No comments about Marlene Dumas: Measuring Your Own Grave.

5 comments about Sailor Jerrys Tattoo Stencils.

1. A good source of very nice Sailor Jerry Stencils from the man who in my opinion did the best traditional tattoo flash ever.
   
   Not as good as the now difficult to get Sailor Jerry Tattoo Flash books (volumes 1 and 2), which give a better of idea of this man's talents drawing flash. It has some extra stencils of things not in those books, so it is well worthwhile.



2. I feel that every single tattoo artist,inspiring tattoo artist, or any kind of artists and even art historian should,must own this book. I will admit that when I read the first 15 pages cause thats all there is with any writting on. I had a tear in both my eyes. Every single page back to back is covered with Jerrys tattoo stencils. Also every page is in a very heavy duty paper and they are perforated so you can take each page out and laminate them and use in your shop or portfolio of flash to use for you customer/clients. Every page is full of history. I highly recomend this book and the otherjerrys stencil books they are a very big must have specialy for you buisness/shop you will be so excited to look at the tats not to mention the money you will make from the stencils. I noticed that every single Tattoo magazine has countless tattoos specialy the women are covered in this art. I recomend this book in a big way.
   You are very welcome for the big tip.



3. The book is good for simple, traditional stencils. The drawings are super basic (as they should be for that time), but I was hoping I can get an idea for what the stencils looks like with color and shading. The drawings are fun to mimic and be creative with your own shading and color.



4. I was looking for Pin Up Art Styles and found it all in this book. All the styles are for men & women. When You go into a tattoo shop and look at all the art work on the walls and books; this book has it all summed up. This cool book has it all.



5. Beautiful old school stencils of the original artwork of Sailor Jerry...what more could you want! :)

2 comments about What Do Pictures Want?: The Lives and Loves of Images.

1. In the chapter titled the same as the book title, in laying out the grounds for his innovative exposition on images and culture, Mitchell explains, "[Images] present not just a surface but a face [italicized] that faces the beholder." Elsewhere in this chapter, he remarks that images may not have the power attributed to them; which supposed power is seen as absolute and all-encompassing in postmodern culture. Not suggesting that images ave no power, Mitchell takes the position that "the problem is to refine and complicate and refine our estimate of their power and the way it works." The author allows that his perspective based on what pictures "want" rather than what they "do" can at first blush seem to anthropomorphize pictures or give them an aboriginal animistic nature. But Mitchell explains that he means this as metaphorical, conceptual, and theoretical; not literal as in animism or even symbolic as with icons. Mitchell's provisional approach thus corresponds to the provisional quality of postmodern culture to bring extraordinary illumination to this contemporary culture.
   
   Fantasy, multiple selves, and virtual reality are other terms used to express this provisional quality of postmodernism. Playfulness is another--and Mitchell's book, while sound literarily and with extensive learning and cogent though, exercises the principle that playfulness can take one farther in some cases. Whereas in postmodernism, play with its provisional, usually somewhat artificial attributes is a manner of avoiding commitment and engagement with fundamentals, with Mitchell it is a technique for coming to grips as much as possible with the elusive, ethereal nature of postmodernism. It is impossible to encompass or define postmodernism; whose primary attributes are contingency, continually changing imagery, and pseudo-events and provisional personas to play to the media. But Mitchell has managed to relate postmodernism's sprawling nature and what accounts for this.



2. Professor Mitchell has put together an intriguing collection of essays that are distinctly devoid of the presumptuous art talk so often seen in the top periodicals and art blogs of our time - thank you sir! Since these essays are the work of an exceptional scholar, some of us mere mortals may have difficulty in following the abstract constructs and thoroughly academic ponderings. That said, I believe Professor Mitchell poses an interesting fundamental question as to whether the experience of viewing images has evolved within our minds to the point where we actually wonder if they have a life or consciousness of their own. If this is the case, the next question one may ponder is, what do they want? Professor Mitchell is quick to point out that in taking on the exercise of this thought experiment, we are not to proceed as though we are engaged in finding a cure for cancer here - my words, not his - but to proceed on a path of open-ended exploration. In attempting to answer this question, the author guides us along an extensive path that deals with numerous invocations, comparisons, analogies, postulates, arguments and other worldly considerations. Not only are the considerations of the world, but they contain a sampling of nearly everything in the world as well, from biblical chapter and verse to Marx, Blake, Nietzsche, Chaucer, Freud, Dante, et al. In the first half of this book, Professor Mitchell has indeed composed a concerto of tribute to much of Western Civilization. There are worse things one could do. That said, I would encourage the good Professor, in his ninth book (this is his eighth) to forsake his colleagues in academe just enough (heaven forbid!) to leave the huddled masses with fewer more distinct concepts and a more consistent theme. A reduction in the scope of considerations may help the reader to come away with a perception that there is a more differentiated hierarchy of importance amongst the contents of the book. In all fairness, each chapter of this very worthwhile book deserves its own review. I would also submit that the educational potential of this subject matter would not suffer in the least if the Professor were to delete his political inclinations, which, as interesting as they may be, do not enhance the subject matter of this book in any way. Anyone who wants to understand how we really relate to images should read this comprehensive book.

5 comments about The Art of Resin Jewelry: Layering, Casting, and Mixed Media Techniques for Creating Vintage to Contemporary Designs.

1. The approach of this text is aimed at the beginner, but if you've played around with resin, I'm sure you'll still find plenty to learn between its pages because she covers so much in this 128 page book. Read the rest of my review here: http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/mixedmediabookreviews/a/071107.htm



2. I am new to resins, but have always wanted to learn. I had taken classes from people who were experts in their field, but found it was difficult to create the resin pieces based on their techniques. I love how Sherri has created techniques that allow me to do them in my small studio space and without much expense. (e.g. in the class I took, the instructor had us use aluminum sheeting to cut and put together to pour the silicone into, Sherri just has you use old sour cream tubs, butter tubs, etc. with the bottoms cut off. That is so much easier and cheaper!) The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that she didn't go into why she (or the artist making the project) chose a particular resin over another based on the project (e.g. polyurethane vs. polyester, etc.). I don't think she covers safety enough, but I teach classes and am a safety freak with my students. Overall though, I am very happy with my purchase and definitely would recommend to anyone wanting to get into resins.



3. I like this book a lot more than another book I got on resin jewelry. This book was easier for a novice like me to understand. It was full of good ideas, explanations about the different types of resin and helpful hints. Best of all, the author mentioned where she got her craft supplies for certain projects.



4. Ever since I saw my first superchunky, gorgeous colored resin bangle, available for sale at an online store back in the early 2000's, I have been intrigued by the mystique of always different resin jewelry. Yes I kick myself to this day that I never bought that bangle!
   
   Now I spot brilliant fabulous clear resin jewlery, with pretty silver embellishments, and inlaid semiprecious stones, for sale online. I see resin as well on etsy with yummy looking real candy pieces or sprinkles and glitter floating cheerily in the molded colorful bangles or pendants.
   
   Well, I have finally broken down and bought my own how to book, from the best teacher around, and I am thrilled! Now that I own this award winning book, The Art of Resin Jewelry, by Sherri Haab, I can stop looking and start doing! Having already "devoured" this great book, I plan to get to work (or to play!) as soon as possible! I am hoping to stretch my imagination to the fullest, and to see what I can do as well, with resin as my launching pad!
   
   Sherri Haab is the perfect guide for a neophyte like me! I need HER clear writing style. I need the fun of seeing the variety of her projects, such as her high art "Pod Bead" bracelet, shown in two colors, and her ultra hip Techno Polymer Clay Bezels (which obviously use more than just resin as the medium you work with). That second project I just mention comes from a whole section in the book she offers which is called "Combining Resin With Polymer Clay". Everthing is so fascinating!
   
   The author is straightforward in her writing style and her book is great, in the manner in which she assists the reader to take the intial steps toward learning how to create coated resin, casted, molded or combined medium resin jewelry.
   
   Not only did she produce this super cool book, she has a website where you can pick up the things you will need to create you own jewelry (molds, resin, colors, powders, bracelet blanks, ring blanks and more) without going through the sometimes confusing process of wandering around in a local craft store or even two, looking here and there and checking and rechecking your list of required resin needs you have to obtain to get started. This book and her site will get you started. Who knows were you will end up!
   
   I love this book! I am please with the saftey precautions she is careful to explain, I love the projects, and I feel that this is a terrific all around crafting book!



5. This book takes the mystery out of working with resin. It explains mold-making in good detail and provides useful info for choosing the right raw materials. Not every artist can also teach, but Ms. Haab is skilled at both. The book is well laid out, not repetitive, and provides sample projects along with a list of necessary materials. Many of the projects are not my style preference, but written descriptions and pictures are clear and can be used for inspiration. Published in 2006, it is recent enough that the raw materials are still relevant and available.

5 comments about Complete Guide to Self Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote, and Sell Your Own Book (Self-Publishing 4th Edition).

1. This is it folks. If you are trying to decide which books to buy for the independently publishing path, GET THIS ONE! It is a jewel, please ignore the haters saying its overrated (there are always haters). It's a great book!



2. When I decided to start my own small press, I bought perhaps a dozen books about publishing. The Complete Guide to Self Publishing was the best of them all. It is somewhat outdated (2002 edition) but the information is very solid, practical and well-organized. I carried it around until it became stained and dog-eared.



3. I have always used mainstream publishers, so I cannot attest the the accuracy of the content. The book gave me ideas for marketing, however, and I appreciated some of the beginning, concrete information.
   
   Seems logical and up-to-date, so I added it to my recommended books list for a graduate communication projects course.



4. Having met the Ross's at Colorado Independent Publishers Assn and purchased their book, I felt ready to complete my manuscript. I found I was using it almost hourly. Lots of straight from the shoulder opinions as to what not to use or do. As well as sure fire suggestions in what to watch out for. They even have forms and phone numbers that can be used. I found out what there was to know about ISBN numbers and how to get them. I keep it handy and still use it to remind me of points that I find have slipped my recall. No other publication is needed in this area of information, that I can imagine. A keeper. Not a loaner.
   Randall Shelton, author of "Life on Earth The Game."



5. Well, "YES," but only if you intend to hire professionals to do a lot of your technical self-publishing work. But if you want really to do it ALL yourself, Tom and Marilyn's instructions do not include the step-by-step, bottom-line, technical details on how to create formatted computer files that POD presses will accept.
   
   You will not learn how to use a computer to setup and format your pages, to insert section breaks and page numbers, to insert 300 dpi photos, or to format a cover for your book. And, this book tells you nothing at all about how to convert your book block and cover files to PDF, the format required by POD presses. (Amazon offers other books that will teach you these skills.)
   
   However, if you really don't want to do all this yourself, The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing is THE book you surely should buy. This book is geared primarily to teach you how to set-up your own, full-blown publishing business, and how to sell your books, once you have published them. Virtually all aspects of these two main topics are covered in great detail. To a lesser extent (in 53 of the book's 521 pages), suggestions and instructions concerning book and cover design are helpful as far as they go. But to convert their ideas to computer files, Tom and Marilyn suggest repeatedly that you should hire professionals to do these technical tasks.
   
   Even so, because of its overall, valuable content, I have given this book a five-star rating.
   
   Edwin Scroggins is author of HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH YOUR BOOK WITH BOOKSURGE FOR LESS $$$: A Step-by-Step Guide for Designing & Formatting Your Microsoft Word Book to POD & PDF Press Specifications

5 comments about Collecting Contemporary.

1. I loved this book! Nicely written, easy to refer to, good mixture of examples. If you're going to buy a work of art because you like it, or because you hope it'll grow in value have a read. No book will change the colour of your wall-paper, or give you prophetic foresight into the future value of the art market, but this book will give you valuable insights to deal with the main players (artists, dealers,etc), & understand the mechanisms that move the market.



2. Great book, well worth the read. I liked all the interviews with the dealers and collectors and every art lover who is thinking about starting a collection should ready this book first.



3. Excellent book. Gives inside information on how the whole contemporary art market system works. Very helpful for emerging contemporary artists. Good buy.



4. Adam Lindemann, is an art collector who has written a book, Collecting Contemporary. It is a good reference material and serves as a basic road map for the burgeoning art collector - and possibly an even better one for emerging artists.
   
   Since I am founding a new theory of art (UnGraven Image), which includes a written manifesto booklet on the theory, I am exceptionally interested in reaching other artists with what will help them. This book will.
   
   I appreciated the information I found within so much I devoted a whole weekly blog to it (and longer review) at my web site. Other reviews here and in the press have dealt with the information for collectors -- and it is useful for them. However, emerging artists get a good overview of the gatekeepers and movers and shakers in the art world. What motivates a collector -- a curator -- or a gallerist to select the work of an artist?
   Read this book to learn more!
   -- Judy Rey Wasserman, Founder & Artist, UnGraven Image
   
   



5. Starting with the positives: you can read the entire book in about 15 minutes.
   Here's the bottom line: buy what you like and can afford.
   Dealers and critics try to make artists famous because that is how they make their money.
   If you buy something from a dealer and later decide that you don't like it, it is considered hoyle (by dealers) to give the dealer first dibs on the re-sale.
   Instead of buying this book, save your money and buy a work from a local artist you like - all will be better served.

5 comments about Hiroshige, 100 Views of Edo.

1. This is a stunning book. From the moment you feel its silk cover, undo the ivory-like closures, unwrap the book from its casing, I had the sense that this was something special and breathtaking. The detail and color of the prints are beautiful. You can see into the images that Hiroshige created right down to his technique.
   
   Taschen produces books that are as brilliantly executed from a production point of view as the body of the book is brilliant from a content point of view.



2. Yes, there are cropped images at the start of this huge and beautiful book to add illustrations to the informative introduction, but the main body of this publication is made up of full size, uncropped excellent reproductions of all 118 of the "100 Views". I give it the full 5 stars for the Japanese style binding, single sided printing and silk effect covered portfolio slipcase... and it's uncropped reproductions.



3. The new Hiroshige tome is wonderful. The colors are bright and the images are focused even including the wood grain from the original woodblock. I have a few of the original prints in my collection and am impressed with the quality of the "new" images. I liked it so much that I gave a copy to friends who also value the artist and genre.



4. This book has a nice and interesting manufacturing job with lots of very large pictures. However, the real essence of an art book is the pictures. The large images are all drastically cropped. Lost is the meaning given to the prints by their context and composition. In Asian Art the "empty" space is at least as important as the image. The editor of this volume seemed to think that the objective images are the essence. To magnify these he cropped. Bad taste! Being such a heavy book, this was expensive to return. I would be embarrassed to even have it on my book shelf.



5. Hiroshige is a very well known Japanese artist who worked in the style called, ukiyo-e, wood block prints whose name translates as pictures of the floating world. Floating, fleeting, ephemeral world, the world of transitory pleasures. Just as cherry blossoms last but for a brief time, so are our lifes. Since they are gone so quickly, they must be cherished all the more while they are still here.
   
   This series of 100 shows Edo, which is the city now known as Tokyo. There are lots of pictures that depict the man-made dwellings and buildings of a thriving metropolis, but also, in virtually every print, there is also the natural world. The juxtapostion of the man-made and natural is what fascinates Hiroshige in this collection, and what will also fascinate the viewer. Though Hokusai is a more prolific and iconic artist in this genre, Hiroshige has his fans. This reprint is made from one of the finest complete original set of woodprints belonging to the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Tokyo.
   
   Other items of interest:
   
   Hiroshige's Journey in the 60-Odd Provinces (Famous Japanese Print Series)
   
   The Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido
   
   Hiroshige's Views of Mt. Fuji
   
   Hiroshige
   
   Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts
   
   Hokusai
   
   Hokusai's Mount Fuji: The Complete Views in Color
   
   Hokusai, First Manga Master
   
   Utamaro and the Spectacle of Beauty
   
   The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches (Penguin Classics)

5 comments about Drawing People.

1. Not only is this book an invaluable guide to drawing the clothed figure, it is also one of the best books I've seen on drawing period. All of the important principles of drawing are in this book. These principles are clearly presented and well organized with a good mixture of easy to read text and beautiful illustrations. For clothed figure there is nothing else remotely comparable to it on the market. I am a college art instructor and often use this book to illustrate drawing lessons. The sections of the book on kinds of folds and how different clothing reacts to the moving figure are the best I have seen. Anyone, from novice to professional, who want to know more about basic drawing principles, how to draw the figure or the clothed figure should have this book in their library.



2. I am a figurative painter, illustrator, and part time university instructor who owns two copies of this outstanding book: one for personal use and one as a supplement to teaching.
   
   There are very few books available on drawing the clothed figure, and fewer that are useful. This book is a must have for anyone who is a serious beginner or professional figurative artist.
   
   It is filled from cover to cover with clearly written text, outstanding drawings and diagrams, and valuable information and insight. Part 1 in the book covers the oft overlooked imperative issues of stance and holding the medium, direct drawing, telling a story, drawing in a sketchbook and drawing in your studio. Parts 2, 3, 4, and 5 progress in a logical way through valuable information on the figure and clothing, including: clear information on how body forms and clothing wrap around, folds including their types and how they move with the form and action of the body, fabric types and textures, patterns, and how to construct clothing on the body, plus pages on drawing hats and footwear. Part 6 includes information on design of the figure in clothing, drawing heads, hands, and children.
   
   Barbara Bradley's mastery of subject, joyful spirit, and understanding of how we think and feel moves this far beyond being a simple "How To" book. This book is about drawing the clothed figure, but it is also about expressing an opinion and portraying a living human being.



3. Earlier this year, Barbara Bradley was selected by a jury of 75 illustrators, art directors and educators to receive the New York Society of Illustrators' 2007 Distinguished Educator of the Arts Award. "Drawing People: How to Portray the Clothed Figure" is an organized, comprehensive collection of the lessons this outstanding teacher and former illustration department director distilled from 25 years of teaching clothed figure drawing at San Francisco's Academy of Art University. The breadth of Bradley's knowledge and understanding of drawing made this an ambitious undertaking. The result is a book densely packed with key concepts and tips for producing believable, expressive, well-drawn figures.
   
   It is unfortunate that two of the recently posted reviews here are so bafflingly critical--especially since one is written by someone who admits he lacks the skill to draw clothed figures himself. As a working illustrator for over 20 years (Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition, The Wishing Tree, Water Beds: Sleeping In The Ocean, Octavia And Her Purple Ink Cloud, The Rainforest Grew All Around), let me assure you that "Drawing People" is a valuable resource both for beginning artists as well as for more advanced, life-long students. Contrary to the title of my review, the inspiration and skills Barbara Bradley passed on to her many students is her real legacy. Her clothed figure drawing book is a bonus--a gift to those not fortunate enough to have experienced her teaching first-hand.



4. I just finished my first year of art school and picked up this book to give me some more practice over the summer. Have a background that includes nude figure drawings first before delving into this one. But if you are ready to delve into drapery, this book is a godsend. Not many books deal with clothing studies, and she offers good tips for creating drawings using both value and line.



5. 
   
   This book is not so much about depicting clothing but discussing figure drawing and depicting folds in clothing. It doesn't do what it sets out to do. For it to do that, ti would have actually had to explain more abotu how clothing wraps around the body. Understanding the figure is a must in depicting clothing, as cloth twists and moves to the contortions of the body. This was not discussed in the book. Soem real life examples would have wokred wonders toward achieving it's aim. The book can also be a bit wordy. It could have been made concise if they had used a greater amount of photos and clearer graphics.
   
   With that being said, I still enjoyed this book. Even thoguh it didn't quite delve deeply into process some of the suggestions were reasonably helpful. I liked the rough figure sketches she includes. These are great examples of how to capture form. Also, her interest in telling a story and explanations as to her choices in for depicting mood were very interesting to me. I would like to get into illustrative work. So those msall points on telling a story. It a very kind of open beginners book to pencil drawing the human figure. Other mediums are ignored. Still, i like the art, and even though I took the book out from my local library. I'
   m thinking of buying myself a copy.
   My advice, Buy it from the bookstore, if oyu don't like it, return it.
   
   
   There really should be a half a star sign, this book isn't quiet a four but it isn't a three either.

1 comments about SuperVisions: Topsy-Turvy Optical Illusions (Supervisions).

1. I bought this book for our 7 year old twins before we went on vacation. We had so much fun sharing this book. It is extremely clever. All of the illusions were fantastic. We have now become a family always lookng for illusions in the everyday things we see. If you are looking for a gift for a child of any age, they will enjoy wandering through the pages of this adventure in illusions.

5 comments about The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher [25th Anniversary Edition].

1. I have always admired the works of M.C. Escher, and this anniversary book is an excellent purchase. It contains most of the amazing illustrations the artist created during his lifetime, along with an excellent biography about the artist. For the price, I would also consider purchasing for gift giving for the upcoming holidays.



2. Escher's work is so engaging and interesting. Everyone has seen Escher's work, even if they don't know the name. I've used his work to teach math, graphics, and problem solving. My college students love analyzing his work.
   
   I bought this book as a gift, and it was an excellent choice. There are many example works in the book, plus interesting explanations.



3. 
   I just picked this book up thinking that there has been a "NEW" book published on M.C.Escher's work.When I got it home ,I checked it against other Escher books and was disappointed to find it is the same book published several times before and by different publishers.
   As you can see the ,publication date of this edition is shown as April 6,2007.Therefore, the reviewers here must have been looking at a previous publication,possibly the one also listed here as a paperback in 1987.The copy I had was even earlier,published by Ballantine in 1976.
   The quality of this Taschen Edition is very good, in fact, superior to the paperback editions I have seen; and will be enjoyed by anyone who likes M.C. Esher's work ;but the material included has not changed.
   I believe this is an excellent book ,and agree with the reviews already written on other editions.
   I guess what we have here is A 25 Year Celebration of its first publication.
   This is an excellent chance to obtain this book and will be enjoyed,particularly by people new to Escher's work.The fact that this edition has now come out speaks volumes about what a great book this was,and it's great to see it available again.



4. The work of Escher has captured the imagination of many people and in this book Bruno Ernst (a personal friend of Escher) expands our understanding of the artist. After a brief but concise biography, the author throughly analyses the most important facets of Escher's artistic output: the illusion in drawing, the use of perspective, the creation of impossible realities, simultaneous and contrasting realities, crystals, and the infinite. Escher was an artist who was unique in in his work, he stands by himself, and this book is a helping tool in understanding and appreciating the unparalleled magic of his work.



5. The greatness of this book on the work of M.C. Escher is that it shows how he worked up his ideas for various pieces. It also gives a thorough explanation of his thought and design process. It is truely a shame that this book has gone out of print. I sincerely hope that the publisher brings it back.