5 comments about The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo.

1. A wonderful biography of an amazing artist. Truly well written. Not only does the writer tell the story of Michelangelo but he also provides a glimpse of Italy in that period. This is a must read.



2. If you are planning a trip to Italy, read this book before you go. Everything Michelangelo will mean so much more to you. A big, fat, thick book, but worth every minute of your time. One of those books that you tend to read more slowly near the end, because you don't want it to end.



3. This book is fantastic if you want to immerse yourself in the daily life and culture of an artist in Italy living 500 years ago. The insight into the artistic process is very well written and you get a true sense of what artists were subjected to by way of maintaining themselves in the world. Read it to get yourself into the mind of an artist.
   
   That said, it is a biography, so there are no shocking twists or big reveals like you will find in great fiction. I don't know why other reviewers seem to fault the book for this. Yes, it can seem rather banal compared to modern fiction, but it's not modern fiction. Is it the best written book in the world? No. It could have done with some more editing for one. It's still a good read.



4. The feelings and emotions of one of the greatest artists of all times is reflected in this excellent book. Take it with you on your next trip to Italy.



5. I'm a high school English teacher, and I would never assign this to students to read. Nor would I recommend it to any adult except for those who are doing academic work about Michelangelo or those who are art historians. Michelangelo's artistic gifts are obviously amazing and worth knowing about. And the Renaissance time period certainly is important and interesting. However, the author exhausts his readers by seemingly including every single detail he gleaned from his obviously thorough research.
   As a result, the story just goes on and on without any ongoing internal or external conflict to sustain interest. Maybe this is because as a whole, Michelangelo's life did not present an underlying, complex struggle. It was just a bunch of little struggles, each with the very same dynamic -- trying to do things his way, dealing with difficult popes and Medicis. His "great loves" are just slices of life along the way, for whatever reason: maybe the historical record does not give reason for much embellishment. I also felt like he never really conveyed an authentic, thoughtful sense of Michelangelo's inner world. It felt thin and simplistic, portrayed through the objectifying lens of Stone's reverence.
   And the names! It was so frustrating to come across dozens of new people every few pages, most of whom were never mentioned again. It became impossible to figure out which ones I needed to pay attention to, which alone would have been a struggle because so many of the names are so similar to each other.
   However, I guess all of the seemingly faithful details are an honor to someone worth honoring, so for this I give it two stars. Historical fiction can be so powerful. Here, though, a bit too agonizing.

5 comments about Fabric Art Workshop: Exploring Techniques & Materials for Fabric Artists and Quilters.

1. This book has so many different techniques, it's delicious! I have most of the products to start in my own stash and purchased a few more. It's enough to keep me busy without boredom. 5 stars!!



2. This book is only for the absolute beginner. I could find nothing to inspire me.



3. What a great book! I disagree with the person who says it is for an absolute beginner. I am far from a beginner and was very impressed with the different techniques in this book. The instructions are clear, with an additional suggestion at the bottom every page. The supplies needed for the techniques are fairly easy to come by. I look forward to trying them!



4. Just like the title said...Fabric art workshop. (Exploring techniques & materials) For anyone not able to actually go and take seminars/workshops this is a great book to have. The materials and tools list for each is fantastic. No guessing. Instructions are easy to understand. No over your head stuff. Susan Stein did a wonderful job on this book. So much so, I'd still like to take a class from her in person!



5. There are so many techniques included in this book, and although promoted as a fabric art book for fabric artists and quilters, it could also be used for many mixed media arts including paper arts and journaling etc.. I loved getting so many techniques and ideas in one book.

5 comments about Fashion Artist (Fashion Design Series).

1. I bought this book for my 16 yr old daughter who is an aspiring fashion designer. To get into design school & possibly qualify for a scholarship, she must prepare a portfolio. She expressed concern that her sketching skills would look amateurish so she asked for a book to help her.
   
   This book shows in picture and text detail the supplies needed to do a project & an easy format to follow. She loved it and was so excited to have a guide to help her. This book not only helps in this regard, but has several sections that gives pointers on design elements and much more pertinent information.
   
   If you or someone you know is an aspiring fashion designer, do not hesitate to get this book. It will be a valuable tool that will be put t good use.



2. I'm wanting to become a fashion designer and i bought this book and i was amazed. it really teaches you how to draw fashion models (and people in general) in all different poses. it shows you so many different poses both with an actual person modeling the pose and then a block figure showing you how to draw it. after the structure is learned, it teaches you in a really easy way how to flesh it out, and then how to draw the clothes and how the clothes are supposed to look at folds and creases. if you like this book, i recommend Draw Fashion Models! by Lee Hammond, a great book that goes in depth into more poses and how you should draw the clothes and how they look when the arms are raised, when you're leaning on one hip, etc.
   
   i really recommend buying this amazing book, it's straightforward and very helpful!



3. I haven't really had a chance to play a lot with this book since I got it a month ago, but so far, I like it. There are very colorful designs, croquis', and many illustrations. It seems like it gives a lot of information in a short amount of time.



4. This book is a great start for beginners who want to work in the fashion industry or for those who consider fashion designing a hobby and want to improve on their illustration skills, like myself. Burke starts with the basics, like learning how to draw the female figure in different poses and drawing some examples of clothes, but she also touches upon fabric rendering and ideas on how to make a presentation. There's even a section on designing for men, childeren, and costumes. Overall a very informative, clear and consise book to get started and to encourage and inspire amateurs to want to learn more.



5. I wore holes in piles of paper trying to work up to the basic points so magnificently outlined in this book! It's like having an art teacher with you (without the snide remarks) to bring your abilities to the top.
   
   If you are planning on studying fashion, or just doing it for fun, you need this book.
   
   Highly recommended!

No comments about Performance: Richard Avedon.

No comments about Mary Engelbreit's On the Edge: 2009 Wall Calendar.

5 comments about Obey: Supply & Demand : The Art of Shepard Fairey.

1. An impressive collection of works through his personal timeline. Beautifully bound, loving attention put to every part of the book. The printing is top-notch, a quality item all the way. There is a wonderful insight to the OBEY project, André the Giant, and many of the poster and print runs he's produced.
   
   It sits proudly on my coffee table, bedside table, in my art studio.
   
   Don't think, just spend the bucks, you'll be glad you did!



2. I had always been a fan of the Rodchenko propaganda art from Russia's early Communist era. There was always something that just appealed to me, I recently re-discovered Shepard Fairey's work and began collecting up the pieces I liked most.
   Shepard Fairey's work is dark, but inspiring; revolutionary, but also authoritarian.
   This book is a chronicle of Fairey's evolution from sticker/t-shirt bootlegging teen to American Pop-Art icon, even if he might never want to characterize himself that way.
   The book is hefty and handsome bound in red cloth with gold gilt colored text and the "Supply and Demand" print image on the cover.
   It is full of Fairey's work and the story behind some of the street art he is famous for. There's also a glimpse into the philosophy of street artists, who separate themselves from what most people think of as simply vandals.
   Fairey's run-ins with local police reveal much of the anti-establishment inspirations in his work. His anti-corporation campaigns and collaborations with musicians also inspire some of his best works.
   A great book for the Shepard Fairey fan featuring much of his work from 1989 to 2005.
   REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ!



3. In response to Fairey's solo exhibition, Imperfect Union, (December, 2007) at the Merry Karnowski Gallery in Los Angeles, California, Mark Vallen, renowned artist, activist, illustrator and curator criticizes Fairey's work and career as an artist, in a essay published on his Art for a Change web site. Vallen expresses his outrage at how Fairey has made a career "out of the consistent, secretive and wholesale copying of other people's artworks" and describes why, in his opinion, "it should make obvious that anyone so ill-informed should not be in the vanguard of today's political art". He identifies Fairey's work as "machine art that any second-rate art student could produce" by picking apart Fairey's heavy usage of "silly portraits of a dead wrestling champion" as well as "absurdist propaganda". Vallen acuses Fairey of "toying with the veneer of radical politics" when "his views are hollow and non-committal". Vallen also explains how Fairey is "deceiving people by pawning off counterfeit works as original creations" with numerous examples of original pieces shown side by side with Fairey's "lucrative OBEY fashion line" version. In the example of the White Panther logo, Vallen emphasizes that by "exploiting the panther logo for profit by printing it on boutique clothing, Fairey has accelerated the dehistoricization and commodification of American history", and in his opinion, "has forfeited his ability to speak as a dissident". He states that "Fairey is guilty of utilizing historic images simply because he "likes" them, and not because he has any grasp of their significance as objects of art or history". Vallen further supports that "Fairey simply filches artworks and hopes that no one notices" and that "these days any amateur with a minimally written crackpot manifesto can make waves in the world of art". If Fairey has "developed a profitable livelihood exclusively based on pilfering the artworks of others", Vallen ultimately asks "can Shepard Fairey honestly be described as an artist who can critically assess the unholy union of government and big business, or offer comments on the underpinnings of the capitalist machine?". Koloman Moser, Ralph "Bingo" Chaplin, Pirkle Jones, Rupert Garcia, Rene Mederos, Félix Beltrán and Gary Grimshaw are a few of the plagiarized artists that are mentioned in Vallen's critique.
   
   Please see these links:
   
   http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm
   
   http://www.brghtnghts.com/blog/?p=150



4. Dear friends:
   This book shows a few things: how the medium is the message, how Shepard Fairey became one of the greatest american propaganda designers and how he represents an american art dream. Very didactic, inspiring, reflexive and extremely well edited book.
   
   100% Recomended!!!
   
   All the best from Barcelona!!



5. The book arrived with a damaged cover. The top-left corner was pierced with something. We're trying to return it.

5 comments about Business and Legal Forms for Photographers (with CD-ROM) (Business and Legal Forms).

1. This should come in handy for my neice who is getting into photography big time.



2. this book is a must if you are a photographer starting a business. the book includes dozens of contracts for most photographic jobs, with a detailed description of each, including the meanings of each section of a contract. the included CD gives you a digital form for each contract, in several file formats, including MS Word and Adobe Acrobat.



3. I bought this book and its utter waste of paper and money. There are much better forms available for free to be downloaded from the internet. This book is completely useless for anyone who lives outside USA. I think Americans are smart enough to google the kind of forms they are looking for.



4. Good form letters and documents for any photographer. A CD is supplied with a soft copy of the forms. All forms are customizable so an established photographer can cut and paste specific wording for their own documents.



5. Aside from the contracts themselves, the author provides you with a negotiating checklist for each contract to help you edit the documents to meet your personal job needs. It also helps prepare you for presenting the contract to your customer. Lots of helpful tips as well.
   
   One type of contract that I found missing is a release that allows a client to print and display the photos without totally transferring the copyright over. I like to keep my own rights to my work, while allowing clients to use them as well.
   
   The index could be easier to use. I tend to have to hunt for some types of contracts. Still, this book is a resource that is well worth it's price.

5 comments about Calder Game.

1. I purchased this for my 12-year old. She was a big fan of Balliet's previous books "Chasing Vermeer," and "The Wright Three." This book didn't quite meet her expectations because, in her words, "the three kids in the story didn't have that much to do with solving the mystery at the heart of the story." She did like the descriptions of England and the settings portrayed in the the story. She adds that she found the discussion of Calder's artwork, "cool."



2. What can I say about Blue Balliett? I loved Chasing Vermeer. I enjoyed how she fused art with mystery and had fun with a concept totally new to young readers. With The Wright 3, I thought she terribly overplayed her hand. The book was all over the place and utterly confusing. Still I could tell, the voice, the potential was there and I believed that one day Balliett would knock our socks off. I hoped that this time around she'd abandon Petra, Calder, and the gang and venture into a new mystery, but no such luck. So how does her third novel, The Calder Game, fare?
   
   Calder, Petra, and Tommy are still struggling with the idea of being a trio. Petra and Tommy can't get along because each one wants Calder all to themselves, which puts Calder in an awkward position. So when his father heads to England for a conference, Calder escapes the tension by traveling along. He's excited, upon arriving, to discover that the village of Woodstock where they'll be staying, harbors an original Alexander Calder (the artist the boy was named after) sculpture, named The Minotaur. Later, when the sculpture is suddenly stolen and Calder disappears shortly afterwards, Petra and Tommy journey with Mrs. Sharpe to England to help Calder's father find their friend.
   
   When comparing to Chasing Vermeer and The Wright 3, I would probably rank this one somewhere in between. It's definitely a major step in the right direction after The Wright 3. It's biggest downfall however, is it's utterly slow and somewhat boring beginning. Chapter One of this book is a very short, one page description of an eerie setting and a missing boy. We, the reader, know this boy is Calder and are supposed to feel excited about reading on and discovering why he's gone missing. I love hooks like this, when they're done well. The problem with this hook? I feel it's actually more of a cop-out, especially after reading what follows.
   
   I got the feeling while reading this, that Balliett wrote the first one-third of her novel before she realized that she hadn't even gotten to her problem, thus the plot of her story, the stolen sculpture and the missing boy. It's then that she probably decided to go back and sprinkle these "mysterious" flashbacks in the beginning, to hold her reader's attention as a promise that she was in fact, getting to her point. I wasn't fooled. Balliett seems to do a lot of incoherent rambling here and makes no real attempt at putting together the pieces laid before her, or moving her story along. She's a better author than this and the beginning one-third of this particular story comes off sloppy, lazy, and hurried. We begin in the past, we're rushed to the future, only to be brought back in time yet again. It's confusing. The beginning of this book reads an awfully lot like The Wright 3 and I found myself putting it down quite often, not wanting to return to it.
   
   But I'm glad I did. Once the story finally gets going, it's rather good. In The Wright 3, I felt sorry for the characters, who seemed to desperately want to do some real detective work, but that Balliett didn't supply them with any. Her new book, actually has a story to tell, without random nonsense floating throughout it. Finally, in The Calder Game, Balliett does away with Petra's "visions", Calder's pentominoes (well, not entirely), and even allows Calder's father to come to the front of the stage and become quite the information-seeker. Gone are the friendly confines of Chicago's Hyde Park and gone is the company of the all-to-lovely Ms. Hussey (the three's new teacher, Ms. Button, is incredibly cranky). I think these slight changes give this series a well needed shot to the arm. Petra and Tommy's realization that they are alone together, in another country, and both grieving the loss of Calder, was well-written, albeit inevitable. It'll be interesting to see where Balliett takes us next, considering that the three children are over their differences now.
   
   Where The Wright 3, and even Chasing Vermeer to a certain extent, dangled way too many unnecessary story pieces in front of us, some that never did fit in anywhere, The Calder Game does a fine job of putting everything together without wasting any information. My only complaint about the ending is Balliett's need to sit us down and explain carefully HOW each and every puzzle piece fit. The last three or four chapters are literally, explanations. If you're going to do away with the unnecessary information, then trust your reader to put together some of the rest, on their own.
   
   These books have a nice look and feel. Brett Helquist's illustrations are creative and the jacket covers are colorful and engaging. I just don't find myself enjoying what's inside them as much as I want to. Blue Balliett has interesting ideas, and I love how she centers each story around a deserving artist. I feel like they're not executed as well as they could be. The Calder Game was pretty good though, so I still have faith that eventually she will put all her talent together and produce something far beyond what Chasing Vermeer even was. I still wish she'd give these characters a break and dabble in something different, but I don't see it coming. So until then, it's her potential that will probably lure me back to a fourth book to see what this trio has in store for us.



3. Blue Balliett's innovative novels featuring University of Chicago Lab School students Calder Pillay, Petra Andalee and Tommy Segovia have been widely praised for their portrayal of creative problem-solving, enthusiastic discussion of art and intriguing character dynamics. Although I awaited the latest installment, THE CALDER GAME, with as much enthusiasm as Balliett's many fans, I also hoped that perhaps this third entry in the series would have a more finely hewn mystery plot than its predecessors. As mystery novels go, CHASING VERMEER and THE WRIGHT 3 relied a little too much, in my reading, on coincidence, questionable clues and quasi-supernatural "evidence" to advance the mystery plot. Would THE CALDER GAME deliver for readers wanting a good mystery as well as a satisfying story? Yes, indeed.
   
   Calder, Petra and Tommy's seventh grade school year is off to a very unsatisfactory start. Not only did they have to move on from their beloved, unconventional, free-thinking sixth-grade teacher Miss Hussey, their seventh-grade teacher, the rules-oriented Miss Button, seems set on quashing creativity. And creativity is what these three friends value most --- Calder solves math problems and cracks codes, Petra thinks about language in unusual ways, and Tommy finds peculiar objects that often have larger significance.
   
   Then Calder breaks the news that he will be leaving Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood for a couple of weeks, accompanying his father to a conference near Oxford, England. Tommy and Petra are horrified. Calder, their best friend, is the glue that holds the often-feuding Petra and Tommy together. With Calder temporarily out of the picture, will their bickering develop into all-out war?
   
   Before Calder leaves, however, the kids head to Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art to see the world's largest exhibition of works by mobile and sculpture artist Alexander Calder, Calder Pillay's namesake. Despite Miss Button's strictness, Tommy, Petra and especially Calder are inspired by the breathtaking exhibit, particularly by the invitation to play the "Calder Game" and design their own unconventional "mobile" of five interconnected ideas or objects.
   
   Calder's arrival in England coincides with the arrival of another Calder --- a large sculpture called "The Minotaur," placed in the town square of tiny Woodstock by an anonymous donor. The tradition-bound villagers are suspicious of the sculpture, and of Calder, who seems to make enemies just by asking simple questions. So when both the sculpture and the boy disappear on the same night, Calder's distraught father calls in Tommy and Petra to see if they can zero in on connections that he and the police are missing. In order to find their friend, can Petra and Tommy overcome their differences and disagreements and make an effective detective team?
   
   Like its predecessors, THE CALDER GAME utilizes real information about art, artists and places (in this case, the Cotswolds' Blenheim Palace and its famous maze) to get readers excited about learning. It also shows how kids, each of whom has his or her unique way of thinking and problem-solving, can work together to make connections and find patterns. Unlike the previous two books, however, THE CALDER GAME relies more solidly on evidence, clues and deductive reasoning to arrive at its conclusion --- resulting in a novel that will satisfy mystery fans as well as art lovers.
   
   THE CALDER GAME is Blue Balliett's best work of fiction yet, and readers will be eager to see how this series continues to develop over time.
   
   --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl



4. I read this book after my 12-year old grandson offered his opinion of it. I ended up agreeing his assessment: The first third, or so, is quite boring. After that point the book became engrossing and entertaining.



5. I loved this book. Although I buy Blue Balliett books for my grandchildren, I read them myself first. I have found each to be captivating. The plots are tight, the settings vivid, and the characters real, making the suspension of disbelief not at all difficult. (The grandkids like them too.)
   I especially enjoyed The Calder Game. I loved Balliett's opening description, her use of the Calder mobile, and her excellent writing.
   BSH

4 comments about The Complete Artist's Way: Creativity as a Spiritual Practice.

1. The Artist's Way books are inspiring, and this pretty book containing three of them is worthy of a prime space on the bookshelf (while keeping it handy for check-ins!). Nicely done.



2. The exercises in the first part of this "trilogy" is more than worth the price of the book. If you choose to do the exercises, your creativity will be released/unblocked. What a positive response this book is for really anyone who wants to live more creatively. If you want to think of yourself as an artist, or if you never thought of yourself as an artist before, this book is for you. I have already given it as a gift and I'm not even half way through with the reading/journaling/pondering. It would be a tremendous book for your local library. Then, use it on a solo journey or work through it with a group. Gigi



3. "Was there any issue this week that felt significant to you in your self-discovery?" Cameron's questions and exercises are very helpful for someone getting started in an artistic pursuit - or someone who needs to reactivate after a period of not working in this arena for a time. The book is written in short essays, some of which have tasks to do. The exercises help reduce the rigidity of our mental constructs, and so open the spirit path. It is a book one may pick up and read at any moment... find a gem of an idea to build upon, or an understanding of what's at work in all of the arts. This book is a treasure for me. It never fails to remind me of the creativity that is always ready to be stirred in every human being.



4. I was very pleased with the delivery time and the perfect condition my book arrived in. I also was pleased with the price. I recommend this book!

5 comments about Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage.

1. I've been a big fan of Randy Couture since I first saw him compete at UFC 13 in Georgia back in 1993.
   
   In Becoming the Natural, Randy Couture and mixed martial arts journalist Loretta Hunt delve into the mind of "The Natural," and what fueled a small-town Washington kid to the greatest heights an MMA athlete has ever achieved.
   
   My favorite thing about this book is the depth that Couture and Hunt explore about the life of a true living legend. From humble beginnings to superstardom, seemingly every aspect of Couture's life is covered. His youth, memories, friendships and relationships are just the tip of the cosmos. Did I mention his quest for Olympic dreams?
   
   If you're a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, this book is for you. The Octagon and beyond is touched on. Vivid are the memories of UFC triumphs and failures alike. Photos from Couture's family album and early career are fantastic.
   
   Without a doubt, Randy Couture's Becoming the Natural: My life In and Out of the Cage is easily the best MMA-related book ever penned.
   
   Whether you're a fan of combat sports or an admirer of true-life literature, this is sure to be the best book you'll read all year!



2. Another great MMA fighter autobiography!
   
   First off the book has a very funny, short (foreword) written by comedian/actor Kevin James!
   
   "Becoming the Natural" is right up there with Chuck Liddell's book "Iceman / My Fighting Life", which I consider to be the best MMA/UFC book out there.
   
   Randy tells his childhood story and how he got into wrestling and MMA. He had a very sordid childhood as far as his parents were concerned. Randy talks about alot of very personal issues in the book, that he didn't have to tell us the readers. He really lays it all out there! He goes into detail about his ex-wives, cheating and being a parent.
   
   Randy goes into detail about the UFC, Dana White and his current legal battle with the UFC. Couture's 16-8 record doesn't stand out like that of a champion, but read the book and you'll see just where that record comes from. Randy was fighting heavyweights with 40-50 pds. over him, in many fights once they got on top, he was simply pinned beneath them.
   
   Randy is one of my favorite fighters simply because he seems to be a genuinely good guy and this book gave me that same feeling about him! Randy has beaten the best and been beaten by the best.
   
   Throughout the book, even when describing his losses, he never bad mouths his opponents, in one fight he loses, he later learns the other fighter failed a steroid test, Randy is given the chance to have the fight changed from a (loss) to a (no contest), he refuses, saying a loss is a loss!
   
   As a fan, I hope to see Randy get his chance to fight Fedor. As Randy says in his book, it's about taking on the best possible opponent and that man is Fedor!
   
   Randy is still training, but not currently fighting, he is pursuing his acting career, with his first leading role movie, "Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior" due on DVD this Tuesday!
   
   The book also provides alot of nice pictures to give you a better sense of his past and family!
   
   Another good MMA bio. for fans collections!



3. Randy Couture did not have to "take it on the chin" with certain admissions he made in this book regarding the cause of his divorces. It gives insight to a great champion and the road that took him there. Absolutely excellent book, if you are a fan of any sport this book is an excellent true account of incredible determination.



4. Very good read.
   
   Randy is very open about his personal life. He doesn't try to hide his skeletons. Although, i think he has made some bad choices along the way, i respect him even more for admiting to them and not trying to make excuses.
   
   It also shows that Randy wasn't always "the natural" in his athletic career, and how one must work hard and dedicate themselves to achieve their goals.



5. Generally entertaining - Background confirmed my Father's advice:
   "It is easier to become a Father, than to be a Father"
   Would have liked to have seen a photograph of Randy's 2nd wife.
   Appreciated Randy's honesty in revealing his less than perfect
   morals, which at the same time, marred, to some extent, my admiration of the man.