5 comments about Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens.

1. I waited untill I actually used this book to write a review.
   
   I like it a lot. She explains what type of ink you should use on what type of fabric and which technique to use, all on a handy chart. This is very handy and helpful when deciding on what to do with a project at hand. I decided to do some stenciling on canvas. I found the book to be helpful on what materials to buy (she even explains why you use it) and the technique. The only problem for me is that she uses fogged mylar and I cannot find that anywhere. I found clear ones but I wish she would have listed where (the references on the back were not of much help) but everything else I could find at an art store or Hobby Lobby/Michaels.
   
   The projects included in the book are really cute too. I'm going to try and make a baby blanket for my cousin.



2. I have been wanting to enter in the world of printing fabric, but had no idea where to start (what fabric, what paint).
   This book not only clearly describes how to do a handful of painting techniques, it does it in such a clear/helpful way. There is no guessing involved, the author has put down all the information you need to know.
   
   I highly suggest this book if you are interested in learning how to print (fabrics, papers, etc). This is a truly great book.



3. Saw this one at an art museum gift shop -couldn't wait to get on Amazon and buy it! So useful!



4. Fantastic book. Beautifully presented and easy to follow information. Now I just need the time to experiment!



5. Great pictures showing the process of printing by hand....directions are easily understood.
   Overall the explaination of this whole process was really good. And what a great surprise to see the designs used throughout the book are included with the book.

5 comments about The Dore Illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy.

1. The work by Dore is what you think of when you imagine Dante's Divine Comedy. The comments of some should be completely disregarded and the work seen for what it is; Classic work, on Classical themes, done very well.



2. Book arrived in promised condition, and in a timely fashion. I would buy from this seller again.



3. The quality of this book - along with an amazingly affordable price tag - quickly persuaded me to pick up a copy. Its really everything you could ask for in an art book;
   
   The pictures are all very big, but not overwhelming; Its easy to see minute detail, and the overall scope of the image. I actually blew up some of the prints in photoshop and printed them on huge poster paper for my room, while not sacrificing a drop of detail.
   
   Also, I had to put quite a good deal of pressure onto the spine of the book in order to get a good scan from them, and im happy to say that doing so didn't even leave an annoying "bookmark" crease in the book, and the spine didn't even crease. Dover books really did produce a fine quality book, and the note on the back really is true: This book IS permanent.
   
   If you have read or are reading the divine comedy this book is a great reference to glance at every now and again to truly suck you into Dante's epic poem, and bring you to the Heights of Heaven, The Depths of Hell, or the pain of purgatory in a way you could never have imagened.
   
   The woodcuts done here by dore are so elaborate and vivid you could spend a good portion of a day just gazing into the faces of cursed souls writhing in hell, or the beauty of millions of angels soaring in the highest heaven. Dore illustrates every picture so full of movement and depth its the next best thing to a movie.



4. I have looked at a variety of Dante artists. Some well known and some are not. Suloni Robertson, John Flaxman, Willam Blake, Sandro Botticelli, Sandow Birk, Herb Roe. Do a google search to look at the works of some of these like Sandow Birk. There are some that are more obscure which in a way documents the Comedy, more specifically the Inferno. I'm not going to say who I don't like but Dore is the best. I am rather specific about artists. Dore makes the grade. He is good, really good and when you look at this book, you feel like you are in the terrible depths of hell. I like purgatorio too. I feel the religious prayer songs in my head as I see Beatrice's entrance. There is so much symbolism in these pictures, especially in Paradiso. Though I do disagree with the depiction of Muhammad in hell, the rest is fantastic. I mean that he looks more like he's British then Middle Eastern. I imagine him with blonde hair in the plate. The tortured look on Dante's face in the plate with Betrand de Born, (The cover pic) is extraordinary. I felt how he felt. That is why Dore is so good. I had also hoped for more detail with Ugolino because his story is fantastically horrifying.
   
   The book is a must for any Dante fan. I look at it a lot, even if I have seen the pictures hundreds of times. I really don't think that you can get bored with this. There is always something new to look at. Some detail you looked over. Buy this book because the scans online don't give the justice that this book has. Buy it, look it over, get inspired by it. Maybe we will see your work on Amazon in the near future.



5. The Illustrations from the 1st canto in the Inferno to the last of Paradiso are great because they help as a visual aid when reading the Divina Commedia. One can really see how and in which ways Dore, when he design the illustrations, followed the text very closely.

5 comments about Print Liberation: The Screen Printing Primer.

1. This book has just about everything you will need to know about screen printing, from the basic concept up to aand including how to run a business and make money from your artistic enterprises.
   Well wworth the price, I have found few books better on the subject



2. This is an excellent introduction to screen printing. The book covers the use of photographic emulsion stencils only - the use of paper stencils or drawing fluid and screen filler is not covered.
   
   The book explains how to make your own screen, how to burn a screen, how to reclaim a screen, how to make a multi-colour print, registration, etc.
   
   This is so far the best introduction I have seen to screen printing and I can recommend this book to anyone interested in how to get started.



3. This book was a true disappointment. I was excited about the extra sections on the historical and societal context of screen pringing, and that's why I chose this book over the others because I thought I'd get help with the process along with some interesting history. That supplemental stuff is interesting enough, but as an instructional guide this book is severely lacking.
   
   With very little more information than the basic Speedball instruction booklet (and in some cases much less), this book adds very little to my extremely limited knowledge of screen printing. What I wanted was a book that expanded upon the basic instruction booklet info. I need more information where the Speedball manual leaves off in depth, and this book fails to deliver that.
   
   For example, one of the trickier parts of screen printing for me is getting the exposure time right for photo emulsion. This is where the insight of an experienced screen printer would be very helpful. The Speedball booklet gives a chart of exposure times for two kinds of light bulbs and it suggests sunlight as an option without offering any advice about it. That's just enough information to get started guessing, but not enough to understand the variables or do much besides trial and error. This Print Liberation book doesn't even give that much info. It merely says the following about exposing the photoemulsion: "Burn the screen for the predetermined amount of time. This might be something like 20 to 25 minutes for a 500-watt light, depending on what kind of bulb it is." Completely useless.
   
   And the rest of the book is not much better. A screen printer with any insight or experience at all should know that much more information than this is required for successful results, unless you want to waste a lot of time and (expensive) emulsion on trial and error--which I can do on my own without buying a book.
   
   This book is only good for someone who wants to read the extra stuff and doesn't mind doing a lot of process experimentation on their own. My purpose for buying a book like this was to take advantage of the author's experience to save me the hassle of reinventing the wheel. Either these authors lack the experience or just didn't bother to communicate it--regardless, the result is a book that's useless as a how-to guide.



4. Whether you're simply interested in the history of screen printing or would like to take the first steps in starting a screen printing business, this book is where to begin. Very enjoyable to read with excellent visuals. Highly recommended and definitely worth the money.



5. I love this book.. better than the other screen print books. Visual aid really helps me. I didn't regret buying this.

5 comments about Picture Book of Devils, Demons and Witchcraft.

1. nothing else....just a picture book...not too much text. You can't really learn a lot of background knowledge.



2. This book is not meant to be an introduction to Wicca or a history of witchcraft and demonology. It's intended purpose is simply to provide an illustrated reference work primarily for historians, teachers, artists, craftsman, and authors working in the area of witchcraft and demonology.
   
   That being said, the book is divided into twelve chapters, each dealing with various aspects of witchcraft, death, demons, and the occult and providing a plentiful cornucopia of illustrations, woodcuts, copperplates, and artwork representative of the subject at hand. The works of Durer, Dore, and others appear together with illustrations from such famous demonological works such as Colin De Plancy's "Dictionnarie Infernal" and Francesco Maria Guazzo's "Compendium Maleficarum" as well as countless others from ancient to modern times.
   
   This is a first class illustrated reference book and will be useful to any number of those interested in the history of illustration of the Dark Arts.



3. Its great to see history about witchcraft and deamons and so on. Some of the pictures are somewhat disturbing and yet understandable where and how the ignorance of the 16th century began. Please remember, that this book barely has words; its just pictures and nothing else, so, buy it if your a history buff in witchcraft and the occult.



4. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting but when I got the book and viewed the pictures I only found a little more than a dozen that were useful or interesting for my purpose. However, if you are an art student or just interested in the occult or demonology then this book will provide some unique and intriguing pictures.



5. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting but when I got the book and viewed the pictures I only found a little more than a dozen that were useful or interesting for my purpose. However, if you are an art student or just interested in the occult or demonology then this book will provide some unique and intriguing pictures.

5 comments about Printmaking + Mixed Media: Simple Techniques and Projects for Paper and Fabric.

1. This is a fun book. I really like how it's easy to read and is full of information. Shipping was fast too! Great job.



2. It arrived on time. The book isn't what I expected, but it is still in great condition.



3. This is a good book to have as an overview of several printmaking techniques that are useful for mixed media printmaking. I especially like the section on collagraph printing, but all sections and techniques were fun to read about, and fun to try. There are a LOT of great examples, in various artistic styles, and I like the fact that the author used other artists' work, not just her own - I think that makes for better imagineer-ing to the benefit of the reader.



4. I have done printmaking before but I do not have all the equipment now. I can still enjoy this when I follow the instructions in this book.
   thank you for this fun thing.
   
   Sanniemarie Slabbert



5. Elisha's book is full of wonderful printmaking ideas. One of the things I really like about it is that the techniques she describe seem very simple and easy to do, yet the results are complex and beautiful. Looking at all the projects made me want to just drop everything and get out in the studio. I have tried a couple of the techniques so far and the directions were very easy to follow and the results were terrific. I had a ton of fun and I can't wait to try more of them. If you are interested in using printmaking in your mixed media work, this is an excellent resource.

5 comments about The Dore Bible Illustrations.

1. When I was a young child 65 years ago, my mother had a hard back copy of this book. I was very glad to find it still available (in paper back) and am very happy with the purchase and your timely shipment



2. I find it odd that most have never heard of Gustave Dore. It's quite a shame, because his illustrations are simply breathtaking for this 19th century French artist. In "The Dore Bible Illustrations," around 241 plates are represented illustrating famous Bible stories and verses, going all the way from Genesis to Revelations. Each plate is labelled with a title(EX. The Angel Appearing to Joshua or The Flight Into Egypt) and the Bible verse(in King James Version translation) to which it corresponds with the plate illustration.
   
   Many of Dore's human figures are shown in dramatic or overexxagerated pose, with strong emotional and passive looks on their faces. Several illustrations have a rather dark atmosphere, such as his "The Children of Isreal Crossing Jordan" plate. In this plate, for example, Dore uses strong dark tones, making it difficult to see anyone's faces, but rather the outlines of the figures. The figures riding upon the camels are almost zombie-like, unaware of the other people around them.
   
   However, we also get illustrations, such as "The Angel Appearing To Joshua" plate, where the light tones often overshadow the dark. In this plate(as with many others), Dore uses dramatic poses(such as of the angel pointing his hand towards heaven) to capture a type of brilliance and splendor that is associated with an omnipotent god above(in this case, God is the rays of light shining down from the clouds). His human figures are full of emotion in this plate, often seen kneeling or ducking, in full submission not only before the angel, but also before God.
   
   Dore's landscapes are usually full of dark clouds, tall mountains, unique architecture, or lush forests. Rather than seeing landscapes that would be considered historical, Dore concocts landscapes that are epic and fantastical. Many of his scenes could be considered chaotic, such as in "The Destruction of Leviatin" plate, where his portrayal of oceanic waves and dark clouds bring a sense of disorder and fear to the viewer. Dore is also apt to portray signs of tragedy, of human figures clearly suffering and dying, whether from war, God's wrath, or even self-anguish.
   
   These illustrations are for anybody, whether the religious, non-devout, art lovers, or even the curious. Also highly recommended are his Arthurian illustrations(Idylls of the King), which are even more fantastical, and his illustrations of the Crusades.



3. Gustave Dore's interpretation of biblical stories are both passionate and sublime. His critique of both human and divine behavior is vividly portrayed on the faces of his subjects. This particular publication is generous in size, resolution and completeness.



4. First of all I want to mention the review is much influenced by the hardcover edition which I own but is out of stock in Amazon. However, at the bookstore where I got it, I had the opportunity to compare both editions. I eventually bought the hardcover, but I did wonder for a while which one to pick up.
   
   To be honest, I preferred the print of the paperback edition, which had higher level of contrast - it was on white paper while the hardcover is printed on cream yellow tinted paper. However, I finally got the hardcover - well, because it is hardcover :))) and has a more luxurious look which I though was worth the 4-pounds price difference.
   
   Now, several words about the edition. The title says it - it is not the Bible, it is the Dore illustrations to the Bible. Anyhow, each illustration holds an explanation of what is seen, so it is pretty fine.
   
   The point which did diasappoint me was that I expected the complete set of illustrations that Dore did, until I read it was just a selection of the finest ones.
   A note which might be interesting for the audience about the disputed image of Creation with the missing angel in the background (seen in older reviews) - the introduction explains it was a version that Dore did himself, and it is practically an original.
   I recommend this book to anyone who loves illustration, Dore and/or Biblical subjects.



5. In 1865, Gustave Dore illustrated an edition of the Bible with drawings that are popular to this day. This collection of Dore's 241 Bible plates from Dover Publications sells for a very reasonable price. I think some of Dore's illustrations are wonderful. Among my favorites are a portrait of Amos, Jesus and the woman of Samaria, and the arrival of the Good Samaritan at the inn.
   
   One thing that makes Dore's illustrations engaging is the fact that he sometimes chose to illustrate stories that are not well known. Examples include the stoning of Achan (Joshua 7:12, 24, 25) and the Levite finding the corpse of the woman (Judges 19:26, 27.) I found a number of these illustrations so compelling and sad that I went to the Bible to learn the stories. If you wish to become familiar with lesser-known parts of the Bible, perusing Dore's illustrations is one way to motivate yourself.
   
   I must add a word of caution. Some of Dore's black and white engravings are very graphic and unappealing to me. His rendition of David with Goliath's severed head, for instance, is one I would never share with a child. Nonetheless, if you look at Dore's illustrations, I think you'll find them thought provoking and well done.

5 comments about Dore's Illustrations for "Paradise Lost" (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. I have always adored Gustave Dore's engravings on many media. Being into all things angels and demons related, I'm enthralled with the moody atmosphere depicted in here with such an aura of mejesticity that only Gustave Dore could muster. It captures the spirit of Milton's poem right on.



2. It was by great and curious fortune, that I obtained some years ago, an aged edition of the text of Milton's incredible poem, illustrated by Gustave Dore. These illustrations are amazing. One can only ruminate on the complexity of carving such woodcuts. But, I cannot understand why Dover does not reissue the original, with the illustrations inlaid in the text. For the power of these cuts, at least in part, emanates from their placement in the text, reflecting the full intention of the artist.



3. well, this book has my favorite drawings of gustave dore , but the priting quality is really bad , you better get pictures from somewhere. or may be look for another published version may be ...



4. Dore, known perhaps best for his woodcuts of Dante's "Divine Comedy", was not only a fantastic illustrator, but a prolific one as well, producing scores of woodcuts for great literature, including "The Holy Bible" and "Orlando Furioso". Before there were movies, a person could look at these pictures for motion, excitement, and dramatic storytelling.
   This is a necessary companion to "Paradise Lost", a great work in its own right. Dore's illustrations clarifies, vivifies, and expands on the reading experience. The pictures are brilliantly reproduced here at a small cost to the consumer. The book stands alone for great artwork and is worth the minimal price.



5. It is amazing how such complex woodcuts could be done! Some of these are used in books. An example is the book cover illustration of the book "Raising Hell: A Concise History of the Black Arts and Those Who Dared Practice Them" (ISBN: 0399522387).

   If you like to see high standard of woodcuts, get this book.

No comments about Print & Stamp Lab: 52 Ideas for Handmade, Upcycled Print Tools.

5 comments about Women: A Pictorial Archive from Nineteenth-Century Sources (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. This is a lovely collection of old images of women in various poses and styles of dress. I am excited that these images are copyright free and I hope to be able to use them for my own creative projects.
   
   Thanks, Mom and Dad!



2. great images, lots of them large enough to scan great. including the famous face used by fornasetti in lots of his work!



3. This is a great resource of images. It's very diverse in the type/age/ethnicity of the images of women. I would recommend it to any crafter/mixed media artist.



4. I use the pictures in this book for collages. I love the vintage look of the pictures and find that there is a good variety of sizes and subject matter.



5. I liked this book very much - it was a good mix of vintage images showing women in a very wide range of settings. i plan to use it for altered books and art journals and I forsee it being very useful because of the variety. I liked this better than several of the other clip art books of the same publisher; this is one of the most useful.

No comments about The Art of the Woodcut: Masterworks from the 1920s.