4 comments about Naked Girls Smoking Weed: Best of 420 Girls.

1. This book is cool to show off. The girls aren't that great but they are real stoners so that's cool!! My brother enjoyed it.



2. This book is very tasteful. Thus they put two of my favorite Taboo's together Pot and naked girls. THe book is beautifully illustrated and pt together. All in all a great buy.



3. Mr. Griffin has created some beautiful imagery, in the lovely form of Women & Mother Nature's Herb, brought together, to facilitate this revolutionary Cannabis Awareness publication. It offers knowledge and information to assist in the legalization process globally. This IS a "Must Have" book. Every collector should own at Least one copy. As an Artist, I can honestly say, it is tastefully put together with an informative message. What are YOU waiting for? Get your copy today and become empowered with knowledge while enjoying the photography of Naked Girls Smoking Weed! The artistic side of me hope's to see more from this Author to add to my own, and hopefully many others as well, personal inspirations. Great Book!



4. This book is great! And it's long overdue. Never has a movement needed a bigger boost than the "legalize cannabis" camp. Facing an almost insurmountable wall of oppression, proponents of marijuana seem almost on the verge of having their beloved plant legalized time and again, only to have it marginally defeated at the ballot box. And along comes Rob Griffin, founder of the famous [...] website. A courageous advocate of medical marijuana and hemp, Griffin created an amazing website, and now this book, in the hope that viewers will listen to his message. Sure, he's using gorgeous, naked models to sell his message. But at this point, anything that works is what needs to be done. Every one of these girls is stunning. And that they are unafraid to strut their stuff in the buff, while smoking sativa, makes them not only the sexiest girls on the planet - but also the bravest. The message is vital, the girls are fabulous, and the photography is flawless.

5 comments about 500 Cups: Ceramic Explorations of Utility & Grace (500 Series).

1. Beautifully presented, with 500 timeless ideas and references. If you are a potter and looking for inspiration - this book is a gold mine.



2. I bought this for a pottery student of mine after she bought the teapot book. Both are great fodder for the potter's imagination, and for me, a wonderful set of examples that get me away from the idea that my own pottery has to be as "perfect" as a wedgwood teacup. The pitcher book will be the next to grace the shelves of my studio library.



3. We just opened the pottery area of our store this year. The learning curve is steep: setting up the studio, hiring teachers, choosing clay bodies and glazes, and wheels, repairing kilns and firing other peoples work! So, I have purchased a lot of pottery books recently! This one is very cool. It doesn't teach you how to make anything, but it is a great way to see a huge variety of possibilites. I just love looking through it. There are several cups in there that I want to try to build (when I get better skills). The Lark Ceramics books are excellent resource books-stock your library up with them. You won't be sorry.



4. It is a good reference book for the ceramic artist and collector. It provides wonderful pictures, inspiration, and ideas.



5. Anyone who thinks there is very little difference between one cup and another would have that notion blown away by simply flipping open any page of this book. When the teacher of a local community college pottery course saw this book, she asked everyone in her classes to refer to it before beginning to design their next cup projects. It opened their minds to some of the infinite possibilities available to practitioners of the potter's craft.

5 comments about Robert Rauschenberg: Combines.

1. Living in a place where its rare to see an original Rauschenberg combine, this book has standout photgraphs of the works, with detailed views to complement the full image- the first two essays also provide some keen insights into the processes and influences on Rauschenberg's life and work. Definitely recommend for artists
   or interested art followers. These works constitute what I think were the finest in his career.



2. It is great to be able to have this book as a remembrance of the great exhibition it illustrates. Every single piece reproduced here is a masterpiece of creativity and the quality of the reproductions do justice to the works of art, which is no small achievement considering that the Combines are intricate mixtures of sculptures and paintings. You also discover what a master of color the artist is, an aspect often overlooked by his critics. I love Rauschenberg's Combines, they give me joy, they make me happy and so does this book.



3. This book blatantly rocks my world. It has a very nice selection of images, and is much more affordable than the godly $900 retrospective catalogue. Amen.



4. This book is a catalogue for current exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and then the Museum of Contemporary Art, LA, and in Europe at the Pompidou Center, Paris and the Moderna Museet, Stockholm.
   
   As installed at the Metropolitan Museum of art, the show is stunning. It's astonishing that this exhibit is the first time these works from the 1950's have been shown together. These "combines" -- art somewhere between painting, collage, and sculpture -- are a foundation of modern art, so much so that art of the second half of the century is hardly conceivable without them. This makes looking at the work afresh more difficult than usual, since seeing these pieces together in 2006 means also viewing through a legacy and school of influence.
   
   But what phenomenal pieces they are! You can see Rauschenberg gobbling down visual techniques whole - collage, assemblage, juxtaposing printed images, materials, sculpture. They are daringly junky and breathtakingly beautiful. I have know idea whether you'd call this conceptual art, or the most luscious, messy opposite of conceptual art you've ever seen. The works are fearlessness. Really inspiring.
   
   The catalogue has excellent reproductions, and the photography is quite good at conveying the depth of the pieces - some of the works are presented from several angles so the more sculptural pieces are well conveyed.



5. ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG: COMBIINES is the name of an exhibition currently on display and one garnering some of the warmest acceptance by both critics and public alike of any retrospective survey in years. Not that Rauschenberg is a 'discovery' unearthed by this generous volume: there have been many excellent monographs and catalogues printed about this extraordinarily gifted artist who for the past half century has been creating art from found and constructed objects.
   
   Rauschenberg's art has always had secondary messages - political, anti-war, ethnic, sexual, and ecological statements - housed in the fascinatingly complex assemblages that are part of the collections of the major museums around the world. This fine book limits its survey to the prescient years 1954 to 1964, that period during which Rauschenberg became well known and highly respected for his art and beliefs. Curator Paul Schimmel writes a fine essay about this period and accompanies his own perceptions with those garnered from a very informative shared conversation with Rauschenberg himself. Likewise Thomas Crow writes an immensely readable chapter on just how Rauschenberg came in this realm of artistic expression and from Crow's writing we learn much about the mid-century changes in American art.
   
   The reproductions of the art works are excellent and if there aren't as many images as one would wish, it is because of the self-imposed limited time frame in Rauschenberg's career of the exhibition. A fine volume, highly recommended for all art history majors and for those under the spell of this great artist. Grady Harp, February 06

5 comments about Artists' Journals and Sketchbooks: Exploring and Creating Personal Pages.

1. This book is one of the most inspiring books I have seen for creative inspiration. If you are interested in journal writing or book making it is a "must have"! Also makes a wonderful gift !



2. I have my high school students complete visual journals as a part of their high school art experience and this book provides great ideas for this endeavor. I keep it in my classroom so students can brouse when they have free time and I use it as a resource for visual journal ideas/prompts. It is one of my favorite books.



3. Great inspirational book for students and professionals.
   Excellent quality pages and photographs. Lots of good examples.



4. I did not find this book horribly inspiring. Although many of the pages were absolutely wonderful, this book did little to excite me. I will keep it as an occasional reference...there were a couple descriptions and different techniques I may try. Not bad, not great.



5. This book is very practical, and I go back to it again and again. I'm fairly new to art journaling, and this book is great because there are a LOT of examples and easy-to-understand instructions for each one. I expect to be using this book as one of my main resources for a long time. It's a book I can grow into.

5 comments about Encyclopedia Of Mosaic Techniques: A Step-by-step Visual Directory, With An Inspirational Gallery Of Finished Works (Encyclopedia of Art Techniques).

1. I have been planning mosiac borders for over my sinks in my bathroom. While I had an idea of what I wanted to do, just scanning this book gave me far more ideas to consider than I would have been able to conceive on my own, especially on the flow and arrangement of individual tiles. While I'm a beginner, what I have come up with is a winner.



2. 1. For a novice mosaic artist, the encyclopedic format of techniques might be frustrating. As a resource book, it seems the user would be better served if the info was organized according to categories & sequentially, rather than alphabetically.
   
   2. A more experienced mosaic artist will expect a great deal more content in a book entitled "encyclopedia". I would be willing to pay more for a seriously comprehensive book on this subject.
   
   3. More historical references, with photos of ancient mosaics, would be a logical addition. There were references to these, but only a few examples. In one case, a highly descriptive reference is made to a Roman mosaic of a woman, but no photo? Photos of ancient mosaics are great sources of inspiration for projects.
   
   4.Some of the references to ceramic tile are misleading. This book isn't meant to be a tile encyclopedia, but we should use the correct terms for the tiles used in mosaic art work. For instance; beginning on Types of Tesserae page 28, the mosaic tesserae that are identified throughout the book as Unglazed Ceramic & Glazed Ceramic, are, in fact, Unglazed Porcelain Ceramic and Glazed Porcelain Ceramic, respectively. On the same page, Glazed Ceramic Tile is identified correctly. This could create confusion to those unfamiliar with types of tile and their intended use.
   
   There is a big difference between Porcelain Tile and Ceramic Tile.
   
   Porcelain tile is composed of the same basic elements (clay) as ceramic tile, but has added minerals and slightly different production methods that make it much more dense & durable than ceramic tile. Porcelain tile is produced unglazed or glazed; and is generally used for high traffic and exterior applications because of its durability.
   
   Generally speaking, ceramic tile is made of clay and it is almost always glazed - the "body" of ceramic tile just isn't usually sturdy enough or attractive enough to be left un-glazed. Glazed tiles are often decorative and can be handpainted with glazes, resulting in an endless variety of available designs & colors.
   
   There are misleading statements with regard to the stain resistance of ceramic tile. Glazed Ceramic Tile does not stain (that's one point of the impervious glass glaze), unless the glazed surface is seriously compromised in some manner by age or wear. In this case, staining agents could migrate beneath the glaze through fractures in the glaze and cause staining under the glaze.
   
   Unglazed porcelain mosaic tiles can stain if left unsealed, because they are not protected by a kiln fired glass glaze.
   
   Perhaps some of the confusion is related to cultural differences between the American English and British English languages. British & American terminology on the subject of tile does seem to differ slightly. An American reader could misinterpret.
   
   Always research the tile you plan to use for your projects, especially on commissioned projects. Don't rely on craft "how to" books for your information. Ask the dealer/distributor or manufacturer for product specifications and ask what the features & limitations are for the tile - areas of concern: frost resistance (exterior), water absorption (pools/spas), glazed or unglazed (dirt & oil resistance). This information is available in product brochures and on mfr websites - look for technical data.
   
   5. There is an over abundance of projects using glass - perhaps the authors favorite medium.
   
   6. Photos of finished projects (making templates, etc) in addition to the small step by step photos, would be very useful to help visualize the objective of the project.



3. This book is one that should be on the shelf of any and all mosaic artists. More likely, they will be found in use on desktops and workshops. From some basic history of mosaic art to actual technique and fundamental information for creating your own mosaic masterpiece, this book has it all. I loved the many images that were inspirational and informative. Overall, I loved this book and would recommend to artists interested in mosaic.



4. I found this book to be an excellent primer for the person getting started in mosaics. The various techniques are well illustrated with easy to understand text. I found the designs interesting, colorful, and the type I could put to use. All of this is laid out in a spiral bound book that lays flat for easy reading and reference. I own several books on mosaics, but this one is my favorite.



5. Shipment got here quick and its everything I had hoped it would be plus more... very happy

5 comments about Un/Cut.

1. i've perused this a couple of times in the bookstore, and have been really underwhelmed.
   
   it's penises. lots and lots and lots of them. there's not much creativity in the composition or lighting. very few of the images has much aesthetically to offer except a penis with a foreskin, of which there are ample examples elsewhere, done more artistically. i was expecting a sort of celebration of the many variations of foreskin, but with many of the photos, they're erect and/or masturbating, so the foreskin is minimal or not visible at all.
   
   it's a professionally produced book, so as one reviewer observed, the images are "high quality"; the shots are close up and clear, it's true. but that doesn't mean that they're actually interesting to look at... if anything "un-cut" might refer to the lack of editing.



2. If you enjoyed Giovanni's previous works, "Bites" and "Private Parts", you will be absolutely knocked out with "Un/Cut". I think it's the best of the three. The images of the models are beautifully photographed and quite thought provoking. These are some of the best "male members" you will see in any publication. Many of the photos display the foreskin drawn back to provide revealing shots. This is truly Giovanni's "crowning" achievement.



3. Giovanni (a self-confessed moniker for a famous fashion photographer) continues to focus on an obsession/admiration for that object of historic dispute - the male phallus. For centuries art vogues have either lauded the masculine symbol for fertility and power, whether in sculpture of the Greeks or paintings of the Renaissance, or those passing fads have draped or even lopped off the au courant offending organ. While Giovanni is far from the only artist to finally bring full frontal male nudity to the same spotlight once monopolized by female nudity, he is one of the major voices working today who focuses his art away from fashion on the male penis.
   
   This book UN*/CUT is his third foray into the examination and presentation of the genesis of creation and it is in many ways his most successful. The photographs are all of the male sexual organ, this time around each of the organs is uncircumcised ('uncut'), and the penis is the sole point! The models doubtless are fine specimens of men, but here Giovanni limits his exposures to the groin. The photographs are beautifully executed, with some of the most sensitive lighting and composition imaginable, and the design of the book of both black and white and color images is of the highest quality. Giovanni is interviewed at the close of the book and his comments are warmly sensitive and honest, explaining and not apologizing for his choice of subject. There is a fine Foreword by Jazz expert Jim Eigo that sets the tone for the pages that follow - and those pages capture the penis in flaccid and erect pose, at times with the models' extremities as part of the image, but never with the faces showing, making it very clear what the message of the book is about.
   
   It is refreshing to finally see books of this quality offering a platform for what has become the last frontier of accepting our sexuality. Artists such as Giovanni discard the past prudish prejudices and let the images speak clearly for freedom of expression. This is a quality book and the audience will likely appeal to women as well! Grady Harp, December 07



4. Yet another masterpiece by Giovanni. This book accompanies "Private Parts" and "Bites". A truly "must have" of the all natural uncut male.



5. Men in the morning, men in the evening, men at supper time...these pics will provide you with a myriad of dessert ideas.

5 comments about 1000 Journals Project.

1. A wonderful book for those who think they have nothing to say, be it written or visual. All beginner journalist should take a good look at this book and take heart that you too can add to the conversation of art.
   If you wanted to say something to yourself and didn't know where to start, a journal is a great place to begin. You can look at this book and think, this is just someone elses ramblings, but it is the structure of someones unique thoughts on paper. Jump around inside 1000 Journals Project and elevate your own mind. Grab a pen, paint, crayons, whatever, and using this book start on your own journey. Many happy enteries.



2. I've been waiting for this book for a long time thinking it would be a fantastic collection of work. I found it by accident online and thought I needed to have it right away. Ordering it online was a bad idea. If I'd seen it before I ordered I never would have purchased the book.
   
   The collection of art and content is mediocre at best. The writing is pretty much worthless and the great art is few and far between the pages. I should have realized that trying to gather quality from thousands of individuals from the mass of people sharing their thoughts and creativity-without being selected artists or writers-would deliver this piece of work. If this is the best that 1000 journals can deliver, then the rest must have been really bad.
   
   I think the worst thing is that I remembered the famous designers and artists who were going to create covers, (shown as 1 inch thumbnails inside the book) and they ended up using a cover that is a piece of art from a journal artist. Too bad!



3. I'm a sucker for books on art journals, especially if they are original in their content, and this book is certainly that,original and unique.
   I love the idea of having all these journals circulating out in the general public and seeing what people from virtually every walk of life contribute to them, people who might never have written or drawn in a journal page now have the freedom to just let it all hang out.
   Is there anything more fun than seeing what someone else has written or drawn in a journal? If you are as nosey as I am you will understand what I mean,lol.
   This book is raw, spontaneous and very entertaining, I especially love seeing people's sense or irony or humor peek through.
   I have two regrets, first, that the book isn't longer, second that one of these journals hasn't made it's way into my crazy little corner of the world.



4. If you like to art journal and have hit a brick wall when it comes to ideas and a few new spins on various media, this may be your book. I get new ideas every time I go back to it. It's a work of art in itself.



5. This book is ok, I think the presentation would have had much more of an impact if it was in a larger format. I did not like the small size of the book - it took away from all of the effort that went into the project. Otherwise, "someguy", is awesome for undertaking such a creative idea!

5 comments about The Stained Glass Garden: Projects & Patterns.

1. This book has wonderful projects and very detailed and easy to understand instructions. I enjoy making items for my garden and this book has helped me create beautiful glass items to display and enjoy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys working with stained glass and gardening.



2. This is one of my favorite stained glass books! It has great projects for beginners and more experienced stained glass crafters. The instructions are detailed and the photos are very helpful, also.



3. I bought this item for my mother, who is a stained glass enthusiast that put aside her craft when my brother and I were children (children and shards of glass don't mix very well, apparently). Recently, I've encouraged my mother to resume her interest. Since she is also interested in gardening, "The Stained Glass Garden: Projects & Patterns" was a perfect fit. Among the projects detailed in this book are lanterns, a bird feeder, and a sprinkler. The instructions are clear, and the projects are interesting. I would recommend this item for other stained glass enthusiasts!



4. This book has all kinds of information, from basic tools, materials and procedures used, to instructions for making your own light table to work on. Includes patterns from simpler plant stakes and candle holders, to really extravagant lawn sprinklers. Awesome book, good for beginners and the more experienced. Don't know why they chose that cover photo, it is nowhere near the best or prettiest project in the book.



5. The patterns are artistic, the instructions clear, and the results truly do look great in the garden.

5 comments about Mosaic Art and Style: Designs for Living Environments.

1. This is a great book not only as an admirer of the arts but also it gives you ideas for your own projects. I have been doing mosaics for the past 2 years, visited Gaudi's houses in Barcelona and the book shows different kind of projects which resemble those from Barcelona, Spain



2. I bought this book as an afterthought while buying another mosaic book - one of those Amazon "twofers" deals - and found it to be more impressive than my original choice. It highlights individual artists over several pages so that you can get a feel for the work of the creme de la creme of mosaic artists. Great photos and informative but brief bios and brief descriptions of the pieces - all at a great price - make this a book worthy of study and a source of inspiration. I'd love to see future books in this same format covering additional artists.



3. The beautiful images in this book show the full potential that mosaic works can be. As a beginner to mosaic art I found the pieces in this book to be a bit intimidating, but I also got some great ideas to use in my own work. This book did a great job at showing how mosaic work can be used to spice up any area in everyday spaces.



4. Every page was full of beautiful examples of great mosaic variations. Great for countless home decor ideas for every room, outdoor and even commercial too. The pages are high quality print and vibrant color. I marked so many pages with inspirational project ideas. I've been cracking, gluing and grouting like mad. It's surely motivational. A Great find!



5. A view of a wide range of mosaic art both public and private. To enjoy for the art itself and an inspiration for your own craft ...

5 comments about Big Book of Breasts.

1. Well this is a great book and since I put it out on the coffee table, my 10 year son has not put it down, I'm so glad to see him reading!!!!



2. A pretty fun and tasteful salute to the twin moons of paradise. The size of the book does some justice to the subject matter at hand. Just the ticket for the boobophile in your life.



3. There has always been a certain allure of women endowed with large natural, well you get the picture. James Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 thriller VERTIGO asks his ex-fiancé, played by Barbara Bel Geddes, sitting at her drawing board what is she drawing. She answers that it is a bra designed by an engineer based on the cantilever principal, something he thought up in his spare time! "Sort of a hobby you might say," comments Stewart as he gives a wry hint of a smile. And so it goes. The focal point of this book has always given those enamored by such physical endowments a twinkle in the eye or the hint of that wry smile when given that precious opportunity to gaze upon that prominent element of the buxom female form. This book represents a true art form and is presented in a refined high-end publication printed and bound with the finest media available. The photographs are an inimitable representation of the buxom female as envisioned and seen from the through the mid twentieth century. If you are of the mind to enjoy and take delight in such inclinations of this natural female human form this book should certainly be considered.



4. This book details how womens figures have changed over the years, well at least those who pose for pictures. Interesting book and a great talking point if left on the coffee table !



5. Quite an interesting book from both a social and historical perspective. The text deals mainly with how and why many of these women became models and the roles they played in creating an image. Many of these models come from the glossy mens magazines of the 1970's and 80's, as well as date back to the 50's and 60's when nude photography was taboo.
   The photos are tasteful and the text is interesting and speaks of the models how they conducted themselves, and why they posed.