5 comments about How to Draw the Human Figure: Famous Artists School, Step-by-Step Method (Famous Artists School : Step-By-Step Method).

1. This is a good book for those beginning figure drawing.I found it less complicated than others out there and the method is sound.There are photos you can draw from if you want to do that and the explanations are very clear.Keep it simple and have fun.



2. good price. a bit disappointed with the book itself. no reflection on the seller.



3. I found this book to give me all I was looking for, how to draw gesture drawing,anatomical proportions,figure, and it gives you practice pages to draw on and then comparison pages to go back to so you can see your errors and correct them. this is a self teaching book that works



4. THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK BUT NOT ONE FOR THE "AVERAGE" BASIC BEGINNER. WAS HOPING FOR A STEP BY STEP.



5. Lots of good excercises for those new to drawing the human figure.

No comments about Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities, Alternate Edition (Book & CD-ROM).

3 comments about Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination.

1. I ordered this book for my husband's birthday and he was estatic. By far it is the best book we own. The many visuals are breathtaking. The text takes you into a wonderful journey. Highly recommended



2. Better late than never, & well worth the wait. Beautiful reproductions, some of which I'd never seen before, illustrate all facets of Cornell's brilliant, quirky career. This was supposed to have been the catalog for the retrospective that began it's rounds last year (I believe) but did not appear until long after it had left the Smithsonian. There are other books out there, but this one is the best I've seen thus far. If you are a fan, an assemblage or collage artist, this is the new bible chronicling the life of the artist with whom those techniques have become synonymous.



3. This catalogs and comments on the wonderful display of Cornell's work, on tour at the time of this writing. I had known Cornell's work only by reputation (and a certain amount of urba myth) before seeing that display. It stunned me; I've never had such a strong response to any other collection, ever. Although Cornell worked in several formats, his "shadow boxes" earned his reputation. Each one is a world in itself, filled with mystery and meaning.
   
   This dense book presents photos of the works in that tour, along with extensive commentary and biographical notes. The collection's boxes appear, of course, along with Cornell's work in two other categories: collage, and works that I'll call "albums." I admit that collage, even when exceptionally well done, generally doesn't move me. Collage elements enhance his boxes but do not, to my taste, stand well on their own. I found the albums tantalizing, though. Each one collected "natural" images from the popular media, collage, and Cornell's surrealist writings, all loose, in some kind of storage case. They were meant to create a unique experience for each viewer, changing in sequence, organization, and juxtaposition each time the pages' order changed. Displays under glass preserved the artworks, but blocked the museum-goer from experiencing the albums as they were meant to be experienced. I envy the preparators and curators who got the direct experience of this art in preparing the display.
   
   Unfortunately, this book's photographic representation of the albums also blocks the experience that Cornell intended - but I'd rather have the fixed depiction than none at all. The fixed and 2D representation of the dynamic and 3D boxes gives the same sense: a pale shadow of the boxes' magical presence. This book does as well as can be hoped, but no book can replicate the subtle optics and shifting perspectives of the original objects.
   
   I've only sampled this book's profuse text. If you can't see the originals, the commentary helps bring them to life. Notes on Cornell's career, times, and friendships also cast informative light on the works and how they arose. The gorgeous photos are so distracting, though, that I keep wandering away from the text. If you've seen the show, this will remind you of what you saw (there was so much), and deepen your appreciation of it. If you haven't, it will make you wish you did.
   
   -- wiredweird

1 comments about Tolerance: The Art of Chris Mars (Last Gasp).

1. From page one, it's awesome. I especially dug this disclaimer: This book was manufactured with respect for the environment, workers rights, and human rights. Let's give it up for socially-responsible art and commerce. Seriously.
   
   Those of who are familiar with Mars' art already know that it's dark, dark, dark stuff. So the book is filled with that, but more than that (and my favorite part) are all kinds of, for lack of a better term, explanations about some of the paintings. I've never really been a fan of Mars' paintings. The darkness kind of scares me and makes me uncomfortable. But, after spending a few days with the book, looking at the pictures and reading the passages, I've decided that it's okay. Art is supposed to move us. It's not always that giddy, joyful sort of experience. Sometimes it is dark and uncomfortable, and that's okay too. Sometimes life is dark and uncomfortable.
   
   I was surprised by the political backdrop and tone of some of the paintings. I knew the story of Mars' brother and knew that a lot of his artistic inspiration sprung from that experience. There is a lot of that in this book, with explanations that will literally move you to tears. But, I think, the pieces that most affected me were the more politically-themed ones. The political was new to me, and because Mars' and I seem to have the same political leanings, I really liked those portions of the book. For instance, he writes this about his piece called "State of the Union:
   "The central figure is a disheartened, despondent Lady Liberty, who is being probed and prodded by shady practitioners who fail to comprehend her. She's been reduced and dons a warhead dunce cap. Some smugly endorsement her belittlement; some turn away. Others are aware, but feel confused and powerless. All this creates chaos; there is infighting. . . " it goes on, but you get the gist of it.
   
   I cannot deny that I am surprised my how much I am enjoying this book. I think you might too.

5 comments about Great Book of Tattoo Designs: More than 500 Body Art Designs.

1. I ordered this book thinking it would have tons of different tattoo ideas. While it does, it has a lot of the same thing. Like 40 pages of the "Green Man." I dont see many tattoos of the green man, and to have 40 pages of it...also they have lighthouses?...well, draw your own conclusions. The dragons are really cool, but so many of the wildlife ones are for painting, not really tattoo quality. And the symbols section leaves a lot to be desired. Lots of crosses, which is fine, but nothing for modern symbols.And lastly the floral section. Only one rose, which i really like roses, so i thought that kinda sucked. A nice book overall, but if you are looking for a lot of variaty, look someplace else.



2. I have some ink on me and am planning to have my back done. This book is full of some of the best designs I have seen!
   It has a Celtic section that has some of the best designs. It also has a section of some good ole' fashioned classic designs as well.
   I recommend this book for the sheer art value alone!



3. I personally think this is a waste. I bought this from a Books-A-Million for about nine bucks. It was on sale and it was in plastic packaging,
   I thought it would be worth it by looking at the size.
   Most of the concepts, which are nothing special, look like they'd be in a child's colouring book. It was a huge let down as far as a concept book goes. The designs look the same with a few different details. It's not worth wasting your money on.



4. Lora S. Irish is a talented artist and this plain book is a nice step-stone for designers and other artists to glean ideas, and not just for tattoos. As a matter of fact, I don't really think the designs in the book are very contemporary as far as body-art designs go today. While not the most complicated set of designs, she shows very well how to increase their complexity and interest. Her line-drawings are supplemented by shaded drawings which illustrate how the design can be embellished and come to life. As a reference or guide, this book is very useful. It is rather thick to be copied or scanned and you will have to either remove the pages or break the back to successfully do either, unless you are hand-copying with transfer paper.
   
   I highly recommend it as an addition to your design-source library for pyrography (wood burning), carving, painting, and yes, even for a tattoo.



5. This book is a totally waste of paper, time and money. Is one of the most awful books I have acquired. Is not really a tattoo book. It is more like a kindergarden "color the figures" books. I want my money back!!!!!!!!!!

5 comments about Collecting Contemporary.

1. I loved this book! Nicely written, easy to refer to, good mixture of examples. If you're going to buy a work of art because you like it, or because you hope it'll grow in value have a read. No book will change the colour of your wall-paper, or give you prophetic foresight into the future value of the art market, but this book will give you valuable insights to deal with the main players (artists, dealers,etc), & understand the mechanisms that move the market.



2. Great book, well worth the read. I liked all the interviews with the dealers and collectors and every art lover who is thinking about starting a collection should ready this book first.



3. Excellent book. Gives inside information on how the whole contemporary art market system works. Very helpful for emerging contemporary artists. Good buy.



4. Adam Lindemann, is an art collector who has written a book, Collecting Contemporary. It is a good reference material and serves as a basic road map for the burgeoning art collector - and possibly an even better one for emerging artists.
   
   Since I am founding a new theory of art (UnGraven Image), which includes a written manifesto booklet on the theory, I am exceptionally interested in reaching other artists with what will help them. This book will.
   
   I appreciated the information I found within so much I devoted a whole weekly blog to it (and longer review) at my web site. Other reviews here and in the press have dealt with the information for collectors -- and it is useful for them. However, emerging artists get a good overview of the gatekeepers and movers and shakers in the art world. What motivates a collector -- a curator -- or a gallerist to select the work of an artist?
   Read this book to learn more!
   -- Judy Rey Wasserman, Founder & Artist, UnGraven Image
   
   



5. Starting with the positives: you can read the entire book in about 15 minutes.
   Here's the bottom line: buy what you like and can afford.
   Dealers and critics try to make artists famous because that is how they make their money.
   If you buy something from a dealer and later decide that you don't like it, it is considered hoyle (by dealers) to give the dealer first dibs on the re-sale.
   Instead of buying this book, save your money and buy a work from a local artist you like - all will be better served.

5 comments about Roy Lang's Sea & Sky in Oils: Painting the Atmosphere & Majesty of the Sea.

1. It has really nice pictures of the oil painting.
   It has some step by step "how to paint a sea"... I just wishe it had more.



2. Purchased the book thinking it would be a good overview. The reviews seemed promising. I've read it like three times now! It is so good and the techniques are really straightforward. I'm about to paint my very first seascape having learned from this book that it IS possible. I understand that there is also a Roy Lang DVD that goes along with this book and am looking to get a copy. If you want to learn how to paint the sea - you can't go wrong with this book.



3. An excellent book of ideas for those attempting, for the first time, the complexities of the sea. I would like to have had a few more work studies under different lighting conditions. Certainly a terrific starting point for first timers such as myself.



4. this guy knows how to paint water but never give you a good tutorial at all, i bought this book 'cause of the painting in the cover... thinking that I'll learn to paint at least that painting... WRONG!!! only shows you how to paint small waves, boring scenes nothing great... last time I'm buying books of this kind in amazon... I'll better go to half price books



5. I made the mistake of not reviewing his work before buying the book. While his water is well done, his rocks look like they were painted directly from a squeezed tube. It's a distraction in many of his paintings. It is hard to learn from a book when you aren't impressed with the artist's work.

5 comments about The Art and Science of Modern Tattooing.

1. This is a great reference book for any tattoo artist to own, but it's a must have for any apprentice. The author explains concisely just how everything works-your machines, your needles, etc- every technical aspect of the craft. Where he does gives his artistic opinions and preferences he states just that-these are HIS preferences- and encourages you to develop your own. There are many years of working experience all packed into this one book and that's hard to come by, but it's also entertaining. For anyone interested in tattooing, it's a great addition to your book collection.



2. this book is easy reading, straight to the point.It has a great deal of information on tuning tattoo machines that you simply don't find out there. very informative. A little more on tattooing itself would have made this book top knoch, though the best book Ive read on tattooing.



3. I just got this book and think it is absolutley fabulous. I taught myself to tatttoo and wish I had this book before I started on my own. The technical info on the operation of the tattoo gun, as it pertains to the application of ink is, detailed and understandable. For me the grammar and spelling errors were minor and did not detract from the understanding of the material presented. I would recomend this book to anyone who has an interest in the process of tattooing, as a practitioner or admirer of tattoo art.



4. I have both of Ericks books.(Have not read his last one.)Have learned a lot. And he is a good writer, both educational and funny. A must have for the aspiring tattooartist.



5. This book has some good information on machines that would probably take forever otherwise to learn. It is by no means comprehensive but I think it's a good starting point for any beginner tattoo artist, like myself, as it goes over a wide range of things from machines and their parts to preventing cross contamination. The poor grammer was a little distracting for me because that sort of thing drives me nuts. There was a lot of "your" instead of "you're" and "there" instead of "their", etc. If you can look past it then you'll be fine!

5 comments about Rendering in Pen and Ink: The Classic Book on Pen and Ink Techniques for Artists, Illustrators, Architects, and Designers (Practical Art Books).

1. Ink and pen was pretty much perfected around the turn of the century and the benefit of that expertise is captured quite well in this book. You still get the best and most expressive lines from a steel pen. This seems like a perfect book for a beginner or an experienced artist interested in all the nuances of the pen.
   My only real issue with the book is it seems to be focused heavily on architectural themes and technical issues and less on art. So I give it 4 stars.



2. This is the Bible.
   That's the long and short of it. To my knowledge, there is no other tutorial that is as complete and exhaustive as this 60 year old text on the then prominent art of pen and ink drawing. Arthur Guptill begins with a detailed exploration of the nature of pen and ink rendering as well as its limitations. Pen and ink is never intended to create photographic representations of the subject and so any comparison between the photograph and the ink rendering is fallacious. He then goes on to explain how the results of pen and ink are achieved. Some of the material will be superfluous to the artist who uses the Rapidograph pen because it illustrates the different techniques that are specific to the various flexibilities of the dip-pen nibs and how varying the pressure can produce different line effects. These techniques are the reasons I prefer the flex-tip nibs over the modern technical pen. (Or it could be that I'm just and old fashioned cuss.) Guptill stresses the importance of practicing pen-strokes much as a pianist must practice scales. Neither the instruments nor the lack of skill in the basic techniques should stand in the way of the artist in the midst of creating the picture. Practicing strokes is the surest way to freedom of expression when it counts most.
   Many methods of producing grey scale with the pen and one value of black ink are also presented exhaustively. When this book was written, newspapers relied less on photographs and more on the pen primarily because printing techniques had not been developed that could inexpensively reproduce on newsprint the subtle shading of a photograph. Only the most important stories warranted a print photo. Artists had to rely on pen techniques to suggest them. That, more than any other thing, makes this text invaluable, for even though we have mastered the art of photographic printing, yet there is a charm to the pen and ink rendering that will never be replaced. It is good to have a ready reference to how these effects are achieved.
   Also valuable are the principles of composition, light, shade and texture that are common to most art texts, but here these are presented with the specific ways they are achieved in monochrome ink and various pens. And, there are ample illustrations of works by the greatest illustrators of the time, showing how each one achieved results. Copying these artists is probably the most valuable experience an artists can get from a book.
   Much of the work, in fact, the majority, is in the area of architectural rendering, and it seems that architects may be the ones who will get the most use of this textbook, but illustrators are well represented too, and the techniques are the same for both.
   I have found this book essential in my own illustration work and recommend it highly to anyone in the graphic arts.



3. I bought this book to learn pen drawings but as this tome was written several years ago, it talks about a different set of instruments, principally a quill/or quill type pen. The uniqueness of this pen is that the width of the line varies with the pressure you put. These pens are now available only in specialty art stores. If you are planning to use the technical pen (available in a number of gages) a better and more apt alternative is The Technical Pen.
   
   This book however, still rates 3 stars from me because of the depth of material. Some of the illustrations are very, well illustrative :) and the overall coverage of material is comprehensive.



4. This book is essential. I am a pro illustrator and I still find myself cracking it open. Through out your career in art you will have a hand full of books that amaze you and keep teaching you. This is it.
   
   TJ Walkup



5. This book is all that the other reviewers say it is. The text is clear and informative, if dated... but the illustrations! The illustrations are worth the price of the book. Even just the basic exercise illustrations in the first part of the book are beautiful, and demonstrate what is possible with this medium.
   
   I have to admit, I'm a Rapidograph person (and if you are too, please see The Technical Pen in addition to this book) rather than a flexible nib person, but the lessons and examples in Guptill's book are priceless anyway.
   
   Highly recommended.

3 comments about Basic History of Western Art, A (7th Edition).

1. To attempt to put the entire history of Western Art into one volume containing all the necessary illustrations that is nonetheless light enough for students to carry is indeed an ambitious undertaking, and the Jansons do an outstanding job of it. I found it pretty darn fabulous up until it got to the 20th Century. Then I felt that it lost focus as a survey of Western Art and became more of a cheerleading squad for particular artists. But there are more things to admire about this book than to denigrate. First of all, the text is quite readable and tells what's important. Second, the quality of the color illustrations is excellent, especially for a book of this price. My biggest complaint is that certain works that I think are important, or were important in their time, are not mentioned. For example, can one really talk about Surrealism and not even mention Salvador Dali? Whether you like him or not, I don't think you can just ignore him when you talk about 20th Century art. Can you talk about Victorian art and not mention Alma-Tadema? The sections on late 20th Century art completely ignore such influential artists as Robert Crumb and Keith Haring, but yet devote a lot of space to work that could only be of interest to frequent gallery-goers. (I regarded these final pages as the equivalent of including some current off-off-Broadway shows in an anthology Western Drama along with Sophocles, Shakespeare, Shaw and Tennessee Williams.) Of course, you can't include everything and the authors have, I'm sure, had a lot of pressure put on them to include works by people who fit certain demographics. An artist friend of mine, who happens to be a lady of a certain age, told me that she had used an earlier edition of this textbook 40 years ago. She said that there was a big protest at that time because there were no women artists included. That is not the case with this edition. I felt that women artists were well represented by top-notch works, and it wasn't just the usual suspects (e.g., Rosa Bonheur, Mary Cassat, Georgia O'keefe). This edition includes a couple of great ones that I was previously unfamiliar with, like Artemesia Gentilischi and Judith Leyster. And then for all the omissions of artists I have a particular liking for, I was delighted to see discussions of John Singleton Copley and Caspar David Friedrich included.
   
   Despite my criticism, I think that this is an excellent choice for an art history textbook. It manages to take a large and complex subject and put it into one plainspoken and cohesive volume. That's an accomplishment: Four stars.



2. If your an artist or interested in art history...this book is very helpful....I had to get it for class..but i still reference it to this day...



3. In the introduction to this revised seventh edition, Anthony Janson (whose father, H.W. Janson, still has top billing for the volume) talks about the long tradition he and his father have had toward this volume and the larger work that carries the same name. It has been a standard in Western art education for decades, and the revisions periodically placed serve to bring new interpretations, perspectives and finds into the mix of history.
   
   Prior to diving into the depths of art, Janson provides a primer - art history is a relatively new discipline, and often studied by historians and others with interest but relatively little training in artistic areas themselves. This book is about the visual arts (those of drama, music, etc. are not included here, but architecture is to some degree); Janson gives a brief survey of key concepts that are critical to understanding the mediums (artists, Janson states, prefer to use the plural of medium as mediums rather than media). Geometric and visual appreciation concepts are introduced, as are philosophical/aesthetic ideas.
   
   The majority of the text is divided into four broad sections: The Ancient World, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance through the Rococo, and the Modern World. This is a book that really a survey or history of Western art - it does have a brief section at the beginning of the Ancient World on cave art and neolithic art in North America, but apart from this never wanders outside the main courses of Western art even in the modern period. As an introductory text, this is not surprising - many of the values and concepts of art in non-Western cultures require more explanation for adequate aesthetic appreciation of their art than an introductory survey course could cover. Still, it is a deficit worthy of note for those who are looking for a more comprehensive volume.
   
   The Ancient World covers art of Egypt, the Fertile Crescent and Persia, Aegean/Greek art, Etruscan art, and Roman art. The section on the Middle Ages begins primarily with the rise of Christendom as the dominant political power - this includes Byzantine art, early Medieval art (Carolingian and Ottonian times), Romanesque, and the ascendancy of the Gothic style, including the great Abbey of St-Denis. The Renaissance focusses early on Italy, but also explores the Renaissance influences in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and England. The Modern Period is the most diverse, with movements such as Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Art Nouveau and other schools that had a greater tendency to cross national boundaries. The twentieth century brought about a great explosion of artistic expressions, in architecture, sculpture, painting and photography, each of which get a chapter. While the fourth section begins with a discussion of modernism, it ends with the discussion of post-modernism, a period of transition.
   
   The colour reproductions throughout are stunning, and the use of black-and-white images to highlight details is also useful. Two-thirds of the 600 illustrations are in colour. The photographs showing architectural styles are interesting, far from being boring 'sample' shots. The text is engaging and informative, achieving a good balance between the artistic, the philosophical and the historical. There are maps, chronological tables, a glossary of terms, suggestions for further readings arranged topically, and a very useful index (always a plus for students and scholars).
   
   The predecessor edition was entitled 'A Basic History of Art'; this one has added the word 'Western' to the title, very appropriately. This new edition has included new essays in the introduction, including 'The Power of Art', 'The Impact of Context', and 'Experiencing Art in Museums'. The maps and timelines have been revised, and there are new Cultural Context boxes alongside the text. Also, 'Materials and Techniques' pull-quote boxes give an explanation of principal art practices, methods and conventions through history.