4 comments about The Weekend Crafter: Woodcarving: 20 Great Projects for Beginners & Weekend Carvers.

1. If you are just starting out in the craft, this is an excellent book to start with. The book illustrates and gives step by steps on a wide range of woodcarving techniques. These include relief, 3-dimensional, and pierced carving. Each project includes the recommended dimensions, wood type, and a list of the tools needed to complete them. There are also small sections describing tools, carving techniques, and methods for transferring patterns. These do not go into great detail, but enough to give you the general idea.
   
   Just a note on woodworking books in general - Once general technique for carving is covered, there is little else that can be taught by text. One has to actually carve the wood ;) No book will do that for you.



2. I like the selection of projects. Very nice patterns too.



3. Great as a gift for someone with woodcarving as a hobby!



4. The projects in the book are easy to do and the results are very impressive. This book covers some basic techniques and provides patterns for these projects. Each are illustrated with color photographs and step-by-step descriptions. If you are looking for an in-depth discussion on wood, tools, and sharpening techniques, this isn't for you. If you are looking for some easy projects to start off with, buy the book!!

2 comments about Jewelry & Gems at Auction: The Definitive Guide to Buying & Selling at the Auction House & on Internet Auction Sites.

1. Antoinette Marlins has many other gemstone guides to her name and is an expect on gem identification and sales, making Jewelry & Gems At Auction: The Definitive Guide To Buying & Selling At The Auction House & On Internet Auction Sites a 'must' for any serious collector. From distinguishing auction buying techniques from other types of gem purchasing to bidding on different types of gems, understanding jewelry periods and designs, and avoiding common auction pitfalls, Jewelry & Gems At Auction is simply packed with valuable tips.



2. There are more in-depth books on buying and selling at auctions and online auctions that readers will want to consult. This briefs you on gemstones at auction. The publisher, Gemstone Press, has comprehensive guides on diamonds, pearls, etc. that are more in-depth as well. Convenient to have it all in one book, but keep in mind these limitations.
   Excellent color photo section, helpful drawings, great charts. Probably a good starting title for this area, but I'd want to read more books before venturing into buying and selling gems at auction.

2 comments about Modelling and Sculpture: A Guide to Traditional Methods.

1. This guy was a student of Edouard Lanteri & i reckon Lanteri's book is better. This fellow waffles on a fair bit but his techniques are good & you can learn a lot from it regarding making traditional sculpture. The info is slightly different from lanteri's book so you get a slightly different viewpoint on the same techniques & the pictures are good. Its a good basic book of how to. However i'd recommend the Lanteri book over this one if you can only buy one book.



2. This book has detailed illustrations which are easy to understand and the directions are clear. I will use it.

5 comments about Jewelry Two Books In One: Projects To Practice & Inspire * Techniques to Adapt to Suit Your Own Designs.

1. This book is clear, concise and well written. The pictures are really good. Not only is the information useful and well presented, but the projects are inspiring. An excellent investment.



2. I bought this book because other reviews say it is a good book for beginners. I totally disagree. By the description and the reviews on Amazon, I thought it was the most wonderful beginner book available. I think most novice jewelry makers would be totally exasperated trying to make heads or tails of this book. I have been making beaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings for a couple of years. I know how to make bracelets with and without clasps, with and without crimp beads and with elastic or other stringing materials. I am pretty much self taught by books, but I wanted to learn more. The reviews convinced me this book would be good for me and great for someone who is just deciding whether to try making jewelry or not. If you are one of these a real beginner, please don't buy this book, it will discourage you. The first five pages would scare many beginners away from even trying. The list of Tools, equipment and materials to make jewelry is enough to stop some people. Fortunately, I had made jewelry and knew many of these items would be nice to have but weren't a necessity. Almost all the book is about making metal jewelry. On the contents page such titles as annealing, mitering, moning, pickling, drilling, cutting and sawing etc., etc., etc., made me think of a middle school shop class, not a novice interested in starting to make simple jewelry. It would be a great book for anyone interested in making metal jewelry and learning a "trade" but for anyone just starting out or interested in making beaded jewelry, don't buy this book.



3. When I came across this book I was surprised and impressed with the quality of both the design and the information that it contained. I took an intro to jewelry class at our local college, and have found that this book has more information and a better presentation than the class offered.
   I would highly recommend this book to anyone getting started in the jewelry field, or who has trouble mastering certain techniques. It helped to show me things that my professor overlooked or shortcutted.
   Well worth the money!



4. I bought this book based on good reviews I read about it and I am not disappointed. The language is precise, the projects and techniques are explained well, the designs are appealing in their own right or can be altered to include your ideas, the price is right, and the idea of splitting the pages to individually show techniques and projects falls under the category of "why didn't anyone think of that before?" - all in all a great book that I will use often!



5. This book is really cool, it's great because it's really easy to understand. I'd reccomend it to any young inspiring artist interested in jewelry making! Great for beginners OR people that have had some experience in jewelry making.

5 comments about Creating Fantasy Polymer Clay Characters: Step-by-Step Trolls, Wizards, Dragons, Knights, Skeletons, Santa, and More!.

1. This is a fantastic & inspirational instructional book.
   Great photos & fun ideas & creatures to make.



2. Recently I gave my grandson this book for his birthday. Here are his comments "I'd say both rate around four stars out of five, or an 8 (scale of 1 - 10)"
   Somewhat terse, but then what do you expect from a 15 year old boy? I had seen the book, lent to me by a friend, and when I heard that my grandson was interested in clay figures I thought this would be an ideal book as there were lots of weird characters that would appeal to someone of his age. Don't get me wrong, this is a book for adults mainly, not just for kids, but I thought he would be inspired by the creatures within.



3. A cute book for anyone who likes to dabble in the fantasy world of polyamer clay.



4. The characters in this book are somewhat goofy, however, the author provides excellent basics on armature building for creatures like horses and dragons. If you are looking for a lighter side to the fantasy world and would like to sculpt some fun creatures, this book is perfect. I think that kids will really love how achievable the sculptures in this book are for them.



5. Superb from start to finish. If you have any interest in sculpting fantastic creatures in polymer clay this is the best place to start bar none-- and it will take you far. I've done most of the projects in the book and am now very comfortable creating my own critters from scratch. The photos are fantastic with just the right amount of detail (no shots taken from halfway across the room!), the text is very clear (and funny!), and the book is simply a lot of fun overall. Can't recommend it highly enough for anyone interested in the subject.

4 comments about Chihuly: Form from Fire.

1. This book is great for any fan of Chihuly's work, or just anyone who enjoys beautiful art. Not only are Chihuly's works extremely aesthetically pleasing, but they are enchanting and inspirational.



2. Purchased as a gift for a beginning glass artist, the book is inspiring and beautifully done. It is a great reminder of the exhibits that we have seen.



3. This book was produced in conjunction with a series of Florida exhibitions in 1993. This book, filled with dozens and dozens of Full Color and full page reproductions in approx. 142 pps., really lays it out for the viewer in a way that, if you were either unfamiliar with or indifferent to Dale Chihuly's work, will make you a convert. Really. I fall into the latter category perhaps because, as the world famous art dealer Henry Geldzahler puts it in the foreward of this book " Chihuly's work is American in its apparent vulgarity, it brazenness and its fearlessness to move farther out west even if there is no further west to move to."
   However, when one goes through the varous glass genres that the artist creates, Baskets, Sea Forms, Persians, Venetians, Ikebana, Niijima Floats and Macchia, among others, one begins to appreciate the sheer power and artistry that gets expressed in Chihuly's florid craft. The publishers might have botched the operation if they had cheaped out on the book's production values, fortunately they did not and this 'Made In USA' book can takes its place among any other of your expensive, high-end coffee table (folio sized) art books. As the reviewer states below, there isn't a lot of text here, just an introductory paragraph or two from the artist before each themed chapter but really, the art work says more than enough. I can heartily recommend this book even if you do not collect glass work, and even if you haven't yet cottoned on to Mr. Chihuly's work.



4. Absolutely amazing!
   Chihuly is incredible.
   Not much in the way of descriptions, just a brief introduction to each series (Macchia's, Persians, etc.), which I found just enough. What I'm interested in are the actual pieces, and there are plenty of exceptional pictures.
   Again, amazing. Truly inspiriational for the novice glass blower and an absolute delight for everyone else!

3 comments about Simply Pottery: A Practical Course in Basic Pottery Techniques.

1. I had hoped for a little more information. This book would be great for someone who needs to follow a project plan.



2. This is a good book to use as an introduction to pottery - great for teachers. "Simply Pottery" is arranged in a series of fairly simple projects presented in a step-by-step fashion with lots of pictures. It is particularly suited to those who are interested in handbuilt work, although it does cover some wheel thrown projects as well. Those with a little experience with pottery will get some good ideas, but you may get more out of Kathy Triplett's "Handbuilt Ceramics" or Don Davis' "Wheel-Thrown Ceramics". Happy potting!



3. Hello I checked this book out at my hometown's library. I loved it. That is why I am ordering it. I am getting my degree in college in Pottery, and this is the best book that I have read in pottery. It is simple and the pictures are excellent. I have bought several books on pottery, this is one of the top five. I am going to reccomend it to all my fellow potters.

5 comments about Glazes Cone 6: 1240 C / 2264 F (Ceramics Handbooks).

1. This book is interesting for anyone who studies glaze or wants to make some glazes of their own (even if their working at different temperatures).



2. After Snail Scott's review, there's not much to say, as she gives an excellent and in my opinion, accurate overview of the book.
   
   I myself was disappointed, however. A few factual errors are indicative: zinc is NOT an alkaline earth, but a transition metal; and while magnesite is ideally magnesium carbonate, not all magnesium carbonate is magnesite, that is, the two are NOT synonymous. Also, I was perplexed by the insistence on using zinc oxide in nearly all the bases; not only is it expensive, but it also has a powerful (and usually undesirable) effect on most colourants.
   
   Maybe I just got used to superb glaze references, and was expecting more. Even so ... a decent buy, and it gave me a few good ideas, but I'm slightly regretting having bought it. (I would, however, recommend Clay and Glazes for the Potter and The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color Development.)



3. This book contains a few interesting recipes that you cannot find from Internet. Providing with more recipes and color images of examples,it is more fun to read than the Cone6 glaze book written by John Hesselberth and Ron Roy. Some of the raw materials are only available in UK but we probably can find substitutes here in US.



4. While this book does a great job of explaining certain aspects of glaze theory, the way in which it is approached did not leave me, an American potter, with a lot of useful information.
   The first half of the book goes into great detail about glaze theory, with many clear charts and graphs to illustrate the author's points. I found it to be easy to understand and very thorough. Proportions of silica, alumina, and fluxes are discussed, explained, and diagrammed. Also, there are many glaze tests illustrated.
   The second half of the book deals with specialty glazes and provides recipes from potters. These are also well documented and illustrated.
   This book was written in the UK and seems to be geared almost exclusively to the UK potter. This is not a bad thing for a UK potter, but does make it less useful in the US in terms of the way that we usually formulate glazes here. In my experience, most Cone 6 glazes in the US are formulated with boron. So learning about boron's effect on glaze analysis is essential. The author declares at the outset that he will not be explaining boron in terms of glaze theory, and it is discussed only in terms of its use in a specialty Chun-type glaze. Also in the US, we tend to avoid the use of zinc in glazes, since it has a negative effect on many colors. Almost every glaze analyzed in this book has a significant portion of zinc.
   Although the theory is clearly explained and this book may be a useful reference for that part, I found much of it to be useless for my work because of the exclusion of boron and the use of zinc.



5. This is not a recipe book or a catalog of glazes, nor is it a chemistry textbook. It focuses specifically on cone six oxidation (electrically-fired) glazes, with easy-to-understand charts of glaze properties, and simple explanations of the materials that create the different properties of glazes. This presentation allows the glaze creator to predict where any glaze they make may fall in terms of its firing properties, with particular emphasis on coefficient of expansion. This is an important factor in glaze design since it determines 'glaze fit': whether a particular glaze will craze or even cause cracking in the clay beneath it. This topic has seldom been explained with such clarity and simplicity.

   Each broad type of cone six glaze (matte, glossy, low-expansion, porcelain, etc.) is discussed, and charted for comparison with other cone six glaze types. 'Special' glaze types are also mentioned, including Chun glazes, Bristol glazes, crystalline glazes and single-firing glazes for greenware.

   Methods of calculating glaze formulas are reviewed in this book also, covering the conversion of a recipe to its unity formula and percentage analysis. Not an in-depth course in calculation, but a basic introduction for the novice, or a handy review for the more experienced (but not yet expert) glaze developer.

   Recipes are given for each glaze type, but they serve less as suggestions for glazes to use than as typical examples for comparison. Colorants are discussed in a basic way, but are not the focus of this book.

   Photos are given for each example discussed, featuring test tiles of each glaze arranged for easy comparison. Not many pictures of pretty pots here, just consistent, representative photos of glaze samples of the sort shown on the cover, and pictures of a few actual ceramic objects to demonstrate the appropriateness of various glazes in practice.

   The appendix contains a useful chart of the chemical compositions of many common ceramic materials used in the US and UK (where the author resides).

   This book is an excellent aid to making cone six glazes from scratch. It's not quite a 'start from zero' book, but a useful supplement to the standard studio-ceramics textbooks. Easy to understand, not scary, and does not presume an extensive chemistry or mathematics education, though a high-school-level background will be helpful. This is a book for the ceramist who has been using existing glaze recipes, but is now ready to find out how they work and to develop their own.

1 comments about The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry (Jewelry Crafts).

1. This book is not the complete encyclopedia of Navajo jewelry, but it's not meant to be. It is an excellent overview of the genre, with beautiful photographs of both very traditional Navajo jewelry as well as modern Navajo artists. For someone who wants an idea of what to look for and what is available, this is a brilliant resource. Ms. Bassman's narrative is informative and useful.
   I would recommend this book to any interested in Native American jewelry, but probably not for the advanced collector.

5 comments about Carousel Animal Carving: Patterns & Techniques.

1. I've wanted to know how to carve these beautiful animals since I was a teenager. This is the book. The techniques and "how tos" are very useful: from making patterns, to proper technique and tools, this is one of THE TWO books on the topic that will get you started.
   
   Also, the author runs a "school" for carving. Horsin' Around. I think it runs for two weeks and is in the 1K plus range, but if you're serious about carving one of these magical creatures, then Bud Ellis is the man to see.



2. This book is a real insiders look at a contemporary top of the line carving school. Worth the price for the photographs alone, it's a nice plus that the information inspires dreams. I can not speak to its usefulness as a carving project guide as I bought it primarily because it is about carousels and I collect carousel books. Carousel Animal Carving is an excellent new edition to a carousel book library.



3. This is the best book to date on the subject of carving carousel animals. I recommend the purchase of this book even if you have Bud's first great book on the subject, as I do. This new book contains additional valuable tips and detailed instructions.



4. This book guided me through one of the greatest challenges in my woodcarving experience. After a couple of readings to become familiar with the process and sequence of operations, I began a project which has brought me more pride, and sense of accomplishment than anything I've ever undertaken. From the design stage through materials and tool selection, technique of workmanship, to the final painting and displaying of the project, instructions are clear and include many tips and tricks of the trade. Professional results are assured. For the first time carver, no clearer and concise guide is now available in my opinion. My interest in Carousel Carving encouraged me to gather many books on the subject. After reading them all, I return to this book for its store of relevant information and instructions on carving an Animal. My daughter is the proud owner of an authentic hand-carved Carousel Horse thanks to Bud Ellis and Rhonda Hoeckley's efforts in creating this fine instruction manual. An excellent companion to this book is the "Atlas of Animal Anatomy" by W. Ellenberger et al.



5. If you cannot get to the Horsin' Around Carousel Carving School yourself, this is the next best thing! Bud is a retired art teacher with a gift for helping you understand what needs to be done! The book has every element and every step needed to complete a carousel animal from start to finish. Lots of pictures. A must for the aspiring carver and excellent for the experienced carver as well. There are traditional patterns included, and information to customize your own animal. Whether you want to carve a horse, goat, zebra, rabbit, or something of your own design, this book is a great resource!