No comments about Blue Dog Speaks.

4 comments about Drawing for Designers.

1. This book shows ways things are drawn, sculpted, and rendered. It even shows a little about how some things are made. I recommend this book if you want to do in the Industrial Design area.



2. Got this as a text book for one of my daughter's Visual Communications classes, sophomore year in college. She really enjoys it and says that it is one that she will not sell back because it has many things that she will be able to refer back to. A good one for her professional library.



3. A good book of value to budding designers as well as those more advanced. a great reference, well worth a look. tom p.



4. The reason for the 4 stars instead of the 5, is because it's a nice overview book on the process designers go through when creating new designs, but it doesn't really go in depth in terms of sketching techniques or the "how to", in the way I expected it when looking at the title: "Drawing for Designers".
   
   I think this book is great for people new to the design process, first year students for example or people looking to make a career change and want to know more about industrial design, but people with more experience will be left wanting to see more.

5 comments about A Time it Was: Bobby Kennedy in the Sixties.

1. Bought this for my dad for father's day. Great pictures of a memorable time in history with a visonary who lost his light too soon!



2. This book and its images were all the more gripping having been an observer at the time. The photos and the words provide an image of a nation trying to be the sum of its promise, only to be plunged into a tragic self assessment after the assassination.
   It is paramount, 40 years later, that we take the opportunity to remember how far we have come. This book reminds us that we can do better, that we must do better, that we are better.



3. it's photgraphs of the campain are stunning the brief narrative gives a true sense of sumer 1968



4. This book of pictures was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me. At 16 I was to join the Kennedy campaign as a volunteer after the California primary. On the morning I was to depart, my parents woke me with the news of his shooting. This book, however, reminded me of the promise unfulfilled Robert Kennedy represented--how much better we would have been as a people, as a country, as a government had he been president in 1969 instead of Richard Nixon.



5. I got plenty of information about this order. When it was slightly delayed, I was informed, as well as when it shipped. I was very impressed with the service.

5 comments about Drawing Dynamic Hands (Practical Art Books).

1. Hogarth has some of these sketches in other books but w/o the details about HOW to really draw hands. They have always been hard for me, especially in difficult positions. If you have the discipline to truly incorporate his techniques you CAN master hands. I think this is worth the $ ONLY if you are willing to put in the time to learn by doing the work in the stages he recommends. A good book, worth ordering if you draw a lot of hands, and are willing to retrain HOW you see hands and draw them. I enjoyed it and am still working in progression thru it!



2. I've used both Bridgeman's and Hogarth's books on drawing hands and I've got to say that both artists are top notch and one couldn't miss by studying both. Bridgeman in my mind is very strong in his construction of a drawing and his studies on form alone are very valuable to me. And Hogarth's beautiful linear approach is also very helpful. Hogarth's work is so easy to see and study that I found him very accessible when I was just starting out on my artistic journey. And yet, now after many many years, I still go back to him and find more in depth information and solid teaching that I can glean from him. It's neat to be able to grow alongside an artist and find him still teaching you when you are older.
   
   I'm not sure how other artists do it, but by combining this book with Bridgeman's and other anatomy books, I've really grown in my understanding... and having several artistic teachers has helped me develop my own style and interests instead of only copying theirs. I definitely recommend this book therefore. After studying art in college, I'm finding that my best teachers and best learning experiences have been through books and this book on hands is no exception.



3. This is a great reference for drawing hands. Most beginning artists, like myself, find that the hardest part of a person to draw is the hands. This breaks down the hand into its basic anatomy and details every single thing about the hand you might want to know. Very useful for in-depth detail work with deep shading, and can be easily adapted to other styles such as cartooning and painting.



4. Like other Hogarth works, the hand is represented as stylized, over muscled, and predominantly masculine. If you expect that from the beginning, then you will find no disappointment in this book. I loved this book, as the stylization helps with understanding the shape and movements, the anatomical structure of the hand. It gives you an idea of how to draw proportions, angles, forshortening, etc. without the use of a model. As I prefer to draw from memory, this book was just my style.



5. Dynamic Hands is the ideal book to learn how to draw hands and understand the structure of the hand and how it works in all positions. Well drawn hands and feet are extremely important for finished paintings and illustrations. I am a commercial artist and designer, but have worked for many years on non-figurative projects. I am focusing on figurative work again, primarily in the game, fantasy and science fiction field. My goal is to draw entirely from imagination without having to use reference material, and this book by Burne Hogarth and his Dynamic Anatomy is helping me to reach this goal. The illustrations are very well done with several important hand positions and range of motion diagrams. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about After Modern Art 1945-2000 (Oxford History of Art).

1. After Modern Art gives the reader an overview of post war modern art. I found the author's references to more in depth material useful especially since some of it, including Greenberg's essays, are available on the web. The author mostly considers artists from America and Europe, but toward the end there is some mention of Russian artists who the west became aware of after the fall of the Berlin Wall. I wish the author had included more in depth material on the ideas behind the art he presented but I guess this would have made the book too large. This is a book that will make you want to read some of the books and essays that were pivotal to the artists. Many people find modern/contemporary art difficult to phantom. I think this is because much modern and contemporary art is a reaction to what came before. For instance, without knowing the masculine aspect of the Action Painting period one might not get the reference to genitals in the upper part of Jasper John's flag paintings. Also, with knowing that the bull was important to Picasso, one might not get why Andy Warhol used bull images in one of his wall paper type paintings. This book can help dispel that confusion as it neatly links each successive period in art to what came before.



2. This is one of the more interesting modern art books I've had. It's goes beyond a discussion of the artwork and places everything in a historical context. It also discusses the artist's relationships and attitudes and how they are influenced by and how they influence their times.
   Overall, good book if you're into modern art.



3. i really enjoy reading the Oxford History of Art books. all of them are very informative and easy to read. i go to art school and these are the books are what we use as text books, so i highly recomend it !



4. Here are some responses of undergrads at a liberal arts college in a seminar on contemporary art-
   Student 1:
   1. The book was interesting and well developed...it moved at a steady pace
   and was consistent.
   2. Hopkins used too many difficult words that weren't familiar and he was
   unclear as to the main objective in some of his chapters.
   3. In some areas of the book, Hopkins only touched on some of the artists
   who seemed important and went too into depth on a few others. He needed to

   keep that aspect of the book consistent...the rest was well done.

   Student 2:
   Hopkins used many examples of Contemporary Art that were very relative to the concepts he explained. While they helped me to understand his ideas, some of his writing was very difficult to understand. He was wordy and used many uncommon terms making reading slow and hard to comprehend. This would be an excellent book for those who are in the advanced stages of learning about Contemporary Art.

   Student 3:

   Hopkins does a wonderful job of providing ample examples for the reader.
   However, he does not do a very good job of explaining the examples without
   creating some confusion. Hopkin's also uses a vocabulary that is too
   advanced for the undergraduate reader that this book is intended for.

   Student 4:
   Hopkins used some very interesting examples to try and create a new way of looking at the transition from modern to post-modern art. I think that the book is mislabled as a beginner book, since from the start the author assumes that we have a strong basic knowledge of art history. To be fair the issue he is talking about in this book is so complex that writing an introduction is a very difficult task, I think that Hopkins did a good job.

   Student 5:
   -The book takes a different view on 20th century art, and helps put things
   in a historic context.
   -The book is difficult to understand at times, and seems to be at a higher
   than introductory level.
   -Some of the references to works are vague, and they are hard to connect to
   the photos.




5. I have - for professional reasons - read several introductions to contemporary art written in the late 90s, and this is by far the best. Hopkins does not only have a great knowledge on the field but he is also good at writing about it, and furthermore he is up to date with the latest scholary researches on the field without being academic in his way of formulating it.

   I recommend this for students and scholars as well as for the just interested. No matter who you are, you will definitely know much more about contemporary art than before, and have a lot of good color reproductions of the works as well.

5 comments about Dynamic Figure Drawing (Practical Art Books).

1. These books are so helpful in studying the human body in an exagerated way. Helps identify muscle groups and form.



2. This book and the series by Hogarth in general, are a class apart in teaching the figure.
   
   In no other book I have seen the body masses so clearly and simply presented that with just one look you 'understand' the form and add it to your repertoire. Just like that.
   
   One striking difference we notice is the three dimensional presentation of the drawings using probably charcoal or a very soft pencil, how else will we understand that form if its not rendered in three dimensions?! Yet so many books exist, even the ones from great such as Loomis, where you would see a more finished figure, where the contours take over, making the student wonder 'why is a line in front of the other?' etc. Hogarth aims as dispensing such doubts and to get rid of the guesswork from the minds of the artist.
   
   He talks about 'inventing' the figure, and about a notation of representig the figure in deep space, meaning three dimesnions.
   As the masters such as Vilppu would say, drawing is all about learning how to represent the form in two dimensional paper, and about knowing the form one wants to draw. We do get both in this book by Hogarth. more actually on the forms of the figure. more than half the book presents the figure, the varous parts, the torso, the limbs and the head in great detail using simple three dimensional forms. and the remainder of the book deals with how one would approach or rather go about drawing the figure.
   
   An interesting approach here is to begin with the torso, and not with the head. torso, legs, arms and then comes the head, and surprise surprise, this is such an effective way of setting up the figure in the desired gesture. Vilppu would talk about a Ball and a box in a sock to study the torso. Bridgman would also talk in detail about these two forms, Hogarth lays down explicitly the order, and importance. This approach must be tried before understanding its effectiveness.
   
   This is overall a great book for the figurative art student. I found it most effective, because every single picture in this book teaches me something that I can apply directly. The rendering of the forms make it so easy to understand them and cast to memory not only the form but its relations to the other forms in context as well as what happens when they twist and turn and go about doing whatever a figure would do.
   
   This book stays right at the top along with Kimon Nicholaides and Glenn Vilppu and Bridgman.



3. This is the best one for action figures and How To draw them of all his other books. Recommended highly ONLY if you are willing to actually take the TIME to do the exercises in drawing he outlines in detail. You can copy his stuff and never learn HOW he thinks to see things in motion as he does. His 'effortless' drawings took dicipline to learn and I am still going thru it AGAIN now. I ordered these books in the 80's and admired them, but NEVER did the exercises. I just never made the TIME. Now I re-ordered the paperbacks (the hardbacks are in storage!) and actually am going step by tedious step and it is changing the way I SEE and draw. Worth it if you will actually DO what he says!!! Recommended highly! As a physician who is rehabbing a Iraq brain injury and probably headed back into Art-my 1st career- I cannot recommend this enough if you are SERIOUS about putting in the time/work to learn his techniques.



4. I have been learning anatomy for my drawing for a long time. I own quite a few anatomy books but I have been having trouble converting my knowledge of anatomy into drawing people. After buying this book it all changed.
   
   You will not learn everything from this book, which I think is fair enough. I do not understand the attitude of people who think a book should include every detail of subject. It shouldn't. A book should set out to achieve a purpose and supply everything needed to achieve this purpose. Which is what this book does.
   
   This book will teach you how to draw your figures in different, dynamic poses. It goes into foreshortening and overlapping of body parts and it breaks down each body part into shapes and outlines how the body parts flow into one another. There a wealth of examples that you can copy and experiment with.
   There are two main problems with this book.
   
   Firstly, there is not a lot of structure to it. It really could have used an editor or somebody to go through it and organize it a bit.
   
   Secondly, the text is very academic and can be hard to understand. If you look at the accompanying pictures though you should be able to work it out.
   
   You will still need to learn anatomy. Anatomy is a fundamental that all aspiring artist needs to learn and this book isn't a shortcut, but I found that this book was able to bridge a huge gap for me in my drawing. It is something I think I will use for the rest of my life. I only wish I had found it earlier.



5. Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth is an explosion of human motion. The text, like the drawings, is crisp and forthright. There are no unnecessary lines in Hogarth's sketches or his dialogue on how to create them. This is the book to give anyone, of any age, with, or without talent. The beauty of the illustrations almost eclipses their value as examples. The figures curl, cringe and almost seem to launch from their empty backgrounds. There are no distractions of composition, just the human body in motion, caught on paper. The static, frozen, two dimensional renderings of anatomy previously available to artists don't give a clue as to how the bones, muscles and tendons will flex with movement. Hogarth's work clearly and beautifully shows how to capture the human body in motion. If you love art, of any form, you will find endless enjoyment in this book. If you are an artist you will find it an invaluable anatomical reference. This is the book to give anyone interested in art, but in the hands of the very young, that person just forming their talent, it would be invaluable.

5 comments about American Fashion.

1. All the glamour.
   Great photography.
   Great shots.
   Rich.
   Beautiful colors.
   Stars!
   The whole nine yards!
   I love it!!!



2. American Fashion....finally a fashion book based on American fashion trends and beauty. This book really illustrates the ever changing trends of the past beautifully. I encourage anyone who is in love with reading about fashion to get this book. It is a great add to your fashion library collection.



3. If fashion is your addiction, meet your quick fix. This book is beautiful, accessible and comprehensive. For all students, followers, trend-setters of fashion design and style, it would make a wonderful addition to your library.
   It must be stated that the book is more a look into American fashion designers, from the end of the 1920's to 2007, than American fashion itself. After all, the book is published by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The best way to analogize how this fact affects the book is to compare it to a history of American Cinema, published by the American Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscar-awarding organization.) This absolutely colors, biases and focuses the approach the book follows into what is by definition a vast subject. Throughout, it places the designer as the determining and dictating factor of style within the culture. Whether it makes a good argument for this is up to you to decide... Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that this helps keep the book focused, yet detailed.
   The photography included in the book is exquisite and sharp. Especially true of the mid-century photography, it far exceeds the quality of that available in vintage fashion magazines.
   Whether you are a novice/hobbyist or an established member of the industry, this is a delightful, insightful and thorough look at the subject. Even if its true title should be "American Fashion Designers: An Illustrated History."



4. This is a beautiful book, with stunning pictures and the text no doubt forms an authoritative picture of the evolution of American fashion from the 30's to the present. I was disappointed, however, that there weren't more "nostalgia" pictures, for lack of a better term. Everything was so artistic that there weren't the pictures of, say, Cybill Shepard in classic 60's mod taken from Glamour, that I would have liked to see and that would have made things more accessible. This is more a book for fashion professionals or students than the casual reader which still makes it an excellent buy and great book, but just not for me.



5. What a lush, lovely, can't help-looking-at volume! If you like fashion, you'll find something to oooh and ahhh over on all 318 pages of this coffee table gem, an opulent history of fashion in America.
   
   We begin with 1930s Hollywood and New York at a time when there was much to celebrate - the end of Prohibition. Nylon stockings were first introduced, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who supported the fashions of the times, was First Lady.
   
   Moving ahead to the 1940s our country is at war, and Rosie the Riveter is the iconic image of American womanhood, while 1946 Paris saw the first modern style bikini. The 1950s were a showcase of opposite modes from Audrey Hepburn with her model figure and dancer's grace to the eye-popping Marilyn Monroe, both influenced what women wore.
   
   TV's Charlie's Angels set the standard for glamour in 1976, and Diane Keaton gave us Annie Hall complete with trousers, tie, and vest. Donna Karan introduced her first women's collection in 1985; about the same time that one more bombshell made a sometimes outrageous fashion statement of her own - Madonna, of course.
   
   Enriched with some 250 illustrations American Fashion reminds us of the truly glamorous and the unparalleled debonair - a young Katharine Hepburn in a black Hawes gown posed for Harper's Bazaar, the unforgettable Marlene Dietrich smolders in a black velvet coat embroidered with white. And, of course, even now Fred Astaire remains the epitome of the well-dressed American man.
   
   This volume celebrates the work of over 100 American designers with photographs and illustrations by the finest artists of our century. Our country is a proud melange of colors and ideas as is our fashion.
   
   Enjoy!
   
   - Gail Cooke

5 comments about You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination.

1. I used a graphic design class I teach as an excuse to purchase this book (I've been wanting it for a while). My students are loving it as much as I do.



2. I've been buying books for 45 years and this is the most wonderful book I own--amazing, thought-provoking, beautiful. My only regret is that I waited so long to purchase it. As improbable as it sounds, "You Are Here" comes across as what might be the lush, lovely, and totally unlikely synthesis of Bachelard's "The Poetics of Space," the imaginative joy of A.A. Milne ("Winnie the Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner," etc.) or P.L. Travers ("Mary Poppins," "Mary Poppins Opens the Door," etc.), and the deep wisdom of place and spirit found in the works of Annie Dillard and Kathleen Norris or even Terry Tempest Williams. When I open "You Are Here," my heart, spirit and imagination invariably soar.



3. This book was not what I was expecting but it is interesting nonetheless. It is a collection of (mostly) unconventional maps with a few paragraphs written about each. In addition there are some articles on topics loosely related to cartography and the mind. It is more of a picture book than a reference volume and provides food for thought on mapping and identity.



4. This is a great collection of eccentric, unique and brilliant conceptual maps. It is one of those books that will take you places you never imagined.



5. This is a wonderful and thoughtful and visually stunning collection of artist maps. I LOVE it!!! If you're interested in environmental art, it's a must have for your book collection.

5 comments about Surgical Speed Shooting: How To Achieve High-Speed Marksmanship In A Gunfight.

1. This book tries to cover most aspects of defensive or tactical shooting. It is NOT about surgical accuracy. In fact, I have not found any book that is about achieving accurate shooting technique, besides the US Army Pistol Marksmanship Training Guide which you can find for free online, and which is better than this book. On the topic of defensive shooting etc, Gabe Suarez's books are probably the best bet for you.
   
   Pros:
   - well illustrated
   - concise and to the point
   - latest techniques and most current thinking explained; up-to-date
   
   Cons:
   - chapter on trigger control is shortest in the book, even though author says this is the biggest accuracy problem for most shooters
   - too much space (more than for grip and trigger control) devoted to basics like loading, reloading, malfunctions, drawing, holstering, etc issues unrelated to accuracy in shooting
   
   Overall, not a bad book, but I feel Gabe Suarez and Massad Ayoob are better authors on this topic.



2. A little dissappointed that this book lacked examples of good practice drills. Would be a fine book for someone new to defensive handgunning.



3. A well thought out and written book, with plenty of illustrations to allow the reader to visulize what the author is talking about.The system presented is realistic as to what to expect in true self defense use of the handgun. If you are going to carry with a CCW permit or keep a handgun in the home for protection, the information in this book is essential.



4. I cruised through this book when I was already a decent shooter. There wasn't much there for me that I didn't already know. It's informative for a novice or marksman level shooter. If you want a book about the principles and mechanics as well as the mental aspect I would suggest Brian Enos' Practical Shooting. I got more from that book than any other. Even better yet. Find a shooting instructor such as Stanford to learn by doing. Enos will raise your game by getting you to better interpret what you are "seeing" that you may not be conscious of.



5. I have been on a kick for the last several months. I read books about guns, about ammo, and mostly, about tactics. Reading all of Massad Ayoob's books was a great experience and I wish he had more. Eventually, I had to explore other authors. This is when I found Andy Stanford. His style is great. No bull; to the point writing makes this subject very enjoyable and easy to read. He takes you through the basics, but also explores more in depth tactical information. This is a must-read for anyone who is integrating into their life self protection for their family.

5 comments about Case Study Houses: 1945-1966: The California Impetus (Taschen Basic Architecture).

1. I think this book is an incredible value. Wonderfully satisfying photos for the price. The designs are still very inspirational for Mid-Century Modern fans. I love the series and intend to buy the other editions in the near future.



2. The Case Study Houses -- The Complete CSH Program 1945 - 1966 by Taschen is a wonderful, comprehensive study of some of the best of the archetectural projects created from this time period. The principal photography by Julius Shulman is breathtaking and some of the original, vintage photos are presented on two pages within the huge book. When open, this jumbo edition is almost a yard across and at 34" is nearly overwhelming...and by some, too large to handle.
   The text is well written, informative and easy to comprehend. It describes, in detail, the development of these ultra modern homes located in the Los Angeles area of California which mostly use metal, concrete and glass. All of the materials were derived from various industrial usages and were considered new in the home building area, and innovative to say the least.
   Combined with the text and the extraordinary photographs, this book is destined to become a collector's item in the future and well worth the investment.



3. Ok, Ok, there's a beautiful, gigantic, definitive book on the Case Study Houses at $136. Then there's this small, slick little book, presenting each and every case study house, in order, editorially excellent through and through. An outstanding summary of an under-documented era of modern architecture, one with a crucially democratic agenda. $9.99. The book itself represents the case study ethic--great design at a price VERY within reach.
   Not a difficult choice. Highly recommended.



4. This is visually interesting as well as informative. Those interested in mid-century architecture will enjoy this concise book.



5. Optimism is the prevailing theme of the Case Study Houses. The unerring faith that the future is the brightest it can possibly be. Each house profiled in this book shouts this theme loudly and proudly! Taschen has put together a loving yet compact introduction to the Case Study Houses. If you love architecture, design or mid-century modern style, this book is a must have for your collection.