3 comments about Calligraphy: A Course in Hand Lettering.

1. I've never done calligraphy before but always been curious. I picked up this book and found that I learned much more quickly than I expected. I would recommend it. The clear plastic sheets at the back are especially useful in helping keep a consist letter size.



2. Beautifully and intelligently executed, both beginners and advanced calligraphers will find value in this book. The scripts are rendered beautifully with excellent instructions and diagrams for practice as well as final lettering. It is spiral bound - a thoughtful touch for a book that will be left open to certain pages for lengthy periods of time. There are pull-out templates to use on a light-box underneath paper or vellum. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It's well worth the price and could replace an entire bookshelf of less worthy tomes.



3. This has to be the best Calligraphy Book. It lays flat and will also "hang" off the top of your drawing table. The descriptions and explanations are well thought out and easy to understand. Maryanne Grebenstein has put a TON of thought into this book and how well its laid out. The tear out sheets in the back are fantastic! The only one I've come across that has them (and I have MANY calligraphy books). I recommend this book above all the others out there.

2 comments about Figure Sculpture in Wax and Plaster.

1. Exactly what I was looking for. If you are looking for well illustrated practical instruction on plaster and wax modeling, then this will be perfect. Although it focuses on the human figure, the techniques could obviously be applied to any subject matter. Wax and plaster are both relatively cheap materials that have quick results and hold there shape and allow reworking later on.



2. This is one of the reference books I keep in my studio.It covers techinques on materials that are not covered in other sources. The set up of the book is logical and helps one to understand the materials and techinques valuable to a sculptor focusing on the figure and other forms of expression. So valuable are these techiques as they offer a sculptor the opportunity to quickly create his design with the use of fairly inexpensive materials. i highly recommend this book to anyone serious about sculpture.

5 comments about Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics (Manga Mania).

1. This book is really good for beginners. It's a great help if you plan on doing fantasy manga or robot manga drawings. I got this book from the library and I enjoyed it. So now I am buying it. I would recomend buying this book. If you are under the age of 10, some pictures may be not be for there age group. But otherwise, a really great book!



2. I am a huge fan of christopher hart;i have most of his books!The other books in the manga mania series are awesome!but this book was really bad the art was horrible except for maybe 5 pictures.I did not like the book and i regret buying it...So if you want a good manga book get another book by him like shoujo mania.Manga Mania Shoujo: How to Draw the Charming and Romantic Characters of Japanese Comics (Manga Mania)



3. I found the book very helpful for drawing anime style cartoon characters. I'm making an anime parody! This book is helpful on how to draw a manga character's head from many angles! The art isn't all very good the later volumes in the series have better art though. Overall it's okay!



4. MY SON LOVES THESE BOOKS. THEY GIVE HIM IDEAS HE NEVER THOUGHT OF. HE HAS TO TURN IN A SKETCH FROM HOME EVERY WEEK TO HIS ART TEACHER. THE BOOK MAKES IT EASIER FOR HIM TO FIND SOMETHING TO DRAW. WE ARE VERY PLEASED!!



5. I bought Manga Mania for my 12-year-old niece for Christmas as she's getting into Japanese cartoons (she's started watching Robotech!). I decided to thumb through this title before wrapping it up and was disturbed by chapter 7, "Drop-Dead-Gorgeous Manga Babes."
   
   Hart's publishers state it's appropriate for 5th graders (10-year-olds) and up but I decided not to give my niece this book based on this chapter. The females are scantily clad and the descriptions that accompany them are explicit (e.g. "Her bathing suit is a great costume because it's skin tight and wet"). I know this is a part of the genre but I think the content is too suggestive for young teens.
   
   I ultimately went for Hart's other title, "Anime Mania" which did a good job of describing illustration and character development without focusing so much on sexiness.

4 comments about A Glaze of Color: Creating Color and Design on Ceramics.

1. This is so far the best and most looked at book in my contemporary ceramics studio. It has been used many times by my customers who are looking for inspiration, patterns and techniques. There is an area that shows how the pottery is dipped in glaze and placed in the kiln....so it's really helpful to show cutomers what happens to their piece once they've left it in the studio.
   It's easy to read and great for all ages.



2. I am fairly new to ceramics and this book was a wonderful read. It explained had a lot of information regarding glazes and different techniques to using glazes. There were a lot of great pictures in the book to that gave me some good ideas for some of things that would be fun to make.



3. As an art teacher, I'm often looking for books that will benefit (inspire) my students. I highly recommend "A Glaze of Color" for artists, students and hobbyists who want a clear, step by step guide to the techniques used in hand-painted ceramics. This book is well written and has wonderful illustrations. I think that it is equally useful to those studing painting as well.



4. Over the past couple of decades I have edited art instruction books too numerous to count, including this one. I've been indifferent about many I've worked on that've found success anyway and enthusiastic about others that haven't necessarily found favor in the marketplace. So my personal preferences certainly haven't made me an authority about public reception or perception (or sales figures).
   
   I don't give praise lightly. But when I edit something that offers me truly useful and valuable information, that really makes me want to revisit my old practicing-artist self, I can't help but express my enthusiasm. And A Glaze of Color made me enthusiastic. It really inspired me to take up the craft of painting again, to just indulge myself in working with color again, no matter what the medium.
   
   So, discount my positive prejudice here if you must, but next time you're in a book store searching for some kind of artistic inspiration, for yourself or for your kids or for anyone, please look for Jane Davies's book A Glaze of Color, even just to thumb through it.
   
   (Hey, I'm a freelancer, so have no stake in encouraging profits for the publisher, author, or, least of all, myself.)

5 comments about Paintings in the Louvre.

1. As a Parisian-born art lover, I have been to the Louvre many times and skimmed through many catalogues and books about its collections. I can reasonably say that this is the most beautiful sum ever published on its paintings collection. The illustrations do justice not only to the masterpieces, but also to more minor works, which other publications seldom show. The text is minimal but lively. It is a heavy item, not easy to bring back home, but it is worth the effort.
   
   The only regret: over the last ten years the museum has acquired some wonderful works, so maybe it is time this book were updated, since it is more than ten years old.



2. Context: I'm not an academic or a scholar; I'm a regular guy who likes visiting museums when I travel and I wanted to do a little researach before I left. This book worked well for my daughter and I to determine which parts of the museum deserved the most time (on a short trip) and to get a better understanding of the works. I'm not qualified to evaluate it from an academic perspective, but as a layman it was exactly what we needed.



3. I love this book. The reproductions in my opinion are really stunning and many fill a full page. Often times you really have to concentrate to follow which painting a caption is eluding to - that is my only criticism of this book. It is a fantastic addition to any art lovers collection, and anyone who has been to or will one day visit the Louvre in person. There is not alot of historical detail so do not buy this book thinking it is an art HISTORY book. It is not that although there is VERY VERY minor detailing of periods in art and a discussion of the history of the Louvre itself. This book is a treasure to be had but not a great instructive work. For the high quality reproductions and the pleasure the reader has of viewing the vast and beautiful painting collection of one of the worlds greatest museums I give it the highest praise of five stars. I should just note that my version is newer than this and has the Mona Lisa on the cover. Cheers!



4. I admire deeply the work put together in this book. I believe it was compiled with integrity to the purpose of relaying the center of some of the world's most exquisite art. First of all it is a massive volume in deep, rich color and when you receive it no matter what price you paid it feels well worth it. On several pages you will see a whole painting and then on the next page an enlarged version of the painting's focal point, a section of the art to show the rich detail. Of course you will lose some detail with any representation of this work. But if you can't make it to the Louvre or have been to the Louvre and would like to bring some of the soul stilling art home I highly recommend this book.



5. I'm surprised by the glowing reviews for this book. The reproductions are of poor quality. My advice would be to buy a book published in the last ten years, no more.

No comments about Perspective Drawing for Beginners (Dover Books on Art Instruction).

No comments about Comickers Art: Tools and Techniques for Drawing Amazing Manga.

5 comments about Abstraction in Art and Nature.

1. This book is a must have...it has chapters set up in logical order with exercises in each section to help you master the lesson of each chapter. This author is or was a professor at the prestigious PRATT INSTITUTE of Utica, New York (through Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute) and Brooklyn/Manhattan, New York...so you know that the instruction is high quality. Most of the illustrations/photos are black and white, and if that bothers you, you may not like this book, but the photos and diagrams are sharp and clear and are a decent size, so they should be of help nonetheless. A great addition to the library of the self-taught artist!



2. The elation of discovery when I read in the very first paragraph of this book...*the word abstraction...simply means the act of drawing out the essential qualities in a thing, a series of things or a situation*. This is what the book is about throughout--rhythmic flows and patterns.
   
   Examples from this book include mention of several instances in which the orgonome or teardrop form exists in nature--in the pull of a magnetic field, in the shape of an apple seed and in the form of a ducks body, and how the jet form of water creates the same shape of a common mushroom sliced in half...as well as numerous other forms illustrated that may surprise the reader.
   
   I could give many more examples, but the great thing about this book is that it is no mere science lesson--all the information is given in relation to art and art making. Numerous large and smaller photos and illustrations all in black & white, taken from nature and art, along with suggested drawing exercises, assist the visual type of person to more fully grasp the points made. The final brief chapter is on Color in Nature.
   
   This book is exactly what I hoped it would be, when I ordered it based on the title alone...



3. Concepts not easily grasped by the beginner/intermediate(like myself), but I know that I will go back to this book again and again as my skills grow.



4. Not my idea of a gift book which is why I bought it. The photos do seem to have good values and a deeper look at the content could be rewarding. Just beware if you prefer art books in color. Also, the 1993 paperback with same title/author came to me with a different cover photo.



5. Hale has thought deeply on the meaning of forms and has found endless relationships between them. All organic matter follows laws which are written into their structure. For the artist, understanding these laws means that each new object is no longer unique, but part of a larger whole. This means that each new object (water mountains, trees, bodies) can be related to others, making the "new" object more familear

2 comments about Claude Monet - 1840-1926: a Feast for the Eyes.

1. Monet by Karin Sagner provides a chronological account of Monet's life and work, with perhaps the emphasis on the former. While his paintings are discussed in relation to his life and travels, and occasionally influences, there is only a little in the way of in depth discussion of the work itself. The book concludes with a Biographical Summary illustrated with black and white photographs; there is no bibliography.
   
   This is a well produced and attractively presented book; the pictures run with the text, and appear on the same page or as close as is practical to their mention in the text. The text is printed in quite a large size, and the images vary from around postcard size to full page plates and are almost entirely in full colour. There are about 225 illustrations, all but a very few of the paintings in full colour, most of the black and white images being period photographs. The quality of the plates is excellent often revealing the bush work and texture of the painted surface.



2. Taschen always offers high-quality art books on glossy paper at very reasonable prices; this Monet volume is a case in point. My only gripe is that more late work is not presented, such as full-page spreads of the late water lily paintings. Still, you can't beat the price.

1 comments about Fun with Rock Painting Kit (Art Start!).

1. Grandkids absolutely love it - bought one first and had to immediately order three more. Plan to get more to have on hand for birthday party gifts. (grandkids are 7 to 13)