3 comments about Andy Warhol: Red Books.

1. I bought this set for my 12 year old daughter who LOVES Andy. Needless to say, she got quite an education from these books. I think there needs to be a label or warning in the description that states there are some questionable images in this set. With that being said, I felt that I got an entirely new experience out these books than some of the other Warhol books. I decided to keep these for myself and will give them back to my daughter when she is a few years older.



2. ok, so, Im a huge andy warhol fan, biiiig time, so I own lots of books, this one, ahmm itsss amazing, its likee u can see a real part of his life, personal stuff, u can see what the 70's were all about, amazing, buy it!!



3. Andy Warhol Red Books is a coffee table book that's actually several books in one --- and a set that silences all competitors. These are copies of the Polaroids Andy took, neatly bound in red covers and bound with plastic spiral bindings --- 11 mini books in all with the twelfth (black) volume containing the pertinent names and dates of the photographs, plus an introduction by the internationally-renowned photographer Francois-Marie Banier. It is Banier who captures the allure of these instant photos best: "In his Polaroids, in those seemingly lacquered little pictures, I saw at once the cry of frantic and reckless youth, lost in a pseudo-civilized world. Each of these Polaroids goes one step further, telling us, from the land of Mickey Mouse: you are all Andy Warhol characters." From 1969 to 1975, celebrities (from Christopher Isherwood to Mick Jagger, Caroline Kennedy to Rudolph Nureyev, Rex Reed to Sylvia Miles), drag queens and assorted Warholian characters are captured crisply, realistically, and above all, affectionately. Owning the Red Books is (almost) like owning one of the more bizarre time capsules of the twentieth century.

3 comments about The Life of Michelangelo.

1. /The Life of Michelangelo/ by Ascanio Condivi is a classic, written by an associate of Michelangelo at his request during the master's lifetime. As such, it is essential reading for Michelangelo scholars and even university-level students seeking a period, primary source on the subject. However, the nature of the work means that it is tendentious and inspirational rather than rigorous. In the end, it does not contain the kind of information needed for serious research, especially if one is looking for one or two works that combine comprehensive biographical study and reproductions of Michelangelo's work.
   
   Though binding quality is high and charming, this book is very small--merely several inches by several inches--and thin. It is short on reliable information (again, other than its roots in the period) and on examples of Michelangelo's work, both in quantity and in presentation (a 4X5 inch book hardly provides the format necessary for displaying the panoramas of the Sistine Chapel and the Pieta).



2. This was a wonderful book and even though it was translated it read smoothly and I woud recomend it to anyone



3. Condivi's account of the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti is a wonderful resource for fascinating stories on the artist as well as an incite into the artist himself. It is repetitious of Vasari's account of Michelangelo in the Lives of the Artists; consequently both sources complement each other well. It is important to realise that Condivi was an apprentice to Michelangelo and that he wrote this biography while Michelangelo was still alive. While the artist may have been looking over Condivi's shoulder while he wrote the text, it is still very useful - especially in placing the artist in the context of the time. The book shows the interaction between Michelangelo and his patrons - Lorenzo d' Medici, Pope Julius II, Soderini - and countless other fascinating people. After reading Michelangelo's letters, this should be one of the first sources cited to get a feel for the artist as, not only an artist, but a person.

No comments about Modernity and Modernism: French Painting in the Nineteenth Century (Modern Art Practices and Debates).

5 comments about Painting People in Watercolor: A Design Approach.

1. I did watercolor portraits for a Level I college class. Samples of Powers works were in the book recommended for the course, of which I did not get until the course was over. After getting the book, "Everything you ever wanted to know about Watercolor," I was so intrigued with Powers work that I had to get this book.
   
   "Painting People in Watercolor" is a very thorough book. Powers covers all the design elements and principles of painting and gives examples of each. His style of combining realism with abstraction and the way that he works his portraits in with the backgrounds makes his work both interesting and powerful. My original style was totally representational and I never new what to do with the background. Thanks to Alex Powers I have found a new way to paint that I am very excited about.
   
   If you have any interest in painting watercolor portraits with power, movement and emotion, do miss out on getting this book. I read it twice before I painted another portrait and my work has much more vigor. I'll read this book over and over as I continue to paint.



2. I happen to like paintings that are not completely realistic and that take advantage of techniques such as using unpainted white paper as highlights. I also like artwork that has lots of lost edges, for example a leg blending into the background and your mind has to fill in the line of the leg. I don't care for 100% realism (take a photo), but I am not a fan of completely abstract paintings either. The point is that I already know what I like and don't like, and you too probably have some idea as to what you like and don't like.
   
   Alex Powers breaks down the different design components of art and shows how he emphasizes the components of value and line to create his art work. However, he encourages you not to just copy his style but to find those components of art (line, color, value, edges, shape, etc.) that appeal to you and make your own artwork by emphasizing them. It is his discussion of the these different components and their relationship to one another that makes this book invaluable. For example, if you want to emphasize the use of value then you should deemphasize color. In this book Alex Powers explains why and covers many other similar design considerations.
   
   The text of this book is fabulous and should appeal to any artist. However, I found the text to be a bonus, as the truth is that I bought the book because I liked the pictures (lost edges, etc.). Although, like a previous reviewer, I don't believe the cover is represtative of the work found inside.



3. Well rounded approach that can be used in painting in all media. Although his approach is primarily realistic, the principals work well with abstract and non-objective subjects also.



4. The book is well presented in an easily readable format. The
   subject matter is informative with beautiful illustrations and it would appeal to both the beginner and the more experienced artist.



5. No well stocked watercolor library should be without this important book by Alex Powers. From understanding the human form to a thorough knowledge of design, Powers impacts an artist's skill. The work in this book guides in how to take your portraits from sterile mug shots to emotional works of art, full of drama and motion.

1 comments about Painting Porcelain in the Meissen Style (Schiffer Craft Book).

1. For whom beginning porcelain painting, this is proper guide book.
   We can catch a sample to follow..

1 comments about Erte's Theatrical Costumes in Full Color.

1. The Russian born fashion and costume designer Romaine de Tirtoff was known as Erte for the simple reason that was the French pronunciation of his initials "R.T." Erte was one of the most prodigious designers of the twentieth century, known for his colorful and audacious Art Deco designs. Even if you do not recall his name, I bet your remember having seen his work before. "Erte's Theatrical Costumes in Full Color" offers 49 plates from 1911 to 1975, with captions, of the work Erte did for theatrical productions, where his imagination was most unfettered and where his popularity lasted considerably longer than it did in the real world of high fashion. Erte was designing costumes for Mata Hari way back in 1913 and was still designing costumes and sets for a production of the opera "Der Rosenkavalier" in 1980. From a worshipper of Horus and the wife of Russian boyar to Aladdin and Faust, Erte displayed a wide array of exotic and historical styles in his dazzling costumes. The only real complaint with this collection is that there are only 49 gorgeous plates of some of his most stunning creations.

5 comments about Creating Impressionist Landscapes in Oil.

1. I really like this book because it is teaching you how to paint impressionist style.
   It shows how you can any photo turn in to masterpiece of your own and not how to make a copy.
   Yes, It's not step by step how to book for absolute beginners and those who want an instant results without working on it...like painting by numbers. You have to know your colors and how to hold a brush and what are you doing on the canvas.. There are no miracles, you have to work on your painting to be good and practice a lot. Wihout no masterpice...:-)
   I will recomend this book for people who ready to do that..



2. I was disappointed that a book whose subtitle is "How to Master Impressionism -- Step-by-Step" didn't have much down-and-dirty how-to advice. There's never a definitive "This is realistic landscape painting, and this over here is impressionism" juxtaposition to explain exactly HOW impressionism might differ from traditional or realistic landscapes. Not sure about the "contemporary realism" review, since I'm not familiar with that as a specific term, but I'd have to agree that some sort of modifier on the "impressionism" label might be appropriate here.

   There are a great many paintings by Whisson showcased, and most are quite nice, with a few even breathtaking. Most are done on a very small scale, the 10x12" range.

   What few step-by-step demos, or even partial demos, there are are rather pale. Many "compositional plan" examples are merely ghosted-back visuals of the finished painting with a grid superimposed and little explanation as to composition or positioning choices. Most "tonal plans" (value sketches) are just b&w photos (badly screened, imho, so you can't see the patterns well) of the finished painting. Some of the all-the-way demos seem to be done after the fact, as in he started with a finished painting he wanted to demonstrate, and then did another one, this one being photographed as he did it. The results don't match. We are rarely told the why behind choices made.

   The use of color is almost ignored entirely.

   He does stress sketching, which is great! But if he were to redo this book, I'd advise him to do actual demos, explaining all the way as to his specific reasons for doing everything, and how this demonstrates impressionism. He should go into composition, into value determination, and most especially, into color.

   The value of this book is the many Whisson paintings showcased and the inspiration derived from same. For "how to" value, I would recommend trying to find another book.




3. The visual demonstrations are certainly helpful but Colley's
   techniques are not fast tricks and gimmicks.

   He emphasizes the importance of good draftsmanship (drawing)
   in his art. A whole section is devoted to showing the
   relationship between preliminary sketches/drawings and the
   finished painting in his work as well as in the work of
   Monet and other Impressionists.

   He encourages the reader to practice drawing as much as
   possible in order to grow as a painter.

   I admire Whisson's compositional skills, taste, and artistic
   integrity.




4. If you are looking for techniques to learn how to paint en plein air, this book is a valuable find. Colley is able to capture the envelope of light that Monet and others sought by employing his bravado brushwork and traditional training. The photos of his paintings draw you in. One can actually feel the raking sun and smell the fresh air. However, Colley's technique is NOT Impressionism, it is Contemporary Realism. Impressionism is about learning to see color, color that other people cannot see unless they are trained to see it. It is known as full-color seeing (check out the books by Lois Griffel and Susan Sarback to learn how to see color). Colley's emphasis is more on value than color. Also, he uses large brushstrokes and completes his paintings in one session (or almost). Most of the French Impressionists worked on their paintings many, many sessions, building up thick layers of paint (Renoir was an exception to this in his iridescent period; he used thin transparent color juxtaposed with thick opaque dabs). I am not saying that one has to place little touches of color all over the place to be an Impressionist nor does one have to work on a painting more than one session. There is a great deal of freedom to develop one's own style. I am just saying that the emphasis in true Impressionism is on "observed" color. Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished artist, I am sure that you will love everything this book has to offer. Colley is a brilliant painter!



5. Due to the author's great and simple instructions and step-by-step demonstrations, I was able to come out with two Impressionistic paintings from reading this book. For someone who is impatient, the author has kept in mind to keep the instructions more visual than verbal. I recommend this book immensely to other oil painting beginners who wish to make their own French Impressionist masterpieces. I hope Whisson will delve into other styles of oil painting because he has a winner in this book.

5 comments about Adobe Photoshop and the Art of Photography: A Comprehensive Introduction.

1. Photoshop CS3 is a very "deep" application, and I think that this book can be an excellent resource for virtually any CS3 user (especially those who classify themselves as intermediate users of Photoshop). The author does not assume that you have already read a user manual or other book. He covers in detail many of the tools in detail that are frequently used to color correct, mask and composite images, and do many other common tasks. "Hints" and "Notes" can be found throughout the book in small green boxes, and I found them very helpful. For example, in Chapter 10, the author explains in a Hint box how to apply sharpening settings from one image to a batch of images in Bridge.
   
   Weinrebe supports his lessons with good screen shots throughout the book. Just a small selection of the tools that he covers very well (in a step-by-step fashion) are the Healing Brush, Lens Correction tool, History Brush, the Bridge and Camera Raw (including a suggested Bridge/Camera Raw Workflow), tinting with a color layer, batch renaming, converting to DNG, creating contact sheets, creating panoramas with Photomerge, and actions.
   
   One of the most interesting parts of the book are the artist interviews. These Q&A sessions with such luminaries as John Paul Caponigro, R. Mac Holbert, Pedro Meyer, Graham Nash, Maggie Taylor and Joyce Tenneson generally run from about 4-7 pages and include fantastic imagery and insight about the artists' background, their art, what motivates them, and how they approach and use various technologies. I believe that this series of essays could easily be a very strong coffee table book on their own. They are a really special.
   
   I also like the Chapter Reviews questions and Exercises at the end of each chapter, which can definitely help people to learn more about the Photoshop techniques that were covered in the chapter. Having all the exercise files on a CD in the book is also a nice feature. Also, it really helps that Weinrebe is a professional photographer who has been preparing files for clients for years. His work really shines throughout the book.



2. As a long time film photographer making the move to digital this book was a life saver. The step by step approach took the mystery out of photoshop.
   The language was clear and the examples relevant.



3. The development of pigments by chemists changed the art of painting in the Renaissance. The development of film sensitivity changed the art of movie making in the 20th century. How will Photoshop and other image processing software change the art of photography?
   
   This book provides instruction in the use of Photoshop, in an unorthodox manner. Most Photoshop books are organized along workflow lines, although a few work their way through each of the Photoshop tools and menus in order. Weinrebe follow his own order, dealing with light and shadow, curves, black and white processing, color tools and so forth before dealing with the tools used when first bringing images into Photoshop. Often a chapter introduces important techniques not related to the main one, as in the author's discussion of the use of the history brush in the chapter on curves. The author recognizes his approach is unusual, and suggests that readers go through the chapters in the order the reader needs.
   
   The chapters include practical exercises that use images provided on an included CD.
   
   The book recognizes the version 4.1 update to Adobe Bridge which is a component of Photoshop CS3, although I expect that the update was made available at too late a date for the author to do much exploration of its potential. (There has been a 4.2 update, but the changes seem to have improved code, without adding tools.) How else can one explain the author's dismissal of the new sharpening facility that allows for input sharpening, which is different from output sharpening?
   
   Besides the instruction on using Photoshop, each chapter concludes with an interview with a famous photographer. Most of these photographers seem to specialize in montage, that is, the creation of pictures by combining images.
   
   My biggest question was what happened to "the Art of Photography" mentioned in the title? Nothing in the material on technique goes further than to describe what controls and sliders create what effects on an image. No advice is presented in how to use Photoshop to create a picture that is more "artful" (whatever that means). The interviews are interesting but they don't include any information on how the artists used Photoshop to make their pictures more artful. I suspect that even Rafael received some instruction from his teachers on how to use the new pigments beyond how to apply them to canvas. Certainly, a few books on Photoshop have covered this terrain. I particularly found Rob Sheppard's "Outdoor Photographer Landscape and Nature Photography with Photoshop CS2" to be useful.
   
   I also have some small complaints about the book. The text always appeared to be one or two pages behind the related illustrations, leading to a lot of page flipping. Some instructional areas seemed to scant the tools being discussed. For example, the chapter on Adobe Bridge mentions how customizable Bridge is, but neglected to provide any details in how to do this.
   
   Still, a photographer looking for an introduction to Photoshop will be able to get started with this book. On the other hand, those looking for a more detailed introduction might want to look at a favorite of mine, "Photoshop Artistry: For Photographers Using Photoshop CS2 and Beyond" by Barry Haynes. It doesn't cover all the changes made to Photoshop in its later versions, but it will provide an understanding of the software that may even include a little bit about injecting the artful into one's images.



4. the book is well worth the cost: it is well organized and presents all of the capabilities of Photoshop in a pseudo-textbook fashion that are easily understood. At the end of each of the 12 chapters, the author presents a review: questions that the reader should be able to answer and exercises covering the CS3 capabilities that had been explained in that specific chapter. Also, the author includes interviews with 12 noted creative photographers such as Maggie Taylor and Lois Greenfield.



5. Photoshop is incredibly feature-rich software, and frequently perceived as overwhelming. Weinrebe breaks it down into easily understandable bits while still providing useful tips for very experienced users.
   
   And the interviews with renowned photographers add a unique element, opening - at least a little a bit - a window on their varying perspectives and workflows.
   
   Well done. This book is a valuable addition to every photographer's reference library.

2 comments about Raphael.

1. This is a delightful book of "Raphael's" art, sensuality and sensuousness.
   One of the artists greatest achievements was to create and perfect artistic formulae of astonishing durability. The book discusses these, both because they are, in themselves, a reflection of his genius and because, unexplained, they can be an impediment to our recognition of his originality. Another feature of the book is the extensive consideration of Raphael's little known architectural achievements.
   He was, I feel, the greatest of all Renaissance artists.....



2. Considering that my interest is more in the images than in the text, the book is pretty generous in images, and there are many close-ups.
   The color accuracy and vibrancy are not always the best, but for the price, as an introduction to this artist, it looks ok.

5 comments about ILLUSTRATED STAR WARS UNIVERSE, THE (Bantam Spectra Book).

1. Take the artistic talents of acclaimed production artist Ralph McQuarrie and the writing skills of prolific author Kevin J. Anderson (The Jedi Academy Trilogy) and you get The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, a coffee table book that gives readers a glimpse of the various planets showcased in George Lucas' original Star Wars Trilogy (1977-83).

   Using McQuarrie's production sketches and paintings for A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and other Lucasfilm projects (including the Endor-based television specials of the mid-1980s plus preliminary sketches for the 1997 Special Edition updates), Anderson takes readers on a grand tour of the most important planets seen in the Luke Skywalker/Darth Vader half of the Star Wars Saga. Starting with Tatooine, the desert world that is the home world to both Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke and ending with Alderaan, the planet where Princess Leia was hidden from her father and was doomed to be destroyed by the Death Star, eight planets are described in individual chapters, each told not by one omniscient narrator but by eight different observers, each with his or her point of view and/or political agenda.

   For instance, while the chapter on Tatooine is an anthropologist's dispassionate and scientific report on the desert planet's hostile environment and its hardy inhabitants (ranging from the nomadic and hostile Tusken Raiders and scavenging Jawas to the resilient human moisture farmers and their homesteads), the description of Coruscant, the massive city-planet which was once the seat of power of the Old Republic and is the capital of Emperor Palpatine's Galactic Empire, is a pro-Imperial propaganda article authored by Pollus Hax, the Emperor's chief public relations expert and "spin doctor."

   Although much of the artwork featured in The Illustrated Star Wars Universe has been published elsewhere (either in the various Art of Star Wars books relating to the Classic Trilogy or in McQuarrie's Star Wars Portfolios), this combination of production paintings and Anderson's vivid and imaginative text works wonderfully and adds detail and background to both the movies and the post-Episode VI Expanded Universe novels, including Anderson's own JedI Academy trilogy and Darksaber.




2. Awesome Illustrations and enjoyable narratives to go along with them. Lots of fun.



3. Ralph is one of the Best Illustrators that i know.His work is very inspirating for me.If you are true fan of Star Wars you just need this book.Excellent printing on high quality paper.Don't wait and buy this piece of art.



4. This incredible book help you feel like all the Star Wars universe and its planets are real. You read the accounts of the "writers" and you think that they really exists.
   It helps to understand all the story and the beutiful pictures help to get into.
   A MUST book for a Star Wars fan.



5. This book really showcases the beautiful artwork of Ralph McQuarrie, who helped establish the look of the Star Wars films way back at the dawn of the story as we know it. In this book we see fascinating early visual drafts of things that we would later see in the movies. Most of it was impossibly fantastic to ever get filmed at the time but maybe we'll see some of it in the next two movies.

   The chapters on Alderan and Bespin are particular fascinating and beautiful.