5 comments about How to Draw and Paint Fairies: From Finding Inspiration to Capturing Diaphanous Detail, a Step-by-Step Guide to Fairy Art.

1. This book was certainly helpful. I especially liked the easy to draw faces. This book is great for people with intermediate drawing skills. If you only have very basic drawing skills, you will probably find it challenging, but with a bit of practice you should master drawing fairies.



2. This little book offers a surprising amount of material, not only to a new artist wanting to learn how to get started but also to artists with more experience seeking to refresh their knowledge of the basics and to expand their imaginations. Even non-artists would enjoy the illustrations, especially the collection of fairy paintings by a variety of fantasy artists at the end of the book. Beginners can follow the step-by-step instructions, and everyone can enjoy the Linda Ravenscroft illustrations throughout the book.



3. I was looking for a drawing guide for my daughter's 11th birthday and was hoping this book would be the key. We flipped through it at the craft store and it looked like a great instructional guide. The only hesitation I have and reason I did not purchase the book is the last few pages. There are some ill-clad fairies exposing more than I want my daughter to be drawing or her younger brothers to be seeing. I know it is common to have fairies naked even, so I was grateful there was only a few pages of what I would consider suggestive fairies. But, I wanted to share this review for other "carefully modest" parents who would rather not expose their children.



4. The best How to draw Fairies book for beginners available.
   Filled with valuable drawing and paint tips, along with beautiful fairy prints for inspiration.



5. This book was not only wonderful to look at, it was very instructive also. A fantastic way to spend a rainy day!

5 comments about Metal Craft Discovery Workshop.

1. Another excellent resource item for my daughter who is currently just beginning her experience in creating metal objects.



2. LOVE THIS BOOK. My new favorite. Well done with good detail on how-to as well as a nice gallery of art. A+



3. Taa-Daa! Linda and Opie O'Brien have come to your metal-anxiety rescue with Metal Craft Discovery Workshop. The O'Brien's - the combined force behind Burnt Offerings - are prolific in many artistic realms, but especially in metal. The duo produces some fantastic creations, especially with metal. In this book they share some of the secrets behind their awesome work - and demystify working with metal. Included are the steps necessary to achieve specific results, common tools you can use to work with metal, and an extensive array of cool projects. Having this book at your side is like having two metal experts at your disposal - the book is laid out well, easy to understand, full of great pictures, and stuffed with hints, tips, explanations and ideas.
   
   From a way cool family tree to wearable art - and everything in between - you'll learn the ins-and-outs of making various items out of many types of metal. The O'Briens have done a magnificent job of writing for beginners, without turning off those more familiar with metal. Another reason I'd recommend this book? It proves that the most important factor in making magnificent art is the creative drive - not a lot of expensive tools. For example, did you know you could get a patina finish with potato chips and water? I'm serious...and the O'Briens tell you how - in a fun, breezy style that amps up your desire to jump in.
   
   After following this book you'll have some neat new metal creations - and you'll have learned from two of the best.



4. This is the book you will want if you want to learn how to creatively make jewelry, collages and dolls. They provide you with clear instruction , lists of tools needed, and supplies to do the creating.
   
   I received this book within a week of ordering.



5. The book is very helpful and provides you with all of the tools you will need for the techniques in the book. Very helpful for someone just getting started with working with metal.

5 comments about Decoding Design: Understanding and Using Symbols in Visual Communication.

1. This is a very good book, and I'd recommend it to artists & designers. Some good thought that's gone into analyzing deeper patterns and meanings that give influence to a symbol in our minds.
   
   However, I'm continually disappointed by the author's unlikely connections. For example in the chapter on the number 2, she joins 2 circles together to create an almond shape called a "Vesica Piscis". The she almost-arbitrarily draws two connecting lines inside that vaguely look like a christian cross, and uses that to explain the deep religious significance behind the cross & piscis.
   
   While some things are a bit of a stretch, the book on the whole is fascinating.



2. A logo, more often than not, is the culmination of a complex process of discovery, interpretation, experimentation, and refinement. The problem, from the design student's perspective, is we often see the result but are rarely privy to the course of action that produced it.
   
   Macnab has set out to reveal that process. She theorizes that the most successful designs are rooted in natural patterns such as spirals and branching. The book presents those patterns and seeks to define the underlying meaning behind them.
   
   What most interested me were the many logo design case studies. In addition to the author's own studied insights are discussions by design heavyweights such as Woody Pirtle and Tim Girvin in which they explain some of the underlying meaning of their work.
   
   In the end, the quality of a logo is dependent on how clearly it's verbal and visual elements define the purpose and style of the entity it represents. But those who want to grow flowers know that the key to learning is in understanding the mysteries of working the soil. For that, Decoding Design is well worth a look.



3. Originally written for www.DESIGNERTODAY.com:
   
   Today's fast paced world tends to lose track of its surroundings and move away from understanding nature's relationship. Ironically nature has embedded itself into all we do and it's a big part of logo design, even if we tend to be unaware of that.
   
   In Decoding Design: Understanding and Using Symbols in Visual Communication, Maggie Macnab does a wonderful job of pushing aside some of the everyday noise and clutter to reveal how the nature of numbers and symbols are deeply rooted in design. Using both a scientific and philosophical approach, each chapter does a wonderful job of revealing some hidden gems about logo design. As the numbered chapters 0-10 progress, these hidden gems bring about an amazing awareness, almost an enlightenment about how certain logos have come to be what they are. Focusing on the strength of the number and shape involved in the design.
   
   While many of us are taught the philosophy of K.I.S.S., sometimes "keeping it simple, stupid" doesn't always mean the logo is truly simple at it's core. Logo design is a process, sometimes very complex, that goes on between a designer and a client. Decoding Design, helps you be better prepared for that process through case studies and "deconstructions" of logos we see regularly. These explanations are by no means shallow but rather deep with information and theory. Examples range from the author's own work to many other well known designers in the field. It was especially nice to see sketched concepts, as well as the finished logo. Giving even more insight into the process.
   
   Decoding Design is wonderfully written and points are nicely displayed visually with many examples throughout the book. The design of the book itself is very intriguing and well thought out. In particular, the cover design is interesting with a wheel showing simplistic examples of what the book is all about. This is an excellent interactive feature.
   
   This book is not a light read and some may find it a bit overwhelming with its large amount of well researched information. By no means does this mean anyone should shy away from this book. Just take your time and absorb this books theory. That is exactly what this book is all about; design theories. It is a MUST READ for any design professional involved with the process of logo design. It will surely open your eyes to things that may have been swirling around you all these years without notice. Nature is all around us and influences all we do. Let this book help you "reconnect" and bring your visual communications to the next level.



4. What really makes good design work? It's a question we as professional designers ask daily. For some designers, it is a constant struggle. But for a handful of top award winning designers, it seems to come easy. What's their secret?
   
   The answer? It's all around us. The answer is given to us in nature. The answer has repeatedly revealed itself to us over time.
   
   Mathematicians and philosophers throughout time have been aware of the key. The key to what makes things 'work' - both from a spiritual perspective, and in the world of physics.
   
   Perhaps what sets top designers apart from the rest, is that they have discovered this key. Whether through deep personal exploration, or simply by being more in tuned to the world around them - they are aware of the patterns all around us and have harnessed these 'secrets' and applied them in the world of graphic design.
   
   Award winning designer, Maggie Macnab is one of these unique individuals. Her logo design work has taken top awards worldwide for decades. In her book 'Decoding Design: Understanding and Using Symbols in Visual Communication', Macnab shares her secrets of success.
   
   Each chapter progresses numerically - from zero to ten reflecting the importance these numbers play in design. From simple shapes like circles and squares, to more complex shapes like spirals, they are all seen in nature. They are all part of the key to effective design.
   
   In each chapter, Macnab deconstructs award winning logo designs by applying the principals she is teaching. The book contains photographs from nature, architecture, and history. She includes photos of her sketches in which she reveals her creative process when designing logos. And finally, she includes visuals of the completed logos. Through this process, readers begin to understand how everything is related.
   
   What we learn from the explorations in this book, can be applied to all aspects of design - not just logos. From brochure and website design, to motion graphic design - the principals of effective design are all the same.
   
   I would rank this book as the top design book of the decade. It is something that has been sorely missing. It should be required reading in all design curriculum. Never before has a designer taken the time to go through their process, and put it down in words in such an eloquent and explanatory fashion. I for one, am grateful Macnab has taken the time to do so. Decoding Design is one book that should be on all designer's bookshelves.



5. As an artist this book helped me to understand what makes some art better than other art. Correct use of symbols! Maggie does a great job of explaining what makes for good design and why. Deep book and full of usable knowledge for anyone in the arts. Congrats!

5 comments about DragonArt Fantasy Characters: How to Draw Fantastic Beings and Incredible Creatures.

1. This is an excellent resource for artists of fantastical races. It has info for everything and fun little comments throughout the entire book. Wonderfully drawn, coloured, and simple to use, I highly recommend this book to other artists, as a guide on how to make their own wonderful creations.



2. We bought this book for our 14 year old and found it had nudity/partial nudity in many of the drawings. The work is beautifully done.



3. Jessica Peffer has come out with the most useful art books that i know of that relate to fantasy. I am a VErY big fan of her work and i recommend this book to every and anybody who is interested in drawing fantasy stuff. GO JESS!!!!



4. This book is divided into five sections: a preface and four parts. The preface contains a tutorial about how to draw people. It briefly covers all the basics: shapes and shading, penciling and inking, coloring, human body, face, facial expressions, hair, hands and feet.
   
   There are step-by-step tutorials on how to draw fantasy beings in part 1, 2, and 3. Part 1 contains classic fantasy creatures: a fairy, a sprite, an elf, a goblin, a dwarf, and an orc. Part 2 contains mythological creatures: a mermaid, a centaur, a faun, an angel, and a kitsune. And part 3 contains night creatures: a banshee, vampire, a werewolf, and a demon.
   
   Part 4 is about fashion. It shows a limited collection of clothes, accessories and weapons for male and female characters of various professions: warrior, ranger, rogue, mage, cleric, samurai, noble, and peasant.
   
   The step-by-step tutorials are very useful, but this book works the best for me as a source of inspiration. J. Peffer's artistic style is refreshing and extremely contagious.
   
   The bad thing about this book is that it's only 128 pages long. Overall, I think this is great book.



5. I bought the first neondragon book just because I liked the artwork on her website, and while I loved all the monsters, I have always struggled with drawing people. I'm so glad that she came out with this book, it has helped a lot, and even despite that, the graphics are awesome just to look at! I HIGHLY recommend this and everything else she has come out with. Keep up the good work Jess!

No comments about An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration From The Private Sketchbooks Of Artists, Illustrators And Designers.

5 comments about Cartooning the Head and Figure.

1. Exhaustive variations, small printing and illustrations, pages jam-packed with examples. Good for the price; some readers will probably prefer a more modern volume. Talented author. Worth a look.



2. This the best cartooning book around. A classic. A must for entry level cartoonist or professional.



3. I'm always looking for the perfect book of whatever variety, & speaking as a former library employee, a cartoonist & art teacher, Jack Hamm has written THE book on cartooning. It is so packed with examples & not so much text, as it should be, it has tips & then TONS of examples. The style ranges from early American cartooning style to 50s/60s modern style. Fantastic examples of different expressions, hand positions, walking positions, drawing women, all of it. All good. If you want a great guide for old fashioned American cartooning, this is the one to get. Then get the Preston Blair book from Walter Foster.



4. This book is full of great ideas and tips. There's plenty for the beginner, like little tutorials on highly-stylized eyes or noses or mouths, or straightforward examples on common poses, but it's not just a book for beginners. There are a lot of highly-finished drawings as well, and examples of moving from simple to more complex drawings. Plus tips on various penciling and inking techniques, and various cartoon genres. All in all, there are literally thousands of examples and sketches, enough material to keep anybody busy for a long time. I've pulled this book down from the shelf more often than any of my other numerous drawing books, and I've filled page after page with exercises based on the material. A classic and worth far more than its price.



5. If you're a cartoonist this is a book you have to have. It has been in publication for quite a while but nothing better has been created in the way of a great, all-purpose reference book. I've gone through a couple copies of this book and no matter how many times I looked at it I was still able to come up with ideas. Whether you're just starting out or have been doing cartoons for years you should have a copy of this book.

No comments about Drawing Birds with Colored Pencils.

5 comments about Painting the Impressionist Landscape: Lessons in Interpreting Light and Color.

1. Good instuctional book on painting with light. Step by step illustrations as well as written instruction makes this book a great teaching tool. I will be trying out the new techniques with my next paintings.



2. I found this book a valuable addition to my library. As an Artist it proved to be a wonderful learning tool, with detailed explainations, examples, and a number of practical step by step learning project. It has added great depth to my paintings. I would recommend it to both experienced artist and beginners. Beautiful colour photos!!!



3. This is an excellent book for learning color theory. You can tell she loves teaching because she doesn't hold back. She is really trying to help you learn the concepts. She paints in an impressionist style, but her methods would work no matter what your style is.



4. It just didn't motivate me like I wanted it to.... so I sold it. But, it does have some good steps to getting that impressionistic look. I suggest trying out the book by Susan Sarback, Capturing Radiant Color in Oils (Paperback)
   ISBN: 1581800614. I've been on her website, and she has some remarkable paintings as well.



5. This discussed painting in a way I needed to hear. It was easy to work with and inspired ideas for me to try. Great book

5 comments about Creativity for Graphic Designers.

1. I'm so glad my professor made this a required textbook! Mark Oldach's insights into the process of concept development are so helpful. This should be in the graphic designer's library. I will return to this book again and again!



2. This book packs a lot of punch. It's written in an easy to understand format that is very creative with handwritten notes from the author in the margins. It's a great source of ideas with the numerous full-color case studies that are included. This book does an excellent job of providing graphic designers with step-by-step instructions on how to ask the right questions at the initial client meeting, go back to the office and download the information, then take the information and begin generating ideas, and finally, select which ideas should be developed. It's an invaluable tool for new designers.



3. I love my mac, but I also love not using it. This book tells a lot about a designers prosess outside the mac. I found this sentence in the book: "Designers have a responsebility to do what they are paid to - design .... To many designers use the (mac) for a substitute for thinking". So right!



4. Unlike design books filled w/ eye-candy & no direction on processes, Mark Oldach steers the reader through well defined concepts & thoughts. An excellent book for all designers who wish to communicate through design.



5. I found this book to be very helpful in getting you to think of the box. Instead of being like a picture book with not much information, it tells you how to come up with ideas and explains the process of making a good design. This is a great book to have if you already have those picture books with just designs and need something to help you with actually creating your own designs.

1 comments about Action/Abstraction: Pollock, De Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976 (Jewish Museum).

1. This is a magnificent artbook enriched by breakthrough studies on the most important movement in post-war American art, namely Abstract Expressionism (and its offshoots like color-field painting). Based on the intellectual rivalry between the two most famous critics of the period, Clement Greenberg (the advocate of abstraction, who insisted on the importance of the work of art versus the creative process, abstract art being the only valid modern form of art) and Harold Rosenberg (who coined the expression "action painting" in a 1952 article in Artnews and to whom what counted was the act of creating, more than the end product) it enables the reader to discover some of the most canonical works of the movement, by De Kooning, Pollock, Newman and many others, lavishly illustrated.
   
   The book accompanies an exhibition held at the Jewish Museum in NYC and is a trove of information and documents on the roots, the influences, the governing ideas, the artists' personalities and their reactions to the various opinions stated by Greenberg and Rosenberg on their art but also on the state of contemporary culture.
   
   The reproductions of facsimile of letters are especially interesting, such as the ones Clyfford Still sent to Harold Rosenberg, first urging him to get into art criticism and then condemning him for doing so ("I am deeply disappointed" he ends up writing).
   
   A landmark exhibition enlightened by this rich catalogue (a highlight is Irving Sandler's article on the convergences and divergences between Greenberg and Rosenberg)which I strongly recommend.