Reviews (5)

Don't be put off by the illustration style.
I've been really struggling with learning to draw hands. The best help so far was Bridgeman's, but I was having serious problems nonetheless. However, this book by Hogarth kept coming up whenever I looked at reviews and recommendations.

I'd been avoiding the book -- I love Hogarth's illustration style, but I wondered whether it would be a serious art instruction book. Feeling a little bit guilty, I decided to look at it at a local bookstore before buying it at Amazon. I spent about five minutes reviewing some of the key concepts.

Bottom line: I made more progress on drawing hands in that one evening than I had in the previous week. I ordered the book that night. In order to qualify for super-saver shipping, I also ordered "Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery" also by Hogarth, and it was an excellent purchase as well!

Excellent reference
This is a wonderful reference, like all his drawing books, for copying and observing the different positions of the hand. With over 300 outstanding drawings he demonstrates all manner of positions and expressions, while incorporating important insights about anatomy and structure. Important for drawing students on any level. Get all his books if you are interested in figure drawing.

Beyond words...
This book, like any instruction manual by Burne Hogarth, is beyond compare. He provides excellent instructions on technique and application. The samples are superb, and they offer outstanding reference for a multitude of illustrations. Two thumbs up!

Knowledge and emotion on the fingertips of every page.
I bought the book in order to gain a better insight on the movement of the hand. It was not untill I opened the pages that I found an entire world of intrege and emotion. I was lost in the form and I admired the shere power that lay within.

A good book for aspiring comic artists.

As the father of the Tarzan character and art, and the co-founder of the School of Visual Arts with silas rhodes, Burne Hogarth is far qualified to teach the fundamentals of great figure drawing. His Drawing Series of Books should be on the shelves of any aspiring comic artist.

For more information on his books and a short collected listing of other useful books for aspiring comic artists and illustrators available in Amazon.com, visit der Mudgecko's Reading List for Comic Artists at: ... Read more

Amazon.com

A benchmark for intelligent, engaging nonfiction, this superbly designed book is written and illustrated with a lushness that takes the breath away. Robert Cumming is chairman of Christie's education department: he knows his art history.But he also knows how to seduce you with the sheer beauty of the material, and the well-placed pointer to telling details.Fifty double-page spreads cover artists from da Vinci and Rubens to Monet, Picasso, and Pollock. Each spread is a concentrated master-class on the life, the style, and the influence. Check out the luminous full-color reproductions of "Bacchus" and "The Conversion of St. Paul," then read the opening sentence above them--"One of the few great artists to have a criminal record, Caravaggio was violent, loutish, and frequently under arrest"--and see if you can resist the temptation to read on. Great Artists is a dream of a book that adults and their older children will fight over. (Ages 12 to adult) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A gorgeous and informative book!
This oversized book has dovoted 2 pages to each important artist from the 1400's to Jackson Pollock. As with all D-K books, the reproductions are wonderful and the information is fascinating. The arthor gives a mixture of facts about the artist's life, painting of the period, key works of the painter, and other events happening in the world at the time. I love this book!

Attractive Overview
Teachers commonly say that they learn more about a subject from teaching it than from being a student. In part this is because so much of what we practice is unspoken and intuitive, while teaching requires a certain explicitness and may be most effective when the essence of a subject is portrayed in a simple, impassioned, and powerful way. As a result, one can often learn a lot from brief, introductory overviews of a subject, as is the intention of this attractive, large-format picture book. Several years ago, the author (who is head of the education division at ChristieÕs) wrote Annotated Art (1994), a companion volume in which diagrams, close-ups, and marginal notes were used to analyze 45 key paintings; and, since then, a similar book was produced by the same publisher about the history of architecture (Neil Stevenson, Architecture (1997)). In this third volume in the series, 50 more paintings (different from those in the earlier book), are arranged chronologically, displayed, and discussed in annotations, using introductory paragraphs, marginal notes, biographical highlights, related works, quotes by and about the artists, and short lists of non-art concurrent events. While the result is necessarily superficial, it is also a welcoming, valuable way to be introduced to art history. (Review from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol 14 No 2, Winter 1998-99) ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This book will ignite your heart!
Dorrell's words come at a time when so many artists hunger for this type of direction and guidance. Never has an artist been so open and engaging with the reader with regards to the technical and personal requirements needed for today's artistic development. Paul Dorrell, fully qualified in his life long experiences, bears his soul and in doing so offers himself as a lantern for all aspiring artists. This book is a must read where artist professional practices are discussed, and for all artists and non-artists interested in an honestly reflective story about the validation for life.

Strangely compelling
I surprised myself by readng Dorrell's book in almost one sitting. It was compelling largely due to the fact that he shared details of his own life which makes him seem approachable and the information he shares more accessible. Books of this nature can be ponderous but his is not. I not only learned tons but feel I have spent a day with a friend who dares to be real. I am a developing artist and now feel it is at least possible to find some level of success from reading this book. Also, his thoughts on the sometimes snobby ways of those involved in "art" were refreshing. He seems one cool dude and this was one cool read.

Finally a down to earth book offering guidelines to artists!
I enjoyed the book very much, especially learning what steps need to be taken in presenting your work to a gallery. As an artist, that is one of the hardest things for me to master. Paul's advice and storys about his journey as a writer and gallery owner were inspiring. I am happy to have found a book that is enjoyable to read, but also gives you good advice in dealing with the "artworld" at the same time!

an inspiring resource for artists, an inspirational read
What a great read, couldn't put it down. I am a working artist and designer of Landscapes and historic gardens. I work in the creative field. What a great resource and inspirational read this book is!!!! Couldn't put it down. This man really understands the art wold and the problems we deal with every day. This is such an enjoyable book, highly recomended!!!!
Spiritual, fun, and perceptive, a thouroughly enjoyable book.
Rob at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/THEARTISTSGARDEN.

Practical Advice for ALL Artists
Paul Dorrell has taken anecdotal evidence and true-to-life experience to deliver a book that is both refreshing and reassuring. For those of us pursuing the artist's life, it came as a comfort to read of his trials and tribulations, not only as a gallery owner, but also as an writer. His candor and humor only add to a great read! I read it in one sitting.

I am a composer and writer and I found this book incredibly helpful. I reccomend it to all artists: painters, musicians, sculptors, writers, et al. Especially if you deal with consumers of art (i.e. "snobs"), Mr. Dorrell's advice is priceless!

If you create, you need this book! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Simply the best!
I was fortunate enough to take a workshop with Gregg Kreutz this year and found his teaching as clear, simple and USEFUL as the advice in his book. Most "How-to" books are filled with useless information that has more to do with the paintings being demonstrated than concepts the reader can take with them on their own journeys as artists. He describes his simple (thank God!) palette, his approach to shadows, local color and highlights. He covers composition in a straight forward, practical way. I came away feeling that I had all the building blocks I needed to start my long journey to becoming a Painter.

Clear explanations of complex ideas
I have bought quite a few painting books in the last couple years, but none of them can compare to this book by Gregg Kreutz. He has the ability to convey his ideas so clearly, that now for the first time, I have been able to really improve my painting. It just makes more sense now! I can see so much more easily what I've been doing wrong and how to correct these mistakes. His paintings are beautiful and inspirational and he is a gifted teacher.

Very insightful and practical...
...this book makes you think about where a painting starts, what idea drives it and how to achieve it with our chosen medium of oils. The insightfulness of the author's comments almost sounds philosophical at times, while, in fact, being extremely practical. An excellent resource for getting more quality into your painting. The author is obviously very experienced at painting with a gift for teaching, as well.

There are many excellent example paintings, both positive and negative, well-reproduced on glossy paper. The book is a joy to look at (I like the author's style of painting) and very educational.

This book has survived several reductions/turnovers in my home library and will no doubt survive them all. It's a keeper! Buy it now.

NOT GOOD AT ALL!!
REALLY BAD MATERIAL AND NOT MUCH USE FOR ANY OF THE ILLUSTRATION.S SUCH A NICE LOOKING BOOK WITH NOTHING IN IT. SAD!!

excellent advice
Along with David Leffel's book, Kreutz gives excellent advice for painters. He gives real advice (not just a gallery of work) for problem solving. Kreutz understands the language of pigment--how paint works, what it does, how it communicates. You'll be a better painter for having read his book. ... Read more

Book Description

The authenticity of visual art has always commanded the attention of experts, dealers, collectors, and the art-minded public. Is it 'real' or 'original' is a way of asking what am I buying?What do I own?What am I looking at? And today more sophisticated questions are being asked: just how is authenticity determined, and what weight does this determination have in court? This book of essays proposes to answer those questions. Three lines of inquiry are basic to determining authenticity: a connoisseur's evaluation, historical documentation or provenance, and scientific testing. A connoisseur is an expert who evaluates the 'rightness' of a work based on much careful scrutiny of many works by an artist and familiarity with that artist's usual manner of working with materials. In determining provenance, a researcher traces the physical object from the artist through a chain of ownership to the present owner--simple enough in concept, though it assumes that the documentation is not faked or inaccurate. The goal is to ensure that the object is the same one that left the artist's hand. Scientific testing, although sometimes useful, is often longer on promise than result. Dating paint or wood samples, for instance, can show that a painting was made in Rembrandt's lifetime, but it cannot prove that it is by Rembrandt's hand. If expert opinion is divided, and large sums of money are involved, a dispute over authenticity may end up in a court of law, where evaluation of expert opinion evidence can be problematic. The essays in this book clarify the nature of the methods outlined above and to explain, based on case law, the present status of authentication issues in court. Contributors include experts from the Frick Collection, Christie's, London, and Sotheby's, New York, as well as leading art historians and art dealers, an art conservator, a forensic graphologist, a philanthropist and collector, and an art lawyer. Their collective knowledge on issues of authenticity will be invaluable for anyone interested in the world of visual art. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Coffee table book
I have been reading reviews by one Mr Noshir Khambata who rates every book he reviews as 5 stars and this raises the issue. His reviews do not help and it seems that he is out to please everyone and hence his reviews of all books are without any value

I have doubts about this book also and it looks like a coffee table book fit to be kept as a showpiece

A Zarathushtrian Labour of Love and Sacrifice.
The Editors of this magnificent and massive volume (762 folio pages) deserves the deepest thanks of the Parsee community of Bombay in particular, and Zarathushtrians in general on a global basis, for compiling for us, what is truly a "labour of love and stupendous sacrifice". The high quality of paper, printing, the selection of the articles, the magnificent coloured illustrations, the comprehensive glossary and chronological tables, truly makes this volume as one of a kind, that every Parsee household would do well to have on their prized book-shelf. The list of article contributors to this volume almost constitute a who's-who in the field of Iranian studies. Many of the reproduced photographs and illustrations are made available to the public for the first time. Every page delights a reader with uncanny information or stunning pictures or a fact of odd rarity. However the list of "Select Bibliography" at the end could undergo a substantial upgrading.

Very easily this work deserves a five star rating and beyond. But it breaks my heart that under the magnificence and glitter of this entire volume lies buried a grievous faux pas. This is not so much a judgement of error on the part of the very industrious Editors, but rather on the number of individuals who collaborated on this project and even contributed scholarly articles to it. The faux pas is the continued usage of the three most unfortunate words, i.e. Zoroaster, Zoroastrians and Zoroastrianism, when the correct designation Zarathushtra, Zarathushtrians and the Zarathushtrian Religion as dictated by the syntax of the English language have long been in existence and used by scholars of the highest intellectual calibre. Little, if any, is achieved in perpetuating an unfortunate error
steeped in ignorance and arrogance.

Congratulations to Mapin Publishers and Grantha Corporation and their massive editorial team for undertaking so massive a work and giving us a magnificent volume to treasure for years and beyond. It would be a great blessing if after some time the full volume can be accessed on the Internet with more stunning photographs and information. ... Read more

Book Description

City Secrets: Florence, Venice and the Towns of Italy is the second volume in the acclaimed City Secrets series. Unlike a standard guidebook, City Secrets' unique format brings the passionate opinions and informed perspectives of more than 200 distinguished contributors -- including curators, composers, artists, journalists, architects, and historians. An architect leads you through a hidden Florentine passageway built for the Medici; the most renowned of Italian cooks divulges her favorite Venetian eateries; an artist directs you to the courtyard of a Renaissance convent, where you will ring for access to the frescoes -- and a miraculous handprint that lie within. Topics covered include art, architecture, museums, restaurants, shopping, flea markets, monasteries, churches, wineries, gardens, vistas, drives, day-long excursions, hikes, artists' haunts, and cultural tidbits. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

disappointment
I should have heeded the critique of one of your readers. The complaint was "after Rome the series disappoints".
However, I so loved the Rome book, carrying it about Rome, having people comment on the book when they saw me checking maps or sights, finding kindred spirits who also had the book and so on. It was truly my favorite travel guide/book of Rome.
So, ignoring advice, I ordered the Florence edition, realizing that Florence was just a part of the book...but I would never have dreamt it would be THAT small of a part.
True, Florence is much smaller than Rome, but the city is filled with so much beauty, art and architecture that surely a book dedicated to it's "secrets" would have been worth the effort.

Not for everyone, but a must if you take travel seriously
This series is not for everyone and in most cases not for your first trip to one of the cities covered. The City Secrets is exactly what is says: secrets - small details, curious trivia, stuff you pick up from really good tour guides who gently guide you through the city revealing tiny nuggets of local knowledge here and there. It is a very friendly book, and the style of writing - a mosaic of bits of familiarity, contributed by individuals, is very endearing. There is a feeling of warmth about this publication.

A new or casual visitor may find this thoroughness and depth of insights of the guide overwhelming. This little book is unlikely to serve as the single multi-purpose travel resource for the glorious Italian cities covered. You will probably want to supplement it with some mainstream guide (try Eyewitness, Fodor's or Frommer's, for example) - a combination like this should work very well.

Unlike with most other books, a serious traveller will probably be captivated by ALL the writing in this book and will read it back to back (does this often happen with other guides? Don't think so...) You may find yourself willing to see all the curious things mentioned in this little book; most certainly you will want more of these books published.

Best paired with a more comprehensive guide
While our cousin, an art-history graduate residing in Italy, agreed that the Rome version is excellent, this book attempted to cover too much ground with few 'secrets' to spread around the different parts of Italy. Highly recommend pairing this book with a more comprehensive tour book such as the Eyewitness Guide. It was worthwhile cross-referencing the books to make sure that we cover the top sights and some less-traveled gems.

Thanks to this guide book, we enjoyed an excellent picnic packed by the suggested grocery in Radda in Chianti. We followed the book's advice to Osteria di Rendola and had an absolutely amazing lunch. This book provided some pleasant surprises for us first-time goers and gourmet lovers.

Beyond Rome, the Series Disappoints
I loved City Secrets: Rome, the first book in this series. It offered lots of good, insider information on that wonderful city. This sequel attempts to cover the rest of the country (or most of it-- Chianti is curiously missing), and what is offered are hits and misses. Many major cities are omitted, and the book scratches the surface in too many places. Major Disappointment. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Why didn't I find this book sooner?
All of my adult life I've struggled with perspective drawing and I was determined to find a better way to teach my architecture students a method that didn't get hung up on technicalities. Using the exercises and examples provided in this book, my students' drawings skills have improved dramatically in one term. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has always wanted to learn the "mysteries" of perspective sketching.

Presented pain free
Drawing is the basis of making good art and perspective is the basis of good drawing. Phil Metzger presents the means for making perspectively correct drawings. Yes, it's without "pain" because the mathematics of perspective is not presented; but, to get it right the "pain" is in the practice. Where it should be.

The easiest way to learn perspective
This book is excellent for students or beginners who want to learn perspective. It is illustrated and it has different samples to follow. If you are looking for a more complicated architectural perspective this is not the book. If you want to do cartooning or comic book perspective, this is the right book.

The BEST text on perspective for the beginner ... period.
I'm trying to return to drawing and (eventually) painting after not so much as picking up a pencil in 12 or 13 years. When I started, I read every review of every book I could find on the different subjects (basic 'seeing', basic drawing, landscapes, figure drawing, portraits, and perspective) and browsed libraries in five different counties here in NC. The list I came up with for basic texts in each subject area included 'Perspective Without Pain' and I have not been disappointed. For a relative beginner, this book is the most user-friendly manual out there in which all aspects of classic perspective is covered. What makes it especially awesome is actual user exercises to reinforce what you read. I absolutely HAVE TO HAVE exercises along with text (I'm not the brightest light in the hallway) and this book includes excellent reinforcing material. If you can find this in a library, take a quick look before you buy. For us beginners it is, in my humble opinion, perfect.

Perspective book written predominantly for artists...
This book was written with the express purpose of instructing the artist about the concepts of perspective. I've yet to encounter any object (apart from some lines for illustrative purposes, such as those leading into the vanishing points) that wasn't drawn in freehand. It seems that eyeballing (ie. approximating and estimating) the perspective applications, are the order of the day.

Like its namesake, it lives up to it by taking the reader step-by-step into the fundamental and intermediate aspects of perspecting drawing in regards to landscape and interior drawings (although this would, of course, apply to other perspective related instances). As such, it is one of my favourite books on the subject matter.

Highly recommended for artists, although engineers and architects might look elsewhere for more precise methods than those employed in the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Mixing colors accurately may be an art unto itself. In fact, many artists are discouraged by the time and expense it takes to mix and match colors, and achieve the right results. Even more frustrating is the vast range of colors available.Now there's a ready-to-use visual directory that takes all the guesswork out of mixing and matching colors . . . making every artist an expert! Color Mixing Bible provides a basic color palette for each art medium, demonstrating an array of two-, three-, and four-color mixes, as well as offering full explanations of various paints and pigments. This invaluable guide features scores of tips and techniques for color mixing with oils, acrylics, watercolors, inks, pastels, and virtually every other art medium. It also includes in-depth information on how to determine the opacity and strength of a color, choose a color palette, mix whites, arrange and organize colors prior to mixing, use optical and physical mixing techniques, and much more! Plus, hundreds of color illustrations make everything simple.Whether one is an aspiring artist or working professional, Color Mixing Bible is an essential addition to every bookshelf. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Enjoyable
I enjoyed this book very much. It was simple to understand and quite interesting. I'm sure it's not the end all in color mixing books, but it is not a bad one at all.

A great book to start with
I've just started oil painting, and this book proved invaluable in helping me sort out the many, many different kinds of paint with their exotic names out there. I generally like to jump in and just experiment, but when I discovered the high price of good oil paints, I decided I needed a little book knowledge first. This book costs about the same as a good tube of paint, and saved me from buying many colors that, before reading the book, I didn't realize I wouldn't really need (at least to start with). It's one of clearest, most concise books I've read (on any subject). Every word is one of wisdom. If you're new to mixing paint, or having trouble figuring it out, get this book (it doesn't really cover HOW to paint though).

A True Labor Saving Book
The first thing I always did with a new set of paints was create color swatches and mixes. Now that my paint sets are more expensive I hate to waste paint on swatches that I'll probably put in some "safe" location in the studio...never to be seen again. Here I can reference swatches of commonly used colors, opaque and transparent in a range of media. Sidaway also includes the best history of pigments that I've read to date - answering a question about phthalo blue that's been bugging me for years (when was it introduced? 1936.) This book is no substitute for learning about your palette, but does provide information on how to select an appropriate palette.

Very Informative
It covered the basics of color and technical terms "hue, shade, tint" It has a section about the history of pigments and dies and what they used to be made of that is interesting. One brown paint used to be made of ground up mummies.It discusses the mixing of color in many different media. ... Read more

Book Description

Exceptionally authoritative and applied, this handbook/tutorial/workbook provides a firm foundation in the basics of color harmony and usage and explores the vast and often hidden ways in which color affects our everyday lives—culturally, psychologically, and physiologically. Based on well-controlled, scientific studies, it separates color myth from color fact, and shows readers how color affects, for example, our health, spending habits, perceived image, communication, weight, sex lives, and consumer brand preferences. Self-contained segments on different aspects of color or specific application areas provide convenient handbook use. Detailed experiential exercises cross over into many fields—e.g., interiors, fashion, graphics, healthcare, architecture, environment and landscape, hospitality, etc.The Color Connection. Color: Pigment and Light. Color Myths and Biases. Color and Health. Color and Psychology. Color in Interiors. Color in Architecture and Landscape Design. Color in Advertising and Marketing. Color in Fashion and Textile Design. Color in Culture and Society. Color Order Systems. Color: Pushing the Envelope.For Interior Designers, Interior Decorators, Product Designers, Graphic Designers, Architects, Product Designers, Fashion Designers, Healthcare workers (specifically Physical Therapists, Chiropractors and alternative medicine practitioners such as Aromatherapists, Color Therapists, and Holistic Medicine Practitioners and well as holistic Veterinarians), and Education Administrators. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Fabulous Book!
This is the best book on color I've ever found. It gives a really comprehensive overview of how color affects your entire life. If you want to redecorate your home, or influence people by how you dress, or learn how to use color to make your life healthier you absolutely must read this book. Color: The Secret Influence really goes way beyond anything I've ever read about color before in showing how it totally affects our lives. It clearly states that the serious study of color is in its beginning stages but it also gives an amazing amount of information that anyone can use today, right now to make their lives better. You've gotta read this book!

Disappointed
This book is like Reader's Digest. It trys to cover too much subject matter and winds up turning into a survey. It says a little about a lot. I returned it.

Tickled pink:)
Color affects everything, "Color The Secret Influence" examines the science, psychology, and history of color. The information and studies discussed within touch on many facets of everyday life. The book begins by defining color, and discusses it in the context of it's affects on health, psychology, architecture, landscape design, sales, marketing, packaging, fashion, and culture in general.

If you have the slightest interest in learning about color for commercial purposes, designing and decorating your home, improving or understanding your color preferences, or how your everyday color choices and preferences affect you, buy this book!. It's is phenomenal, absolutely the best all encompassing book on color I've ever come across. While the information contained within, can be applied to web and graphic design, the depth of this book goes FAR beyond anything else I have read! It covers MUCH more than just creating attractive color combinations.

Color: The Secret Influence
I think this book will really help me in my work. I have a floorcovering business and I have read a lot of books on color trying to learn things that I can use in my business. This is the first book that has given me really solid information. I now understand color for the first time. I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how to use color as a way to make their lives better.

Great Job!
This book has lots of info and is put together really well. It's amazing to learn how much color affects your life and to realize that you can make your life so much better by knowing how to use it. This is a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

Covering five major areas of domestic design, International Design Yearbook 16 devotes separate chapters to furniture, lighting, tableware, textiles, and products created over the past 18 months by both well-known designers and new names from around the world. This year's selection has been made by internationally acclaimed architect and lighting designer Michele De Lucchi.

As fresh as the millennium itself, the annual presents futuristic technological ideas, such as Ron Arad's computer-animated vases, as well as reinventions of time-honored objects, like Sir Norman Foster's light design for Artemide. This who's who of domestic design includes the vibrant, modern talent of Emmanuel Babled, Jonathan Ives, and Ettore Sottsass, and design teams from Philips, Sharp, and Siemens. The objects are lavishly illustrated, and full technical data is given for each. A comprehensive reference section provides biographies of the designers, a list of suppliers and their addresses, and an updated list of design acquisitions at major international museums. ... Read more

Book Description

"I understand the design, but I can't figure out the actually how to portray my character in the costume." Many have likely experienced this dilemma when trying to develop a character's costume and reached for a book on fashion as a reference. In this volume, manga characters appear as models, and the book illustrates aspects that serve as fashion points showing the characters in various poses and angles. This volume boasts more than 4,000 images. With this as reference, the reader should be able to design an original costume with ease by combining the collars, sleeves, cuffs, and other dress details provided. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good stuff
I thought this book was very helpful even though most of the clothes were for women. This is a must have if you are interested in drawing anime and manga!

Good for girls cloths
This book is good, the only thing missing is the male fashons. All of the cloths are women's, even though some could be altered to be men's cloths. There is a small section about drawing men in women's cloths, but that's it.

If You're Serious About Drawing Manga, Get This Already!
Just about every "how-to" book on drawing manga (and also "mainstream" comics) advises aspiring artists to gather reference material from "real-life" in order to draw realistic buildings, animals, trees, and so on. But when it comes to researching costumes and fashions for designing characters, the artists is confronted not only with the potentially confusing details of a particular item of clothing, but also the countless changes in fashion that have developed over history. And just how do you correctly draw that leg-of-mutton sleeve for your heroine's wedding dress?

I can't recommend this first volume of the "Costume Encylopedia" (Everyday Clothing) highly enough. There are more than a dozen different styles each of sleeves, skirts, coats, footwear, and other items of clothing, that are catalogued, diagrammed, and described for easy reference.

Don't know the difference between a tiered skirt and a sarong (you can raise your hand if you don't)? They're both in the book. The book is prefaced with several drawings of costumes created from the various styles featured in the encyclopedia. And for those of you interested in how clothes are constructed, the back of the book explains how basic articles of clothing are pattered and assembled.

This is not only perfect for creating costumes for your manga characters, but also for interpreting outfits featured in fashion magazines, history books, and on film and TV (be sure to observe what folks are wearing on the street,too). Students in fashion design courses also use guides similar to this one, but those texts are easily 2 to 3 times more expensive than the Encyclopedia (If you can afford it, I highly recommend "Fashion Sketchbook" by Bina Abling).

I would've liked to have seen more instruction on how to properly draw the clothing items upon a human figure, but much of this information can be obtained from other art instruction books, including other volumes in the "How to..." series.

I recommend this book for everyone, including non-manga comic artists, and I look forward to the two upcoming volumes (Yes!) in the Costume Encyclopedia.

This is a great book -- the pages are packed.
I hoped to see a good number of illustrations and styles, but I am actually overwhelmed by the sheer number of variations and illustrations in this book. This is a fantastic resource. I definitely recommend it. The only drawback is that the illustrations are generally done in the over-simplified style of this series, but what the illustrations lack in tones and shading is more than compensated for by volume and diversity.

There's still no substitute for a good from-life reference, but this book makes it easy to pull from a whole universe of styles. Great stuff. ... Read more

Book Description

Masako Takahashi, coauthor of the best-selling Mexicolor, now turns her attention to the vibrant tiles that are such a key element in Mexican style and design. Bring a festive new look to any home or garden with the ideas in Mexican Tiles. Masako Takahashi leads a colorful architectural tour through Mexico, revealing the many ways tiles are used for function and decoration, adding color and interest to everyday surroundings. Over 175 beautiful color photographs present inspirational examples of classic and contemporary tile work, from colonial-era church facades ornately covered with talavera tiles to vividly detailed modern treatments of bathrooms and kitchens. Including a delightful introduction by Tony Cohen about the history of tile-making in Mexico, plus installation tips and a resource guide, Mexican Tiles is both a fascinating initiation and a practical guide to this key element of Mexican style and design. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

AWESOME!!! Fulfilled ALL my expectations!
After I bought Masako Takahasi and her husband Tony Cohen's book "Mexicolor", I thought no other book I purchased would EVER compare to that experience. When I discovered "Mexican Tiles", I opened it with fear and trepidation, hoping against all hope, yet hardly daring to believe that it could be even half as good as their first.

But this book is AWESOME!! I think I finally figured out why, after reading Tony Cohen's book "On Mexican Time": these people simply ADORE Mexico, and it comes through in everything they do. All of the wonder and breathless anticipation and teary-eyed beauty that I feel and am so hopelessly unqualified to express when I am either in Mexico or adding to my collection of artesania, Tony vividly portrays in his prose and Masako captures with her camera.

As for subject matter, I LOVE Talavera tiles, Talavera pottery, Talavera ANYTHING, because they are so INCREDIBLY Mexican, and this book is simply PAGE after GORGEOUS PAGE of Talavera-lined kitchens, bathrooms, stairs, floors...you name it, it's tiled. If you at all appreciate ethnic interior design or Mexican handicrafts, this is an AWESOME book!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Award-winning artist Charles Reid wants his students to concentrate on three basic themes in his book Painting Flowers in Watercolor: "Keep it small. Keep it simple. Avoid overwashes." Economy is stressed throughout, as when Reid writes, "The fewer the strokes and the smaller the amount of color mixing, the fresher the painting." He explains how to get started with brushes, mixing paint, and the basics of composition and contour drawing, and provides exercises in these fundamentals. Reid then guides the watercolorist in painting fruit, vegetables, leaves, and flowers. He offers mini-demonstrations here, such as how to paint a bunch of carrots, an avocado, or slender leaf forms, and finishes with advanced, step-by-step demonstrations in composing still lifes with flowers. Experienced and beginning watercolorists will appreciate the wisdom in Reid's philosophy of "less is better." Somehow he manages to invest a bowl of yellow tulips and mixed flowers with a splashy, vibrant expressionism while expertly exploiting the blurry and translucent delicacy of the medium itself. --Mary Ribesky ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Fun and Skill-Improvement Are Possible!
I discovered Charles Reid at my local library and was smitten with his loose, colorful, gorgeous pictures. This book is a clear, helpful guide to making juicy watercolors of still lifes that sing with color. He has practical tips on brushwork, contour drawing and composition that are easy to follow and clearly explained. He also has step-by-step instructions for several of his pictures that show you how he goes about making his own pictures (often from everyday objects and flowers on his kitchen counter). I'm fairly new to watercolors and I found this book invaluable to improving my pictures and getting me to loosen up and feel creative and find beauty in simple objects.

Indispensable to the serious watercolorist
I wish I had had this book years ago. It contains exercises to enable the reader/student to experience and learn direct painting techniques that bring freshness, spontaneity, bright vivid color and realism to one's paintings--inspite of an "untidy" style. If you're serious about watercolor, Reid can take you where you really should go. Reid embodies the principles of the best of watercolor and painting teaching of the past (particularly Hawthorne, Henri, Manet). He puts it all together into what I call a meditative painting style (stroke on color and pause to consider, then soften, add other color wet-in-wet, and so on. Doing the exercises in this book can revolutionize your painting and will, at the very least, bring immediate and important improvements to your technique and approach to watercolor. If you like Reid's paintings--flower, figures, portraits, etc., do yourself a favor--get the book and the two corresponding videos.

Great book to help you "loosen up" in your painting style!
I have just purchased this book, as well as 2 instructional videos by Charles Reid. I would highly recommend the set to anyone who needs to "loosen up" his or her painting style. He shows you how to get the color right with a minimal amount of strokes, and how to keep from overworking a painting. He is an excellent instructor and author. You won't be disappointed!

More Than a Workshop
Charles Reid has shared with the reader all the amazing sensitive

movements of his brush, the freshness of his colors, the lyrical line of his pencil.I have taken many workshops with him, and I feel that I am actually in a studio painting. Do as he says, step by step, and your watercolors will come alive. You will take a journey through a page-negative to positive,warm to cool,dark to light,lost and found edges. Less is more, one or two strokes tell an entire story.

Natural style
Charles Reid art style is very natural and refreshing. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

good book for people who have experience on drawing manga
this book is great even if it does have nudity but theres a purpose for it so the artist can see how the clothes fit on your female character it shows the different angles of different views you can draw your character there are a good amount of poses. and how to do eyes, legs of different lengths and size, hands, feet and for those who like to draw there characters in water it explains how the water drops flow on the body. So in other words this book is good.it doesn't earn its fifth cause there are some poses half done meaning they don't show the head and face so if you are trying to draw that pose you have to assume how the heads shape is suppose to be buy the book anyways because it has help me a lot so it could do some good for you ^-^

A good reference for intermediate artists
This book is helpful if you want to improve your manga-style female figures, but is not a good place to start to learn basics about drawing or manga-style techniques. As another reviewer suggested, the first book in this series is the best to start with. Also, although this book spends a great deal of time on in-depth coverage of drawing the body, it doesn't cover drawing faces, eyes, and hair nearly enough. Even with this problems, I still recommend this book as a great help to improve and refine manga-style figure proportions.

Far from the Best
I got this book when i got into drawing and was disgusted to find it did'nt really help me at all. I only gave it two stars because it gives you a few examples to look at if you really need them. and if your gonna draw something more for an ADULT kind of cartoon. There was more on how to draw breasts in diffrent postions and how it'd look with diffrent hands holding it then how to draw legs and arms. combined. it's alright if your deperate. but don't waiste your money otherwise.

Excellant!
If you are new to attempting to draw manga, this is a decent place to start, at least with drawing limbs and...um...other anatomy parts. But you have to at least know beforehand how to draw the eyes cuz it dosn't go into much detail about that part.

It's good for those that know how to draw.
I give this book 4 stars because the tutorials are good,but they arent really the best for beginners. I recommend this book to any manga artist. This book has some nudity in it,but it's censored to keep it appropriate for teen artists. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Disappointed
As a beginner I regret having bought this book. Its content is too subjective, and has nothing to do with color mixing formulas
or theories. This book is like a step by step painiting excersise book with about 10 examples or so, nothing more. Very little substance.

A must have for artists in all mediums!!
I just received this book for Christmas 2002 and I have read it and re-read it! It has a wealth of information and is even a good reminder for those who might not have painted in a while. It helps you attain effects that you want and gives some step-by-step descriptions to help you understand what the author is talking about. I find that the information on casting shadows and the information on focal points most helpful. Helen Van Wyk also helps you to dimensionalize your art. Once you have read this book you will not look at colors in the same way. "The 4 Questions" will have you looking at art completely different. Don't paint without it!

great novice manual!
This is a great manual for beginning and intermediate painters. It is arranged in a rather unusual way: by paint color. Within each chapter there are step-by-step paintings showing the color's usage. While I found the the organization odd at first, I quickly grew to appreciate it. There are colors I never would have thought to put in my palate, but seeing them in action was very valuable. Likewise, having a blended value scale for each paint was wonderful!

What I found most valuable as an beginner/ interm. painter was being able to see a variety of paintings in stages. And not just "one, two, three, boom its done" like many books, but really layer by layer. She touches on a couple of different styles, discussing glazing as well as her painterly approach.

This book also has valuable reference pages discussing (and displaying) color scales, color temperatures, earth tones, blending tricks, etc. It touches on portraits, backgrounds, and a variety of other related topics. I have read a number of other basic painting books, and this is my favorite. I have also seen (and own) other of Helen van Wyk's books, and while they are nice, this is by far the most valuable (and it includes some paintings and sections repeated in other books, i.e. portrait painting and color mixing bits).

A very practical reference book on oil colors
This is a very practical reference book on oil colors, as I see it. The author covers briefly materials in oil painting, then goes straight to discussing colors on her palette, including (but not limited to) Thalo Yellow Green, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red, Burnt Umber, Sienna, etc... For each color, the author expresses her points using a step-by-step demo of painting subject matter. In addition, the author also throws in discussions on drapery, flesh colors, themes, colors of metals, etc... What a treat!

This is how I vision readers can benefit from this book:

1) For those who'd like to get their feet wet with certain colors, step-by-step demos will guide them through important steps to create realist excercise painting in the book.

2) For those who'd like to "break the rules" (if any), this book serves as excellent examples of what colors can be used for what materials (metals, earth, wood, etc...). Knowing all these, breaking the rules is even more fun and unique.

3) For the rest, it is a very practical reference on oil colors in terms of knowing what the "final colors" may look like in the context of a painting, even without getting "down and dirty" to try and mix them.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ... Read more

Book Description

This book describes a new technique, developed by the author, which makes it possible to adhere collage elements without liquid adhesives. This technique eliminates wrinkling and drying time from collage-making, offering new opportunities for creative spontaniety.Also included is information on "paperless" transfer of printed and photocopied images, alternatives to adhesives, archival concerns, framing and presentation of finished works, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A New Approach is A Fresh Approach
Painter, printer and collage artist Jonathan Talbot's book, Collage A New Approach, is a fresh approach to introducing anyone to the art of collage.
Living up to his quote in the book, 'Technique is but a small part of collage making', the author takes his readers hand and then fills it with inspiration, information, the love and joy of creating works of art and the courage to share that work with others.
After reading Talbots book, I read it again. Then I began following his easy step by step instructions on a variety of techniques and was thrilled with the results.
If one, (like myself) is an artist or considering taking up art for the first time, Talbots book is must tool for all. The author gives answers to questions a reader may not even have thought to ask.
Talbot has removed the word, 'fear' from creating and displaying ones work by giving the reader his years of experience and insight into the art world.
The author has included an introduction to the history of collage and collage artists, a list of materials, books by other collage artists and websites to artists creating collages today.
Talbot doesn't just give a list of tools, he actually took the time to explain what they do and how to use them correctly.
If success is measured by the quality and generosity of knowledge an artist shares with others, then Jonathan Talbots book, Collage A New Approach will certainly prove successful and an asset to those who read it.

Invaluable Little Book for Collage Artists
The subtitle of this attractive, concise little book is "Collage Without Liquid Adhesives." The techniques explained in the book were a real eye-opener for me (I'm a collage artist myself). Most traditional collages are made using liquid adhesives, which means you have to be really careful when you position each item in your collage. Once you've glued each element down, you're "stuck" with that arrangement. However, Talbot has devised new techniques that are extremely liberating and foster your creativity. Photos and diagrams throughout make every step crystal-clear. A number of exciting new techniques are explained (including a great image transfer method), and there are excellent sections discussing various adhesives, varnishes, and other supplies. Mounting collages and archival concerns are also covered. One of my favorite parts of the book is the Appendix, which gives contact information for sources for all the materials and supplies you need to make collages, as well as a great list of books about collage and collage artists. The Appendix alone is well worth the price. I recommend this book to every artist I meet, whether beginner or professional.

Very informative and well-written
This book has more solid information than most of the collage books out there. I appreciate the detailed references to products and the step-by-step instructions. Most collage books fill space with projects that are often not things I would ever make, although the techniques used are of interest. I prefer this book for I don't have to read through projects to glean ideas (although that has its place too).

The image transfer is SO easy! I bought the paper he recommends but use a clothes iron and the backing paper that contact paper/stickers come on instead of the tacking iron and release paper. I love the freedom to choose my own images to transfer and being able to use them without destroying the originals.

I highly recommend this book-- just remember that you can do this process with a home iron, sticker backing paper, magazines and any brand of gloss gel medium. You don't have to go out and buy everything he recommends and you can get all of your images from magazines although I highly recommend the special paper for greater image choice.

not what I expected at all
I was hoping for samples of his work and ideas on how he creates his artwork. Instead it was a dry lecture on his philosophy of collage and how he approaches his artwork. Helpful perhaps to advanced collage artists who already have technique and style and are looking for a new slant, but totally useless to me!

Terrific Technique
Jonathan Talbot's book is small but it is packed with "user" friendly information on the creation of collage. His work is excellent and his instructions easy to understand. Reading the book inspired me to take his workshop. I'll carry what I learned from both into my own collage tapestry, weaving my imagination around his techniques. ... Read more

Book Description

Acrylics are famous for their versatility. They can be used straight from the tube to look like oil paints. They can be thinned with water or painting medium and used like traditional watercolors. Or they can be used with techniques unique to acrylics.

On these pages, seven top acrylic painters illustrate the versatility and creative excitement of acrylics. In 28 step-by-step demonstrations they show new techniques for mastering acrylic's many faces--from the look of highly controlled transparent watercolor, to abstract expressionism, and everything in between.

This book is a creative testament to the growing popularity of this medium and the perfect invitation for any artist who wants to explore it further. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I felt like I wasted my money
I think that I may have been put off by the artwork chosen because I found it dreary. I really learned very little.

The best!
I really like this book, only a few artist I didn't care for. The techniques were just styles I personally don't care for. It is just a matter of preference. The pictures and examples were great to look at, they motive and inspire new ideas for those that are already painters.

Now that you've learned the basics....
and your staring at the canvas waiting for something, anything to inspire you...

This book is excellent for taking your painting to the next level. Although the styles represented in the book are not my own, i took away several techniques after reading this book. The best thing about this book is it shows you HOW, so many books show the effect without the steps. Not this one, it's all laid out in an easy to understand and non-intimidating fashion.

Good Stuff
I found the book to be very informative and, at times, inspiring. With the broad variety of styles discussed, there should be something for everyone. The works of Mr. Hook and Ms. Buel are particularly inspiring. I recommend it to any aspiring artist.

This book is a "must" for the acrylic painter's library!
The painting techniques of seven master artists, whose styles are quite diverse, are highlighted in as many chapters of this book. Textural techniques, flat opaque colors, ultra-realism, impasto, luminosity through thin glazes and experimental abstracts are all carefully described and illustrated on the pages. Not only do the artists take the reader through step-by-step demonstrations on one representative work, but they also showcase a gallery selection of other work that has been created through the same technique. My favorites were the incredibly dramatic, ultra realistic studies of still-life flowers by Barbara Buer. The technique of Michael Nevin, in his urban paintings shows an intense atmosphere of light and dark, reminiscent of Hopper. Although these are basic techniques, there is much to learn from the examples and the demonstrations are clearly described. Now, after reading the book, I am anxious to try this out for myself. ... Read more

Book Description

Here in a single volume is a practical, comprehensive training course for budding illustrators working to master comic book art, graphic novels, fantasy posters, sci-fi book covers and illustrations, and computer games. The author, a highly successful fantasy artist, teaches the basics of human anatomical drawing and musculature, as well as perspective and composition. He then instructs on ways to distort, develop, and transform the human figure, giving it features that range from monstrous or magical to super-agile or larger than life. Detailed artist’s references and step-by-step instructions show how to build bodies that truly stretch the imagination—mighty alien warriors, kick-boxing cyber-punks, and mega-muscled superheroes, to name just a few. Art students also learn how to show their characters in many different dynamic action poses, such as flying, spinning, punching, and jumping, as well as how to express each character’s emotions through facial expressions. More than 300 color illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

The Museum of Modern Art Design Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive design reference guide to date. Compiled over the last 15 years by Mel Byars, in consultation with an international team of design experts, The Encyclopedia sets out to provide the factual framework of a discipline whose own historical accounting of itself is still relatively young. (By way of contrast, art history has existed as a scholarly discipline for over two centuries, and has produced a fairly comprehensive record of itself in that time period.) Only once before has a similarly comprehensive overview of the history of design been attempted--in 1994, also by Mel Byars.The Encyclopedia is about design, of course, but these days "design" seems to encompass almost everything, from magazine layouts and sweatshirts to animatronic flower gardens and heart pumps, not to mention the more abstract "information design." Here, however, design is considered only in its concrete application to functional objects, thus crossing with craft, decorative arts, and industrial design, but distinguishing itself from fine art and theory. The result is 832 pages covering the last 130 years in the history of the design of furniture, lighting, fabrics, ceramics, glassware, metalware, objects in a range of other materials, and mechanical, electrical, and electronic appliances, as well as automobiles and some inventions. There are separate entries for designers and craftspeople, design studios, consortiums and partnerships, noteworthy manufacturers, significant historical periods and styles, and materials. Entries, 3,600 in all, are self-contained and organized alphabetically, and include cross-references. Information is an amalgamation of data gathered from a vast number of primary and secondary sources. With over 700 full-color illustrations, most of which are drawn from the MoMA collection, the remainder from Quittenbaum Kunstauktionen in Munich and Hamburg or directly from designers or manufacturers, this publication is an invaluable, definitive compendium of the world of design over the last century and a half. ... Read more