No comments about E Pluribus Venom.

5 comments about Art Marketing 101, Third Edition: A Handbook for the Fine Artist (Art Marketing 101: A Handbook for the Fine Artist).

1. Art Marketing 101 is really aimed at emerging artists who would like to start selling their artwork directly to the public. If that's your ambition, as it was mine, this is a great resource. I really appreciate the fact that it's action oriented. You'll find yourself getting motivated to quit dreaming and get moving. Yes, some of the material will become outdated because technology is changing the art business so rapidly that it's impossible for a book to keep pace, but the author's done a good job of updating with each new revision. Overall, you'll find plenty of solid direction and great ideas that you might not have thought of without it.



2. Great Must Have Book for any Artist!!! This book gave me great insite on what to do once I was finished creating art. It helped me place my artwork in the right market place and sell my art. I think anyone who paints or creates needs to have this book.



3. I took so many notes when reading this as a library book that I've decided I'd better just own it. One of the best books on marketing my artwork and making a living as an artist that I've ever come across, and I've read several.



4. The book is an eye opener for artists that have painted for years and they have no clue as to how to sell their art.
   It is wonderful !



5. This guide to art marketing is especially usefull for the individual artist. Concise, precise, very user freindly with plenty of usable advice on getting into the marketplace and being a success.

No comments about The Artist's Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions.

4 comments about Hiroshige, 100 Views of Edo.

1. Yes, there are cropped images at the start of this huge and beautiful book to add illustrations to the informative introduction, but the main body of this publication is made up of full size, uncropped excellent reproductions of all 118 of the "100 Views". I give it the full 5 stars for the Japanese style binding, single sided printing and silk effect covered portfolio slipcase... and it's uncropped reproductions.



2. The new Hiroshige tome is wonderful. The colors are bright and the images are focused even including the wood grain from the original woodblock. I have a few of the original prints in my collection and am impressed with the quality of the "new" images. I liked it so much that I gave a copy to friends who also value the artist and genre.



3. This book has a nice and interesting manufacturing job with lots of very large pictures. However, the real essence of an art book is the pictures. The large images are all drastically cropped. Lost is the meaning given to the prints by their context and composition. In Asian Art the "empty" space is at least as important as the image. The editor of this volume seemed to think that the objective images are the essence. To magnify these he cropped. Bad taste! Being such a heavy book, this was expensive to return. I would be embarrassed to even have it on my book shelf.



4. Hiroshige is a very well known Japanese artist who worked in the style called, ukiyo-e, wood block prints whose name translates as pictures of the floating world. Floating, fleeting, ephemeral world, the world of transitory pleasures. Just as cherry blossoms last but for a brief time, so are our lifes. Since they are gone so quickly, they must be cherished all the more while they are still here.
   
   This series of 100 shows Edo, which is the city now known as Tokyo. There are lots of pictures that depict the man-made dwellings and buildings of a thriving metropolis, but also, in virtually every print, there is also the natural world. The juxtapostion of the man-made and natural is what fascinates Hiroshige in this collection, and what will also fascinate the viewer. Though Hokusai is a more prolific and iconic artist in this genre, Hiroshige has his fans. This reprint is made from one of the finest complete original set of woodprints belonging to the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Tokyo.
   
   Other items of interest:
   
   Hiroshige's Journey in the 60-Odd Provinces (Famous Japanese Print Series)
   
   The Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido
   
   Hiroshige's Views of Mt. Fuji
   
   Hiroshige
   
   Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts
   
   Hokusai
   
   Hokusai's Mount Fuji: The Complete Views in Color
   
   Hokusai, First Manga Master
   
   Utamaro and the Spectacle of Beauty
   
   The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches (Penguin Classics)

5 comments about Alberto Vargas: Works from the Max Vargas Collection.

1. Great pictures from his best work!
   If you are a fan of Pin Ups, this is the Classic!!!!
   Foreword by Hugh Heffner who published a lot of Vargas Work in his Magazin.
   Worth every penny!



2. Vargas inspired many people to do pin up art, his early work of the long torso's were great, I love his work



3. Perhaps my expectations were too high based on the many 5 star reviews. The book is beautifully done and anyone who appreciates Vargas will be pleased with the presentation of his work. But, it seemed to me that it was a much abbreviated representation of his best work. This collection lacks most of his previously published works; these being illustrations in the estate. However, what I think the book needs the most is editing. The pictures are in chronological order, but few offer any biographical information other than the title. On a practical note, the book is very large: 10.25"X13.25" which is over sized even for a collection of illustrations.



4. Si hubo alguien que capto como nadie lo ha hecho hasta hoy la belleza, la gracia y la delicadeza de la mujer, ese ha sido sin lugar a dudas el maestro Vargas; este magnifico volumen abarca todas las diferentes etapas de la vida artistica del artista, ambientado con varias de sus mejores creaciones; totalmente a colores, las imagenes hablan por si mismas, la reseña historica es la mas completa hecha del maestro hasta ahora, y gracias a las dimensiones de las paginas, podemos contemplar la preciosa calidad de cada pintura y hasta el mas minimo detalle de cada dibujo; desde sus primeros ensayos en los años 20 y 30 hasta los gloriosos dias con Playboy, podemos apreciar claramente la tremenda evolucion artistica de vargas y sobre todo, su gran amor por su tema artistico: la mujer.



5. This book is beautifully produced, with all of the art reproduced in a large format (sometimes across two-page spreads) in luminous color. I am very pleased with this book, and I feel it is a wonderful introduction to Mr. Vargas' incomparable artistry, and serves as a nice retrospective, chronicling his work from his Ziegfeld Follies glamour illustrations of the 1920s and Hollywood starlet paintings of the 1930s, through his work with Esquire and on into the Playboy work of the 1960s and 1970s.
   
   However, luminous and beautiful as the included images are, prospective buyers should be warned that many of the images reproduced herein are either unfinished preliminaries, rough sketches/paintings, or items that were rejected or unused. This does not detract from Vargas' artistry, but may be disappointing to some lovers of his art. All in all, a superb volume for art lovers or pin-up enthusiasts alike, but one that may require some consideration before purchase.

5 comments about Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt.

1. This book is great, and the pictures are wonderful. I'm studying for an upcoming exhibition and I am very satisfied.



2. I am really enjoying reading and looking at the pictures of the quilts in this book. I have met several of the ladies and decendants of the Gee' Bend Quilters and find their stories so interesting. The quilts definitely do define the quilters, their strengths and weaknesses, their ups and downs. I recomend this book to anyone who holds quilts near and dear to their hearts.



3. This book is gorgeous!!! It includes large photographs of tons of quilts, in a size that allows you to see the smallest details, such as topstitching. It also includes inspirational photos of details of the town. However, it's not your typical coffe table book, because it has probably equal parts very informative text and visuals. Since it's not small enough to carry with me on the train, it's been hard separating myself from this book-- it is beautiful!



4. I like this book because it is full of information about the construction of the quilts and alot of trivia about the makers of the quilts. Very beautiful pictures! A great book for learning.



5. This book illustrates the link between the incredibly beautiful quilts produced by five generations of African American women in the South to the architecture they saw around them and to their own artistic vision. Their personal stories, contained in chapters toward the end of the book, are very moving and inspirational.

2 comments about ABC of Men's Fashion.

1. This is a great book to learn and understand the basics of men's fashion. Some of the comments are a bit dated, and clearly lean towards ideas more prevalent in Europe than in the states. But as a primer on the basics of what is what, and when to wear it...this is a solid reference for your book shelf.



2. This guide has everything a guy needs to know about fashion and style. It's not hard to comphrend and was very easy to read and understand. It leaves out nothing, so you're always covered. A definite must-read for any guy who likes to look nice. I also suggest another book for it's style tips too, called Chicks: A User's Guide to Dating, Love and Sex.

5 comments about The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College Dublin.

1. There is no lack of great vivid pictures to enjoy and the book is of high quality paper. The text is brief and has a nice flow. There really isn't much more I can say that other reviewers haven't already stated other than this is one of my favorite picture books :p
   
   If you enjoy celtic art or illuminated manuscripts this makes a fun addition to your library!



2. The Book of Kells is one of the most beautiful manuscripts in existence. This booklet enables those of us who are unlikely to ever see the real manuscript to feast our eyes on many of the illustrations as well as to learn a little of its history and preparation. Most of the illustrations are in colour and their vibrancy is still apparent across 12 centuries.
   
   I consider that this booklet is worth acquiring for the illustrations alone. It also contains a lot of useful information for those interested in the physical preparation of such manuscripts as well as the underlying historical significance of this particular manuscript.
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



3. The book was just what I was expecting. Shipping was quick.



4. I was glad I had this book along with me when I went to see the real Book of Kells at the Trinity College Library in Dublin. The lines of tourists waiting to view this famous eighth century manuscript were about a quarter of a mile long, and the museum proctors were really hustling us through the area where a small sampling of pages were actually on view.
   
   (If you take the tour, be sure to check out the main chamber of the Old Library with its first editions of Newton and Darwin, plus the harp that is (alas, falsely) attributed to Brian Boru, high king of Ireland).
   
   The first facsimile of the Book of Kells was published in 1974, and although this book only advertises itself as 'an illustrated introduction to the manuscript...' it contains good color plates of many of the most famous pages, e.g. the symbols of the four evangelists and the beginning of the 'Breves causae' of Matthew, among others.
   
   Author, Bernard Meehan, the current Keeper of Manuscripts at Trinity College states that "the sacred text itself was copied in the Book of Kells with a remarkable degree of inaccuracy." It consists of the Latin text of the Gospels, illuminated in the very ornate Hiberno-Saxon style ('Hiberno' refers to the Irish, or Hibernians).
   
   Legend has it that the Book of Kells was produced by St. Colum Cille on the island of Iona off western Scotland. Although it was probably begun in the Irish monastery on Iona, it was taken to the monastery of Kells in County Meath, after a series of Viking raids. The monastery on Iona was pillaged in 795, and again in 802. According to the author, "In 806, sixty-eight of the community were killed in another raid. The following year, the survivors migrated to Ireland and began to erect conventual buildings at Kells..." where the illumination of the manuscript was probably completed.
   
   If you are interested in the historical background of the Book of Kells, the author devotes a whole Appendix to it.
   
   Alas, according to this book's second Appendix, "Losses, Additions and Marginalia," the Book of Kells has not remained intact down through the centuries. "At present there are 340 folios, but around thirty folios, including some major decorated pages have been lost." The monks also used blank spaces in the manuscript to record details of property transactions in the late eleventh and twelfth centuries.
   
   Meehan's book is definitely worth viewing and reading. It also contains a wealth of the smaller decorative illustrations that do not always relate to the sacred text, e.g. hares, dogs, horses, and at least one moth. The color and minute details of these decorations are a source of endless fascination, and the scholarly text, although a trifle dry, is also very interesting.



5. I like how the author gives various images of the book of kells, but gets really confusing and goes all over the place while writing about it. I think a lot could be learned from this book, but the author crams so many examples into the work that it starts to get annoying. Ever line seems to have parenthesis around something and folio this or that. For that alone i give the book two stars, multiple examples are good, just not when you plague every line with one. It hardly gives the reader a chance to understand the first few.

3 comments about Licensing Art 101, Third Edition: Publishing and Licensing Artwork for Profit (Licensing Art 101).

1. I am not a fine artist, I am more of a commercial artist/illustrator/surface pattern designer. When I got this book, I couldn't put it down! It has extremely helpful information in it for all types of artists who are wanting to license their artwork in a variety of markets. It is a fast read too, packed full of great advice and resources. It's a book I will keep going back to because it's a good reference manual. If you are thinking of entering into the licensing world, I would HIGHLY recommend that you get this book - it's a MUST, especially for the price!



2. Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "Licensing Art 101: Publishing And Licensing Your Artwork For Profit" takes up where most art classes leave off -- how to make a living as an artist. Drawing upon his more than 31 years of experience and expertise in the licensing industry, Michael Woodward clearly covers such fundamental issues for aspiring artists as how to negotiate fees for their services, how to approach various markets with their artworks, targeting a presentation, exhibiting in trade shows, and protecting their rights as artists. "Licensing Art 101" is enhanced with some 300 contacts including calendar publishers, art licensing agents, greeting card publishers, fin are publishers, and book publishers. Taking a comprehensive, step-by-step, real-world approach to the subject of licensing art, this basic introduction is thoroughly 'user friendly' and should be considered essential, mandatory reading for anyone seeking to pursue a professional career as an artist regardless of the medium in which they work.



3. This is truly a superb book in every way. Not only is it comprehensive in terms of the steps one needs to take to market their art, but there's also a list of questions at the end of each chapter to help you develop an action plan, for which there's an empty column to write down your tasks.
   
   Personally, I respond very well to "to do" lists and deadlines, so using this book in combination of working with a life coach is bringing wonderful results.
   
   The book also tackles the publishing issue from two sides: one is finding someone to represent you (which is my preference), and the other is how to publish yourself. (I did the independent route in music, and believe me, it's rough. This time around, I'm willing to pay someone in percentages to do it for me and just let me make the art.)
   
   I give it a big thumbs-up.

5 comments about The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook.

1. A truly wonderful book to peruse through for those who practice pencil sketching. The artist is simply outstanding and his style is right up my alley. I flip through these pages for mere minutes and want to draw for days on end.



2. Alan Lee's work is amazing and to get some background information about his artwork is a treat. I wish the book was a little bigger and thicker.



3. What a beautiful collection this is. The afternoon it arrived, I wandered again in Middle Earth, lost in Alan Lee's art. But most wonderful, it seems to me (who came to the movies from many readings of the books,) is that as I looked at these drawings they recalled not just scenes from the movies, but returned me to the tactile pleasure of discovering this world as I first had found it --in Tolkien's books. I love both the books and the movies. Now, when time constrains, I don't have to choose between the two. Thank you, Alan Lee.



4. this book is awesome!
   it's like looking into Alan Lee's Sketchbook as its name indicates.
   the renderings are beautiful. any Tolkien fan will appreciate this as a wonderful companion to the books, as well as any one interested in fantasy art and drawing!



5. If you're looking for the film's information literally, this might not be what you want. But, if you're looking for a trip into the cretive process that brought Tolkiens masterpiece to life, you might like this one.
   Alan Lee is a wonderful artist, his drawings are really impressive, and in this book he shows how he created his version of Tolkien's world, trying to be faithfull to the autor's ideas.
   There's plenty of drawings and sketches from all parts of the story, and the text explains how and why they were developed to the movie's scenes.
   I loved.