2 comments about Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art.

1. If you are an Art History major (or even taking such a class) it is an good resource. The style is dated, and it is limited in its definitions, but is good for earlier art periods.



2. Author: Lee Sandstead

   Most great works of art are narratives or allegories that relate a story, myth, legend or particular concept, but in our era of pathetic education, most people are not familiar with the stories from Antiquity or the Judeo-Christian heritage that are necessary to decipher those narratives or allegories. The "Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art," by James Hall, is a dictionary that defines the major subjects and symbols of western art. It contains numerous explanations of legends, myths, symbols, heroes, heroines and citations that show, if applicable, their original source in historical texts or literature.

   In Jacques-Louis David's "The Oath of the Horatii," we see three men reaching their arms out to an older man raising three swords. To the right of them are women and children on the floor in anguish. If you are not familiar with Livy, Plutarch or Pierre Corneille's play "Horace," then the story will probably escape you, and you will be at the mercy of the title for any information regarding the painting's subject. But by having the "Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art," you can read about the Horatii as a subject. For instance, you will learn that the legend is recounted in Livy and Plutarch; that the three men with raised arms are brothers; that the elderly man with the three swords is their father; that the action being preformed is an oath taken by the brothers to defend Rome by killing three of their cousins; and that one of the women on the ground is married to one of the fated cousins. By knowing this factual information, you can discern the theme of the painting-one should sacrifice all for the State-and be able to judge the painting not only for its style, but also its explicit message.

   I believe that everyone should have a copy of this book in their home. Personally, it has enabled me to garner more meaning, more value and more passion out of my favorite works of art.

   Best,

   Lee Sandstead

5 comments about Art Models: Life Nudes for Drawing Painting and Sculpting.

1. I bought this book months ago.
   
   When I first opened it I was quite disappointed because, as previously mentioned, some of the models do not have inspiring bodies at all. I do not expect nor want skinny models - those are useless. I wish for "plush" female bodies NOT michelin waist, or doughy types. Also, I am interested only in female figurative sculpture and the book has males and couples. I thought the poses were not very inspiring either and I agree with someone's comment about the weird poses with corny props (totally useless)
   
   However, now that I am a tiny bit more advanced in my sculpture program I think I am finally getting a return on my investment. The CD-ROm is really extremely useful as there are many pictures (360 degree plus from above) of the same pose. So, I use the CD to simulate a real session with a life model. I use my Mac Notebook to go throug the pictures as we do when we move a life model on the "lazy susan." I zoom when I work on some specific area. This works really well and I am extremely pleased. As to the poses, use it as a starter and then make some modifications of course.
   
   Give it a try, it is worth it if one use it appropiately.



2. The photographs are high-resolution and well-lit. The models show a variety of poses and each pose is shot from multiple angles. It's also nice to have different body types represented. However, the photos are too small to see much detail of hand, foot, or muscle tone. Also, some of the poses are ridiculous. Maybe you can get an idea from their titles. For example, "country boy" (complete with wheat sprig sticking out between the man's teeth), "super surfer", "razzle dazzle". There are silly props too. For example, one nude half-reclining in a chair is reaching for a bowl of chips. Adding to the cheap effect, the book is arranged not by theme, but by model (first names only).
   
   A much better reference is The Figure in Motion by Thomas Earley. The photos are black-and-white and somewhat grainy, but they are full-page, graceful and dynamic, and much more thoughtfully chosen for use in studying anatomy or for incorporating into compositions.



3. I was surprised by how many photos they could fit in a 160 page book. They're on just about every page and they fill the page. And since the book is 8.5x11, the photos are really big.
   
   Other pose books I've seen put the photos in little frames. Maybe little photos and lots of white space looks nice, but it's a bad idea if you really want to see the models. Would you rather work from big color photos or little ones that you can't really see?
   
   The quality, size of the photos, and the sheer number of them is stunning. Definitely the best bang for the buck of any pose book out there.



4. About the models,
   If you buy the book expecting to get airbrushed ultra skinny fashion models, you might be disappointed. But, if you want naturally beautiful models photographed in clear lighting so you can see every bit of them, then this book is great. And there's a nice range, from Susan who is slim and athletic and has a classic Greek-sculpture face to someone like Jen with her amazing natural figure and more modern look.
   
   The previews above give a good idea of the range of models but it's kind of hard to see how beautiful they are. And a couple of my favorites, Jessica and Jennifer (who have pin-up style figures) are missing.
   
   So, if you want supermodels, go buy a fashion magazine, or if you want erotic models airbrushed to look like plastic, go buy a men's magazine, but if you're looking for attractive naturally beautiful models, this is the book to get.
   
   The poses are good too.



5. Pretty much everything about this book is true, pretty nicely produced etc. I feel the models are pretty ordinary looking, pretty much your garden variety art school models. They are in a word un-attractive. If you hated it in art school when some homely out of shape model plumped down on the stand then you will hate this book.

3 comments about Fashion at the Edge: Spectacle, Modernity, and Deathliness.

1. Caroline Evans deserves some applause for attempting to explain the dark elements of today's fashion. She acknowledges and defines this thread of darkness which weaves itself through fashion. Schizophrenic fashion, if you will. However, I disagree somewhat with her theory of explanation. I would have liked to see a spiritual argument as well. How can anyone discuss death without such a discussion? Today's media is filled with horror and violence, especially in the movies. Even some crimes mimic the sickness portrayed in the media -- that of pornography and violence. This dark element extends to mainstream movies and television, where death and darkness are themes. Many movies and books are criticized by religious groups as being against God. And of course, history if filled with war and violence. Yet the "New Look", created after World War II, was clearly a turn away from the depravities of war. So why is today different? It seems that we live in a spiritually darker world, and it's only natural that designers would be affected by this darkness. Evans also points out that designers tend to revisit the past in creating new designs. My personal opinion is that the designers are only gathering ideas from decades past, and absorbing the culture of today. As history repeats itself, in a lot of ways fashion also repeats itself. Anyways, Caroline Evans makes a good effort to analyze todays' fashion, and puts her argument on the table. It deserves a lot more discussion.



2. The photographs, stories of design history and research in this book are phenonmenal. This is a great book to inspire, shock and mesmerize. It is my most recent favorite in my costume research collection.



3. Caroline Evans has written an important book that explores the work of cutting-edge designers of the 1990s such as Martin Margiela, Hussein Chalayan, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Viktor & Rolf. The book's subtitle - "Spectacle, Modernity and Deathliness" - sums up the author's focus on the underside of fashion. Evans acknowledges that much of the fashion featured in this book was "economically negligible", arguing that its cultural import is of greater significance. She explores how designers of the 90s consciously or unconsciously explored the dark history of the 20th century through their work, with death, trauma, cruelty, and horror as recurring themes.

   Where is this all leading? The conclusions are doom-laden but fascinating. British designers, with their focus on "gothic fashion", may represent the ghost or shadow of rational American designers. Creatively, Evans posits a bleak future for fashion "doomed to ricochet between modernist experimentation and dark despair." In a memorable line, Evans writes: "Now, more than ever, everything new and beautiful seems to arrive already haunted by its own demise." The financial insecurity of many of these designers in their early days may have fuelled their creativity. They were, as designer and teacher Fabio Piras put it, "fashion desperadoes". This book is full of illuminating insights that put fashion design at the core of our culture, expressing our deepest concerns.

   Outstandingly researched, beautifully illustrated, and thrillingly authoritative, Fashion at the Edge may prove to be the definitive book on the generation of designers from London and Antwerp who came to prominence in the 1990s.

3 comments about The Best Of Shirley Thompson Quilting Patterns (Golden Threads).

1. Even though it's packed with ideas, I rarely can use them in my business without sizing them. Since I don't have a printer that will do that for me, I end up putting this book back on the shelf.



2. this book has everything in it that you could possible need,
   A must for all of Shirley Thompson fans.
   thanks for a great book



3. This book was recommended to me by a National Award Winning Quilting Instructor. The patterns are excellent for either hand or machine quilting.

5 comments about With the Light... Vol. 1: Raising an Autistic Child (With the Light...).

1. "The day you were born...the morning sun was very beautiful." WITH THE LIGHT begins like a love letter from a mother to a child, and in a way, it is, although a fictional one. More than that, though, it is an in-depth analysis of a young mother discovering that her son, who came into the world at the first light of day, is different from the other children she knows. He doesn't talk. He cries often, and for hours on end. He doesn't like to be touched or held. He is difficult to understand and relate to.
   
   Gently, and with the aching slowness of gradual realization, Sachiko comes to understand that her son, Hikaru, is autistic. With no understanding of the condition, she struggles to come to terms with what it means and what she can do about it, while her hard-working husband, Masato, pulls away and immerses himself in his career.
   
   WITH THE LIGHT takes all of its principal characters on a long journey of self-discovery. Sachiko longs to understand the way her son's mind works.
   
   The innocence and the tenderness of the scene in which Hikaru finally acknowledges his mother and, in his own fashion, expresses his love is heartbreaking. The ability of the book to convey the complexities of human emotions without getting sentimental or overwrought might be its most admirable quality. Author and illustrator Keiko Tobe at first treats her story almost with the allure of a mystery. Sachiko is driven and determined to unlock the secret behind her son's aloofness, while her husband and his family separate themselves, and even blame Sachiko.
   
   All of which is not to say that WITH THE LIGHT doesn't have its tender moments. It does, but it earns each one of them without toying with the reader's emotions. When Masato struggles with his anger and stress of his son's autism and lashes out at his wife, it's not the cloying stereotype of an uncaring man with no time for his children. Instead, it's all too apparent that this is a man too young to be both an effective father and the star employee his bosses --- not to mention his family and society --- want him to be.
   
   These two volumes run an expansive tale totaling over 1,000 pages, including resource material to help the reader along. A convenient guide to manga helps those who aren't familiar with its style (the book is read right to left; it's surprising how easy it is to adapt to it once you get started), and the editors of this English translation include brief descriptions of elements of Japanese and manga culture to avoid confusion and enhance the reader's understanding. Also included are supplementary materials on autism and translation notes.
   
   WITH THE LIGHT is fascinating to watch unfold. Its broad scope spans years in the lives of this couple and their son, covering not only his development but the relationship he has with his sister, who comes into the family years after her brother. Teachers, doctors, friends and family all play a role, too --- sometimes in a negative, judgmental way, and sometimes with a heartwarming spirit of compassion --- as Sachiko and Masato learn to cope, live and move on. That's the brightness of these two graphic novels and the triumphant nature of its storytelling.
   
   --- Reviewed by John Hogan



2. Autism is something that has recently been discovered and has yet to be fully understood. Why? Because it comes in many different forms and has often been mistaken for other things.
   How do I know?
   Like the young boy in this gripping, visually beautiful novel, I have autism as well. It called aspersers, and though my form is rather mild, I've it some road blocks like Sachiko and Hikaru have faced.
   Maybe that's one of the reason I have enjoyed this manga so much. I enjoy sci-fi and magic mangas but this one is more inspirational because it confronts something that is popping up everywhere. It shows how working against all odds and trying your best during tough times is all the option. I'm anxious to see how Hikaru grows and changes throughout the rest of the series.



3. I read a lot of manga. Please understand that my review is that of a manga fan speaking to other manga fans. I didn't pick up this book looking for a book on autism, and you don't necessarily have to be interested in autism to read this book, because it's not really about autism, it's about the people that live with autism.
   
   When I first saw this hugely thick book sitting on the shelf of my local Borders, smack dab in the middle of the manga section, I thought someone had misfiled it. I pulled it out, preparing to reshelve it, when I realized it was a manga! It took mere minutes before I was completely engrossed in Sachiko's plight. I'm so glad I took this book (and the second novel!) home with me. It is, hands-down, the best manga that I've ever read. For manga fans, I'll hit the main points:
   
   The Story:
   The storytelling is sweet, sensitive, compelling and funny, and more than once, I teared up in sympathy with the characters, gasped in shocked at something unexpected or got angry on their behalf. The writing is just plain GOOD, well-timed and close to real life with characters wandering in and out of each other's lives, just as real people do. The book is thick, and makes for pleasant reading. Tobe is brilliant at relating situations to things that everyone can understand, without really seeming like that's what she's doing. All in all, the writing and storyline are FANTASTIC.
   
   The Art:
   The artwork, I will say to manga fans in particular, is nothing special. Not bad, but also not exceptional, at least in terms of character design. It's easy to see that later (in book two) she sometimes struggles to differentiate her characters, especially the minor ones. However, Tobe is quite skilled at expression, gesture and action, and we all know that some managa artists with tremendous character design lack these important skills, so in my opinion, I'd take it over great character design. Besides, she manages just fine, and if you're confused on one page by who someone might be, it's cleared up in another page or two. Tobe is also highly skilled at drawing what I've come to think of as the "interludes", the small details in frames that you almost miss, but make the story just that little bit better.
   
   The Translation:
   Very well done. Unlike some poorly-done translations, the English in this manga was smooth and accurate with few to no (I didn't notice any) spelling or grammatical errors. They also use consistent Japanese honorifics, which is nice, especially if you're used to reading them.
   If you're a manga fan, I doubt you'll need the glossary in the back explaining simple terms and common Japanese situations that you're probably already familiar with. However, it's great if you plan on recommending this book to people who don't read manga. After you read it, you'll probably want to recommend it to everyone, regardless of their like/dislike/indifference to manga.
   
   Value:
   I paid $15 for it at Borders (compared to Amazon's $10) and even then I say it was a GREAT value. You get about five times as much manga as the normal books, for roughly the same cost. I'm pleased with my purchase!



4. I stumbed upon this at the library and had to check it out. I read it all and I wished I had this when my child was small and I was going through this. I returned the book to the library and gave it kudos to the staff. Then I ordered a copy--I will recommend and give this book to any parent(s) dealing with austism spectrum disorders. Great book! I love that this was a serial in a Japanese women's magazine. We need more of this in the States!



5. As a Psychologist, I know a lot about Autism and was very impressed with the fairly accurate representation of children and families living with Autism. This story is interesting in a of itself and is helpful for those who are trying to understand Autism. I like how real and down to earth some of the issues were. It was also very easy to follow.

5 comments about Invisible New York: The Hidden Infrastructure of the City (Creating the North American Landscape).

1. Great coffee table book of little-seen aspects of NYC. One warning I'd mention is that not all of the pictures are of things underground/unseen. Some are simply of neglected/abandonded/decaying above ground sites (not exactly what I'd expected but it's still a good collection). Perhaps it would be best to peruse this book at your local bookseller before making a decision on the purchase.



2. Invisible New York is one of the three or four most treasured books in my library. Greenberg's black and white photography is beautiful and lush. To me, the book's one shortcoming is that it's not longer! Greenberg has a sharp eye for reading and presenting spaces. A treat for all of us who wonder what lives down there under the manhole cover or over there behind that fence.



3. "Invisible New York" is a splendid collection of photographs which pay tribute to New York City's technological past. Stanley Greenberg's large format camera yields dignified, poetic images of long-forgotten historic structures throughout the city. These range from beautiful pictures of bridge supports and hidden passageways to a deserted building at Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field, once the city's primary airport. Although others have found New York City's architecture to be a rich source of photographic imagery, few have been as tenacious as Stanley Greenberg in creating stunningly beautiful visual poetry. I must commend Johns Hopkins University Press for publishing this beautiful tome of black and white photographs and keeping it in print. I eagerly look forward to seeing Greenberg's next book, which I think may be on a recent project documenting New York City's water supply system. He is surely one of the most distinguished photographers ever to have graduated from New York City's prestigious Stuyvesant High School.



4. I have an obsession with abandoned buildings. They are a place I know I can go to be alone because no one visits them anymore but the spirits of those who brought life to the buildings as more than just concrete and steel still linger.

   It gives one a time to reflect on the temporality of our lives and the finiteness not only of our beings, but of our dreams and visions. It gives us pause to reflect on what is important and profound about life.

   When we are in these places we are really inside of parts of ourselves we don't recognize.




5. This book lived up to my expectations with it's beautiful photographs, insightful comments about each location photographed and rich, deep printing. A great book for anyone interested in wonderful black and white location photography, or in learning more about New York City and its' surroundings.

1 comments about Interpreting Art : Reflecting, Wondering, and Responding.

1. this book gives you a great detail on how to interpret art. I learned so much from it, and now, I feel like I can relate to all types of art. I never got tired of reading it, and I even loved the pictures being detailed and interpreted in there.

4 comments about Pencil Sketching, 2nd Edition.

1. I was recommended this book by an instructor and I was not disappointed. It focuses on physical sketching technique (great for beginners/people returning to sketching) and a casual but effective style that is perfect for quick landscape/plant sketches. Not intimidating at all!



2. A great book.

   So many art books give long-winded descriptions of what to do, and even how to do it, yet they fail to capture the essence of what makes a drawing good. Wang concentrates on simple elements and rules of thumb, providing a wealth of wisdom in a few words and pictures.

   If you're looking for long descriptions of techniques, this is not the book for you. The author quickly notes the salient points and demonstrates with sketches.

   This book has beautiful drawings and covers a variety of techniques: how to hold a pencil, line, composition, values and shading, etc. The author also leads you through how to make specific elements: landforms, trees, water, and more.




3. 39 of the 111 pages consist of full page printed sketches, wich are beautiful. But the text, which is very rare in this book, is sometimes missing, and throughout this book very superficially. Thomas C. Wang describes one (1) pencil technique, which he is using for his sketchings, other methodes are not discussed or even mentioned. I could not recommend this book to anyone, perhaps for very beginning artist, whom are uncertainly in leading a pencil, but even then there are better books.



4. I remember the first edition of this book from a few years ago. But this new edition is beautiful in and of itself - I flip through it often. But the real bonus was that it inspired me to sketch again - a skill that I haven't used frequently in the past ten or fifteen years. This one's a keeper because it showed me *how* to do it and then showed examples of how it was done by the expert. I've rediscovered my love of sketching.

4 comments about Visual Thinking.

1. The author's writing style is as if he simply sat down and typed this out after having built up years of experience. Why it fails is because he seems to be writing strictly from memory without checking his notes along the way. The writing isn't so much inaccurate as it just meanders from topic to topic. It has a nice flow, but keeps leaving me feeling like, even when his points are good, one doesn't follow from what preceded it. Also, many of the points he makes don't seem to matter.
   
   A lot of the book is hopelessly dated. The terminology is dated and he doesn't reflect knowledge and awareness of contemporary science or politics or much of anything else. It might work well for people studying period pieces, but as for gaining a good understanding of "visual thinking," by contemporary standards, forget it!



2. The above phrase is the conclusion I came to after reading this book at the library. I am not in art education, but there are many things I wanted to underline and think about in application to the theory of creativity, use of technology in education, visual literacy. I think different people would find different things to think about in this book. Arnheim wrote a masterpiece that catalyzed a paradigm shift in his area (just like Freud or Simon & Newell).
   The book is written pretty clear, I would not say it is difficult to read (English is my third language).



3. The book is fairly complex, and definitely needs reflexion for every sentence. The author explains some psychological and philosophical theories. This is personally not what I expected. I would have liked more examples and applications.



4. Arnheim always sheds some new light on his subjects, and this book might be his most enlightening. Whether you care about art, education, perception, or simply living a full human life, this book will make you think about the subject in a new way. Grounded in careful analysis of specific objects and experiences, Arnheim nonetheless manages to convey the importance of his ideas to the wider subject of human consciousness.

5 comments about Caravaggio.

1. I just purchased this book based on previous reviews. One disappointment I have with it is the cropped paintings or paintings with the seem slicing through them. It's frustrating as a student of the arts to try and copy the tiny details out of the bindings. Aside from that, I am glad I bought it. The works inside are fantastic.



2. This is an excellent book. The pictures are amazing! and the explanation is precise. I give it 5 stars!



3. I did so look forward to receiving this book greedily unwrapping it as soon as it arrived. I'm a huge fan of Caravaggio and having seen many of his paintings in situ I was eager for any new information. Unfortunately I'm one of the people who can't read the small silver text on glossy white paper. When I say "can't read" I mean that within about two minutes all of the little silver words on the page just dissolve into whiteness. I agree it looks pretty but perhaps that combination of ink and paper might best be reserved for an invitation to a Winter Solstice dinner and not used in an obviously superb book such as this one. Catherine Puglisi was done a terrible dis-service in the design of this book. The quality of the photographs of the paintings (and the quantity) are fantastic and I have enjoyed them immensely. Maybe the paper version is black on white but I sure don't like to have buy the same book twice. I'm giving two stars to what is probably a five star book.



4. Dr. Catherine Puglisi is not only a fine scholar, well informed about her subject, she is also a fine writer. CARAVAGGIO is a richly produced heavy volume (hardcover reviewed) that spreads the text throughout the course of the book as each of the points about the artist's life and technique and gifts to art history is explored.
   
   The color plates are reproduced with clarity and two-page extensions of the larger horizontal works aid the reader in gaining perspective. Multiple images of details offer close examination of Caravaggio's technique, a manner that continues to influence representational artists today.
   
   Puglisi gratefully does not shy away from the controversial aspects of Caravaggio's life and sexuality. She deals with the facts and presents them in context with his concurrent paintings. The volume includes an exceptionally fine body of appendices that offers a complete checklist of the paintings including small reproductions of some, a terse bibliography, and a series of extracts from the myriad sources from which Puglisi extracted information.
   
   The one criticism of this book, and it is a significant one, is the small type font in the pale gray ink selected by a designer who seems more concerned with 'making a pretty book' than in respecting the written word! But in the end this is a definitive volume about one of art history's more interesting and gifted painters. Grady Harp, December 05



5. Anything showing photos of this fellow's incredible oevre would probably deserve the highest praise even without editorial guidance. But just browsing thru this one will stun anyone not familiar with Caravaggio, which is probably 98% of the populace.Ms. Puglisi interweaves the artist's life and times around the glorious color photos. The print may be a tad small,but the fact that there's around two spaces between each line of text makes it, IMHO, even easier to read than otherwise. The raw,harrowing originality of this artist are beyond description, and his life is a near match. He died violently before the age of 40...Especially recommended for those (mainly males) who may think that Art and Art History are less than manly pursuits!! (Yes there are plenty of guys out there who think like this.) Give this book, the author,publisher, and the artist way more than five stars!!