No comments about How To Draw Manga: Sketching Manga-Style Volume 4: All About Perspective (How to Draw Manga).

5 comments about The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body, and Design.

1. Purchase it believing there would be a history of the chair and its development through the ages.
   Very little on the history. The main body of the book deals with ergonomics and future design with very ametuer
   drawings.



2. This book is a really impressive interdisciplinary work, and was useful in helping me buy the "perfect" chair. (Actually one of the author's most interesting points is that a perfect posture does not exist, since movement is inherent in human bodies.) It would have been nice if the production was a little better with more sophisticated photos and colour, but the content is all there. Except that I feel the author should have made much more reference to the mind-body disciplines and meditation. For example, a key concept in meditation is that one should sit with one's back straight because the energy moves up the spine better that way. I was hoping to read something about how that relates to work and sitting in front of a workstation, as well as read about how sitting affects breathing. But other than that, a great book.



3. Galen Cranz on "The Chair"
   Reviewed by Rani Lueder, CPE
   
   This book is about seating and sitting. Having once spent my vacation scouring Europe's museums for the earliest representation of a chair (earliest I could find was 1570), I looked forward to opening its covers.
   
   Dr. Cranz teaches Environmental Design at the UC Berkeley Architecture Dept. Not surprisingly, she cuts a wide swath on seating, spanning history, sociology, industrial design, architecture, ergonomics, and holistic body/mind approaches - particularly the Alexander technique.
   
   Parts of her book are engrossing. In particular, her historical perspective of how chair design has evolved historically [if it is accurate] may be unmatched. Her discussion of the holistic aspects of posture is also interesting.
   
   That said, this book is NOT noteworthy for its review of the ergonomics research on sitting postures and seating. Much of it is plain hogwash.
   
   Throughout the book she refers to us as "ergonomicists" [should be "ergonomists"] and claims the discipline is derived from the Greek "ergon" and "omics" [should be "nomos" (laws)].
   
   It is sometimes painful to read her sweeping generalizations. Dr. Cranz writes that ergonomic researchers "have concluded that the workstation should be an indication of the worker's status" (p. 55) . . . and "status differences have to be maintained, ergonomicists say" (p. 56), citing as evidence two office planning guides written by and for architects that fail to mention ergonomics or ergonomists anywhere in the books.
   
   She misrepresents research, as when she castigates Dr. Etienne Grandjean's "poor reasoning" in Fitting the Task to the Man, writing "Amazingly, Grandjean starts with the slump as a goal" (p. 108). Drs. Grandjean et al's research actually documented computer users' self-selected postures. These researchers reported that rather than sitting upright, the computer users they observed tended to recline somewhat.
   
   She cites findings from a small laboratory study by Drs. Bendix et al. (12 subjects for 2 hours in 3 back support conditions) as proof that lumbar supports on chair backrests are unequivocally unnecessary (p. 109) - but not the many studies that contradict. Minor assertions are meticulously cited, but questionable conclusions often are not sourced.
   
   If you are looking for a thorough analysis of seated posture, this is not the book for you. It provides a unique and multidisciplinary perspective on the context of seating, but - please - take her review of the ergonomics research on sitting postures and seating design with a heavy dose of salt.
   
   Rani Lueder, CPE has consulted in occupational and product design ergonomics for over 25 years. Her activities on seating include co-organizing the Second International Conference on Sitting Posture, held in Tokyo. Her second edited book "Hard Facts" is about sitting postures and seating (Taylor & Francis). She served on the seating subcommittee for the American National Standard ANSI BSR/HFES 100. She consulted in the research and design of over 350 lines of seating. Her newest edited book is "Ergonomics for Children: Designing products & places for toddlers to teens" (2007, Taylor & Francis).



4. How many of us are aware of the furniture we use in our everyday lives? These are things we feel, touch and see everyday. Yet they are always in the back of our subconcious, we never really notice them, or realise how these pieces of furniture affect us physically, as well as psychologically.
   "The Chair" makes us look at the ordinary chair as something beyond a piece of furniture and as a symbol of wealth, status, honor, culture and comfort. In its own way, it shapes our everyday life and things related to it.
   The author traces the origins of the chair through human history and how it changed and evolved through the ages. Going deep into the issue of chair design, the author tears commonly held views about comfort into shreds and illustrates how these "comfortable" chairs actually harm the human body. After taking a good look at ergonomics, Cranz talks about the body's conciousness and how it is related to the sitting posture. With the help of somatics and the Alexander technique, she says we can improve the ways in which we sit and improve our comfort.
   What captured my attention the most was the manner in which this opens up the mind to different psychological and physical effects that a commonplace object like the chair can have on human beings and how we can improve our daily lives by thinking about these issues.



5. It is an easy reading and houmorous book. It deals with many aspects of sitting and seats, including aesthetics, style, ergonomics and as a status symbol. I beleive the knowledge presented in this book represents decades of dedicated reseach on this subject by the author. It also enlightens one to realize that a seat is one part of the story and the way one sits is the other part: To ensure the well being of a sitting human organism we have to address both parts. In summary, it is a pleasure to read this book.

3 comments about How To Draw Crazy Cars & Mad Monsters Like a Pro (Motorbooks Studio).

1. This book was written and drawn by some of the original artists of Ed Roth's studio. It doesn't get any closer than this, great book!



2. My kids just loved this book. They are both aspiring artists and have done some great work since Christmas!



3. I bought this book for my husband, after several refferals from other hot rod friends. This book is better than described.

5 comments about Philip Guston: Retrospective.

1. I thought the book covered a lot of ground with a fantastic sweep of images from his early career to the end of his career. So if you want a book that covers his whole career then this is the book for you.
   The essays are really interesting as well, with an analysis of his whole career, with particular reference to his later works.
   I really liked the number of later works that are included.



2. There are very few books available on Philip Guston's work and this one gives a good overview of his entire career. Guston influenced most of the important artists at work today in some way or other, especially in his late works and the reasons for this influence become obvious when one skims through the pages of this retrospective and discovers what a great artist he was.
   
   Many first-rate illustrations show the depth and scope of his art, with most of his seminal works (abstract as the canvas "Beggar's Joys" from the 1950's, figurative as the masterpiece "the Studio", from 1969) deciphered by a text which is informative as well as insightful.



3. This overall is a great book. It might not be the same quality that I have seen in a few other Thames & Hudson publishings, but it still is a great read and summary of Guston's work. Anyone that loves his work, this is for sure a book worth having.



4. The definitive book on Philip Guston with many illustrations from each period of his work. Many excellent essays including one in his own words describing the evolution of each painting.
   
   I bought the book after seeing the exhibition in San Francisco. Fully aware that the color illustratons were disappointing in quality (some paintings show pink ground color when that just isn't so) it is still a book I wouldn't be without. But be aware, color printing really isn't up to the quality found in many art books today.



5. The Guston restrospective, which I viewed at the SFMOMA in July 2003, was a rich, disturbing, illuminating exhibit. This catalogue of that show reprints a tremendous range (over 130 works) of Guston's work, all of it in fine, nuanced photography of the canvases. The early work includes realistic paintings with war themes, street scenes, and images of urban childhood in the manner of Ben Shahn. Eerily, Guston's hoods and bootsoles already appear. Next, the book's coverage of Guston's abstract phase reveals indebtedness to Mondrian's first abstractions; then Guston finds his own vocabulary in brisk, thick aggregates of rough rectangles on gently boiling backgrounds. Pink and red predominate, as in his later work. As part of both his oevre and Abstract Expresionism, these are among the most successful, aesthetic works of this great period in American art. For offering this total record of his development and contributions, the book provides something of great value.

   His brief but famous "Klan" period follows, and then the long final phase--the pink "lima-bean" heads, the skinny, runny-meat legs, the stubble, the huge stunned eyes. The book, like the show, exposes a startling range in these paintings, confirming that Guston's seemingly narrow palette and imagery served his imagination and themes with great breadth and force. Especially powerful are two drawings and a large painting of Nixon. The last work in the catalogue is a Guston-style deli sandwich, a small (18 by 18 inches?) but hugely sensual and humorous work that surprised me at the exhibit. The book also reproduces a number of crude yet painterly black drawings done in few but expressive strokes.

   The catalogue includes a useful chronology of Guston's life and work, many many photographs of him in various times and circumstances, and critical/historical exporation of his work via 4 or 5 articles penned by writers who cover varied topics relevant to his career and aims--all illustrated and all drawing on Guston's own statements and articles. His words include some provocative criticisms of the limitations of abstract art, a form which he of course abandoned in the mid 1960's. Abstract art fascinates me, yet Guston's statments gave/give me much to think about.

   My sole major criticism of this otherwise terrific book is that it fails to reprint several of the works in the exhibit. Most of the missing work is owned by SFMOMA, which was one of the host museums, so this is a real mystery. Further, the missing works are among the best of the exhibition--and are thus as good as anything included in the book. The single most egregious omission is 1975's "Head and Bottle," a grim, transfixing portrayal of alcoholism. Also gone are a work Guston painted inspired by T. S. Eliot's "Four Quartets" and an epic and (arguably) hopeful triptych called "Red Sea, The Swell, and Blue Water." These great works all appeared in the exhibit, yet are nowhere in the catalogue. A few others are missing as well, but I'm not familiar enough with Guston's work to identify or even accurately describe them just from my visual memory of this enormous and stirring show, and that is precisely what is so frustrating about the book. Surely one essential purpose of an exhibition catalogue is to honor the total visual experience of its exhibit.

   Of course, for each of these missing works, the book reprints several that are just as evocative and harrowing. Thus, as a monograph of Guston this is an excellent choice, one I will always find useful, beautifully produced, and engaging. I'm still very glad I bought it. But as a record of what the exhibit actually offered, as a way of re-experiencing the "Retrospective" of the book's title, the book falls a little short.

5 comments about Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design.

1. This book lacks consistency, and although the pictures might be technically good, the interiors design itself has little to do with the story the author is tryng to sell to us: that he has seen certain things in his 'exciting and sophisticated'journey that inspired him to create special interiors. What we get instead is a twisted, dated, unrespectful and pasteurized concept of what other cultures could give us in our every day living. Please, don't buy it.



2. My wife and I plan to remodel, and bought this book for inspiration and design concepts. We ended up quite disappointed.
   
   The book has 5 chapters organized around 5 places that Mr. Wolf traveled to. Each chapter consists of two parts: travel log and design. Both parts show many colorful photographs, some of them quite beautiful. In general, the travel log part has more pages then the design part. For example, in Madagascar Scale chapter, travel log has about 24 pages vs. 18 pages for design. The pictures are even more lopsided towards the travel part. Often the relationship between the design and place seems rather superficial or contrived like a blue/yellow color scheme that is somewhat similar to an umbrella on a photograph or a light color bedroom inspired by a misty landscape. Also, Mr Wolf's design schemes are not as varied as you would expect if they were inspired from all over the world. Most of them use very similar style furniture and color schemes.
   
   Worse still is that the book does not present design concepts in any systematic fashion. It does not say much about the places that Mr. Wolf designed, what were the challenges, or how different rooms fit together. There is not a single floor plan in the whole book, and rarely it shows the same room from different angles to give the reader a feel how things fit together.
   
   Conclusion: If you are looking for a travel diary with pretty pictures, this book might be for you. If you are looking for design ideas that are of practical use, stay away. You might consider Kelly Hoppen's book ``Home'' instead. We bought it together with this one and found it packed with useful interior design concepts and really helped us to think through all the elements of designing a house or apartment.



3. I regret that i have bought this book! It does not show anything special and the objetcive of the author of showing misery people and then show glamorous spaces is a shame!!!!



4. This book with it's exciting interior pictures captures interior design at it's best. Mr Wolf's incorpration of ethnic items makes these interiors personal and interesting. His use of color and his inclusion of Benjamin Moore color numbers is a nice feature. I very much like this book and his style. I am an interior designer also and I'm not easily impressed by most other designers work.



5. mr wolf in his travels search for inspirations in the most unusual places: ethiopia, burma, syria - most of times acquiring local handcrafted items which he will use in his decorations. Although his palette is a bit neutral, with pastel colors most of times, his interiors are extremely beautiful, with subdued elegance and charm. Interesting is how he manages to mix the objects from his travels, with modern furniture, mirrors in abondance and white walls.

5 comments about Drawings of Mucha.

1. I am a porcelain artist and this book has been so inspirational. I think we should have heard more of this artist.



2. I appreciated this book as it gives a different perspective on Mucha's works. Being mostly a collection of pencil drawn sketches, it lets you enter the creative process of the artist, while other books I own just present the finished work.
   
   Really useful for who'd like to understand his approach to drawing.



3. This affordable and brief work to the works of Alphonse Mucha offers an introduction to the artist. Includes some early works, preliminary drafts, and finished products. Useful for those who are studying technique--you can see how he drew (pencil--a few in ink). About 60 illustrations in all, 8 of these in color. I remain fascinated with Mucha's perspectives on beauty. Very inspirational!



4. What charm & grace does the man bring forth! Its things like this that make life worth living and makes us all just that much better.



5. The pencil drawings in this book are fascinating. You can really see how he worked on each design, and occasionally the original sketch has some interesting variations from the final product. I particularly enjoyed some of the less popular works that are to be found here.

2 comments about Study Guide Gardner's Art Through the Ages, Volume I (Chapter 1-18), 12th.

1. I use the Gardner's Art through the Ages book in my AP Art History course, and have found that students who order and use the study guides take better notes while reading the text. This is certainly a college level textbook and the lengthy readings can sometimes be hard to get through. The study guides emphasize important terms and vocabulary, and help the reader to pull out important "firsts" in the time period or culture being studied. Along with notes from classroom lectures, the study guides make a great review tool in preparing for the National exam in May.



2. Bought this book to help my daughter through an AP art history course, and discovered that it is just a series of tests on each chapter. Was hoping it would be a replacement for the poor class lectures. Disappointed. Only the combined chapter self test at the end of the book seems helpful. Those contain answers.

   If this is a study guide, well now I know.

5 comments about The Art of Finding Nemo.

1. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R52EG2F6D2TTZ This cover is the most beautiful one of all the Pixar artbooks I've owned. That pastel drawing was done by Ralph Eggleston, production designer.
   
   This book will only enhance that feel-good feeling you have after you watch the movie, probably several times if you have kids.
   
   There are a lot of pastel storyboards drawn for lighting studies. They are incredibly beautiful and you can almost feel the texture to them. The colour theory used for the movie is explained to you by Ralph Eggleston.
   
   The pages are filled with character studies, set designs and lighting studies. Most of the panels were captioned to explain the art direction behind. You'll feel as if you're going on a tour at the Pixar studio, looking at art with artists talking to you.
   
   This book gives you the movie.
   
   This is almost a required purchase if you like Finding Nemo or just beautiful art.
   
   There are some pictures of the book on my blog. Just do a search on "parka blogs finding nemo"



2. I loved the movie, loved the book. Buy it. Don't hesitate. In years to come this is going to be a classic movie and the book will be valuable as well.



3. lots of storyboards, beautifully colored concept art and cool character sketches. It's definitely a great art book.



4. This is another great addition to the Pixar library, great for colour andlighting reference too for artists.



5. This book does a beautiful job of showcasing the concept art behind the movie. The majority of the art uses pastels as a medium, but there are also examples of pen and ink, pencil sketches, sculpture, digital wire frames, and more. But, if you're looking for actual frames of the finished movie, this is not the product you want.
   
   The thing that sets this title apart from the other "Art of" Pixar books is the quality of the narrative text. All the "Art of" books have wonderful imagery. But, in this book, the text truly immerses the reader into the world of concept art. Conversely, the text in The Incredibles book often goes off on tangents about the director's personal life and events at Pixar. I like how this book keeps the focus on the art.

4 comments about Matisse on Art, Revised edition (Documents of Twentieth-Century Art).

1. If you want to extend the boundaries of ordinary perception, in order to produce unique, distinctive visions read "Matisse on Art." It is a critical piece of literature written by a masterfully innovative painter. I recommend it as a professional artist for nearly 20 years and as an art professor.



2. Painters are often their own worst enemies when speaking about their work, obscuring rather than enlightening. But not Matisse. The intelligent and painter knew the trap that speaking of his art could be, yet his own comments on it are intelligent and illuminating. This book is fine reading that's a help to the working painter, as well as the viewer. You'll look at Matisse's great paintings with a fresh eye after reading it. And that's what matters.



3. Painters are often their own worst enemies when speaking about their work, obscuring rather than enlightening. But not Matisse. The intelligent and painter knew the trap that speaking of his art could be, yet his own comments on it are intelligent and illuminating. This book is fine reading that's a help to the working painter, as well as the viewer. You'll look at Matisse's great paintings with a fresh eye after reading it. And that's what matters.



4. Here are compiled the writings of and interviews with Matísse. It is not only about his estethic concerns but also about his feeling for life. The latter was his underlying motif in his paintings. This book is very interesting also for people without artistic concerns since Matísse here conveys his fine-tuned philosophy of life. A highly rewarding book that one can return to many times.

   Mats Winther

2 comments about Creative Cakes Do-It-Yourself 3D Cake Decorating.

1. This book has inspired me to create my own ideas and turn them into cakes for those special days. I have admired Carol and her work for the past few years and have spent a lot of time in her website looking at her remarkable work. I was excited to find out she had written a book and what a brilliant idea. Cakes are a wonderful way to personalize your love and affection as a gift.
   Being a novice and beginner I was very intimidated by the idea of making these 3D cakes but I couldn't believe how easy Carol makes it. The end result is both professional and beautiful.
   Every step is shown in full detail with photographs. I feel I could certainly have a go at making some of the cakes illustrated as I believe I can do it with her clear step-by-step guidance.
   I recommend that anyone starting out wanting to create a cake for that special occasion needs to buy this book and have a go.



2. I was given this book as a gift and I really don't have any problems with it.
   
   Firstly, I am not a professional cake decorator. It seems to me that the intent of this book is to teach newbie cake makers and busy moms how to throw together exciting cakes without going out and spending money on a shaped pans from Hobby Lobby that they will only use once.
   
   I have looked at similar books in the past (although never bought any) and what struck me about this book is that although it's on the short side, the detail the author goes into with each cake is very helpful. I am not the most creative person with my hands, so the extra steps really helped.
   
   The price is a little high, but I am very happy with this book.