2 comments about Equus.

1. I was looking for a book with beautiful pictures of horses and this is not it. In fact, most of the pictures aren't even of the whole horse. You get pictures of mouths, hooves, eyes, tails, backs etc. Even alot of the "entire horse" pictures are mostly background with the horses so small you can't even tell what breed they are. Try to look through one before you buy it.



2. It seems like I have been waiting forever for this book to be published and now I have one in my hands. I had seen the images on Tim Flach's web site but couldn't imagine their tactile presence. The book is huge and the physical act of turning such big pages creates drama, as the next image unfolds.
   
   I believe that this book will be the new standard by which artistic animal photography will be judged.
   
   It is stunning, thought-provoking and inspirational, without any text to get in the way of your own reactions. (Although there is text elsewhere in the book, should you care to read more.)
   
   This book will never grow old. You will, but this book will grow with you. You'll see it again for the first time, every time you open it.
   
   And you'll know horses as you never have before.

5 comments about Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition.

1. MANY great reviews had me taking a chance and ordering this book. If you are at a beginner level with line drawing and the quality of line--then it is a good buy.Many teachers do not stress these force lines. I guess I was lucky as mine did (years ago in the 70's)In this book, he stresses force lines of figure drawing and the quality of the line (light touch, dark, heavy) as a way to show the force in a figure--therefore, adding a new dimension to your flat looking drawings IF you always use the same pressure on the pencil as your method. Or IF you draw tight and are afraid to loosen up and let the pencil flow on the paper along force lines until you have the figure. It really didn't help me at ALL, as I learned figure drawing this way. There are many of his and student drawings, and that's fine, but in all fairness and honesty--it didn't help me. I was disappointed in all the glowing reviews?!



2. Although I have not read through the whole book, it has some great info and has renewed my interest in drawing the human form.



3. I just finished reading this book the first time through, and it's great. All of the other reviews are spot on. It does help to have some knowledge of anatomy, but if you don't, you can still learn from this book, and it will make learning anatomy more fun. It has lots of great full page drawings too. I've noticed improvements in my skills, and look forward to going through it again in the future.



4. I've added this book to my required book list for Figure Drawing for Animation. Great book, and very helpful to my students. I see a marked improvement in ability within reading just the first chapter.



5. I bought this book for Xmas for my son's girlfriend. Both my son and his girlfriend are Animation students at San Jose State University. They have to draw constantly. I mean CONSTANTLY. She said that this is a terrific book. This is coming from an Animation student and you cannot get better feedback than that. Highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Creating Characters with Personality: For Film, TV, Animation, Video Games, and Graphic Novels.

1. This is a very light book on the subject of using cartoon techniques to inject personality into animated characters. The author's background in the Disney film animation studio made the book something less than I was looking for. I still found the Disney approach to character creation usefully laid out. That I was looking for the Pixar or Hayao Miyazaki's approach is irrelevant. This book is plenty of material for somebody doing light animation stories.



2. I've read several how to draw books. So far the the most instruction I've ever gotten was "do this, then do that." The books never explained why. This book explains why. The reason why you start out with simple shapes was probably the biggest "Oh yeah! OK!" moment for me and there were several other momnets.
   
   The book is very well narrated. I actually read through this like a story book, the first time. It is easy to follow and at the end of each chapter there are homework assignments to help you get going. The assignments are a little tough, so you are expected to know how to do a few things, but I haven't met a how to draw book that started with "This is how you draw a line."
   
   I personally love Anime and Manga and that is the style of art I try to emulate. With this book it doesn't matter what style of art you are trying to master, you will get help from this book.



3. This book by Tom Bancroft was a very entertaining and helpful read. I am not a professional in the field of animation or illustration, but I am trying to learn how to improve my skills in the area of character design in hopes of moving into this field in the future. This book does an excellent job of covering all the different facets involved in designing and bringing to life a drawing with real personality. It teaches the basic principles needed to convey character types, emotion, and personality with many helpful examples.
   The two best "stand-out" features of the book to me are the guest artists who each come from a different field of "cartooning"; whether it be humorous cartooning, tv animation, comic books, or feature film animation, to name a few. It was very interesting and informative to read these professional's take on designing the same character, and to see how each artist approached it. The other "stand-out" feature was the progression of assignments given throughout the book. These really helped me get a feel for what a real assignment could actually be like for a character designer. They were very helpful in allowing me to think through the process of designing each character for the "script" provided in the assignments.
   All in all, my hat's off to Tom and company for a wonderful resource for aspiring professionals and hobby artists alike. Definitely a wonderful investment!



4. As an aspiring cartoonist with my own cast of characters on my Captain Cockle website I found this book an excellent and yet simple guide to creating characters that leap out of the page. The inclusion of guest cartoonists, many of them very famous in their own fields, is a great idea and adds depth to the book. If you have a limited budget and are confused by the huge variety of "how to" books on cartooning, I would strongly recommend this one as an essential starting point.



5. I am a student studying animation, and I purchased this book for my character design class. I really love this book, it is quite usefull, and my two roommates reference it as well! One is an illustrator, and one is a video game designer. Useful to anyone and everyone...

5 comments about Gardner's Art Through the Ages, Volume I, Chapters 1-18 (with ArtStudy Student CD-ROM and InfoTrac ).

1. this book is great, and is very informative, however it is not the most recent edition of the book. the newer edition is much more thorough.



2. I was quite dissapointed with my purchase. The seller could have stated in his discription that the book had water damage. Pages were stuck together. I would have bought from a different seller had I known about terrible condition of the book.



3. The item was in great condition. This book was very expensive in the college bookstore. It is well worth going online to save money on these college textbooks.



4. I gave 4 stars only because I don't remember if there were any problems with the length of time between ordering and receiving, but the book was in perfect condition. Thanks.



5. we just got these books for my art history class, and this thing is amazing. color photots, detailed information, and interactive site. yeah, its nice
   
   oh, and FYI im 14, not 13. i just didnt feel like registering with amazon lol

No comments about Seven Days in the Art World.

5 comments about Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working Artists.

1. I don't normally write reviews, but this book is truly special. As an art teacher for many years, this book is so practical and spiritual in its approach, it's hard to describe. I marveled over such an open and honest approach to workshop ideas, and the benevolent freedom of sharing that the author brings. I carry this book with me everywhere...continually reading and re-reading through it, and thinking, "Why didn't I think of that?"



2. You can't but be inspired after reading this wondrous book! I will admit first hand, I personally have no intention (nor the talent), to ever become a world class artist by any means. I do have passion to create however, and this book along with another I received around the same time, Your Home A Living Canvas: Create Stunning Faux Finishes & Murals with Paint, by Curtis Heuser, have almost convinced me to rethink my day job. How rewarding (and envious), it sounds from all these talented souls, to be devoted and fortunate enough to get to spend their time without a doubt, doing what they love. Not to say it is without effort, but the pure joy and love for expression, explodes off the pages and simply can not be denied in both of these glorious titles.
   
   Unlike the various first hand artistic testimonials featured throughout "THE CREATIVE LIFE..." - "YOUR HOME..." follows just one decorative artist's amazing creative journey, leading to the publishing of his extroidinary first book which documents the rebirth of his ordinary historic home, through must see mural and faux painting techniques and decoration. In addition, Heuser's book is full of beautiful before, during and after photography, and inspiring how to do the same for your own home-projects. There are similarities in both of these titles however, as the reader will discover and can almost touch the often unexplicable creative passion in the hearts and spirits of these diversely talented artistans.
   
   There appears a special kinship between the artists and authors of both these books - as each are driven by the undeniable desire to express themselves through a wide range of interesting art mediums. I want to personally "Thank" both authors for so eloquently and unselfishly sharing their work and individual views on creativity with us! Both books offer rare insight and are worthy of our every penny! ENJOY!!!!



3. It is hard to imagine anyone could read this book without stopping multiple times to experiment with some form of art explorations of their own. The author makes it seem natural and oh so inviting. The only drawback is the small print on busy pages. It is sometimes difficult to read the suggestions.



4. This was the most boring book on art I have ever read or should I say flipped through and returned.



5. Living the Creative Life is challenging me to look at creativity in many new ways. The approach taken from the viewpoint of many different artists in many different media shows the versitality of our innate creative spirit. The idea that all humans are creative if they allow that part of the whole person to flourish is not new to me, but the way this author discusses the creative spirit is fresh. The book is beautiful to look at and I love the format -- small size, lovely illustrations and great ideas for jump starting creativity.

5 comments about Classical Drawing Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice.

1. The book is nicely designed and some of the drawings are well duplicated. I expected the book to have more practical information about drawing in the atelier. However, the instructions were very general, fit only for a top professional artist who only needs some refreshing of techniques. There are exercises but the explanations are too sketchy and general. In one of the exercises there were photos of the various drawing stages. But each photo is of a different drawing! It's difficult to follow the drawing process this way. The book is good only as a general guide to get an idea of the atelier method, but you won't get much practical information from it. All in all it's disappointing because I was expecting practical information. Good drawings to copy I can find over the Internet.



2. I had to buy this for my Life drawing class, but I'm not going to sell it back to my school. This book is great. Though it is a bit repetitive, it helps break down drawing skills. After reading this book, I drew a portrait that sold for over $100. It also has some beautiful pictures in it, so now my mother has stolen it, to have on her coffee table....



3. After working with Juliette in her Atelier and practicing these exercises I've discovered things I never expected to learn. Her methods are priceless tools. Whatever you might glean from this wonderful book will most certainly serve you. She is an excellent painter, writer and teacher.



4. This comprehensive manual displays a appreciation of the human form and explainns the most important aspects of figure drawings executed in a classic timeless style.



5. First off I'd like to say that this book will prove to be very helpful for any artist, ranging from a beginner to a professional and will show you new ways to approach drawing. However if you have studied classical drawing this will prove to be a bit of a let down. I have studied under one of Juliette's instructors and most of her lessons in the back of the book were actually derived from his his. There is one thing however I don't agree with in this book but that wouldn't discourage me from recommending it to others. The problem is that I don't like the way she shows how to draw the casts, its more of an outline that you then go through and work with value rather than working with a line drawing then introducing value. I'm not very found of this technique, but the drawings are very good and there are tons of useful information and great introductory lessons in the back of the book (though there could be more). I would also recommend studying George Bridgman, Gottfried Bammes, Joseph Sheppard, and Robert B. Hale for anatomy and designing the human figure.

5 comments about Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History (with ArtStudy Printed Access Card and Timeline) (Gardner's Art Through the Ages).

1. This is a massive text, but it is filled with full-color, lush, beautiful pictures of art works through all time periods. Many of the illustrations are the quality of DK books. Far superior to most art texts I have worked with,and unlike some architecture texts that use black and white photos. The only real shame of using this as a class text is the fact that it is so big, it's hard to lug around without damaging it over time. A fine reference book to hold onto after using for a class. Built in pagemarkers make it convenient to find the correct chapter. A bit pricy, but worth the investment, especially if you are an art major.



2. I have to agree with the people who said the pictures were barely visible, the accompanying website had tons of broken links. I had to buy this for a class, normally I would've kept such a book for future reference, but this I couldn't wait to put it up for sale.



3. I had to get this book for an Art History course, but found that it is used in four other courses I'm going to take later on. For an art history text, this is great product at a great price. A good resource for the future, as well.



4. This book was at a relatively great price, cheaper than the average by about $25. It was in perfect condition when it got here. Basically, everthing turned out great



5. This textbook ran out from the bookstore at Cerritos College. This is the latest version that our professor wanted us to have beyond the 12th Edition that was suggested by the Art Department curriculum. This textbook is very up-to-date and comprehensive.

5 comments about Masterful Color: Vibrant Colored Pencil Paintings Layer by Layer.

1. I have bought a lot of books on colored pencil art over the years, and this one is perhaps the best of them all...it is absolutely packed with color illustrations- the artwork in it blows me away- and the color information and how to build up colors in colored pencil work is first rate.
   
   The information is vast- from supplies, to transfering, to using photos and grids, building a good composition, color and value, underpainting, reflections....and on and on. My big weakness (still) is to go in with a thick layer of the color I want to use- but the author shows us step by step how using many thin layers of different colors builds a much richer overall color and makes a much more beautiful painting in the end. There are MANY color tips- including a great chart of using greyed complements for darker values.
   
   The illustrations in the book are fantastic- beautiful glasswork in particular. The style is all photo-realistic- I do wish a few more 'imaginary' works were included, where the end result does not look like a photo, but that is just me. I would have to say if I had to rid myself of all my CP books but one, this would be the one I would keep.



2. The author provides a clear explanation of the colored pencil techniques and materials she uses to create her vibrant paintings. Very helpful to artists experienced with other media who want to master colored pencil.



3. Having a pretty large collection of drawing and colored pencil books I figured there wasn't much I would get out of this one. I was wrong. This book really took my colored pencil paintings to a new level. Like a lot of other colored pencil books, you really need to have drawing skills as this book won't teach you how to draw. What you will learn is how to make your colored pencil paintings look like paintings and not bland one dimensional drawings. This book will teach you how to bring life to your drawings with vibrant, bold color. Get this book and try one of the drawings (I did the marbles) and if you follow the directions and take your time you will be amazed at what you can create. I find myself going to this book to help guide me each time I start a new project and it hasn't let me down yet.



4. "masterful COLOR" is well written in a clear concise format. Explanations from concept of idea to composition using the latest digital equipment as well as basic equipment needed is well taught. This is more of a "how I do it" book, rather than a broad spectrum book detailing supplies, equipment, techniques and other basics. With this in mind, Arlene Steinberg eliminates the need for lengthly explanations so you can focus on how to expediently execute a well conceived painting. A detailed summary of color theory and underpainting styles used by the Old Masters was exceptionally insightful and unique to this fine art medium. I consider this purchase a part of my foundation in learning the art of the colored pencil.



5. I found this to be an excellent book on colored pencil. The lessons have a lot of detail and many step-by-step photos which make it a lot easier to complete the projects than in some books. I am using the book as if I were taking a course in color pencils, completing the paintings in the order in which they appear in the book. Most of my drawings are actually turning out to look like the ones in the book. When they don't I do them again paying closer attention to the instructions. I am learning a lot about layering color to get rich tones. I don't think all colored pencil artists build up that many layers to achieve the colors in their paintings but I think that it is worth it to learn this way. Now, when I do a leaf I won't immediately reach for the greens or when i do a red flower, immediately reach for the reds. I have been trying color pencil and knew I needed more instruction but wasn't sure where to start. I was so excited when I got this book because the book gave me the answer.
   I did find that my paintings came out more true to hers when i traced the finished painting in the book to make my pattern instead of using the line drawings in the back of the book but all-in-all it is a wonderful book.

5 comments about Artforms (8th Edition).

1. Would recommend buying from seller. Prompt and easy delivery. Books comes in exact condition as stated.



2. This book is the best that I have seen yet! Artforms goes into great details about each piece and form of art, for which gives a lttile more insight about the artist. Throughout the book there are profiles on different artists. This book is a keeper,a great source for research and a perfect collected item for your art library. Artforms is an artform in itself and illustrated very well with colored pictures from all types of artists from different eras. You will enjoy this book!!!



3. I bought this book, and the accompanying ArtNotes, as a textbook. It is, however, an old edition of the book that has been superseded. The new edition - the one assigned for the course - is the 9th edition, not the 8th. If you're buying this book for your personal use, fine, but if it is for coursework, don't. I am quite disappointed in Amazon. Next time, I buy at the college bookstore. A rating is required. My rating is not of the book, but of Amazon's performance.



4. I was impressed with the book. It was in good condition and arrived on time. I would do business with Woody's Books again.



5. This is a great book especially the abstrat things. Colors and Ancient Cave paintings. Not only was the class fun (for me) because I like van gogh, and The first abstract colored painting whoms which name i forgot. The text book gave very good information into the class and art. Then afterwards I had a dream of me and that Flower painting woman. So this class was an eye-opener into the spiritual relms of art for me, since that is who I am. Hence; Theren lies Art as a religion. Godbless everyone and you and yours...
   
   One love.
   
   Peter.