5 comments about Art History For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback)).

1. What i really liked about Art History For Dummies is the fact that you do not have to start at page one and read it in order. You can skip around and read it. It is a very informative book that is a real joy to read. The art work alone in the book is beautiful. You can look at beautiful art and have fun learning about it. HIGHLY RECOMMENED! Hats off to the author.



2. This books helps one learn about Art History in a compact, easy reading, fun way. I gave a copy to one of my friends who read the entire book to her children while they moved. The children loved it! As with other Dummies books all the information you need is at hand!



3. I used my brother's standard art history textbook for the fall semester of my Art History survey course. I didn't like it anymore than he did. It's dry and scholarly, weighs a ton, and costs about $140--if you buy it new. For around $20 on Amazon, I purchased a new Art History for Dummies book for the spring semester, which has most of the same information (plus quite a few extra things, that in some cases, my prof didn't know). Art History for Dummies is great--easy, fun to read and very inspiring. I really enjoy reading it. There are not many textbooks I can say that about! Despite its title, Art History for Dummies puts me ahead of most of my classmates who are struggling to make sense of the required text by Stokstad. For less money, I'm learning a lot more than I would have with the textbook. The chapters on Neoclassicism and Romanticism, for example, had a lot of really useful information that my other book lacks, which helped me enormously on the essay section of the test. We had to interpret David's THE OATH OF THE HORATII and DEATH OF MARAT as Neoclassical works and Delacroix's THE TRAGEDY OF SARDANAPALUS and Caspar David Friedrich's THE WANDERER ABOVE THE MISTS as typical Romantic paintings. All these masterpieces are examined in depth in Art History for Dummies. I aced the two tests we've had this semester. Last semester, using the required text (Stokstad), I barely managed a C.
   
   I even took the dummies book with me to the two art museums we were required to visit. It really opened up the paintings and sculpture for me. I understood art like I never have before and had the best art-museum experience I've ever had.
   
   The color art reproductions in the book are fantastic. (Some of the b&w are very good, other's are too dark or too small.) At first I wished there were more pics. Then I discovered that the book has an appendix with Websites of all the art that's discussed but not shown. I just type in the Web address on my laptop, and voila, there's the painting. These are really super Web sites, and I can make the pics as big as I need to (much larger than you find in any book) and zoom in on details. Plus, with most of the Web sites, you don't just get one or two works by the artist like you do in a textbook; they give you a whole chronology of paintings or sculptures. You can see ten or twenty (and in some cases over a hundred) paintings by each artist! You gain a much better feel for the artist's style and how it progressed throughout his or her career. If you're writing an essay on a painter, that's the way to do it. It helped me anyway. Once I started using the appendix, I really came to like it. (Make sure your browser saves the addresses you type in; because you use a lot of them more than once.)



4. I'm not an art major but I recently signed up for an art history class ("Modernism"), which I thought would be an easy elective. Unfortunately, the professor expects us to memorize a lot of facts and I found that the overpriced textbook for the class (Gardner's Art Through the Ages) was not very helpful in sorting out all the different artists, works, and styles that I had to learn about. I didn't want to drop the class and mess up my GPA, so I decided to see if there was a "dummies" book on the topic. I've used other "dummies" books before, and I've always found them to be well organized, informative, and entertaining. I was pleased to discover that this is also the case with Art History for Dummies, by Jesse Bryant Wilder. Wilder brings the subject to life with descriptions that are both thorough and easy to understand. In addition, he explains the motives of the artists in creating their most famous works, which is something my professor thinks is really important. One thing that I found particularly helpful is Wilder's way of explaining the various "isms" that we are studying. For example, he compares Cubism to cracking an egg and then reassembling its fragments on a flat surface: "you can see all sides of the egg at once, and yet it's hard to recognize the egg" (p. 303). Expressionism is compared to bashing in a classical "gilded box" (like a Gainsborough portrait of a placid aristocrat) so we can see the emotional struggles going on inside the box (inside the person) (p. 296). These kinds of analogies make the different movements of the Modernist period more understandable and memorable than the descriptions in Gardner's. Of course, Art History for Dummies covers much more than just the Modernist period and I've already started reading through other sections of the book, not for class but because the topics are so interesting to read about. The book includes clearly labeled headings as well as lots of photos, illustrations, anecdotes, and definitions of technical terms. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about art history and have an enjoyable reading experience at the same time.



5. I learned more about Art History just reading the Introduction than I have ever known before! I have a big Art History book from my daughter's college class and it was way too complicated and thorough for someone trying to learn without a professor on hand. I would highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Fearless Creating: A Step-by-Step Guide To Starting and Completing Your Work of Art.

1. Buying this book is simply the first step on a journey toward meaning. Taking action begins there, and will continue as you give yourself permission to create.



2. The author encourages us to recognize that making mistakes is part of creating. Experimenting, finding what works and what doesn't work, and going on is the process of creativity.
   This book is useful for the beginning and the experienced artist.



3. I teach Creativity at a University so I am constantly on the lookout for new and improved texts to use in my courses. For over ten years I have used this same book because I have not found a better one.
   
   I give the students a choice between this and Julia Cameron The Artist's Way. The latter is more "spiritual" in tone ("inner" this and "within" that, and let your "higher self" speak, etc.) and Fearless Craeting is more "secular" ( the occasional PG swear word, painting naked, etc.) so they appeal to different types of students. They are still the 2 best books I know to actually enhance your creativity. (Nor have the authors in my opinions, surpassed them in their subsequent books.)
   
   The only drawback is that the student only have to pay $15.00 for this text. They are used to paying $95.00 so this can be upsetting to them.



4. I am impressed at Maisel's boldness of style and content. He is not afraid to probe the depths of the human tendency to make excuses, play it safe, take the easy way out. He offers tough-minded encouragement in overcoming these near-universal blocks to originality and creativity, in art and in life. The exercises are interesting and useful, although of course some will be more relevant than others for each individual practitioner. I wouldn't judge in advance which ones are best, though; sometimes the least appealing is the most needed. Not for those who find creativity easy and straight-forward (which often means they aren't pushing their limits, which is fine if that's how they want to play it), but they probably wouldn't buy it anyway.



5. Eric Maisel's "Fearless Creating" is thorough and tough-minded, brooking no excuses for failure to start and follow-through the creative work, yet gently tolerant of the blocked artist's vulnerabilities and limitations. The book's only shortcoming is the silliness of some of the exercises, but this is easy to overlook in view of the book's overall helpfulness. It will be especially useful to the reader who resists the New Age, spiritual approach common to the genre.

5 comments about The Cartoon History of the Modern World Part 1: From Columbus to the U.S. Constitution.

1. Of course all the Cartoon histories are really great, illuminating, and educational, but on this one, I kept being irritated by with it references to today's events - references that a in a few years will be incomprehensible. A historian should write for the ages.



2. Great for a student who just can't get into the dry text book in history class. Factual, funny and in a cartoon format. Student's who find that they have no interest in history, may decide differently when they read this.



3. First of all, I was a big fan of the first 3 books. But this one was no where near as good. Here are some of my complaints.
   
   He comes off as more forgiving of the Aztec empire (human sacrifice, slavery and all) than the Spaniards (slavery, sans human sacrifice). A little more examination into the changes in the native populations day-to-day life would have been appreciated.
   
   He seems to dismiss the theory that germs were the dominant factor in allowing Europeans to conquer the Americas. While he does touch on disease in a few instances, his only direct approach is to portray this notion as a way to assuage white guilt. But this was, almost certainly, the reason why Europeans were able to conquer the Americas and not Africa or Asia.
   
   He perpetuates the myth that the croissant was invented to commemorate the victory of the Siege of Vienna. In fact, the myth originally claimed that it was invented for the siege of Budapest, and this was most likely invented as well. The first time that this story is told is in 1938, far too long after the fact to be accepted as fact.
   
   The treatment of slavery and the U.S. constitution is shallow. There were real conflicts here that could have been given better treatment. I'd rather that he'd saved this for another volume than skim over it.
   
   The religious conflicts in Europe were much more complex, and deserved more in-depth treatment. Too often, Gonick makes snarky comments about the participants, but there were real fears, real ambitions, etc. that motivated these conflicts.
   
   In fact, too often, just like his comparison of Aztecs to Spaniards, he seems willing to accentuate European sins over non-European sins. One can't help wondering what types of biases he harbors when addressing these comparisons. Was life in Peru really better under the native lords than under the Spaniards? Under what measurements?
   
   As well, the Ottomans are never addressed directly, even though they were an important world power. And did the Ottomans work in the African slave trade (why yes, they did)? How did this effect Africa, Turkey, etc.?
   
   Some of this may be alleviated in future volumes, but this volume by itself is weaker than previous ones.



4. The most enjoyable entry in Mr. Gonick's series since I read his first volume in 1993. This book covers history from roughly 1300-1750, with a refreshing and rare emphasis on pre-Columbian American cultures, such as the Aztecs and Incas. Gonick also delves into the might of India's Moghul Empire, dishes on the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, the first stirrings of the Enlightenment, global trade in the great age of sail, and more importantly, the sex lives of the rich and famous. Gonick pays particular attention to philosophers and scientists of all stripe, and does so with his trademark good humor and gift for turning what could be dry information into something genuinely fun to read. I'll say it again, you can learn more from one of Larry Gonick's books than from a semester in college!



5. As I do with all of Mr. Gonick's works, I read The Cartoon History of the Modern World Part 1 from cover to cover, enthralled the whole time. His imagery and narrative combine to make his Histories excellent learning vehicles. Be sure to watch out for the identity of the first human recorded to circumnavigate the globe---it may be a surprise!

5 comments about If... (Getty Trust Publications : J. Paul Getty Museum).

1. Working with kids is great...yet if you don't keep them occupied at all times my job description would be zoo keeper, not Elementary Art Teacher! At first, Sarah Perry's book "If..." served as a functional time filler. I knew the kids would get a kick out of the wonderful images! I introduce the book and the kids are still a bit restless and and not totally convinced that the art teacher is reading a book. Isn't that the librarians job, they think as they roll their eyes. I open to the first page and read,"If cats can fly..." their heads turn and their rolling eyes become transfixed on Perry's beautiful illustrations. I turn the page and by now the audience is silently screaming for more!!! By this time the students' teacher has come to pick the kids up from the art room, but instead of lining up the class, she has pulled up a seat to listen in on the fun! Nine times out of ten, when I am finished sharing the book, the students ask me to read it again. The kids walk out of the classroom with a smile on their face and their imaginations zooming!!! Parents stop me in the hallways to speak about the delight their child experienced when I was reading the book! I give the credit to Sarah Perry! Thank you Sarah...this functional time filler has become an imagination can opener!!!



2. This book is so beautifully illustrated and the ideas it presents are really fun. We got it as a baby shower gift and it immediately became a favorite of my husband and mine. Now my 2-year old loves to pour over the illustrations and giggles at the silly ideas. It's a book that I know she will keep into her adulthood.



3. My grandson who is almost four loves this book. He packed it to bring back to Me Me's when he spent the night.



4. The book, "If" is a great one for teachers to teach the trait of Ideas. Wonderful illustrations!



5. I have this book. I LOVE it. Sarah was a neighbor and kindred spirit who lived near me in Southern California. She gave me a signed copy as a going away gift when we moved last July. It is one of my treasures. From the adult point of view as well as the view of a professional artist, I found it totally delightful. Each picture deserves a dedicated block of focused attention. There is such detail and well thought out, enlightened imagery in each and presentation. Children are captivated and entertained for hours by this book as well. "IF" is a wonderful choice for any age. For those of you who own a copy of Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree", or Margery Williams' "The Velveteen Rabbit", and would like something equally inspiring, this book should be very high on a recommended list of "must-haves". Smart, sassy, challenging on many levels.

5 comments about Art Marketing 101, Third Edition: A Handbook for the Fine Artist (Art Marketing 101: A Handbook for the Fine Artist).

1. Art Marketing 101 is really aimed at emerging artists who would like to start selling their artwork directly to the public. If that's your ambition, as it was mine, this is a great resource. I really appreciate the fact that it's action oriented. You'll find yourself getting motivated to quit dreaming and get moving. Yes, some of the material will become outdated because technology is changing the art business so rapidly that it's impossible for a book to keep pace, but the author's done a good job of updating with each new revision. Overall, you'll find plenty of solid direction and great ideas that you might not have thought of without it.



2. Great Must Have Book for any Artist!!! This book gave me great insite on what to do once I was finished creating art. It helped me place my artwork in the right market place and sell my art. I think anyone who paints or creates needs to have this book.



3. I took so many notes when reading this as a library book that I've decided I'd better just own it. One of the best books on marketing my artwork and making a living as an artist that I've ever come across, and I've read several.



4. The book is an eye opener for artists that have painted for years and they have no clue as to how to sell their art.
   It is wonderful !



5. This guide to art marketing is especially usefull for the individual artist. Concise, precise, very user freindly with plenty of usable advice on getting into the marketplace and being a success.

5 comments about One Red Dot: A Pop-Up Book for Children of All Ages (Classic Collectible Pop-Up).

1. This is such a beautiful book. I recommend everyone to add a copy of this book to their library. I picked up this book in the classroom I work in to engage a 3 year old child with autism. She didn't take her eyes off this book and wanted to play with it again and again. I am now getting one for my three year old son. Every child and adult will love this book. It is truly amazing. Never have I seen such wonderful pop up art done.



2. For 3 years now, I've been a David A. Carter fan. Why 3 years? You put two and two together. He's the author of these three *very* cool pop-up books that are unlike any pop-up books I've ever seen. They are like individual works of art only they're purchasable at any generic bookstore. It's "Pop" art. Get the double entendre? Well, if not, take a look at the pics above.
   
   My first introduction to his work was with the book: "One Red Dot." Since then he's created "600 Black Spots" and "Blue 2." I purchased these in "new" condition for half of their purchase price on Amazon. However, if you're the type of parent who lets their child run amok with their baby books (not a bad thing) this may have to take a backseat for a year or two. I had to be very careful with my daughter when reading this book. Like any one-year-old her first instinct was to grab then ensuingly tear off the colorful fluttering paper. But I did manage to keep the book "relatively" unscathed and usable for my second daughter.
   
   He's written a couple more "traditional" pop up books about bugs but these were the ones that hooked me. Oh and one more thing, one of the pages makes a great sawing noise when the blades scrape against the paper as you open the page. Clever.
   'Kathleen Dougherty
   http://the-tum-tum-tree.blogspot.com/



3. My kids fight to be the one holding this book. They love the search as the pages turn to the next challenge.



4. Our two year old and four year old love this book. They pick out different items for one another to find.



5. The pop-ups are intricate and fascinating to young and old. Young children should be supervised if you want the book to last. Artistic and beautiful... this book is a great coffee table book.

3 comments about Graphics Alive.

1. Really cool and well printed piece. Amazing content, will be very helpful to inspire my work.



2. I bought this for my husband and he loves it. It cost $40 at another store we saw it in and this is by far the best price.



3. I wish I had bought this at amazon. It caught my eye at Urban Outfitters and I ended up paying $40+. The book delves into design outside of the usual formalities of print. Instead what you get to see is top designers making use of their techniques in other ways such as ipod skin designs to completely remodeling hotel rooms. I like this book because it stirs up inspiration for ideas completely outside the box.

5 comments about Ed Emberley's Picture Pie (Ed Emberley Drawing Books).

1. If your kids are really into cutting it might be ok but I think that the steps are not clearly defined.



2. I use this book in my classroom as we are working on geometry and fractions with students. They love the connection between math and art!



3. I used the ideas in this book with my gifted students, age K thru 3. They loved it and really came up with some wonderful pictures. It is a good art project that also brings in math.



4. This is a wonderful book for the kindergarten class I am currently student teaching in. We made the spring flowers while teaching circles, half circles, and quarter circles. It also made a bright spring bulletin board.



5. If you know someone who likes to do art, this is a great book. You need to have the time to organize the necessary pieces to create these pictures. The end result is always successful for children.

5 comments about Ed Emberley's Fingerprint Drawing Book.

1. I love this book. It's great for a party craft (as I first used it) or for sending/making cards.



2. I remember this book from when I was a kid. My 4YO loved it when he got this book. We've recently given it as gifts with a stamp pad. I would highly recommend it,since kids can make adorable pictures with little effort.



3. I used this book for 400 Girl Scouts at a day camp. The fingerprint animals and people worked for all ages and the girls loved to try new things from the book. Thanks for all the great fingerprint ideas. :)



4. I was not familiar with this book before I bought it; however, it was recommended by the teachers of the students for which this and several other Ed Emberley books were purchased. From the thank yous I have received, this book was a real hit! It is used in a Native American Mission School with great enthusiasm and even better results. What more could you ask for?



5. I used samples made from the book for a kid's craft at our library. The kid's and myself had a lot of fun.

5 comments about Cabinet of Natural Curiosities: The Complete Plates in Colour, 1734-1765.

1. The illustrations in this book are so vivid and detailed, it even makes snakes look beautiful to me! I wish there were more books that were made this way.



2. Cabinet of Natural Curiosities: The Complete Plates in Colour, 1734-1765 At a time when unimportant volumes by hack authors sell for around $30 it is extraordinary to find a book this beautiful, this timeless at a price less than an average bottle of Chardonnay. Makes one rethink any list they might have made of books to take to a deserted island.



3. I'm not a biologist or scientist of any kind. But I am a fan of Taschen's publications and admire his goal of publishing high-quality photo/art books at reasonable prices. I happened to come across this book while browsing in the bookshop, was attracted by the Taschen name on the cover, took a peek inside and bought it on the spot. It was only afterwards that I discovered the history and historical significance of this collection. It's a beautiful book, filled with brilliantly colored illustrations of reptiles, butterflies, plants and animals. Great stuff and a real education for a layman like me.



4. snakes, bugs, plants, birds and all manner of living creatures. It is really an overwhelming collection. Worth getting a larger coffee table.



5. The old prints are just beautiful. Before photographs, books like these had hand painted reproductions of the animals. The detail is amazing. One can only imagine how long it must have taken to prepare these works.And collect the specimens.Check out the 7 headed hydra! And cheers to Taschen for another beautiful art book.