4 comments about California Impressionism.

1. Wonderful colors and plates. Inspirational to browse through or informative to read and digest. A good addition to any art library.



2. As discussed in the book, the California Impressionists were creationists, and painted the glories of nature as being from the hand of the Almighty. It might very well be that such a perspective is necessary to fully apreciate the spectacular scenery of their state. Accordingly, as Will South points out, the California Impressionists were more the artistic ancestors of the Hudson River School rather than their presumed French forbears.
   
   The color reporductions in this book are quite good and the narrative is informative, though I must admit the first part of the book starts a bit slow with many names, dates and places. Later on the book more deeply delves into aesthetic considerations and picks up quite quickly. By the end of the book the movement loses its steam at the same time as the idyllic and pastoral California of their paintings increasingly vanishes under a flood of paradise seeking immigrants from the east and we are left with a sense of wistful regret at the loss. Yet this book preserves the art and times of late 19th, early 20th century California, and does so memorably well.



3. As the inside cover reads and I completely agree, "Lavishly illustrated, painstakingly researched, and gracefully written, this handsome volume is the definitive study of California's distinctive style of Impressionism." Dr Will South provides a chronological survey of the California Impressionists starting in the later part of the 1800's up to the final days in the 1920's-30's. Dr. Gerdts analyzes the California Impressionist Movement with style. With biographies of approximately 75 artists and an extensive bibliography, this volume is not just a coffee table art book. It is an important research tool to conduct an extensive study of any of these artists.



4. The paintings throughout the book are reproduced in radiant and superb color, helping one grasp the phenomenal beauty conveyed by the works. The pages are thicker and heavier than most of the art books on the market today. The paintings of the California masters are included as well as some works by lesser known artists. The text is fresh, easy and fun to read, and the chapters are well organized, exploring the origins and evolution of the Impressionistic movement in California. I predict this volume will become a classic. Definitely worth the money!

1 comments about Caravaggio, 1571-1610 (Taschen Basic Art Series).

1. Notorious bad boy of Italian Baroque painting, Caravaggio (1571-1610) is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Though his name may be familiar to all of us, his work has been habitually detested and forced into obscurity. Not only was his theatrical realism unfashionable in his time, but his sacrilegious subject matter and use of lower class models were violently scorned. Caravaggio's great work had the misfortune of enduring centuries of disrepute. It wasn't until the end of the 19th century that he was rediscovered and, quite posthumously, deemed a great master. He is now considered the most important painter of the early Baroque period; without him there would have been no Ribera, Zurburán, Velázquez, Vermeer or Georges de la Tour. Franz Hals, Rembrandt, Delacroix, and Manet would have been different. In this new book you'll find over 50 of Caravaggio's best paintings; we think you'll agree that he was a genius beyond his time.

No comments about Phil Frost.

3 comments about Watercolor Basics - Perspective Secrets (Watercolor Basics).

1. If you are a student or a teacher of the arts, this book is a must. It is divided into sections and you can practice and teach yourself each lesson. Very easy to follow and understand.



2. I don't work in watercolors, I quilt, and I've found this book invaluable as a guide to understanding perspective.



3. North Light, the publishers of the Watercolor Basics series has hit paydirt once again with Phil Metzgers' Perspective Secrets. In direct simple and engaging language Metzger takes you through the many types of perspective without terrifying you with wordy rules and procedures. It is all covered in this handy and educational volume. You move through beautiful examples of putting space and the illusion of air in your paintings to the subtle issues of close-up perspective such as with bricks. There is also some information on perspective dealing with stairs and inclines all supported by Mr. Metzger's handsome paintings. As with other volumes in this series the subject matter is gone into both more deeply and with more approachable and beautiful artwork. This is a must have for any budding painter.

No comments about Oil: Creative Techniques.

3 comments about David Hockney.

1. If you want a better understanding of David Hockney buy this book. It is a wonderful display of illustrations and information of a great British artist.

   "David Hockney: Paintings" is well written and organized to foster a greater understanding of how Hockney evolves over the course of his career. Moreover, you will be impressed by the outstanding quality of the the black & white and color illustrations.

   Authors Paul Melia and Ulrich Luckhardt provide the reader an excellent insight to the artistic thoughts of David Hockney. It also studies and explains the tremendous global popularity of the artist. This is a great book to have in the house.




2. Being a tremendous fan of Hockney's work, I was delighted to find this beautiful and informative book.

   I liked the chronological organization as the book traced the artist's development over the years. I always find this such an interesting perspective, seeing how an artist's vision changes and evolves. And I also liked the way that the relationship between Hockney's life and his art is explored.

   The illustrations were grand too!

   A worthwhile book and a good study of Hockney, his life, and his works.




3. I was more than pleasantly surprised by the extremely high quality of the reproductions. The book is split up in six chapters covering the main artistic phases in Hockney`s live and giving a lot of information about his paintings.
   I find it extremely interesting not just to see Hockney`s work but also to read the details on the creative process leading up to the finished painting. A wonderful book!

No comments about Painting with Pastels (Step-by-Step Leisure Arts).

5 comments about The Yin/Yang of Painting: A Contemporary Master Reveals the Secrets of Painting Found in Ancient Chinese Philosophy.

1. I am almost through reading this book and dread reaching the end! It has been such a wonderful adventure absorbing Zhang's approach to color, color palettes, and analyzing the various colors chosen for his yin/yang palettes, not to mention enjoying his beautiful work. I am anxious to give some of his ideas a try.
   
   I would highly recommend this book not only for its unique slant on oil painting, but for the mental exercise it has provided! It's not just your typical same old beginner's book, that's for sure. This one makes an artist THINK!



2. I found this book very helpful, especially in the area of mixing color. I thought the information was put in a way that is easy to remember. Overall, the picture quality is pretty good but I thought this kept the book from being great.



3. I have read the previous reviews, and find that the people with criticism have missed the most important point. For me, it is that by using Mr. Zhang's complementary palettes, a painter cannot create MUD!
   There may be other books which describe some of the notions of opposites presented by the authors, but none which provide an artist with such a foolproof method for mixing harmonious paint. After many years of using the classic paint hues of the great masters, I attempted a painting with one of Mr. Zhang's palettes, and found that with respect to color, it is the best and most satisfying work of my life. Now I paint exclusively with them.
   I believe that this book is meant for advanced artists, although beginners will find a world of important fundamentals, as well.
   For all its valuable lessons, the pages of the book are also filled with absolutely stunning paintings. HongNian Zhang creates sheer visual poetry. His book, so clearly and intelligently written by portrait artist and teacher Lois Woolley, is replete with novel ideas, expert instruction, and edifying demonstrations. But it would also be worth owning for the paintings alone.
   I do wish persons who consider writing a review would actually read and study the book, and in the case of an instruction book for artists, that they actually attempt putting to practice the lessons taught -- otherwise they have no basis from which to judge, and no business doing so. I can't recommend this book highly enough -- five stars are far too few!



4. This book is a must for the master artist who wishes to advance to the next level of color/light mastery. It is not just pages of beautiful illustrations and color tips.Having enjoyed a sucessful art career myself for many years, this the first art book that I have read that speaks on many leverls to the professional artist. It presents useful ways to limit palet choices without limiting color expression. I have given this six copies away of this book to my contempory artist friends and we all agree that it is a MUST HAVE BOOK!



5. This book is a must for the master artist who wishes to advance to the next level of color/light mastery. It is not just pages of beautiful illustrations and color tips.Having enjoyed a sucessful art career myself for many years, this the first art book that I have read that speaks on many leverls to the professional artist. It presents useful ways to limit palet choices without limiting color expression. I have given this six copies away of this book to my contempory artist friends and we all agree that it is a MUST HAVE BOOK!

5 comments about Watercolor Wisdom.

1. this book is a really great resource for beginners. it answers all of the basic questions one might have who is embarking on the journey to do watercolor painting.



2. Had classes from her .She is a great teacher , and has much to offer . Stuff not found in most watrercolor books .Very informative .



3. What a valuable asset to the community of watercolor artists. Jo has shared years of wisdom and experience in a well organized pattern of instruction, focusing on the "rules" of watercolor. Many modern artist "throw out the rulebook" to the detriment of their artistic outcome. Like learning to read recipes before possessing the inate skills to throw out the cookbook, Jo trains her students in the tried-and-true principles of design and composition that springboard into the creative elements of a seasoned artist. Her work is far from textbook traditionalism ~ benefitting the traditional artist to the abstract. This is also not a book just for beginners, though it is absolutely THE book to have as a beginner! Additionally there is a wealth of excellent paintings from Jo, who is an AWS signature artist, and several other artists. Unlike many "vanity" art books which merely feature the author's artwork with a sprinkling of instruction, Jo's book features numerous paintings as a support for the treasure of instruction which is the driving force of the book.



4. These are lessons and notes which serious students will appreciate having in an organized presentation. Workshop students often are caught up in ptg.and/or keeping up with the class and neglect to take legible notes. The deciphering at a later date,if it happens at all, often times is equal to reading a foreign language. Also, these lessons are passed on to the reader from the author/art instructor's knowledge received from other very well known artists. Many, of which are no longer with us and have become legends.



5. While searching through the vast selection of watercolor books in the city's bookstore, I found this book and feel it is well worth the money I paid for it.

   It provides exercises for the reader to practice with watercolor painting, of which involve learning how to control the brush, how to unify and mix colors, and create textures using different effects. My personal favorite lesson of this book is its review of composition. The composition section is a bit hard to understand at first (as is composition in general) but after re-reading the dialog several times, my knowledge of composition in art has improved a great deal.

   Though I advise to the readers that this book would be more useful to you if you practice all the exercises, the book will still teach you, even if all you do is simply read and look at the diagrams. I believe this book is most useful for amateur and intermediate watercolor artists, though it may prove to have sound tips for advanced artists as well.

4 comments about The Ultimate Watercolor Course: Simple Techniques to Paint Like the Pros.

1. Really enjoy the book. I am taking a beginner watercolor painting class and the teacher is using it for the course guide.
   thanks for the prompt delivery service.



2. I loved this book! It covers more topics than any other beginning watercolor book I have read. Each lesson is illustrated to demonstrate the technique they are explaining. Tips are given as well for each lesson... some obvious, some pretty insightful!
   
   Yes, it does have a lot of drawing technique lessons and such, but as I like to do a full drawing before painting, I think those sections are very helpful. And it is giving me more ideas about combining drawing with watercolors.
   
   I learned a lot from this book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone starting in watercolors. Especially if you prefer to draw your paintings first before putting paint to paper.
   
   However, for traditional plein air aritsts that paint without drawing, maybe this book isn't for you. For you, I would suggest looking at a copy at the bookstore before purchasing.



3. Lovely instruction and example text for watercolorists. This purchase saved a friend from Jail for even thinking about stealing the library's copy



4. I was extremely disappointed with this volume as I purchased it after being so delighted with RD's complete watercolor set. I thought I would get more of the beautiful and informative art that, that set had, but no......The book is pale and under illustrated and what color work there is childish and uninspiring.
   Moreover, the book is almost entirely too much about drawing and not enough about painting. While this might be good for an absolute beginner with little intelligence who is still fixated on words it is not at all for someone wanting the visual stimuli to paint along with great examples. Search elsewhere for a comprehensive book on Water Color Painting!