3 comments about Collections of Nothing.

1. From that dreadful, yet witty opening garage scene to the bittersweet account of King and his daughters carefully laying out those 1500 cereal boxes on stage, I was touched deeply by a complex mix of reactions: dread, tears, outright laughter, quiet smiles. How masterfully the author delves beneath the tarnished surfaces and worn edges of his prized collections of nothing to reveal a powerful story of the lasting imprint of family dynamics, social interactions, self-perceptions and the ultimate meanings of a life.
   
   Indeed I discovered valuable insights and a palpable connection to King's personal explanation of his assemblages of things, people and life learnings.
   
   Despite his sometimes rambling close to the book, he clearly made his point: each individual's ongoing search and inevitable ups and downs of intellectual, creative and emotional fulfillment is a unique, irreplaceable collection of emptiness and satiety, fear and faith, hurt and healing. It's how we treat and care for these experiences, and how we choose to store and display them that determines the richness of our lives.
   
   King has offered up a treasure in his "Collections of Nothing."



2. I read this straight thru, finding examples in myself as I read along. His analyses and memories are varied and interesting. His writing style is smooth and never interrupts his topic.



3. William Davies King is an eccentric genius who bares his soul in this astute, frightfully intimate, and painfully honest exploration of the psychology of collecting. The writing is exquisite and witty (e.g. "They would become playful wrights, and I would knot" and "What I was missing was the middle ground, the female body, the something into which I could locate my nothing, the nothing into which I could stick my something.") and the insights disarming. This is a book about collecting, yes, but also about the touching commonalities of life's perplexing journeys. Collections of Nothing is a masterful work that has bearing on the searching we all engage in. King makes us complicit in his collecting, and for most of us, reading this book is the closest we will come to a kitchen table conversation with a person as brilliant as likes of Levi-Strauss, Joyce, or John (Lennon, Prine, or the Baptist).

5 comments about A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals.

1. I was very happy with the purchase, mainly because it was $50 off retail price and was free to ship.



2. Covers all the major styles and period the Western tradition of architecture. It does one chapter on Asian architecture but no single chapter can cover all the styles and history of the Asian countries of India, China, Japan, etc. It will be great for any aspiring architect who wants to have a good foundation...or to anyone who wants to appreciate the history of spatial design, and decoratives more.



3. This book was devised by a profoundly politically-correct mind. It is hard to read, inaccessible for an enthusiastic amateur, filled with historical gaps for a professional, and turns more often to social issues than to actual history of architecture. I don't know where to begin to list its omissions in terms of illustrations. On top of that, paperback is just too heavy and falls apart. I bought it at a clearance within a year after publication, it tells you something.



4. Even though greek architecture is a bit too much covered, students can enjoy the details about the history of architecture, as one can see the development of architecture and mankind step by step. Texts sometimes gets hard to understand.



5. Many great pics. Text is a little hard to understand.

5 comments about Portfolio Design, Third Edition.

1. Make no mistake. This is one book written thoroughly about the process of making portfolio. I will give credit for that effort.
   While some texts and advice are useful, however, there are a lot of written information that seems common sense e.g.) what is portfolio and why it is important.
   In fact, it is ironic that I find this book itself poorly illustrated despite that it is about layout and organization. For example, insertions of images are not well coordinated with the locations of the texts. Quotes are randomly inserted. The images are 99% black and white.
   Only comes useful is the analysis on the featured portfolios by students.
   Here you can find some principles and reasons on why these examples are successful portfolio.
   
   If you are totally unfamiliar with design and layout, get this book.
   If you are already in design field, you may find this book not very special.



2. It's curious that this book is touted as "the bible of portfolio design." Although it passes as an intro, it's value drops off the face of the Earth afterwards.
   
   What "Portfolio Design" is, is a reproduction of outdated portfolios and examples of templates you can find in any page making tool. It lacks any meaty, substantial analysis you'd expect to find in a "bible" of portfolio design:
   
   -nothing on the theories behind print design.
   -no explanation on the "whys" and "hows" of presenting your work.
   -little analysis on proper organization of a portfolio.
   -insufficient info on photography, cropping, margins, etc.
   
   If you've never put a portfolio together, you might get some use out of it in the initial stages of your portfolio. Once you iterate to a certain level, however, "Portfolio Design" makes a better coaster than a guide. Advice: buy it used, if you buy it.



3. lo recomiendo ...es el mejor libro de portfolios a la venta y esta muy bien dirigido al campo d ela arquitectura,,..sus fotos e ilustracion son magnificas..claras y explicitas...comprenlo....vale la pena increiblemente



4. First off, this is a great reference for people/architecture students who are starting up or refining their portfolios. It is packed with some excellent, helpful written guidelines and decent imagery of a wide variety of portfolios. The professional commentary/critiques of the case-study portfolios are worth the price of the book alone. I received the 2nd edition of the book 5 years ago as a gift as I was applying to architecture school (after I'd submitted my portfolio however!) and, after leafing through the book in detail at Borders, I picked up this 3rd edition today as I am preparing to graduate and enter the work force.
   
   Now, with that out of the way...
   
   Several of the negative complaints I've read on here have focused on the "poor presentation" of the portfolios and the quality of the images of them, etc. While those comments are not without merit or completely off-base, they are in fact quite silly with regard to the subject matter of this book. Linton is providing samples of portfolios that were created by various students who volunteered to have their work featured and the fact is that many of the portfolios are quite elaborate fold-outs, spiral bound books, or printed plates...there is really no way for the author to present the images of the portfolios themselves (not their content!) other than photographing them.
   
   You can easily understand the IDEAS that are on display and how they are being graphically represented. That is the essence of what you need for composing your OWN portfolio featuring your OWN work. If you're looking for step-by-step instructions on how to create a slick portfolio, look elsewhere. I will say that the book would strongly benefit from more color imagery, but as for the reviewer who said they simply gave the book away because it was so disappointing and worthless, well, we don't see eye-to-eye on this one.



5. This book is so often mentioned and recommended that I bought it. I have produced some hand-built portfolios of my own, and was looking for more inspiration and practical advice. Instead, I found poor images, much of it in black and white, and the work in the portfolios is more interesting than the portfolios themselves.
   
   This is heavily geared to architects and also to those with the means to have professional printing and a huge cash outlay for materials, cases, etc. I think some of the advice is good, but really for the un-initiated student, not professionals. A professional already knows that if the portfolio is sloppy, that it will not speak well of the designer and that a well-designed portfolio is an extra endorsement for the designer above and beyod the contents. There is little better advice/information in this book than that.
   
   The portfolios showcased are very similar to each other, and there is little that can be produced by someone at home with a computer and a printer. I can tell you from my own experience that there is a lot you can do with a little elbow grease and less reliance on professionally assembled pieces.
   
   A little advice of my own: A portfolio must showcase the work, must not detract from the quality of the work, and must be either changeable or expendable. Your portfolio should not be stagnant, but evolving with the new wonderful things you're doing and adding! Too few of the examples in this book provide for leave-behnids, inclusion of resumes, and the evolution of the contents.

5 comments about How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built.

1. The book addresses another one of these important but rarely discussed architectural issues, which is how building age and evolve over time. What happens when we build projects that by their shape and choice of materials cannot change and evolve but simply freeze and decay. That fate will impact many trophy prize winning architectural projects. The book does a fairly good job at covering all aspects of this topic. I would have liked however more contemporary examples of buildings with specific illustrations to make the subject matter more current to our existing design practices. As a side note some supporting information is incorrect because the data provided to the author by the sources he interviewed was misleading but there was little opportunity for the author at the time to know the difference.



2. In 1997 the BBC aired a six-part TV series called, "How Buildings Learn," based on my book. I was the presenter and co-writer, James Runcie produced it, and Brian Eno provided original music.
   
   The series is now available online at Google Videos. Episode 1 is at the link; from there you can find the other episodes.
   http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8639555925486210852



3. A great review, from the experience, of the dynamics of buildings. A change in the paradigm of how we think of buildings. Professionals of the building sector can't miss it!!



4. This is a book someone foisted upon me unawares and I devoured. I write software for a living and I found this book has a lot to say about software that Brand probably doesn't realize he's saying. His constant return to Christopher Alexander is a dead giveaway: The pattern-language movement Alexander started took the software world by storm in the mid 90's. It is now generally assumed that the pattern-language movement in software is still unfolding. The authors of the first major pattern-language texts are heavily involved in the kind of "Agile" design processes that one associates with what Brand advocates in this book: the idea that the end is the beginning and understanding your work must be an evolutionary process where if it's done right, a building and a system is never finished and never perfect but always improving.



5. I am an acoustical and systems design consultant who specializes in worship and performing arts facilities, and use this book regularly in my practice. I have found no better resource for introducing the facility planning "layperson" to the enormous blind-spot that many in the architectural design and construction profession have regarding the relevance of buildings to the functional needs that should define their design, as well as the ongoing process of maintaining this relevance over time.
   
   While highly specialized rooms such as auditoria do not usually lend themselves to significant modification over time, or to strategies such as "loose fit," Brand's advice about the risk of architectural experimentation in the fundamental form of most buildings is spot on. This book is an extremely engaging read, and also serves as an excellent introduction to other key literature on architectural programming, scenario planning, the evolution of the architectural profession, and so forth.
   
   As other reviewers have suggested, anyone who lives or works in a building can profit from reading this book. I would add that anyone who works in the construction or facility management industries, or who expects to be involved in planning a building project from the perspective of the owner or user, has a duty to seek out the sort of education that this book provides.

5 comments about John Fowler: Prince of Decorators.

1. except perhaps the late Ms. Nancy Lancaster! Mr. John Fowler would not have been who he was if it were not for Ms. Lancaster, period!
   
   Another reviewer said it best: If only our decorators of today can know the histories about such people as these, they would have a better direction of where they're going. This is my opinion of course. Let's forget about the word decorator versus designer. My gosh, real decorators of yesterday are doing the same things that designers are doing today! The term used is just different. Forget all that, and know the history of interiors.
   
   John Fowler was an extremely talented, true creator in every sense of the word. He was good at everything when it came to beauty and function. Nancy knew the right people to uplift him to new heights, and she was a damn good decorator in her own right. These people created rooms; rooms that will never be forgotten. These were creators! Their exquisite taste only accented their natural talent. Henrietta Spencer-Churchill carries on their spirit very well, and I only hope to be as good as they! :)
   
   One can be aristocratic and have poor taste. Money does not give you good taste. Taste comes from within, and has its own solid foundation. This is a great book, and recommend it to every designer student highly.



2. I bought this book as a companion to the one I have on Colefax and Fowler. Have always admired the work of the firm. Enjoyed reading more about John Fowler and the projects he worked on.



3. Book's pictures are of poor quality and worse still, small in frame. Not worth the asking price.



4. I was dissapointed with the lack of quality "full page color photos" inside this book. One can not get a sense of the cozy details in Fowler's designs, in the pics represented within. I found the book mostly a biographical story rather than an inspirational journey through Fowler's career. Don't be fooled by the intimacy presented on the cover...once inside you might be surprised by the lack of warmth.



5. John Fowler has and will continue to inspire the way I decorate my home...this book is full of lovely illustrations and photos and a very interesting read

5 comments about The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture.

1. This Atlas presents the world of architecture in a manner similar to completion boards. The sharp images and descriptive narratives make it an excellent addition to any architect or non architect's library.



2. I bought this book as a gift for an architecture student, couldn't be more perfect.Its size may be a plus but it also makes it sometimes hard to look at. Still is a must have for all architects.



3. This is really a first rate book Even though it has been out for two years it offers the most comprehensive account of world architecture yet.



4. It is a good book not only in content but on the fact that it is one of the few (atlas) dedicated to contemporary architecture



5. i fell in love with this book couple of years ago
   back in poland i could only dream to have it
   if you have anything to do with architecture you know you have to have it

5 comments about Virtual Pose 3: The Ultimate Visual Reference Series for Drawing the Human Figure.

1. There are way too many light sources at the same intensity.
   The fill completely obfuscates the forms -- sure, nice
   picture, but for any student of anatomy or the body,
   fill in this case, is useless. Sure, if one just wants to make a
   'still life' from these pics, then ok, lighting is adequate.
   But if one desires to really study the figure via surface and
   anatomy, well, one is better off hiring a model, and referring
   to a good anatomy book.
   
   The quicktime angles help and offer better understanding,
   so the product by-design is helpful. The photography simply
   misses completely. Hint to producers: Pay attention to lighting,
   and decrement fill to key way more. The fill is counterproductive,
   as in a lot of cases, it obfuscates form -- for those who are in this to
   study the human form, rather than simply produce replicas of an image.
   
   My summary: The ability to rotate a pose makes this product
   incredibly valuable. It would have been more valuable if the photography
   had a bit more respect with regard to the communication of form,
   as we really have to rely on rotation rather than the communicative
   potential of lighting. That was an opportunity squandered -- to produce a
   stellar product, given the price point.



2. Chakkour offers a valuable resource. Many aspiring artists (maybe I'm not an artist, but I aspire) have limited contact with models, but understand how important it is to have ready access to simple and precise figure imagery. References like VP3 are a godsend for us. They inspire us with the many possibilities that inhere in the human form, and provide exact reference for our imperfect efforts.
   
   This collection works very well in one way. Each model poses on a turntable; while holding that pose, s/he is photographed from many angles. With just a little interpolation, one can interpolate any angle in between, laterally, even if it doesn't cover the up/down axis.
   
   But, as with any book, it contains the author's vision - not mine. Perhaps your vision can adapt to the pose, perhaps your pose can adapt to the vision. Some poses simply baffle. I expect a pose book to try to cover many of the moods a body can express, and p.41 worked well for a recent project, but not all that well. The pose on p.40 simply baffles me, though. This is a pose book. The authors imagined some situation in which that pose could make sense, so the student could take the body's physical facts and build a story around them. So, just what story did the pose on p.40 inspire? I'm lost.
   
   Also, I had trouble with the retouched photos. A few times, a model and angle would combine to expose something indelicate, like an excretory orifice. Fat-fingered blurring saved us from many of those troubling details. C'MON GUYS. I don't have any special fascination with naughty bits - but they're there. I find the Barbie doll plastering-over of normal anatomy jarring and disturbing. That little touch doesn't affect the pose or the general flow of a body. It does affect my ability to accept the image as real, though. It's not that I actually want all those little details of the human condition. Instead, it conjures horrible surgery when I see them missing.
   
   On the positive side, these 70 poses gain value from their multiple viewing angles. On the negative, the editors bowdlerize even nude figures. And, on top of it all, the pose that I really wanted never appeared. I tried to adapt one from the book - it came pretty close, actually. Just not close enough.
   
   -- wiredweird



3. The 360 degree rotating is great, some poses could be more interesting, some are too similar to each other. The women modeling are pretty much the same, same bone structure, similar weight, skin color, ethnicity and age. There is only one young male model, and one older male model. That part was really disappointing. And what it bother me the most was the background color. in all the pictures is the same, white!. A darker color, gray or black on any other color for that matter would be great! the fact that all the models are REALLY white becomes obnoxious. At certain points the background blends with their sking color, making it hard to differentiate one from the other. With a different background the model would "pop-out", and the artist's eyes would easily focus on his/her subject.



4. i really love using this book (and the CD). i want to mention that i have a Mac with an operating system that isn't updated (OS 10.2), and i purposely got Virtual Pose 3 because i assumed (rightly) that a more recent version of these books would come with a CD-ROM that's not compatible with my operating system. so thankfully i CAN use this CD, which is the best part of this book.
   
   in my opinion, the book itself would be improved by 3 things:
   
   1. more dramatic lighting (although i believe the author has addressed his reasoning for this)
   
   2. a spiral binding (easier use for drawing from the book itself)
   
   3. larger pictures (at least some)
   
   i do like the models in this book very much, and the poses are great. i'm a bit of a beginner, and i only get to go to a life drawing once a month or so, so this is a great resource for me to just do lots and lots of gesture drawing, along with some more detailed work.



5. I am going to be critical, but I'd like to open with saying that this was a really cool and thoughful project for someone to come up with and offer to the artist.
   
   I get quite a chuckle at all the people who are angry about there being airbrushed vulvas and anuses. In your usual life drawing class you are not going to have the model eyeballing you with their privates. Its not like there is a shortage of vulvas and anuses online if that's what you want to draw. And any artist who has developed true capability with the human form can use the suggested form shadow as a base from which to draw a glorious sphincter and beautiful floral labia to make any viewer blush. Until then get over yourselves. The models, used to having a choice of what they want to show the students; are entitled to keep four square inches of themselves private from the world.
   
   Virtual Pose 3 is a good step up form Virtual Pose 2. And I appreciate the creativity of the poses and opportunity to see a pose from all sides. However I am still disappointed that these poses aren't lit properly to describe the form. Generally they are top lit so in standing poses you get some minor indication of core shadow and somewhat overly bright reflections on the skin on they upper torso,and everything below is pure ambient light and this obliterates form. While some poses are better with lighting than others; on the whole, the lighting is uninteresting and lifeless Virtual pose could take some cues on how to light their models by checking out an artistic soft porn site like Met Art. But hey, I suppose you are going to often be faced with the difficult challenge of illustrating people in ambient light. So Virtual Pose 3 will give you a real work out as you figure out how to describe form with even lighting all over!
   
   I'd like to see a Virtual Pose V or VI, but with artistic form light. As with Muybridge what a cool thing to attempt.But it won't be the ultimate reference series for the artist until the lighting loses its sterility.

2 comments about New Paris Interiors.

1. This book is an excellent viewbook if you want to get a taste of contemporary Paris interiors. It has very modern, a bit more classic and very chic interiors as well. The photos are all full page and very well made, high quality. A fun book to flip through and get inspiration from!



2. I'm going to love poring over this book over and over again. It's impossible to look through it all at once, anyway, it's so big and the visual onslaught is overwhelming. Being a middle-class, Great Plains middle-aged person, I will never see these apartments and rooms myself, but it's fun to see how world-class artists, musicians, actors, directors, designers and financiers like to decorate their homes. Some of them, I swear, are compulsive collectors - stuff *everywhere*! Most are beautiful rooms, lending lots of ideas or at least daydreams for one's own home.
   
   The photography is lovely; the text is in blocks of English, French, and German, so if you want to practice your French or German, this is a fun way to do it. If you're a Francophile, like me, it's entertaining and educational peering through those windows out to the Parisian sights.
   
   My only complaint is how huge the book is; it's not a lap-book, that's for sure. It is definitely worth the money, in my opinion.

5 comments about Amy Butler's Midwest Modern: A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle.

1. Amy Butler's quote (love what you love, and don't apologize for it) sums up her gorgeous style book. The photography is beautiful and the feeling of the book is at once modern and fun, flirty and sweet. There are lots of decorating ideas in the book, and if you are already a seamstress, you'll get lots of ideas for your own projects. This isn't a project book, however, and doesn't include patterns. For patterns, there's her "Feather Your Nest" patterns and her two big books of patterns, Stitches, and Little Stitches, both of which I recommend.



2. excellent book I just love Amy Butler. She is very smart and creative. Ilove her patterns. I have nothing negitive to say about this book.



3. This book could stand alone as a coffee table book. There are many beautiful and inspiring pictures. If you like the Amy Butler look, this book will be inspirational.



4. If you have a "vintage-chic" aesthetic, this is the book for you! I am consumed with interior design and love mixing new and old for an interesting, eclectic look. I became interested in Amy Butler after purchasing "Found Style" which is an earlier book put together by Amy and her husband with many ideas of how to mix up interiors with flea market finds. Amy Butler's Midwest Modern is filled with pictures of Amy's current home and shows how she successfully complements each room with new pieces, old pieces and fabrics she designs. A small portion of the book is a portfolio of her textile designs which she uses generously in her home for pillows and upholstery. I find myself referring to this book often for inspiration.



5. A few publishers have finally begun to take heed of the desire of their reading public for books infused with lush photos, brilliant color, and elegant design, in addition to innovative writing that enchants and possibly compels us to try a little something new.
   There's luscious eye candy on every page. Amy Butler invites us into her home to examine her hip takes on art, craft, fashion, interior and garden design, even shopping. With photographs of every room in her house, various collections, the cat, a multitude of aprons, potted plants, and more, Midwest Modern is essentially a Design Lab encyclopedia. It's a lifestyle handbook, a 21st century version of Alicia Bay Laurel's artful 1971 classic, Living on the Earth.
   Today, when DIY is synonymous with cool and "I got it on Etsy" is heard at least as often as "I got it at the mall", artists and designers are blossoming and Amy Butler in full bloom. With a wholesome emphasis on recycling and reinventing, Midwest Modern overflows with exuberant patterns drawn from the natural world. In her epilogue, Amy writes, "Beauty is in the way you live. Enjoy your surroundings. Let them inspire you. Follow your own path, and approach everything you do with love in your heart."
   This book will make you want to get your Spring cleaning out of the way fast, so you can open the windows, crank up the music and make something pretty!

5 comments about Brushwork Essentials.

1. Interesting reading, the writer Mark Christopher Weber has a sense of humor, and writes it very well. Ilistrations are very good also. I'd recommend this book.



2. Beautiful reproductions...
   I enjoyed the information about water-soluble oils
   so much that I did more research on them and
   decided to give them a try.
   The information regarding brushes and the way
   to use them was thorough and met my expectations.
   I don't trust painters who don't establish their
   good credentials by showing examples of their work.
   Weber did this, with his "Realistic" and "Flemish"
   style paintings which showed his abilities
   to draw and paint at a high level.



3. I am an inexperienced beginner at oil painting who has never taken art lessons. So I read books. This book is exactly what I needed. It simply explains the different brushes, how to load them with paint and how to use them to get different effects. The text is clear and the graphics are great. I'll definitely be referring to this book again and again.



4. I'm fairly new to painting, but I have purchased a dozen books on oils, and this one has been the most helpful to me. It's pitched to the beginner or beginner-intermediate artist, not the expert.
   
   Weber mostly makes good on his promise to show you how to do things, not just finished results. He shows you a number of different ways to load a brush, for example "shovel loading, "chisel loading, "tip pull loading," "body loading," and others. The book includes helpful close-up photos of each of these techniques. He then shows you several different ways to apply each of these loaded brushes, again with close-up photos. Using the same kind of closeups, he shows you how to mix paint. I haven't seen this level of detail in any other painting book I've purchased.
   
   The book then goes on to demonstrate several techniques for blending, again using helpful series of photos depicting brushstrokes for blending, different stages in adding transitional colors, and thorough wet-into-wet blending. I really had no clue about blending until I read this material.
   
   The book didn't answer all my questions. I had hoped for some detailed instruction on how to paint water, but while there are "walkthroughs" for painting roses, a mountain landscape, and a human figure, and a couple of shots of water in photos, there wasn't a systematic treatment of water. Also, the book advocates using a "wash" to start a painting without thoroughly explaining why one would do this, although it does include an adequate description of how to go about it.
   
   But these are minor quibbles. I learned a lot from this book. I wish he'd make another, focusing on particular problems in painting, or providing more step-by-step walkthroughs, but this book will keep me busy for a while. I intend to try to reproduce his roses, for example, following his instructions.
   
   One final caveat. Weber happens to use the very same paints I do -- the DUO Aqua water-miscible (sometimes called water-soluble) oils. So for me the book was a perfect match, as he was actually talking about pigments that I'm already somewhat familiar with. Don't get me wrong; mostly his writing has a much broader application to "regular" oils, and he's quite clear about when his comments pertain only to water-miscibles. But part of my enthusiasm for the book is the happy coincidence that he uses "my" paints. For readers who use paints with very different handling characteristics, the book might be slightly less useful. But only slightly less.



5. Acknowledging that the reader may or may not have discovered some of their own techniques that render expressive painting, Mark Christopher Weber respectfully shares his vast knowledge without being preachy. This book contains beautiful, high quality reproductions of Weber's finished paintings and is a delightful read. With occasional subtle humor, and easily understandable similies (ex. "consistency of mayonnaise" and "jelly on top of peanut butter") Weber helps the reader relate painting to common everyday knowledge to get the point across. He meticulously shares different ways to "load the brush" and release the stroke to get the right effect.
   I found answers to many frustrating problems I was experiencing in my own foray into oil painting, even though I have been painting for several years now and had acquired and read a good collection of helpful books. If you are a good artist who struggles with just how to get that medium to do what you want, in other words, mastering it, this is a must-have reference for your artist's library, as well as a delightful read. Put it at the top on your art resource booklist.