5 comments about Graphic Designer's Guide to Pricing, Estimating & Budgeting Revised Edition.

1. This book is not nearly as helpful as I had hoped. If you want to read to entire book, you'll get an overview on basic ethical and pricing theories, but there is no pracitcal "this is what designers are charging now" basis, and it is less that fun to read. Skip it.



2. I have been operating a freelance graphic-design business on a casual basis for over 10 year and have just recently decided to take it to a more professional level. I purchased this book because I thought it would help me streamline my billing system and teach me something I didn't already know. Unfortunately, I found that this book was much more chatty than informative and that the information was a bit too vague. It would have also helped if the forms at the back of the book were more fully discussed in the book itself.
   
   While I found it interesting and somewhat insightful to read about the author's opinions and experience (which is credible), I did not feel that I gained much new insight from the book. Another book that I found more pragmatic and useful was Cameron Foote's "The Business Side of Creativity". Even though that book covers all aspects of running a graphic design business, it also includes a section on billing with advice that is both practical and concrete (including how to deal with clients who are price-sensitive in an assertive manner). While this book may help someone who is completely new at billing clients for graphic-design services, I personally gained more from Foote's book than this one.



3. Freelance Graphic Designers, or those considering it, get this one. It is excellent. I have read it 3 times and still learning from it. It is Good advice. She's a nice lady. I want to meet her. This helps you in negotiating and deciding on a price, and not letting the client take advantage of you, and invoicing.
   
   The author is a woman, btw. I think it is cool that a woman can have such a hugely successful business.



4. In straight-forward, witty and very business-wise language, Theo Stephan Williams lays it all on the line for anyone in or thinking of getting in the design business. She explains exactly how to negotiate, what to say and how to actually make a profit. While all other books dance around the subject of money, she just lays it on the table, giving hourly rates and project break-downs and without having to feel bad justifying prices that will keep you in business, I finally realize that it is a right to make a profit out of what we do.
   For ten years I've been operating exactly like the kinds of people Theo knows inside out - thinking that breaking even is good enough, afraid to raise prices for fear of losing work. All that gets, she explains, is a huge, unprofitable client base, all making demands and not paying a good price for the services they receive. Theo provides clear, logical, sensible and highly convincing arguments to turn your business around and make a real success of it, as she has done of hers.
   Read it and join the ranks of enlightened designers and design firms who actually make great money out of doing great work.



5. Theo's writing style is lively and at times, entertaining. The multimedia section is starting to show its age, but this is still a very worthwhile read.

1 comments about Chintz: Indian Textiles for the West.

1. Could have been a glorious book but let down by the colour reproductions.I have seen many of these fabrics and quilts and the book does not do them justice.

5 comments about Legacy: Paintings and Drawings by Frank Frazetta.

1. We have been Frank Frazetta marks for a long, long time. So of course we have not only all of his earmark books that have his cover art on them, such as Conan and Tarzan, but also the more recent art books such as this compiled works of such a legendary giant icon of sci-fi/fantasy artists.
   
   Only Boris and Julie Bell can rival this awesome artist that can create art that woes you and can crreate an enture storyline to the eyes of people like us. This is a must for people who love art.



2. By looking at the cover is more than clear that what is inside is the perfect artwork putted all together to created a wonderfull book full of perfection.



3. i bought this thinking it was going to be an art book... you know, some sort of collection of works. turns out is more of a documentary about how frazetta got started and different jobs he had and different comics he drew. there were actually a surprising number of comic related pages. there's not really that much art... what there is was sort of a let down. if you're collecting frazetta books, add it to the collection. if you want an art gallery, this aint it.
   
   "death dealer" not pictured. major let down, in my opinion.



4. Another wonderful addition to my illustrator collection. Was instantly hooked on Frazetta's style as a kid reading Edgar Rice Burroughs. Legacy is a fabulous title covering Frazetta's career with commentary included on each illustration. Book was received quickly and in fabulous shape.



5. Frazetta was an artist with a different style, yet seemed to capture and captivate so many foreign lands of barbarians and beasts...then bring them end gently place them on the table in front of us. From Conan to Tarzan and so much more, this is a great book. I call it a coffee table book because I had a rougher copy that I kept in the living room. Whenever someone came over they would start looking at it. Many couldn't put it down. Then they start realizing they KNOW Franks work...they see Death Dealer, they see the Conan like images, and they're hooked!
   
   The book is full of colorful images and as an artist and writer myself I ofter find myself referring to it. No artist captured a battle scene, or a scene where a person is in the middle of a motion filled movement, like Frank. Leaping hero's weilding swords to scared to death damsells and wench's cowering before a giant god of epic proportions. The book is not just pictures, there is a ton of text talking about Frank, his life, and his LEGACY. A strong recommendation for anyone who likes art, Conan or Tarzan, or illustration in general. Frazetta was the King!

1 comments about Women Impressionists.

1. When it comes to research into art history it is lamentable that the accomplishments of male artists are over-represented in scholarly publications and that those of women artists are by and large glossed over or just plain ignored. This failing of traditionally conservative male art historians to address this imbalance is slowly being re-evaluated and corrected. A fascinating task, it is being carried out by a new generation of scholars and authors (mainly female) who are giving a revealing and inclusive perspective on the history of Western art. The story of the French Impressionist movement is no different, the names of male artists like Renoir, Degas, Sisely, Manet, Monet and Pissaro are well known around the world and their vividly painted canvases are represented in important international art galleries. But when it comes to the women Impressionists who painted alongside their male peers, history is surprisingly silent and there is a lack of awareness of their unique place in early modern art. There is an unspoken consensus amongst some academics that these women artists were not quite as talented as their male colleagues, and that there certainly were no creative geniuses amongst their number. Based on a travelling exhibition, this well researched volume aims to improve the art loving publics knowledge and understanding of these pioneering women artists who struggled against restrictive social conventions and entrenched misogyny to achieve their painterly visions of the world around them.
   
   In the 19th century and well into the 20th century women were solely expected to fulfill the complimentary roles of motherhood and obedient housewife. The limited work available to them was primarily of the menial or nurturing kind: as governess, nannies, teachers, maids, nurses or midwives. And when marriage loomed women were dutifully expected to give up their jobs, and so their fragile sense of independence. Thus when a woman wished to pursue a career (such as painting) they invariably had to forgo almost any prospect of starting a family and having a "respectable" life as a devoted wife and mother. Throughout Western art history up until the Impressionist era women were barred from attending most art schools for some absurdly prudish and moralistic reasons. When women were allowed the privilege of studying alongside men, there was a hidebound social etiquette in place to "protect" them from anything that may have affronted their delicate sensibilities. This stiflingly Victorian attitude discouraged many women from pursuing art in a professional manner, sadly relegating them to the margins of the art scene... as amateurs. Still, there were a significant but yet small number of women who chose to become professional and successful artists in this oppressive environment. Undaunted they studied and practiced their craft against almost all odds, and eventually won the begrudging respect of their male peers.
   
   This timely book focuses on the handful of female artists who belonged in the French Impressionist art circle and includes beautiful examples of their oil paintings, pastels, watercolors, sketches and etchings, many in full and vibrant colour. The likes of Bertha Morisot, Eva Gonzales, Marie Bracquemond and the American Mary Cassatt are all included and due attention is given to each artist. The contribution of these four women to this revolutionary movement has been largely (but not entirely) omitted from the annals of art history, and is indicative of a wider cultural bias against the accomplishments of women in all walks of life. It is a shame that this wonderful book does not have more of an international scope, for I'm sure that in the 19th century there were many women Impressionists around the developed world whose names and creative oeuvres have been painted out of official histories of art. This engaging book with its lucid essays will open your eyes to the artistic legacy of these gifted yet undervalued women artists, and its publication will be most welcome by those interested in women's issues. If like me you admire and appreciate the Impressionists with their fresh and progressive approach to painting, Women Impressionists will be a fine addition to your library.

No comments about Andreas Gursky.

5 comments about Art Dealer's Field Guide: How to Profit in Art, Buying and Selling Valuable Paintings.

1. Art Dealer's Field Guide is the only book on the market that teaches the "art" of making money in the art world. Ron Davis generously shares his many secrets gleaned from a lifetime dealing in art. A must read for novice and expert alike.



2. I'm new to the field and had no idea where to turn for advice. Thank you for writing this!



3. Ron Davis' book was exactly what I was looking for as a new dealer/collector just getting into the art world. It provided me with an abundant amount of information to get me started with my quest to develop the skills I desire to make educated transactions. It think as a beginner that this was a great place for me to start. I am very excited to continue my self-education and now I know how. Thanks,
   Ron!



4. I'm relatively new to art collecting, and found this book to be helpful and practical. I learned a lot from it. Recommended.



5. The Art Dealer's Field Guide is an invaluable reference book. I have dog-eared half the book for future reference. It is full of useful web-addresses, resources & experts. It is an extremely practical book & I found it to be a crash course on the business of art. I do not think this information is readily available to the general public. I have a degree in fine art, but would never have known where to begin the type of research that is described in the book. This is full of information that can only be learned through years of experience & is most likely kept an industry secret. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning how to invest in art.

5 comments about Edward Hopper.

1. The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition: "Edward Hopper", organised by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and the Art Institute of Chicago, 2007-2008. It comprises a series of nine essays by different writers, and concludes with Notes, a Chronology, a Checklist and Figure Illustrations and a Selected Bibliography.
   
   This is a handsome volume large in size and almost square in format, illustrated throughout predominately in colour. The informative essays, each dealing with a specific period or genre, discuss the artist, his work and his methods, are illustrated throughout, with the relevant works appearing on or close to the page on which there are discussed. The illustrations are excellent, virtually full colour throughout, the black and white images being mainly drawings or period photographs. Many of the paintings are reproduced half or full page size, with a few full page bleed images of a detail from selected paintings. The quality of reproduction is excellent, often revealing the brush work and surface texture, and the colour rich and vibrant. In total there are 202 illustrations of which 180 are in full colour, they represent works in oils, watercolours and prints. A very desirable publication.



2. One of the highlights of my summer was attending the Hopper exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, for which this volume (published by the MFA) was the companion text. At 288 pages, mostly filled with suberb reproductions of Hopper's paintings and sketches, this volume is comprehensive enough for even the most devoted Hopper fan. Perhaps only Gail Levin's "Catalogue Raisonne" offers a more comprehensive look at the artist. No matter how many art books you may own, clear a spot on your shelf or coffee table for this one. You will not be disappointed.



3. Edward HopperThis book is a great presentation of the outstanding Hopper exhibit at the MFA/Boston. Well worth seeing.



4. Plenty of catalogs and art histories have featured the works of Edward Hopper, but what makes EDWARD HOPPER different is this emphasis on his strengths from the 1920s-1940s, when he produced many of his greatest works. A focus on European influences, critical reactions to his productions, his themes and choices, and his special challenges makes for detailed insights on the personality and ambitions of Hopper, while full-page color illustrations - some 150 in all - provide visual emphasis. Perfect for art libraries and for public lending collections seeking even one definitive Hopper coverage.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. I found the paintings very helpful for the lessons they give about use of value and composition. Both the watercolor and oil paintings give lessons for watercolor painting. Many beginning and intermediate painters fail to achieve good deep dark values in their work. Painters must add value and color paths to create eye movement paths.
   Value change gives separation(Depth),colors make it pretty.
   Harold D. Smith

No comments about Kohei Yoshiyuki: The Park.

No comments about Unmonumental.

5 comments about 2007 Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market.

1. This is a great book of sources for freelance projects. It has interesting articles and tons of people to contact. You do need to read through carefully to pick publishers who are more likely to need your services.



2. essential to the start-up freelancer or the old pro who wants new contacts for work. I wish they had this when I was starting out...



3. Don't waste your money. As an art-rep I think this book is depressing and does not give a complete view of the choices that artists have. I found many mistypes and I believe that their sources are not a good spread of the market. My advice is to get it from the library and explore your options on the web. Just like anything start at the bottom, be nice, willing to learn, and stick to it. It is possible to make it.
   -KTB



4. Full of information and where to submit things. It is really helpful. I'm so glad there is a book out there like this.



5. This book is so inspiring. I have not yet sent any art off to the world, but I feel confident now..before I had no idea how to go about it.