5 comments about Let Them Eat Cheesecake: The Art Of Olivia Volume I.

1. Who better to draw women than a woman? Olivia De Barardinis is the undisputed queen of cheesecake art, that wonderful if ill-defined blend of sensuality, sexuality, humor, and glamor.
   
   Although her style covers a wide range, each illustration depicts a lone model. Based on Olivia's notes at the end of the book, it sounds as if each woman's presence is just too big to share a page with any other. Each time Olivia paints, she captures something unique to the model, so two models might confuse the directness of the image. Other visual elements appear in her work often enough to form a recognizable ensemble: happily erotic poses, improbably high heels, and lingerie ranging from antique to futuristic fanatasy. Various of the paintings here show other influences, including Bettie Page, Klimt, Marilyn Monroe, Erte, and generations of other sensualists.
   
   Olivia uses the last few pages to add notes describing the paintings. The text identifies each one by title (if any), year, medium, and usually the name of the model. In many cases, Olivia says a bit more about the woman depicted, the inspiration for the image, or something else to help the reader enjoy the picture - as if help were needed. Then, the last two pages let her talk about the creative process in each of her media, including watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and her trademark oil. I recommend this to anyone fascinated by Olivia's voluptuous, vivacious vamps and vixens.
   
   -- wiredweird



2. Second Slice, The Art of Olivia is two books in one...sort of...about ¾ of the book is displays Olivia's paintings in portrait format. Flip it over, and the rest of the book is in landscape format...a flip book for adults! Olivia's second slice is every bit as filling and delectable as the first offering featuring 124 pages with 140 paintings in full color. Each of the two sections provides a detailed index with the name of the piece, size of the original painting, materials used, the name of the model, as well as Olivia's own commentary on her works. These comments are often as entertaining to read, as the paintings are to view.
   
   The models used in this edition include Pamela Anderson, Rhonda Shear, Bettie Page, Julie Strain, and Sandra Taylor. The paintings of the saucy Julie Strain are some of my favorites in the book. With her long, kinky black hair, ample curves, and playfully wicked smile, Strain made a wonderful pin-up queen for the 1990's, when most of these pieces were completed.
   
   Olivia experiments with many forms of style and color, which make for some of her most striking and exotic work to date. This is well displayed in "Zebra Lady III" as the nude, striped model (Rhonda Rydell) blends into and almost disappears into the striped backdrop. While not necessarily known for darker, gothic works, Olivia clearly shows she can compete with the best in that genre with works such as the female vampire on display in "Things that Go Bump in the Night" and the winged, horned "Banshee" which serves as one of the book' covers.
   
   Flipping to the landscape side, the buxom blonde bombshell Shear is captivating in the painting entitled "Pomeranians" as she finds herself lying on the ground, covered in a wrap made out of those furry, little dogs.
   
   Second Slice is another gorgeous collection of Olivia's works, all from the 80's and 90's. It is filled with gorgeous women and bold, sassy, and exotic colors and settings. Olivia continues to prove why she is at the top of her game.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



3. Olivia is the Vargas of our time. As Vargas took the reigns from Petty, Olivia has done the same, and Just like Vargas went beyond Petty in terms of realism, and delicate beauty, Olivia De Berardinis has taken cheesecake to a whole new level. Every pose, expression, and little bit of body language is put to use. Every Shot is beyond what a glamor photographer would dream of. Utter Perfection on so many levels. There is definitely some of her art that pays tribute to Petty, and Vargas among other legends of pinup in many of her pieces in most of her books. This one is a collection that spans many realms, and genres as would only be appropriate in our day. (Frank Frazetta influence spans the universe) There are no pieces that are over the top goriffic, or Horrific works like Clevenger, but there is some definite influence from Fantasy art in a portion of this book. The cover of this book was also a cover on Heavy Metal Magazine of which Olivia did many covers for in the past. This book is like an homage to the beauty of the feminine and female form, as is all of her work. Mouthwatering is the only description I can give it. If your looking for extreme fantasy, or horrific, gorrific works go for Clevenger. But if you want to see the beauty of the female form that can only be described as: like looking into the eyes of an angel". Olivia's books will do you no wrong. This one is no exception.



4. Olivia was one of my favorite artist, and in my collection of Illustrations books she can't be absent. This new collection of paintings shows her skills to mold all kind of techniques.
   A must have release.



5. For any female who has ever been embarassed by the pictures of the other publications that are not so tasteful in showing a nude female this is a book to check out. I myself grew up with a feeling of nakedness is not beautiful and felt that way until I was about 18. When one day someone showed Olivia pictures to me and opened my mind allowing me to see the real beauty of the female form. It is beyond words and as a young woman it allowed me to feel better about myself. As a reminder to myself of the beauty she brings out in a woman I have small tattoo of Heatseeker just below my waist.

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.

5 comments about Heart & Torch - Rick Griffin's Transcendence.

1. I've always loved Rick Griffin's art since I was about 13. To have it all in a book, after all these years, is great. Since I also draw, I now realize how his art influenced me. I'd say he was great and this is a beautiful, inspiring, and defining collection. I'm stoked.



2. Heart and Torch - Rick Griffin is a good book to have your library is you are a Rick Griffin fan and want a history on him and his work. Some redundancy, but worth the buy.



3. Anyone interested in the life and art of Rick Griffin, or in psychedelia in general, must purchase this book.
   
   I'd seen much of this art, but there was a great deal of his early work I had not seen before, and it is all compiled here and looks great.
   
   The text is excellent as well, with a detailed biography of Rick, and testimonials from those in the art world, the comix community and the 60s California music scene who knew him and worked with him.
   
   Great stuff - we miss you Rick!



4. I have been a Fan of the Amazing Talents of Rick Griffin since 1969, when I first layed eyes on the Cover of Zap Comix, Number 3. The First Collection of his Work was published by Paper Tiger Books in 1980, and that Book has always been a Favorite of mine.
   
   This Brand New Collection: "Heart And Torch", from The Laguna Art Museum, is just as impressive as Paper Tiger Edition. Printed on Heavy Stock Art Paper, it is Overflowing with Work from all Phases of Rick's life. From the images of Murphy The Surfer that appeared in Surfer Magazine whilst Rick was still a teenager to Posters of San Francisco Music and happenings from 1966-1980's. Covers for early editions of Rolling Stone Magazine in the late 60's. Album Covers for The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Hunter and Man.
   
   What set Rick apart from his fellow Graphic Illustrators such as R.Crumb and Stanley Mouse was his Fantastic Vision to really get Far Out There with a very Good Third Eye {And while all this happened on our Planet, Rick only had a single Eye to see from!}. This Artist did not 'See' Boundaries in Art, his imagination could not be Locked-Down or Controlled to the Rules of the Medium, he Expanded Worlds and wasn't Trapped in them.
   
   The "Flying Eyeball" Poster for a Jimi Hendrix/John Mayall Concert at The Filmore West in 1968, alone would have made Rick's career, But...there is so much more. He created new languages in his Art, such as for The Grateful Dead's Album Cover {1969] Aoxomoxia, that for many of us Defines, The Sixties in San Francisco as THE Piece of Art. When Rick would draw his own image he usually gave himself a "Third Eye", and I believe this is perfectly correct as the Man always saw something that the rest of us would miss, this Book tells his Story in Words and Pictures and it is indeed a "Transcendence".
   
   The most Perfect way to enjoy Rick Griffin, outside of this book would be for you to find a copy of: "Tales From The Tube" his 1973 Comix Book. For me it's a Peak and a Crest, in a Life filled with water and skies. This Comix explains where Rick was coming from and shows where he was headed, it is simply amazing.
   
   If you see a Poster in the Skies above you, I'll bet you it is Rick, still creating his Wonderful Art in the Heavens...FIVE STARS !!!



5. I collect Rick's art. I've loved it since I first saw it on album covers and in SURFER magazine in the 60's. I had the pleasure of visiting his studio, and speaking to him several times. He was a passonate man, and his art reflects his passions: God, surfing, rock and roll, and the psychedelic experience. This book tells and shows of his journey better than any previous efforts. If you like Rick's art, you will love this book.

5 comments about A Book of Books.

1. This is a great book and very interesting for everyone, not just artistic photographers. I love it! The only thing that was disappointing was that the label on the back of the book put on by Amazon was incredibly sticky and very hard to remove. I nearly damaged the book trying to get it off so be careful. Rubbing alcohol and a dull scraper of some kind works pretty good.



2. For anyone who appreciates the beauty of books or black and white photography, this is an absolute must have. It is beautiful. Highly recommended.



3. When I first saw this book in a book store last December, and began looking through the pages, my eyes welled up with tears at the sheer poetry of the images. It was as if doors opened into other levels of awareness. When I put the book down, I realized that I had been looking at it for over an hour, and that's when I knew I simply needed to own it. Since then, the detail and depth of the images have provided a refuge from the news in the world today. There is still beauty and peace. Thank you, Abe Morell.



4. Everything Abelardo Morell does is gorgeous but what makes him such a genius is the mudane things he works with. The only photographer I can compare him to is Josef Sudek.

   Let's be honest. Anybody can go to a beautiful place like Yosemite or Big Sur, take a view camera and wait for nice light. Instant Ansel Adams; you can't miss unless you kick the tripod.

   But how many people can make a heartbreakingly beautiful photograph from a crumpled ball of paper or some peeling paint? Get this book of books and you'll see what I mean.




5. Some of the photographs in Abelardo Morell's A Book of Books are of great books: A Tale of Two Cities, A Farewell to Arms, Alice in Wonderland. And in placing these photographs together in this wonder-filled volume, Morell has created a great book of his own. For like all great books, this one makes you see the familiar in new ways; offers layers upon layers of meaning; and pushes you to make connections among objects and ideas that sometimes appear to have little, if anything, in common. At the same time, it is a glorious book to look at, to sink into, again and again. If you love books, you'll love this one.

1 comments about 150 Silhouette Designs CD-ROM and Book (Electronic Clip Art).

1. I had been looking for a source for silhouette art. This book filled the need and then some. I found I can also adapt for stencil usage as well.

2 comments about Masterpieces of Women's Costume of the 18th and 19th Centuries.

1. This is a slightly altered reproduction of a book originally published in 1959. Aline Bernstein, who among other things was a theatrical costume designer, produced the material in 1930 with the aid of a Rockefeller Grant. All are based on actual costumes.
   
   Bernstein has presented drawings of 31 dresses and 3 Regency spencer jackets. There are small, but clear color reproductions, four to each approximately 9" x 12" plate, on eight plates in the center of the book. In addition, there is a full page sized black-and-white reproduction of each costume.
   
   The strength of this book is that each fashion is accompanied by a drawing of a contemporary hair style, shoes, and the undergarments, including corsets, petticoats, etc., which would often have to be pulled from different reference sources. Many are also accompanied by a drawing of the pattern for the main item. The patterns are not scaled to different sizes.
   
   A useful reference book, especially given the price.



2. I found this to be a worthwhile purchase for an individual interested in the details of women's clothing from these periods. I am using this book to get ideas for creating authentic reproductions of Victorian clothing.

5 comments about The Artist Within.

1. As an artist myself, I am always fascinated to see the working environments of other artists. This book shows a ton of them. It's a huge, over sized book filled with gorgeous photos. I highly recommend it!



2. The Artist Within showcases comic artists and cartoonists, usually inside their own workspaces, for a unique and thrilling look at how these creative people surround themselves (and therefore what drives them to do the work they do). The photos are stunning, the reproduction brilliant, and any fan of comic art will find many favorites represented inside, with huge black and white photos by Greg Preston, brief bios, and samples of their work.
   
   There is no other book quite like this on the market, and it's about time we got one--and more than that, such a splendid one.



3. This book, without question is AMAZING! This book should be in every photography class, on every library and a standard for what the artist behind the camera can do.
   
   Mr. Preston has run us through all emotions with this stellar work - he obviously threw his heart and soul into it - enjoy it!! The background of his shots makes one feel they are getting the best vew from his eye.
   
   Thanks for a superior work!!



4. This book is an amazing study of artists and people. Even if you're not a comic book fan, these images open up the unbelievably private world of an artists' workspace and it's a fascinating study. Every time I leaf through these pages, I notice something new, some detail that you can see reflected in the pen and ink beside it.
   
   And if you are a comic book fan... how can you resist this glimpse backstage?!
   
   You can't. This book is irresistible. Thanks, Greg Preston!



5. Greg Preston has done an amazing job of photographing some of the worlds most talented and creative artists and getting that extra insight into their personalities by having them pose where they work, in their studios. Since he's been at it for well over a decade, the book luckily remembers many that have since passed away. It's fantastic to see so many people that have inspired me while turning page after page of this huge hardcover, Hogarth, Toth, Wrightson, Kaluta, Smith, Romita among, well, around 95 others! This collection should also put Greg on the map as an exceptional artist himself. You wouldn't even have to care about who he's snapping a camera at to enjoy and appreciate his knockout skill. I'm looking forward to a volume two!

5 comments about Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters.

1. First off, I'm very biasedly a huge fan of Brian Froud and ADORE the Lady Cottington books. This book is so far my absolute favorite. I love how it's set up, the different letters are so greatly written. My favorite letters/notes are those from J.M. Barrie and Wendy Darling. I think that reading the other Cottington books s pretty much a must before starting this one, but it's really quite lovely. This album tells a story without using a regular narrative. Imaginative, beautiful, everything I expect from Froud and the Cottington albums.



2. I enjoyed the artwork in this book. And the creativite that went into the letters.



3. My daughter and I love reading about fairies and this book was delightful. It is creative and beautiful to look at.



4. This book is so nice I bought one for my mom for her birthday! Of course it was part of a huge stack we took to have Brian Froud sign - which makes it even more sweet! Very funny reading and the drawings are just fabulous!



5. I am a big fan of Lady Cottington's work, and this is another great installment in the series.
   
   The artistry is amazing - the amount of work required to not only paint (or "squash") the fairies is immense, but then to paint a "mirror" on the opposite page, and have it look like a fairy really was pressed between the pages - I can't even begin to imagine how much work it took!
   
   The authors clearly had fun putting this together. Although there is no "plot", you get a sense of a story - Lady Angelica is plaqued by fairies, and is also missing her mother, so she writes letters to famous people and collects the responses, with further tauntings by fairies.
   
   The books is extremely amusing! There were moments when I laughed out loud - for instance, on the inside back cover, there is a list of the letters and their authors, as well as a short bio on the author. W. S. Gilbert is described as being "...the very model of an English playwright/lyricist."

5 comments about The Real Business of Web Design.

1. Most of the book is a wash by now. It could use a little updating. The book can be summarized into the following:
   
   Sites should be designed to allow for effective and efficient two-way communications between you and your clients... (that's my Cliff's Notes version of the book.)
   
   Everything else supports that main theme. It's all pretty superficial information. If you've read other Web Design Business books, you've already seen this information. I still like Jim Smith's book (How to Start a Home-Based Web Design Business) the best.



2. The first eleven chapters were very nice and useful to read. From chapter 12 on, I found it a bit boring.
   
   As the other reviews say, it has quite a lot of good tips and information about how you have to conceive a web-design business.
   
   But in my humble opinion the marketing chapters failed, they all ramble around the same concepts too many times without giving fresh ideas.
   
   From chapter 20 on it gained some new interest to me.



3. I just want to add a note of caution to prospective buyers. I can appreciate a book about the internet, business, and the history of the web. If that's what you want, buy this book! Don't read any further!
   
   If you are looking for a book on designing a web site however, this may not be the book for you. You have to really search to find good advice, and who has the time? Go out and buy a book like "Don't Make Me Think?" by Steve Krug if you want good advice. Buy this book if you're interested in web history.



4. After reading this book, I was able to start my own Indiana web design business, Stormfront Productions. It focuses on the basics of starting a web-based business, which has always been a goal of mine. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to start a business.



5. There are a lot of books on how to create a web page. They vary from simple, use Front Page type books, to books on the back end process like those on .asp or php. There aren't many books that take a step back and ask questions like 'what is it that you are trying to do with this web site,' 'how easy is it for the visitor to find what he wants,' 'how does the web help fulfill the overall business mission of the organization.'
   
   This is not a teckie book. It doesn't tell you how to do HTML, instead it is on the things you need to think about first before you start to cut code, or have someone else do the site. One of the big mistakes is who to pick to design the web site. An artist tends to make it pretty. A programmer makes it clean looking. A marketeer wants to sell things. Management has to decide the goals of the site. And management often isn't prepared to do that because of a lack of knowledge about what is possible. This book attempts to bring management up to the level of specifying a web site.

5 comments about How to Draw Cars the Hot Wheels Way.

1. I bought this book solely because Scott Robertson wrote it. Normally I would have passed this book by thinking it was a children's book on drawing hotwheels. Boy was I surprised when I received it.
   
   This is not as much a book on drawing cars but a book explaining how to use perspective when drawing vehicles which could be used for all types of vehicles. I've read many books on perspective and this one has been the most well developed instruction on vehicle perspective. His instructions are very detailed with great illustrations for each step. And we're not talking about glossed over quick 3 step instructions, most instructions are over 10 steps. So he goes slow with enough detail to not miss anything necessary to truly understand this topic.
   
   Another bonus, is that he explains in detail how to render with various art media and also step by step how to render in Photoshop. These instructions are as detailed as that for drawing in perspective.
   
   This book was a Great Surprise! I wish I had found it earlier. I probably could have forgone many books for what I've found in this one. Don't let the name fool you, pick this book up no matter what level of artist, illustrator, cartoonist or designer you are. Great book!!! 5 Stars.



2. Purchased for a 7.75 year old boy who loves to draw. He likes it but not as well as the drawing book by Hart.



3. Great Value - My son just keeps using this. For the enjoyment he receives from this guide, it is worth twice as much to me.



4. this book is probably one of the best books on drawing cars. lots of great pictures. and really great art of street rod cars. much better than How to Draw Cars like a Pro. everything you'll need on drawing cars is in here!



5. The minute this book arrived and I saw how great it was I realized that I would need to give it as a gift to a designer friend. Then I needed to order another copy to keep for myself. If you are a designer, want to draw cars, or are just a fan of Hot Wheels cars, Scott Robertson's book is a wonderful insight into the world of unlimited transportation imagination. Kids of ALL AGES would love this book!