Book Description

These biographies of the great quattrocento artists have long been considered among the most important of contemporary sources on Italian Renaissance art.Vasari, who invented the term "Renaissance," was the first to outline the influential theory of Renaissance art that traces a progression through Giotto,Brunelleschi, and finally the titanic figures of Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, and Raphael.This new translation, specially commisioned for the World's Classics series, contains thirty-six of the most important lives and is fully annotated. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Better than many Modern Art History Books
If you were to read a modern art history book of the high Renaissance, chances are the author of the book drew at least some of his information from this book written by Giorgio Vasari. Giorgio Vasari was an Italian Renaissance artist who also wrote about the various artists of his time. A contemporary of Michangelo, Georgi Vasari's book reads like a Who's Who of Renaissance artists. For a book more than four hundred years old, the style is amazingly modern and interesting.
Vasari has an artist's eye for critiquing another artist's work. His writing style is not boring, whereas many would be reduced to general descriptions like "beautiful" and "amateurish", he dissects the artist's work between strong and weak points, pigments and flesh tones or landscapes vs. portraits or the use of light and perspective. He states the reason why some art or one artist is renowned and others ignored. His judgments have generally stood the test of time. Vasari also weaves in some interesting tidbits and anecdotes of the Artist's life. I found this book more interesting than many modern day Art History books.

Necessary for art historians and college students
Vasari's prose is effusive but easy to follow because it says the same things over and over about each artist. If you have any interest in the Italian artists this book is a crucial and reliable source of information. Artists lives with an emphasis on their contemporaries and their development are lavishly detailed in this book. It's a crucial source for a college-level art history report. Art historians respect Vasari's analyses of the artists' lives.

Vasari LOVES the High Renaissance artists, especially Michelangelo and Raphael, so you'll find that those chapters are especially long and informative. At times the praise of these artists, and others of the Renaissance, seems exaggerated and excessive. But you get the general gist of things, and find yourself itching to see the paintings that he tells stories about after you read about each artist.

Some hard work, ultimately worth it.
Slogging a little bit, because it's difficult to read even interesting prose descriptions of paintings and also painfully aware that I lacked a lot of the technical understanding of what he was discussing-- my history of art knowledge has huge holes in it. I turned frequently to the Internet to find the paintings Vasari was discussing and that helped a great deal.

I read the George Bull translation and it felt really clunky, although it's a plus that the footnotes are at the bottom of the pages rather than at the rear of the book. If I'm going to go on to read Volume 2 then I have to say that I'd choose another translator.

I knew in an intellectual way that a lot of the Renaissance was about reclaiming lost arts and sciences, but reading Vasari gave me a much better gut level feel about that really meant about the development of the arts. Connects real people to the history lesson, albeit in a gossipy and occasionally too-flowery way.

In the Land of the Blind . . .
This is badly-written, badly-structured, gossipy, confused, misleading, and in too many places downright dishonest. Nevertheless it remians our main source of biographical information on the great artists of the Renaissance and Mannerist periods.

Most of these geniuses were considered so unimportant in their own lifetimes that the details of their lives weren't thought worthy to be recorded. It is telling therefore that it was Vasari, himself a rather vainglorious and self-important artist, who first conceived the notion of setting down the minutae of his own class. Unfortunately he was more a man of the brush than the pen and used his biographical duties to settle a few old scores and to pass on rumor and gossip.

Of course, the very ineptitude with which this work is written gives it an extra appeal in our own dumbed down age, but compared to great biographers of the past, like Plutarch, this is clearly inferior goods. Unfortunately, it's all we have to go on for most of the artists here. If it's a great work, it's a great work solely by default.

'In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.'

Absolutely fascinating
I read this book in preparation for an upcoming trip to Florence. I am a big Michelangelo fan to begin with, and the idea of reading something written by a contemporary and aficionado of his was intriguing. I was well rewarded for my interests.

Vasari clearly idolized Michelangeo and Raphael. That is apparent, but as he did for every other artist's Life he covered, the level of personal detail and anecdotes is invaluable for someone like me looking for the story behind the artists. Artists from each phase of the Renaissance are covered with detail of both their personal and artistic lives. I can say I learned so much from each chapter that I will surely be taking this book with me for reference when I am in Florence.

One caveat, I think it would be helpful to have a book with photographs of the works Vasari discusses. Unless you are already up to speed on the major Renaissance works, it is more helpful to visualize them with the assistance of Vasari's descriptions. I found myself running to the internet often to see what he had been talking about.

Kick back and relax with this very easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable guide to some of the Renaissance's finest artists. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Christo and Jeanne-Claude are renowned for their dramatic and innovative public projects.Their installations often feature fabric - sometimes wrapped around existing structures or used to create large-scale temporary environments. Some of their most influential projects include Running Fence in Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, Surrounded Islands in Miami, the Pont Neuf Wrapped in Paris, the Wrapped Reichstag in Berlin, and The Umbrellas simultaneously in Japan and California. Now New York City, where they have lived and worked for forty years, will be the site for a much-anticipated Christo and Jeanne-Claude project. The Gates will consist of saffron-colored fabric panels suspended from the horizontal tops of over 7,500 sixteen-foot-tall vinyl gates, positioned at regular intervals throughout 23 miles of walkways of Central Park. The installation will be on view for sixteen days, beginning February 12, 2005 (weather permitting). This book, published in conjunction with a major exhibition that opens in April 2004 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, celebrates the culmination of the artists' vision for The Gates, a project that began in 1979.It includes an illustrated introduction by Jonathan Fineberg that surveys the career of Christo and Jeanne-Claude and assesses their contribution to contemporary art and culture. The heart of the book consists of beautiful reproductions of the various preparatory collages and drawings that Christo has created for The Gates project, many of which have not been previously published, and detailed documentation of the personalities and events that have led up to the project. This volume also features four highly engaging, unpublished interviews conducted by Fineberg with the artists, from the 1970s to a recent interview of July 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Gates by Christo and Jeanne-Claude
This book depicts a project began by the authors circa 1979.
The presentation contains many full-color pictures i.e.
The Wrapped Coast of Sydney, Australia. The Wrapped Coast is
a spectacular presentation of a rock formation set in contrast
to the sea and sky. The work has a presentation by Da Vinci
in Milan and a panorama of umbrellas called the "Japan Gates".
The volume is well worth the price for art and world culture
enthusiasts. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This user-friendly book is an alphabetical reference guide to 500 of the world's greatest painters and sculptors, from antiquity to the present. Measuring roughly 5 by 6-1/2 inches and now in paperback, The Art Book is not only affordable, but also light, compact, and extremely portable, completely reforming the concept of an art reference book. It is perfect for the coffee table or for the backpack or pocketbook as well. Each artist is represented by a full-color plate and by explanatory and illuminating information on both the image and the artist. Cross references are provided to other artists in the book, and glossaries of technical terms and artistic movements are also included, making the book a valuable reference tool in the art library. Presented are some of the most famous artists of all time and their greatest masterworks--never before have they been so accessible as they are in this format. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Excellent overview of centuries of art
Arranged alphabetically, which is very helpful. Sadly, it has generally but only one painting or photo for each artist, but then the intent here is to cover as many artists as possible, not to be comprehensive on any one artist, and it's quite heavy as it is already.

The Art Book is an EXCELLENT reference guide. How many times reading the Arts section of a newspaper, or an interview with an artist, etc., does one hear a reference to another artist and one has no idea who that person is? With this book, you can quickly check it out!

I also very much appreciate the cross-linking - since it's alphabetical, and not by style or school of thought, the editors have listed on each artists's page other artists who are similar or somehow related to that one. I have found the cross-referencing to be very helpful many times.

Unless one already has an encyclopedic knowledge of 500 years of art, this is a PERFECT book for one's art library as a reference tool. And it's also a GREAT jumping off point for exploring artists: page through randomly, come across something interesting, then go and look for a book of that artist, or head to the museum "in search of."

I treasure my copy, and would not ever wish to part with it.

handy dandy
I've used this book countless times for research, etc. It's a reference guide to 500 artists, and on one small page gives what is usually their most famous piece (Leonardo da Vinci "The Mona Lisa", Klimt "The Kiss"), a description of it, a few major details of the artist's life, date and place of birth/death, and also the names of other artists that fall into the same category. At the end of the book there is a glossary of terms, a list of artistic movements, and a museum directory. The reproductions are of very high quality and take up about half a page. It's a great book just to look at, but for someone who wants to gain knowledge of the subject, and for students, this marvelous little book (it's only 5 + 6 1/2 but quite thick) is a must. Phaidon did a splendid thing putting out this volume...you'll love it !

Enjoyable, beautiful
A great book, simply said. Not too wordy, and great artwork to see. Introduce yourself to all kinds of art.

A Must for Every Personal Library
The Art Book catalogs, alphabetically, 500 artists spanning from medieval to modern. It also includes helpful glossarys of both techincal terms and artistic movements, as well as a directory of both domestic and international museums and galleries.

A must for any college bound student or art enthusiast, novice through professional.

More Visual Treats
This is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the history of art. Not only intelligently organized (alphabetically), but colorful & detailed. 500 artists from Agasse to Zurburan, each with one representative work and brief paragraph on art and artist, with the vital statistics as a footnote. Browse it and enjoy the gallery-like quiet of this well-designed book. ... 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

Book Description

This is a landmark book for artists.

This edition catalogues the changes in watercoloor paint manfufacturing since the first edition in 1991 and 1995. Ten new companies have been featured, bringing the total to 29. The information in this book enables the caring artist to buy their expensive materials with confidence. The 'bible' to many and a must for the concerned artist. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The least favorite book of my collection
Inaccurate information abounds. Tiresome reading. Little good information. Overly expensive...sorry I bought it.

valuable resource
This exhaustive (not to be confused with exhausting) research-based volume should be mandatory reading for all those artists interested in giving their customers their utmost quality of paint on works of art sold.So many paints are not light-fast, or are 'fugitive' (absolutely unreliable), or are packaged by the manufacturer as 'new' colors when they are, in fact, only creative blends of basic colors that any artist can create with colors they likely already have.This book, covering many of the watercolor paint producers in the Western world, exposes these flawed paints, but also gives credit where due to the top-notch pigments and their manufacturers.Details of content, health ratings, color-fastness and quality of brush use are easily understood.Fantastic color swatches (before and after exposure to light) are beside each manufacturer's sample.My only complaint is that this is the only edition available (pub. 1991), as the author said it would be updated periodically, which does not yet appear to have happened.There were only a couple of Quinacridone colors 12 years ago at the time of publication, whereas there are many more now.

outdated poor quality book, dont waste your money
a poor quality book, badly written and full of mistakes. wilcox is clearly a charlaton, he rants on about other paints being poor quality whilst trying to sell you his own.
I do not recomend this book to anyone.
buy it at your peril

An Informative Book
M. Wilcox's book is a goldmine of information, especially if you are new to watercolor paints.He discusses several topics that are of interest to the artist:discriptions of color on the tubes of paint; individual pigments and what is known of them; and while this is aside from the main topic - a brief history of the individual neutrals, primary & secondary colors.While he doesn't explain the exact methods of testing for each pigment, he states that he uses the ASTM ratings as far as possible and that his own "controlled" testing is for confirmation purposes and through out the book one can find examples where there were no ratings given with an explanation why. He also states that his own ratings for lightfastness, his ratings in "Box 4" and his written assessments of the paints are "my own assessment and should be treated as such" (pg 14).
I noticed that some color lines were no longer available, he includes details about them because many still have a supply on hand.He also gives descriptions of the various companies and a picture of the tubes of paints and gives some kind of idea the strength of the tubes themselves.While this may not be helpful to some, it was to me.I have neurological problems with my hands and there are certain caps I can open more readily than others.Another part of the book I liked were his "confessions" and admitting that his word was nothing but his own opinions.
The color examples I never paid attention to except generally, because, being an artist (albeit in another area) I realize there is a vast difference in reality and the printed version.On the down side, I found the arrangement of pigments annoying, I think that portion could definately use some rework.Also, annoying - the incorrectly spelled words.Where were the editors?There are some of his deductions that I totally disagreed with, due to the fact that I have used a few watercolors in my monoprints.But I believe that each one of us has his/her own opinion and naturally there will be disagreements about whether this color is good or not.Also, it is possible that a "bad" tube of paint escape the company's quality control people.
Overall, I think this book is a must read, especially if you are new to theworld of pigments. Thumbs Up!

Out-Dated and Misleading Information
I bought this book expecting scientifically verified tests of the various pigments used in all the major (and some minor) brands of watercolor paint. Sadly this is not the case. First of all nowhere in this revised edition is it stated real-world testing of the various paint brands and pigments was re-done. Since the book was first published practically every watercolor manufacturer has revamped their line to offer more lightfast and permanent pigments. Nowhere in this book did I see evidence of new testing and a lot of information is out-dated. Quite a few brands that don't exist anymore are still included. For example, the U.S. corporation Colart Americas, Inc. (owners of Liquitex since year 2000 [and now also the owner corporation of famed Winsor & Newton!], quit making Liquitex watercolors years ago in order to focus that brand more on the acrylic market.

The guide states no evaluation of any companies' brands of student grade watercolors was done - only artist grade paints are covered. But here's an example of why I'm suspicious of the testing claimed by this book - I bought some DaVinci watercolors based on the praise they received in the book and immediately noticed the brand is "student grade" in quality. The filler used is so high that the chalky appearance of the watercolor squeezed out onto my palette is visible to the naked eye once its had a few minutes to begin to dry. It doesn't have any clarity or beauty of my Winsor and Newton, Daniel Smith or Holbein watercolors. If you wish to see it for yourself merely buy a single tube of DaVinci watercolor, squeeze out some onto your palette, mix a small puddle of the paint with water then let the puddle of paint dry a bit. You will see exactly what I'm talking about. If visible-to-the-naked-eye chalky filler doesn't shout "student grade paint" I don't know what does.

Another note about DaVinci watercolors - Mr. Wilcox has contracted the DaVinci company to supply the watercolor paints used in his own paint brand for the School of Color correspondence color mixing course. Nowhere in the guide does he disclose this commercial arrangement with the DaVinci paint company. I think it only fair that artists should be made aware of this fact in a guide that posits itself as an un-biased guide to watercolor brands.

I also found his constant harping on "gummy" paint odd. Since I like to be able to control the runny-ness of my paint I don't see thick-or-thin-ness of paint out of the tube as a problem. How difficult can it be to simply add water or ox gall medium anyway? And what does "gumminess" have to do with the lightfastness of the paint being discussed - which is the main thing this book claims to be handing out grades on?

Given these flaws - inaccurate information, very out-of-date information and less than un-biased reporting I can not recommend this book for watercolorists in good conscience. A better book is Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints. Furthermore, she explains exactly how she conducted her tests and under what conditions. An added bonus is that she tries to keep the book current by giving regular updates on new pigments, new watercolor brands or reformulations of existing brands on her website. It's really sad that I give such a low mark to Wilcox's Guide to Best Watercolor Paints. If the author took the time and effort to conduct tests similar to what Hilary did it could be a great resource. What a wasted opportunity.... ... 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 (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

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

EXPLORING ART offers a thematic and global approach to teaching art appreciation. It balances Western and non-Western approaches to art, unlike competing books, which concentrate much more on Western art, artists, and historical styles. This global approach acknowledges the diverse backgrounds of today's art students, and explores the similarities that unite culture, as well as difference or distinctions. In doing so, EXPLORING ART ultimately reveals the universality of the human impulse to create art, as well as the persistence of basic themes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book is crap-tacular!
If my sock drawer was organized like this book...there would never be a matching pair of socks. The old socks and the new socks would cling together in a wad of static electricity, making it painful to dare try and pull them apart and match them up in any other way. The book lacks fabric softener, and reading it is itchy torture.

But seriously...this book tries to be "smart" by organizing the chapters into "subjects for art",and it doesn't work.
It's stupid! ... 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

Reviews (14)

Invaluable resource for all artists.
This book demystifies the way the art world works. It provides all the tools and info needed to build a career exhibiting and selling art. Great practical advice served up with humor and encouragement.

Inspiration!
After being in a creative slump for about a year this is the book that inspired me to pick up my brushes again! I had these horrible thoughts of how difficult it would be to even attempt to make it as an artist but "Taking the Leap" eased my mind. It takes you step by step through everything you need to know and what you need to have ready to start your career. I learned how to properly photograph my art (I can't afford a photographer!) and how to set up my portfolio. There are also inspiring quotes from artists or pertaining to art to help get you through. I credit this book for getting me back out there!

Good sense, good business
Thanks to Cay Lang, I am now selling my artwork in the triple digits. As she states in the beginning of her book,
artists would rather be making art than doing business.
This book helps you do both without sapping your creative juices. A new perspective, a simple remedy.

Cay Lang, thank you for this program ... and the book!
This is a fantastic book that outlines what you need to do to set up and follow through as a visual artist. Every chapter is like a checklist. You can always use it as reference material later, but the book is great whether you read it for the 1st time or 51st time. Bravo, Cay Lang!

In the beginning
Building a career as a visual artist can be a long tedious journey. This book gave encouragement and good advise. There are plenty of example forms for introducing, consigning, and selling art. The majority of the book focusses on a gallery setting and is a bit outdated for information on internet possibilities. I found the most helpful sections to be those dealing with what questions an artist should be asking and the appendix. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Entertaining but...
I bought this book since I was interested in creating my own comic book for my amusement.

I found the format quite engaging and entertaining, pretty much like Scott McClouds Understanding Comics (whom the author's format is inspired by). The explanations are pretty straightforward and user-friendly, especially for the general introduction and one point perspective.

Personally, I wish that it had more examples for implementing three point perspective (which is heavily used in the more dramatic/dynamic shots and scenes).

Overall, it's a pretty good book, although I'm now purchasing other perspective manuals to clarify some of the more difficult aspects of this.

Not your average Take on Perspective
I found this book extremely helpful, in more ways the one. Instead of your usual text with diagram format, it has a refreshing comic book format. This means that examples are almost always right there, WITH the text that discusses it - so you can absorb what's being talked about with out having the "break concentration" and look for the relevant connection between explanation and example. Also, rather than discuss only the "terminology" and the like, I found the explanations were geared so that anyone who can read could understand them - without a dictionary being close to hand! I'd highly recommend picking up this book - to the beginners and pros alike! The gains from it's knowledge are definately worth the price.

waste of time
Buy "How to draw comics the Marvel Way" instead, as Stan Lee and John Buscema cover all the necessary points in a few pages, as opposed to wasting your money on a book like this. Although kudos to this guy for padding a book this size. He must be close with Scott McCloud.

Art teachers buy this book!
David Chelsea recognized a great book that was easy to learn from when he read "Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud". His talents and knowledge as an artist are demonstrated with the formost understanding of illustrating in perspective with this great technique. I'm a better artist because of this book. He demonstrates his technique step by step to make accurate illustrated perspective and gives you what you need to know to break the rules and get away with it.

A great book for beginners and pros alike.
A tome about comic perspective in comics form, this book helped me discover new principles in perspective and the REASON for these principle. Not just for your scenery, human bodies in perspective are also covered... but you had better know anatomy before hand. The reason for the missing star is because Chelsea uses two forms of curvilinear perspective, but suspiciously absent is the chapter ON curvilinear. Even with this oversight, Chelsea has written an engaging and fairly complete perspective guide. Look closely at the icecubes on page 131 and try to find the hidden pictures! ... Read more

Book Description

Claude Monet is commonly considered to be the most consistent and representative of Impressionist artists.His painting, Impression, Sunrise (1874) inspired the official name of this movement.This book portrays Monet's work and vast influence in its historical perspective as it charts his life and career.Over 300 paintings illustrate his artistic experiments as well as his most successful works. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent presentation of Monet's works through his career
This is an excellent book. Sproccati's comments in the beginning are clear and engaging. The best part of the book is the collection of color plates. This is a large book, allowing for large reproductions of many of his paintings. High quality paper, well-focused colorful plates, almost none of which are split over two pages, and well-organized and thought-out order make this an outstanding value. ... Read more

Book Description

To the standard material on bone and muscle has been added a section dealing with the types of human physique:a section on anatomy from birth to old age, and on death; an orientation on racial anatomy; and an analysis of facial expression. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

a hidden treasure
Copyright 1951? Wow, what a stimulating discovery, and what fun! Besides the skeletal and musculature illustrations, "Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist" is full of Peck's own drawings of basic anatomical features. These are not just the "final" drawings, but the beginning "rough sketches". I find this delightful because every beginner needs some inspirational guidance in drawing's first steps. A simple rough sketch of a nose, with shading; or bones drawn as a simple hinge joint. Peck's general reduction of the human figure to basic shapes is of inestimable help. The reader may just find himself saying, "Hey, I can do THAT!!!" And that is the wonderful thing about PECK's book.

Peck has impeccable credentials and must be compared to Robert Beverly Hale. Peck's is not merely an alternate duplication of the same material Hale covers. There is a 'personal' touch in Peck; but the problem with any/all anatomy books, for beginners, is that they are simply intimidating, in their detail, their precision, their absolute realism. PECK overcomes this anatomical intimidation. I would venture that PECK ought to be included in at least the first several "drawing" books that one acquires. Sometimes it seems that several pages offer more practical instruction to a new student than entire chapters in the books coming out in recent years with gimmicky titles.

"Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist," in combination with any beginning book on figure drawing is a must. With Famous Artist's school, Willy Pogany, Walt Reed, Jack Hamm and similar instruction, any book-buyer/beginning artist will find themselves on a solid footing. I rate this in the top 4 of figure drawing books for the beginner.

The chapter on "Distinctions of Age, Sex, And Race" is highly useful. PECK may be in danger of getting shoved aside with time and the publication of new pablum texts containing nothing vital; but PECK has written a timeless text that commands respect. I rate this book a very deserved 5 stars*

The best anatomy book I've seen
The photographs are too dark in this book, but honestly, who needs the photos? They are the least instructional part of this book. The magic of this book is in all of those little off the cuff-looking diagrams that compare the ribcage to a truncated egg, or the joint of a finger to a sideways spool. Study them well until you can reproduce them from any angle from memory. Those simple, blocky diagrams and the accompanying handwritten teacher's notes are like gold. If you seek a solid understanding of human anatomy as a foundation for figure drawing, then buy this book. If you are really just in the market for reference photos of a particular pose then go buy a book of reference photos.

the best anatomy book i've seen
I've never actually seen a five-star anatomy book; each is different and has its own strengths and weaknesses, but this is the best and most balanced book I've found.

The muscle and bone diagrams are good, but seem very stiff. Fortunately, he supplements them with his own soft pencil drawings on other pages, and he includes detailed (and surprisingly readable and relevant) descriptions of how different bones and muscles connect. He does give the proper names for muscles and bones, but he doesn't bore us with overly scientific discussion.

The few photographs don't illustrate much, but they serve as fair examples for differing body types and positions. Peck puts uncommon effort into facial features and expressions: he doesn't just draw the muscles on the face, but he indicates the directions they pull and how they work to express temperament.

A previous reviewer expressed dislike for the racial comparisons - but I liked them. I don't think Peck means to say "all white people look like this, all black people look like this, etc." but he gives the artist characteristics to watch for when drawing from life (to base your own drawings off of his descriptions, well, yes, that would be silly).

He also describes proportions and motion in good detail. If you're going to buy one anatomy book, make it this one.

An invaluable aid to beginners and professionals.
This book is neither a tome of detailed anatomical examination or an attempt to encompass a politically correct set of social photography so as not to offend female teachers. (two reviews pointed to these issues as detractors to the book)
What it is, is a superb tool to aid the artist in understanding the complexity of human anatomy in a visual, easy to grasp manner.
It portrays the human form in ways that allow the artist to understand the underlying mass, weight and structure of the human body and gives answers to many questions most artists don't even realize they had until studying this book.
True, it hasn't been updated since its original debut, but it hasn't needed to be. As far as human anatomy is concerned, it hasn't been updated since my original debut either.
Get this book if you are serious about understanding human anatomy and how to portray it convincingly in your drawings, paintings or sculptures.

Looking for a Reference book?
I bought this book for reference but when I wanted to look at the bones and muscles in detail, the pictures were too dark and not clear. I ended up buying "The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing : A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition" ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Timeless Tomb on Watercolor & Use of Color
An excellent volume and companion to use in conjunction with Jeanne Dobie's book Making Colors Sing. While Dobie's book is outdated with all the advances in watercolor pigments and newer more permanent lightfast color, Hill's book not only picks up with the use of newer pigments, but his suggestions are excellent. This book is a wonderful addition to any library. I kept it nearby as I do Dobie's book. A must have book with excellent demonstrations and illustrations. Also the artist's style and work is wonderful too. A must have for anyone serious about watercolor, beginner or advanced.

Watercolor enthusiast's paradise ...
This book gives an excellent idea and keeps an idol in front of the reader as how a watercolor painting should be. Nice simple language and examples chosen are truly magnificent. Tom's style of painting is simply out of the world.

You can't understand the color in watercolor without this.
Hill's painting style is loose, and ideal for the usually spontaneous nature of watercolor. This is a fine and needed book on color. The technique of painting receives a concise two chapters, yielding space to the problem of making watercolor paints behave. Hill's study of color is based in physics and reality, not taste. I much prefer it this way. Full and detailed descriptions of "all the paints you will probably ever use" tell how they perform, how to test your paints, and what to expect when you mix them. If blue and yellow do not make green for you, but brown or gray, this book gives insight into why this happens. To show what effect color selections have in a painting, one scene is painted with seven palettes, from minimal (monochromatic) to full colors. Chapter Seven, "Color in light & shadow", shows photographically how light and shadow effect color and how to duplicate the effects. I have not seen this covered in other books. Through ten demonstrations you will learn how to render colors in shadows, in colorful subjects, and in not-so-colorful subjects by making colorful grays. You will learn to use color to paint "white" subjects, the greens in nature, clouds and skies, and even colors that are not in a scene, but should be. This is a valuable an informative book. I have given away some twenty or so books to my artist club library, but not this one. It is worth the price, to me, for Chapter 7 alone. I would have rated it a 10, if it were on color only, minus the first two chapters, but these are helpful to beginners. ... Read more

Book Description

With this latest addition to his popular Index series, Jim Krause covers all the basics--everything from typography and color to layout and business issues. Design Basics Index is packed with timeless content graphic designers will turn to again and again, including:

* A wealth of samples and exercises in a fun, flippable format

* Tools and techniques for creating dynamic layouts

* Inspiring ideas for successful idea brainstorming and concepting

* Tips and tricks for navigating the industry with ease

This book starts readers out with a look at the basic building blocks of design and takes them through the process of putting those elements together to create head-turning work. It's a desk reference no designer should be without! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

a beautiful design work itself
I Love this book, abundant information, clear structure and absolutely beautiful designed.

A very solid 5 stars
A beautiful, practical book--full of passion and inspriration. I love design, and have practiced and taught it for a long time. I have several books that cover parts of what I think is important about design, but this is the first that seems to cover everything under one roof--and in a way that is both elegant and up-to-date, far-reaching and concise. The author does not make many (if any) proclamations or "rules" about design--he seems more interested in describing parameters and then encouraging the reader to find their own visual voice. (He also seems more interested in teaching design than showing off--a rare thing amount current how-to books.)But the best thing about this book, the thing that really sets it apart, is the section on concepts near the end. Experienced designers all know that Concept is King, and yet how many basic design books even talk about the subtleties of theme and concept? Very few! In this book, concept is addressed quite elegantly, quite beautifully and in plain, approachable language. I wish that I could give every new designer a copy of this book (along with Idea Index and Color Index--I keep a copy of each on my desktop).

May be worthwhile for your library.
Experienced designer Jim Krause knows his stuff, and Basic Design Index is far and away the best of his 'Index' books for this publisher. This installment isn't a book that will win awards-- or second looks, even-- for flourishing a lot of trendy styling. There are some great books out there if that's what you are looking for, but this isn't one of them. As the name says, it's about basics, or a classic, professional, practical approach.

The book has many exploratory exercises or practice projects for the designer. Throughout it, Krause shows layouts produced using a basic set of photographic, header and body copy elements. He walks us through what works from these finished layouts, and what doesn't, and why. Design books usually show you the single way a piece saw print. This book's mock layouts suggest the multiplicity of ways components A, B, C and D could have been combined; there are, helpfully, more "don't" examples here than "do's". Krause also shows subtle ways to create flow in a layout, the creation of good relationships between objects on a page, and the things that can creep into work and sabotage it by working at cross purposes to clarity and unity.

Design Basics Index could function well as a supplemental book for those in a graphic design program. I have many years of design behind me, and I like to keep the book close by as a touchstone or a pocket source of friendly little reminders. As a resource, it manages to make some design bells go off for me most times I pick it up. That's the best endorsement I can give the book.

If you are a design master, or an avowed design martian, and feel convinced you can't learn anything from a book of this sort, you are probably right. To each his/her own. But for me, it fills a small niche very neatly. ... Read more

Reviews (15)