Reviews (3)

Great book and a lot of text
Hi all. I draw as a hobby and have been drawing since I was a about 10. I took drawing classes before, but when I look at my previous artwork, they really don't have the "realism" that I wanted, i.e. they look too much like cartoons. I wandered around and tried looking for some books to teach me how to obtained that photo-realistic quality with a pencil.

Flipping through this book, my jaw dropped in amazement at the examples in this book. Near the end, the illustrations of zoo animals (tigers, horses, etc) were so life-like! The artist really know how to shade. I instantly brought the book.

Let me tell you, this book is very complex and loaded with information. There are lots of text for an art book. First, the book goes over the basics of shapes and different shades of pencil lead (from hard 6H to very soft 8B, the "#2 pencil" is near the middle). Then we go over shading. The book is primarily focusing on different shading and strokes techniques in order to get that "life-like" realism in your drawing. In my personal experience, trying to obtain that level takes many hours and many practice. If you are the type who gives up easily, then this book isn't for you. Nobody said drawing is easy. Or, if you are only interested in drawing nice line-arts (and letting a computer do the rest), then this book is NOT for you as well. However, if you want to draw to the highest realism with just a pencil, then this book is worth considering.

I should also mention that a small chapter is devoted to color pencils (whereas the rest, or 90% of the book, is on graphite pencil), but I haven't bother with color yet.

Good book for beginners!
Any beginner to drawing with pencil should and eventually will come across this book. Save yourself the trouble and get this book now for you drawing library. You will learn something from it!

Good starting fundamentals
I like this book as it covers most of the basic topics in pencil drawing. As compared to other books for beginners, this book gives sufficient guidelines and examples. The only concern I have is that the examples are not very "real", not "live" enough. After all, I would recommend this book to beginners in pencil drawing. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A solid introduction to the pencilling end of comic books
"The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics" by Klaus Janson introduces wannabee comic book artists and fans of the art form to a more detailed appreciation of what goes into drawing pages for "Batman" than they will have picked up through osmosis or imitation to date. Janson divides the fifteen chapters in this volume into three parts focusing on Drawing, Storytelling, and Pencilling designed to provide an introduction to one of the most difficult of art forms:

Part One Drawing: (1) Materials outlines what supplies an artist needs in terms of paper, pencils, erasers, rulers and templates; (2) Shapes are presented as the foundation of the creative process of drawing, the general concept from which the artist moves to more specific ones; (3) Faces looks at both the basic geometric elements in composing a face and the artistic range available through example of faces drawn by Joe Kubert, Gil Kane, and Neal Adams; (4) Anatomy covers both the structure and design of the human body, including all the muscles, with special attention paid to the most difficult thing in the world to draw, the hands; (5) Clothing establishes the four basic dynamics that shape the folds and wrinkles of a person's clothing; and (6) Perspective, which is covered from the fundamentals to the use of vanishing points and systems of perspective. This unit is the most instructive in the book since it deals with the basic building blocks.

Part Two Storytelling: (7) Juxtaposition establishes the uniqueness of comic book art in terms of how sequential art functions in the eyes of the reader, featuring diverse examples by Eduardo Risso, Sean Phillips, and Dave Taylor; (8) How to Lay Out a Page starts with the grid approach and then moves to the free-form end of the spectrum, starting with an example by Jack Kirby and then moving on to some by Neal Adams and Walt Simonson. Janson explains the value of insert panel and breaking borders, along with the larger pictures need for covers, splash pages, and double-page spreads; (9) Storytelling is considered as being judged by the criteria of clarity and entertainment, just like telling a joke; (10) Composition takes us down to the level of individual frames, looking at how the process of combining elements together to form a united whole; (11) Shots and Angles parallels what we know about such things from cinematography; and (12) Movement examines the one inherent disadvantage of comic art, which is trying to show movement in a static image.

Part Three Pencilling: (13) Procedure lays out how most comic books are written, so you can see where the penciller comes into the process; (14) Breaking In has Janson offering advice on how to break into the business in a professional manner; and (15) Anatomy of a Story has Janson walking us through the drawing of "Good Evening, Midnight," a story he wrote and drew for "Batman Black and White" #3.

"The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics" provides exactly what it promises: a clear-cut introduction to the fundamentals of drawing comic books. As to the fact that the vast majority of illustration examples in this volume are not pencilled but inked, I would point out a couple of pragmatic facts that would explain why. First, inked examples look better than pencilled examples. Second, given that Janson is using examples from real DC Comics, these are covers and pages of art that are already inked. Still, I would agree that more examples of pencilled art would have been nice, although I certainly like what Janson does in Chapter 15, "Anatomy of a Story," where we see layouts, pencilled, and inked pages side-by-side to have a full appreciation of the transformation wrought by the inker.

The companion volume to this work, "The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics," is authored by Dennis O'Neil. Along with Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" and "Reinventing Comics," as well as Will Eisner's "Comics and Sequential Art" and "Graphic Storytelling," and John Buscema's "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way," these two DC volumes are worthy additions to the limited library that every aspiring comic book writer/artist should have next to their computer/drawing table.

Filled with examples from Janson's own successful work
Aspiring cartoonists and comic artists of all ages will welcome DC Comics Guide To Pencilling Comics, an inspirational guide, penned by Klaus Janson, a comic book artist with over thirty years of experience. From creating effective and smooth visual communication sequences to learning about borders and completion processes, DC Comics Guide To Pencilling Comics is filled with examples from Janson's own successful work.

Hmmm... more ink work than pencil here...
All right, I have to admit that in terms of attempts to lay down solid info about composition, layout, and some basics of linework, the book isn't terrible. But... I had to laugh when flipping through a copy. There were more inked examples than pencilled. Ummm....
I know that Klaus has got some skill, and some of the folks who have pencilled for DC, I work with a couple, have done some amazing work. Still, this doesn't have much about the quality of work I am used to seeing from some of their past great pencillers. That is, not visually anyway, and isn't that what this was supposed to be about? Visuals? How to use tones, what you convey to an inker in the way you block in forms and indicate depth, shadow (which reveals your form, light only helps with color), and the infinite variety of line work. The necessity of knowing anatomy, light and perspective and how to use them effectively in a comic format.
Haven't read the entire book, so I can't say if the reasons for the amount of inked examples are ever spelled out, but I had to keep looking at the cover/title of the book to be sure I was holding the volume dedicated to pencils...

A review from a fan....
I'm a huge fan of Klaus Janson, and this book gives me incrediable insight as to how he creates thes amazing works of art.

Great concepts, though not a "how-to" book
This book is really split into two major parts: figure drawing and storytelling. The former is treated very lightly and only hits the high points of anatomy, but there are some tremendous illustrations within. Buy Elliot Goldfinger's "Human Anatomy for Artists" if this is what you're looking for.

The storytelling section is the real core of this book, however. Janson really doesn't present particularly new or revolutionary ideas (for that see Will Eisner's Comics & Sequential Art), but he does clearly explain the concepts of composition, balance, contrast and reader eye movement. Honestly, I felt like there was so much more that could have been said on each of these and the dozen other topics within. Clearly Janson knows what he is talking about as each subject is supported by actual DC comic book examples (covering a lot of genres over the last 30 years, so this is not just aimed at current comic book styles).

There is a third section called "Pencilling", but it is more of an appendix of notes such as how to talk to editors and present your portfolio. Janson also breaks down a short Batman story he wrote and illustrated, showing thumbnail sketches and reference photos along the way - very insightful.

Klaus Janson is a tremendous artist with an energetic style, which is exemplified by his inking (see Frank Miller's Daredevil or The Dark Knight Returns as examples). There are over 200 illustrations within, about one third are Janson's. ... Read more

Book Description

With Pencil Magic, readers will learn to improve their artistic skills with just two simple tools: pencil and paper. Featuring invaluable instruction, this guide will help beginning and advanced artists master the fundamentals of drawing, including: -The spectrum of basic strokes, including sharp, crosshatching, and directional strokes -Drawing styles from quick sketches to blended-stroke drawing -Strategies for capturing measurements accurately -How to paint trees, shadows, paths, and other landscape elements -Various methods of approaching perspective

With ten step-by-step demonstrations, Pencil Magic appeals to artists at all levels of artistic ability, while making learning the basics easy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GET THIS BOOK!
I highly recommend this book. I first read "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and this book is a great follow up to it for anyone who thinks they cannot draw! I could hardly draw legible stick figures and now carry a sketch book with me wherever I go. Mr. Metzger has a way of writing that seems to speak to you at whatever level you are at in drawing. His examples are excellant. Tips abound. GET THIS BOOK!

Highly Recommended!!
This book is definitely a hidden treasure! The first half of the book goes over basic skills and techniques, design, perspective...the essentials. Then each subsequent chapter tackles a specific aspect of landscape drawings; trees, water, buildings, animals...I mean it covers it all. I am currently a Landscape Architecture student and picked up this book as a way to boost my skills. If you read through it and follow the tips you will be surprised at your progress. Once again, Highly Recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Treasure!
If you are going to buy one book about color mixing in painting, this is the one for you. She explains the best colors to use and gives helpful hints as to what mistakes not to make. She does so in a straight forward understandable way. I want to buy more of her books!

Helen was the best teacher on public tv
I was fortunate enough to have studied with Helen at her studio in Rockport MA. She was so giving of her talent, and her teaching is so down to earth and easy to understand. I have all of her books, and refer to them often. She solves just about any problem you may have in painting. How sad that we have lost her, but how great to have her expertise in her books. This book is an excellent reference book as well as a teaching tool. You cannot go wrong buying any of her books.

Excellent
I have all of Helen Van Wyk's books (3) and I think they are all excellent examples of how to paint and how to use oil color effectively. I don't know that this particular book is any better than the others, as I use them in tandum. They have good ideas and many examples of how to apply paint that are very helpful. Check them all out! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Photorealism using pencils
It's all in the technique. This book is for artists who prefer the simplicity and versatility of charcoal, graphite and carbon for their works. This is not a teach-yourself-to-draw type book. It's a book of techniques for artists who already have learned the fundamentals of drawing and want to advance their skills to the next level.

Materials and basic techniques are covered in the first two chapters. From there, the author provides seven step-by-step demonstrations of creating various textures from metal and glass to human skin and animal fur. Finally, the book concludes with two full-length, detailed still life demostrations.

The text is profusely illustrated and well written in a clear, easy to understand style. When the author mentions something, there's a picture to show what he's talking about.

This book is a valuable reference for anybody who works with graphite pencil, charcoal and carbon pencil.

An excellent, brief tutorial
I try to avoid art books that read like cook books. The art books shelf at any bookstore is full of mediocre illustrations bound under titles like "Painting Realistic Waterfalls with Oil" or "Draw Spiderman Just Like the Pros". I was attracted to this book by the phenomenal cover rendering, but frankly I expected it to be another volume on how to paint an elephant's eyelashes in gouache.
That it is not.
Though it covers specific examples, the techniques illustrated by J.D. Hillberry can be effectively applied to pencil and charcoal rendering in general. Mr. Hillberry's rendering skills are incredible and inspiring. He illuminates mundane subject matter to the point of photorealism. This book is a must buy for a design student (or anyone fairly competant in rendering) who is ready to tackle the photorealism giant.

Fantastic Book!
It is easy to find books that try to teach you how to draw, but this book goes way beyond that. If you need something beyond the basics, I highly recommend this book! It is very detailed and has simple steps to help in rendering very realistic textures. Great buy!

An extremely useful manual for drawing lifelike images.
Of all the art technique books I've ever looked at, this has been one of the most useful to me. Graphite is and always has been my favorite medium for drawing, and though I've tried others, I always find myself falling back on the trusty generic pencil. So when I saw this book in the store, I picked it up and thumbed through it and was so impressed by the author's example drawings alone that I bought it. The author is a magnificent artist, and the book has turned out to be a great reference. I've noticed a marked improvement in the realism of my drawings since I started using it.

Hillberry begins by introducing us to various materials - graphite pencils, charcoal pencils, carbon pencils, types of erasers, blending tools, types of paper, and other miscellaneous items that can prove helpful - and describes the use and effect of each. He goes on to offer tips on choosing a composition, using light for different effects, using different pencil strokes, blending techniques, layering media, masking, and other helpful methods.

The bulk of the book contains instructions on achieving realism when rendering different types of objects: metal, eyes, human hair, glass, broken glass, wood, leather, barbed wire, clothing, and fur. He even offers instructions on little details such as knots in wood, protruding nailheads, etc. At the end he talks about how to put all these methods together into a complete composition, and gives tips on working from photographs. I have not yet tried all of Hillberry's techniques, but the ones I have used have helped me immensely. I would highly recommend this book to any intermediate to advanced level artist.

Fantastic!
I am a beginner drawer and find that this book is a must-have. I think that everyone, beginners and pros alike, will learn something valuable from Hillberry's book. He's a master artist and I am thrilled to be able to find out his "secret" techniques of which combination of paper, pencil, eraser and blending tool is used to create each texture.

Get this book and you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

No idea where to start? pick this one.
I always liked to draw using colored pencil. Nevertheless, I never found any interesting book that would deal with several approaches to the colored pencil medium. After reading about Mrs. Borgeson work, I decided to try and never got disapointed. Her books (all of them) give you several different points of view about the colored pencil and teaches you (step by step) how to apply the techiniques to solve apparently simple problems. Layering, lifting, color interactions, error corrections, light and much more. A nice book to have and enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ugh
I really didnt find this book helpful at all..For one thing for the most part, she didnt use her own art, and when she did it was discouraging because it wasnt very good(just my opinion, maybe its just her style) I dont think she showed the techniques well, she explains it to a degree, but anyone who has read anything on colored pencil could write a book like hers, she writes about a technique and show other artists work to show it, and it just isnt helpful at all, I wouldnt recommend this book at all.

The Encyclopedia of Colored Pencil Techniques
Excellent, excellent, excellent Judy Martin. This book is a great help to beginning art students, for architects, and retired professionals who take up art seriously. It gives you not only an overall view on the many techniques in drawing, but you develop a feeling for each technique. Drawing is easy at different levels, but expressions of feelings in drawings are the challenges in art. Thankyou.

This book is very helpful.
I thought this book was very helpful; every technique is demonstrated throughout it. There is color on every page giving you a better idea of how the technique is supposed to be used. ... Read more

Book Description

Our second book on this amazing artist! Once again you'll find both the brutally erotic and humorous aspects of Etienne's work. From 50's leather bikers to the hunky leathermen of the 80's. Uniformed GI's and sexy policemen using perverse sexual devices to probe helpless studs! Lot's of hot man to man action all in the name of fun! 64 pgs with 8 in full color! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Review
Commentary from Victor Terry of Checkmatemag.com: Non-fiction. Magazine-size. The Tom of Finland Company's second collection of BD SM drawings and paintings by artist Etienne (aka Stephen). Is there a CM reader who doesn't know of Etienne (flourished 60s/80s, died 1991)? Etienne has long been one of my favorite BD SM artists and this collection does not disappoint. Several of the drawings are new to me, and it is good to meet these. The book covers a wide span of the artist's career, from the early comic strip "Patrol Car No. 682" to the later famous series illustrating six words: "Shoe" is perhaps my favorite of the six with the private licking the sole of his sergeant's shoe which is dangling from the head of the sergeant's erect dick, though "Rope" and "Piss" (not to be confused with the even hotter but very different "Pisser") are not far behind. There is much here to appeal to CM's readers: DS, SM, bondage, ff, military, prison. If you do not know Etienne's work, you should, and this is a good intro. Etienne's fans will not need me to tell them: get this. Hot!

A bit of SM history in art
This is the second in what may become a series of 3 or 4 books collecting together some of the art of Etienne. This volume looks at his artistic side in the world of dance in the introduction but returns to the beautiful drawings and paintings he created during his lifetime. There are two stories, 8 paintings and 40 black and white pieces. Odds are if you look at kinky gay male art online, you've seen Etienne's work. Now you can buy it and support the perservation of SM culture too. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Focused on detail but not enough
I think this book si god for people who already know about colored pencil. It is not for someone who is a beginner. Don'g be fooled and buy it thinking you will learn from the beginning.

Colored pencil book.
The book is good, but I've found that this site will post your book review only if you choose "5 stars" in the drop-down menu.

Try to find a derogatory review anywhere on this site.

Knowledgible/Inspiring
Even as a somewhat-experienced artist I found this book to be at just the perfect level. While basic for anyone new to colored pencil, the book is by no means simplistic. It is intelligently written, and well illustrated. After finishing it (which I found to be as difficult as putting down any good novel) I felt I'd found a new awareness about the medium. Since, I have been excitedly pursuing all Borgeson taught me through her wonderful book. Note: A special reading treat at the end is her own prespective/insight on being an artist, whether choosing to be amatuer or professional. I highly recommend this as a good A to Z study.

One of the best books of colored pencil
This is one of the best books on colored pencil I have found. The artwork is beautiful and the instructions are superb. Projects and techniques are demonstrated step-by-step with color illustrations and photos.

The book starts with an overview of materials and tools including great advice of setting up a workspace. Then, it covers the fundaments of drawing such as perspective, volume, space, form and composition. The demonstration and discussion of color mixing and creating edges is excellent. This really helped me a lot. The book then goes on to help you really get started by giving tips on finding inspiration, using photographs, tracing and deciding when your project is finished. It explains color lifting and impressed line techniques as well as helping you build your own style.

The next section focuses of still life and floral drawings. It covers selecting and setting up a still life and well as lighting it. There are two great demonstrations of this. It nice that one included the photo the artist worked from making it easy to practice what the author describes. A section on landscapes follows. This gives all kinds of advice from working on location to assembling the elements of a basic photography kit. There is a great discussion on finding the perfect setting and center of interest, as well as using color to suggest space. There are two demonstrations here as well, showing both naturalistic and fantasy landscapes.

The afterward on integrating art into your life and selling your artwork is great for the serious artist. Whether you are just starting out or having been using colored pencil as a medium for a while this is a wonderful book on the subject.

moving beyond beginner
It seems a deep chasm yawns between the amateur artist and the emerging artist. This insightful and instructional book bridges that gap. Finally, a book that addresses how to move beyond the beginner stage! The author's generous advice is clear, relevant and timely. And you don't have to be a colored pencil artist to benefit---the majority of the book is applicable to other media as well. Written in a rare, articulate style, the author delivers provocative theories and philosophies not found elsewhere in art instruction books. An added bonus: detailed reproductions, in-progress artwork by the author, and no skimping on text. A most valuable addition to your personal art library. ... Read more

Book Description

Prepare to experience a brand new thought process on the drawing of life and the expression of energy. This important concept is also the least talked about subject in figure drawing classes today. Artist Michael Mattesi is your guide on an exciting and provocative journey through multiple methods of thinking using easy to understand critiques of dynamic drawings. Learn to approach drawing through Michael's groundbreaking theory about force and its relationship to:

· Rhythm
· Form
· Shape
· Clothing
· Reportage
· Animals

Animate objects are always full of Force. No matter how still a body may seem, there are always forces to comprehend and address. Participate in Michael's web forums and online instruction through critiques and video examples at www.drawingforce.com.

Reviews (2)

Great for beginnners!
This book is great for beginners. It has many sketches that students can use for ideas about techniques and style. My only disappointment I had was the quality of the scans/pictures of some of the sketches. Some were a little dark, and hard to read. The paper is also somewhat flimsy. Other then that, it's a great book for those who are trying to learn how to capture movement in a form. Highly recommended!

AWESOME! The artwork is great!
This book is full of exciting and animated figure drawing. Just thumbing through it and admiring all the fabulous artwork is a treat. However, the lessons about figure drawing are also worthwhile. ... Read more

Book Description

The bestselling classic updated and revised for a new generation
Portable, inexpensive, extremely versatile, and deceptively simple in design, the pencil, in the trained hand, gives rise to a veritably limitless array of strokes, contours, tones, and textures. For a quarter century, artists, architects, designers, and dabblers in the graphic arts have turned to Thomas Wang’s bestselling classic (100,000 copies sold) for their basic training in the art and science of pencil sketching. That’s because no other book covers so thoroughly, or with such clarity, economy, and grace the full spectrum of rudimentary and advanced pencil sketching techniques, from the basics of how to hold a pencil to the elements of composition, texture, line weight, and shading. Featuring nearly all new illustrations, and a valuable new chapter on sketching from memory. Pencil Sketching, Second Edition is sure to be the guide of choice for the next several generations of professionals and students.
Thomas Wang, MLA, ASLA (Lincoln, MA), is principal of Wang Associates International, a consulting firm specializing in landscape architecture and urban planning and design. He has taught at the University of Michigan and Harvard Graduate School of Design. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Simple but Effective
A great book.

So many art books give long-winded descriptions of what to do, and even how to do it, yet they fail to capture the essence of what makes a drawing good. Wang concentrates on simple elements and rules of thumb, providing a wealth of wisdom in a few words and pictures.

If you're looking for long descriptions of techniques, this is not the book for you. The author quickly notes the salient points and demonstrates with sketches.

This book has beautiful drawings and covers a variety of techniques: how to hold a pencil, line, composition, values and shading, etc. The author also leads you through how to make specific elements: landforms, trees, water, and more.

scratching a bit on the surface
39 of the 111 pages consist of full page printed sketches, wich are beautiful. But the text, which is very rare in this book, is sometimes missing, and throughout this book very superficially. Thomas C. Wang describes one (1) pencil technique, which he is using for his sketchings, other methodes are not discussed or even mentioned. I could not recommend this book to anyone, perhaps for very beginning artist, whom are uncertainly in leading a pencil, but even then there are better books.

Beautiful Book That Inspires
I remember the first edition of this book from a few years ago. But this new edition is beautiful in and of itself - I flip through it often. But the real bonus was that it inspired me to sketch again - a skill that I haven't used frequently in the past ten or fifteen years. This one's a keeper because it showed me *how* to do it and then showed examples of how it was done by the expert. I've rediscovered my love of sketching. ... Read more

Book Description

Step into the dark, sinister world of this established artist of male erotica. His photorealist pencil renders everything in sexy, sordid style; from construction workers to satyrs, cowboys to devils. Athletes and demons.

A full range of Olafs work is represtented from the late 70's through the early 90's! With 4 pages in full color. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amazing Artwork
To be quite honest, this was one of the most amazing art books I have read in a long time. The artwork is just incredible and while it may be offensive to some, just by looking at the cover you'll either be interested or completely disgusted. Excellent buy if you're not squeemish. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent for Beginners
This book is without a doubt the best single book I have ever seen on basic pencil techniques, esp. drawing scenic landscapes. The methods he teaches are simple and easily learned, yet yield excellent results.

Excellent book. I am a beginner.
I am a retired electronic engineer, and have taken up art as a hobby. According to what I have read, drawing should be studied before going into painting. Mr. Petrie's book has been an excellent launching pad for learning to draw. In the past 3 months I have purchased 13 books on learning art, but none has proved as useful to me as this one. I copy his drawings and am surprised on how well they turn out. I can heartily recommend this book. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Art Of Final Fantasy IX Is A Must-Buy
I strolled into EB one day, and upon purchasing Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (great game, by the way), they had this book at the counter. I was really happy and a bit sad as well: my last few bucks just went into Persona 2: EP. But a couple days later, my dad had heard of the book through my constant ramblings and picked it up for me as a gift. Happy like a Moogle with a Kupo Nut, I was. Final Fantasy IX is my favorite game, I loved every second of it. Not since Secret of Mana for the SNES have I loved a game this much. There are drawings of the main characters; non-playable characters; monsters; villages, castles, and dungeons; items and equipment; CG scenes; sketches; air ships and worlds--all of which are rich in both beauty in detail. Final Fantasy IX fans will notice the transformation the characters went through the most when they get a glimpse at their earlier sketches. They early drawings were much more life-like and had a more traditional Japanese look to them (especially Steiner); just try to picture them without their super-deformed look and you'd, for the most part, get the picture (Quina, Vivi and Eiko being the major exceptions). Personally, I think they should have left Amarant with the beanie. Much better than the red weave they gave him in the end. Another bonus is the few drawings you get of parts in the game that were cut. None of what was cut was a serious loss (a house here, a house there), but it would have been nice to have had them in the game. Still, at least we got to see them. Not all the charcters made it into the game (where's Cactrot?!), but they managed to put a good number of them in here. And, well it might be really picky of me, I kinda think the selection for the cinemas could have been better (that scene were Kuja was bleeding would have been nice... heh, not to mention more pictures of Garnet), but what they did put in was good enough. There were a lot of drawings that caught my attention (Garnet on the cover came to mind on that thought), but my favorite was on page 66, there's a picture of a black mage standing at the graveyard in the Black Mage Village. Pretty sad, actually. Anyway, at 159 pages (that might seem like a so-so amount, but when you see how big the book is, you won't think so) of beautiful pictures, you'll definitely love this. Saying this is a must for Final Fantasy IX fans is a bit cliche (not to mention obvious), but it's true, and not only that, but this is a must for fans of just art in general. I love that I can open this book up and relive my favorite Final Fantasy IX moments any time--definitely don't pass this up.

A book worth getting
The Art of Final Fantasy IX is a great artbook worth getting--even for a person who doesn't even have the game could enjoy this and get to know the all of the charicter's personalities before even getting the game. Besides being an art book, it has lots of informaition about the game. In a few sections, it shows how they created the charictor. The art is beautiful and any Final Fantasy fan will truly admire this creative and well-put-together book. ---plus, its in English and has some Japanese writing.

FF9 fans will be pleased.
It's got all the characters, all the settings, all the fun. FF9 was my favorited in the series so I just had to get this homage to it. It's just fun to look at the sketches and rough-drafts and such. The town designs are really amazing.

If you're a fan of the FF series, anime, or just incredible art, I suggest you check this out.

Beautiful, Just Beautiful Drawings from the Best
I love Final Fantasy!! I have been a die hard fan since part one was released in 1990. There are several books out that show the visual effects from the Final Fantasy series, but this one is by far the best. It is strait forward, art, from the original designer of FF characters, Yoshitaka Amano. Page for page you will see the steps that he followed making this characters shine.

The main reason that I took one star away was because most of the art in this book is finished up designs from Amano. I am a very big fan of his work, ex. Vampire Hunter D, FF1-6,and 9 adn several other Japaneese work. I enjoy his early sketches better, they are much more fantasy like. But that does not mean that this collection is not beautiful as printed.

This is a beautiful editon to any Final Fantasy collecton or just plain art or drawings collection. Dont pass this up.

Wonderful Art of Final Fantasy IX!!
When I bought this book, I expected mostly black and white photos and small screenshots from the game, but when I opened it up I was happily suprised with a book full of large, colorful artwork. Being a fan of the game series itself, this book especially appealed to me, as it probably would to many other FF players. But even those who do not play the game will find them selves impressed with the tons of fantastic artwork that fills its pages. I definitely recommened this book if you are a fan of the game or just love great art! ... Read more

Book Description

This expansive look at the versatile, popular colored pencil medium is packed with creative, imaginative demonstrations sure to help artists develop--or enhance--their skill. They'll learn about every aspect of color pencil drawing, from studio space, drawing tools and surfaces to sketching and color use. Readers will also find unique colored pencil techniques and advanced tips for creating textured surfaces and landscapes. It's all the information a colored pencil artist needs! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Little Substance in This Book
I have a personal library of over twenty books on colored pencil and unfortunately, this is the weakest book I own on the topic. There is very little on technique and there is a general lack of substance. If you are looking for an overview on colored pencil, there are far better books available. One that comes to mind is Exploring Colored Pencil by Sandra Angelo. And if you are looking for technique or practical information this book simply doesn't cut it.

Overview of Colored Pencil
This is a good overview book showing colored pencil techniques. The author focuses primarily on various techniques and the various papers used that can contribute to different effects. It is not a book geared for drawing and painting newbies. So if you are someone new to drawing and painting and want to work in colored pencil use this book in connection with books such as Mona Brookes' excellent Drawing for Older Children and Teens: A Creative Method for Adult Beginners, Too or Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

There are a variety works shown beside the author's that display the beauty of this medium. However, all the artwork presented in the book is realistic. There is no experimental or more abstract styles shown even though colored pencil can make these styles just as well as more popular media like oils, acrylics and watercolor. If you are thinking of trying out colored pencils as a medium there are a lot of good tips and advice available here.

A comprehensive study, especially in Portraits
Bernard Poulin is a master in the medium of Colored Pencil. Whether you are beginning or advanced in the use of this new medium, you will find useful information. The work featured is breathtaking, and the information is straightforward and easy to follow. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

The sumptuous tones of colored pencil are surpassed only by their astounding versatility and simplicity. Filled with inspiring pictures, this lively manual covers methods, materials, blending colors, design techniques, composition, perspective, and drawing animals, humans, the great outdoors, still lifes, and more. “For all levels.... Students will...be rewarded with a rich array of ideas and styles.”—Library Journal.
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Reviews (6)

Best book on the colored pencil
Hands down the best colored pencil book I've seen. I have over ten books on this topic including ones from Bet Borgeson and Janie Gildow and this is the best. In depth information is given on the history of this artform, practical considerations and technique. Throughout the book, inspiring works of art with colored pencil are displayed. This book is sure to enthuse the reader whether they are a beginner or advanced artist.

Not for the Beginner
If you want step-by-step instructions don't buy this book. While the blurb on the back touts "step-by-step demonstrations" they are a very small part of the book and have very few steps. If you are looking for something vague like "inspiration" then this book might interest you. It does have lots of pictures done both by students and professionals in a variety of styles. But if you want help with what kind of pencils to buy don't look here. There is a general discussion of pencil types (hard, soft, etc.) but no concrete examples of which is which. You are just told that price indicates quality. Paper/board selection is also vague.

If you already know a lot about colored pencil then you might enjoy this book, but don't expect a lot of help with the basics.

The best 'First Book' for colored pencil ... excellent!
I picked this up after going thru all of B. Borgenson's books and the 'Colored Pencil Solution Book'. For a beginner, it is perfect. There are many graduated actual exercises for different skill levels, instead of merely a picture and a section explaining how it was done (God, I hate when authors do that!). After a couple months of sketching, this book and then the 'Colored Pencil Solution Book' would give you enough to allow you to do just about anything. There wouldn't really be anything else to learn, only time taken to perfect the medium.

Highly Recommended!
Angelo's newest book excels in every way possible: instructive, beautiful, and enjoyable to read. Angelo is an excellent teacher. Example: each section has 3 sets of exercises, one for each level of artist (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). All exercises are open-ended and offer as many opportunities for learning as you are willing to pursue. I also have two of her videos ("Realistic Colored Pencil Textures" and "Drawing Your Loved Ones: Pets") which are excellent as well. I'm ordering her older book (Colored Pencil Basics) today!

Going In The Right Direction
Yet another book in colored pencil technique for anyone interested in drawing but its chief attribute is the variety of art styles shown by all the different artists' work. There is still a tendency for only photo realists to work in colored pencil and it is increasingly important that those of us who use this medium see work which pushes the envelope against photo realism rendered in it. A nice companion volume for "Drawing On The Right Side Of the Brain" after you are finished with that book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The back cover of Pencil Dancing asserts that "there is a creative genius within you." Chapter titles include "Going into Your Egg," "Wake Up and Notice the Fuzz on the Rose Petals," and "The Value of Being Weird." The book's author, Mari Messer, leads workshops on creativity, writing, and art, and she loves similes: she likes to think of creativity "as a seagoing vessel encrusted ... with barnacles"; she uses her writer's notebook like a net, "where I could catch a thought and preserve it like a butterfly under glass." She emphasizes the need both to break out of your shell and to build your own chrysalis. Her exercises include designing a coat of arms "to symbolize your vision" and molding in clay "an image of a person, animal or thing that represents your creative muse." She peppers her book with anecdotes from her life and those of her artist and writer friends, as well with quotations from the works of Betty Edwards, Alan Watts, and Ram Dass. She writes about creative visualization and taking "soul days." Pencil Dancing is clearly written to appeal to the spiritually inclined, though it does balance its New-Agey earnestness with a healthy dose of humor and some solid ideas on fostering creativity that will appeal to others as well. --Jane Steinberg ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Giant Squid of Confusion
"Pencil Dancing" is aimed at anyone who wants to be creative with his life. It takes a deliberately silly tone, designed to get the reader to loosen up and let go, try new things, and take off in new directions.

Mari Messer delves into "hurry sickness", the psychology of "devoted attention", the relationship between our creative and logical minds, playing, collecting useless information, visualization, "practice without purpose", taming your inner critic, and facing the giant squid of confusion(!).

All sorts of things are expressed in terms of weird, extensive, ongoing metaphors; this gives us an idea of just how creative and weird you can get if you try. It does get a little ridiculous (I suspect deliberately so), which might tweak your sensibilities a little if your inner critic is raging. (But then, perhaps that's the point.)

Ms. Messer is honest about some of these lessons being not only tough to learn, but difficult to remember. She isn't shy about explaining the times when she's fallen down. She uses interesting examples from her life, her students' lives, and famous people's lives. These make the principles she discusses come alive.

I've learned a lot in here that's been directly applicable to how I live my life, how I work, specific projects I'm working on, how I deal with people, how I let other people deal with me, and so on. The discussion of criticism, constructive criticism, and their place in the creative process has convinced me to be less harsh and critical in my judgment of others' work. Criticism does have a crucial role to play in creative work, but it's also important to be careful not to apply it too early.

Before I read this book I had forgotten what it was like to have so many ideas for material to write that I constantly had to carry a notebook around with me to catch even a fraction of them. I got halfway through this book and I had to make a trip to the drug store to pick up some pocket-sized notebooks to catch the sheer flood of ideas! It's hard to give the book a more glowing recommendation than that.

Add this one to your personal collection
I've never considered myself a particularly creative person. In fact, I'd put off my dream of writing a novel for so long partly because I kept going back to one detrimental thought: "What if I can't come up with any ideas?" Since I started writing, however, I found that ideas are endless - and they're everywhere. Yet developing those ideas, looking at them in new ways, still proves difficult.

That's why a book like PENCIL DANCING is so remarkable. It helps the reader discover new ways to look at the world. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book is directly related to the fact that Mari Messer doesn't just focus on one type of art - whether you're a writer, a sculptor, a painter, a dancer, or even a parent or a businessperson - you'll find ways to reach deep inside yourself and discover a creativity you never knew you had.

Written in a beautifully poetic style, with a lot of allusions to our natural surroundings (many nature writers are quoted throughout, such as Thoreau, and Annie Dillard), this book has a calming new-age feel to it. Far from being off-putting, this particular style oozes the kind of creative relaxation the reader's aiming for, and it allows the author's ideas and teachings to shine through.

Divided into thirty-eight short chapters, PENCIL DANCING can be read cover to cover, or savored a chapter at a time. You'll also find tons of exercises, project ideas, and themes for reflection. This book truly has something for everyone, though be warned, not all chapters will apply to your personal needs at the time of reading. This is one book that should find a permanent home on your shelf, to be reached for and browsed through on a regular basis, as your needs and your creative style change.

Classroom friendly
I basically got this book to see if there were any writing prompts to use in a classroom. There are many, but most of them are in basic textbooks anyway. If you're new to books on creativity - this will be good for you. If you've explored it already, it may be a bit remedial.

Whimsical exercises for creativity
I only give this three stars because it is too much like other books on exercising your creativity that I've read in the past. But, if you don't own any other books on this subject, you might find this is just the ticket for expanding your abilities.

Here's an example of the exercises in the book: "Think like an alien." Here, you are asked to examine flowers, trees, everything on Earth as if you dropped in from a flying saucer. A good idea. How would you describe a pansy to someone who'd never seen one? How would you draw it?

I prefer other volumes I already own (Carbonetti's "Making Pearls" and The Artist's Way, in particular) to Pencil Dancing. But, if you want a somewhat whimsical set of exercises and musing on creativity, this book may just do it for you. It didn't do it for me, but, because the creative process is so different for each individual, you may be entranced. How to judge? If you own other such books and like them a lot, this may not be a good choice. If you like fantasy and directed imagery, and some of the other creativity books seem a bit dull, you will probably like "Pencil Dancing."

Pencil Dancing
I like this book because its ideas spark my creative spirit. There are many interesting exercises and discussions that foster different perspectives related to ordinary things. The book should appeal to readers who want to become more aware of themselves and their envionment, who want to view the world through fresh eyes. ... Read more

Book Description

Pencil drawing is fundamental to the visual arts and pencil can be a wonderfully expressive medium. In this inspiring book, Gene Franks shares his knowledge and shows by example how to bring out the beauty in ordinary things. Each of the projects is broken down into manageable steps that will lead you through the process of drawing and expand your own artistic expression.

o Find out about the materials you'll need, the basic hand positions, and how to set up a work area

o Practice the different pencil strokes for shading and showing texture

o Learn how to make and use a grid for establishing correct proportions

o Discover the basics of perspective and value drawing

o Follow 13 step-by-step drawings to create still lifes, animals, landscape, people, and more ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Learning Book
The last time I had drawn a figure was as a 10 year old boy. That drawing was of Abe Lincoln. Now, at the age of 37, I decided it would be fun to draw with a pencil again. This book was the first one, I bought this year, and am I glad I did. It leads you step by step the process of drawing a lifelike figure, from fixtures, to animals, cars, barns, etc. After completing my first drawing using the book, I was amazed at the result, and so is every one who has looked at it. I completed the second drawing with similar results, again, of a quality we could hang n our home and be proud of. The book tells you what pencil type to use, how to use it, with plenty of examples. If you are after a step by step book, that will give you lifelike results, I highly reccomend this book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not a step-by-step tutorial
A great concise treatment of techniques from the master. But be warned that this is not a step-by-step tutorial. Unfortunately, the 'Look inside' feature does not show a single excerpt.

The chapters start of with a little introduction, there is a figure accompanying every technique and a short description of the technique. Think of it like having anecdotes for each figure.

This is a book for an 'advanced beginner', who wants to reflect upon his skills so-far by comparison and try out some of the ideas that this book offers.

Learn to draw from THE PRO
This book is one of the best books to use when learning to draw or just sketching for fun. Watson details his techniques, his style and his multi faceted arrays of pencil forms to use to convey the MOOD of your...masterpiece! GET IT NOW! ... Read more