3 comments about Classical Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice.

1. The author called her first book in this series 'the course I always wanted to take' in other words the highlights of all the different instructors and methods she encountered studying.
   
   Unless you study at a formal atelier like, say New York Academy or Grand Central Academy, chances are you'll run into a variety of methods and approaches when learning to paint and draw.
   
   This book gives what I think is the best comprehensive overview for people who want to become accomplished "realist" or 'classical' painters - its definitely filled in a lot of gaps for me.
   
   There is no shortage of information out there about painting...the problem is its not distilled - what this book gives you is the distilled wisdom of the author- an accomplished painter who runs a respected atelier.
   
   For example there is a great book about artists materials -but its 900+ pages long (artist materials handbook) - its great to have that information but whittled down materials overview in this book is "useable".
   
   Some other key points:
   The quality of the reproductions is outstanding
   examples are not only old masters but contemporary realists - and not just the author!
   
   Highly recommended and I might add ,an outstanding value.



2. My studio is filled with books on art. However, there are only a handful of them that I would consider extraordinarily useful and this is one of them. I haven't had a chance to read the entire text but the portions I have read are very well done. I can't get over how packed this book is with colored reproductions of works by my favorite artists such as Jacob Collins and Tony Ryder. You will find it hard to read because you will be caught up looking at the beautiful works which are represented. Thank you, Juliette Aristides, for this long awaited, much needed work!



3. Juliette Aristides has done it again. She has followed her first book titled Classical Drawing Atelier, with another book on painting. As in the case of the first book, she and the editors/publishers (Watson & Guptill) have created a beautiful book that not only provides helpful instruction, but it's simply beautiful as a work of art itself.
   
   It's hard to keep this review short because there's a lot to discuss, but to start I'll admit that I'm biased. I'm thankful that Juliette has taken the time to write it and I hope it goes into its tenth printing in the next two years. The near death of classical painting and drawing at the hands of "modern" art would have been an incalculable loss for western society, but somehow, reason and knowledge remained in the minds of a few, and classical art survived. Many of us recognized all along that it has value and have rejected the alternative, but the pressure to conform to creating the ephemeral and inferior art that society desired was too strong for many. This stunning volume confirms that classical art is coming back and Juliette has helped that process.
   
   The book comprises four parts and nine chapters: Part 1) The Artists Studio - describes both historic and contemporary atelier practices; Part 2) Timeless Principals - covers composition, value, and color; Part 3) Timeless Practices - discusses the process, inspiration, and the muse; and finally section Part 4) Masterworks - beautiful images from some of the most important realist painters through out history and some contemporary masters.
   
   The author covers processes or "choices" if you will, and most importantly, she conveys "thinking" about those processes. The book will aid those that want or need to understand why things are done in a particular way and by extension, in some cases the reasons you may not want to use a particular method or continue doing what you are now. Illustrative examples primarily include figurative and still life work while landscape is only lightly represented, however, the same principals and processes are applied to all types of painting, not a specific genre. Artists represented include the usual masters such as Rembrandt and Hals, but we also get to see contemporary paintings from Daniel Sprick, Nelson Shanks, Scott Frasier, Jacob Collins, et. al. Each painting shown includes a short description and discussion about the work, talking about the methods employed and the effects achieved.
   
   The value in this book is not simply the information provided (it's well written) or the amazing images - a stunning and beautiful selection including one of my all time favorites entitled Roses by A.H. Thayer - but in the larger meaning the book conveys as a revival of intelligent painting. Very few, if any, art schools today can even imagine what artistic training should include. Students attending these schools often learn that it's not about the final product, but simply about the process of making art, and any art is good art. The result is thousands of unskilled, abstract painters and artists "graduating" and thinking everything they do is worthwhile. In their defense, the students have few opportunities to learn real skills because their instructors are products of the same system. The cycle can be broken, and with the help of this book showing what's possible and how it's done, many students can demand more from their schools or simply extricate themselves from the morass and seek an atelier.
   
   My hope, and I'm sure it's shared by the author, is that this book will be an inspiration to those seeking more from their instructors or school, and even from their own art.
   
   Well done Juliette and thank you for creating another important book. Highly recommended. 10 Stars!!!!

5 comments about Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks & Techniques for Working With the World's Most Versatile Medium.

1. This may appeal to some folks - to me, it didn't. Will be returning the item, as it is not all that appealing, and does not contain much I would be interested in (I enjoy realism , and this seemed full of gimmicky ideas. sorry.) (Like the way it was bound. though)



2. Although i do agree, it is not suited best for beginners, I found so much useful information from this book!
   
   The techniques and different effects can be used with ANY ART STYLE. (contemporary, post-modern, classic etc.) Depending on your level of skill.



3. Whether you've just begun to paint with acrylics or are a seasoned veteran painter, there is a wealth of new techniques in this book to add to your painting repertoire. Great ideas, well organized with lots of photos, this is one of the best books around for acrylic painters, calligraphers, book artists and just about anyone else who wants to use acrylic paints in their art.



4. Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks & Techniques for Working With the World's Most Versatile Medium. This book is full of practical tips for different ways to use acrylics. It is easy to read and very informative. A must read for experienced artists and those just starting to explore acrylic paints. I especially enjoyed all of the examples she gives for different techniques and ways to create textures and effects with the paint and various mediums.



5. I am looking forward to completing current projects so that I have time to just PLAY. I want to give everything in this book a try on a small scale so that I am familiar with the techniques and can draw on them when needed for just that right touch in new projects.

4 comments about Watercolors by Winslow Homer: The Color of Light (Art Institute of Chicago).

1. For those of use who revere Homer as a great American artist and who particularly love his watercolors, this book is what we've waited for. I only wish some of the details and close-ups (which are stunning!) were larger.
   One reviewer said that her watercolor teacher is considering a course with this book as a basis. Great idea. I've taught watercolor at Fullerton College for sixteen semesters and I would love to do the same. For years my students and I have conjectured on how Homer worked. This book answers almost every question that can be answered. And the reproductions are excellent. And the work is breathtaking.



2. Apart from featuring paintings from the exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute, it provided a lot of information about the watercolor techniques. A great reference book.



3. After seeing someone else's copy I immediately bought my own. Not only is it interesting for anyone who appreciates Homer's watercolors, but it shares methods, techniques and helpful hints used by him for many types of effects and in some cases to cover mistakes. A must have for watercolorists. My instructor is considering giving a class using this book as a basis.



4. I was browsing through the book store at the Art Institute of Chicago and was attracted to a new book that accompanies an upcoming exhibition at the museum. The beautiful cover of the book invited me to pick it up and open it. I know a little about Winslow Homer, but did not appreciate his accomplishments with watercolors until I flipped through this book. The staff at the book store must have thought I was a little nutty as I spent nearly an hour studying the gorgeous artwork and rich information about the artist, his times, and watercolor technique. The most interesting part is how the authors uncovered, just like CSI, how the artist created the pieces and what the watercolors originally looked like. I feel a little guilty buying the book from Amazon and not the Institute's store, but the museum will probably still benefit. This book is perfect for anyone whether you are an artist, a scientist, a lover or art, or just want to treat your eyes and mind to something beautiful on a dreary winter day. I am looking forward to returning to the museum and walking through the exhibition, which opens on February 16th.

5 comments about Landscape Painting Inside and Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio With Oils.

1. I enjoyed Kevin's book because his explanations were easy to understand
   and the demo pictures so helpful. I have gleaned alot from this book.



2. Very Good Book - landscape painting inside and out is quite inspirational, as are all of her books. I particularly enjoyed the reproductions. Barbara Barrick



3. Kevin has done a classic, and I am sure that is will be used by artists
   for years to come.
   Loads of useful information, great examples and good instructions.
   I have been a professional painter for 30 years, and am always looking to
   learn more, this one really hit home for me on many areas. Beautiful color
   with strong draftmanship.



4. This is the book for the serious landscape artist who has had questions about their own work that have never been answered until now. I found things I always wanted to know. The book never talked down. The author shared information about what he is doing artistically now and not the way he did it in the past. There is a wealth of ideas and information, much more that I ever expected. I will be continuing to read and refer to this book in the future. It was a big inspiration, and one of the best art books I have ever purchased.



5. This book gives practical, specific advice on improving your landscape painting technique. I especially like the illustrations. The paintings are beautiful and "fresh." Not your average landscapes. They inspired me.

5 comments about The Painted Quilt: Paint and Print Techniques for Color on Quilts.

1. First off, all the other reviewers are right on the mark when it comes to this book, yet I wanted to add a few words that might help others choose this book for their library. For one, the page on the subject "Inspired to Design" is just the beginning of the subject covered in detail through the rest of the book, but its place at the beginning is so true - test projects on paper before using fabric and thread. A must do and often ignored when the lovely fabrics, delicate threads, and other embellishments come before us on our creating table. Yet if we do use paper, ink, paint and collage FIRST, we may be able to decrease error in judgement or come up with a more inspiring product. Artists, like me, often just want to dive in, yet this book really provides the information and inspiration to do it right. Excellent words. Plus the subtle reminders of safety when using some products is also extremely important to me and the authors remind us all to keep this knowledge foremost in our minds. The images that go along with the instructions are often more beneficial than the words, often the other way around in other books, but this one does it right. THE PAINTED QUILT is a fascinating read from cover to cover and, YES, fiber/fabric artists will refer to this book over and over again, if not for guidance, for definite inspiration.



2. Informative and well illustrated ideas for using other mediums on fabric surfaces. Good reference for the fabric artist or aspiring fabric artist. Includes photographs documenting various processes. Once read, I really felt as though I could successfully accomplish the ideas presented. Inspiring.



3. This book provides technical expertise in a very well written format and the inspiration to enter into a new phase of the quilting world. I can not say enough good things about this book. The book is easy to tote around and pick up, finding something new every time. With the examples, everything I have tried has come out fantastic. I have even amazed myself. The only downside is that my other projects are not being finished.



4. I have painted on canvas for many years and have been interested in combining this interest with quilting. I have dabbled a bit but now that I have "Painted Quilt", I know and have tried many more techiniques for combining painting and quilting. I am delighted that these ladies wrote this book - it is like they wrote it just for me!



5. Have only recently rec'd this book and am fascinated by it! Inspirational! It's one of those that when I waken at 3 a.m. and can't go back to sleep I slip it off the library shelf, curl up in my favorite chair, and just enjoy. Maybe in a slower, calmer time in my life I'll actually *try* some of these ideas.

5 comments about Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists.

1. It's a great idea, but as a comic artist I could have used a lot more younger models. The models transition to old age groups too rapidly. I would love to see a 'volume II' that included more children and teens, and perhaps some additional models in the age groups that were included, but in different racial choices.
   
   Even so, it is well done, very useful, and six months after I bought it, already getting a little dirty from all the use it has gotten (too much eraser dust in the air!) Thumbs up.



2. I purchased this book to use as a reference for sculpting faces on dolls. The book shows different angles of the expressions and that was what I needed. Unfortunately what I did not need was an entire book filled with goofy expressions that you'd never even see on a human face!! There was no romantic expressions or serene, contented, laughing mildly at something mildly funny expressions. Just over the top, completely over exaggerated mutated faces! If you need some serious or normal faces, Don't buy this book.



3. This book was just what it stated, however, I was looking for a book of instruction for the photos included. The book was returned.



4. Being an animator, I found this book very helpful.
   Different type of people express themselves in a different way.
   you can have so many variety of facial expressions using these references.
   It's helpful also for storyboard artists.



5. An excellent book for Artist and Dollmakers. Exceptional photos covering all age groups as well as genders.
   A unique, one of a kind book, that will inspire you with visual details.

5 comments about The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Nature Photography (Better Photo Guide to).

1. Zen of Watering Your Garden
   
   This book is what Tony the tiger would call Greaaat!!!! It really teaches the basics off nature photography. I found it very useful even though my interest is in flora and not fauna and in flowers plants and gardens rather than landscapes. It helped with composition and technique. i would recommend it highly to anyone ready to jump head first into the digital portal to Mother Nature. Matt cohen



2. I like this book, learned a lot from it, it will help you take better pics! Some parts maybe a bit to much for absolute beginner but if combined with another reading or class you will appreciate it. Contains valuable info to any photographer.



3. I am in the process of reading about 20 guides and books related to Nature Photography (Landscapes, Macros, Wildlife, etc)...everything from the older Shaw books to new digital books such as this one.
   
   This book has a lot of good information. I enjoyed the mentoring style of the book and thought the LCD (Lighting, Composition and Digital(Eposure) approach to each of the sub topics was well presented. There are good ideas for assignments also.
   
   I only have one fairly minor flaw with the book and it is a rather subjective one...while the photos in the book were good examples of the topics being discussed, not a lot of them were jaw dropping and inspiring to me personally. Obviously this is a subjective point and others may disagree. After reading the Shaw and Audubon and acouple of digital nature books prior to this one, the photos in this book just didn't wow me as much as the others I have read.
   
   I don't feel the above is enough for me to knock the book down to a 4 star so I am still giving it a 5 star rating although if there was a 4.5 star option, I would probably select that.
   
   Don't get me wrong, though, I still feel this is quite a worthwhile book to buy. The approach is friendly, encouraging and refreshing and the author obviously knows his stuff and has produced a good book.
   
   One further note...I also liked the fact that this book is definitly about nature photography and doesn't spend an over-abundance of time on generic photography priniciples that one has more than likely picked up from other general photography books. Some nature books are general photography books with a splash of nature thrown in. This one is a nature photography book with just the right amount general photography thrown in. An honest approach to a nature photography book.



4. Nature's a big place, and you can easily get lost -- photographically. This book does a good job of explaining all the varied aspects of outdoors and wildlife photography from a digital perspective. You'll learn how to choose lenses, stalk elusive creatures, and capture great "close-ups" from distance perspectives. I liked this book very much.



5. Excellant written. I bought this and his other book Digital Photography together. Not only did I get an excellant deal but both were well worth the investment. You can't get much more clear and easy to understand than this. Very down to earth written and everything is so well explained and simply put. It's almost like your sitting down over a cup of coffee with a good friend. I learned more from these books than any other material that I've read. AND from the first day started to notice a big improvement in my photos. A must read for anyone that is serious about photography!

5 comments about How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects.

1. This book contains a lot of great techniques for making your watercolors seem more natural and alive. I found the instructions clear and the illustrations helpful. The author knows how to address an audience ranging from beginners to experienced painters (I'm a beginner) and I was motivated to start trying them right away!



2. Book purchased to present to our watercolor instructor at the end of our session. It has so many different techniques, and really lovely examples. At least two members of the class have ordered the book after examing this one. She plans to incorporate some of the unusual techniques in the next session she leads.



3. Book has many different techniques.
   Really gives many of her secrets away.You won't be disappointed! A Must for your library.Well written and easy to understand.



4. My quest for an informative and stimulating book on watercolor has been a sucess! One of the best investments you will ever make if you are looking for inspiration and instruction of methods to make your paintings come to life. Good luck in all YOUR quests!



5. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in watercolor. There are lots of great ideas to make your paintings interesting. I used several of the techniques with great success. It's a good informative book. This should be in everyone's library of art books.

1 comments about Gustave Courbet.

1. Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) embraced the democratic ideas and values taking root in French Society following the overthrow of the French monarchy in the latter 1700s not only in his art, but in all other areas of his life as well. A moody bohemian-like person who naturally drifted to the margins of society, Courbet nonetheless sought political positions. At one time, he was the mayor of Paris's Sixth Arrondissement.
   
   Courbet is often simplistically labeled a painter of Realism. But he disapproved of this label; and attention to the style, compositions, and innovations of his paintings disputes this as well. While Courbet's art patently and by intention marks a break with the formal, academicized, and rhetorical paintings popular with France's Ancien Regime, his turn to realism was not an attempt to depict nature with verisimilitude. The individuals of his paintings imply the broader, ideological reach of his paintings. As his contemporary the critic Castagnary put it, Courbet aimed to paint a democratic public "with all the seriousness, strength, and character normally reserved for gods, heroes, and kings." While Courbet replaced the later traditional subjects with the former contemporary ones, the dignified, to varying degrees romanticized presentation of such subjects carried over in Courbet's paintings. Courbet for instance never engaged in the caricature of Hogarth in England or even Daumier in his own country of newly-empowered democratic types crudely, vulgarly coming onto the social scene.
   
   Furthermore, Courbet "is less concerned with presenting the truth [of nature as seen or experienced]...than with presenting solidity...[h]e seeks to express the materiality of the world around him." Like Caravaggio or Rembrandt, Courbet often uses shadowing--i. e., shades of darkness--to bring out various literal and evocative dimensions of his subjects; though this does not go nearly so far as Rembrandt in sometimes almost effacing the physicality of the subject. With Courbet, the physical is never lost. Although Courbet is not strictly a naturalist painter, the individuals and features of the natural world in his paintings ordinarily do have a naturalness of pose and ease of presence. Courbet's treatment of persons leaves the poses and coloration of those in the paintings of Manet--another 19th century French painter commonly regarded in the "movement" of realism--seem mannered. Such are the precise artistic qualities (instead of stereotyped) which make Courbet stand out as an exceptionally masterful painter as well as a historically important one.
   
   Courbet's interest in photography is another subject. Period photographs, some of nude women, are juxtaposed to paintings. Courbet's interest in the relatively new field of photography was more like a curiosity that there were certain coincidental affinities. Courbet was naturally interested in photography because it reproduced parts of the immediate, sensible world--as he did in his own paintings.
   
   This major study involving biography, criticism, art history, and a catalog of works is built on the Courbet exhibition at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art through mid-May 2008.

5 comments about Ways of Seeing: Based on the BBC Television Series.

1. Even though "Ways of Seeing" is a flawed book in many ways, it is so seminal in the development of post-modern image making that it must be considered essential reading in critical theory.
   
   The book is based on a television series. The book itself is only 176 pages. The print is all in a bold, sans-serif font. The authors are quick to claim that the book was made, not written. The pictures used to demonstrate the points are small and in black and white.
   
   The book is based on the theory that the interpretation of western art evolved out of the power and finance structure of western civilization. Inevitably books that describe the world primarily in economic terms, as an arena of conflict and a battle by the rich for dominance of the poor, are referred to by some as Marxist and I have no doubt this book has been so described.
   
   The book has seven chapters, four of which are written and three of which are reproductions of art works without words. The theme developed is that the way people view art is strongly affected by the power structure of the society.
   
   I must confess that the three chapters that were solely illustrated were difficult for me to engage, both because of the size of the images as well as the difficulty of following the thread which I felt ran through the pictures even though I was not able to decode the message.
   
   The first chapter is based on and explicates the work of the critic Walter Benjamin in his essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction". Unlike Benjamin, who sometimes seems torn between the loss of the aura of the original and the benefit of mass accessibility, Berger seems to believe that real benefits will derive from the reproduced work of art, if the viewer can sweep away the lenses of the past through which he might view the work.
   
   The third chapter deals with the role of art in the commodification of women and the fifth chapter examines the role of oil painting in the reduction of people's world view to a matter of money. (Burger only excepts the work of a few artists, like Rembrandt, from this view.) The final chapter is based upon the use of images for marketing.
   
   This work is important because, if it did not shape the outlook of post-modern art, it was at least in the vanguard of recognizing the roles of the art that preceded post-modernism, and led to the rejectionist point of view.
   
   Berger is clear in emphasizing that the way we view art is filtered through the prism of culture in the sociological sense, although that certainly was not ground breaking in critical theory, even at the time of first publication. On the other hand, here was art criticism first presented on what was then a new media, television. Even the book format, such as using a bold-faced font throughout the book, appealed to the avant-garde.
   
   Burger would substitute art, not as a tool to help preserve an economic and power system, but rather as a way for the consumer of art to enrich his own life.
   
   I suspect that artists other then post-modernists may not benefit very much in their work from reading "Ways of Seeing". On the other hand, if you have a serious interest in critical theory, even though you may reject Berger's thesis, you must read this book.



2. "Ways of Seeing " has become so universally available, so overused (especially in academia), and so often quoted, that it's refreshing to read the reviews of so many intelligent naysayers here. "Ways of Seeing" is perhaps mistitled in that it really proposes only one way of seeing works of art, which is as artifacts in the history of capitalism. It is propaganda, and like most propaganda, it heavily skews the evidence in favor of it's main argument, which is basically that European art from Raphael to Picasso is just a tool for enslaving women, non-Europeans and the working classes. (Warning: Berger is a real kill-joy. If you read this book and imbibe it's themes, be prepared to never innocently enjoy your favorite old masters again!) However, I would advise anyone with a serious interest in art criticism and theory to get a copy, fill the margins with notes, consult the original sources, and decide for herself/himself how well it stands up. To give just one instance of how sloppy Berger can be, I would invite the reader to consider whether he bothered to learn anything about the art of perspective drawing before indicting it as ideologically tainted, and then trashing it, all in two short paragraphs.



3. Ways of Seeing is about looking at art, if you get right down to it. However, it is about looking at it from a political point of view, or a cultural point of view, or a gender point of view. He takes a few different actual art pieces and writes about each of them, taking this sort of thing into account.



4. This is a hot little book well worth contemplating if you're aspiring to become a serious artist. For the student, novice artist, seasoned practioner or curious artlover, your money will be well spent to have this on your shelf.



5. Dreck, dreck, dreck, dreck,dreck, dreck, dreck, dreck, dreck, dreck,more dreck, more dreck, more dreck, more dreck, more dreck, more dreck, more dreck, and more dreck, and more dreck, and more dreck . . . you get the idea?