2 comments about Lucian Freud: The Painter's Etchings.

1. The book was as described and arrived as promised. I would buy from this seller again.



2. Lucian Freud is an artist whose work has redefined portraiture and the nude over the past twenty-five years. His ability to evoke psychological tension and formal abstraction with reference to the human form has been as seminal as it is influential in the modern American art world. "Lucian Freud: The Painter's Etchings" compiled and with commentary by Starr Figura showcases 128 illustrations which comprised The Museum of Modern' Art's major exhibition of Lucian's work and represent the breadth of his work with twenty-two paintings and seven drawings encompassing a diversity of themes involving the human form, portraitures, landscapes, dogs, and Lucien's unique multi-medium cross-pollinating diversity of mediums. Starr Figura is the exhibition organizer and the Assistant Curator of Prints and Illustrated Books at MoMA whose informed and informative essay explores both the scope and significance of Lucien's work, and provides a welcome context for viewing the Lucian prints and his aesthetic values. "Lucian Freud" is a welcome and critically important contribution to personal and academic 20th Century American Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

2 comments about Donna Dewberry's All New Book of One-Stroke Painting (Painter's Quick Reference).

1. Yes, as the 1st reviewer said you have to have some different products to do Donna's variety of projects in this book. To me, this is a very nice book that rolls several of her ideas into one book instead of having to have a separate book for each type of project like she often does. The only thing that bothers me & always has is that her pansies look like they have testicles! I never figured out where she thought they should look that weird in the front of the flower. Otherwise, this is a nice book for Donna's fans old & new alike. I always look forward to Donna's new books & products!



2. I bought this book thinking I would finally learn some new techniques, such as how get a 3-D effect using one-stroke. But like most of Donna's books, there is a lot of repeated material, so "all new" is misleading. The only "new" part of the book is a few projects that you can do -- once you buy the new Plaid products required! So, there's very little to learn from in this book. And, one problem I have with Donna: her step-by-step directions on how to do things often do not lead to the finished product displayed. I'm wondering if there's anyone out there who can provide some better one-stroke instruction.

1 comments about Presentation Techniques.

1. I bought this book 10 or 15 years ago and I still use it as a great reference book! It shows the basic techniques needed to do a good presentation rendering. It is quite easy to read and it's fully illustrated!
   
   I especially recommend it to all product design students, (although it also includes some useful techniques for transportation designers)!

5 comments about 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship.

1. It's been a while since I read this book, but I remember it being hilarious in some parts, and very informative in others. Dali discusses painting techniques, color selection, tools, etc., but also explains things like optimal sleep patterns and other eccentric Dali-esque rules.



2. An excellent guide to the development of creative inspiration, whether you are an artist or a writer or a musician. Dali writes with great humor and modesty--just don't take everything he writes literally! The drawings alone make this book a worthwhile addition to anyone's library.



3. mr. S DALI is of course, right out of his mind, however his insanity was very methodical. he was a master. his book: a delightful read for the artist and dali enthusiaist alike. what more do you need to know. informative and entertaining. buy two or more copies because it also makes a great gift for the mad genius in your life.



4. This book is a must for Dali fans who also have an interest in creating artworks themselves. A good sense of humour is required as much of the writing cannot be taken seriously. Some caution is required when choosing which "practical" suggestions are to be carried out or lessons to be taken literally. Overall a fine light read.



5. 
   Outstanding! A book to be embraced by one who carries a surrealistic mind. These 'secrets' will continuously be misunderstood by those who 'think' they know what painting is.
   This is most definately the true artists bible.

2 comments about Come Look With Me: Exploring Landscape Art With Children (Come Look With Me Series) (Come Look With Me Series).

1. All types of art and artists with questions to start conversation about the piece. Great for the elementary age.



2. I am a docent at an art museum and the goal is to get children develop a love of art. This book is exactly what will assist a child to enjoy art.

4 comments about How to Paint Watercolor Landscapes: From Photograph to Sketch to Your Very Own Masterpiece in 6 Easy Steps.

1. I would say that this book is really not aimed at a flat out beginner. It assumes you are comfortable with the basics of watercolor. The "six steps" thing can lead to some pretty big jumps from one step to another (the author shows each painting from start to finish is six steps). However, the photographs are very nice and the steps DO give you a place to start on some fairly complex pictures. I like the spiral binding, the fact that you can see the photograph and the six steps all at once on two pages, and the large number of pictures. This is much better than most other books like it on the market. Similar books spend more time talking about what makes a good photograph, cropping, etc; this book focuses on the actual painting. I got it from the library and plan to buy my own copy.



2. This book has been taken out of the Library several times since I purchased it for our collection in Jan. My hobby is painting, and I thought the directions and examples were well written and illustrated. A very good book for the beginner to intermediate watercolor enthusiast.



3. Photos are wonderful, the demos really help one to see how to get from your photo to a painting - to see from both the photographer's eye and the painter's eye. For those of you that sometimes get stuck in the detail of the photo and want to loosen up - this is a very helpful demonstration. A wonderful kickstart if you're having a "block" too - you do WANT to paint from these photos! Happy Painting!



4. I really should ask for my money back on this book....it was poorly written, vague in description, the cover is great and appears appealing....this is not worth the price of admission.
   Sorry.!!

5 comments about Marvelous Murals You Can Paint.

1. this is an older book and the work simplistic I prefer his latest 3 books:The House That Faux Built,Its Faux Easy With Gary Lord and his latest mural book just coming out



2. I think Gary Lord does wonderful work and these murals are amazing. However, unless you are an artist or have invested in some equipment, this isn't for you. It has great ideas that one might hire done.



3. Although this book was visually nice to look at I found it lacked in teaching me how to paint murals. I have stumbled across a great site that has free tutorials on it. The site is [...] I hope you find this helpful.



4. This book has alot of good information that both novice and pro alike will love. There are alot of techniques covered in this book and the authors cover them extensively. If you're thinking of making a carreer as a muralist, or just want to spruce of your own home, this is the book to start with.



5. I purchased this book in the hope that it would provide instruction to create the murals illustrated on the first few pages. Unfortunately, although there are very beautiful murals pictured,instructions are included for only a few. Perhaps my tastes differ from the authors but it seems that most garish and ugly murals were the ones that included "how to" instructions. It leads one to wonder if perhaps they do not want any competition in producing the more tasteful murals pictured! I also purchased the companion video and was disappointed for the same reasons- the instructions were only for projects I would not want to do.

No comments about Jackson Pollock: 1912-1956 (Taschen Basic Art).

5 comments about Orientalists: Western Artists in Arabia, the Sahara, Persia and.

1. This scholarly and highly readable book is of importance to art historians, historians, and anyone with a serious interest in orientalism as both an art movement and a western cultural phenomenom. The illustrations are superb,and the additional profile articles on key orientalists (such as Richard F. Burton) are an added bonus. This book is certainly worth more than its price and will be of lasting value to future readers.



2. An outstanding volume providing high quality images and interesting commentary. Too many art books commit the sin of spreading large images over two pages so the picture gets lost in the spine - not this one. Orientalist paintings are crammed with detail to show the erudition of the artists and their patrons: for once you can see plenty, and you're not sold short by the layout or the print quality. Not a book if you're looking for lush pictures of harem lovelies, one of the aspects of orientalism not given such high prominence here. Over all impression? The many different effects created by light in Middle Eastern landscapes, and the skill of these artists in capturing it



3. Brilliant book completely covering the subject, solid research, perfect rare illustrations. Lots of forgotten and difficult to find names. Very useful and highly recommended - worth every penny!



4. "coffee table" art books are usually just vehicles to display reproductions of the paintings. Not here - Davie's writing would make compelling reading if it was published in regular book format. He mainly focuses on orientalist painting itself - and shatters the critics - but he also has a fascinating section on four famous 'orientalists' which include Richard Burton and Lady Digby.
   
   The reproductions are are splendid very accurate ( i have the pleasure of having easy access to some of the original paintings) and capture the exquisite craft of "Orientalist" painters. often with close ups of parts of painting that allow the reader to see the elaborate detail.
   
   Worth every penny. I find myself reading it again and again.



5. Really I'd like to give this 5 stars but for the lack of women it's 4. I feel sort of silly doing so because the art is astonishing and the sheer beauty just magnifies how "art" has changed. I wonder if any artist alive today could come close to duplicating these masterpieces. I doubt it. And Mr Davies writing blends with the terrain and subject matter splendidly.

5 comments about Watercolor Journeys: Create Your Own Travel Sketchbook.

1. I've had this book for a couple of years and it is clearly my favorite since I read it over and over again. The author does a lot of ink sketching with watercolor washes, a style that I find I really like. Good tips on materials and methods, but the example paintings are what keeps bringing me back. I recommend this book highly.



2. Watercolour Journeys is packed full of tbe artist's beautiful watercolour sketches and paintings along with dozens of ideas and notes on how to keep a travel journal. I collect artist's journals and this book is one of my favourites. Richard shares himself as he writes and draws. By the end you feel you know him.



3. This book is a gem at conveying the rewards of creating a sketchbook journal. Much of it is made up of sketches of all types with short explanations about the location of the sketch. In a few cases the author explains how he created some of the effects. So it's not instructional as much as it is inspirational. It made me start sketching anew. Most of all the sketches are so good that they serve as some great examples to follows.



4. My merchandise arrived in excellent condition and promptly. I would definitely purchase again from this vendor!



5. I was overjoyed to get this book. I am working on improving sketching skills and painting skills and this book is an inspiration. It is also a lovely book to just pick up and look through.