Book Description

The 72 dragon patterns included in this guide cover all of the major types and traditions and can be used in a wide variety of media, including woodworking, quilting, painting, illustration, and computer graphics. The basics of dragon anatomy are covered, as are the details of dragon design, such as fire, scales, and fins. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Greatest pattern book ever!
I am a fantasy artist and I use alot of patterns. This book is the greatest. It has an editorial section on dragons, section on basic anatomy, scale work, dragon lore and lots of other helps plus tons of great patterns. The patterns are large and well drawn. The book is large, the cover and pages are thick and good quality paper. I would strongly nudge anyone that is into crafts, hobbies, art to buy this book. It is well worth the mony+. I also give her other book "Great Book of Fairy Patterns" the same rave. Do youself a favor and buy her books. ... Read more

Book Description

There's nothing more inspiring than a glimpse into the artistic lives of the country's best contemporary watercolor painters. With page after page of gorgeous artwork covering every conceivable subject matter, Splash 8: Watercolor Discoveries:

* Showcases nearly 140 paintings by about 100 top artists from around the country

* Gives readers takeaway advice with every piece of artwork--these "discoveries" cover both practical and creative breakthroughs made by the featured artists

* Includes popular mixed-media work, as well as translucent watercolor

Whether they're art lovers or full-fledged painters, readers won't want to miss the latest installment in this popular series! ... Read more

Book Description

A magnificent selection of drawings by one of the greatest artists of the seventeenth century

For the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640), drawing was a fundamental activity. Ranging from delightful renderings of children and elegant portraits of noblemen and women to vigorous animal studies and beautiful landscapes, Rubens’s drawings are renowned for their superb quality and variety.

This exquisite book presents—in beautiful full-color reproductions—more than one hundred of the finest and most representative of Rubens’s drawings, from private and public collections around the world. Essays by Anne-Marie Logan and Michiel C. Plomp provide overviews of Rubens’s career as a draftsman and of the dispersal of his drawings among collectors after his death. The authors discuss the various functions of Rubens’s drawings as preparatory studies for paintings, sculpture, architecture, prints, and book illustrations. The volume also includes a sampling of the artist’s early anatomical studies and copies after antique sculpture as well as several sheets by other artists that Rubens retouched, restored, or reworked.

This publication accompanies an exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (January 14 to April 3, 2005)—the most comprehensive exhibition of Rubens’s drawings ever held in the United States.

Anne-Marie Logan is Guest Research Curator and Michiel C. Plomp is Associate Curator in the Department of Drawings and Prints at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.


... Read more

Reviews (9)

A literary, absorbing work
In Bright Earth, science writer Philip Ball presents a fine guide that examines the practical side of art throughout history. From its gains from technological advancements to cultural influences on art directions, Bright Earth surveys how color is invented, reinvented, and presented. A literary, absorbing work.

Historical review about color pigments
If you have a deep interest in color and how pigments and materials have been developed or discovered this is a book to read. There are only a few illustrations and lots of text, it is not a light book to read cover to cover. It is not a handbook and not a book of facts, its more like a history book.

I value the effort put in the book, but it wasn't exactly what I expected and I won't read it twice.

History of color and pigment!
Great art requires talent, hard work, and a singular vision-and it doesn't hurt to have a chemistry set nearby. So demonstrates prolific science-writer Ball (Stories of the Invisible, p. 910, etc.) in this remarkable examination of color in all its glory: physical, chemical, and cultural. Resolutely nonreductivist, Ball looks closely at the practical side of art throughout history: at the early-19th-century technological advances, for example, that made Impressionist trompes l'oeil possible ("after a half-century of some of the most dramatic innovations in pigment manufacturing that visual art had ever seen, the stage was set for the plot to take a new direction"), and at the range of color choices available to the painters of the early Renaissance. But he is just as concerned with examining the cultural and personal side of art, and his text offers data aplenty on such matters as how the ancient Romans carved up the color spectrum ("there is no Latin word for brown or gray, but this does not imply that the Roman artists did not use brown earth pigments"); how a Pacific islander sees the world with a differently tuned eye from that of, say, a Scandinavian; and how modern visual artists are busily remapping the old, inadequate Newtonian rainbow scale with the aid of digital technology. Though Ball, a chemist, is more inclined toward scientific description than aesthetic judgment, he is quick to point out that although science has always accompanied artistic advances, it is "a mistake to assume that the history of color in art is an accumulation of possibilities proportional to the accumulation of pigments"-and a mistake to overvalue science at the expense of art in general. Ball has devoured whole libraries to turn out this work, and though there are a couple of puzzling silences (Goethe, that great theorist of color and art, isn't much heard from, for instance), Ball's study is an altogether pleasing embarrassment of riches. A welcome addition to any artist's-or art lover's-library.

interesting science, poor art history
If you are a painter, or other artist interested in science you should get this book. This is the only book I have seen that focuses on the history of pigment, especially in relation to painting. And the book starts with a useful overview of the physics and physiology of color, though there are many other books that go into more detail on that subject.

Why isn't this book worth 5 stars? The art historical sections that situate the artists are shallow, trite, and full of clichés. I get the sense that the author researched the artists for this book, and regurgitated some of these notes. Great art history requires the meditation of a lifetime.

I recommend "The Renaissance Artist at Work", by Cole, to dispel the notion that art historians do not care about materials. I recommend "The Nude", by Kenneth Clark, as a book that manages to say something profound in nearly every paragraph. I also recommend buying "The Bright Earth", it is the best book I have found on this topic.

color the old fashioned way
ball's theme is disarmingly simple: that the history of western art can be illuminated by the history of the physical substances used to create color.

ball explains very early that his materialistic approach has often been disparaged by artists, who do not want to be seen as mere craftsmen but as visionaries and poets. his reply is simply that the luxury of buying premade paints is a relatively new phenomenon; before this century artists almost always made their own paints and for that reason understood in great detail the best ways to use them for permanency and color effects. ball describes these uses in great detail, in artists as diverse as titian, cezanne and yves klein, and the insights he provides into painting techniques are fascinating.

trained as a physicist and chemist, ball understands the scientific aspects of color perception and pigment manufacture, and has mastered the basics of how these are used in artworks; better yet, he can describe all these facts clearly and enjoyably, with vivid images and graceful writing. i found a few details that struck me as inaccurate or incorrectly interpreted, but as a whole the book is extremely reliable and informative, a testament to careful research and editing.

ball's book is well worth reading along with john gage's "color and culture" (a book ball quotes with approval), which focuses on the social and intellectual aspects of color in art. ball's title might be "pigment and technique," since he shows that the continual appearance of new pigments opened up new technical problems, and technical possibilities, for artists to work on. this is still a relatively new approach to art history and art interpretation, but it is gaining influence: see for example james elkins's "what painting is" for a free interpretation of the parallels and points of contact between painting and alchemy. ... Read more

Book Description

An inspirational guide to drawing and painting the fairy realm, this enchanting book looks at the origins and development of fairy art, and draws upon a wide range of art, literature, mythology, and folklore surrounding fairies. Readers are shown how to invoke the fairy spirit and bring to life the nymphs, sprites, and sylphs of a fabled realm. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step illustrations and photographs enable beginning artists to recreate flower fairies, celestial spirits, and mischievous dark fairies, as well as learn how to capture exquisite detail such as delicate wings and sheer gowns. Artists learn how to turn their brush into a wand and create an entire fairy kingdom in watercolor, the dreamiest medium with which to convey the spirit and nature of these fairy folk. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Could stand a lot of improvement
I've used a number of For Dummies books and have been very impressed, but this one is a bit of a let-down. I'm returning to drawing after years away and was hoping this would provide a bit of a refresher course, but so far I've only found it moderately useful.

The book has a number of strengths, including a positive attitude that's important for beginners to latch on to in order to avoid discouragement. The author is also great technician with the pencil, particularly where realistic portraits are concerned. Not everyone will warm to her fairly cold, analytical, draftsman-like style, though.

Despite those strengths, there are too many flaws in this book to make it a first recommendation:

* There's not enough info on materials and tools.

* The drawing reproductions are mostly way too small to learn from. They're fine for inspiration (or intimidation!) but won't much help you emulate the author's technique.

* The main focus is on the author's speciality of portraiture. You'll find some really interesting info there, but it would have been nice to see equal attention paid to landscapes, animals, still lifes, comic book and cartoon art, etc. As it is, they're totally ignored or covered so briefly as to be of little use.

* Instructions are vague. The author does some great texture and shading work with cross-hatching but never adequately describes _specifically_ how to do it for the different types of exercises and drawings. Why not tell us what pencil you're using when, why you choose certain stroke directions and lengths, etc.?

* The author totally ignores blending in favor of cross-hatching for shading. You can do great work with either technique, so why pretend one widely used method doesn't exist? Blending is particularly important for super-realistic renderings and portraits. Almost without exception, the very best pencil portraits I've seen have been created with blending.

Don't get me wrong: this isn't a bad book, just not all it could be. Hopefully a second edition will get it all right.

A great way to start learning to draw
I got a bit of an "artistic bug" a while back and thought I'd try learning drawing techniques - so far I had been able to take a standard #2 pencil and do some pretty horrid sketches on copier paper, but that's about it.

Drawing for Dummies is, as another reviewer states, like a classroom in a book.
Throwing you right into your first simple drawing project in Chapter 1, she talks about the types of pencils and erasers you should be using (before getting this book I had no idea that you could buy different types of pencils to get different shades of darkness, or that with a kneaded eraser you could lighten an area and not completely erase it).
She then talks about how to see as an artist - how to see the lines in objects, different levels of shading are, etc.
Also covered is how to create the illusion of 3 dimensions using shading, how to shade using hatching and crosshatching, how to create textures in pencil, and there is a chapter devoted to perspective.
And that's not all!
The author then covers composition, sketching and sketchbooks, how to draw from memory, drawing still lifes, and drawing animals.
There is also an entire section of the book devoted to drawing portraits, starting with babies (as they are allegedly easier to draw than adults) and then moving through childhood and to adulthood.
Although she doesn't cover them quite as in depth as the other subjects, she also touches on things such as gridding, preservation of your drawing, your work area, cartooning, and how to develop your own style.
There are drawing exercises through almost every concept, and several "bonus" exercises are included in the back of the book.

The only issues I had with this book were that when it comes to shading, hatching and crosshatching are the only types it covers (or even acknowledges). Hatching is not the only, nor the most popular, form of shading, and although I'm sure it depends on the artist I'd have to say it's not the easiest either - some coverage of blending techniques would have been nice.
I was also frustrated starting out because it was very rare during the step-by-step drawing exercises that she states which pencil you should be using for what. After enough practice it becomes somewhat natural, but when first starting out it would have been nice to see "Use your 2B pencil for the shading under the wings."

All in all though this is an incredible book, definately the best of all the drawing books I've looked through at the book stores (and there are a lot of drawing books out there!).

this is the best for study to draw fast
i bought a lots of books and most of them was not pratical as this books. this books include all the subjects need to start draw . this is the only book need if you like to study to draw
for hobby and more.

An Art Course in one book
This is the best book on drawing I have ever seen. I was searching for an art book to help with some aspects of drawing I was having trouble with. This book went far beyond that. It is like an art course in one book. There are many other good art books out there which do the same thing, but the book is laid out in the familiar Dummies style, which is easy to read, and great to use as a reference book. The book includes all facets of drawing: line drawing, light and shadows, patterns and textures, perspective, elements of composition, drawing still lifes, plants, animals, landscapes, people (including babies), cartooning, as well as information about setting up your own studio, developing your own drawing style, crossing over from drawing to painting, as well as other information helpful to artists. The author's style is very entertaining, and she encourages anyone to try drawing. There are tons of pictures throughout the whole book, as well as about thirty projects to try. Whether this is your first attempt at drawing, or an experienced artist, this book is an excellent choice for any artist. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Radiant color is not merely joyously prevalent in Mexico, it is part of the national psyche. According to this energetic celebration of Mexican style, "the color that floods Mexico's streets and plazas, markets and homes (and the pages of this book) is language and metaphor--a form of communication, deeply bound to experience. Day and night, birth and death, rich and poor, feast and famine: color is always there. Earth, sky, and history conspire to make it so." The profusion of multihued walls, tiles, ceramics, textiles, and folk art that fill the home; the riotous juxtapositions ofvivid foods, flowers, supplies, and accessories that comprise the spectacle of the marketplace; the vibrant details that define everything from facades to clothing to handpainted toys--the Mexican obsession with color is everywhere, as is strikingly documented in this lively book. --Amy Handy ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A lot of ideas for my new home
I was (and still am) searching for books, information and pictures of mexican architecture and color. This book was helpful for me, and also brought back great memories of my two trips to Mexico. This country is amazingly beautiful and rich in cultural heritage, and in my search for rustic/mexican ideas that I can adapt to the design of my new hacienda-type home, I found that the book satisfied me with all the beautiful pictures portraing the real Mexico. A must have for mexican citizens living outside the country, and Mexico freaks (like me) as well.

Mexico lindo/Beautiful Mexico
Having travelled through most of the states of Mexico, witnessing the enchanting colorful culture firsthand I can say this book captures the essence and beauty of Mexico lindo. It reminds the viewer of the places and people of Mexico in all their colorful splendor. What traveler through Mexico can forget the mercado (outdoor maketplace)experiece with the aromas and color blending for an intoxicating mixture that stays with you for a lifetime? It is all captured here in this brilliantly colored book. An inspirational book for the artist as well, the splashes of color jump from the pages into one's imagination for new ideas based on centuries old traditions. Although the fantastic color photographs are the highlight of this magnificnet book, the text is equally as good and highly informative. Little known tidbits abound. Take for example the centuies old technique of hanging cactus upside down to attract cochineal bugs. The bugs are then crushed to extract a wonderful red dye for wool rugs. Nothing is wasted, the bugs are sun dried or toasted on a griddle and mixed with lime after being crushed to a powder. The 21 chapters cover all aspects of Mexican life and each deserves the utmost attention since the detail given to each is exquisite. Nearly half of the chapters are dedicated to some aspect of the home, whether the garden, renovated haciendas or charming homes away from home for the traveler, the peeks into the places of rest are magnificent. The section featuring four artists homes is fabulous. There is one particular chapter that I love most, it is simply entitled wood. Here one will find marvelous wood creations, including masks and furniture as well as the famous wood carvers from Oaxaca, who create whimsical, colorful animals that defy conventional conceptions. There are other places to find wood creations as they are featured throughout the book in one form or another. This book demands to viewed over and over. This is one not to be shelved but to be kept handy for reference or inspiration. I would highly recommened this book to anyone who loves the old world culture that is Mexico. It is one of my favorite books that I cherish, a special gift that I view often, colorful memories rekindled and brought to life again and again.

Sunglasses Required!
Put your sunglasses on (make sure there prescription, the font is really small) and get ready to feast your eyes on 176 pages of brilliant, intense colours. The book covers most aspects of the Mexican lifestyle and shows how colour is integrated into every part of their lives.

I had thought that the pictures where the leftovers from the authors other book, Mexicasa: The Enchanting Inns and Haciendas of Mexico, but this book seems to have been published first.

If you buy either one of these books, make sure you check out the binding really good, and keep your receipt. The bindings seem to be very poor and may totally fail before your half way through the book.

When I opened the book, I was like a kid in a candy shop.
Brilliant! Vivid! Alive! An optical tease, each chapter, every trichromatic photograph, allures you sensually. Walls, kitchens and tiles blaze with vibrant colors. This isn't a book that you read as much as it is a book that you experience. You will find yourself slowly flipping through the book, not once , but many times. Each time your visual senses will be stimulated. If you are thinking of redecorating in pulsing colors then this book is a must buy.

My decoration/collection bible
I ADORE this book!!!! I have poured over it SO MUCH that the spine is cracked open on certain pages. Masako's love for Mexico, the people, the artesania, the "flavor" of Mexican life (well detailed in her husband's book "On Mexican Time") comes screaming through loud and clear on every page. I am an AVID collector/aficionado of all Mexican folk art, handicrafts and artesanias, and this book is virtually my decorating bible. Well worth every cent I spent on it and so much more!

The only flaws (for me)are the chapters on Modern Mexican Architecture and the artists' homes- WAY too modern, as far as I'm concerned, and they do NOT blend with the rest of the book!!!!! However, I have LONG ceased to let those chapter ruin my enjoyment of this simply INCREDIBLE book- I simply skip over them, refuse to look at them, and revel in everything else in the book. My only REAL regret is that she doesn't hurry and come out with MORE books, MORE often!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

When it comes to capturing the beauty of the great outdoors, it's the composition that really makes or breaks a landscape painting. Accomplished artist Barbara Nuss takes all the guesswork out of the equation with this indispensable guide.

She shows artists how to simplify, arrange and refine what they see in the natural world to create a truly great painting. The book is divided into 14 chapters to cover each of the core design formats for landscape paintings.

Within each section, readers will find easy-to-follow exercises, thumbnail sketches, photos and other helpful tools. Many of the composition topics are accompanied by complete painting demonstrations. Readers will come away with all the knowledge they need to link real-world nature scenes with these 14 essential compositions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must-Have for Landscape Artists!
"Formulas" is such an unfortunate word to put on anything creative. Disregard it. This book is a treasure!

NOT ONLY does it break composition down into 14 loose suggestions that will help you organize your paintings and bring your viewers into them, BUT it also tells you what to pack for plein air sketching, how to photograph the setting once you're there, and how to simplify, simplify, simplify and rearrange what it is you see so it will translate onto the canvas.

Landscape painting isn't about painting what you see. That's why God created cameras. A painting instructor once told me: "You don't paint a tree; you paint a symbol of a tree." Therein lies all the difference in the world, and Barbara goes into the same thing from a slightly different direction here. LIGHTBULB MOMENTS ABOUND!

In addition, there's Barbara's paintings on display. Though she paints more realistically than I do, I would still turn the pages and say, "Oh!" because it's gorgeous stuff.

And she shows you how you can do gorgeous stuff, too. Thank you, Barbara Nuss!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Starts out well enough but loses momentum
The beginning of this book and the idea behind it are simple and straightforward: behind every object you see there is some "skeletal" figure made of simple geometric shapes - the cube, the cone, the cylinder and the sphere. If you know how to draw these and string them together you can in theory make any drawing you want. Sounds simple, right? Well, it is. Only the book doesn't fully realize its potential.
The first part of the book which deals with these basic shapes, how to draw them, shade them, etc ... starts out well enough. But by the time the author reaches the more advanced subjects, such as drawing nature, portraits and the human figure the book degenerates into yet another book filled with the author implicitly saying, "look at how well I can draw!", filling pages upon pages with finished, beautiful drawing a beginner can never hope to achieve. For example: when discussing feet and hands, the author provides two drawings of the foot and briefly tells the student he should observe the foot and note its proportions. Really? And I thought I should stand on my head and sing the star spangled banner. Sorry for the sarcasm, but that is not an acceptable way of teaching how to draw the foot.
Another example: when discussing figure drawing the author does not explain the figure's anatomy. Rather he says how he has followed his 14 years old daughter around the house and drew her in various natural positions. The reader is then presented with the final sketches, which by the way are very beautiful sketches. How did he achieve them? What are the principles he followed? How should one go about practicing sketching people? That the book does not reveal.
It seems to me the main problem of this book is that it tries to do too much - portraits, still life, landscapes, charcoal, wash, all in one short book? The more topics you choose to cover, the less space you can devote to each. I think it would have been much better had the author devoted more space to basic issues such as perspective, shading and textures, rather than rush headlong into complex topics. As it stands I cannot be sure whether it is intended for absolute beginners or advanced students.
In short, this may be a good source for inspiration or for tips for people on many levels, but definitely not your main source of information.

A good reference, and overall view of drawing
This is a good reference. The figure drawing section is well developed and good for the beginner. The book covers Still Life, Landscape, Perspective and Composition, Lighting, and Materials and various strokes/charcoal, pencil, etc. The foundation of the methodology in this book is its use of geometrical shapes (cones, cubes, triangles), reminiscent of Luca Cambiosa in the 16th Century. Then the book moves on to more advanced drawing/painting with Wash, Opaque, Acrylics and Ink. It's a good buy at this price, and a welcome addition to the artists shelf. [But if you're into Figure Drawing, also see #1 "Art of Drawing" -Willy Pogany, #2 "How to Draw The Human Figure" -Famous Artists School, and #3 "The Figure" -Walt Reed] Any of these figure drawing books, combined with "HOW TO DRAW WHAT YOU SEE" makes for an excellent combination in the home library.

Not as good as Edwards' "Drawing on the Right Side ..."
This book isn't nearly as user-friendly, informative, or practical as Betty Edwards' classic, the new edition of "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain." I'd advise getting that instead of this one.

Drawing Drugdery
If you are an uncommonly patient and detail oriented person, who has a high threshold for tedium, this is the book for you. Yes it does go over basic shapes, etc. Chances are, if you are trying to learn out of a book and not making the commitment to take some art classes or find an instructor, then you will likely get bored drawing pages and pages of geometric shapes. ( I would also clarify that you are likely to get bored with this even if you take a class.)

Some art instructors are like drill sargeants and will bully their students through weeks of these sorts of drills. While they have merit, almost everything has some merit, the student who is just beginning on their own, or hobbyist is likely to find these drills discouraging.

A series of warm up sketches, getting a feel for the whole page and learning to work the page altogether is a much better start, while keeping in mind, shading and proportions, which you no doubt learn through so many other beginner exercises. Immersing oneself in these geometric grinds at the start is unnecessary self sacrifice, similar to learning to drive by starting with a class in how to change the valves on its motor.

Not Very Good for the complete newbie
I found the first few chapters to be pretty good but the drawings were too advanced for a complete beginner like me.
Well it's not that a beginner can't do them it's just that they take FOREVER to complete correctly. I felt better having some initial success and building confidence on much less complex and complete drawings like some other books do. It does do a good job of explaining shading though which is why I gave it the 3rd star, it's worth the 11 bucks but is more useful in addition to several other beginner books on the subject, I would read the first few chapters and practice them then do another beginners book and come back for the last few chapters a few months later if I could doit all over again. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

excellant book for experienced watercolor painters
No matter what anybody says, watercolor painting is difficult. There are many instructional books out on the market that says they can help you become an excellant painter in ??? easy lessons. It just doesn't work that way. You can become a profecient painter by learning the basic techniques and,most important,paint, paint, and paint some more. Nita Engle has written a book that allows you to add some fun and spice to the time you paint,paint,and paint some more. Nita is a very respected teacher and painter and if you can't arrange to go to one of her workshops, buy this book! The effects Nita has evolved is amazing and she clearly explains how to get these effects. This book won't turn you into a wonderful painter in ?? easy lessons, but if you are a watercolor painter this is one book you'll use for years. Don't miss it!

Experimental Techniques in watercolor by Nita Engle
This is a must have book for the library of any watercolor artist! Nita Engle has been in the business for years and has the added advantage of being a very popular workshop teacher. If you can't attend her workshop, buy this book! I am a professional portrait artist whose husband is also an artist specializing in watercolors. Don't look for portraits in this book-look for some of the most amazing watercolor landscapes to be found in any book! This lady explains with no holds barred! Everything is detailed with a wonderful carefree banter. She is comfortable in her medium and her attitude. The many photos are outstanding! We were captivated by this book as there are too many wishy washy watercolor books out there with no real subject matter. We are quite critical of "how to" books that don't have any "how to" in them. If you are serious about watercolor and are ready for some major changes, then realize that this book won't sit on your shelf. You will be immediately rewarded with that artistic excitement that comes with the discovery of a new method or skill in which to energize your work! This is a gem and we speak from our experiences of years of making a living as artists!

One of my favorate
I've got this book about a year ago. Still read and re read it.
Nita Engle gives you an unusual, fantastic and very fresh look at the world. She also asks a very important question: what would you do if you really could express your self in Art without having any difficulties? This question, and the answer, was improtant for me. When i'm getting tired from my mistakes i simply open this book and remind myself that watercolor has endless possibilities and will give me lot's of happy hours... in the future. I only regret that the artist doesn't have any video's. I'm going to take a workshope.

Love her painting techniques.
I bought this book and showed it to my teacher. He loved it and asked me to purchase another book for him. If you find it difficult to paint trees with your brush, Ms.Engle shows you how to paint without a brush. It would never be difficult anymore.

WAY TOO HARD FOR A BEGINNER!!
MUCH TO MUCH HARD FOR A BEGINNER AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND A LOT TO BUY IT. ... Read more

Book Description

The secrets of color vibration healing. A practitioner's manual for restoring blocked energy to the body systems with specific color wave lengths. By the founder of The 49th Vibrational Technique. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Color Medicine
It's a well written book, but so it should be, based on all the information that is taken from Dinshahs'initial work on light therapy over 50 years ago. You can get copies of Dinshahs' material "cheap" from their website... Dinshahs' work was well ahead of its time. It's too bad certain organizations are"still" threatened by his work even though it was an array of doctors who had written most of the original testimonials backing up his work. "Color Medicine" is mostly Dinshahs' work with some good added info. on the healing powers of sound. It's nice to know a modern book acknowledges Dinshahs' work as opposed to many other "Color" books that don't.

Color Medicine
Excellent book. Easy to understand and use.

Short and to the point.
This book expains color and it's use for healing. How colors effect us, and how they can be used for the betterment of man. What I really like about this book is that he tells specifically how to use color for healing. Alot of books just give you theory, without instructions on how to accomplish, what is being talked about. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A college Fine Arts Major's dream come true!!
This book covers the structural anatomy with pin-point accuracy. Though this isn't really an anatomy book by title, by examining Prud'hon's structural techniques, one can easily see all of college's artistic anatomy classes in one of his graphics. ... Read more

Book Description

Artists and creatives of all kinds who are looking for new ways to liberate their artistic imagination will love this book. Readers are invited to playfully explore various aspects of visual art, such as light, color, texture and design through a series of imaginative art projects. Artists will experiment hands-on with dozens of techniques and mediums in new and unconventional ways including: * Capturing whites with crayon and wax resist * Glazing and floating colors * Portraying the patterns of nature with sedimentation and precipitation * Loosening up with gesso painting and printing with plastic * Constructing a new piece of art from old work * Experimenting with three-dimensional assemblage * Creating a street map In addition, artists are prompted to challenge their imaginations by building new painting surfaces, creating their own personal symbols and more. Further inspiration can be found in a gallery of work by more than 30 contributing artists. Celebrate Your Creative Self is a fun, no-fail guide every artist should have. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great exercises, misleading title
Like the other reviews state, this exercises in this book are great; in many ways, it IS a workshop in a book. However, I think the title, the subtitle in particular, is slightly misleading. There isn't much in this book to really "unleash the artist within." Instead, the exercises provide more of a "how to" achieve this or that effect. If you want a book to tell you how to create paintings using a less than "normal" technique, this is the book for you; if you want a book, to "unleash the artist within," I would keep looking.

Get It!
Everything in this book is fabulous: pictures, instructions, suggestions. . .It's like having a workshop in your home to attend when you have a few moments.

No Experience Necessary!!
Even if you are not entirely sure which end of a paintbrush goes into the paint, with this book you can learn to create a painting in an afternoon which will convince your friends you've got an M.F.A. If you've ever bought art supplies and books and not used them because you felt you could not create satisfactory representational images, give yourself a break and try these techniques of meaningful abstraction. Compared to the cost of a workshop, this book is inexpensive and well worth every penny. It's packed with worthwhile content. I truly believe every person who loves art has all they need inside them to make great art themselves. It's not about expensive materials or years of education--which are great if you happen to be fortunate enough to have them--all you really need is the passion for color and paint. You don't even need a brush. Start where you are and go for it! P.S. That piece of stiff cardboard that comes in the bottom of your Amazon box makes a great painting support with some canvas taped to it!

A Workshop in a Book!
This book is a must for anyone wishing to explore different methods and ideas.The book is beautifully laid out and is a pleasure to look at.The artist presents her ideas in clear concise language with many good illustrations.I liked the small 'boxes' that contained suggestions or comments.There is also a helpfull list of materials used with each project.If you are unable to be at a workshop with Mary Todd Beame this is will help create one in your studio.It is a book that you will return to often for ideas and inspiration.

Simply Inspiring!
I've been a three dimensional artists for almost ten years, but have been intrigued by many other mediums of art for a long time. Mary Todd Beam's book is the best book I've seen to help you feel comfortable trying new techniques and inspire using these methods in your own unique way. When I got this book I couldn't put it down... it is now in my studio and I love the results from my experimentation. I highly recommend this book to both novice and accomplished artists. ... Read more

Book Description

If you are anime/manga collector or fan, you have had a burning desire to learn how to draw the popular characters by yourself.However, you may be worried that you cannot draw as well as people in art clubs or in cartoon clubs because drawing is difficult - don't worry, many people feel the same way.This series was written to help those who are interested in drawing, but are worried about the challenges involved with it.If you change the way you look at an object - even just a little, you can succeed. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Just as the title says.
Yeah, as the title says this is a book with just the basics.

It's not a step by step "how to draw" book as you would first think, it's rather a book on "test and learn", for example it shows a variety of characters and tells things like "separated eyes express lonelines, the small mouth expresses a delicate nature", so this book will only teach you how to design plain characters and it's wonderful for beginners like me; In no way must be considered a complete "How to Draw Anime" lesson, but its perfect for start cooking, even if you don't even know how to hold your pencil (that was my case some months ago when I bought it).

If you're a complete beginner buy this book, I gave it 5 stars because it helped me a lot, but keep this mind: drawing characters is one thing, to give life to them is something else... for that buy the Volume 2, or do some research.

Not exactly the basics...
This is an excellent book and all, it has improved my drawing a ton! There are plenty of examples to draw by (showing different kinds of characters including the cool looking comedian, the quiet hero, and the flirty school girl)
I'd say that the one problem would be the fact that it details how to put a pencil against a piece of paper and gives a bunch of warm-ups, but then immediatly goes to the examples. This book is mostly for those who draw flawed drawings and want to find tips (located in the back) or people who want to learn a little more on how anime works.
THIS IS NOT FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS! I REPEAT NOT FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS!

While good, this is not for complete beginners.
To begin, this is a good book. On first glance, it has a lot of detail and reference. It has excellent models, and wonderful in-depth descriptions.
It has a few big shortcomings, tho. Seeing as the title is "Basics for Beginners and Beyond" I thought that this would be the perfect book for me, seeing as I couldn't draw at all. After I got the book and started reading it, I realized that this is not the first book I should have bought. While this book does give great reference, it does not give step by step instructions. For those of you who are like me and cannot draw at all, you're going to want something a little more simplistic and instructive. This should be the *second* book you buy. (Three stars because this is NOT for complete beginners, as the title belies.

Fot total and complete beginners, I'd recommend that you buy How to Draw Manga by Katy Coope, ISBN 0439317452. It's extremely cheap, short and to the point. While it has it's own flaws, it was just what I needed and recommend for those of you who are just starting out. NEXT I'd recommend this book. Once you've gotten the simple skills from Katy Coope, then Tadashi Ozawa will show you a where to go with it.

Great book for beginners
This is the first in a the "How to Draw Anime & Game Characters" series of books, so obviously this one starts with the basics beginning with shapes and lines. With that done, it progressively moves on to how you adapt those techniques into making your characters body, parts of the body, and face. They show how to draw many different body sizes, eye shapes, hairstyles, hands, feet, and so on from different angles. They also have some areas that put a beginner, intermediate, and professional artists work side by side and examine the problem areas. A nice feature to help you prevent common (and not so common) mistakes. Overall, it's a great buy to those who want to draw anime.

this is a great book
I have just bought this book about a week ago and it improved my
drawing alot.I gave it a 4 star because it took me a while to under stand the book.I've been looking for a good how to draw book and this book is great.It is good for beginners and has alot of details.I will recomend this book to anyone that wants to draw anime. ... Read more

Book Description

Through clear, illuminating exercises, this best-selling book stimulates new ways to think about color, generating responses that unlock personal creativity and allow artists to express themselves with paint as never before.Readers are shown how the interplay of complementary hues can trigger vibrations; how the push and pull of warm and cool colors can create a feeling of space; how to disguise one color in a scene to accent another; and many more tidbits of colorful advice. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Must-Read for any watercolorist
The talented Jeanne Dobie does a lot of her work in the sun-drenched Florida Keys. While there are many good books on color and pigment, Dobie explains how light in a painting scene shifts moment by moment and how you have to be ready to capture that brilliant moment with the right palette.

The book gives advice on which colors to put in a limited palette for brilliance. (As anyone who has done watercolor even for a short time knows, there are hundreds of colors available, but when you MIX them, sometimes you get a flat, dull result that looks like mud on the paper.) Choosing a limited and CORRECT palette for the painting you are going to do is one of the most critical steps after creating the composition. Dobie includes important facts about which paints stain the paper (and cannot be lifted up again), which are transparent and can be used as a wash or glaze, and which paints are opaque. And if you follow the "purist" rule of no white paint, you learn how to leave the whites (use the paper for brilliant whites) and no black paint (which causes a visual hole in the paper.) Instead, Dobie shows the student painter how dark colors like brown or a visual black can be mixed that still look luminous and interesting on the paper. This is a very difficult technique to master--shadow detail can make or break a painting.

I disagree with one of her points, however, on mixing greens. While it is true that green pigments direct from the tube are far more brilliant and transparent than any you can mix, I find certain mixed greens from yellows and blues to be subtle for shadowed foliage, and sometimes the pure paint greens are jarring and unnatural to me. I tried to follow this "use unmixed" greens rule, and I end up mixing mine anyway, though I own many shades of green paints.

Of course, the best part of the book are the paintings. These are inspiring to the reader, but this author can also write and explain herself well. This book should be a standard on any watercolorist's shelf.

'Making Colors Sing' - Excellent!!!
'Making Colors Sing' by Jeanne Dobie is a reference book every watercolorist should own. This book is a helpful resource that can be read over and over again to examine color theory in depth. For anyone who would like to reach new levels in their paintings using color, Jeanne Dobie takes you on an adventure in color techniques and beyond with each exciting chapter. Her pictures are absolutely beautiful and she successfully achieves her goal in 'Making Colors Sing'. I only wish this book was available in hardcover because I am wearing my paperback version out! I look forward to the next book Jeanne may write on watercolor or art technique. This book was very helpful. Thanks a million.

Book is Excellent But Needs Updating
Jeanne Dobie's book was recommended in the watercolor class I took and at first when I looked at the pictures I was not interested as I do not care for Dobie's style as illustrated in the book and would never buy the book based on her work. However, after borrowing the teacher's copy I began reading the text and found the information valuable and useful after trying the suggested exercises. Dobie's book along with Tom Hill's The Watercolorist's Complete Guide to Color combine as excellent references for learing to use color pigments and making colors "sing" instead of making mud.

I am giving Dobie's book 1 instead of 5 stars as it seriously needs updating considering some of the pigments Dobie uses are not lightfast and the inclusion of more modern pigments that replace these non-lightfast pigments would be useful all considering the book was first published in 1986, which is 18 years ago. The lightfast references I am going by are Hilary Page and Michael Wilcox's books analyizing watercolor pigments.

Aside from Dobie's use of some outdated pigments (see handprint.com) the book is an excellent reference and her advice as to color mixing valuable.

outstandingly clear
Like the brilliant hues in her examples, Ms. Dobie's book is outstandingly clear and strong. Her logical, step-by-step examples give the lie to the notion that creative people can't explain their gift. She doesn't need to write another book because this says it all, but such an inspirational work makes you want to hear more. This book has prompted me to cull from my library books by other authors that now look dull after experiencing Making Color Sing.

She Tells You What's Behind The Magic
I am a learning watercolor artist and I read many books on the subject. This is one of a handful that I find to be particularly informative. While most art instruction books tell you what to do and how to do it, Jeanne Dobie patiently explains why. In other words, she tells you what is behind the magic.

For example, she says that you cannot get a good green by mixing any yellow and any blue, because, a yellow such as cadmium yellow contains some red and a blue such as ultramarine also contains some red, and the presence of red in green (the hoped-for color), which are complements on the color wheel, yields gray. Thus the resulting green is very muted. Explanations such as this are invaluable to me, because the underlying reasons she gives completely convinces me that she is right and the knowledge is extensible to other color combinations.

There are many such gems of knowledge in this book. Jeanne Dobie teaches you how to create not just contrast, but a "singing" combination of colors, and how to mix your own blacks and your own whites to achieve much more nuanced presentations. And there is much more.

Admittedly, some artists do not feel bound by these "rules" of color and can still produce very good art. Charles Reid comes to mind. For the rest of us, the wisdoms Jeanne Dobie shares in this book are an important part of an artist's knowledge base. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Hats off to Dan Mccaw!
Recommended by a friend, I must say that I was initially attracted to the paintings in this book and found my self just looking at the pictures. However, as I gradually began to read I saw what a wonderful, inspirational and entertaining writer Mc Caw is. He clearly has a talent for teaching equal to that of painting for throughout the book he draws wonderful parallels between art and life. This book also makes a fabulous gift! Perri T.-New Mexico

6 STARS
I am not wont to read instructional art books but... Dan Mccaw is tremendously clear in imparting his information while trying to get the reader to integrate his/her voice into the art. The superbly written text is clear, professional and heartfelt; Its obvious he is not your typical 'teaching czar' or 'formula' painter therefore the title can be misleading. Aside from this book being a constant easel-side reference, I often find myself just flipping through it to look at his beautiful art. Can't wait for volume 2.

A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art
Not only does this book address and embrace the basics of art but
also acknowledges the importance of developing individuality and creativity. I found this book to be sincerely written and easy to understand. I highly recommend it not only for his words but also his art

The Best Painting Instruction Book Ever
I loved this book. Dan McCaw is one of the best artists that I have ever seen....past and present. His words of inspiration and style of painting are remarkable. I learned more from this book than any art class that I have taken, or any art book that I have studied. I am happy with the paintings that I have accomplished with the help of Dan's book and I look forward to better paintings in the future using his instrution.

the Struggle
Anyone trying to interpret their own vision in expression will find this hands-on book: invaluable. Finally! Someone who can express abstruse ideas cohesively, as paint...and colour...and texture...and design! Pap-ist my ass :) Thanks again, Dan McCaw, and humbly, Siobhan. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A necessary book for advancement
This may not be the very best "first" book of drawing instruction, but it ranks among the books that any figure-drawing student must eventually study. When some satisfactory skill is achieved, read Hale. Hale is definitely not for the "drawing on the right side of my ambition" crowd.

Hale's credentials speak for themselves, and his work places him far beyond the herd of drawing authors that rely upon gimmicks such as catch-phrases such as YOGA, or ZEN, RIGHT-BRAIN, or INNER THIS or INNER THAT, in the title to push bland intruction to increase sales. Rather, Hale's work is striking because it reflects the singular focus of an artist who can teach figure drawing without mis-directing the student with irrelevancies.

Hale is also humble, in that he directs the student to genuine Masters of drawing: Durer, Rembrandt, Cambiaso, Rubens, Bruegel, da Vinci, Degas, and Carracci, rather than filling a book with his own drawings. He writes, on page 33:

"BY SIMPLY DRAWING A CUBE, you can understand some of the significance of line in creating the illusion of reality."

That is so refreshing because it stands in diametrical opposition to the DRAW-WHAT-YOU-FEEL genre of instruction which has become the fashion of the day. FIVE STARS is deserved.

michelangelo ,leonardo beware!
this is a wonderful must buy book by robert beverly hale , renowned art teacher,his understanding of the works of the great masters is truly astounding. what you can get from this book? all artists who wish to become masters of drawing the human figure can find a system to grade yourself for your entire lifetime compared to the great masters.that means you will never be easily satisfied by your own work, and you have the luxury of studying from a vast collection of drawings from almost all the well- known figure artists of the last six hundred years.each artist has his own strength and weakness . hale has very intelligently pointed out the strengths but misses out on the weaknesses thats where you got to have many more books on anatomy and drawing to cross refer and also finally you have to try identifying these strenghts and putting them down in your style while doing life drawing or imaginary drawing. you have to understand that we are at an advantage compared to all the artists featured in this book(even though hale would like you to beleive otherwise) because of the vast resources available to us in the form of great master works and anatomy books ,medical and artistic.buy this book and chart the path to great figure drawing. finally i beleive that its possible to acheive unparalled success at figure drawing through regular training in a systematic manner.anyone with any questions can email me .im an animator and an advanced student of figure drawing.

Hale is a Master teacher
As an artist that did not go to art school, I have constantly searched for instructional books only to be disappointed in finding stupid books written for people who are not serious about art and have no discipline. All of Hale's books, especially this one, are supremely intelligent and extremely insightful. after reading his book you'll gain insight to judge good drawing from a bad ones, a skill every serious artist should strive to have. Hale will help you see drawing in a new light and send you on your way to growth. Since he uses drawings by artists such as Raphael, Tintoreto, Rembrandt and Rubens, you'll be learning from the masters themselves, not from some mediocre artist. The only negative about the book, if it can be called a negative, is that after 100 drawings you want more. I learned more from this one book than through all the art books I have read before, and more than almost all the art classes I have taken, put together.

Not a "how to"; but a reference book
Robert Beverly Hale's "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters" certainly deserves 5 stars. It even comes at a 5-Star price; but I must point out that it is essentially a reference book of master drawings rather than a "how-to" book for those learning to draw. It is not, per se, an "instruction" book on "how-to-draw". With that proviso, I would not be without this reference, if I wanted to be informed of the great masters.

Intriguing on many levels; plausible for the serious artist
This is an extroardinary study of the anatomical knowledge and ideas implemented by the greatest (anatomically informed)figure drawers artists of all time. It is quite inticing and the author is obviously intelligent enough to handle the analyzations of the pictures supplied, but the tips and exercises involved would be fit for somebody who views drawing as more than a hobby (for in that case one might be discouraged by the incredible extent of the anatomical knowledge of the "Great Masters"). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A pretty good book, not necessarily a "stand- alone" text
Based upon Freudian-Shrimp's careful and exacting review of the scope and purposes of this book, I bought it. I am satisfied. It is a good book to have, though I feel that it must be supplemented by other portrait books, and essentially I reaffirm Freudian-Shrimp's review.

Practical instruction on drawing faces from photographs
This book is based upon Ms. Parks' one week, 40 hour, course teaching composite sketching to law enforcement officers, a skill which they then use to identify suspects. This course entailed much material and as she writes in her book, "I had to figure out how to teach people to draw well in an extremely short time." She later broadened her teaching to civilians and children. I must admit that she has done an admirable job of condensing and presenting this method in ten short chapters. Chapter one lists the materials needed, chapter two defines the problem of teaching yourself how to draw what you see by overcoming the mind's preconceived preceptions about drawing faces, chapters three through five present a cornucopia of methods and techniques on how to see and draw accurately, and chapters six through ten address drawing the individual features of the face. Ms. Parks' writing style is conversational, easy to follow and often funny. She's managed to not only assemble and condense this vast material but to make it accessible, clear and complete. Ms. Parks clearly knows her material and has a knack for teaching. SECRECTS TO DRAWING REALISTIC FACES is a near perfect primer on drawing faces from photographs, especially useful to young persons and drawing hobbyists. Her book does deliver on its promise, up to a point. But taking these techniques past the photographs to drawing a living, breathing three dimensional person will prove difficult and this transition receives a cursory mention in the book. Also, the drawing style presented here is lacking. All the illustrations LOOK like composite drawings or mug shots-very dry and mechanical. In that sense, they're very limited and have none of the subtler technique and skill of fine art work, neither are the finer points of drawing mentioned. There are no beautiful works of art or visual poetry here, but that's not the author's intent, alas. Ms. Parks has succeeded in her mission with her book. Anyone who studies this book will be able to copy faces from photographs and this isn't a bad FIRST step to learning to draw well.

Change Over Night
I have to admit, I was highly skeptical when the author says she can teach people to draw (and some of the student drawings are amazing) in 3 classes of instruction. However, since my interests were cartooning and simple sketching (both of which demonstrated I had no talent whatsoever), I thought it might be fun to see what she was saying. I had already gotten bored with Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain -- it was too long, it had so many excercises, it should couldn't hold my attention span. I wanted a quick fix solution.

And this book gave it. The author says she's not an artist, but a police sketch artist who basically winged it coming in and took a class or two. She had the opportunity to see lots of faces and measure them. And she breaks down the mental block of why you can draw somethings and not others. Finally, you learn all the tricks to make soft portrait-like pictures that lift off the page.

About 3 hours of entertaining reading and I was able to produce very realistic faces that I'm proud to show off. I *highly* endorse this book. Now that I have some fundamentals, I feel like I can go back to the dry reads since I know what to look for.

Best Instruction for Drawing Realistic Faces
Carrie Stuart Park's 'Secrets to Drawing Realistic Faces' is the best book on drawing realistic faces I've ever found. I'm an artist who's been searching for the perfect book and this is the closest. This book is easy if you're a beginner, you can start rendering amazingly real faces and self-portraits. The author has proven techniques and tools and hands-on exercises to help you be a well-trained artist without taking a class. The examples in the book are before and after works that will help the artist achieve success in no time. There's lots of illustrations for practice. Forget about what you maybe learn the old way of drawing a certain geometric form. Throw that out! This book help you to draw what you actually see. The techniques will help you draw in a short amount of time. You'll surprise yourself how you can produce a fantastically real portrait. And, the price is just right, too!

I hope you enjoy this book-author's comments
This book is the end result of years of training police officers to draw correct composite faces. I had been using other drawing books and found there were errors in the materials--incorrect proportions of the nose, pupil not centered in the iris, too large an iris and so forth. I also needed a way to teach the face in an extremely short amount of time. Dr. Betty Edwards introduced seven drawing tools to help you see and draw better. I uncovered about 27 tools to help you as an artist. I hope you enjoy and learn from its pages and it will help you grow as an artist. ... Read more