Reviews (2)

Next Best Thing
If Jantzen's view of art history seems lifeless and distant, Henry Sayre has something to say to you. It's the best survey I've seen in terms of making art accessible and demonstrating a continuing tradition. The CD-ROM is an excellent bonus, especially for readers who have never seen an artist at work. Ever wonder how a print is made? There's a demonstration.

amazing!!
This book is absolutely fabulous!It covers a wide array of art and is very informative!I have actually has a couple of art history classes with him and he is amazing! One of the best professors I've ever had.He knows everything! ... Read more

Book Description

Illustrated with over 300 photos, Art in the Elementary School, Fifth Edition, provides prospective elementary school teachers and art teachers with a thorough knowledge of art curriculum, production, and appreciation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Getting "Real" With Art and Kids
For those working in the schools and who value the joyful impact of art with children, this book has it all!It is a power-packed manual for professional teachers, aides and anyone needing more guidance to open the creative doors for themsleves and children. You will find the source's guides in the back of the book worth the price alone.The clarity in the text is especially to be appreciated; no "gobbeldy-gook and no nonsense" here! The presentation of ways to incorporate art into total curriculum is one to open our eyes and to value its potential for carrying any other subject matter.Full of ideas for projects with morsels of philosophy about the arts tucked in, it allows teachers to open their own minds and rid themselves of their own "art blocks." I would say no teacher should be without this book. Good for you Marlene Gharbo Linderman! At last a book for us all who love and cherish art in schools. ... Read more

Book Description

Offering an exploration of Western and World civilization's cultural heritage, this book is richly illustrated, beautifully designed and engaging. Readers move chronologically through major periods and styles—from prehistoric culture to 20th Century America—to gain insight into the achievements and ideas in painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, philosophy, religion, and music. For arts and cultural coordinators, professionals and enthusiasts. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

The Sociological Aspects of Commercial Imagery...
Murakami's latest curatorial effort has gained nearly universal acclaim amongst the art world.His "Little Boy" exhibition attempts to understand the origins of contemporary Japanese art's affinity for both the horrifically violent and the frightfully cute (kawaii).Ultimately, Murakami argues that these images are spawned from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined with postwar US domination.Violent imagery becomes a sign for a fascination with the kind of power that postwar Japan lacked.Kawaii imagery is then seen as stemming from Japan's status as a protectorate of the US.This relationship was not unlike that of a parent and child (the child/adolecent becomes a prevalent theme in Japanese art from postwar era forward.)
This effort is faithfully documented in this beautiful catalogue which includes works by contemporary Japanese artists, artists of Murakami's Kaikai Kiki, and popular anime and manga such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Doraemon.A must for anyone interested in the origin of Japan's unique hyper-contemporary aesthetic.

Murakami comes out for the fraud he is!!
hello kittyis better and more interesting. waste of space it all comes off as mark kostabi again his sweatshopand its members. Aya Tanaka is no EXPERT just a fan. another misleading catalogue ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Profoundly Eloquent Glimpse of Life's Depth...
Those who know me know that I am not prone to making either quick judgements or vacuous statements, so my friends (at least) will know that both the title of this mini-review and the few words that follow are far from whimsical: Alexander's Nature of Order, and in particular this fourth volume which I have recently received and simply cannot put down, are in my humble opinion, destined to rank as one of this *world's* great literary/philosophical achievements. What Alexander has produced is nothing short of a brilliant vision for the transcendent reality that lies beneath and beyond conventional categories. I write this as a Ph.D. physicist, with two graduate-level mathematical physics texts under my belt (both on complex systems), and semi-pro photographer with 30 years of experience of trying to capture "beauty" in nature. Alexander's work has provided a tentative -- but oh so deep -- glimpse of an answer to my own philosophical struggles as scientist and artist: physics and art are but two sides of a vastly richer coin, and are merely pointers to an infinitely rich *life* that pervades this universe; indeed, the life that *is* this universe. Every human being who has ever sincerely pondered the question "Why?" when looking up at the sky, while admiring a pretty flower, or looking into a mirror, can do no better than to curl up by a fireplace with a hot cup of tea, open up volume four of this incredible set of books and start using the musings lovingly offered here to look within for answers. Truly a remarkable achievement. I have never met Christopher Alexander, but can honestly say that I have been deeply touched by this preternaturally wise soul. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed for art appreciation courses, THE POWER OF ART is the first book to truly integrate the study of art within a global historical context. It presents the story of art as part of the accumulated experience of humankind by examining connections between our contemporary world and the past. The authors provide coverage of design and the various media and include more than 600 illustrations to provide visual support. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Powerful...Informative...Great!!
I took Art Appreciation 2 years ago and this was our textbook. It's a fabulous book that hits on many aspects of art. Starting with learning how to see art, Fundamentals of art & design, and Materials & Tools it leads through the different types of art (Painting, Printmaking, Photography, Sculpture, Drawing, Architecture, Crafts...). It hits on the different ages of art as well from Ancient China up through Modern Art. The book ends with Contemporary issues of Art. I personally found the discussion of Mapplethorp to be highly intriguing.

If you don't know a thing about art , this book is easy to read & tons of photos make it easier to understand concepts and ideas. If you know tons about art, you'll love this book because it reminds you of all aspects of are such as fauvism, earth art & installations. Even the anti-artist will find something to love in this information rich book.

Great beginner book for those interested in art!
What a great book to sit down with on a quiet day! Beautiful color pages document the art of man and how changes in history have changed what we call "art." After reading this, you will feel comfortable going to the art gallery and talking to others about various artists like Raphael, Picasso, Monet, Jasper Jones, etc. Great beginner book for those interested in the arts. ... Read more

Book Description

His internationally best-selling Griffin & Sabine saga is treasured for its blend of lyrical storyline and compelling, imaginative art. Now Nick Bantock gives a short course in visual creativity in Urgent 2nd Class. A tour through the techniques and materials which constitute his signature style, Bantock shares with readers numerous ways ways of using old paper ephemera -- maps, letters, postcards, ledgers, scraps, photos, and many more items -- to create their own idiosyncratic art. Written for people of all artistic skill levels, the materials mentioned are all easily found and inexpensive, and the processes are simple enough to do at home (and with access to the most advanced machinery used in the book, a photocopier). An inspirational guide to the simple artistic techniques which can alchemically transform ephemera into remarkable works, Urgent 2nd Class is the handbook for a new generation of visual poets. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A very informative overview
I read this book when I was applying for a graduate program in the restoration of easel paintings. I needed to get a broad--but also reasonably in-depth--overview of types of damage to paintings and restoration and preservation techniques, and this book was great for that. It thoroughly covers all types of damage to paintings on panel and fabric support, along with corrective and preventive techniques. As I mentioned before, it covers a whole range of areas while still giving them sufficiently in-depth attention. There are tons of color illustrations that are invaluable in helping you understand what they're talking about. I didn't rate it five stars for two reasons: (1) it frequently describes the use of specialized equipment used by restorers, and if you're not familiar with this equipment it can be kind of difficult to completely follow what they're describing, and (2) it also doesn't have the most up-to-date information. Not that the information that is there is out of date by any means, but if you're interested in cutting-edge restoration theory, this book is not going to have it. But from what I gather, this book is one of the most highly regarded in the restoration field (the faculty of the program I applied to keeps it on-hand as a reference book).

Also, be warned--if you're looking for information on wall paintings, this is not going to have it. It just covers panel paintings.

An excellent and detailed text on painting conservation
This is an excellent overall and very detailed view of the conservation of paintings. Actually it is one of the most thorough and up to date books on the subject I have ever seen. Very well written and documented with many photographs and an extensive bibliography and many notes for further research. This book clearly shows the skills, knowledge, and expertise needed and in use today by professional conservators around the world and it could easily be used as a complete reference book for those interested in the subject or even as a textbook for anyone studying art conservation. ... Read more

Book Description

This art book shows contemporary and cutting-edge work as well as historical. It deals with real-life issues of taking pictures and making prints in the practical way working photographers do.Using strong contemporary portfolio photographs, profiles of top photographers with a look at career matters, it includes practical strategies for taking and printing photographs, and a seamless mix of color, black-and-white, and digital technologies.For photographers and photojournalists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A word from the authors about the revised edition
The second edition of PHOTOGRAPHY isn't a token revision. It's a major update of a book that we had already designed to bring basic photographic instruction into the modern era without leaving the fundamentals behind. It is, unlike most of its competition, a book you can grow with as your photographic skills improve.
PHOTOGRAPHY is really a cross between a how-to book and a coffee-table book. That's one reason it costs more than a regular photo handbook: In addition to hundreds of technical illustrations there are dozens of beautifully reproduced, full-page photographs by some of the leading photographers of our time. You'll find photographs by Annie Leibovitz, Joel Meyerowitz, Sebastiao Salgado, Mary Ellen Mark, Joyce Tenneson, James Nachtwey, David LaChapelle, Matthew Rolston, Mark Seliger, and many others representing every kind of photographic discipline you can imagine. These images, which have been substantially updated in this revision, are interspersed throughout the text. PHOTOGRAPHY also features a series of individual profiles of well-known working photographers, heavily illustrated with examples of their work, and a compact, illustrated history of photography by New York Times critic Vicki Goldberg.
Why the emphasis on big, high-quality pictures? Because PHOTOGRAPHY is meant to inspire as it teaches.
--HENRY HORENSTEIN AND RUSSELL HART ... Read more

Book Description

The best directory for navigating the complicated maze called Hollywood the directory that gets your foot in the door. ... Read more

Book Description

Drama, dance, music, art, literature—all exciting toolsfor the K-6 classroom. But how do you make the most of them? By using the numerous hands-on activities and ideas in this popular, practical book. Here are dozens of daily routine ideas, integrated unit ideas, and adaptable classroom structures that set forth solid, dependable “how to's” for using the arts throughout the curriculum—in social studies and science, in reading and language arts, even in math. Only in this book will you find such a clear, straightforward summary of these five art forms. And only in this book will you find a clearly presented argument for integrating at least one artform into every lesson in every area—every day.Targeted topics include assessment, classroom management/discipline and intervention/adaptation for special needs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Claudia Cornett Sparks Interest
I had the pleasure of having Claudia Cornett visit my school recently. She is a very energetic lady with a storehouse of great ideas! Her discussion, which was based on her book, made a whole room of teachers laugh and act silly. We were playing sock toss to help children with word chunks. We became actors with a simple pen. This pen became: a hairbrush, a microphone, a straw...

I can't wait to pick up a copy of this book and use all of the ideas in my classroom. Her energy and fire is contagious! ... Read more

Book Description

This brilliantly illustrated book blends two unique subjects: character design and painting. It details how to put thoughts and ideas together to create characters that elicit specific emotions (joy, fear, anger, sadness, etc.), and it teaches how to beautifully render these characters by applying traditional painting skills with digital tools. This edition has been completely updated to use Photoshop CS as the primary tool, and includes many new characters and tutorials.

Written for artists interested in learning how to use Photoshop CS as a real painting tool, the book is divided into three primary sections. The first section deals with character design and provides strategies for developing worthwhile ideas. In the next section, you'll find fundamentals artistic principles that are often overlooked in the digital world, and learn how to incorporate them into your efforts. And in the final section, you'll work through practical tutorials that teach insightful techniques and tips for solving common visual problems that emerge when painting. The tutorials start off simple covering the basics of value, edges, color, and light. From there they evolve into in-depth techniques for blending, eyes, faces, cloth, hair, Photoshop brushes, and portraits.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or aspiring artist, you'll find a plethora of useful ideas and techniques that will improve your skills and help you create and paint masterful digital art!

On the CD!
Tutorial Files: Includes the sketches, texture images, brushes, and gradients, needed to complete the tutorials in Chapters 12-23
Brushes Folder: Provides all of the custom brushes, in their rough state, as used in the painting tutorials for each chapter
Textures Folder: Contains 137 different textures to experiment with when making your own patterns and brush files
Photoshop CS: Contains both the Mac and PC tryout versions

System Requirements:
Both systems require Photoshop CS. WINDOWS: Intel Pentium III or 4 processor; Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3 or Windows XP, 192 MB of RAM; 280 MB of available hard-disk space; Color monitor with 16-bit color or greater video card; 1,024x768 or greater resolution; CD-ROM drive; Internet or phone connection required for product activation. MACINTOSH: PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor; Mac OS X v.10.2.4 though v.10.3 with Java Runtime Environment 1.4; 192 MB of RAM; 320 MB of available hard-disk space; 1,024x768 or greater resolution; CD-ROM drive. ... Read more

Book Description

"The nude has always been a source of inspiration and one of the main themes of photography." The introduction to this small brick-format book—the shape alone already makes it conspicuous—briefly and concisely describes the special quality of this title. Various perspectives of the naked body are presented to the observers’ eyes, representing the diverse interpretations of photographers from all over the world. The motifs Man, Woman, and Pair open up a world of the senses that has much more to offer than just a nude that one can touch. This artful feast for the eyes is a must for everyone. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Woody
This book gave me a bone. Unfortunately, some of the pages now stick together and the only pictures I can still get to are the gay ones. That sucks. Are any of these chicks in videos?

A great collection of nudes from photographys best.
I came across this little book during one of my frequent trips to the photo section of my local Borders and had to pick it up. Mainly due to is very small size.
I was soon trapped flipping through the hundreds and hundreds of pages of beautiful nude photographs, unable to put the book down.
The only text in this book is a bit at the beginning and end and then the name of each photographer before you see their work. Thats it. No rambling text, just great nude photos.
This collection feature many of the worlds best nude photographers and is broken down into three sections. Female nudes, Male nudes, and couple nudes. It really cant get much more simple that that.
The book is printed on good gloss heavyweight paper, as you would expect to find in photo monographs and has a sturdy hardback.
Although a great collection of photos and printed well, I am a bit disappointed in the book size. It only measures about 3inches by 3inches, and because of the large number of photos inside, the weight of the book tends to deteriorate the binding fast if viewed a lot. Also, I have found it hard to find a good place for this tiny book on my shelf. It just doesnt fit in very well. But becuase the book is so good and the downfalls are few, I only took one star.
I still feel that all nude photography fans should purchase this book for their collection at its very cheap price.

High quality paper, beautiful photographs.
The first 60% of this book consists of photographs of women. The next 20% is of males, and the final 20% are couples (gay, lesbian, and straight).

The vast majority of the photographs are black & white and consist of young and beautiful models. There is such a variety of different images, and the same model is rarely used twice. Sexual overtones are definitely apparent throughout the book, along with a few closeups of genetalia.

It is a short book (in terms of height) but it is also quite thick. The photographs take up each entire page and the only text is the artist name at the beginning of each new group of photographs.

Amazing little book
For such a small book -- it measures just over 5"X5" -- this holds a whole lot of great pictures. From the ordinary to the sensual, this book is worth looking at. It really made me want fruit (see pages 28 and 29)!
However, for being a book based solely on perusing, the small size is rather off-putting. It's not the detail that gets lost in translation, but the impact. However, the perfect price for this lets me wholeheartedly recommend this title for those that are interested in photos of nudes. ... Read more

Book Description

Rockport's Best of Brochure Design series is a perennial best seller worldwide. This eighth installment is not unlike its predecessors. It, too, looks at the latest of the best and the brightest brochures produced by leading designers around the world.

Brochure design is a very important and common area of design yet it often poses unique challenges for graphic designers. When stalled for ideas or grappling for a solution to a problem, designers routinely turn to their peers for advice and inspiration. This book is like having your peers at your desktop-inspiration and advice at your fingertips. It provides a wealth of ideas for choosing type, layout, photo treatments, and much more. It is a problem-solving, brainstorming, high-quality resource that is sure to spark the creativity in any reader.

It is little wonder that designers have come to rely upon and look forward the Best of Brochure Design series year after year. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Real Joy
My family and I recently bought a farmhouse in Provence, something we've been dreaming of doing for a very long time. It's been a joy to restore our new home, but even more of a joy to simply live in it and enjoy it. This book has been invaluable to us in the restoration of our home, and, even if it hadn't, the 200 full color photos of 16 gorgeous Provencal homes make it worth owning.

Bright yellow and bright blue are the traditional colors of Provence and we've used them in our home for everything from the kitchen tiles to the wash on the stone exterior to the fabric that covers our furniture. Like many of the homes in the book, we've let old timber beams remain exposed and a jumble of copper pots and pans, as well as fresh herbs from our garden, hang on a pot rack in our kitchen.

Like the farmhouses in the book, our house has huge stone fireplaces in the living room, the bedroom and the kitchen. We've learned to use these fireplaces the way they should be used and I'm sure they'll come in very handy this winter (here in the mountains of Provence, it gets cold, unlike the warmer winter temperatures of the coast).

THE PROVENCAL HOUSE not only explores traditional farmhouses like ours, it details town houses and manor houses as well and you can find a wealth of styles to choose from, from traditional to very contemporary (the traditional, however, has been my choice).

You don't have to be a resident of Provence like I am to enjoy THE PROVENCAL HOUSE. Francophiles in other countries can learn how to decorate their homes in the Provencal style, a style that is both comfortable and lovely.

I love this book. I've found it informative, helpful and a real joy just to look at.

great inspirational book
I can be critical of design and house books after seeing so many, so it's a relief to finally be able to give a book five stars. The photographs are authentic and detail everything from interior to exterior, including gardens. The essence of French provincal style is captured and distilled here. The writing is clever and concise, although you'll hardly notice it because the pictures are so brilliant. This is an essential book if you're trying to capture the French provencal look in house design or interior design. This book gives you an authentic source reference.

Beautiful Book!
I'm an architect with the task of designing a "French" style home. This is one of several books I ordered to use as references. The appeal of this book for me is that it includes exterior architecture, interior design/decor, & gardens/landscapes. It is extensively illustrated with color photos & captions (my kind of book...). I can't critique the text because I have not yet had time to read it. But I can't get enough of the pictures!

Breathtaking
I picked this book up from the table of new releases at a local bookstore, sat in a chair, and didn't move except to turn the pages for the next 90 minutes. In more than 200 color photographs, The Provencal House explores the beauty of 16 Provencal homes - interior and exterior details, uses of color playing off the landscape, curves and arches and doorways. It's a beautiful celebration of an architectural way of life rooted in the land and its traditions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Pix and Better Info
This book has terrific photographic reproductions, and interesting detailed information about still life, from its origins to the present. As an art teacher, and someone interested in the history of art, I found both the visual and verbal information really valuable. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

One of the best.
A very informative and usefull book for all designers.

DO NOT BUY! it's hard to imagine a more worthless book
This book is a fiasco. As a professional in commercial space planning for many years, I picked it up based on a 'glowing review'. I find another few good ratings here on-line. The authors mother must be writing them, because no one who actually attempted to verify the faulty and incomplete information within, could ever see this tome as worth the paper upon which it is printed.

One reviewer was accurate though; it isn't a bad door stop.

Interior Graphic and Design Standards
This is a very good book. Deals with the in and out of the interior design standards

* WARNING: THIS BOOK'S BEST USE IS AS A DOOR STOP! *
...so S T O P; don't buy this book. It's Junk. Anyone who's been in the profession a while knows it because many of us received it as a Designer's Book Club intro title in the late 80's or early 90's. It wasn't worth the cost of its S&H! Ask around to people in the profession and look it over first. I received mine while having just a few years of experience in practice. Initally excited and impressed with myself having identifed a clear technical error, my feelings quickly changed to surprise and then anger as I began to realize the whole book was packed w/ errors and critical omissions. It was generally a frustratingly incompetent presentation with widely incomplete information on its proposed subjects. That the editors and publisher let this trash out, and were, I presume, making their livings with this level of incompetence was disheartening.

Interior Graphic and Design Standards
An excellent book for "standard" measurements and dimensions of both commercial and residential spaces. A wonderful teaching tool! A book that should be on the shelves of every interior designer, architect and design professor. ... Read more