee's approach and drawings were more up beat and lively looking and feeling. There is a good amount of text, verbal instruction and discussion available to read if that is how you learn. There is also a lot of practice things and then a good amount of getting right to the good stuff drawing animals.
   
   The other day my daughter picked this up without me knowing, so I don't really know how much she actually read about the drawing, but I do Know she went right to the good stuff choosing to by pass all the "drawing exercises" and started drawing a dog with Lee's methods. I found the incomplete drawing in the garbage by accident and was impressed. It was really good. better than some of the things I had seen her draw before. It was not complete by any means but it was starting to look really life like. Now the book worked for my daughter that way at this point in time. maybe someday she will want to go back and read some of the explinations or try some of the practice exercises and really WORK at improving her fundementals of Drawing. But for now she is enjoying useing the book like this. Great. it is fun and producing results that are motivating and interesting her in drawing more.
   
   I could not be happier. I am excited as to where she may be able to go with these books and her talent. I feel without reservation I bought the right book and will buy more in this series for her in the future.



5. The instructions in this book are so clearly and sequentially written that I am eager to begin. All I need is a snowy day to close out the demands of the world. At this point, I'm collecting photographs of my daughter's dog. She will be my first subject.

4 comments about Klimt (Big Art).

1. This is more of an historical book on the artist's life,than a picture book for other artist's to reference it from.If you like to work in fabrics,as I do, it is great for seeing how another artist used (or attempted to use)Gold as means of illumination.
   I personally find his work mysteriously compelling to me,but he will not be everyones'cup of tea.
   I am happy with my purchase.



2. My disappointment comes from the printing process rather than the content,
   which is chock full of color plates of Klimt's paintings and some great
   photos of Klimt's life and times.
   All of the color plates and the photos are printed soft-edged and the wonderful vibrant golds are somehow absent. None the less, it is a lovely
   book with a very good text and a marvelous range of his work.



3. First of all, the book is not covered as shown in the amazon photo which shows the famous "kiss" painting. The book, apparently updated in 2006, shows a cover photo of Klimt's famous Danae (1907-8) oil on canvas painting. I think this cover is more provacative and more organic and softer than the famed Kiss painting which reveals a couple entwined in gold looking rather stiff. Danae was certainly a better choice for the cover. The book is definitely not written for the casual art reader. It is written with extreme depth as what I'd expect from a historian of the arts on a university research level. As verbose as it is, it has plenty, if not hundreds of photos of the famous works, including all of Klimt's paintings and lesser known sketches. The author discusses several of Klimt's famous paintings in depth and reviews various critics of Klimt's time period as well as Klimt's personal opinions and struggles. Culture, politics, and various movements in the arts is also discussed at length. This book is too deep for the casual browser or reader but makes a great coffee table book if only for the pictures alone. It is a high quality book and the pages are high quality (acid free) and glossy. The painting photos are rich and fully colored, better than other books I've bought on Klimt (where the precious gold paint is reduced to lousy brownish or greenish prints). The gold tones in this book, so famous in Klimt's work, are reproduced extremely well as well as the other vivid colors so characteristic of Klimt's work. It's a bargain to get this book at the price.



4. Over the years, I've only looked at Klimt from the edges - that is, I was aware only of the more popular poster images you couldn't help seeing here and there. But this book is a big revelation to me. Such genius! He is truly amazing, and I had no idea of the range of his thought or the depth of his talent. He was a superb draftsman, which enabled him to take risks with the figure because he knew exactly what he was doing.
   
   A well-designed book - a complete visual pleasure, and fire to the imagination.

2 comments about The Society Portrait: From David to Warhol.

1. This is one of those few books that exceeded my expectations. This is a book an artist will appreciate. All the images are in color, very well done color. The publishers were not afraid to cross the gutter to show off the paintings. There are numerous paintings reproduced over both pages and many close ups. This is a very satisfying purchase. As an artist I purchase these books to study techniques, and this is one to own. All the greats are present. One curiosity is the line of history followed toward the end as we near WArhol. There have always been magnificent portrait artists in the 20th century who would fit quite nicely with the Sargents, etc that are entirely ignored in favor of...Warhol? (Annigoni gets a passing nod, but the focus is then put on a few photographers) The book really peters out after 1940's. No matter. A truly wonderful book. One of the few really great examples of how an art book should be.
   
   P.S. Dear Mr. Ormond, would you please consider doing a book on Boldini?



2. Featuring two hundred full color photographic reproductions, "The Society Portrait From David To Warhol" by art historian Gabriel Badea-Paun showcases society portraits of the nineteenth and early twentieth century in terms of their images and iconography. An impressively diverse yet representative gallery of portraits dating from the early 1800s to the post-World War II era, many of these works of art were painted society portraits by artists for whom portraiture was a full-time occupation. The artist range from Jacque-Louis Davide (considered a master of Classicism); to Andy Warhol (the acknowledge and legendary guru of Pop Art); to Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingress 9known for his linear and rigorous portraits); to John Singer Sargent (who depicted the nobility and plutocracy associated with the Gilded Age); to Giovanni Boldini (noted for his renderings of literary and theatrical personalities). An impressive and seminal work, "The Society Portrait From David To Warhol" is a critically important and essential addition for personal, professional, and academic library History of Art reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Informed and informative, it is also very highly recommended and quite appropriate as a community library Memorial Fund acquisition.

5 comments about Art and Visual Perception: A Psychology of the Creative Eye.

1. Good book, but I was expecting more images with description of contents rather than general theory.



2. This book is a treasure for all artists, and architects.It is a good book with many illustrations and analysis. If You need to know how to deal with forms, shapes, and their parameters as a professional, this is the right book to buy. Sometimes I think that it is too late to read again about form,but Arnhiem's book is not only about form perception it is about life experience in how to read things in scientific and detailed approach.



3. Arnheim's book on the creative eye has survived well over half a century, for a reason. This is a truly seminal work on "seeing" and composing artistic images. He deals primarily with painting. I am a photographer. This book means as much to the current photographer with digital camera as to the artist with easel canvas and brush. Fascinating reading illustrated with classic examples. Re-shapes the mind. I bought copies for all of my friends who are, like me, serious shooters.



4. Art and Visual Perception: A Psychology of the Creative Eye
   by Rudolf Arnheim is a work of great importance to any serious artist. In a nutshell, Arnheim tells us in language only we (artists) could fully appreciate and comprehend how our brains and our eyes do so naturally what they do. This is a left brained guy who is fascinated by we right brained people. This work and his other masterpiece "Visual Thinking" make me delighted to be a visual thinker.



5. The problem that I have with this book is that there are so many other books out there that are so much better in terms of describing art concepts and perception concepts. This book has had its run. Cognitive science, studies of synesthesia, the amygdala, you name it, have progressed far beyond the scope of this book. As an artist of thirty years who is on the lookout for books to consider as textbooks for my teaching, I would feel like a sadist making my students read this.
   
   Arnheim meanders in a sort of stream-of-consciousness style of writing. He may be entertaining to some, but I find him hard to follow and his points moot. Also, the illustrations are, beyond the artwork reproductions, pretty bad. A much better illustrator could have been hired to do them.
   
   I find his choice of topics to convey his message to have such a personal feel that I am left thinking that it wouldn't be the best choice for art students to learn either their craft or history. And, as I said earlier, there are much better books available. If this book at least touched on contemporary scientific theories, I could give it more stars. As is, it probably ran out of steam thirty years ago.

5 comments about Janson's History of Art: The Western Tradition.

1. love it! very informative and has the best of the best artworks. but could use a modern edition strictly of the 20th century



2. I used the original Janson when I took art history in college. I bought this for my son and started reading it on my own. What a wonderful rework of this classic. It provides very accessible descriptions of historical context as well as clear presentations of the impact of "technology" (i.e. development of various media) on the ability of the artists of various periods to express themselves. Love this book.



3. This book is incredibly comprehensive and covers all aspects of art in different cultures, including painting, sculpture, architecture, and burial sites. It is remarkably detailed (almost too much so), and has many great pictures.
   
   The most distinctive aspect of this book is the primary sources it includes that explain the historical context of artworks. For example, there are numerous letters (translated, of course) from Italian artists in the Renaissance to their clients. Another text includes excerpts from the law code of Hammurabi, to accompany the sculptural piece on which it was originally engraved.



4. An excellent base for an art student to build upon; clear, informative, visual, and historical. Supplements and sources such as Wikipedia and encyclopedias and history texts will show how intertwined art is with politics and religions in depth where the book skims over.
   A wonderful book, and covers some Eastern Art despite the focus title on the West. Chapters are organized and they get the point across; lovely descriptions of photographs that are present in the book, so you really get to study the subject and with the assistance of the text, see the inner beauty in the architecture.
   What I found lacking was the mention of the Golden Ratio, and in fact, any mathematics whatsoever. As mathematics is very important to ancient-modern art, I found it rather confusing. However, as said before, an excellent base.
   Very intriguing and not in the least boring or dry, Janson's History of Art is a prime choice coupled with supplementary books. If you're interested in overall art history, this is the one to go with...
   Have fun!!!



5. This is one of the standard history of art textbooks. Of course it includes color prints of all the most famous art of the Western tradition, as well as numerous photographs and floorplans of famous architecture. It has a little coverage of Islamic art, but that is a topic that deserves better than it can be given in a textbook on the Western tradition. Painting, architecture and sculpture are clearly the focus, but photography and decor each get a nod. Other forms of art--from gardening to appliance design--although interesting, evidently cannot fit in this space.
   
   The text is adequate: a little better than standard textbook composition, less dull, perhaps a touch less condescending, and of course perfectly informative.
   
   Issues in technique, interpretation and so on are well-introduced.
   
   If you, like me, are not a student but an adult just curious about art, this is a fine choice. I've also enjoyed work by Robert Hughes ("The Shock of the New," which I strongly recommend, and "American Visions"), Andre Malraux ("The Voices of Silence") and David Morgan ("The Sacred Gaze").
   
   (I'm not widely read in this field by any means: those are the only books I've read about Western art history! So there could be various better books out there. But still, this textbook has been very useful to me, helping me fill out my knowledge in many areas.)

No comments about Living Artfully: A Heart-full Guide of Ideas and Inspirations That Celebrate Life, Love, and Moments That Matter.

5 comments about Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids series).

1. Leonardo da Vinci for Kids is a fascinating biography of a fascinating man with plenty of material to keep children and adults interested and amazed. The story details da Vinci's life, works, ideas and interests. His artistic and scientific creations and inventions cover an incredibly broad field - from his famous paintings to complex defense mechanisms for cities under siege to mechanical "creatures" to complex and artistically creative parties for important people of his day. The story is filled with fascinating details about his works, studies and ideas as well as many beautiful reproductions of his paintings and sketches. You'll find a resume that he wrote at the age of 30 for the ruler of Milan - offering his services as a military engineer! There are fascinating and sometimes humorous stories about how he prepared to design some of his greatest paintings, how he dealt with difficult clients and how some of his paintings were recovered centuries later.
   
   Leonardo da Vinci has long been considered the paradigm "Renaissance Man". Through this book, he offers children a great example of enthusiastic love of life and learning. Readers will come away with a greater perspective on the importance and joy of learning, early advancements in science, general concepts of art and how to appreciate it, basic scientific concepts, ideas for using the imagination and memory, concepts in math relating to science, Renaissance life and much more.
   
   I was impressed with the care the author took in relating so many interesting ideas in an accessible and engaging manner. I found difficult concepts handled graciously and respectfully - particularly for the intended age level. For example, the reader will learn that da Vinci's parents were never married and that this had consequences on his career choices. We learn that da Vinci dissected dead bodies at the morgue for the sake of artistic and scientific learning. At one point the Pope prohibits him from continuing this mode of study. Instead of being judgemental about these sorts of issues or dwelling on them inappropriately, they are explained in clear, simple terms as relevant parts of the story, but without any extra nonsense.
   
   This book also includes 21 activities relating in various ways to da Vinci's life. They span a wide range: baking, drawing, math, science, painting, observing, language and more. The book is best for independent reading in 6th grade and up, though it could be read aloud to younger children.



2. While I believe that da Vinci was a vegetarian, his minestrone would not have had tomatoes in it. (Tomatoes are a "New World" product that were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century - and many did not eat them as they were known to be in the poisonous nightshade family.) Suddenly my concern is - how can I tell what other errors might be in this book?



3. up to now the 3 itens do not arrived in my address.
   I already wrote a message about that months ago.
   Please do something
   
   Sergio



4. I have been going through some of the books by Janis Herbert and others than combine history with 21 activities, and as interesting as I have found those volumes to be I have to say I like the ones that deal with artists even more. "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas" combines a detailed juvenile biography of the life of the great inventor, military engineer, scientist, botanist, and mathematician who found time to be a great painter and sculptor as well. This was the man who painted the "Mona Lisa" and invented the armored tank, diving suit, bicycle and airplane centuries before they were built. He is also an important figure in what has been the novel that has been at the top of the bestseller list for like the past year.

   The biography is divided into four sections, focusing on Leonardo's youth in Vinci, his years as a young apprentice, his period of greatest productivity in Milan, and his final years in Venice and France. The volume is illustrated with dozens of pictures of Leonardo's paintings and sketches, and the back of the book includes a Glossary, Biographies of key Renaissance artists (Botticelli, Michelangeo, etc.) and historical figures (Cesare Borgia, Ludovico Sforza, etc.), Web Sites to Explore, places where you can see some of Da Vinci's work, a Bibliography, Credits, and an Index.

   The other half of the book are the 21 activities and the art lessons, because in addition to detailing da Vinci's life Herbert talks about perspective, vanishing points and the like. Some of these are just basic art lessons, such as sketching things by observing nature, painting birds, decorating a jar for holding paintbrushes, and making a small picture frame. Others are specific to the artwork of da Vinci, such as making a life mask, lute, notebook, a parachute kite, and learning to measure human bodies the way Leonardo did. You can even make a minestrone soup in honor of Leonardo the vegetarian or Salai's aniseed sweets. Still others deal with the history of the time, such as making a banner.

   The net result is that "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids" does more than tell the story of his life and show examples of his great artwork, but provides young readers with an opportunity to try and do the same things. This book is also of great use to teachers doing units on Leonardo, the Renaissance, or art, who will be able to find both information and activities they can use in class.




5. Knowing little about art, I found this book easy to understand, enjoyable and informative. However, it is too advanced ("boring") for my almost 8 year old daughter. My opinion is that this book would be great for 10 and up.

5 comments about Pencil Drawing: A Complete Drawing Kit for Beginners.

1. My son loves the fact that it's pencil drawing and has full instructions. Very nice gift for that person that wants to be or is an artist in the making.



2. This Drawing Kit is a very good starting point for a beginner. In one package you have a good set of lessons, a coordinated set of tools and instructions that are very clear. The drawing results you achieve in each lesson are directly related to your effort put into each lesson.
   Gene Franks is an excellent instructor. Try it, you will like this book.



3. The very short book has a few nice drawings of varied subjects, broken down into a few stages each. There's little in the way of real instruction, though--certainly little that a true newbie would find of use.

   The art materials include a very small sketch pad (just 9.5 x 6.5 inches) and a passable beginner's assortment of pencils and so forth, as described by Amazon. There's one huge problem with the pencils, though: the darkest is a 2B. For many pencil artists, that's the _lightest_ thing they'll often work with. If you want to achieve truly dark areas in a drawing for realistic contrast and shading, you need something more like 6 or 7B and darker (or charcoal pencils or sticks).

   You'd be better off buying basic materials at an art supply store and checking out beginner tutorials online, more detailed instructional books, and/or taking a class at your local art center, school, etc. For a newbie, I'd recommend getting a full set of quality art pencils (like 8B-2H hardness) in a case, a kneaded eraser (vital!), vinyl eraser, a couple stumps/tortillons, a small sanding block (or just use a piece of fine-grit sandpaper for carpentry, etc.), a sharpener (any standard one will do), a ruler, a circle template, and a _big_ sketch pad.




4. Before I got this kit, I never really thought I was that good at art. Once I got it out, I couldn't stop drawing the beautiful pictures he teaches. When I brought my drawings to church, everyone was amazed at how good at art I was. Everyone I showed my pictures to thought they were beautiful. I would highly recommend this book. The instructions are easy to do and understand.



5. With the basic materials in your hand and an insipiration in your head you are all set to begin Pencil Drawing as a career or as a hobby. The instruction book begins with some small objects and extends upto quite complex drawings. It explains all the drawings step by step.

   I would like to suggest one thing. The author here is an expert and the drawings that he has mentioned in the instruction book are quite "life like" and exceptional. DO NOT TRY TO ACHIEVE SAME QUALITY THE FIRST TIME. Though it looks so simple from the steps that author mentions, you might end up with some frustration. INSTEAD TRY TO DRAW THEM TO THE BEST OF YOUR CALIBER or maybe leave them half done. TRY TO GET THE IDEAS BEHIND DRAWING AND SKETCHING and I am sure the whole kit is PRACTICALLY meant for that.........TO GET YOU STARTED!

   This kit is also a great gift idea to someone who is interested in drawing and sketching. I bought it two years ago for myself and am buying it again as a gift for someone special in India.