5 comments about Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross.

1. Mythology collects the stellar art work of Alex Ross showcasing the worlds finest images of the major DC characters such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. This book highlights key points of the characters beginnings and evolutions with clear and informative writing. Gorgeously illustrated by Alex Ross coupled with wonderfully laid out design work the reader will find it quite difficult to put down this handsome book.Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross



2. An amazingly illustrated montage of Ross's work. A beautiful book for fans of comic book art and art in general.



3. AMAZING. Totally worth buying. If you like Alex Ross, you will not regret this purchase. The book includes Ross' comments on inspiration, collaborations, thoughts, insights, and much more. Truly inspiring.



4. It's a great work, detailing all the work of Alex Ross in DC Comics. In this book, we get the notions of how he figures out the characters, their concepts and ideologies, etc. Moreover, with this book we can see how the Art is transported from the artist's mind to the paper.
   There's just one book better than this one: it's hardcover version, much more beautiful.



5. Wow. I love Alex Ross, and he has soooo many beautiful pieces that they shouldn't have had any trouble finding classic, beautiful images.
   This calandar is half filler. Some months are nothing more than pictures of toys based on Ross's paintings. That's ridiculous. I could have settled for the design art that the toys were made from, but I didn't buy a calandar of the artist's works to see lame products several times removed from the actual art.
   High hopes led to great disappointment.

4 comments about Raw Colour with Pastels.

1. I highly recommend this book for those who want to go to the essence of color and design. This is a wonderful book, that concentrates on pure color and uncomplicated shapes. I think everyone who wants a fresh look to their painting style can benefit from this book in their repetoire. Sylvia Casillas



2. One of the best books in my art library. Mark Leach describes clearly his process in developing luminous color with pastels, while abstracting subject matter to the simplest of shapes. I love this book and use it constantly, and I am an oil painter. Valuable, in my opinion, regardless of your medium.



3. The first person who commented on Raw Colour evidently was under the impression that this wonderful book was merely a how-to title. Having read Raw Colour from cover at least twice, I can truly say that the person who wrote that negative comment was totally wrong in interpreting this book as a how-to for abstraction! That could not be more mistaken! It's definitely not a how-to book. It's a wonderfully exciting book covering one artist's way of exploring his feelings about his subject and how he is able to express them through his use of color. I found it a very freeing book and one that reignites my desire to paint every time I open it, which is often. It is an exciting new addition to my very large library on art and pastel in particular. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in color, pastel and art expression in general. Mikki Root Dillon, PSA



4. There are so many better books on abstraction. I would give this one a pass.

5 comments about A Brush With God: An Icon Workbook.

1. I love this book! I created the icon of St. Nicholas using the books instructions, and got positive feed back on it from my "extremely honest" family and friends. The materials required are readily available and the directions are clear. Most importantly, the spiritual experience during the process was incredible. I can't wait to do the other two icons in the book. However, I do believe you need to be confident in your artistic skills to be successful and avoid frustration. My only criticism is the lack of pictorial examples. I had to refer to another book to understand the difference between the Greek and Russian style.



2. A background about icon painting and projects to get you started.



3. This nice little volume gives enough background to get you started on both creating and appreciating icons. Whether you just want a deeper appreciation for the artistic aspects or a deeper appreciation of the spiritual disciplines associated with icons, this is wonderful place to start. It includes several colorful plates in the center to provide good examples or starting points for you own artistic exploration.
   
   The text is well written, concise, and clear. Chapters are arranged to first give you an appreciation of the spiritual connection icons can help fulfill. It is a brief introduction to a vast topic but one you will want to gain deeper understanding of their purpose. Then the author briefly describes some of the artistic nuances and differences in Russian, Greek, and Coptic styles that will give you more to ponder as an artist. With that brief overview of background information, the author then takes you through the technical aspects of creating several icons youself. The instructions are clear and step-by-step so they are easy to follow. Ultimately, practice will yield results. You will not likely create a priceless gem on your first try but the instructions are enough to give you a good start. And the more practice, the better you will be.
   
   There are several little tidbits of added information in the Appendixes for further study and appreciation. All of this in so few pages might seem impossible. However, this thin little book is loaded with a broad view that does not sacrifice too much in depth. It is a perfect introduction to the topic and very well done. The author clearly loves the topic and conveys that passion in an infectious manner. An enjoyable read even if you never pick up a brush. The understanding of the spiritual, artistic, and technical aspects will provide greater appreciation of this art form enriching your life with beauty.



4. I own this book but this book is not that good.
   The first thing I have to say is that the author is not Orthodox christian, but catholic of the latin rite born and former benedictine monk. The book suggest you to use Acrylic paint and say nothing about Egg Tempera! Well, if I am going to use acrylic paint, why hand painting? I would prefer an inkjet printer! If you have only this book then you will have to buy one about egg tempera.
   In page 11 he says that his first teacher recommended (just!!) abstinece from meat and alcohol but then he complete change the meaning of fasting.
   Say nothing about the use of Holy water and natural hair brushes, his brushes are acrylic as well.



5. I was pleased to receive the book in a timely manner, new, and exactly as I had expected it to be.

5 comments about Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting (Voices That Matter).

1. As T. J. Riley said, some of the material in this book does look a lot like what's been presented in past issues of Photoshop User, and for a long time subscriber, this book may not be anything special. I do seem to recognize some of the techniques. Yet, it's still a useful compilation. The wonderful examples are inspiring. The example workflow is solid. And, it doesn't hurt to have a series of disconnected tutorials compiled, and coordinated along a theme. As a long time NAPP member and consequently a subscriber to Photoshop User, I wouldn't say that the book is a revelation but it is useful and it never hurts to go over a technique or two that I don't use often again. It also never hurts to feel like I'm looking over the shoulder of a master displaying his craft, and Bert Monroy is a master, not only of Photoshop but also at teaching it. If you're interested in Photoshop as a painting tool, you could do a lot worse than getting this book.



2. If one word sums this book up its "Amazing". Some other reviews say it is a rehash and I can't address that, but if this is the first of his books you have read it is very well done. His work is unbelievable. You swear you are looking at a photograph. His techniques are easily explained and the reference pictures are perfect for the material. It is a quick read. There are also downloadable pdf files that go into more detail but the book stands on its own to me. Great Work!!!



3. Once again, Burt has hit a home run. This book takes you through some of his methods of creating portions of his art in his projects. There is some repetition to his other books, but who in this world of digital art can't use a little refresher on certain things once in awhile.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to move up to another level of using Burts' ideas not only in Photoshop, but also Illustrator and how they work hand in hand to save you time and yet increase your knowledge in both.
   
   HollywoodBob



4. When TechTV and the Screen Savers were around I always looked forward to the segments with Bert Monroy doing a Photoshop tutorial. So, when I had the opportunity to review his new book, Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting, I jumped at it.
   
   The book may not be what you'd expect. It was not what I expected. It is not a book of traditional how-to lessons, although you will learn how to improve your Photoshop skills. Instead, it is a book by an artist describing the process he goes through in creating his digital paintings. This process not only includes how he made a table cloth with a particular pattern on it, but also going out and taking the right photographs for reference.
   
   In his Introduction Monroy explains how the book started as the traditional how-to book, but he was encouraged by several people to make it about how he paints and works. This decision was made after he started writing the book. As a result, the how-to chapters are available online as a downloadable bonus. Directions for accessing these chapters are in the book.
   
   The beginning of the book describes Bert's process for starting a painting, finding reference materials, and how he determines lighting in a painting.
   The book then moves on to its heart, the paintings. There are seven chapters describing the process of creating seven different paintings. Each chapter contains descriptions of how to achieve the same effects in your paintings.
   
   The end of the book contains a chapter full of tutorials. These tutorials might be considered your traditional how-to section of the book.
   Overall, this is a fantastic book that presents digital painting in Photoshop in a very creative way. As an artist and an art teacher, I really enjoyed reading the process and thinking that went into these paintings and other painting Monroy works on.
   
   The book is not for the Photoshop beginner. It will not teach you how to use Photoshop. In fact, it assumes that the reader is familiar with Photoshop and many of the tools.
   
   At a price of $[...] (U.S.) it does seem a bit pricey. I would be more inclined to purchase a book like this at the $[...] range. However, if you are a digital artist and a Bert Monroy fan, and you want to drop $[...] down on a book; you won't be disappointed.
   
   MyMac.com rating: 4.5 out of 5
   Originally Published at: [...]



5. I sorry Monroy fans. Although Bert's books have certainly been influential. This one, is a rehash of old tricks and just a few new ideas to pepper the pages with incongruent images. The tips and tricks are enough for the uninitiated but can be found in backdated pages of Photoshop magazine and other adobe branded periodicals. Save you time, save your money. That is unless you would like to buy my copy...
   
   T.

5 comments about Digital Nature Photography Closeup.

1. Jon Cox knows all the basic rules of photography, knows the ins and outs of operating a camera, knows the rules of composition and does a fair job of communicating all that to his readers, effectively telling what he knows about taking close-up nature photos, although there are one or two places where he absolutely gets it wrong, such as when he says that the conversion factor for a digital SLR results in a 1:1 macro lens producing a larger than life size image on digital SLR's. That's all reasonably well and good. If you're a newcomer to close-up and macro photography, this book has some value for you, no two ways about that.
   
   But I'm not a beginner, so my problem with the book is that there's very little for me to learn here. Also, I want to be inspired by the author's work, I want to see photos that make me want to go out and take pictures myself, photos of the highest technical and artistic quality, something to aspire to. I don't get that from this book. In my opinion, the author's photos are for the most part unexceptional and uninteresting. Some are downright bad: not sharp, poor compositions, overexposed, etc., about as far from inspiring as you can get, at least for me. There are a few keepers, but for the most part, the photos in this book are just not anything special.
   
   So I'm quite disappointed with this book. It's not without value, but if you have John Shaw's book on close-up nature photography, save your money, you already have what you need to know as well as some exceptionally good photos to inspire you.



2. Maybe I was expecting too much from this book based on a fairly excellent customer reviews at amazon. I maybe expecting too much cause because to my surprise, the book dealt with point and shoot aside from DSLR cameras. I was kind of disappointed with that. I own a Nikon D200 and a Nikon 105mm f2.8 macro lens to learn the art of macrophotography and to my surprise coolpix camera shots were there....honestly i was turned off with that! If you are expecting a purely DSLR macrophotography on this book you may have to look elsewhere! I felt that there was something missing in this book. I know some of you out there knows what I mean...it lacks some oomph!!



3. This writer put some very nice photos into his book. He lists the camera and lens that he made the shots with but not the camera settings he used, which would be helpful to someone learning the art.



4. This book is exactly as it says on the back cover....A Complete Guide to Macro Digital Nature Photography. And well done. Well worth my investment.



5. I've noticed a problem with specialized photography books: not enough specialized information. Digital Nature Photography Closeup is well organized, clearly written and very attractively designed with some striking photography. Unfortunately, more than half of the book is devoted to basic photo equipment and concepts.
   
   What I've wanted - and have yet to find - is a book on macro photography that assumes I have basic or intermediate photo skills and want to extend them into a new space. The chapters of the book are:
   
   - Equipment
   - Camera features and techniques
   - Light & Color
   - Composition
   - Flash
   - Working with Histograms
   - The Digital Darkroom
   
   It could be the outline of almost any photo book - and much of the content in each is applicable to any photography, not macro in particular.
   
   If you're relatively new to digital SLRs and have an interest in closeup photography, you'll probably get a full meal here. If you're beyond the basics, it's not much more than a light snack. Well presented, but not very filling.

5 comments about The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature, Revised Edition.

1. I was looking for a book to go through all aspects of nature sketching and journaling. This is the book! I have lended the book out to other sketch artists and they found it very useful as well. Lots of pointers on different types of sketching and FANTASTIC illustrations. It it worth purchasing just for the illustrations alone. I would recommend this book to ANYONE who is interested in sketching nature.



2. I loved this book. I am a beginner and it was an excellent resource.



3. I am a novice artist and need all the tips and help I can get. This book is a big help and I refer to it frequently.



4. This book provides a tremendous amount of information on sketching in nature but don't let the title fool you- this is a terrific general sketching and drawing book. Johnson covers topics that are rarely covered in other books. The use of pens, watercolors, pencils and colored pencils (both water soluble and not) are covered. This is an invaluable book and is an asset to both the beginner and more advanced student. I'm on Amazon right now trying to find other books by Cathy Johnson- I'm that impressed.



5. This is a very refreshing book. Cathy Johnson not only makes it look easy to draw and paint loose, yet accurate, watercolor sketches outdoors, but she tells you everything you need to know. This book will actually teach you how to draw and paint what you see, without making things overly complicated. Best of all, her supply list is well within the means of most people. I really enjoyed this book, and learned a great deal from it. This summer, I caught Lyme disease. It's nasty. For months, I could hardly walk, let alone hike and garden and do stuff I used to love. But Cathy's book has helped draw me back outside, and I'm learning to love nature all over again, one leaf, flower, and bug at a time. This book would make a great gift.

5 comments about First Steps Painting Watercolors (First Step Series).

1. I have never really painted with watercolours until I read this book and it made the transition into this medium with ease. I heard constantly that is medium is difficult to control etc. The techniques described in this book broke that myth for me and I have been using it to compliment my photographs.



2. Cathy Johnson is a down to earth and talented instructor. I thoroughly enjoyed working through "Painting Watercolors" and it came highly recommended to me. I used this book as my basic guideline for studying watercolor and I greatly improved by doing all of the exercises she recommends. She is a very natural teacher and I found it very easy to follow her demonstrations. I am encouraged and feel as if I am really on my way to becoming the kind of artist I always wanted to be.



3. Great book, perfect for ideas. Detailed easy to follow. Poor delivery service from the seller.



4. If you are looking for a good start-up book you can plan on this being the one. Her easy going style belies the amount of information and great try out activities that establish basic necessary techniques. True--no book can do everything and eventually one would want a supplement but think purchasers would be generally pleased with this user-friendly book. It is not a cookbook (thank goodness) but rather in a format that will establish a base and encourage and confirm to a budding artist that he/she really can paint.



5. I like all of Cathy Johnson's books, but this one is my favorite. It is very practical, understandable, and well illustrated. Although anyone would enjoy it, this book is especially beneficial to someone just beginning to paint with watercolors. It deals with the basics. I love it.

5 comments about Georges Seurat: The Drawings.

1. Parisian painter Georges Seurat (1859-1891) is perhaps best known as the founder of Neo-impressionism (Pointillism). His most famous painting, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, altered the direction of modern art and is considered an icon of 19th century painting. For two years (1881-82) before working with colors, he devoted himself to mastering the art of black and white drawing in his small, Left Bank studio. I recently attended an exhibition of Seurat's conté drawings at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Published by MOMA, this volume of approximately 130 works is the result of that exhibition, and includes some of "the most beautiful painter's drawings in existence." Seurat's drawings of nineteenth-century Parisian subjects are mysterious and mesmerizing in their relationship between light and shadow.
   
   G. Merritt



2. Recently when in NYC I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. They were exhibiting drawings and sketches of Seurat. The effects he could get of illumination and movement with just a conti crayon or pencil were unbeliveable. I wanted to get the book that day, but it was heavy to carry around the City and airport. I was delighted to find it on Amazon - and for less money! I am thoroughly enjoying the book. The narrative is especially appreciated.



3. I saw the show at MoMA on November 16, and could not wait to buy this book on Amazon. That was until I looked through the book at the musuem shop. Almost without exception, the reproductions of the drawings do not come close to capturing the wonderful drawings that I just saw. The same is true of the 15 or so painting in the show. Huge disappointment.
   
   The book that does capture the greatness of the drawings and paintings is the catalogue from the 1991 exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum titled
   GEORGE SEURAT 1859-1891 by Robert L. Herbert (available on this site).
   Most of the drawings in the book under review were also in the huge Met
   show.



4. Seurat's drawings are amazing. If you don't know them you need this book. If you do know them, you need this book. Seurat's short life makes reading about him and seeing these images a charmed experience. Best to get to MoMA to see the show -- but give yourself a treat and buy this book. Right now.



5. This is a wonderful book, published to accompany the current exhibition at the MOMA in New York. High-quality illustrations with some close-ups of details (the texture of the paper even gives the reader the impression of holding an actual drawing because it resembles the grainy Michallet paper Seurat used) show how Seurat considered drawing an art form in its own right: some drawings are studies for paintings (The Bathers, The Models, The Grande Jatte...) and others are completely independent works of art. A sensible text helps the reader understand the artist's technique and style and an interesting chapter written by British contemporary artist Bridget Riley explains how her own art was influenced by Seurat's drawings. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy: A Primer in the Social History of Pictorial Style (Oxford Paperbacks).

1. I really can't add more to Robert W. Moore's insightful review. However, I feel a need to counterbalance the ranting reviews posted by others on this page.
   
   In particular, the one-star reviews listed here are simply embarrassing. Clearly, these reviewers do not represent the intended audience for this book. It's not Michael Baxandall's fault that these reviewers were unable or unwilling to engage themselves with the depth, detail, and scope of his book. Ignore them.
   
   Here's a useful litmus test: If you would consider taking an art history course because you think it would be an "easy A," avoid this book. On the other hand, if you hold a genuine interest and enthusiasm for art history in general - and for Renaissance art in particular - this book should be well worth your time.



2. This book is what I would call hard to read, unless of course you already have a masters degree in Florentine art. As a student in an art history class that required this as one of our reads, I can say this book is crap, yes I mean crap. I have read many more well written books covering this subject in an easier to read format. I would defiantly not recommend this overpriced piece of firewood.



3. This is the kind of book that History of Art departments throw at you early on in their courses to instil the right respect and awe for the whole academic ritual. When I first saw this book I was duly impressed and intimidated into thinking this was somehow a classic. In this work Baxandall is the exemplary academic, slowly building up a case from painstaking research and cleverly interpreted trivia. This approach is fine and dandy until you reflect that at the end of it the conclusions Baxandall has laboured so hard to arrive at are perhaps a little banal -- i.e. Renaissance painting was influenced by such contemporary phenomenon as religious practices, dancing, and (oddly) the ability to judge quantities by eye. The reason this book works is that the Renaissance is such an attractive period that Baxandall's painstakingly dull technique receives a charming counterpoint in the endearing trivia of the period. Unfortunately this effect is not replicated in other works by Baxandall that I have looked at. To college students getting a dose of this, I would say, 'Enjoy the period, but think about how relevant this kind of hairsplitting really is.'



4. ... this book was tedious. there are very few books that make me say, "i'd rather be working!"
   you have to have a really high tolerance for italian art, or even art in general. a passing interest simply will not allow for an enjoyable read.
   ...



5. I find it strange that many people find it strange that one might read a book like this one for fun. Twice in one day I had people approach me and ask me for what class I was reading this, as if there are books one reads only in school and books one reads in real life.

   I did read this in real life, and I read it for three reasons: 1) I knew this is a highly regarded book in art criticism, 2) it deals with a period of art history about which I wanted to know more, and 3) it looked like it would be a fun read.

   My primary reaction to the book upon reading it was: how did the author fit such a huge book into so few pages? There are books that cannot be measured by page count. PAINTING AND EXPERIENCE IN FIFTEENTH-CENTURY ITALY contains 153 pages of text, with illustrations taking up around a third of those. Despite that, Baxandall is able to pack an amazing amount of information in a very small number of pages. Yet, as dense as this book is, it never becomes anything less than completely readable. It is a very fast read, and not merely because of the small number of pages. Baxandall's contention is that the visual experience of a Quattrocento person (or what he eventually comes to self-mockingly comes to call "a church-going business man, with a taste for dancing") is not one to which we any longer have conceptual access. He laments that we too often approach these paintings with our own conceptual categories in the forefront, and impose these upon the paintings, instead of judging them and perceiving them, as a contemporary would have. His goal in this slender volume is to attempt to reestablish some sense of the pictorial concepts with which a Quattrocento person approaches a painting. In this I believe he succeeds admirably. While visiting one of my local book superstores, I spent some time glancing through a number of books on Renaissance art, especially Hartt's well-known tome. I found that I was indeed responding differently to the paintings than I had before I read Baxandall. This is a book that capacitates its reader to enjoy a fuller participation in the appreciation of the visual world.

   On a completely nonliterary note, I want to add that this is an extraordinarily attractive book. I am sure that no publisher ever decides to make an ugly, unpleasant book, but Oxford University Press with this one certainly managed to make a gorgeous one. The book is far more attractive than the price of the book would seem to support (good paper, pseudo-signature binding, high-quality four-color cover), which leads me to believe that this must get a great deal of adoption as a college text.

5 comments about Daring Color: Mix and Mingle Watercolor on Your Paper.

1. This book has some good ideas and great use of color. Pretty instructional for a veteran "hobby" watercolorist.



2. I think "Daring Colors" by Anne Abgott is a fantastic book! It gives me those shortcuts I've always been thinking about. Instead of painting tons of layers, you can mingle your paints on the paper and get the same or even better results! Awesome book! I am drooling all over it! Very well written. It guides you how to achieve very vibrant and realistic paintings without investing many hours, so you can enjoy your finished product much sooner. One of my favorite books on watercolors.



3. Anne shares everything you need to know about watercolor painting. Wish I had this book years ago.
   Val



4. As a watercolor instructor, I am always on the lookout for new approaches to color. This book meets all of the criteria and more. Information is clear and simple with great illustrations. This is a great book for beginners and up.



5. Just a fun book to read if you want glow in your paintings.....good ideas to try, and techniques for creating interest in watercolor paintings, and for getting good mixes without ever getting mud.