No comments about Art Beyond Isms: Masterworks from El Greco to Picasso in the Phillips Collection.

No comments about The Joy of Painting With Bob Ross (The Joy of Painting, V. 20).

3 comments about O'Keeffe and Stieglitz: An American Romance.

1. I'm a realist when it comes to human beings, holding no illusions about how cruel we can be. But after reading this book I wish I had not read it. Either I buy into Eisler's portrait of O'Keefe and Stieglitz -- which consistently paints them as self-centered persons who nearly qualify as anti-social personalities -- or I assume that Eisler's presentation borders on slander. Most of the content of the book appears to be there to justify the author's "psychological" conclusions about their personalities. This leads me to question what is actually driving the presentation -- the sources or Eisler's harsh theory about their personalities. There were so few instances where you would find an instance where they were presented in a favorable light that it leaves me wondering, "Were they this unredeemable, or is this a simplistic reduction that has not sufficiently presented the complex nature of their personalities?" Since this is the only book I've read about them, I have nothing to compare it to. Eisler could be dead on and fair. Frankly, I hope not.



2. An amazing insight into the lives of two of America's great artists of this century. Thanks to the fine research of the author and the fact that so many important people in the lives of O'Keeffe and Stieglitz corresponded by letter and, more importantly, saved the letters, we are able to share many moments in their personal and professional lives in NYC, at Lake George and in New Mexico. Their psychological development over time and the effect of that on their work and their relationship is fairly mind boggling. One problem, the author never really explains what it is about Stieglitz that makes O'Keeffe love him and keeps her tied to him.



3. I got this book as a gift. It is a little intimidating in size but is a fascinating look at the extraordinary flawed lives of these two individuals. It sounds cliche but it is very hard to put down. In part I think it has such an "inside" nature to it due to the prolific letter writers involved. Everyone wrote, and luckily seemed to save all their correspondence. The look at the New York Art world in the 1920's is such a bonus.

   A great book!

2 comments about CatChristmas.

1. This was a gift for myself, it is wonderful. It arrived in a timely manner and was in excellent condition.



2. Stuck for an awesome stocking stuffer this Christmas season? Then check out this compact collection of Christmas themed drawings by Kliban. This just released offering is presented in all it's full color glory. An excellent gift for all Kliban fans or cat lovers.

No comments about The Perception of the Horizontal.

2 comments about Watercolor Basics Drawing and Painting Birds (Watercolor Basics).

1. The diagrams and instructions are very clear. Even a non-talented person like me can paint birds following her lessons.



2. Shirley Porter's Watercolor Basics: Drawing And Painting Birds tells how to paint birds in watercolor, providing a simple source of basics for beginning bird painters. From poses and backgrounds to bird-watching tips, this uses exercises to show how to create easy patterns.

No comments about Alwyn Crawshaw's Ultimate Painting Course: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Painting in Watercolour, Oil and Acrylic.

No comments about The Art of Natural History: Illustrated Treatises and Botanical Paintings, 1400-1850 (Studies in the History of Art Series).

1 comments about Leonardo da Vinci: Origins of a Genius.

1. The title of this book should probably be 'Leonardo Da Vinci Origins Of An ARTISTIC Genius'. It was the title that intrigued me and made me want to read this book. Leonardo's education and maturation process in relation to painting is really not that unusual.

   This book does demonstrate with a lot of precise details how Leonardo's involvement and association with paintings from his early period can be proven or disproven. In some cases advanced scientific techniques such as x-ray analysis are cited to disprove or clarify statements made by previous authors about Leonardo's supposed involvement in various paintings. This book would be very helpful if someone was, for example, writing a paper about Leonardo's early career as far as exactly what paintings he worked on.

   However the mysterious aspect about Leonardo da Vinci is not his painting which he eventually grew tired of and he sometimes didn't even bother to finish his own paintings. The mysterious thing about Leonardo is how did he all of a sudden become (at least in his own mind) an engineer, architect, scientist, etc., when he was never trained in any of these things ? How did someone who was trained as a painter and artist make that transition ? That's where the mystery deepens about Leonardo da Vinci.

   As far as the books I've read so far that mystery has never been fully explained other than he was self taught. His art was very important for this transition because it allowed him to record his basically limitless ideas at a time when photography didn't exist yet.

   But a good follow on to this book would be called 'Leonardo Da Vinci Origins Of A RENAISSANCE Genius' or 'Scientific Genius' or something like that.

   Whether some or most of Leonardo's scientific ideas were valid is I think open to debate. But he did have some of the characteristics required for true genius which are intense curiosity, being very observant, and having almost unlimited energy. And he was a good painter, that much can be stated positively.

1 comments about Figure Painting Step by Step.

1. This book is good for beginners in oil figure painting. It is thorough and instructional.

   As you may see in the preview pages, it covers materials and basic techniques in the rendition of female figures in oil. It is also well-written, very readable, and full of practical advice (from how to choose materials to how to find live models). The demonstrations covered in the book are presented clearly and step-by-step (as stated in the title).

   For readers who consider buying this book: In the beginning, the book covers how to paint each part of a (generic) female figure. It then moves on to showing how to paint females in different positions. In essence, the artist does a quick sketch in umber (thin wash in turpentine) or charcoal to capture the gesture of the figure. The sketching involves using simple blocks to render torso, hip, legs, etc. This method perhaps is much appreciated by readers who still have not established facility in drawing complex figure gestures. The artist then continues with a dark-to-light approach, rendering masses of shadow and flesh colors; and finishes the painting with highlighted details.

   If the above is still not helpful enough, let me be more opinionated, as follows:

   - There are NO shortcuts in learning to become a good oil figure painter. This book only serves well as a STARTING GUIDE for beginning oil painters, rather than a comprehensive document as to how to paint female figures.

   - When starting to learn something new, as in any discipline, a beginner who follows strictly the instructions will make good progresses. In my opinion, this book will guarantee the "breakthrough" that beginners are looking for. Namely, the level of confusion in the very first figure painting session will soon be diminished, likeness (in terms of gesture and color rendition) will be improved, etc.

   - On the other hand, if the readers are looking for other approaches and techniques, perhaps there are two things to do: experimenting a lot and referring themselves to other books of this genre. (See my "About You Area" for a recommended list.)