1 comments about Albert Bierstadt (Famous Artist).

1. The huge colored cover led me to believe the book would be filled with likewise large color plates. Not so... most of the pictures are around 8" x 5" with the rest of the page left blank. Each picture has the history behind it which is great. Just wish the pictures themselves had been larger.

No comments about Painting with Brenda Harris, Volume 2 - Precious Times.

3 comments about Patterns of Intention: On the Historical Explanation of Pictures.

1. This book is so conspicuosly intelligent, and its exercises in criticism so involving, that it is a great pleasure to read. Baxandall begins by developing a scheme for the explanation of concrete historical objects in general.

   He takes the Forth bridge in Scotland. Baxandall, more than it makes it beautiful, he shows you that it really is beautiful. But wait, there's more. He takes Picasso's Kahweiler and shows it to you as beautiful, and damn well you believe it.

   Baxandall shows us how to interpret art.

   But he claims modesty: he is a historian, he says, and is only offering one method of many to think about pictures. I think this is the only place where he has gone wrong. After going through his method of understanding art, you will know there are no others. All the other ones are wrong. Baxandall is right.

   If you want to be someone who talks about art intelligently, buy this book and you will be able to talk of art in the only way you should




2. This book is a genuinely informative and at times engrossing view into the making and understanding of pictures. However, it reads (not surprisingly) like a textbook; it is brilliant and thought-provoking in some parts but dryly monotonous in others. (The bridge-building bit stands out as particularly tedious.) The points Baxandall makes via this tediousness are no less brilliant, but their lustre is lost beneath layers of dull, yawn-worthy prose. Baxandall's stylistic shortcomings should not scare away anyone with a passionate interest in the study of Art and its interpretation. But for the layman in search of a clear and down-to-earth discussion of how to look at pictures, this is probably a book to avoid.



3. Through three well-chosen case studies, Baxandall examines the question of artistic intention: how the constraints of the culture, the artistic medium, and the intended use of a work of art shape the process of its creation. Particularly penetrating is his "excursus on influence", in which he argues that participants in an artistic tradition shape and change how their predecessors are understood. This is an ingenious and satisfying book: I read it twice for two different college classes, and expect to read it again and continue to profit from it.

5 comments about The Art of Amy Brown.

1. If you are familar with Amy Brown than you already know how fun her art is. I personally bought this particular book for some tatoo ideas. Her fairies all seem to have personalities of their own.



2. Outstanding book - gorgeous images... Fairyland at it's very best. The book is full of imaginative designs, which you can easily see inspired so many other artists. A treasure to add to your collection!



3. Amy's art is absolutely incredible, especially when the designs just come into her mind, all she has to do is paint them!
   
   Get this book together with her volume II, you won't regret it. The first one is more in neutral colours, the second one more colourful.



4. Fasinating and full of aura. I especially liked her Gothic style. Mystical and magical. It is a book that one can enjoy browsing the pages, scrutinizing the drawings and learning more about Amy Brown's experiences. The best book any fairy fan can have.



5. This is a great book for any fairy lover or art lover. The watercolors are beautiful. Her art has a wide range from beautiful/cute, dark/gothic, humorous and so on. A great collection of art.

No comments about Game Development Essentials: Online Game Development.

2 comments about Leaves and Pods.

1. Have this author's other books and I was disappointed with this format,not like the author's valuable imput regarding the material in her other books. Susan



2. Warning: open this compact tome to any page and you'll soon be lost in the woods forever. Stunningly detailed scanner-taken photographs are here abetted by a gracefully written text that is both surprisingly snappy and helpful, particularly for non-botanists. Part art book, part nature guidebook, leaves & pods is, like each of its wondrous subjects, perfectly made; hence a thing of beauty.

1 comments about Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children.

1. The book of children's paintings by Sargent is sold in many book stores. An excellent book, its list price is $60. Amazon lists it at nearly 50% less. Thus, the sale was not so much for a superior product, as for a far cheaper price.

3 comments about Drawing & Painting Fantasy Worlds.

1. I have been interested in fantasy drawing, literature for many years. This book is filled with recommendations and examples to help get you thinking and show you what is possible. Once the wheels are turning it is up to you to create. I like seeing the examples of the author's work illustrating his points and also giving fuel to the fires of my imagination.



2. -To "Drawing and painting fantasy figures" Anyone interested in the subject of fantasy/sci-fi art/storytelling/animation should get both these books. The best thing to come along since "Encyclopedia of fantasy/sci-fi art techniques"



3. This book covers similar ground to Cowan's previous title, Drawing & Painting Fantasy Figures. Both cover traditional and digital media, both explore specific projects and general idea generation, and both discuss studio setup, traditional and digital art submission, and other essentials for artistic survival. It's not a total rehash, but both works complement each other to the point that it's worth your while to read both if you're going to read one. I haven't seen the third book yet (Drawing & Painting Fantasy Creatures, I think is the title), but if it follows suit it, too, will be at its best if considered with Cowan's previous works.

5 comments about Techniques of the Great Masters of Art (A QED Book).

1. Other reviewers have given this book five stars and rightly so but I thought they didn't quite reveal how good it is.
   
   Don't be put of by the words Great Masters in the title, it actually covers artists from the Old Masters (1300-1860) Impressionists (1860-1905) and Modern Masters (1905-1980). A hundred paintings, in color, from seventy-seven artists are considered and each work gets the same treatment, for instance Roy Lichtenstein's 'Whaam!' gets two spreads. The first page has a small photo of the artist and about three hundred words regarding his painting technique, this text relates to seven small line drawings and captions revealing how he worked. The right-hand page has a picture of Whaam! and a preparatory black and white drawing, both have long captions. The next spread has four life size details of the painting (each with a simple thumbnail of the work to show where the detail comes from) and again long captions explaining techniques and the materials used.
   
   It is the life size illustrations that, to me, make this book special. There are plenty of visual art history books, my favorites are the Phaidon series: The Art Book, The 20TH Century Art Book and The American Art Book, all bursting with whole page works of art but it is only when you can see a lifesize close-up of the work (plus a detailed caption) that things somehow start to fall into place and a greater appreciation is acquired. There is something special in looking at part of Henri Rousseau's 'The Dream' or Frank Stella's 'Hyena Stomp' and knowing that you're seeing part of the painting the same size as these artists created it.
   
   Apart from looking at art techniques (and history) in a rather unusual way another reason I love this book is because it is beautifully designed and printed. You can use it as a reference work or just browse through some stunning paintings and understand them and their creators more.
   
   BTW It originally came out in 1985 and it seems there are various reprints so I think it's worth checking the page numbers to see that you buy the complete book. This edition has 541 pages plus another eighteen unnumbered pages at the back. There are three sections to the book (Old Masters, Impressionists and Modern Masters) and I believe each section has been published as a single book.
   
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. This is one of the most exciting books on the history of art in combination with the technique of great masters that you can come across. Richly illustrated and covering a wide range of artists, this book does not merely give a biography of the artist and an example of his works. Its attraction lies in the fact that one painting of each artist is analysed in detail including sequence of painting, materials and techniques used from the start to finish with some good close-ups and analysis. This is a rare book which brings actual clarity to the reader who may be eager to learn as to how certain effects were achieved by many masters, while at no time erasing the mystique associated with the masterpieces. It has the potential to greatly accelerate the learning curve of an intermediate painter while remaining of value even to the pro. Rich, stimulating, good value for money and a treat in all respects, this book will be near the top of the chart of your favorites in its category, if not numero uno.



3. This book looks at art history from the point of view of the practicing artist instead of the art historian. As such, it is an excellent companion to books such as Gardner's "Art Through the Ages". Very good read.



4. This is a superb book, well laid-out, with many excellent reproductions and an informed text. In a perfect world, there would be many books like this, not just a few.



5. Here is a book for the serious art student as well as the accomplished artist. Had this book been available when I was in art school, I know my development would have been much easier and faster. I gain much from it every time I study this book , which is quite often.

5 comments about John Shaw's Business of Nature Photography.

1. John Shaw is a master photographer also adept at conveying his knowledge into a clear and concise writing style. This makes his books highly valued by his many fans. When this volume was first released it was a must-read for those interested in starting a career in nature photography.
   
   Mr. Shaw is quite thorough as he covers the subject. He begins with basic equipment that you would need. This includes both photographic equipment and office equipment. He discusses approaches to finding clients, organizing your photos, and everything else right through to making a sale and calculating your overall profits.
   
   The problem is that while his basic approach is very sound, a lot of the specifics are out of date now that 11 years have passed since initial publication. The entire book is based on the idea that you will be shooting slides and that publishers will want material in that format. As the digital age continues to strangle film, this is increasingly untrue. Happily, a good deal of his advice can still be salvaged. For example, he talks about methods to label and categorize your slides. Using photo management software, you could use an essentially identical method to organize your digital photos so this is still useful information.
   
   Most of the ingredients for a great book are still here. The author's common sense approach to things and years of experience still serve him well. The book is also filled with beautiful photos, as you would expect from such an accomplished photographer. But the focus needs to shift away from film and over to digital where the vast majority of the market now uses. The bottom-line it that the book is still somewhat useful but badly needs an update.



2. While this book is a bit out of date, it provides a wealth of information. I would recomend this book just for it's insight



3. BEFORE YOU BUY THIS BOOK. Understand that this book is nearly 10 years old and focuses on a business model that is near extinct.

   When this book was first printed in 1996 it would have been considered a basic "seminar in a book" about selling and establishing income from nature photography. While the book does have some timeless information on common sense, it for the most part is archaic in content.

   There are many fans of John Shaw out there but when it comes to buying a book and expecting content that I can use, my own expectations are to get the product as advertised.

   If you want a John Shaw book on nature photography, stick to his other publications. This one belongs next to DOS 4 and my Windows 3.1 manuals.




4. This book was a top-notch guide in its time that has unfortunately been overtaken by events.

   Shaw tells you just about everything that one needed to know to become a successful nature photographer a decade ago, based upon his own experience. There is nothing in this book about photography techniques (although Shaw has written plenty of excellent books that do just that.) This book is crammed with practical business advice, from broad guidance like what subjects to shot for the most sales, to nitty-gritty advice like how to package your photos for mailing. He answers questions that other photography marketing books don?t begin to address: why is nature photography different from other commercial photography (nature sales are mostly from an existing stock of shots); what is the minimum-sized library needed to go into the business (at least 1000 first-class bread and butter photos of a variety of subjects); and similar questions.

   Shaw's writing is direct and simple. Some of what he says I certainly know to be true from my own very brief experience in a commercial photography market and other things he says, of which I have no experience, have the true ring of advice of which I would never have thought on my own.

   Shaw includes many of his own beautiful nature photographs in the book. And he at least makes some attempt to tie the pictures to what he is talking about. I?m not too concerned that the connections are sometimes tenuous. After all, how do you illustrate the advice to consider having your contract with a stock agency include the obligation to provide you with tearsheets?

   So what's wrong with this book? Well, it's eight years too late. This book was published in 1996. Since that time the development of electronics has changed the photography field. Shaw's description of filing systems was written before some of today?s excellent computer-based storage and tracking systems were available. Most importantly, digital imaging was just a blip on the radar that only merited mention in a three-page appendix. When published, editors would only consider color slides for use. Today, more and more of the people who buy (or really, lease, as Shaw makes clear) photography are willing to consider digital images. And I suspect that the presentation of those images to prospective purchasers and the preparation of those images by the photographer for use have greatly changed the procedures suggested by Shaw.

   It is a shame because this book is so clearly and usefully written. No other book on the business of nature photography has been so helpful in the past. Even more of a shame is that I have heard Shaw say he has no present plans to update this book.

   So, if you are a nature photographer who wants to learn how to go into business, get this book. But buy yourself of subscription to the magazine Digital Photo Pro. And stay tuned for further updates.




5. This book is full of info. Great for someone just starting out. Well written! I usually struggle through books, but could not put this one down.