No comments about Sculpture Today.

5 comments about Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form.

1. This book is invaluable for reference. At 1st I was 'so so' about the illustrations but as I started to require detailed information for the sculpture I was doing showing the muscles - i discovered the exact information I needed was contained in this book and the more anatomy I do the more it is this book i use.



2. 'Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form' by Goldfinger is just perfect, especially if you want to know where the muscles actually attach to bone, something many anatomy books for artists simply don't cover. The Goldfinger book, for each muscle or group of muscles, has one or more side-by-side series of illustration and photos that shows:
   
   - the naked bones in a given area with highlights that show you the surface areas where an individual muscle attaches, even if that muscle is an underlying muscle that normally is completely covered by surface muscles.
   
   - the muscle or muscles in question attached to their bones in isolation (no other muscles illustrated).
   
   - all the muscles in the given area to show the relation ship between them and the muscle that is the subject of the series, even if the muscle in question is virtually covered up.
   
   - a photo of a well-toned human model in the same pose as the illustration series with labels to the various muscles.
   
   - one or more cross-sections (up to five or more) of the area being illustrated with each muscle labeled to show clearly how the muscles over-lap and lay across each other and the underlying bone.
   
   - if necessary, the model will be shown in a pose that shows how an underlying, virtually hidden muscle is important to the artist when the subject is in a certain pose (e.g., an underlying muscle can lift and change the form of the surface muscles when it is in contraction and/or the body is in a certain pose).
   
   - a series of 'mass' diagrams that may be of use in building a 'shorthand' for the muscle or group in question.
   
   - It's not just a picture book. It has a lot of descriptive text for each of the series of illustrations, and covers aspects important to artists, such as the different types of muscle fibers, etc.
   
   
   I counted at least 17 of these series dealing just with attachments to the clavicle, but I might have missed some since the organization is by area (trunk, neck, upper arm, forearm, etc.) and there are a lot of attachments to the clavicle from more than one of these areas. Also, there may be more than one series dedicated to a given muscle or group of muscles so that it is shown from back, front, side, and/or above, sometimes. The illustrations are as good or better than the best I've ever seen in any other anatomy book, especially ones for artists, which can be sketchy to a degree.
   
   I really don't think you need a library of anatomy books if you get just this one.



3. This is just what I needed just gives me all the mechanical functions of the body. Only thing is the examples are of the male body only there isn't much on the female. Anatomy of male and female are the same in some ways and other they are not, not just the sex organs, but the skeleton and chemical balances that go on. Just thought there could have been more about the females as well.



4. Excellent book, quick delivery at a competitive price. Excellent value. I'll use the book for years to come.



5. I had this book recommended to me by a friend years ago when we were all trying to get into the comic book industry. I bought it and loved it. You can learn anything you want to know about how the musculature and skeleton are put together and how they work. Each different part of the anatomy is given almost too much attention. Each angle is given a photo of the body part, and drawings of the arm with muscles or just the skeleton.
   
   The biggest problem is there isn't too much tying the parts together. You may get a very good idea how the arm works, where the muscles put to and from, how the skeleton moves when you move your arm, but you won't get much information on how the arm connects and moves with the rest of the body. Your aren't a collection of individual parts (2 arms, 2 legs, etc) but one unified body and all your parts move together. You need a good concept of that before this book will be used to its utmost.

5 comments about Wood Spirits and Green Men: A Design Sourcebook for Woodcarvers and Other Artists.

1. It is an excellant book with lots of detail on carving one face. Could use a more detailed description on the tools that are needed for the other faces in the book and more detail on carving some of the other faces. NOT for the beginer. I repeat. NOT for the beginer.



2. I wish I could give this book a 5 star rating. I have now purchased 6 wood carving books, and this one actually gives readers many adorable patterns in large sizes and the permission to reproduce them. It then takes the novice through the steps from drafting on paper, roughing out, and then finalizing and sanding. The high quality of the color plates and the size and detail of the patterns makes this a must have for carvers. The designs are those that will appeal to young and old. Loved the dwarf faces!



3. Awesome, three great carvers: Chris Pye, Shawn Cipa, and the queen of design Lora S. Irish get together to make this very informative book. Well worth twice the full price.



4. I wanted to carve some wood spirits for walking sticks. I had some 1.25 inch dowels to practice with. I checked this book out of the local library, and was able to carve a decent wood spirit on my first try. The "practice" wood spirits ended up looking good enough to finsish and keep for display, even though I had never carved anything before. So if you are a new carver, or even an experienced one, this book will give you plenty of patterns, illustrations, and descriptive text to make wood spirits. I will be buying a copy soon so that I can keep it on hand.



5. If you are into wood spirits, spirit canes, or green men this is the book for you. Lots of patterns, good instructions.

5 comments about How to Make Clay Characters.

1. Maureen is such an amazing artist. If you are wanting to make figures in clay, then her books are a great place to start. I have several of her books now, and I love them all. Each one teaches you something more. Also this book came in great condition for a used book. Really good seller.



2. How to make clay characters by Maureen Carlson is not available to buy in Australia. I had it on loan from my local library but only for limited periods and it was never long enough. I am happy to say that although it may have been printed initially a long time ago I am delighted to have obtained it as it has such excellent instructions and lots of handy hints for the polymer clay first timer onwards.To anyone reading this revue who wants another hobby to try (even in Australia) buy this book and you will be hooked.
   
   The mere fact that it is still in print is a sign of how good it is for any age. Easy to follow and great fun all you need is polymer clay your imagination and this book.



3. I have four of Maureen Carlson's books. They are all fantastic.
   This one is my favorite. Very clear instruction. Gets you started and wanting to sculpt all the time. I love it!



4. Indeed a marvellous book you should have as one of your clay-book collections. Maureen has good eyes and different angles when seeing new things, and new thoughts to convert them into brilliant figurines. I love her ideas of how making the snakes and the dragons, and her tricks to get new color mixtures are awesome.
   
   I almost bought her books entirely, and have no regrets so far. Thanks to Amazon for superb service, even though I must bear waiting for a month and so for my orders.
   
   My advice, you always can give your book collections to your kids when you no longer need them.



5. Wonderful book with all sorts of tips and techniques. Being a novice, I found so much that I will rely on over and over again. Well written, with many pictures as well that are just beautiful. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to get into doll making.

5 comments about How to Carve Wood: A Book of Projects and Techniques (Fine Woodworking Book).

1. still not worth the money, go on line, alot better info on the web, its free and save the money for your tools. tim



2. As a beginner, I appreciated the breadth of topics covered in the book, particularly the various styles of carving. This was my introduction to chip carving, and I think he covered it quite well. Sharpening is also covered, but I'd already bought "The Complete Guide to Sharpening" by Leonard Lee (of Lee Valley & Veritas) and found that to be a most comprehensive source of information on that topic.



3. This is an excellent book that covers the fundamentals of carving plus adds great advice on what tools to purchase. Asked if I would buy this book again, my answer would be yes! I messed up on the rating of this book and I give it five (5) stars. Sorry!
   
   David Self, New Boston, Texas



4. To an experienced woodcarver this book may seem unfocused and thinly spread, but for the beginner it does exactly what it should do. The book begins with a good grounding in the tools of the craft and how to care for and sharpen each type. After that it gives you a sampler of carving styles with at least one project for each. It's guaranteed there is at least one or two chapters the reader will not care for. Even this is useful since the reader avoids launching into the craft with a project they really have little enthusiasm for, and then lose interest in wood carving all together. This book should be required reading before the beginner spends a single dime on tools, equipment, or wood. If it's not 'the' best beginner's book, it's in the top five.



5. A good general book on woodcarving. This book could be better if it didn't try to be all things for all people. There are better books for beginners out there for the money and more advanced carvers probably need to buy a book concentrating on their type of carving. I found it to be a little on the technical side and would have preferred a few more patterns for each type of carving.

   My favorite sections were on finishes, sharpening, and the tool section. There are numerous photographs of some beautiful examples of the various types of carving. The author does show some very useful carving techniques in most of the carving styles.

   Sections include tools, sharpening, woods and finishes, design, whittling, chip carving, relief carving, wildlife carving, lettering, archatectural carving, and a bibliography.

5 comments about Modeling the Head in Clay (Practical Craft Books).

1. An excellent learning tool for the amatuer or professional. Illustrated with many photographs of the processess, as well as finished work, this book is both instructional and motivational.



2. This book is helpful in some ways. If you like to learn by watching, you will probably get a lot out of this book. It is basically a series of photos of the author sculpting a head from start to finish, with very little written instruction or insights. However, the photos are informative and the iterations are reasonably well spaced. This is really the kind of book that you will want to flip through before you buy it. Amazon has a great price, but you may want to flip through it in a library or store before you purchase it, as it may or may not fit your learning style.
   
   I must say, you will want to take the 5 star reviews with a grain of salt. I've always thought that just liking something isn't a good enough reason to give it a perfect review. I like this book, but it certainly isn't God's Gift to the student of sculpture. If you buy it just based on all the 5 star reviews, you may be disappointed.



3. A step by step tutorial showing how the artists creates the most life like head in clay. Another great sculpture technique book . Highly recommended.



4. The artist hands block some of the view of the work that needs to done.



5. This book is the best instruction tool and reference for everyone wanting to learn to form a realistic bust in clay. I keep going back and further " seeing" forms I didnt recognise previously.Highly recommended for all sculptors.Thank goodness for Bruno!

5 comments about Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years.

1. Besides the extraordinary contents of the book, I was surprised by the correct and coherent service of delivery. Nice.



2. I saw the exhibit at the New York MOMA and it was moving and breathtaking. I purchased the book afterwards from Amazon and was pretty disappointed by the pictures in the text. The black and white photos do not capture the essence or intrinsic qualities of the steel that Serra used. Further, the picture quality itself was poor, often out of focus or just a cheap job on printing. Perhaps the author just wanted to focus on the bare forms of the works. But the quality of the pages and prints are not what I'd expect from an exhibit at the MOMA.



3. This book is a stunning collection of Richard Serra's work over the years. Truly an American master. I am always intrigued by the choice to do Serra in black and white, but it works. I consider this book an essential addition to my collection of art texts.



4. This is the catalogue for the current Serra exhibition at the Moma in NY. Divided into four chapters, the first being an interview of the artist, the second focusing on the early works, the third on "Serra's abstract thinking" and the fourth on his sculptures in landscapes, it is a high-quality survey of the work of possibly the greatest sculptor alive.
   
   The text is profound and scholarly, which makes this publication a valuable tool for art students and teachers.
   
   However, the quality of the reproductions, all in black and white, could have been better: color photographs would have enabled the reader to see the interplay between sculptures and light and, of course, the effect of rust, both elements which, I think, are important in Serra's works.



5. the book brings a compreensive review on richard serra's work.
   it is fully illustrated with plenty of great photos but, unfortunatelly, all of them came in black and white.
   nice book!

5 comments about Complete Origami: An A-Z facts and folds, with step-by-step instructions for over 100 projects.

1. This book is not what I expected. Instead of a collection of origami patterns, it's more of a collection of folding trivia, history, and folding projects, everything from paper cranes to how to put a cloth diaper on a baby.
   
   It is set up A-Z, with at least one entry for every letter of the alphabet. If you are looking strictly for a book of patterns, this is not for you. If you want to find out about the history and quirky side of origami, go for it!



2. I had this book when I was 5 or 6 and absolutely adored it. I lost it and found interest in it again when I sat for an origami class and was reminded of it. The instructions are really easy to follow and there are great models for all ages.



3. The directions in this book can be hard to follow. I don't think there are 100 great projects in this book. Maybe 10? This book is pretty disappointing.



4. I bought this book to learn some simple things to fold in a Kindergarten I used to work in, and it was an instant success! I was sat at the table for hours folding frogs and boats to the kids, and they seemed to really enjoy the creations! This is a great book for parents and pre-school teachers, and it is a great way to learn a little bit about geometry too. Some of the models are difficult to understand, but folding is about taking your time. A great way of finding a corner of peace in our rush-hour lifestyle!



5. If you're looking for nice models to fold, this is not the book you'll want. Instead, if you have some experience with folding and would like to understand the more advanced books and articles you may find on the Internet, you will appreciate the information provided by Complete Origami. As a glossary, it defines most words and concepts of Origami, and the projects complement nicely the definitions.

3 comments about Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination.

1. I ordered this book for my husband's birthday and he was estatic. By far it is the best book we own. The many visuals are breathtaking. The text takes you into a wonderful journey. Highly recommended



2. Better late than never, & well worth the wait. Beautiful reproductions, some of which I'd never seen before, illustrate all facets of Cornell's brilliant, quirky career. This was supposed to have been the catalog for the retrospective that began it's rounds last year (I believe) but did not appear until long after it had left the Smithsonian. There are other books out there, but this one is the best I've seen thus far. If you are a fan, an assemblage or collage artist, this is the new bible chronicling the life of the artist with whom those techniques have become synonymous.



3. This catalogs and comments on the wonderful display of Cornell's work, on tour at the time of this writing. I had known Cornell's work only by reputation (and a certain amount of urba myth) before seeing that display. It stunned me; I've never had such a strong response to any other collection, ever. Although Cornell worked in several formats, his "shadow boxes" earned his reputation. Each one is a world in itself, filled with mystery and meaning.
   
   This dense book presents photos of the works in that tour, along with extensive commentary and biographical notes. The collection's boxes appear, of course, along with Cornell's work in two other categories: collage, and works that I'll call "albums." I admit that collage, even when exceptionally well done, generally doesn't move me. Collage elements enhance his boxes but do not, to my taste, stand well on their own. I found the albums tantalizing, though. Each one collected "natural" images from the popular media, collage, and Cornell's surrealist writings, all loose, in some kind of storage case. They were meant to create a unique experience for each viewer, changing in sequence, organization, and juxtaposition each time the pages' order changed. Displays under glass preserved the artworks, but blocked the museum-goer from experiencing the albums as they were meant to be experienced. I envy the preparators and curators who got the direct experience of this art in preparing the display.
   
   Unfortunately, this book's photographic representation of the albums also blocks the experience that Cornell intended - but I'd rather have the fixed depiction than none at all. The fixed and 2D representation of the dynamic and 3D boxes gives the same sense: a pale shadow of the boxes' magical presence. This book does as well as can be hoped, but no book can replicate the subtle optics and shifting perspectives of the original objects.
   
   I've only sampled this book's profuse text. If you can't see the originals, the commentary helps bring them to life. Notes on Cornell's career, times, and friendships also cast informative light on the works and how they arose. The gorgeous photos are so distracting, though, that I keep wandering away from the text. If you've seen the show, this will remind you of what you saw (there was so much), and deepen your appreciation of it. If you haven't, it will make you wish you did.
   
   -- wiredweird

5 comments about The Beginner's Handbook of Woodcarving: With Project Patterns for Line Carving, Relief Carving, Carving in the Round, and Bird Carving.

1. If you need an overview of woodcarving and were not very picky about the need for step by step assistance, this book would work for you. It does go over the basic cuts and offers text on a variety of topics in wood carving, i.e. types of woodcarving, tools, materials, painting, etc. It provides a number of patterns, many of them fairly cheesy and probably would not appeal to most starting out. There is a nice selection of bird patterns, but not much pictoral instructions on how to carve them. You would probably be better off with a different beginner's book with more appealing projects and then find books on specific woodcarving interests from there.



2. Like many beginning woodcarving books this book describes the basic cuts you need to practice and it gives some information on wood types. Beyond that, the only reason to purchase this book is if you need the patterns in them.
   
   Being new to wood carving I like the price of the book and I thought I would give it a try. Once I saw the patterns though, I changed my mind and bought another book. This is just a matter of taste but the cutesy mouse and the fisherman weren't what I wanted to carve and I feel that you really need to find carvings that interest you (especially while you are learning) to prevent boredom. Once again, if the patterns on the cover look interesting to you, then by all means get this book (if you are a complete beginner).



3. After reviewing the book, I returned it. I would guess that there is an audience out there that want to carve cutsey figurines but, ugh! Who would want them around the house? I have several carving books from which I have gleaned useful information but, frankly, this is subject matter deserving of a video demonstration. Until you see how a carver twists, turns, and taps the chisel to accommodate the grain of the wood, I just don't think you are going to get it. Not at least without chewing up a lot of valuable wood as the masters do doubt have.
   
   That said I have to take responsibility for my bad judgement in selecting this book as the author/publisher provided ample glimpses to the interior pages. So, my bad.



4. A terrific beginner book with lots of variety in types of carving. I've added it to my collection of references.



5. I am a carver -- mantle pieces and such -- and bought the book for a young man who wanted to try his hand at carving. It covers all the basics and even has some great patterns.