5 comments about The Artful Dog: Canines from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

1. A great gift for the dog lover on your list. Great art, great quotes. An excellent coffee table book. Easy to pick up, dip into and put down. An appropriate gift for most occassions.



2. This book is a jewell. My husband and I keep in on our table and read from it every day. The quotes inspire us for the entire day. Each one is endowed with great wisdom and humor. The art is exquisite. Shari Thompson has accompished an amazing body of work. Her research and choices have produced a rich and beautiful little book.



3. I have just received the six new copies of The Artful Dog which I intend to give to all the dog-people on my list, (and some cat-lovers, too). Shari Thompson has discovered a splendid canine collection in the MM of A and matched them to an assortment of most appropriate quotations from a wide range of dog-lovers - St. Bernard (the human) to Ogden Nash. It is a visual and verbal delight.



4. This makes a delightful gift for every dog lover on your holiday list. It's also a much better host/hostess bring-along than a bottle of wine, for it lasts much longer, providing enjoyment each time the reader opens it. Dogs in art and clever quotes are superbly matched by the editors!



5. This beautiful little book, which I received as a gift, is pure joy with it's delightful reproductions of paintings and photographs of dogs of all types from New York's Metropolitan Museum. Each work of art is accompanied by an enchanting quote or short poem that miraculously reflects the art...how did the author ever find these? Dog lovers and art lovers alike will be totally charmed, as I am. It was a great gift.

No comments about Neo Rauch: Para.

3 comments about Pirates, Patriots, and Princesses: The Art of Howard Pyle (Dover Books on Fine Art).

1. Howard Pyle is, perhaps, the dean of American illustrators, up there with the great N. C. Wyeth and Charles Dana Gibson as the progenitors of what we now have come to think of as illustration in America. The visions we see in our collective imaginations of knights on gleaming chargers, dastardly pirates, and other such images truly began with Pyle's brush. "Pirates, Patriots, and Princesses" (hereafter referred to as PP&P) is a nice, if slim, volume of Pyle's art, but might not be the single best one to get.
   
   Within PP&P you'll find a number of wonderful paintings, from Pyle's famed illustration of Blackbeard's demise, to the mournful "Marooned," and others that you will doubtless be looking for. This book focuses on his paintings of pirates, the American Revolution, and various chivalry/mythology-related works. It's very nice to have an inexpensive volume of Pyle's work available, and the book is printed on good quality paper. What troubles me about the book is, first, that some of the works are in black and white (not many, but enough to be perturbing) and printed far too small to be truly appreciated. For instance, my personal favorite, "Marooned," is printed much smaller than a postcard and is somewhat disappointing. Dover might have done better to give the paintings a single page treatment apiece. As it is, this is really just a minor introduction to Pyle, rather than a standard work. For those looking to begin an interest in Pyle, Wyeth, and others, this is a good place to start, but you may want to look at other books as well.



2. I own other Dover art books, and they are wonderful books, but the content of this one was a bit disappointing to me. I was really hoping for more pirate pieces. The famous cover used on Treasure Island is not even included. These seemed to be more obscure pieces that I had never seen before. I don't know, if you're a huge Pyle fan, then you might really enjoy it, but if you are looking for his art that you've seen printed in countless pirate books like me...this is not going to impress you much.



3. This book brings to you the blend of the fantasy life of its title: Pirates, Patriots and Princesses with the outstanding artwork of the master Howard Pyle. He brings to you such action and grace with great brush strokes that come alive - even after printing into a book! Can't get much better than this!

4 comments about Colored Pencil: Project Book for Beginners.

1. Ms. Angelo's book is a beautifully illustrated and easy to understand how-to on colored pencil techniques. I can hardly wait to get her other book "Exploring Colored Pencils" and the companion DVDs.
   The exercises are layed out step by step and she includes a color chart so even a beginner, like me, can do it. Her sections on supplies and papers were very helpful. I especially enjoyed the various examples of art pictured in the book - amazingly all done with colored pencil!



2. I could not believe how incredible my colored pencil drawings turned out after going through this book. Sandra presents the steps in easy to follow language and simple examples. She presents several techinques and then gives lessons to practice each technique. The method she uses in this book instills the confidence to continue with the process. I produced drawings that I was proud of almost immediately. (I had gone through Sandra Angelo's So You Thought You Couldn't Draw first, so I felt confident with my drawing skills, but this book does not require that.)What I like most about this book is the overall philosophy that comes across: drawing is a process that can take you to a different place where stress disappears and relaxation enters in.



3. I must agree with another reviewer that this book is impossibly
   difficult for a beginner. I am trying to find a book that starts
   from the simplest with step-by step instructions working up to
   more advanced. Which book is it? Not this one!



4. This book may have projects for beginners at colored pencils, but not for beginning artists. Each project starts with a "simple" black & white sketch that no beginner could ever do! Not a bad book if you are an accomplished drawer, but true beginners should look elsewhere.

4 comments about Survey of Historic Costume: A History of Western Dress.

1. This is the textbook from my History of Fashion course. Like nearly all Fairchild Publication books, this is extremely well put together. It describes the dress of the time, construction and what it was made of, as well as the social/historical events at the time that helped influence the dress styles. It covers women's wear, men's wear, and children's wear. It is truly an excellent resource.



2. The book came in great condition! It was shipping fast, which is great because it was needed for a college class. I would definitely use them again for future purchases.



3. There are some real photos of paintings from the time periods, but also a lot of drawings of tiny cartoon people wearing time period clothing which are confusing. The author could have at least made the drawings bigger and drawn arrows naming each piece of the outfit, but under many pictures the caption just reads "women's attire" which leaves the student forced to read through the entire chapter and match up the cartoon character's garments to the clothing descriptions. It takes longer to learn and study for tests and is often confusing. I wouldn't reccomend this book! If your costume teacher has a PHD please let them know it is their duty to write a new history of costume book!!!



4. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to become familiar with what people have worn through history of clothes.
   I loved it.

4 comments about Jazz, Giants and Journeys: The Photography of Herman Leonard.

1. If you're a fan of jazz or photography, this is the book for you. Lovely rich photo reproduction and pictures of the jazz greats - often behind the scenes - that make you feel as though you were there.



2. Herman Leonard is by far one of the best photographers I have ever had the privilege to come across. I was visiting New Orleans a few weeks ago and came across a documentary on the local Louisiana station, it was a documentary on Leonard. If you ever have the chance to view this please do so because its an amazing story about a remarkable man. Generally, it takes a great deal to inspire me to want to study portraits, for me portraits are the most complex images to appreciate with the passage of time. Yet with Leonard's images (including his commercial works,) you can sit down and study them and you still find inspiration in them over and over again. His work is one of a kind, and his vision is the strongest I have ever seen in a photographer.



3. Herman Leonard brings one back to a time in America that no longer exists in a way that makes one feel a part of what was. You can almost hear the music!



4. Looking for a gift for a jazz lover, photography buff or international
   traveler? Look no farther. JAZZ, GIANTS AND JOURNEYS: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF
   HERMAN LEONARD is a mind-blower. The meticulously detailed photos of jazz
   greats like Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Billie Holliday, Quincy Jones and
   others recreate the essence of an era so well that the viewer can actually
   see, hear and smell the flavor of the 40's and 50's NY jazz venues where
   the musicians played. Included in this wonderful book is a photo of the
   great Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, taken in 1970, long before they
   were blown up by the Taliban. This alone makes the book vital.

4 comments about Making Master Guitars.

1. Although I do not build guitars myself, I am highly interested in its construction techniques. I have been an amateur guitarist for over 25 years now and planning to buy a handcrafted instrument build by one of the contemporary maestroes. In order to be well prepared I wanted to learn more on the history of guitar building, famous instruments and detailed info on how to build a guitar myself. Hauser, Romanillos, various instruments described in great detail with complete instructions on how to build these instruments yourself. The instructions are accurate, elaborate and extremely thorough and even aimed at people who have no expiernce in woodwork at all. This book has it all, even adresses where to obtain wood,tools etc. Highly recommendable!



2. Great book that has measured drawings of many master guitars. Unlike steel string guitars, where a few models dominate, and look different, say Gibson vs. dreadnaught martin, classical guitars look externally quite similar, while varying a lot internally, and otherwise. Many of the great artists of the steel string guitar play factory models, for a variety of reasons. Top classical guitarists largely play models that originated in small shops with one or a few craftsmen. For these reasons anyone who wants to make a study of building classical guitars will find this eclectic group of guitars very important.

   However, one should consider:

   The building instructions are 1) European in orientation, few jigs, open assembly and so forth, actually the best place for any guitarmaker to start, but not how most here do; 2) Weak in places, because the writer is not an expert guitar builder himself, though overall very helpful, and a useful reference.

   The flip side of a great book on classic designs is that it isn't a good book on current designs. Guitar making theory has advanced somewhat (though one doubts the new instruments are better, they are nonetheless preferred by many anyway). Tone vs. durability or volume for instance. There has been a huge amount of new detail added to modern classicals, for instance work on intonation, volume, wolf notes, fingerboard playability, longevity, and so forth. this stuff isn't here, but on the other hand, it's plastered over the internet.

   If you have seen the violin book, this one isn't the same. The violin book was partnered with a greatish builder. Deals a lot with modern practice (though being violins, that isn't that different anyway), and the violin book doesn't have lots of useful measured drawings (any in fact), because you can get patterns of the ouline parts for strads etc...

   With whatever reservations, this is the greatest book on the classical guitar, and very reasonably priced, it used to sell for 100.




3. Having read all the other books on guitar making, I was amazed to find this one, Making mAster Guitars, so clear, detailed, yet logical and easy to follow. For the first time I felt able to tackle making my own guitar, and the results were pleasing. It would have been nice to have some colour pictures of the historial rosettes, etc., but even so, I advise any aspiring guitar makers to get this one.

   I want to try making a violin next, and I will certainly be buying The Art of Violin Making, by the same author.




4. This is the clearest, and most well-explained text I have found on guitar making. Everything is explained in great detail, and is therefore easy to follow. Courtnalls new book, THE ART OF VIOLIN MAKING, is similarly exellent on violin making, and has a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin.

5 comments about So Far, So Goude.

1. In the fashion photography scene sometimes it's easy to forget, that before it exists the visual flamboyance of Lachapelle there were french photographers like Guy Bordin or precisely Jean Paul Goude.
   
   Starting in the pre photoshop times, if only to see how he was completly free to transform in any way his images through scissors, tape and spray, the book would be completly worth the price. Plus you can see his artistic approaches from conception to the actual photograph, his talent in drawing, painting, and retouch.
   
   Besides being the creative force behind Grace Jones imaginery he is also the creator of so well known ads like the Chanel campaing for Coco with Vanessa Paradis or the building with the screaming ladies in each balcony claiming: Egoistee!. the DVD included has all of this in a very good quality and goes around 40 minutes, so I am not clear why somebody here complains about it. Check what is available in youtube to have an idea.
   
   Much further than advertising or even the fashion scene he created, the book goes directly into the ART land, and is absolutly a must for anyone into photography, fashion or contemporary culture. How he is able to create a completly different universe of his own, full of a distinctive iconography full of sense of humor and chic make him a full and interesting creator. One must wonder how is it possible he is not better known outside France.



2. One of the best books showcasing a terrific artist's work! Just a complaint: the DVD included would have been much better with sound...



3. This book Is a Must Have for all FASHIONISTAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   Great PICTURES. Comesa with a DVD, which is EXCELLENT



4. This beautifuly produced book is a must for all advertising creatives.
   Includeed CD contains Goude's famous TV spots, but unfortunatelly not full lenght.



5. JP Goude is known for his amazing photos of Grace Jones, but this book is full of many great shots, advertisements, graphics. A must for creative people. This book is "So Goude"!!!

5 comments about Shenzhen: A Travelogue From China.

1. I have read both Delisle's travelogues, Shenzhen and Pyongyang. Pyongyang was on enigmatic North Korea and interested me even purely because so few information come out of that country. To be able to see (weird) North Korea from a regular traveler's standpoint (even though Delisle was on a work assignment, which he was again at Shenzhen) was curious and very refreshing. On the other hand, Shenzhen, while Delisle's keen attentions to cultural details still shine through his wonderful drawing, somewhat lacks that curiosity factor. The story is filled with more of the portrayal of his loneliness in a foreign land, where he can hardly communicate with anyone. I feel Shenzhen is a sort of a more realistic version of the movie "Lost in Translation." The book still receives a very high mark for its artistic value, but if I were to choose only one between two of Delisle's travelogues, it has to be Pyongyang.



2. This is an absorbing traveller's tale which I began reading late at night and couldn't go to bed before finishing. Not only didn't I find it boring but I disagree with most of the criticisms in Thy Tran's review. Firstly, Delisle made it clear that he tried hard to converse with and get to know his translator but received no encouragement, which he found quite disheartening. The incident where they only begin to talk a short while before he leaves, when the formality and apparent awkwardness inherent in their situation fall away and parting is suddenly close at hand, is entirely true to life and happens to all sorts of people both within and across cultures. Also, Delisle obviously tried several places to eat and a variety of dishes with varying success and for him to settle on reliable favourites, as a semi-permanent resident, is quite natural. We all do it both at home and abroad while keeping our curiosity and options open. It seems to me that Delisle does all this in an understandably human way and I cannot see how this reflects badly on his attitude. He is obviously frustrated by many things and makes no bones about it, but he remains curious about the world he finds himself in and tries to find a way into it through the thing he knows and loves best, drawing - and by seeking out the work of Chinese artists that he has a powerful response to. I also fail to see any of the stereotyping that Thy Tran seems to infer from the book and on another flick through it I cannot readily see any of the "buckteeth" he finds so annoying. Like Delisle's "Pyongyang" this is a highly enjoyable and very human book and I recommend it.



3. I first came to Shenzhen a year or two after Delisle spent his three months in the city, and I have been here since. Mr. Delisle should have gotten out a bit more and tried to get to know more expats at least, although understandable because his time was limited. There's no reason for a dull moment here. Nevertheless, many of his observations were spot on and made me chuckle about how things were and how some are still the same. The physical city has changed and it is so much easier to live a life with the comforts expats expect. Likewise, the outlook of the people here is much more cosmopolitan than before--although there are still many moments of cultural disjunction.
   
   The inherent story of Shenzhen isn't as compelling as his book on Pyongyang, but Delisle has found plenty of observations that keep the book flowing fast. It's great snapshot of a city in the midst of a huge transformation. (BTW, that 15 story windowless building you saw once, but never saw again. It's a parking structure that is still around.)



4. Guy Delisle's book is a great example of a graphic novel, though this being nonfiction is not really a novel, that is able, or rather requires, the drawings to capture the atmosphere of his life in China. Set in Shenzhen, a city that is primarily a mega-industrial park, Delisle is on a short term international assignment to oversee a company doing animation for a French tv show. Through a sparse, yet entertaining story line, and dark, almost smoggy illustrations, he is able to capture the alienation and isolation of a Westerner's expat life in this grim city. Furthermore, the lack of available distractions are highlighted by one weekend trip to Hong Kong. This book is an entertaining read, and for anyone who has lived abroad for even a short time, it is enough to make you give thanks you did not have to live/work in Shenzhen.



5. As someone who loves graphic novels and who has traveled widely in Asia, I wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, the vignettes lack feeling or meaning let alone structure to tie them together--I suppose a comment on Delisle's experience overall in the country--and so at one point, I was flipping the pages to figure out how much longer until the end.
   
   I am giving him one star for the consistent tone of his stories. He certainly conveys well his isolation and the surreal (to him) experiences of an extended stay in an industrial city in China. Since it's an autobiographical travelogue, I won't attempt to separate the author's intentions from the character in the book. So, more stars would have gone to someone who tried to see the many encounters from his Chinese colleagues' points of view.
   
   Another star goes to the soft shadings of his panels. There are some wonderful scenes, like the candles in the gym. To be honest, I wish I could give him only half of star for the drawings, since after a while, the slanted eyes and buckteeth do become tired, if not downright annoying.
   
   Delisle is one of those travelers who eats at the same place over and over, and even orders the same dish over and over. Many of the stories reek of condescension, fear or that amusement that comes from thinking "they are so strange and different." It's sad, actually. For example, after three months in China, he admits that he only begins to get to know his translator half an hour before he leaves the country.
   
   In a few stories, outright stereotypes fuel the images and the dialogue. If it's intentional, this depiction of an unhappy, displaced individual with seemingly no amount of curiosity or compassion could be taken as a statement on Westerners' attitudes about China and its workers.
   
   If you prefer the company of expats when you travel, this book will resonate with you. If you at least attempt to make connections with people in your host country, then this book is a delightful guide that shows how NOT to travel.

4 comments about Storybook Art: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of 100 Great Picture Book Illustrators (Bright Ideas for Learning).

1. This is a great book for doing easlily accomplished art projects with my kids. I homeschool a preschooler and second grader and these can be adapted to either ages. Many of the books we already have and using paint, pencils, collage, drawing, etc. we ahave been doinf once a week projects, usually related to what we are studying. For example, last week we were studying the solar system and after reading the "Magic School Bus, Blast into The Solar System" we learned about cartoon illustration. My seven year old thought it was great. We've also done quite a few of the other projects and have had great success. The book is user friendly with easy to follow instructions, a list of supplies, time to complete, parent involvement. It's a good book for sure.



2. This is a very good book if you don't have any ideas to connect the artist style with the book you are using - for an art project idea. You can find a similar book to use here and then copy the idea presented. When I purchased this book I thought it was going to be different. I had a particular goal I wanted to accomplish in my art class that I'm going to lead. But this book didn't supply me with what I wanted. I think it's a good book don't get me wrong; it's just it didn't help me in what I was looking for.



3. I was very excited about this book, but dissapointingly, it seems the kids aren't too interested in trying these out, at least the younger ones. Perhaps older children would be more interested (ages 7 and up)



4. I don't know when I've been so excited about a book of hands-on art ideas for kids!! Favorite picture book illustrators are featured in this book for kids age 4-12...with art ideas to match the illustrators' styles and award-winning titles. Each page has a child-drawn portrait of the illustrator, synopses of the book, quote by the illustrator, easy to follow steps and materials, a great variations.

   Some of the books and illustrators covered are:
   - Storybook Art Includes -
   Clare Beaton-How Big is a Pig?.....Stitching Time
   Patrick Benson-Owl Babies.....Cross-Hatch & Stipple
   Marvin Bileck-Rain Makes Applesauce.....Fancy Words
   Jan Brett-Goldilocks & The 3 Bears.....Behind-the-Scene
   David Diaz-Smoky Night.....Collage Story
   Lois Ehlert-Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.....Letter Collé
   Ed Emberley-Drummer Hoff.....Bold Marking
   Ian Falconer-Olivia.....Piglet Painting
   Wanda Gág-Millions of Cats.....Cat & Mouse
   Mort Gerberg-More Spaghetti I Say.....Silly Spaghetti
   Clement Hurd-Good Night Moon.....Shoebox Bedroom
   Ezra Jack Keats-The Snowy Day.....Snow Collage
   David Kirk-Miss Spider's Tea Party.....Clay Tea Set
   Leo Lionni-Fish is Fish.....Rub & Cut Scene
   Robert McCloskey-Blueberries for Sal.....Blue Fingerdots
   Mira Reisberg-Baby Rattlesnake .....Snake Pattern
   Faith Ringgold-Tar Beach.....Tankas
   John Schoenherr-Owl Moon.....Winter Stencil
   Maurice Sendak-Where the Wild Things Are.....Scratch-Color
   Dr. Seuss-The Cat in the Hat.....Kid in a Hat
   Charles Shaw-It Looked Like Spilt Milk.....Cream Clouds
   Chris Van Allsburg-The Polar Express.....Lights & Snow
   plus 78 more Great Illustrators of Favorite Picture Books!
   You won't believe the resource chapter with illustrators' websites and lists and more lists and awards and birthdays of illustrators and so on.

   I especially like all the kids' artworks on the cover and throughout the book. I am sure you will enjoy this one!!!! It's something special.