5 comments about Origami from Angelfish to Zen (Origami).

1. I am a beginner folder, so I was more than a little challenged by the folding diagrams and directions in this book, which are clearly meant for more intermediate folkniks. However, with a little patience and fiddling, I have grown accustomed Engel's style of instruction, and enjoy puzzling out the assembly of his neato-keen models. Not only that, but the experience has enabled me to better interpret some of the diagrams I find on the web, which invariably have far less verbal instruction or may be in a different language altogether, though the symbols (arrows, dotted lines, et c.) are fairly standard.
   
   What I think sets this book apart from other origami titles, aside from some pretty suave designs (an octopus? a dollar bill crab? How cool!), is that it isn't merely a collection of diagrams. Peter Engel spends something like the first third of the book on background. He sketches a brief history of the art around the world; he outlines basic geometric elements of the models he constructs; he gives a little idea of the creative process involved in designing new models, aesthetics and even politics involved in the art; and he draws parallels between origami structures and those found in the natural world, as well as those in fractal geometry. Also included is an account of an interview with the amazing late origami master, Akira Yoshizawa. Numerous references cited in the back of the book will probably serve as a good jumping off place for those interested in pursuing some of these esoteric topics. Despite the difficulties I have had in following some of the folding instructions, I think this is a well written and well rounded book, and I'm right glad i own it.



2. this book is for advanced...first half is about history & philosophy of Origami & Zen. origami instructions are NOT for beginers. I was looking for somthing simple to teach my kids, so I needed to return it. But, as for the price it's a good book if you are looking for those stuff. the book is all black & white (no color pages), that's one of the reasons I did not like it (but what do you expect for $12?)



3. This is the most challenging origami book I have ever seen. Although I have grown up with origami and consider myself very experienced, I am still not able to complete some of the models near the end of the book.
   
   The models near the end of the book require huge and very thin paper. You will need paper that is at least several feet to a side.
   
   But I still say this book is a must-have for intermediate and advanced folders. Engel's folding style is very unique in the world of origami. Works like the rattlesnake and the caterpillar use original and unusual folding methods to obtain amazing results. The works are all very enjoyable to fold.



4. Many times, mid-model, the instructions are unclear and at times, folding lines appear on the drawings that are not given in the written instructions. I have been most frustrated with the several models I have tried. I am not a beginner but find these models and their lack of clear instructions too aggravating.



5. The first half of the book is mostly text and reminds me of Godel, Escher, Bach (by Douglas Hofstadter) but for origami. I would like to see this half expanded out into a full book.

   The second half is beautiful, intricate models such as the hummingbird, the octopus and the reindeer. I've been folding for about 6 months and I could tell just looking at the folding instructions that the later models like the crab were too hard. What I didn't realize was that even the relatively simple hummingbird is difficult.

   At first I thought the folding instructions were unclear (and the hummingbird does have a typo, you should start with the butterfly fish instructions, not the angelfish ones). But after I puzzled my way through each step, I realized that these instructions are simply meant for a more proficient folder. All the information is there but the handholding is not.

   If you are looking for some challenging models and thought-provoking text on creativity and origami, this is the book. If you are just starting out you could still buy it as a goal to work towards if that fits your personality. If that would be discouraging, I recommend "The Origami Handbook" as a simpler place to start.

5 comments about Behind Closed Doors: The Art of Hans Bellmer (California Studies in the History of Art Discovery Series).

1. Therese Lichtenstein, Behind Closed Doors: The Art of Hans Bellmer (University of California Press, 2003)
   
   If you are aware of Hans Bellmer, you probably don't need this review. If you are not aware of Hans Bellmer, you're probably not reading this review. So... fish!A blowdryer. Seven kinds of candy and a needle threaded with bullion stitching together tree limbs in the desert.
   
   Lichtenstein does a fine job of deconstructing Bellmer, not only focusing on his subversion of Nazi ideology (ground already well-trod in art criticism), but pulling in biographical data to give a clearer understanding of what forces drove Bellmer to create life-sized dolls, assemble the pieces in odd ways, and then photograph them hundreds of times with only the smallest changes in position. Her essay is clear, readable, excellent. The book's main problem is that, well, for an art book, there's not terribly much art. More pictures, please! (Especially the drawings, a side of Bellmer's art seen all too rarely.) What art there is is reproduced well, though that's to be expected from an art book, wot? The book also uses the annoying, but increasingly common, convention of end-of-the-book endnotes instead of footnotes (or even end-of-the-chapter notes, annoying but not as much so). Stopping every half-page or so to flip to the back of the book makes for not-so-happy readers.
   
   Still, a fine work on a sadly neglected artist. Worth your time. ****



2. Therese Lichtenstein's "Behind Closed Doors" will immediately grab you visually, as any book about art or an artist should. It rivals Sue Taylor's "Anatomy of Anxiety" as far as visual appeal with the book itself and the plates therein. However, Lichtenstein's discussion of the exceedingly complex Hans Bellmer is a little too cautious, a little too much of a large brushstroke. This is a great book for a reader who knows little about Bellmer's work to read, but if you are hoping for some biography with your art discussion, this one does not have very much.

   This book is significant, though. Lichtenstein's discussion of Bellmer's life and art within an historical context is an engrossing and very well-documented discussion, but since so much of the book is spent on such interpretation, I feel it has left a lot of Hans, the man, and where his dolls really came from, by the wayside.

   This is merely opinion, and it may be that what was needed (and I guess I can accept this) was a new look at Bellmer and his work, with a little less focus on castration anxiety, his relationship with his father, his brother, and his lack of ability to truly be a child when he was a child. But I fear it was never really investigated b/c of the inherent taboo nature of Bellmer the man. It may have been me, but it always kind of felt like Lichtenstein was holding back a little, a tone of tension, perhaps, a touch of apprehension.

   What I feel is absolutely wonderful in Lichtenstein's book: its absolutely gorgeous creation, and the inclusion of a couple of Bellmer's own writing.

   As I said, for a reader just beginning to delve into the surreal world of Hans Bellmer, it is perfection. For those who already know a good deal about Bellmer, it is still very much worth it for the beautiful construction of the book, the excellent plates of his work, his own writing that is also contained, as well as Lichtenstein's solid, though sometimes redundant, interpretations of Hans Bellmer's work.




3. This is a good book to dicover the strange world of Hans Bellmer. Therese Lichtenstein describes the history of the dolls and Hans Bellmer with the contribution of people that were close to Bellmer. She also try to give a sociologic, anthropologic and psychoanalitic explanation to Bellmer's work. I think it's a good book to buy!



4. For me, this book was more than a mere companion to the exhibition, which I was fortunate enough to see. It caused me to reconsider my uncritical reluctance to take Bellmer seriously.



5. Too many words. Not enough photoes as an art book.

3 comments about Summers with Lincoln: Looking for the Man in the Monuments.

1. Though we may try to bury it in our thoughts and hearts and souls, we all realize that we are just passing through--that life is as short as a snap of the fingers. Most of us, no matter how important or loved we feel, will never accomplish anything extraordinary and be captured in stone. However, President Lincoln left historic footprints and his image has been cast in ink, paint, metal and stone. Author Jim Percoco in this fine book empowers readers to not only grasp Lincoln caught forever in sculptures, Percoco in his very personal and insightful writing style empowers us to feel that we are part of history and mankind. I learned details that still nudge my thoughts daily and came away from this read feeling blessed to have discovered it. Highly recommended.



2. Summers with Lincoln: Looking for the Man in the Monuments
   
   This book is a "must have" for anyone who is interested casually or seriously in Abraham Lincoln. It looks at the most studied President of the United States and yet adds new value through the dimension of his many memorials. It is both an insightful and novel approach. Percoco conceys Lincoln's character through interpretations of the monuments by getting inside the minds of Lincoln's many sculptors. It has relevance to modern experiences and the values of today's youthful scholars. It is based on a well-grounded, historical expertise and proceeds to rile up the reader's interest. It vibrantly captures the emotions and themes that were meant to be instilled by the creators of Lincoln's memorial scultures.
   
   William N. Stryker
   author and historian



3. Everywhere you look in the United States there seems to be a statue of Lincoln. From Washington, DC, to Fort Wayne, IN, from Cincinnati, OH, to Newark, NJ, our nation's parks, squares, and town halls are dotted with sculptures of the sixteenth president. Over the course of four summers, teacher and author James Percoco traveled to learn first-hand about our nation's mania to put up stone and metal remembrances of Lincoln. He discovered a Lincoln who in death has come to embody each generation's idealistic hopes for a leader; a kind of stand-in for "the better angels of our nature," to quote Lincoln himself. In some ways it is not Lincoln, the president, war leader, or emancipator whom these sculptures commemorate but the Lincoln of our imaginations. A cross between "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat-Moon, and "Travels with Charley" by John Steinbeck, Percoco's "Summers with Lincoln" makes for thought-provoking reading about an important part of the American landscape.

5 comments about Art Jewelry Today.

1. This is a great eye-candy book. Some problems with the proofing are evident when you start looking closely, but it isn't too bad.



2. Very inspirational. It is nice to see objects that were created from the heart and not for a commercial production line. Fine craftsmanship.



3. I justed wanted to reinforce what others have said about this book. You won't regret buying it for the photos only. The editing is poor and embarassing to the artists. I bought it for the photo's, and I'm very happy with the purchase.



4. I found the book to be exactly what I was looking for. The phtographs reveal the diversity of jewelry being created today. The book is full of inspiration for the practicing jeweller.



5. This is a beautiful book, lavishly illustrated with wonderful color images. The gamut of materials and styles is impressive. As a creative designer, I found this book to be a fountain of information and ideas. There is not a lot of text but the number of images makes up for it. There is a good bibliography if more information is needed.

3 comments about Rodin: Sculpture and Drawings.

1. As a Rodin researcher, I find Catharine Lampert's book extremely useful as a reference. It is very insightful in providing three-dimensional characterization, particularly to Camille Claudel who played such an important part in influencing Rodin's style in the 1880's, serving both as a detailer (hands and feet) of his own works, a model and his lover while continuing to become a better and better sculptor in her own right. The book is a beautiful publication worthy of coffee-table display. The lure of the coffee table, however should be balanced by the posible reactions of those who may flip it open towards the end. Here one finds many of his drawings. Wonderful though they and his style are in the drafting field, there are quite a number of sketches that are also extremely explicit . I would not want my grandchildren to be 'hit' by these. Buy the book by all means but be forewarned to display, or not display, according to the company that surround your coffee table. Neville Hale, author "The Rodin Quest" listed by Amazon.



2. "Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used to be. But a great artist-a master-and that is what Auguste Rodin was-can look at an old woman, protray her exactly as she is...and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be...and more than that, he can make anyone with the sensitivity of an armadillo, or even you, see that this lovely young girl is still alive, not old and ugly at all, but simply prisoned inside her ruined body. He can make you feel the quiet, endless tragedy that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart...no matter what the merciless hours have done to her. Look at her, Ben. Growing old doesn't matter to you and me; we were never meant to be admired-but it does to them."
   
   -Robert A. Heinlein "Stranger in a Strange Land"



3. This book contains many wonderful pieces, as well as providing details of Rodin's life during the time he created these enchanting works. I love to turn each page, because his collection always remain fresh and exciting...Jasmine

1 comments about Auguste Rodin (Lives of the Artists series).

1. "Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used to be. But a great artist-a master-and that is what Auguste Rodin was-can look at an old woman, protray her exactly as she is...and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be...and more than that, he can make anyone with the sensitivity of an armadillo, or even you, see that this lovely young girl is still alive, not old and ugly at all, but simply prisoned inside her ruined body. He can make you feel the quiet, endless tragedy that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart...no matter what the merciless hours have done to her. Look at her, Ben. Growing old doesn't matter to you and me; we were never meant to be admired-but it does to them."
   
   -Robert A. Heinlein "Stranger in a Strange Land"

2 comments about Ethnic Jewelry: Africa, Asia, And The Pacific.

1. I wanted this book to inspire me, not necessary be an historical reference book. It did what I wanted, and so this is a happy customer. It is an oversize book, and the photos are nothing short of stunning.



2. Magnificent photos of ethnic jewelry. On a par with The Splender of Ethnic Jewelry, but the text is not as detailed.

2 comments about Yayoi Kusama (Contemporary Artists).

1. I love this artist, she is such an innovator, she rocks my world and as a young Japanese canadian artist i am highly influnced by her.



2. This book is absolutely gorgeous. I didn't know many of the artist's works before I bought this book - and it gave me a good understanding of her life and work. Chock full of beautiful colour photos. It's cool too because so many quality art books cost a fortune, but since this one is a softcover it's reasonably priced. As you can tell, I HIGHLY recommend this book.

5 comments about Polymer Clay Extravaganza.

1. This book has some exciting techniques and some great projects to create. Good for a beginner, or an experienced clayer. Lisa Pevelka is an exceptional teacher, with finished and polished instructions, and the projects turn out with a craftsman touch. I will keep looking for great prices, and add to my library collection.



2. I found the book great for ideas and instruction.There are so many out there I just wanted a plain how-to.This is one of them.



3. This book was an excellent and foolproof guide for me because I have been fumbling around with clay and getting frustrated. There were so many tips and tricks that I had never found in other books or seen on tv. This made a huge difference in the quality of my finished pieces. I can't thank Lisa enough for her great concepts and approachable style. After flipping through the preview I new I had to have the book for the techniques, but after getting it as a gift from my best friend, I loved it even more for the great ideas for gift and decor projects. One of the reasons I stopped painting is because my walls were all covered. Now I don't have to feel guilty in creating since I have a great new treasure trove of ideas for creating useful items for around my home and functional gifts for others. The best part about the clay is how easy it is to customize the colors of clay to fit my decor and personal style. I love adapting some of the concepts or techniques to other projects in the book to come up with new and different ideas that become truly my own. It's truly user friendly and fun! Best of all is that Lisa provided contact information in the book for her website where I contacted her with a general clay question. She responded to my e-mail immediately. I didn't expect a response and such a nice one. For an author with so many titles, Lisa is truly a giving and down-to-earth soul. I'm anxoius to get her other titles.



4. 
   
   ... if you wish to clutter your home with silly objects in vitriolic color combinations.



5. Beautiful book!! Excellent photography....gorgeous/fun projects....detailed/clear/precise "lessons"!! Highly recommend it to anyone just finding polymer clay!

3 comments about Warman's American Pottery & Porcelain (Warman's American Pottery and Porcelain).

1. I returned this book because I was looking for more photos to refer to. I thought, for a beginner, this book was too difficult to follow.



2. Good book, covers the makers styles and years produced as well as who purchased and made like items, Covers a vast number of years and well worth the purchase price.



3. Second edition of the popular volume updated for the year 2000. There are 224 pages with more than 200 black and white photos and a 16-page color section. This encyclopedia describes and prices almost 12,000 items produced by 150 American potteries. Introductory text covers Derivation of Prices, Role of Condition, State of the Market, America's Ceramics Industry, and handy abbreviations used throughout the work. There's also an appendix with auction houses, museums, glossary and a useful index, that facilitates finding items. Topics range from Advertising and Calendar Plates, Children's Ware, Dresden Pottery, to Warwick China, Wheatley Pottery, and Yellowware. Plenty of text is included for each category. A useful book that collectors will refer to often.