No comments about The Northern Renaissance A&I (Art and Ideas).

No comments about Installation Art.

No comments about Les Paul: In His Own Words.

No comments about Art of the Avant-Gardes (Art of the Twentieth Century).

2 comments about 50 Artists You Should Know (50 You Should Know).

1. Presented chronologically and covering the last 700+ years, this book focuses exclusively on painters from Europe and the US, so those interested in non-Western artists (e.g., Hokusai) or other forms of art (e.g., sculpture, pottery, etc.) should look elsewhere. Each of the 50 artists is granted a 4-page layout, with the first left page being prints of the artist's most well-known paintings and the right facing page a written description of the artist, along with a small portrait of the artist. The following two pages have either a larger two-page spread of a single painting or a couple of smaller photos. While the chosen paintings are representative of the artist's most famous works, the written descriptions are sometimes lacking in the kind of information I consider most useful.
   
   Note that I don't object to the brevity of the information, but to the content. For example, I would prefer a brief description of artist's life, along with a description of each painting and why it's significant, much like a docent would on a museum tour. However, most of the content focuses only on the former, with descriptions of the latter appearing only infrequently. This is really disappointing to me because these descriptions are so good when they do appear (e.g., pointing out the reflections of the King & Queen of Spain in the mirror in Velasquez's "Ladies-in-Waiting" painting). Put another way, this book tells you about 50 artists you should know (as the title suggests), but not WHY we should know them!
   
   On a positive note, one of the best features of the book is the timeline across the top of each two-page spread. The timeline places each artist within the context of his/her artistic peers (Michaelangelo with Titian & Raphael), the relevant artistic period (e.g., the High Renaissance), and other important world events occuring at the time (e.g., Magellan circumnavigates the globe). I really like this aspect of the book because it accomplishes something none of my history teachers was able to do - help me see the big picture to better understand what was happening around the world synchronically rather than in a disconnected, linear fashion.
   
   All in all, if you want a brief biographical description of important European and US artists over the past 800 years, this book is for you. If you want to learn more about other types of art, artists from other areas of the world, or explanations about why particular pieces of art are noteworthy, you need to take a look somewhere else.



2. As a grade school art teacher (part-time) I always have to search and look around for some famous art pieces to inspire my students. I usually go on google or if I am in a real jam I look through some old artist's catalogs and find what I need. Sometimes the art is good but the artist is a little hazy with history and story. Remember that these are kids that are 10-14 years old. I have to get their attention. I try to pick some interesting paintings yet I have to censor some of the more adult themed ones. I teach at a Catholic Grade school.
   
   I finally found the book I needed and wanted. This is 95% of what I was looking for. Lots of history, lots of pictures and plenty of give to make copies and not break the book. Granted there are some paintings that are not appopriate for children but for the most part they are pretty good. Plus there is a snapshot of what the artists look like as painted by themselves, so that was neat too.
   
   My only qualms for not being a 5 star rating is that it was originally printed in German and the language is a little stilted. Also the binding is a little loose and could wear out in time. Plus the few paintings that are unmentionable because of unmentionable themes (ahem). Remember I teach kids. Do you want your son or daughter really getting the whole scope of Bottacilli's Venus? Alrighty then.
   
   So it is a good and sub-par great resource book and I recommend it to all art teachers!

1 comments about Brandscapes: Architecture in the Experience Economy.

1. The topic of this book is extremely entertaining. As any reader can
   imagine from the title, it's about landscapes as byproduct of branding.
   Well known recent projects in the US (few Europe) by star architects are
   analyzed in the context of city branding, museum branding, and corporate
   branding.
   
   Branding has been out there for long time, but what's particularly
   interesting in recent phenomena (gist of this book) is that the
   architecture (or formation of its process) is used as a vehicle to
   branding. Klingmann was able to pull together diverse discipline groups
   and abundant resources to make that claim.
   
   Another major voice in the book is about "Experience Economy." Basically,
   how product developers and brand strategists have evolved their nature of
   products and point of advertisement into consumer based satisfaction.
   That in mind, Klingmann pulls together solid evidence of the
   architectural role.
   
   Good books tend to be either extremely informative or imaginative.
   Reading the book, I had pleasure of doing the latter. Branding, in my
   mind, at the basic level comes down to "art of seduction" or "art of
   persuasion", dealing the issues of contemporaneity. There are probably
   gazillion different veils to seduce, Klingmann's book does not focus on
   one particular way of seducing. The real strength of the book, hence is,
   its open-endedness to imagination.

2 comments about Posada's Popular Mexican Prints.

1. Posada is known mainly by its illustrations of the death, in this book appears all its work and the illustrations of the death are only a 10% of the book, the others are illustrations of the daily life, critical policy and customs of the Mexico Posada's time.
   
   The quality of the paper and the encuadernación are not very luxurious, but he is agreed with the price.
   
   
   In Spanish:
   Posada es conocido principalmente por sus ilustraciones de la muerte, en este libro aparece toda su obra y las ilustraciones de la muerte son solo un 10% del libro, las demás son ilustraciones de la vida cotidiana, crítica política y costumbres de el México de la época de posada.
   
   La calidad del papel y la encuadernación no son muy lujosas, pero es acorde con el precio.



2. The book is a comprehensive review of Posada's prints. The biographical information is straight forward and well informed.

2 comments about The Art of The Darkness.

1. As a big fan of comic books and comic book art, I've known for a while that the cover art of The Darkness series from Image is exceptional. How exceptional, however, was never quite known to me until I picked up "Art of the Darkness".
   
   This large format book is beautilfully produced, printed on glossy paper, and reproducing some of the most seminal of the covers and produced for The Darkness, with such luminaries as Michael Turnes, Marc Silvestri, and Dale Keown featured, among many others. I've very impressed with this book - I certainly got much more than I was expecting, and I holds a place of honor on my bookshelf. My only complaint is that it is too short - at only 96 pages, there were a number of other excellent covers that should have been featured - as the "catalog" of covers at the end of the book attests. Otherwise, however, a great offering form Image, who continues to put out great art books. Recommended for the comic book fan.



2. I bought this book thinking it would be less beautiful, but it's nice, an all right book. I had imagined it would be comic-sized but with extra pages as a big number or something, but it turned out to be a book with the size of an art book, and it does contain beautiful illustrations.
   
   The only reaosn for which this one is not getting the five stars marker is because it could have contained more pages!!! And sketches!!! And also because it showed some ilustrations small sized in an interview, or something, but those illustrations never got to make it to a full page drawing, and they were beautiful to begin with.
   
   But great nevertheless.

5 comments about Goddesses Knowledge Cards: Paintings by Susan Seddon Boulet.

1. The cards were a bit of a disappointment- first of all, they are very small in size, second there is no indication on how to use them with the pack. I have used another S. Boulet pack before and wanted to purchase that one, but this just isn't it. The paintings are beautiful, it can be used but it is not so inspiring.Goddesses Knowledge Cards: Paintings by Susan Seddon Boulet



2. just exactly what I wanted. Really beautiful art work by Susan.s.Boulet.
   Great description on back about the goddess. Well described and beautifully presented.thank you. helen



3. I thought these were a great idea. I found them in a used bookstore for $5.
   
   The good: The goddess cards cover a pretty wide range of pantheons. The descriptive text on the back is well-written and high quality. The artwork is imaginative.
   
   The less-than-good: Overall, it seems the artist has one female face that she uses as a template for her art: full lips, long face, peaceful yet somewhat vacant eyes. In a deck like this, I would have desired perhaps some more differences among the goddesses in order to highlight the natures of the deities depicted, especially the more feral or darker aspects, which this deck seems to shy away from. It has a very warm/fuzzy/positive feel, and seems to avoid or gloss over some of the darker archetypes.
   
   After browsing through the deck again, it almost seems like she might have used the same model for many of the pieces. Despite that complaint, this is still a solid product for which i would have paid full price.



4. Susan Seddon Boulet is an inspired artist, which astonishing work make us dive into the deep realm of the unconscious. The images of Godesses touch the archetipal feminine and resonates those possibilities in each of us. I contemplate them as part of my inner work and in my work as an art therapist in Brazil.



5. Boulet was a very gifted artist, whose work is extremely inspiring on a deeply spiritual level. These cards portray her art splendidly, along with wonderful descriptions of the goddesses on the reverse side. The Goddess Knowledge Cards can be used as a divination tool, for daily inspiration and guidance, or simply for the enjoyment of Art. Boulet included many of the lesser-known goddesses in this deck, such as Rhiannon (my personal favorite, as this is also my granddaughter's name). The cards are beautifully printed on heavy, high-gloss cardstock. The artwork is undeniably remarkable. They cards will be appreciated by many.

3 comments about Stacked Decks: The Art and History of Erotic Playing Cards.

1. Interesting topic, interesting book. Good images, but resolution could be better. If you are into fine photography and a collector of cards this book is a good reference of this subject. Every card collector should consider getting a copy of this book. Emphasis is on the fine art and attractive models, and historic approach. A nice book worth the price.



2. Mark Rotenberg is the obvious choice to do a book on pin-up playing cards, the intro says the contents are from his 450 decks (the world's biggest collection? Probably!). There isn't too much to say about a product that has very few clues about the models, photographers, printers yet over the years the numbers manufactured must run into the millions of packs. Of the 452 cards in the book the majority show anonymous females in predictably unimaginative stock glamour poses that card printers could buy for next to nothing.
   
   I thought the illustrative cards much more interesting. There are a few showing the paintings of Heinz Villiger, Joyce Ballantyne, Al Moore and Gil Elvgren. Strangely no Petty or Vargas decks, were the reproduction rights too expensive? The best cards in the book are surely the two decks put out in 1955 by Parisian manufacturer Editions Philibert who commissioned artist Paul-Emile Becat to paint a series of miniatures showing erotic Florentine life during the Renaissance and another set about Casanova. When compared to these two decks the book's photo glamour material come across as the tacky cards they really are.
   
   It is unfortunate that the book's production is very dull. The cards are presented full on, with none angled or overlapping each other. The addition of a drop shadow would have given them a lift. As most of the cards are visually unimaginative perhaps a few still-life photos throughout the book would provide some interest: a poker hand on a card table with some chips, a scattered deck of cards as a background with four or five prominent. I thought it was particular annoying that so many cards are shown larger than the originals (and some really are too big) which only emphasizes their cheap subject matter and poor printing.
   
   If there had been more creative input in the way the contents had been presented I think this could have been a much more interesting book.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



3. Stacked Decks is fabulous! There are many, many pages of kitschy, campy 1940s through 70s "nudie" cards, featuring both photos and illustrations. Some are sweet in that girl-next-door way, some are sexy and sultry (or even a bit slutty), and some are just plain hilarious! There are also some really old cards dating back to the 1800s and some fascinating history. It's a perfect present for anyone who loves poker or is interested in pin-up art.