5 comments about Cinema 4D: The Artist's Project Sourcebook, 2nd Edition.

1. This book is clearly for anyone who is in need of a quick read with brilliant illustrations that will motivate you to great motion ghaphics.



2. Everything about this book is amateurish. You can tell from the models that she uses as examples that she doesn't really know how to use the program, really what is a "Starlight Receiver"? The example movies on the DVD are in black and white with no sound. Unbelievable. Don't believe the hype this book is garbage.



3. I'm really disapointed by this book. Was expecting a lot more after reading all those good reviews... This is only a step by step tutorials book. The author doesnt explain that much anything related to cinema 4D... I don't understand exactly what I am doing. The book is starting with those tutorials without at least explaining the basic of this software and the interface... I need first to understand the interface before being able to do anything else with this software and this is not the book that will help me out for sure... It's not by telling me to put a value somewhere in the attributes that I will actually understand WHY to put this value there...
   
   :(



4. This is the book I wish I had when starting out in 3D. It doesnt barage you with technical descriptions of 3D app features but teaches by going in and making stuff. The quality of the models made and the layout of the book is beautiful, you would not mind having this book on the coffee table for friends to look at. And kudos go to the publisher for printing this book on durable high quality paper, strong binding and with full color photos. So many graphics books nowadays will rip you off with B&W pics on cheap paper. Why is it you can by a $7 magazine (ie National Geographic) with high quality color pics, good paper and strong binding, but not a $30 graphics book?



5. This is a funny book, written with the newcomer to C4D in mind, full of tutorials about practically every aspect of the vast 3D weaponry wich C4D puts at your disposition. All the examples and tutorials are accompanied with files (contained in a DVD) to put the lessons in practice. The artistic soul of the book is very important, it asks to the reader/practitioner to be creative with the program, but it covers the technical aspects of this complex piece of software also.
   Anne Powers, the author, is an artist above all, and the book, printed in full color, has tons of examples of her talented work. I have to make a special mention to the chapter dedicated to the complex task of human head modelling, wich Powers accomplish well and with artistic style.
   Not a book about photoreal modelling/rendering, nevertheless. But Powers claims that enough 3D literature is about that these days, and I agree. So is the artistic creative proccess the aspect wich prevails in this book.
   The book is based upon the C4D 10 release, and has one chapter dedicated to the MoGraph module. It also covers BodyPaint.
   Very fun to read/practice and highly recommended!

4 comments about The Spec Manual.

1. Great, great, great! I have not found many references on specs, which are very difficult to do in an amazing way. Before purchasing this book, my specs were mediocre/ average first year fashion student. After thoroughly working with this book, however, my specs were fantastic! I highly recommend this book.



2. I have been looking for a book like this for a while. I find most books with information on spec sheet writing complicated and unorganized; not this one, this book separates garments into different chapters such as how to spec a blazer, pant and shorts, a vest, a turtleneck, etc. A simple glance at the glossary and I am able to quickly find the category of clothing I need to build a spec sheet for and have all the information neatly presented in bulletin style with clearly drawn samples of flats indicating how to correctly measure the garment, which is invaluable since so many books tend to assume the reader already knows how to establish measuring points. There is also a handy basic spec sheet template included for every category.
   
   Easy to read and easy to learn --this is one book I am keeping around for a long time.



3. A comprehensive, user-friendly guide to the skills and techniques for measuring garments and creating spec sheets. It's an excellent resource book which provides the fundamentals for building, developing, streamlining your flats and specs library. It's a neat and concise reference book you would find so useful that would like to own and keep at hand at all times. Furthermore, the enclosed CD-ROM makes it even more versatile for it offers you the possibility to save, send, print, alter (and carry!) all the information. I find it extremely helpful.



4. This book is great for anyone new at drawing flats and specs, or if you have been in the industry for years, it is a great brush up. I have also taken a class by one of the authors and she made flats easy...just the way the book does it!

5 comments about The World of the Dark Crystal: The Collector's Edition.

1. Combining the talents of Jim Henson's storytelling with Brian Froud's exquisite art, The Dark Crystal is an amazing film. The World of the Dark Crystal is a must-have companion piece to the film. On its pages are inscribed in detail the epic story's conceptualization and the process of designing its beautifully imagined characters and creatures. The book contains rare artwork by the ingenious fantasy artist Brian Froud who designed the complex and immense world of the Dark Crystal, a world whose people feel culturally authentic and utterly believable, a world where the landscapes feel familiar and yet completely alien at the same time. It is this fabricated universe, this artificial sense of reality that makes the Dark Crystal such an enduring classic.
   
   Never before had movie audiences been transported to an entirely new world, a world without any human contact, a world divided by two opposing principals, a world that was so fragile and yet so savage. In The Dark Crystal, we see the evolution of imagination and a physical, tangible representation of duality. We see the importance of balancing logic and faith, science and spirituality, self-preservation and sacrifice. The triadic images found in Brian Froud's artwork express the importance of social, spiritual, and psychological equilibrium. This is a spiritual philosophy shared by many cultures and religions including Druidism, Buddhism and even in Christianity. This is also reflected in the design of the characters and the sets that at times resemble, in physical appearance as well as in architectural design, those of different ethnicities but both Froud and Henson avoid racial profiling. Instead they've created a rich and majestic vision of a world that never existed and still it is so believable that we feel as if we are seeing the documentation of a recently discovered alien culture.
   
   Along with Froud's artwork, the book includes informative descriptions of the characters, creatures, and flora and fauna of this fantastical world. There is also a new introduction by Froud and a facsimile booklet featuring original concept drawings that were used as a tool in marketing the film to studios. In conclusion, The World of the Dark Crystal is a wonderful addition to any fantasy fan's collection, an inspirational look into the mind of an artist, and an essential collector's item for all those who love the film.
   
   Also recommended:
   Faeries (25th Anniversary Edition)
   Good Faeries Bad Faeries
   Goblins!
   The Goblins of Labyrinth: 20th Anniversary Edition
   The Runes of Elfland



2. This book does a great job of enhancing the experience of watching The Dark Crystal. Objects that are only seen for an instant or merely in the background are explained in detail in this beautiful collection. My only complaint? There's lots of white space on some of the pages, which makes it feel like less of a guide to an ancient world and more like a textbook.
   
   Even so, highly recommended for fans of the movie, faerie stuff in general, or just great artwork.



3. Brian Froud, the creator of the Dark Crystal, is a Genius.
   
   This book is a small Bible.
   
   Well written, and with images so refined it makes you wonder if it is all "human" made.
   
   All your questions about the Dark Crystal will be answered.
   The information contained in the book seems almost sacred,
   as for the capacity for the human mind to understand it all,
   that is yet to be proven...



4. This book is an amazing tome for anyone who grew up in adoration of The Dark Crystal. Brian Froud's illustrations and concepts are gorgeous and so incredibly creative. This book is delivered as a history of the World in which the film takes place. It is narrated by Aughra, "...the first and last," who witnessed thousands of years of creation and destruction. She monitors the cyclical suns, a spectator of the conjunctions that bring the wise urSkeks, and their division a thousand years later into the cruel Skeksis and the mystical urRu. Aughra alone knows the long history of the crystal and throughout the pages, describes life throughout the ages. There are so many subtleties that the book describes that I can't wait to watch the film again, knowing the significance of the shapes of rocks, the intricate details of the clothes the characters wear, and the elaborate symbolism peppered throughout. The art is gorgeous and the insights into the World of the Dark Crystal shed a new light on the film and its philosophy. Bravo!



5. A must have for any Dark Crystal fan. It contains detailed pictures, decriptios of the various races, and a breif overveiw of how the world works. It also contains some history on the making of the movie, and a copy of the orginal movie idea. Even if you don't like the movie, it would be hard not to appreciate level of detail that went into this imaginary world.
   
   Overall: An excellent book, which I highly recomend.

No comments about Package Design Workbook: The Art and Science of Successful Packaging.

5 comments about Audubon's Birds Of America (The Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio).

1. I bought this book as a gift for my parents, who are elderly and who enjoy watching birds and looking at pictures of birds.
   
   But when I later went to visit them I got an unpleasant surprise: this book is HUGE. Ridiculously huge.
   
   It's the biggest book I've ever seen. It's about the size of a computer tower laid on its side. Bigger than any unabridged dictionary.
   
   As a result my parents never use it: it's simply too heavy for them to lift. I'm not joking around here. They're afraid of getting a hernia or hurting their back if they lift it.
   
   So it just sits on the shelf gathering dust.
   
   Actually, not on the shelf, since this book won't fit on any normal bookshelf. So they just stand it on the floor.
   
   If you buy this, make sure the person you're getting it for is in excellent shape.
   
   You've been warned.



2. This "baby elephant folio" is indeed a tiny but complete book of Audubon's "Birds of America." It is a perfect edition to give as a gift to friends and family who are Audubon aficionados. It is great quality and the price can't be beat; I purchased several.



3. Having recently read the biography of Audubon, I was very interested in seeing the actual drawings. The book I read had a few of them in black and white, but I wanted to see a larger sample in color. I decided to see if Amazon had anything and was very surprised to see that they offered all of the original drawings in color for a very small price. I realized the book would be smaller than the original life size drawings, but was a little surprised to find that the book was so small. That is my main problem with the book. Otherwise - WOW. To see these birds in all their glory in full color is just breathtaking. Furthermore, when you consider the original size, to have shrunk them down and still maintain the detail and the beauty is quite impressive. One can appreciate the drawings without having read about Audobon's struggle to create and then publish them, but I would suggest this book as a companion to a good biography of Audobon. Once you have both, his accomplishment can be fully appreciated.



4. This book is spectacular. The images are breathtaking, and the quality of their presentation is nothing short of superb. Wow!!!



5. Let me qualify my remarks by first saying that I have not even seen this version. I have no doubt that the printing is of the highest quality, but I have a serious reservation about the organization of this book. Audubon deliberately mixed his birds in a non-taxonomic order to maintain a freshness and an element of suprise. I recently acquired a large format copy published by Welcome Rain, which follows Audubon's original order. The effect is a delightful romp through nature, full of suprises, drama and movement. He never intended it to be a catalog with all his ducks in a row, it was to be an experience. I have seen an abridged, small format edition of his paintings arranged in the standard, dull taxonomic order of a typical field guide and the effect is nothing like seeing them in the order Audubon intended. Rearranging the plates for convenience of listers diminishes this work, and to a certain extent, is a disservice to the artist. While I am happy to see that his work remains in print and is being reproduced at very high standards, I would hope that it would be viewed as a symphony, not as a random collection of notes needing to be organized alphabetically.

2 comments about Challenging Graph Art.

1. The product was different from what I expected but I believe I can still make use of it in several ways and am completely happy with it.



2. Order came on time and in the condition stated/

5 comments about Creating Romantic Purses: Patterns & Instructions for Unique Handbags.

1. I would not suggest this book for a beginner. Creating Romantic Purses has really good suggestions on embellishing purses, how much fabric and trims to purchase. However, the instructions are difficult to follow; more illustrations would have been very helpful. Also, are all these purses flat? I see no instructions to add sides or bottoms. No instructions or suggestions for inside pockets, zipper pockets or fancy linings.



2. Instead of repeating what others have said, I will summarize: 1) Great Designs and Patterns; 2) Incredible and Doable embellishments to make the purses/handbags attractive and desirable; 3) Romantic but also give a vintage-feel to the purses/handbags; and 4)GREAT Inspiration for all interested in fiber/fabric arts as these can be applied to other items, dresses, belts, scarves, hats, etc. IF you are so inclined. Compared to my other purse books, I will definitely refer to this one more frequently for inspiration than any other one, yet each purse design book does provide this to one degree or another. Enjoy!



3. Unless you've got a really nice collection of antique laces, trims and appliqués, these projects are going to be expensive, and probably not as scrumptious as if they were made out of original materials. When I'm in DIY mode, I'd rather not spend hundreds at a couple stores to make one purse, I want to use what I have on hand --and be able to make substitutions, even big leaps of substitution. This book tends to use the same materials (looped fringe for example), and if I don't have it for one handbag, I'm not going to have it for another either. So a special trip for all the materials in one handbag would be required.
   
   Yes, the purses are awesome while serving their purpose: holding your stuff. But know that your project will probably be very expensive, and if you don't bother to spare the expense, you're going to be highly disappointed (if you have good taste.) Also, these are all busy, frilly, Victorian handbags, so don't buy it thinking you'll get anything but.



4. Very rich book with great ideas! It needs some experience because does not explain step by step process, but it is worth enough to get it.



5. Very good tool for the handbag designer. Love all the detailed instructions and photos. Easy to follow patterns. Fun designs.

4 comments about Futurama Conquers the Universe.

1. The stories are not as well-written as the TV show, but they entertain nicely, & the characters' personalities are faithful to the show.
   
   The art is good, & reflects the look & feel of the show.
   
   BTW--keep an eye on the backgrounds & crowd scenes--the artists WILL have there little jokes, & slip a suprise or two in there for you.



2. I'd rather read this comic than watch TV. Since Futurama is barely on (waiting for the next movie to come out in June), this is the closest thing we can get to having new episodes of the show (well, the comics are, but these are the comics in a form that can go on a bookshelf) and it feels so much like the series. While I read it, I truly felt like I was watching a new episode and I could totally see all of these as actual episodes on the show. If you're a Futurama fan, I can't see how you wouldn't love these comics.



3. I love Futurama. I have every episode and DVD. This was a very quick read and it wasn't up to the standards of the TV series. Some parts were funny while others were just odd. I wouldn't spend the money on it. It took very little time to read and it is not something that I'll read over and over again to make it worth purchasing.



4. This graphic novel contains issues 10 through 13 of the Futurama comic books:
   --The Big Sweep, in which our heroes participate in the dangerous Winter Olympic sport of swurling,
   --The Cure for the Common Clod, in which Fry gets a cold that threatens New New York,
   --Hostile Makeover, in which Amy takes Leela shopping, and
   --The Bender You Say, in which Bender takes on the job of the Robot Devil.
   
   For some reason, the cover shown here on Amazon (featuring Morbo in a tank, shooting at our heroes), is not the one on the copy I have and those I've seen in stores. Mine shows Fry, Leela and Bender standing on a very tiny ringed planet, while Leela makes earrings out of another planet's rings, Bender lights a cigar with a sun, and Fry takes a bite out of a terrestrial planet.

3 comments about Design and Form: The Basic Course at the Bauhaus and Later, Revised Edition.

1. I know I'm going to anger some of the folks who really believe in this book, but I was really disappointed with how slim and scant the educational content was. There are very many black and white illustrations of the students' work related to Itten's teachings. And his outlook is very pure and creative. I really enjoyed that aspect of this book, but expected more meat! I wanted to know more specifically about conflict. I wanted him to go deeper. As it is, he brings up a well ordered set of concepts, explains them clearly and then moves on. In my opinion this book is wildly overpriced. I probably would give it four stars had it only cost me between seven and fifteen dollars. At thirty and change it's not worth it.



2. This book is not a step by step syllabus to follow blindly. Itten wrote this book to share the fundamental principles that he taught all his students (no matter how advanced) before allowing them to pursue higher classes and goals at his school.

   The book is broken down into sections that (to anyone who's had art training) seem simple enough: chiaroscuro, form, color, rhythm, etc. but Itten teaches not so much the technical aspect of art as a new way of seeing the world, a way of creating from the whole body and mind, not just with a paintbrush (or computer graphics program).

   The sections are all punctuated with many examples of student work that relate to the topic covered. Often, it is these examples that really drive his points home.

   Just as Itten believed that everyone was capable of being creative and thought the basic course was valuable to all levels of art students and even teachers, this book is applicable for both those who are looking for an introduction into creating, and those who consider themselves expert artists already. I guarantee there will be at least one idea in the book to make you stop and ponder and suddenly challenge your way of thinking on the matter.




3. Itten made the world as we know it today. Without his guidence, none of the products you buy, art you look at, or anything else would be what it is today. If you are a designer or art monger, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It is a discription of his Basic Course (everyone had to take it...) at the Bauhaus in Weimar written by Itten himself.

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.