1 comments about Simply Beautiful Rubber Stamping (Simply Beautiful Series).

1. I had the priviledge to meet the author at Stampfest in Orlando this summer when I took her watercolor class using rubber stamps. Kathie is a wonderful teacher so I was excited to buy her book when it was finally published. I can honestly say it has surpassed my expectations!! I have been addicted to card making and rubber stamping for just over 2 years now so I've read many books and magaiznes on papercrafts and this is by far one of the best books I've come across! The book is full of beautiful projects and full of color photographs with step-by-step instructions that a beginner can easily follow but the book also has projects that will appeal to more experienced stampers as well. This is a great book for both learning and will provide inspiration as well. I'm giving it as a gift to my rubber-stamping friends this holiday season. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in rubber stamping!!

5 comments about Alice In Sunderland.

1. In a style termed by the author as "dream documentary", Bryan Talbot takes us through the religious, political, cultural, and literary history of his home town of Sunderland (as well as bits and pieces of knowledge from all kinds of other places and fields). Far from a paper-dry chronological listing of names and dates, however, we jump from place to place, subject to subject, and event to event often without preamble or warning, always colorfully illustrated by drawings, photos, collages, or paintings. It truly is like falling down the rabbit-hole.
   
   To Talbot's credit, the conceit works surprisingly well. I was completely unfamiliar with most of the subjects presented in this work, but I never felt lost while reading; and while I occasionally consulted Wikipedia for more information on a subject mentioned, I never felt like doing so was necessary in order to follow the story.
   
   What makes the whole concept work, despite its incredibly ambitious scope, is the theme of connections. Talbot constantly shows us the influences of one event on another: the values of one family being passed to its succeeding generations, the re-invention of folk stories and myths as shows or popular fiction, the art style of an invading culture commingling with that of the previous settlers, the de-evolution of a centuries-old blood feud into an equally vicious (if supposedly more civilized) football rivalry. Nothing "just happens"; everything is preceded by numerous related events, and everything has its own effects on what follows, which are often surprisingly far-reaching.
   
   While his approach may at first seem more scatterbrained than structured, attentive readers will soon notice how meticulously Talbot has composed his story so that everything fits together. Half the joy of reading the later pages comes from discovering the import of clues hidden in the earlier parts; equally surprising is how infectious the author's passion for the subject becomes. In interviews, Talbot claims that the only goal for his four-years-in-the-making masterpiece is to entertain. By that standard, he has succeeded wildly - as well as, perhaps, educating thousands of readers on subjects that they might otherwise never have known existed.



2. I'm a fan of Lewis Carol and Alice in Wonderland from the original books to take off like The Looking Glass Wars. When I first picked this thick graphic novel up from my local library, I thought it was a another charming retelling of the story I love so.
   
   Okay, so that was my fault for assuming so. Alice in Sunderland is not just about Lewis Carol. Its about the links between the works and life of Lewis Carol and his connection to the Sunderland area in England, connecting to other writers and artists such as George Orwell for example. Alright, so it reads like a very pretty history book sometimes but the story telling is wonderful albeit long and often it moves around freely from Lewis Caroll to the Sunderland theatre to the mythic origin of the Jabberwocky story.
   
   The point here with this book is NOT TO LOSE YOUR FOCUS or you will forget all that you have learned. If anything, the book is wonderful to look at and if you're a Lewis Caroll or fan of Britain or Sunderland or you like history and stunning visuals, well this is the book for you.
   
   Plot: What plot? Seriously though, its a history lesson.
   Art: A The art shows the range of the creator.
   In general: A- Buy it or get it from the library, but its a good read. And you can pretend its not educational if it bothers you so.



3. I didn't really know what to expect from _Alice in Sunderland_; the reviews on Amazon piqued my interest, so I dove in. I had assumed it was a re-telling of Carroll's _Alice in Wonderland_, but I was willing to take a chance. I don't regret the gamble, although the book itself is about Carroll's classic only in the story *behind* the story.
   
   The graphic novel is really about Sunderland itself - the history of the city and the relationship between the place and the people who live there with Carroll (nee Charles Dodgson), and quite a bit about Carroll himself - and how all these people and places relate to the writing, characters and events in _Alice in Wonderland_. The connections and interrelationships are fascinating (from the ancestral home of George Washington, to the inventor of the lightbulb and police box of Doctor Who fame, to well-known artists and performers.) Those who are interested a strict retelling of the story, therefore, will be disappointed.
   
   However, the journey, non-sequitors and history of Carroll and the story are fascinating, as Talbot clears the record of many misconceptions about Carroll (that he was shy and withdrawn except when around children, for example), and the writing of the story itself (that it was created while Carroll was an Oxford Don and influenced by his time there.) These examples are just two of many. On this criterion alone I would give the book 5 stars. The artwork is impressive, Talbot clearly enjoying setting the record straight and taking the reader along on a wholly whimsical and visually stunning journey as he weaves the tale. This, too warrants five stars.
   
   I don't read a lot of graphic novels - but I have no remorse about buying this one. It is a fascinating, true-life tale masterfully illustrated. Recommended.



4. Bryan Talbot's ALICE IN SUNDERLAND is so unique that it is difficult to find anything to compare it to. It would be inaccurate to call it a graphic novel, because it tells no story. There really is no plot of any kind. What it actually is is a local history. Talbot essentially tells the story of his town of Sunderland while tracing unexpected connections it has with Lewis Carroll and relatives of Alice Liddell.
   
   The story, such as it is, concerns "a guy" (the book begins "Well, there's this guy . . . ") who walks into the Empire Theatre in Sunderland for a performance of ALICE IN SUNDERLAND, only to find himself the only person in the theater. Onstage appears a man in a puffy shirt (think "the pirate shirt" of SEINFELD fame) and the head of a rabbit. The Rabbit Man begins to talk, only to remove his head, revealing a human face (which is, in fact, Bryan Talbot's own). He then proceeds over the next 300 pages to provide an endlessly inventive history of the local area, repeatedly drawing connections to ALICE IN WONDERLAND. The exploration is categoric, embracing prehistoric and ancient history, medieval history, and modern history. He covers local the economy, politics, architecture, and cultural life. By the end of the book you not only feel like you've explored a corner of the world you never even thought about investigating, you feel that you'd love to visit the place. And indeed, you feel like you know it. You also learn a very great deal about Lewis Carroll.
   
   What is astonishing is that Talbot keeps his story fascinating from beginning to end. In actuality this is a one-note symphony, but he so successfully disguises this that you scarcely notice it. Frequently his story approaches the sublime. For instance, at one point he enters the first house in a row of elegant dwellings for Sunderland's economic elite. He searches local records and discovers that it was built by a Quaker merchant named Joshua Wilson. He then spends the next five pages exploring his life and character. He seems to have been a thoroughly likable and admirable individual, a genuinely good, though largely forgotten, man. And then the sublime: " . . . and Joshua, long dead and long forgotten, now lives again in some small way in the mind of you, the reader." The book is filled with magical moments like that.
   
   This is easily one of the most beautiful to look at books that I've ever seen. Talbot is unusual in the world of graphic literature in that he not only writes and pencils his work, but colors it as well. He also employs a hot of graphic techniques in organizing his pages. He uses paintings, drawings, retouched photographs, reproductions, collages, and just about anything else you can think of in creating his pages. I've shown the book to several friends who have been instantly struck by the sheer physical beauty of the pages.
   
   I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It is easily one of the most beautiful books that I own (the only one that might surpass it is the first two volumes in THE ABSOLUTE SANDMAN -- Talbot, by the by, illustrated some of Gaiman's stories). It is also one of the most unique.



5. Throw away your notions of what constitutes a graphic novel because Bryan Talbot has rewritten whatever rules there were. This is a book that can't be devoured; it is a history of the Empire theatre in Sunderland but it isn't. What is evident is Talbot's love of Sunderland and its true importance in history. But it isn't a history book. It defies genres and so I will call it what it simply is:- a masterpiece.

3 comments about Poster-Art: Innovation in Poster Design.

1. I got this book to give me some more ideas in poster design and it's fantastic! Some works are really arty and don't really communicate the fundamentals of who, when and where, clearly however, there are a great many examples in here of excellent poster design concepts and artwork. Overall if you're simply looking for a whole bunch of different visual idea's then this book is great!



2. I don't know anything about this book. I gave it 5 stars cuz the other review gave it 5 stars and I don't want to change it. I'm just peeved at the "Look Inside"(TM) feature that lets you explore...the index, the copyright info, the front and back covers, and a chapter start. No art, no text. I don't want to buy this just based on that. Sorry.



3. I think its a great book for some fresh Ideas. It shows many styles as well as designers from all over the country. Every subject matter and every other company can be seen in this book. I like the short paragraphs about each poster. Not too much text, more images. GREAT

3 comments about Spectrum 4: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art.

1. I vividly remember the first time I saw this book at the local comic book store. Wow~ Just amazing, it blew my brains out. There is no other book like Spectrum series books. Book features full color drawing, paintings and sculptures by fantastic artist from all over the world. You will see so many styles and techniques that you never seen before. This is a must for Artist, Illustrators, and Art Directors.



2. Almost any one of the pieces in this collection is worth the price of the book. There are no monkey swathes of paint against white canvas here, my friends. No, here are works that will quicken your breath, accelerate your heartbeat, and ignite the synapses in your mind. And as my fellow reviewer commented, this book is a wellspring of inspiration. Just flip the pages and see for your self. Works like "Number 16" and "Prudence II" present this point more eloquently than I ever could. I have only one pique. There was no art from any of the Galerie Morpheus artists like Giger, Yerka, and De Es. Despite this, I urge all fans of SF and Fantasy art to buy this book. You won't be dissappointed.



3. Spectrum 4 is one of those books that artists turn to when ideas are at a premium. The artwork is so voluminous and diverse in character. Every possible stylization of fantasy art is represented. Some works are intense and mysterious, dark and brooding. While others follow a campy, comic book hero genre. My favorite works are more of an illustrative fairy tale approach. However, I find this book to be a wonderful resource for those times when the well is running dry.

3 comments about 361 Full-Color Allover Patterns for Artists and Craftspeople (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. The images are beautiful but purposely skewed. I have to do alot of creative work in photoshop to use them.



2. I'd suggest to buy this title for people who make handcraft objects in order to take many ideas about decoration.



3. This book is a great additon to the library of all paper crafters and rubber stampers. It makes creating collages and artwork so much more convenient--just sit back and browse through 361 full color background patterns, and best of all they are all copyright-free! The author offers a delightful variety of colors and styles, inspirations from the 15th through the 20th century. It looks like some were taken from fabric, and even have a textural quality. With simply the use of a color copier or better yet a scanner, you will have no limit to your imagination and creativity.

3 comments about Art and Design of Gama-Go (Gama Go).

1. I was dissapointed in the size of the book. It's only a little over 6x6. It does have alot of pages tho. If you like their tee shirt art then this book is for you. That is all that's in it.



2. purchased as a gift and was so entertaining almost kept it for myself. disigns incredable.



3. The art of Gama go is super cool, i have bought it because of the tim biskup art work which i knew more about, but the design studio has lots of other cool stuff, a must see!

5 comments about Patternmaking for Fashion Design (4th Edition).

1. If you're interested in pattern making this book contains everything you need to know to start to make your own patterns.



2. I admit I've only skimmed through this. It'll be more of a reference guide for me to use as I start to make my own patterns and sew my apparel. However, during my several times of looking through it, I noticed that it's well organized, formatted and illustrated. It's also a good resource because it's got basic patterns to photocopy (to be enlarged) to use, and even got some worksheets and stuff. It also explains the terminology. I'm not a fashion design student or expert. Just a complete beginner (unless you count my high school sewing class as some experience), so it'll take me a bit to learn all the terms and concepts but even so, I'm sure it won't be too hard as it's formatted in a way so that it can be read quite easily, i.e. not too wordy or narrative. Good text material. I was hesitant to buy this at first with so many different reviews about it but I figured most of the ones I read were of the 3rd edition and I bought the 4th one and I figured they'll do some revision. There are still some editing errors but it's minor and won't affect your understanding of the material. The only other thing is that I wish they'll include a section on men's wear patterns. They did for children and juniors but not men's. Based on what I've read so far, this seems pretty satisfactory and definitely worth the purchase, though I do admit it's rather pricey. But I guess if I think about the satisfaction I'll get from making my own clothes, it's well worth it then.



3. I am so grateful to whom wrote the first rewiew of this book! She was so right! This book covers it all! Women, men and children's clothig... but I mean everything! You won't ever need to purchase any more patterns, specially if you don't fall in to the normal sizes like me... when pattern alteration is in reality a complete re-due... This is like a patermaking bible... you won't ever regrete this purchase, although you will find that a lot of your other pattern making books won't serve you any more...



4. Whether you are a beginner, or an experienced seamstress, and you would like to draft your own patterns, buy this book! A very comprehensive publication, with instructions that are also easy to understand and follow. The organisation of this book is excellent. Helen begins with basic patterns for the various foundation garments (ie, shift dress, pencil skirt, etc), giving you easy to follow instructions on how to draft these patterns. Subsequently, she offers a good variety of variations on these basic garments, with comprehsive instructions. From this book alone, you will be able to draft and sew your own fashion range, or just a very good wardrobe for yourself.



5. Patternmaking for Fashion Design and DVD Package (4th Edition)
   
   I'm an intermediate level sewer and haven't had a course in patternmaking. However I have found this book invaluable even though it is written as a textbook. I haven't read it cover to cover because I regard it as a reference book. However, after having reviewed the sections that relate to the sewing I do, I have found it very enlightening. There are certain principles that I didn't understand until I read it, such as dart rotation. This, for instance, will be very helpful to me in altering commercial patterns to make them fit better. I plan to do some pattern drafting, but will probably use it mostly in altering commercial patterns. For instance, I was recently altering a pants pattern and wondered if I was changing the ratio of the width of the front leg to the back. The book answered my question while books on pattern alterations didn't address this issue. The layout of the book has been thoroughly explained in other reviews, so I won't go into describing it. I will say, however, that I highly recommend this book for anyone who sews as a hobby because it answers a lot of questions one would have when it comes to altering commercial patterns or drafting simple patterns. It's expensive, but money well spent. This book should be in the library of any serious sewer.

5 comments about The Art of Halo.

1. My son wanted this book for a long time and loves to study the artwork. I like that it stimulates an interest in art. It shows kids theres more to the games than just the "play" factor.



2. This book clearly shows just how much time, energy, passion & love went into creating the entire world of Halo. The creation of the art work is simply stunning, if you enjoy glorious colour & unbelievable creative spirits, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of this book. Then as a added treat, check out on-line some of the HD trailers which are available, if your able, try to get copies on DVD & watch them on a large screen TV in full HD mode ... check your heart rate before & after ... if you don't have goose bumps & want to run out & buy a Xbox 360 & Halo 2 or 3 ... you may want to check your pulse. 5 stars out of 5 stars ... easy.



3. I was expecting this book to primarily be for displaying conceptual drawings and paintings created during the designing process of the games. There is some of that, but the book is mostly filled with images of the 'in game' 3d models used for the characters and still shots of the 3d environments. The actual conceptual drawings take a back seat. The paintings that are there are great, but why aren't there more?! Overall, I think a 3d modeler would enjoy this book more than a 2d artist.



4. This book was ok. I used it as a reference for building a replica armor set. Its got nice details and some good concept art. It only contains however images from halo 1 and halo 2. There are no halo 3 pictures, screen shots or artwork.



5. This has great artwork from the Halo Game Series. Very crisp and detailed - all on glossy print paper.

2 comments about Erotic Fantasy Art.

1. I saw this one at a local book store and I knew I had to get it! I have Fantasy Art Now which is from the same line of books and I paid retail for it! I wish I had got it from Amazon and saved some money! Don't let the name of the book fool you. This is not a porn art book. There are no sex scenes, and very little nudity. It's a collection of tastfull art of attractive women done by several different artist. It is a hardcover book, and very well binded and comes wrapped in a outer book sleeve to keep it protected. A fine addition to my ever growing library thanks to Amazon!



2. This collection proves - not that it needed proving - that there's no end to the imagery that the female figure can evoke. Eighty artists, averaging about two contributions each, offer dozens illustrations. Their styles range from cartoony (like Laberis and Bawidamann) or manga-like (e.g. Tan, Hepworth) to vividly realistic (too many to name) or nearly abstract (Bailey, Eliot). Media range just as widely: pencil, oils, watercolor, acrylic, gouache, electronic tools, and combinations.
   
   Each picture freezes a moment from some story, whether that story has yet been told or not. Some convey a dark or disturbing mood, others elicit a giggle, and yet others offer simple awe, wonder, or enticing bits of titillation. Although some of these artists (including Suydam and Brom) have well established careers, other names aren't nearly as familiar - at least, not yet. They display many influences, though. I picked out visual references to Vaugh Bode, Barbarella, Frazetta, and Wood, and I probably missed at least as many others. Reference does not imply imitation, though; each work in this collection stands solidly on its own.
   
   And, as an artifact in itself, I find the book well printed, solidly bound, and well laid out. Libraries of fantasy art and figure art will both welcome this lovely volume.
   
   -- wiredweird

5 comments about Things a Woman Should Know About Style (Things A Woman Should Know Series).

1. I picked this up at a local shop and I have to admit I found the author's English attitude and dry sense of humour quite whimsical.
   
   However, as other reviewers have pointed out, it's an explanatory magazine essay in book form, though interspersed with quite wonderful quotes, such as « Une robe n'a de sens que si un homme a envie de vous l'enlever, je dis bien l'enlever pas l'arracher en hurlant d'horreur. » (Trans: A dress makes no sense unless a man wants to take it off -- that is, to remove it, not tear it off howling in horror.) And there are a few deliciously dishy tips, such as how to have a signature scent no one else has -- go to a cheap chop in France and buy their (invariably cheap) house scent, and then sadly tell those who compliment you on it that "it's not available in this country".
   
   In sum, I cannot frankly recommend it to anyone, but not because of a flaw of the book itself per se, it's because it's written both at an advanced level (making it insuitable for those ladies who are still looking desperately for style à la Audrey Hepburn at Top Shop) and at an elementary level (making it insuitable for those ladies who are looking for a way to seem a touch more soignée, rather than staying too safe and Sloane-y).
   
   However, this is coming from an American, and for all I know, British women are actually listening to Susannah and Trinny, so perhaps it suits in the home market?



2. This terrific little guide should be on every woman's shelf - especially those who want to transform their ultra trendy wardrobe into one that may be still "on trend" but kicked up a notch, sophisticated and chic. In others words, grown up.



3. I really enjoyed this book. It contains many quotes from fashion icons as well as helpful hits. You will be able to learn what is appropriate to wear and when it is appropriate to wear it. I read through the whole book and loved every page. Every woman should read this book and they will always be in style.



4. This book is full of many things we instinctively know... but it helps to hear them spelled out in plain English.
   
   So if you have a tendancy to splurge on purple bell bottoms on sale and green fluo platform sandals (that spend 3 years in the back of your closet never worn until you chuck them), this book is for you.
   
   I find it a good reference every now and then, to help keep my fashion priorities in place. And when I encounter a fashion victim hottie, it helps me to keep perspective and not go out and buy those pink suede cowboy boots.



5. this is not a terrible choice of a style guide for those looking for a classic movie star icon sort of style. it is excellent for bathroom decor and can serve as a beginning for someone looking to cutivate a style similiar to audrey hepburn, grace kelley, jackie o, or marilyn monroe. a word of caution, it is written in a very brittish vernacular.