5 comments about Concept Design 2: Works from Seven Los Angeles Entertainment Designers and Seventeen Guest Artists.

1. I bought this item from my son's wish list as a gift, so I personally don't know how to rate it.



2. First - What's wrong Jaw Line? Did you not get accepted to Art Center or were you rejected by Industrial Light & Magic? You're not even a blip on the radar of these artists until you do something worth recognizing so please indicate where your book is on Amazon or keep your envious mouth shut.
   
   Now, on to the review - The book is comprised of some of the better artists working in film and entertainment design today. Please keep in mind, this book is a nice reference tool for artists looking for a way to keep motivated and learn a few things along the way. I agree, there could have been more sketches and character development, but I'll take this for what it is - a pleasing reference tool for those of us who obviously haven't reached Jaw Line's impeccable talent.
   
   Enjoy the fine work.



3. You should definitely get this book if you want to learn how far self-promotion can take you. Or alternately, you could save your 30-some-odd bucks and just take this review to heart.
   
   I bought the book to keep around as inspiration--printed out jpeg's just don't cut it and they don't last, right? I also bought it to check out what my competition was doing out on the Left Coast, sort of to light the fire under me.
   
   Well.
   
   The book is printed nicely, and I felt that a lot of the text was pertinent and interesting. The images, though?
   
   Well.
   
   The bulk of the book (the first part) is the seven LA guys showing off their work, and a lot of it. Some were pretty ok, but there are several guys who may be experienced, commercially viable pros, but whose work blows. I mainly found the best images to be in the "and friends" part, which is the second half of the book where various other guys get an image or two displayed.
   
   There are some nice visual pauses that come from z-brush and sculpy images, but there are just too many instances of very high-tech high school art. There were no Craig Mullins, Dussos or Syd Meads in the bunch, it's safe to say.
   
   So, take the tip: even if you suck or are abysmally average...promote, promote, promote--and one day, you too can get seen!



4. An interesting book as these artists are now moving on in their careers and we see the results of their work in film and other entertainment.



5. I bought this book on a wim. The title and the size of the book led me to believe it would have some descent sized pictures and would be a good collection of original ideas. I wanted something that would inspire me to work harder on my own work. And that is exactly what I got.
   
   I am quite pleased with this book. It is worth the price. There is a good variety of subjects, some that impress me, some that don't. But all the work is skillfully done. There is little in the way of artist comments or direction on how to achieve the effects they achieve, but that is the way I like it. This is more about the work. More text would mean less space for artwork. The artwork is mostly digital, however, there is an appropriate amount of sketches, too. The last few pages have information on the artists and their websites(if an artist has one).
   
   I am disappointed there aren't more sketches or character designs. Most of the work is mechanical or environmental. It needed more character designs to balance it out, in my opinion.
   There are some artists I didn't care for, subject matter I didn't care for(the concept cars for one), but nothing irritating or offensive.
   
   The wide range of subject matter means there is something for everyone in this book. I gave it four stars, mainly because it doesn't contain more of the type of work I'm interested in. But if I could give it 4.5 stars, I would. It works great as reference material and is a good addition to any digital artists collection.

No comments about Men Factory.

2 comments about Ceramics with Mixed Media (Ceramics Handbooks).

1. A wonderful and unusual collection of unique ideas beautifully photographed.
   original, interesting and worth owning.



2. This was not what I expected -Most of the examples have been around forever - not very good instructional or inspirational reading - this was the first book I did not get a new idea from -

No comments about Louise Bourgeois.

2 comments about Around the Globe.

1. This is not exactly what I thought I would be getting seeing as this was a Bel Ami product. I purchased this book for my boyfriend who is a big fan of Bel Ami and their typical frisky and youthful models. We found the models in this book to be more stoic than being fun and interactive, more manly than boyish, more muscled than twinkish. The models are definitely beautiful as is the photography...but do not expect this book to be typical Bel Ami.



2. I can't say enough about how beautiful the book is. The photography is,well the only word I can use,perfect. The men in the book are hand picked for their physical beauty and the photographer knows how to enhance their perfection. I love the size of this book, oversize and done to perfection. I want to thank Amazon for not only offering this book but also at a great discount price I could not find this price anywhere else. I have brought several books from Amazon since I received this one and will continue to buy from them. Their customer service is the best and their prices are are way below other online stores or bookstores, even here in New York.Thank You Amazon and keep up the good work

5 comments about Brushfire: Illuminations from the Inferno.

1. Artist Wayne Barlowe is simply brilliant. With this book and its predecessor, INFERNO, Barlowe gives illustration to that most dreaded place still to linger in the minds and consciences of many a man and woman: Hell.
   
   Barlowe's literally tortured landscape is one of the few truly original and imaginative renderings of the Demonic realm that I've seen or read in quite a while.
   
   Barlowe's Inferno with its demonic overlords, ruling from citadels built with the crushed souls of condemned humanity over a dimension of pain and humiliation is repugnant yet fascinating.



2. But please do not let the title heading fool you. Of course Mr. Barlowe's work is brilliantly creepy (in this respect). In fact, with this book, there are more creatures in addition to his previous Inferno book which gives his hellish world more life but my disappointment lies with the fact that it is very short in comparison to his former work.



3. Beautiful, Interesting and Haunting. Really makes you think about the bad side of judeo christian beleifs.



4. First off, Barlowe is an amazingly talented artist, and anything he does is worth owning.
   Second, this book is an excellent continuation of "Inferno". If you do not own "Inferno", this can be read alone. However, the two are part of the same vision of Hell.
   Third, while this book has slightly less content than "Inferno", it's still excellent. The artwork is inspired and haunting. The demons have an organic feel that makes them look real. They also have the remnants of their angelic heritage. Whereas "Inferno" is Barlowe's travels through Hell, focusing on people, places, and "beings", this book focuses on beings in the hierarchy of Hell, from officers to demons to fallen souls.



5. As my first thought, the point of view of Brushfire was much different from that of Inferno. This time it is written as if Barlowe were actually in Hell while painting his various subjects. Although this can be interesting, the perspective sometimes leaves out alot of information about the demons major and minor, focusing more on what he was thinking and what was happening around him at the time he was painting.
   Brushfire mananages to have very visually rewarding illustrations. Pictures of "posing subjects" tend to be more photographic, while pictures outdoors are usually more like the ones from Inferno. However, I feel it could have incorporated more of the titanic scale so ubiquitous in Inferno. This effect gives Barlowe's Hell a very supernatural feel, one that separates his vision from that of other's.
   As a humorous ending note, there is a little "insider joke" in the book. One of the pictures is of Morphaiis, a demon that Barlowe befriends on his visit to Hell. What makes it funny is that the painting is of James Cowan, Barlowe's friend and book publisher (who just happens to work for Morpheus International.

5 comments about Burning Man: Art in the Desert.

1. So much of the photogprahy of Burning Man is all glitz and surreal glamour, with a big measure of breast often thrown in. Yeah it's a big party with all sorts of wacky and interesting costumes and bright sights, but the real soul of the thing is the making of the art.
   
   Public art is always a gift to its community. The type of art that has grown out there, especially in its scale and ambition, often demands substantial gifts from the community to exist. It is a sublime and outrageous feedback loop, the process and product of which have never been as clearly and deeply represented as in this luminous book.
   
   The inner cover photo of a box of matches full of dust and containing not only matches but burnt stubs, cotter pins and a spring, is one of the most complete and lovely images of the spirit of these brave artists I have ever seen. If you can understand that photo you can probably understand the process of making art out there.
   
   Leo Nash certainly does understand the process. By far the most revealing collection of Burning Man photos ever compiled, as close to a portait of the thing as you are likely to see.



2. I bought the book because I like black and white photos and because my son has attended Burning Man and worked for the corporation that creates the event in 2003. My intention is to give him the book; but, I decided to read the text before sending it off. The intro is long winded drivel (and at the time of this writing, the writer of the introduction has wasted valuable real estate on this product page with some self serving crap from his blog; who wants to wade down the page to get to the real reviews?) and the text by the photog is self indulgent in the style of the "burners." The notion that this event is somehow "spontaneous" is what really makes me laugh. A more apt description would be something on the order of "this is my personal journal and musings on this ongoing "spontaneous" event, plus some photos" The pictures are well made, and the presentation with a slipcover is nicely done, which is what rescues the book.



3. I just received this book as a gift. I immediatley sat down and slowly turned each page in amazement of what he has captured. I cried.



4. This is seriously one of the coolest books I've ever seen in my life. I've never been to Burning Man (wouldn't want to), but these pictures are AMAZING. It might have been worth enduring desert discomfort dust storms and camping just to see the 2996 "Uchronia" structure-- wow.



5. Nash is a great photographer, with a clear, timeless vision that you can literally feel. His photographs hold you and keep you looking into them, farther. This is another volume in the work of our best contemporary photographers, and an extraordinary record of art and a place we might never have otherwise seen.
   
   Burning Man is often described as being indescribable, and for good reason. So much of the art created there is ephemeral, lasting just a few days before burning to the ground. An entire city of 30,000 rises, falls, and disappears. To some, it feels like a heartbeat, and to others, a lifetime. To describe it in words is nearly impossible, when so much quickly becomes the elusive memory of memories.
   
   Through Nash's remarkable photographs, we see a decade of visionary work and creativity that physically existed for only a moment. Whether you've been to Burning Man or not, this book will fill you with awe, and longing for the place.

5 comments about A Potter's Workbook.

1. An excellent resource for the novice or the professional. Wonderful read, and great pictures.



2. Clary Illian presents a decent book dealing with the conception of form in pottery. She details aspects of functional pottery such as volume in relation to function, and little details like rims and bases, handles and spouts.
   
   Overall I think her approach is extremely limited. she mentions only briefly in the beginning chapter that she will be presenting only a functional approach. But even within that approach I feel she takes a very narrow stance.
   
   This book is OK if you want to study how to become a potter who makes functional pots (but not if you want to actually glaze those pots). It will not help you contextualize the role of hand-made ceramics in postmodern america, which is something that I think all ceramists need to think about.
   
   Pros: not just a schematic approach, but a workbook of ideas and concepts, as they relate to functional pottery. Ms. Illian clearly has a deep appreciation of the material as well as a great deal of experience (she worked for bernard leach!).
   
   Cons: reads like journal scribblings. often more white space than words or pictures on the page. very limited vocabulary and conception of clay. many of the sketches and greenware examples (they're all greenware) feel like complete throw-aways.



3. Once you have some skill at basic throwing, this is the book you need! Clary examines aesthetic principles of pottery. If you have wondered aloud just what has happened to your pot as it emerges on the wheel, you can get your answer here. Why does your pot look cumbersome while the person next to you has double the clay and yet their creation is light and airy? If you have pondered the question, you need a course in the matter. There are no colored pictures because the book is about form and not about glazes or other embellishment. No more bowlng pin vases for me. I am on to lovlier pots!



4. If you're looking for a book on technique, which I was, RUN AWAY! This book is about the philosophy of making pots. I found the title misleading; I expected something more concrete (no pun intented). This is a cerebral book; it has its place, and I may learn to love it, but not today. Today I'm just disappointed.



5. Clary Illian has given the ceramics community an amazing gift by writing this book. Not only is she thoughtful and clear, she inspires potters (whether beginners or professionals) to make better, more personal pots. Filled with examples -- beautifully photographed by Charles Metzger -- which add flesh to her supurb text. Every potter should consider this must-reading.

No comments about Ad Reinhardt.

No comments about Collage: The Unmonumental Picture.