5 comments about Abstract and ColourTechniques in Painting.

1. I really found this to be the most helpful book on creating abstract art that I've found yet. Plus, there are many vivid and inspiring examples.



2. As an 'emerging' artist and someone who is only starting to try more abstract and different ways of painting I found this book stimulated my thinking. I have found that looking at painting from a different perspective has improved my end results. This book is one I can read many times to push me to try something different.



3. This is not a 'how to' book so much as a 'make you want to' book. Packed with juicy, colourful images it's sure to make any artist feeling stuck or bored want to grab some paint and paper and get going again. I think this book is a useful addition to any artist's bookcase, whatever their preferred style or medium.



4. When I first viewed this book something within me leapt. I had not been artistically motivated for some time but reading this book has given me a direction. I have so enjoyed this book. It's informative and inspiring. I'm thrilled to have found it and very glad I purchased it.



5. I have to admit to being a fan of Claire Harrigan's work and also a frustrated artist. This book isn't a step by step copy your own 'semi-abstract'. There aren't chapters with lists of materials and colours like the bog standard how to books. The chapters are more like little essays and descriptions of how the artist works plus thoughts on colour, media abstraction etc. These are not dry pages however or difficult to get through as they are punctuated by numerous, glorious colour paintings to inspire any artist - just looking at the pictures makes me want to get out my tubes of paint. Take a look at some of the pages you won't be disappointed - I love the book so much I have two copies - however I am a colour junkie!

2 comments about Philip Guston Works on Paper.

1. The book is based on a major Guston exhibition in Europe a few years ago. Each of four critical essays is followed by a series of about 20 to 40 full-page plates relating to the preceding essay's theme or perspective. This format allows for better insight into Guston's work than a typical chronological format for instance. All except the last essay have smaller illustrations also complementing knowledgeable text.
   
   Guston's work displays "expressive range and changeability" more so than most other modern artists, including Pollack and de Kooning to whom he is often compared. Nonetheless, these works on paper show the whimsy, humor, exploration of forms, and recurring underlying sense of menace which have made Guston's paintings distinctive. The whimsy, almost obsessive dissection of forms, their depth, etc., are threads which link--though do not unify--Guston's paper works (and paintings) from his early days in the latter 1940s and early '50s when he radically used "naked line as a vehicle for the most brittle compositions" through to his maturity with "the compilatory, the cumulative that conveys the sense of involved objects."
   
   Guston's unpredictable, imaginative works are rooted in his "restlessness, self-doubt, and a mania for hard work, [which set him] off in search of the unknown and undiscovered in hopes of being able to lend these qualities pictorial expression." No one can doubt that Guston achieved such pictorial expression. The instability--though not to the point of disintegration--of the personality was the matrix of the art work. More than almost any other modern artist, even Francis Bacon, Guston's complex, fertile psychology was the source of his work.
   
   The mainly critical essays bring in psychology and occasionally biography for a multidimensional understanding and fitting appreciation of the drawings and Guston as an artist. The collected 166 works on paper (76 color) covering Guston's career from the mid-1940s (earlier works were excluded) with the critical essays relate the significance of such works in the development of this artist's creativity.



2. This book illustrates a traveling exhibition (Germany, Denmark and the Morgan Library in NY) on a part of Guston's work that was already studied at the Moma, 18 years ago. From the early works to the last drawings of the late 1970's,including some of his beautiful oils on paper from the early 1970's, all the aspects of the artist as a draughtsman are tackled in an enlightening text, served by beautiful images. This is a high-quality publication, with many works still in private hands and never shown before . Strongly recommended.

5 comments about Making Color Sing.

1. i learned of the book making color sing in an art workshop. It is not a new publication, however 'still in print' and it gives many processes for use of color that i feel any artist would profit by having a copy for reference..and achieving special effects. great guide book. one for the 'watercolorist's personal library'



2. Making Color Sing
   
   I am new to the medium of watercolors and have found this book to be very helpful. The author keeps the selection of colors to a minimum in order to keep your costs down but also helping you to learn the aspects of what each color can do. This is a book that I feel I can really learn and become a better artist.



3. "Into" watercolor? If so, this is a 'must have' reference that will not stay on a shelf, but be nearby your painting/study area as a useful tool in mixing and painting with watercolors. Not only is it written in clear and precise language and well illustrated with examples from the author as well as other artists, but it also is chock full of practical, valuable information on pigments, color theory, application techniques, and tips and hints for problem solving in case of unexpected consequences. I found this book easily readable and useful to both decorative artists and fine artists, experienced or beginner. It covers both the why, the what with, and the how to of watercolor application and much of the theory is applicable to other media as well. Even the non-painter will look at works of art with new eyes after reading this interesting and informative text.
   Making Color Sing
   Making Color Sing



4. This book was suggested by one of my Art Teachers in College. It was in answer to my question in regards to studying more about the use of colour in watercolour painting. It has yielded a wealth of information. I look forward to working my way through the rest of the book and applying the knowledge it contains. Would make a great short course textbook too. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to know more about the use of colours in their painting, regarding of the medium they choose.



5. This book is great but be forewarned that there is a LOT of fairly technical explanation and a lot to absorb. But if that's what you are wanting (I did want that) the author is easy to read and doles out the information in digestible chapters. If you want explanations and content, you'll get your money's worth. And oh yeah...her watercolors in the book are amazing, so she must know what she's talking about!

5 comments about Sargent Portrait Drawings: 42 Works by John Singer Sargent (Dover Art Library).

1. This book is one of the best buys i did this year. Sargent paintings are very famous but the drawings from this little book are amazing! Some of these portraits were done in the later phase of Sargent work and show great mastery of the drawing media (pencil, charchoal). There's a small text about Sargent that is very good too.



2. A good book full of great drawings by one of the best artist I have ever studied. The price is right and you should not waist one more minute before you order it.
   I always like to see how the great artist draw, since drawing is the back bone to good painting in my mind.
   I really get a kick out of artist who say they can't draw and can only paint, sure.. Thats like saying you never learned to walk and that you can only run.
   Sargent used to say you should draw every day and I think he was right.



3. The book is great. The ones who sent it didn't package it well. It is a paperback book and it came all bent up.



4. A remarkable bargain and a must for anyone interested in John Singer Sargent or his work. An 8 by 11 inch, less than 50 page paperback. Published by Dover. B&W reproductions of 42 portrait sketches by Sargent. Mostly done in charcoal. Two long pages of lucid and informed, really excellent text by Trevor Fairbrother, author of books devoted to Sargent and several articles as well. The reproductions are competent, but, as always, can be nothing like the originals, one of which I've many times had the privilege of admiring in person. Although here again, any one familiar with works on paper has seen how even the interposition of the protective glass, sadly, visibly degrades the viewing.
   
   The 42 sketches span a remarkable, interesting and even entertaining range. Arranged in almost chronological order, they stem from early in his career, but not his childhood, to near the end of his productive life, when he had almost entirely quit portraiture. Fairbrother skillfully has chosen an eclectic lot of Sargent subjects, well illustrating yet another facet of Sargent's personality. Although said shy unto retiring, Sargent must have liked people, at least the varied types of people. He certainly depicted all kinds. Here from a boy little more than an infant to the elderly and "important". The serious and the frivolous. Talented, self-made artists and performers to the witless-looking heirs and dismal aristocrats.
   
   The book's incredible spectrum of people / types and Sargent's genius at capturing both their surface and their interior, can form the center of quite a game easily played today via the Internet. For example, the portrait of a friend of Sargent's, one Earnest Thesiger. From this sketch one infers quite a character, seeming a person perhaps of manic ebullience. The very amusing facts in his bio on the web's Wikipedia rather bears this out. One learns further that Thesiger was the nephew of General Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, famously incompetent in needlessly losing his entire army in a massacre by the Zulus. (One can imagine a portrait of a dim and blimpy character here. Thankfully, nowadays the British select more professionals for their general officers.) Sargent's jolly Earnest Thesiger further was cousin to the famous Wifred Thesiger, author of the autobiography, "The Last Nomad". Wifred Thesiger was a war hero, diplomat, author, explorer and skilled photographer. Among his other accomplishments, the autobiography describes Wilfred's tireless toiling in the Sharm el Shatt (where the south of Iraq borders the south of Iran) to bring modern male circumcision to the primitive marsh Arabs. (A people so independent in their watery wilderness that the late Saddam Hussein ordered the draining of their protective confusion of still waters and bogs.) Well, odd as it might seem, Wilfred's medical procedures were clearly an improvement over the native's, I imagine especially over a ceremony for teenagers involving a low-banked fire built in a shallow sand pit. But, I digress.
   
   However, that is the point, digressing from Sargent's wonderful portraits. What do they tell us; how can we follow up on our impressions? I'm returning to Fairbrother's book to select another sketch subject to mine for edification. I'm confident because Sargent has been described as having a large circle of interesting and talented friends. Except for those portraits of blimps.
   
   Again, an excellent book at a very reasonable price.



5. Nice series of books, these Old Master Portrait Drawings from Dover Art Library. Good material if you want to study portrait drawing. Good reproductions of the drawings. No text, only a short introduction from the publisher and titles with the drawings. The drawings say it all.

5 comments about The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques: Fifth Edition, Revised and Updated (Artists' Handbook of Materials and Techniques).

1. I had this book in the 1980's. Some significant changes on grounds like masonite so it is best to revisit what you thought you knew. But still an excellent resource.



2. The book was useful, but it was a real hard slog to read it all; unlike other books on this subject.
   
   Probably the biggest problems I had with was that many of the materials mentioned... I had no idea what they were because they are called something different in the US, plus many other newer materials weren't mentioned. The book was quite dated, and it made me wish I'd sprung a few extra dollars to get the 5th edition.
   
   But still, this book (perhaps the 5th edition rather than the 4th) IS essential reading for any serious oil painter. (If you can understand all the very technical and long-winded information!)
   
   I wasn't taught MOST of the technical information on oil paints at all at art school! It is great to have a bit of information on how to make your paintings last for many years. (I hate the thought of putting all that work in only for them to warp or crumble or peel in time!)
   
   This book is not suitable however for beginners or amateurs who only want to know the basics about materials and so on. (This is a difficult read and very technical, in my opinion.)
   
   A great book that does that is Encyclopedia of Oil Painting Techniques by Jeremy Galton which is suitable for beginners and serious painters alike (and has a LOT of pictures in it as compared to this book which is all TEXT!).



3. Essential for teachers and anyone wanting to know those hard to answer technical questions. It is the Bible for painting materials and other archival mediums and techniques.
   The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques: Fifth Edition, Revised and Updated (Artists' Handbook of Materials and Techniques)



4. If you are searching for a book that will explain materials and tools for the artist this is the first book you should turn to. I have been referencing this book for a decade now and still have a lot to learn from Ralph Mayer, a man who spent his life investigating various techniques of painting.
   
   If you open this book up, you will come across just about any question you might have. For instance, I recently used Mayer for egg tempra painting. In his book he has a few pages regarding the subject, not many, but enough to fully explain the basics and get you started properly. He covers brushes, pigments, paints, from the obscure to the most basic.
   
   One section of the book that I am keenly interested in is his break down of a massive number of pigments where he goes into more detail on each than any other source I have come across.
   
   This is not exactly a how to paint or draw book. This book is intended for those who want to make a serious study of process practices in the correct manner for archival purposes. This is a must have book that should be in any painters studio.
   
   One last item of note: If you have used this book before and found it of interest, I highly suggest that the next time you are around New Haven CT that you visit the Yale 'Ralph Mayer' center. Yale itself has many museums and buildings worth visiting and the Mayer center is just one small highlight. Its staff was very kind when I visited. When I showed an interest in Mayer, they were eager to share some of the more interesting aspects of the collection.



5. While I don't work in oils, the coverage of oils seemed exceptionally deep. Material on pigments also was relevant to watercolor (something in which I dabble) and pastels (one of my major areas). I was disappointed not to find any real discussion of charcoal, graphite, or colored pencils. It would have been nice to get a slight discussion of materials not "professional", such as wax crayons.

5 comments about Exploring Color.

1. Nita Leland has a wonderful way of inspiring her readers and making them feel more comfortable with color and paint. Doing the exercises in the book are an essential part of the experience and should not be skipped.



2. Before reading this book I'd had an attitude about 'color theory' and such - or at least the teaching of it. Anything I read was either imperious and demanding or so complicated that I'd be lost in the first chapter.
   
   But this book doesn't order you to do things a certain way. It explains what results you will get doing this and what results you'll get doing that. There is no highbrow judgment here about the only "correct" way to do anything. It is clearly written, with lots of pics and examples, and is completely accessible. What a breath of fresh air!
   
   The book begins with a little bit of the history of color in paintings and the physics of color mixing. She doesn't bog down the book with it though. She gives just enough information to put the use of color in painting into context and as a starting point if one wants to do further research.
   
   Then comes the more detailed information. This starts out simply and builds with each chapter. She explains why things happen in color combining and mixing and how to get the desired results. Color in painting is a detailed and complex subject, but, while she encourages you to learn it all, she is never demeaning or rigid that one has to know all this front and back before painting. She explains why knowing all this will help and improve your painting.
   
   In other words she makes me *want* to learn all this rather than making me feel like I *have* to learn it.
   
   One thing to note is the she uses watercolor in her examples and exercises so some adjustment may be necessary for oils.
   
   There are also lots of things to practice in the book. She has exercises for everything she teaches. So when you're done you will have a tremendous visual reference library. I have lots of art books but this one will stay OFF the shelf and easily accessible. The use of color isn't something that can be learned overnight, so do yourself a favor: get this book.



3. One of the first books I've looked at that explains color in non technical terms. It has examples of how to use these colors in your paintings. There are several step by step instructions on using different color combinations as well as many exercises for you to do on your own. There's a companion coloring book which is helpful but not necessary. An outstanding book for beginners wanting to know more about color theory. The author has a web site and is very helpful in answering any questions.



4. This book is everything I hoped it would be. I am a novice painter, working in acrylics, and wanted some basic info on color theory. This is it. The information is comprehensive yet easy to understand with exercises for the reader to do in any medium. I was so impressed that I bought her Exploring Color Workbook to go with it. This is highly recommended for the artist wanting to expand her color theory expertise.



5. I bought this based on other reviews about it. I don't know doodley about color and have always gone on gut instinct...and I've painted over a lot of ruined canvas and wasted a lot of paint.
   This is an excellent little book with a lot of exercises to make it all quite clear. Every page teaches me something - I have so far had quite a few "AHA" moments. I am beginning to understand why sometimes a color works and sometimes it is just a little off...
   I recommend this for everyone. Thank you Nita Leland.

5 comments about Watercolor The Spirit Of Spontaneity.

1. She is fun and excellant teacher. She always has something new to try and
   very clear in her direction.



2. This is a wonderful book. I am so happy I bought it - one of the best. Maybe the best! The exercises are so exciting and the results are inspiring. A must for every water colorist's library.



3. I just got this book today and can't put it down! The pictures take your breath away. I can't wait to try some of the ideas I garnered from this book. I do wish there had been more information on the paints used, but this book is worth every penny.... What an inspirational book!



4. I enjoy any watercolour book that seeks to take the use of the medium further than traditional uses. This book does that and more, with clear explanations on how to use other materials in combination with watercolour without being prescriptive. Many ideas for art works have been sparked by this book. The only issue for me is the use of American brand names on products - makes the book less universal.



5. This is an incredible, inspiring book. It has given me such great ideas to put into practise in my own art work.
   
   I do not hesitate to recommend it.
   
   Regards
   Lawvel

No comments about Jerry Yarnell's Landscape Painting Secrets.

5 comments about Game Development Essentials: An Introduction.

1. Ordered this book for my husband's class. Not only did Amazon have it in stock, it was $20 cheaper than Barnes & Noble (with member discount) and that's even after upgrading the shipping. Was a little worried at first that the book wouldn't come quickly cause the tracking was awful, but it arrived fast.
   A note worth mentioning: this book comes with a CD as well even though it does not say so.
   
   My husband has not used this book much for his class yet, so as for the material I am not sure. But we are very pleased with the product & Amazon (as usual) so far.



2. I picked up this book as a possible replacement for the book that is currently used in my 'Game Design' course. This book is very attractive and professionally put together. It covers the material that would be essential (hence the title) when discussing the elements of game design:
   1. The history of the medium
   I found some annoying factual errors in this part of the book. Which initially turned me off but I continued to read since errors seemed to be in the sidebars which may not get the same editorial review.
   2. Who plays and why?
   This contained very interesting material for students to discuss with respect to player motivation, personality and gender. The eye-opening part for me was the view of game playing from the perspective of generations. Baby boomers, Generation X and the Millennial Generation look for different things from the games they play. (This part made me examine my own choices for games and the characters I am most attracted to in them!)
   3. The elements in a game - genres, platforms, player mode
   
   Part II is where the real gems are for people who really want to design games:
   4. The elements of storytelling
   5. Creating the characters/roles
   6. Creating the game experience, e.g. challenges
   7. Creating the World and Atmosphere (anyone else listen to the audio CD to remember the delight in playing the game?)
   
   The last part covers:
   8. The key roles/titles in the game development process
   9. The process of producing games
   10. The future of gaming
   
   The book ends with the following bonuses:
   11. A list of resources for those who are serious about actually getting into the game business
   12. List of books to read and learn more
   13. A CD with tools
   
   The key thing I value when spending time on a book is one - am I learning something new? This book offers many ideas central to designing video games. It is an excellent book for a course on the topic or for any budding game designer to pick up start the journey.



3. It's an excellent book. The fact that she included my incredibly detailed game design document in no way influenced my rating.



4. Just wanted to let people know there is a later version if you missed it, and you should check with instructors before buying this book and be sure it is the dated version needed!



5. I find this book to be well rounded in the history and in the aspect to the gaming and simulation world. It was not what I originally expected to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and now can look at the gaming world a lot differently with more respect.
   
   I purchased this book because it was required for the class I am taking at DeVry University Online, but now that I have read it, I am interested in purchasing a few of the other books in this series by Jeannie Novak.

5 comments about Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous Landscape Essays.

1. When i first got this book i put it aside but recently I started to read it and it is fantastic, from nuts to bolts you can build a business on it as it takes you through the concept of landscape photography to the actual business plan. 10/10 the title really needs to be changed as it does much more than teach Landscape Photography. It is a persons life planning skills on his passion.



2. A beautiful book with great insights into photography in the southwest. The quality of the printing and phographic reproduction is excellent, as is the author's grasp of landscape photography and his ability to communicate his insights. My only quarrel with the book is that it is too focused on the southwest, especially the red-rock and canyon territory of Utah and Arizona. I wanted more on landscape photography in general. And, although the insights shared here can be taken into other areas of the country, a broader range of photographs would have helped. Also, the author tends to use the same photographe over and over to make his point. Surely he has more images that he could share. And, since most photographers these days use digital photography in 35mm comparable cameras, I wish he had spent less time extolling the virtues of Fuji film in his view camera.
   These are somewhat minor quibbling points, however. I really did enjoy the book and recommend it.



3. I own probably 40 books on photography. All were well researched before purchase, so all are good books. Of the 40, 10 were very valuable, 10 more were worth reading, the the other half were not. This is the first that I read cover to cover in just a couple of days. Some mentioned there is not a lot of information in the book. Well, it's not filled with tips and tricks and specifics of how to use a tool or camera. It's more a book on how to approach and think about fine art photography, than how to do it. Meaning you will learn what directions to head in, and be given exercises that if you do them, will help get you there. There is a lot of information about subjects many gloss over, and that lead to a lot of thought and introspection. At least it did for me. Some will say the book is too simple. To me, the simplicity is it's strength. The messages are clear. I took away the sense these are the right concepts to think about to be better at this craft.
   
   Briot makes the point that even in todays apparently saturated market (my words, not his), there is room for hard work, quality, and a clear focus to lead to a successfull business. If that's where you want to go. He makes the point that no matter what you do, to do it well will be a lot of hard work. That's just the way it is. So if that's the case, why not work hard at something you love or really want to do? Rather than work hard at something that will pay you to do what you love in your 'spare time'. I've learned the spare time usually doesn't happen. I've read these words before, as I'm sure you have. But this author makes the point in a way I, at least, related to more than any other author. There are whole books about that one subject, actually. But Alain spends a good chapter on it, in the context of a book on how to approach being a fine art photographer. So that chapter was long enough to say something meaningful, but not so long you lost interest and forgot what the message was about in the end. Each chapter fits that mold. Long enough to convey exactly his message. And no longer. That's why the book held my interest to the end.
   
   Those are not the only insights I got from the book. There were many. They're just the ones I believe will be most important over time for me personally. Many will say "that was obvious, you just didn't get it". That's true of just about anything you want to discuss. Some have already gotten it. Some will get it now. Some may never get it. The measure, to me, is how effectively this book conveys concepts to me that are clear, and that I can take away how I can use them in my own life or work. This book more than any other, gave me a lot of that kind of insight. And most of what he says applies to any endeavor, so whether you're a photographer or not, you'll get something from this book. Possibly I was just ready for his message. It doesn't matter. This book did it for me.
   
   So I have to thank Alain Briot for his insight, and for taking the time to write a book that conveys it clearly and deeply. His writing and his photographs are both examples of how deeply he cares about what he does. They're also clear examples of what dedication to a few things you choose to care about deeply can bring.



4. Alain Briot has taken great pains to write a book that goes beyond any other Landscape Photography book. His approach is concise; his ability to communicate the message of "light" will serve as an inspiration to everyone who reads this book.
   
   This is not a simple "how to" book.....It's a book with valuable information. "Let there be light"....Mr. Briot teaches us how to interpet light and develop our creativity. This is a must read book for all serious landscape photographers!!
   
   DR Jones



5. I was initially offered this book sometime back when it was much more expensive. After seeing it on Amazon considerably cheaper I decided to purchase the book.
   
   I was under the impression by the title that it would cover off on technical and artistic recommendations for landscape photography.
   
   I found the book to be relatively well written, however, very wordy! The author is not succinct and to the point, but rather very long winded. Much of the text is repeated throughout the book as the writer becomes sidetracked - yet again. Therefore, approximately 30% - 50% of the book is extra words and duplicated information. Furthermore, the images in the book do not teach you anything. Many of the images are duplicated in each chapter.
   
   The book is divided into roughly two sections - technical aspects and artistic aspects relating to landscape photography.
   
   I found the technical aspects to be a little lacking. If you are already versed in the basic technically knowledge of photography, you do not require this book. Everything written can very easily be gleaned form other "free" sources. If you are searching for technical aspects - purchase another book.
   
   Art by it's very nature is highly subjective, and it's very difficult to put into words as this author has demonstrated. There are literally pages and pages in which nothing is actually stated - just "mumbo jumbo". Briot goes on endlessly about his success and the reasons for his success. Although interesting in its own right, the book is a photographic book on the technical and artistic approach to landscape photography - not an autobiography! When reading his book I kept thinking to myself, when will it end, what is this guy trying to say, when will he cease to `blow his own horn".
   
   Many reviewers have mentioned that the book was inspiring, and I must agree with them. Briot makes you want to "get out there and give it a go". But this is what autobiographies do - inspire. I bought the book for information which is sourly lacks.
   
   I have a PhD in earth science which focuses my thoughts to the technical side of photography (science is basically technical). I often feel I lack the artistic side required to make images which is why I bought this book. Unfortunately, the book did not convey the information advertised. After reading the book a month ago, all I can remember is the author's personal history. I should be remembering photographic points - not whether he lived in France, Arizona or Colorado, or whether he hired a removal van for 3 days or 6 days, or whether he moved into a house with 3 or four rooms!
   
   I'd suggest borrowing the book from a library rather than purchasing it.
   
   I rate this book as follows:
   
   Readability 2/10
   Information 3/10
   Biography 9/10
   Imagery 3/10I
   
   I suggest you read the follow up comments as well.....