No comments about The Image in Dispute: Art and Cinema in the Age of Photography.

1 comments about Making Monotypes Using a Gelatin Plate.

1. Had a lot of good basic information. Gave me some helpful instruction

5 comments about Handbuilt Tableware: Making Distinctive Plates, Bowls, Mugs, Teapots and More: (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. This is a terrific book with really detailed instructions for building one-of-a-kind pottery. I believe that the ideas generated by the author, along with her instructions will help any beginning potter to put some finesse into their pottery. What it does for someone like me, a potter with 16 years experience, is to give me a little dose of inspiration since I know most of the techniques. However, don't pick up this book and expect to become an expert handbuilding potter.



2. This a a great resource for the functional potter or ceramic artists. Full of images and inspiration, as well as detailed inspructions of many items. A must have.



3. Good pottery book for hand building. Some interesting and workable ideas.



4. The technical information in this book is excellent: well presented, illustrated and explained. While I agree with the other reviewer that most of the actual projects shown are not fitting with my taste, the ideas and techniques presented have proven helpful to me. I also found myself wishing that the cover art was included in the how-to projects (which it is not). My only other criticism is that darting is not covered, but great examples of it are, so the reader never gets the explanation of how such forms are achieved.
   
   Overall, this is one of the best technique books I've come across. I would recommend it, especially for the hobby or beginning potter. If you have a formal education in the ceramic arts you will know most of these tips already and find the suggested projects lacking in sophistication. It may however spark some new ideas for your own work.



5. I was misled by the cover of this book thinking that the tableware inside would be clean, simple and elegant. I couldn't be more wrong. I find many of the pieces featured looking weird and overly-decorated. Maybe that's what the author means by "distinctive". This is my greatest misgiving about the book. Otherwise, the author did quite a good job explaining the basics of pottery (with helpful tips along the way), guiding the reader on how to make tableware to suit the four seasons, and demonstrating the surface decoration styles of four different artists. There is a glossary at the end of the book and appendices detailing cone-firing ranges and glaze formulas.

1 comments about Geishas & Japanese Beauties 2008 Calendar.

1. Very fast delivery, just in time for my daughter's birthday! Description of product matches exactly except the artwork in the calendar is much more beautiful! She will treasure it all year! Thanks very much for your wonderful transaction!

No comments about Bridging East and West: Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio.

No comments about Lee Mingwei: The Living Room.

1 comments about Dorian Cleavenger, Vol. 3: Trinity.

1. I remember the first time I a saw Dorian Cleavenger's art, and I even remember the first piece. It was at a big comic book show in the Detroit area and Dorian was one of the many artists there. Behind him on display was a painting of the character of Julie from Return of the Living Dead part III. The painting depicted Julie just after she has self-mutilated her body with needles, wire, chains, and shards of glass. It's the most shocking scene in the film and Dorian brilliantly captured this scene. Trinity is the third collection of Dorian's work from SQP and delivers 104 pages of Dorian's full-color paintings including many two-page spreads. This is an over-sized book printed on glossy stock, designed for the collector.
   
   Cleavenger's women are beautiful, but dark and dangerous and often seem tinged with a deep sadness which mystifies the viewer. His creations can seem to have been born right out of the Garden of Eden, or right out of the very depths of hell. You'll find mostly the latter in this collection. The striking thing about Dorian's art is that this isn't the stuff of mere pin-ups. Each painting seems to have its own dark story it wants to tell. The book begins with a biography of Cleavenger and throughout the book he shares his thoughts on his creative process, the use of models, and other subjects. The great pieces are too many to list as Cleavenger is always consistently good, but let me note a few of my favorite paintings in this book.
   
   "Vampire Slayer" finds an erotic and over-powering female vampire who has just dispatched the foolish vampire slayer who sought to drive a stake through her heart. "The Contract" is a masterpiece of dark fantasy as the angel of death cradles a fallen woman whose time, it seems, has run out. In "The Consummation" an Egyptian Princess has embraced her mummified lover right inside his sarcophagus.
   
   A female Were-shark is the subject of "The Catch" as she hangs helpless on a lonely fisherman's wharf. The masochistic painting entitled "The Poet" depicts a tortured poet, her walls completely covered by her works that she's nailed there, while her body is covered with scars from a whip that have been self-inflicted. One can only wonder what kind of game was being played as a demure, white angel lies on the ground, and two arrow shafts piercing her body, in "The Game". "The Pledge" shows a female warrior, kneeling before an altar, chalice in hand. In a tribute to classic Universal monsters, Dorian presents "Chiller" with an exotic female mummy in the foreground, and behind the images of the Boris Karloff mummy and Frankenstein's monster, the Lon Chaney Jr. Wolfman, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The book also contains an index giving the title of each piece.
   
   Dorian Cleavenger is a true master of dark fantasy and this book is further proof that he remains at the top of his game.

2 comments about The Old House Journal Compendium.

1. I loved this invaluable resource! This is the kind of book you can't merely borrow from the library, because you will be referencing it over and over again. I am new to preservation, and have no construction or "handi-woman" experience, and this book was great for me. It gives you very practical do-it-yourself advice, without being unnecessarily hard on your wallet. I am now able to judge what I can and cannot do myself, and make a list of renovation priorities. As I go through my list, I find myself flipping through this book for the basics on renovations I can do myself, and also for good tips on how to find the right contractors for those things I am not cut out for!



2. As a source of information on style, building technique and materials, this book is an invaluable aid to anyone looking to renovate or refurbish an old home. It presents a good a mix of information on the techniques used in construction with style details, plus descriptions of features and their components.

No comments about Cai Guo-Qiang: Long Scroll.

No comments about Dark Sex: The Dupret Collection of Fetish Photography.