4 comments about Lucian Freud: Paintings.

1. Freud's work primarily through photographs of his paintings. However, the text is weak on chronology, development and current status of his painting technique. ...A good intro for the person who is not familiar with his work.



2. The printing quality of this book is very good. I can see clearly the brush movement of the painter. The book size is also good enough to view photo's details.



3. Every great artist deserves a great biographer: Bacon had David Sylvester, Giocometti had Sylvester AND James Lord, and Lucien Freud has Robert Hughes. Hughes' generous text is richly detailed and captures the mood of Freud's heavily impastoed works with turns of phrase that become as important as the art. To see the change in Freud's technique and approach to the figure from his early works to his current larger than life theatrical style is jolting. Always commited to portraiture his paintings have grown from the tightly surfaced, tiny but well known head of his friend Francis Bacon, to his current full figures as viewed from bizarre vantage. His brush technique has become more coarse and in doing so he is creating figures that, while monumental, feel as thogh they pulsate on the canvas. Freud is one of the important painters of our time and this book justifies that position on every level. A scholarly - yet pulsatile - study of a modern genius.



4. Any book containing the work of Lucian Freud, I feel, writes itself. Not as an insult to the author, but as a testiment to the painter himself.

   The full page color photos do justice to this great man, as well as a book can.

   The author does an acceptional job of sumarizing and analyzing the painter's Life and work.

3 comments about Chinese Brush Painting Step by Step: Step by Step.

1. The book is easy to read (and I'm not speaking English as mother tongue), clear plus pictures and paintings are gorgeous from cover till the last page. I find this book over and over again from my hand. Also contents are excellent, speaking of learning how to paint. Although I have taken one basic course in Chinese painting, it still gave me more information including the repetition of the basics. I only can recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the technique. I already bought one extra for a student of mine.



2. This book has been translated into FRENCH and is selling now. It is about painting, about art. The French Title is " La Peinture Chinoise, pas a' pas".ISBN: 2-215-07592-9 It is good enough for France to have a translaed copy is good enough to be rated 5 stars.



3. I am drawn to Chinese brush painting by its emphasis on form, simplicity and elegance. I also love the use of pen and ink and watercolor. This book is a beautiful introduction and has made me want to read more as I begin to paint in this centuries-old tradition. In my search for serenity and beauty in Nature, Chinese brush painting has calmed my restless soul. Truly a wonderful book!

   Tony Cerreto

5 comments about People & Portraits (Drawing in Color).

1. I had heard that it's always best to see if you like the art in the book before learning how to create a similar style. This is a great book if you like the style personally. I, however, do not. I prefer the MUCH more difficult style where the skin tones look buttery smooth but I like the book anyway as it's always helpful to know more technique whether you ever use it or not. So, if you like the style, you'll LOVE the book as it's well-explained and demonstrated!



2. I have learned so much from Lee Hammond! She is the best illustrator, telling you what you need, what paper to use and how to use all your tools of any book that I have ever read. I am trying to buy ALL of her books. She leaves NO details out! It is almost like being in one of her classes. Thank you Lee Hammond!



3. Excellent book - especially for those just learning the art form. An excellent adjunct to Ms. Hammond's books on drawing with graphite. Helps the beginning artist make the transition from grayscale to color.



4. Ms. Hammond's pencil portrait book is not remarkable, but at least in that book she stuck to graphite -- not color.

   This book shows a decided lack of colored pencil rendering technique. There are examples of awkward and somewhat untidy rendering coupled with mediocre drawing skills. This combination does not make for a good art instruction book.

   Colored pencil can easily look messy and blotchy (or uneven) if rendered improperly. There were definitely some examples of that here. Also, one would assume that a portrait book would show, well, portraits that were well-drawn. Nope, not here. Some have misaligned features which are rendered with little sensitivity.

   There also seems to be a lack of understanding about how to use color as well. Some of the shadows and dark colors are "overkill" and too harsh for the face.

   However, to be fair, a few of the portraits were not bad. Some portraits used a deliberate "light touch" with a more limited color scheme (one portrait in particular springs to mind) and these looked better.

   There was also little actual *drawing* instruction. Sorry, but just teaching the graph or grid method isn't going to hack it. That's just one tool used for drawing, and it very easily can become a crutch of that's all an artist knows how to do. What about drawing from life? How can someone use a graph or grid to draw from life?

   I understand that the author is a very encouraging teacher and that's great. But my goodness! This certainly is not the best colored pencil book out there. A *much* better choice would by any colored pencil book by the fabulous Bet Borgeson. Now *that's* colored pencil done right.




5. i think that is a great book. it explains all the techniqes in detail. and shows you step byt step how to the drawing and coloring. Lee Hammond does great work and i love her books.

5 comments about Velazquez: The Technique of Genius.

1. The previous review by Greg Munger is pretty much right on. Although there's tons of information in regards to the pigments, binders, radiographs etc., for each painting, there is very little significant insight into Velazquez's technique that would be of any real interest (or help) to someone trying to emulate his style.
   
   All this could have been forgiven if not for the inconsistent and sometimes Horrendous image quality of the paintings - in particular the closeups - a fact that no one else seems to have picked up on. In the "Forge of the Vulcan", you will see that the colors of the same painting are significantly different in each and every closeup. While in another, "Feast of Bacchus", the detail photo of Bacchus' face is totally overexposed. There are even some blurry photos which were inexplicably never taken out of the book (having a competent photographer for this book would have made all the difference). I was also disappointed to find that two of my favorite Velazquez paintings, "Innocent X" and "Juan de Pareja" - two of the finest portraits ever done - were not in this volume. Kind of a bummer since this is my only book on the painter.
   
   I guess this book isn't THAT bad - not as good as the other reviews would have you believe. In all honestly, I read this book right after reading Ernst van de Wetering's excellent 'Rembrandt: Painter at work' and I was hoping for more of the same. If not for the poor quality of some of the closeups I might have given it another star, as it is I'm still on the lookout for a good book on Velazquez.



2. There is no other book out there with such great close-ups of Velazquez's
   work. That ALONE makes this worth the purchase for any serious artist
   who admires Velazquez. I own this book and it inspires me to go into the studio all the time. The colors and possible mediums the artist used
   are given in the intro, but many of the colors are no longer with us, or in different form. The author gives a scholarly assessment of how Velazquez may have worked on his paintings, and he uses X-ray radiographs and chemical composite analysis to understand exactly what Velazquez put down and when.
   I mostly ignore the notes, though and focus on the dozens of astounding close-up photographs which display this great artist's loose and bold style. The author, being an art historian and not an artist, however, seems to focus on some unimportant details with the technique, but overall his notes (given painting by painting) give at least one nugget
   of new information to the reader that complement the photos. Only a trip to the Prado would be more helpful than this book!



3. Brown and Garrido has something remarkable with this book. They provide detailed technical analyses of many of Velazquez's principal works, discussing both his use of pigments and his application of paints. Close-up photographs illustrate details that shed light on the distinguishing features of Velazquez's paintings -- the thin layers of heavily diluted pigment and the rapid, hurried brushstrokes which bring his subjects to life. The photographs are large and the text illuminating. A highly worthwhile purchase. Brown's solo work on Velazquez's career makes a wonderful accompaniment.



4. This book enables the reader to not only penetrate some of Velasquez's secrets, but also to focus on some wonderfully photographed details of his most famous paintings (brushstrokes are even distinguishable in some cases). It is almost better than a museum experience, since in museums you are usually kept at a certain distance from such precious works. To the professional artist, it undoubtedly gives valuable insights on the great master's skills and technique; to the layman like myself, it gives a unique opportunity to enter the sphere of high art.



5. A great value book, a lot of technical information, amazing photographs, detailed zooms, biographical information, methods and techniques used by the spanish painter, pigments and binders, brush expression, etc., etc....
   The only complaint is that the book has not a solid construction, at the very first reads groups of pages threatened to separate from the spine

2 comments about Pierre Bonnard: The Work of Art, Suspending Time.

1. For me, and I am not an expert, Pierre Bonnard was the 20th century's greatest artist, not Picasso because Picasso had no tenderness in his painting. This book is a beautiful collection of Bonnard's work, the color plates are superb and the accompanying text is excellent. I highly recommend it.



2. This book makes me want to see a Bonnard "in person"! The publishers did a fabulous job of depicting the dreamy and lush colors of Bonnards paintings. Faintest shades, brush strokes, lines, tiny details -- it's all visible, and everything contributes to the liveliness of the reproductions. It is certainly hard to capture the emotions that a painting exudes in an art book, and I have not often come across such quality prints.

3 comments about The Magic Bottle (A BLAB! Storybook).

1. The book has beautiful illustrations, which my son and I both loved. He also liked the story, although parts were definitely lost on him and the deeper meaning would only be understood by older kids or adults--as I think was probably intended. He spent forever looking at the pictures of the bad guy, the poisons, and the machines. It really captured his imagination and I'll look for more works by this illustrator.
   
   The story dropped off at the end, which is my only complaint. It's not a literary device I'm fond of. Perhaps it's going to be a series and the story continues in the next book, although there wasn't any mention of whether that was the case.



2. This book is a dark and mysterious children's book aimed towards adults. It is as whimsical as it is morbid, balancing a carefully crafted line between depressing and charming without ever faltering too far in either direction.
   
   The art is strange and unfamiliar, but I say that as a high compliment- this is unlike any other art style I have encountered. There are seemingly endless layers of subtle little touches and textures added to the backgrounds. The characters are adorable and just a tad frightening, keeping with the duality of the book.
   
   Overall, it is a very unique, endearing book that I cannot help but to recommend and try to share with other people.



3. What a pleasure it was reading this book to all three of my children. They hung on every word of this conscientious tale while imagination filled their eyes and heart. A grand addition to any book collection.

5 comments about Drawing Wildlife.

1. I found this book in the library and immediately knew that I had to own it. The vivid descriptions and the hundreds of detailed drawings would be an asset to anyone who wants to draw animals. The drawings are outstanding and the details are to die for. I can only recommend this book highly to anyone who draws.



2. I checked this book out at the library before I decided to buy it. It is wonderful. It doesn't just show you how to draw each animal. It focuses on each aspect of the animal and different types of each animal. An example would be the cat family. It shows you how to draw eyes, paws, ears, face, nose etc... It shows you direction of the fur, so however you draw this type of animal you will be accurate. In the cat section, it explains the Canadian Lynx, Bobcat, and Mountain Lion, with all their subtle differences. It then shows you how to draw the Mountain Lion.
   
   I believe I have learned a lot in this book. It is, by far, the best drawing book I have ever read and used and I think it is a necessity to anyone wanting to learn how to draw animals. I highly recommend it!



3. The book is all right. I learned a few extra things that I didn't learn from Jack Hamm's How to Draw Animals. But I kept feeling like I was reading Hamm's book a lot. If you don't have a lot of money, Hamm's book will give you just as much for almost half the price.
   
   And both books should really be called How to Draw Mammals. There's nothing about reptiles, birds, or fish in them.



4. I'm the type of person that buys a lot of books, and if I don't use them much, I re-sell them or give them away. But "Drawing Wildlife" has become one of my favorite reference books that I'll never get rid of. I make animals and people (sculptures) from wool, using the process of needle felting. This book has become one of my most used guides to get proportions correct, expressions authentic, and shading/coloring accurate. The author even explains which direction theh animal's hair lays, and gives beautiful details down to the toes or hooves. In whatever medium you create, if you include wildlife, you need this book.



5. If you're at all interested in learning more about drawing North American mammals, this book is SOOO worth it! She goes into detail about structure, the simplified forms of the animals, their movements, and the hair patterns! She covers a lot of species other books have missed, like the small rodents, the cacomistle, the opossum, and others. My only real quibble with the book is the title (which I think J.C. didn't choose, anyway- the publisher named the book.) Every time I open this book, I find something new to marvel at. Her knowledge of animal anatomy is amazing and extensive. I hope she does a book on drawing birds as well!

5 comments about Experimental Drawing.

1. There are loads of examples which illustrate the wide range of drawing techniques and uses. I think it is very helpful to students of drawing - both the young and the young in heart!



2. I love the book. I am a professional artist and I want to explore more in experimental drawing. This is the book to have, it proposes lots of different exercises and challenges to improve your skills and try out new forms of expression. I would not suggest it for a beginner though.



3. Has some very good ideas for getting your creativity going. My only criticism is that the computer art section is outdated and should either be updated or removed.



4. This was one of several drawing books I considered as support material for a beginning drawing class I was recently called on to teach at a local state university. So much of drawing becomes intuitive after several years, that a good text by another instructor can bring those second-nature drawing decisions to the surface for both self-examination, and instructive help for the student. Though there is another book being used for the class, I found the excellent mix of contemporary and old master drawings throughout this volume to be especially nice for examples to students, and the exercises clear and useful.
   I had not realized how long ago this was published, but recognized some of the exercises from my own studies from a few years ago, not knowing they were from this particular book. How many ways can you teach drawing? There are many variations, but most revolve around leading the student to trust their eyes and draw what they really see, and there are many such encouraging exercises in "Experimental Drawing", as well as a variety of techniques for manipulating the drawing media and constructing interesting compositions. I would not consider this a complete drawing course by any means, but it offers a variety of possible explorations that greatly benefit the study of the foundation of art -- drawing.



5. This is one of the best books on drawing that I've come across so far. Being self-taught I don't have ready access to a teacher or other artists, hence I have to find my inspiration from books. Kaupelis provides a superb variety of drawing styles and subjects. The approach is based on learning to draw first via blind drawings etc. and then once you've got the various rules sorted it's time to break them and see what happens. For me Watson-Guptill provide an excellent range of art books as opposed to the trite North Light series. No matter what sort of artist you are, if you like to draw then this should be in your library.

3 comments about Bob Dylan: The 6 Chord Songbook, Easy Guitar Edition (Bob Dylan).

1. This book has the lyrics and chord changes for the songs--all stuff you can get from the internet, but it is nice to have them all together in a nice little book.
   It is basically set up with a verse and the chord symbol (like G or Dm) above the word where the chord changes. So you will need the song handy to get the strumming down and hear how the vocals should be sung. Other than that these are some great songs to learn. Everyone knows the words so it is great for sing-a-longs.



2. Advanced players stay away, but this is as good a beginning guitar book to learn to play and strum that there is. The chords are simple, so spending time with this book will really teach you to comfortably play G and C chord songs.
   
   Many of the songs are "dumbed down" or have had the key moved. Purists will be unhappy, as the songs lose a lot of that Bob Dylan funk, but, nonetheless, virtually every song in the book sounds good when played and is recognizable. Plus, for beginners, almost every song can be played with either a Carter-Style strum or a simple 1 2 3+ 4+ strum pattern.
   
   Within weeks, you'll be able to play Dylan songs recognizably and, if you have even been playing for 6 months, you'll be able to play many of these songs on the first run-through.



3. I am not very familiar with Dylan's works but I bought this book anyway because I thought the 6 chords used would be simple. This turned out to be true. The chords are simple and if you forget some, there is a chart of all chords used at the beginning of the song. Since I have never heard of some these songs, I had to improvise on how it is played. Compared to other guitar related books, this one is fairly simple. There are no tablatures or written notes, just the lyrics with the corresponding chords. If there was a CD as a reference, this book would be good for a beginning guitar player.

5 comments about Creating Character Emotions.

1. The Point of the Book. Ann Hood, noticing a gap in her fiction writing teaching syllabus, decided that a book on writing convincing character emotions was in order. The goal of the book is tied up in that very subhead: wanting to get writers to understand their character's true feelings and express those feelings in a compelling manner.
   
   The Good. The book is divided by alphabetical emotional groupings which makes the book an excellent resource. You want to write about fear? Turn to page 54 under FEAR. Extremely clear in that respect. She also makes sure to divide each section into four helpful categories. First she defines the emotion, usually using an author's definition and her own personal retelling of a life-event; secondly she gives three bad examples of the emotion; thirdly she offers three good examples (chosen from various authors); fourthly she closes with a brief work exercise to provoke personal exploration of the emotion.
   
   The Bad. There's really nothing bad about the book. A couple of sections came close to being repetitive but Ann Hood was extremely smart in cross referencing sections when she had to to round off the picture. I would also say that sometimes some of the GOOD examples she chose to portray a character emotion didn't quite achieve the goal they were going for without the context of the larger story. True, she tries to encapsulate as much of that broader context as she can in the small space, but it really doesn't fully pan out the way she would want in some of those sections.
   
   The Ugly. Nothing. The book binding is good, the size is great, the typeface is easy to read and the writing is clear.
   
   Conclusion. The book won't make you an Emotion Writing Jedi: that's outside of its scope. What it will do is provoke you to think about the character emotions (a task that can be further accomplished by tons of reading (a task the author recommends). The book is worth a library read but if you're a serious writer it should have a spot on your shelf as a reference tool and thought-provoker whenever your writing is stumbling. 3 Star with a should-buy for a writer and a should-read for aspiring writers.



2. The book's intention is about Creating Character Emotions, however it's method of executing that purpose is flawed. The first chapter is an extremely good and helpful read and then you are left with X amount of chapters showing good and bad examples of emotions. The problem with this is that creating emotions are subjective to one's personal experiences and therefore reading and learning from someone else's literature might infuse the writer with cliche's or disconnect because that emotion conveyed in the example is not true to the prospective writer but the writer who wrote it. I think the book would have benefited with a deeper treatment of exploring the "Senses" in writing and then using specific examples like metaphors, similies and the such to evoke sensory impressions of the emotions that are being described. You might learn more about creating emotions with a book on writing poetry, creative free writing on your personal experiences that have impacted in your life emotionally and then try to describe how you felt through the actions you took.
   
   I read this book once and it is one that is not going to be used or kept as a reference. The author introduces each chapter of emotion with a page or two of a personal experience that highlights a particular emotion but nothing else. So if you want to create character emotions, utilize "what-if" scenarios and put yourself in similar situations and then write down how you would react through the character's actions without telling the reader. Remember, if a character in your story cries and is explicit in their "telling" of their emotion, then your reader will not have to empathasize, react, or connect with the emotion because it has been told to them already.



3. I'm disappointed in most of the other reviews of this book and the low rankings other readers gave it. Maybe they just don't get it. Maybe they have trouble seeing how complex we humans are. Most men, like myself, tend to be reluctant to show emotion in public. We tend to hide all but anger so we don't give away our weaknesses. I taught English grammar and literature for thirty years and although Ann Hood does not spend a lot of time on any one emotion, she manages to convey just how complex we humans are by quickly glossing over the thirty-six emotions she shows us in her book. I appreciate the way she organized her little book on creating character emotions. I wish I had read it soon after it came out in print. I would have added some of what she wrote into my lessons on characterization. Although I haven't read some of the other books out there about creating emotions, like the one by Orson Scott Card, which I plan to read next, I can not discount the fact that she has provided me with some valuable seeds for thought. As a teacher, I've learned that there are many ways to teach one thing and one method will not reach everyone. I have three books on this subject and Hood's is the first one I've read and I like her approach. I recommend this book to anyone who seriously wants to improve his or her writing and do not stop with just this one book. Read others so that you will really learn how to write. I'm also a writer. My wife has written national and international bestsellers. One book my wife wrote was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. I've edited my wife's work, and nothing woke me to the complexity of developing the characters I write about in my stories like this book did. I hope the other books I will read after this one add more to my growing knowledge. Reading this book was like opening a door and walking into a well-lit room. I get it. I finally get it. Maybe I'm just dense and it took someone like Ann Hood to wake me up so I understand what emotion is all about.



4. Imagine my surprise when I recognized my own writing mistakes in the examples of bad writing. This immediately helped me take my writing to the next level. I have many cherished writing books, and this one holds up well in comparison. It is helpful because it's specific and focused. I couldn't wait to get to the computer and apply the things I learned in this book. I'm happy to add it to my bookcase.



5. The last few books I bought and read on writing from Amazon.com were excellent and I started this with high hopes. Unfortunately, I started skimming about three-fourths of the way through and ended up skipping the last couple chapters.
   
   This book has a fault I have noticed with others. When they quote another work, it always falls flat. The quotes are taken out of context, we are missing all the author had to say about the character in the previous hundred pages or so. What this means, is the "good" examples she gives us seem, well, so so. Of course the bad examples stand on their own and are bad, something anyone would do with little thought.
   
   Rather than so many chapters on each individual emotion, I would rather see more extensive general work. I would like to see many, many examples of good emotions written by the author herself, and not a quote from a book, but a paragraph written that stands on its own. Hood tries to set up the "good" examples, but it can only be done imperfectly.
   
   Bad emotion writing are cliches (mad has a hatter, hungry as a horse, etc.) and miss identifying the emotion, anger instead of fear.
   
   Good emotion writing accuratly and freshly describes the emotions the character feels.
   
   In conclusion, like cough syrup, you have to take this, but could it just taste better? Worth reading, perhaps, but put it down in your priority list.
   
   PS My short list of must reads:
   
   The First Five Pages, Noah Lukeman
   Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Mass
   45 Master CHaracters, Victoria Lynn Schmidt
   Dialogue, Gloria Kempton
   Description & Setting, Ron Rozelle
   Scene & Structure, Jack M. Bickham
   You Can Write a Novel, James V. Smith Jr.
   
   PPS My short list of stinkers that slipped through:
   
   Creating Character Emotions, Ann Hood
   Writing Dialogue, Tom Chiarella
   Theme & Strategy, Ronald B. Tobias