1 comments about Painting Your Favorite Birds Step by Step.

1. This book is an excellent step by step guide to painting Birds, the author has really thought about her subjects and even has given a little review about each bird at the start of the project wich makes it all the more interesting, loads of pictures, and the instructions are easy to follow. Overall an excellent book.

5 comments about The Red Rose Girls: An Uncommon Story of Art and Love.

1. Some great reproductions here too, of some Pre-Raphaelite-style art from the Philadelphia area about 100 years ago. Violet spent over 25 years painting huge celebrations of the founding of Pennsylvania in the Harrirburg State Capitol. She may not ne Michaelangelo, but is not far behind his Sistine Chapel! This small coffee table book will never go out of style, and does a great job bringing back 3 great lady artists!



2. I bought this book with the idea of finding out more of the types of relationships women shared at the beginning of the twentieth century. I was astonished to find more than I bargained for. The Red Rose Girls provided more than insight into these relationships, it also provided a look inside the rise and fall of the progressive and arts and crafts movements. Pre Freud, the relationship of these woman was accepted and cherished as they lived together, and created their art. Post Freud, their relationships deteriorated as did their careers. All in all I found this book extremely entertaining, as well as heartening (a forty year relationship between two of the women) and the pictures are absolutely beautiful. If nothing else, as an art book it is extraordinary.



3. It was some months ago when I discovered and read Ms. Carter's lush tale of four intertwined lives. I still remember the regret and exhiliaration I felt on turning the final page.
   Not wanting a story to end is perhaps among the higher compliments I would pay to a book, and usually one relegated to a rare work of fiction. In fact, prior to Red Rose Girls, Donna Tartt's masterpiece, The Secret History was my lonely sole contender for this sort of accolade. To add my name to the chorous of other reviews teetered on redundancy, lily-gilding or worse....gushing. But then, we New Englanders are a stiff lot, and loathe to such displays.
   It was interesting then, to trip over a Feb. 8th review in which a reader, also from my birthplace, expressed some criticism of Carter's speculation on the probable physical nature of the characters relationship, finding it presumptuous and distracting. (my words)
   It was precisely the lack of any undue focus on lesbianism, alongside a riveting collection of photographs, that caught my attention and held it for the duration. Throughout this fascinating account crept a quiet, matter-of-fact, stylistic elegance that kept my attention firmly on the place and the times, on three lives dedicated to art, on four lives dedicated to each other. Brava!



4. I discovered and read Ms. Carter's lush tale of four intertwined lives some months ago and still remember my regret mixed with exhiliaration at turning the last page. Not wanting a book to end is probably among the higher compliments a reader can pay to fiction; to end a nonfictional story feeling thus, is rare indeed. Prior to RRG, Donna Tartt's fictional masterpiece "The Secret History" was my lonely, sole contender for this sort of accolade...
   ... It was precisely the lack of any undue focus on the women's probable physical intimacy, alongside a riveting collection of photographs that immediately caught my attention and held it. Throughout the whole of this story crept a quiet, matter-of-fact, stylistic elegance that kept this readers attention first and foremost on the place and the times, on three lives dedicated to art, on four women dedicated to each other. Brava!



5. Alice Carter has written an incredible story about three inspiring artists. It is ununsual to find a book with such a scholarly, intelligent perspective that is presented with a human warmth and emotional attachment to the individuals that are portrayed. The sensitive approach of the author is perhaps related to the fact that as a young child Professor Carter knew and admired these woman and they served as an inspiration in her life. Whatever the reason, she has crafted an outstanding, beautiful book that will stand as a classic story in the history of art, the struggles of women, and the nobility of the human spirit.

4 comments about Franklin Booth: Painter With a Pen.

1. For me this was a long-awaited title b'coz as an artist I admire Franklin Booth's Pen and Ink techniques which inspires me a lot!! This book contains many different pictures which reveal his mastery over every aspect of art such as composition, design, drawing, and figurative and landscape. The title of the book says it all "He is truly a Painter with a Pen". Hats off to one of the greatest artists of the century!!!



2. I enjoyed this book. I had to wait until it was reprinted to get a good look at it.
   Anyone interested infine illustration and especially pen and ink work will surely be amazed by these works.
   The only drawback is that it only covers his black and white work and is therefore incomplete.



3. I'm new to the pen and ink paintings of Franklin Booth. This is a delightful book that can be enjoyed by all ages. The themes range from the fanciful to the sublime. I highly recommend this beautiful book.



4. Franklin Booth's illustrations are amazing! His compositions are some of the best I've seen. There is a feeling of peace as I flip through the pages of this book. Franklin Booth used a unique approach of using pen lines to depict shades and depth by varying the distance of the lines from one another. At first look I thought it reminded me of a wood engraving, but it is so much more. The best thing about this book is that it is family safe and can be shown to and enjoyed by people of all ages.
   
   I was touched by the passion of the introduction writer Roy Krenkel. Also, the brief biography and foreword written by one of Franklin Booth's students from the late thirties made it obvious how loved Booth was during his lifetime. The combination of illustrations and design allowed the artwork to breath on each page. The selections by the publisher couldn't have been better.
   
   I highly recommend this book to all lovers of fine pen and ink, and to those who enjoy all things beautiful.

No comments about U2: A Diary.

4 comments about Love.

1. the story wasn't about the usual love towards his/her partner.
   you'll see what the real love is. (maybe)



2. Keith Haring, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1990, was an artist with a bold and distinctive style. "Love" contains many of his drawings together with the text of a poem he wrote.

   This is a beautiful book. Haring created an instantly recognizable style with his drawings. His portrayals of heart shapes, human shapes, and other elements have both an iconic quality and a life-affirming energy. Many of his drawings combine a mystical feeling with postmodern playfulness.

   My only reservation about this book involves a note on the page of publication data. It reads, "The Keith Haring artwork in this book has been reproduced faithfully; however the colors of some works have been altered." Huh? I see no need to change the artist's colors. I think the editors of the book overstepped themselves with that decision. Nevertheless, this book effectively captures the genius of Keith Haring, an artist who continues to inspire people all over the world.




3. Pop and colorful picture book full of hearts and couples designs. The text is a complete poem written by Keith as a teenager. Broken hearted words, "There'll be never be another you!" would be impressive to all generations.



4. Keith Haring was an exceptionally talented artist, and after flipping through "Love," I discovered that he was also a poet. It's a great little book perfect for sharing with a significant other. This book just makes you feel good!

3 comments about Twelve (12) Views of Manet's Bar.

1. As a lawyer who has clients involved in the art world, and has Manet (reproductions) on his wall, I have actually recommended this book to people who are thinking about applying to law school. While this may not make immediate sense to a non-lawyer (and may turn you non-lawyers off about the book), the different methodologies, lenses, sensibilities and sometimes inflexible dogmas through which the art historians view this iconic and enigmatic painting find amazing parallels in the wildly divergent theories and perspectives in which legal philosophers, professors and judges view and interpret the complex combination of factors (cultural, societal, class-based, psychological, political, authoritarian, libertarian, scientific, agrarian, industrial, religious, racial, tribal, etc.) through which what we call "the law" develops.



2. This is the sort of book that gives art history--especially the "new" art history--a black name. Most of the articles are written in deliberately inpenetrable prose, always hiding the the most inept questions and comments (i.e., "Did Manet really intend to paint the mirror that way?") Only Griselda Pollock's article shows any sign of intelligence. Another title for this book: "12 Ways to Kill any Interest in a Work of Art."



3. This is one of those books that art history students should use to learn the complexity of the field and the many different approaches to art currently practiced by art historians. For lovers of Impressionism, this is one of the deepest and richest studies of a single work-- and what a work! Manet's BAR is one of the most mysterious and gripping works of western art, and it's hard to imagine a work more deserving of this deep treatment.

5 comments about Winslow Homer.

1. I liked the book, has hundreds of oil paintings and many of the watercolors of Homer, about everything that has to do with the sea where it is a true master. The reason for placing four stars and not five is not that there are so many color illustrations of every page, as expect of a large book. But like is a very good buy for lovers of Homer



2. Too often museums and writers take the prodigious output of the 19th century American artist Winslow Homer lightly, even at times dismissing him as inconsequential in the mainstream of important art. This magnificent volume whould change that once and for all.
   
   Essayists and curators Nicolai Cikovsky and Franklin Kelly, with significant contributions by writers Judith Walsh and Charles Brock, have not only created a superb collection of Homer's works in all media, they have also taken the time to reevaluate Homer in terms of his place among his colleagues of his day, his subsequent isolationism when he communicated with nature along the coast of Maine, creating come of the most mystically beautiful works form an American artist, and an overview of how history has treated him.
   
   The result is a hefty volume with more valuable insights and well written essays that for once truly illuminate the images generously placed throughout the volume. This may have started out to be a catalogue to accompany a traveling exhibition, but its long shelf life is assured by the high quality of every aspect of the book. Highly recommended for art lovers and art historians alike. Grady Harp, January 06



3. I'd been looking for a book about Winslow Homer for a while and was delighted to find this one. Kate Jennings' copy about his life and art are very good and the 68 color prints are large and on glossy paper. The prints are not top notch, but very nice. If you're looking for a nice collection of Homer's work without breaking the bank, this is for you. (This review pertains to the Winslow Homer book by Kate Jennings. Alas,I havn't seen the one by Nicolai Cikovsky.)



4. As an Art student, venturing into watercolor recently, I received this book as a gift. I truly gained much information about the artist and the additon of color plates (90+) make this a complete reference guide. The author has separatedhis works into catogories by subject matter.The intro- duction reviews his travels, family life,interests,educa-tion,recognition and awardsduring his lifetime. A brief review proceeds each Chapterwhich then is visually supp-orted by wonderflul,colorful plates of Winslow works of that subject. The Chapters are Civil War, Sea PaintingsTropics, Adirondonck and Canada, and Prout's Neck,Me. He was an extraordinarypainter of various mediums,and always captured the 'atmosphere' in his workswhether it was stormy seasoff the coast of Maine, placid lakes in the mountains, clear skies in the tropics or children at play at that time. Fortunately, he was an artist who was noticed during his lifetime and rewarded with fame before his demise at age 74, having enjoyed his love of his work. I would highly recommend this hard cover version, to any art lover or student of the arts. I will plan to purchase this publication for my son, and perhaps a friend in the near future.



5. As an Art student, venturing into watercolor recently, I received this book as a gift. I truly gained much information about the artist and the additon of color plates (90+) make this a complete reference guide. The author has separatedhis works into catogories by subject matter.The intro- duction reviews his travels, family life,interests,educa-tion,recognition and awardsduring his lifetime. A brief review proceeds each Chapterwhich then is visually supp-orted by wonderflul,colorful plates of Winslow works of that subject. The Chapters are Civil War, Sea PaintingsTropics, Adirondonck and Canada, and Prout's Neck,Me. He was an extraordinarypainter of various mediums,and always captured the 'atmosphere' in his workswhether it was stormy seasoff the coast of Maine, placid lakes in the mountains, clear skies in the tropics or children at play at that time. Fortunately, he was an artist who was noticed during his lifetime and rewarded with fame before his demise at age 74, having enjoyed his love of his work. I would highly recommend this hard cover version, to any art lover or student of the arts. I will plan to purchase this publication for my son, and perhaps a friend in the near future.

No comments about Charles & Ray Eames: 1907-1978, 1912-1988 Pioneers of Mid-Century Modernism (Eames).

5 comments about Painting People in Watercolor: A Design Approach.

1. I did watercolor portraits for a Level I college class. Samples of Powers works were in the book recommended for the course, of which I did not get until the course was over. After getting the book, "Everything you ever wanted to know about Watercolor," I was so intrigued with Powers work that I had to get this book.
   
   "Painting People in Watercolor" is a very thorough book. Powers covers all the design elements and principles of painting and gives examples of each. His style of combining realism with abstraction and the way that he works his portraits in with the backgrounds makes his work both interesting and powerful. My original style was totally representational and I never new what to do with the background. Thanks to Alex Powers I have found a new way to paint that I am very excited about.
   
   If you have any interest in painting watercolor portraits with power, movement and emotion, do miss out on getting this book. I read it twice before I painted another portrait and my work has much more vigor. I'll read this book over and over as I continue to paint.



2. I happen to like paintings that are not completely realistic and that take advantage of techniques such as using unpainted white paper as highlights. I also like artwork that has lots of lost edges, for example a leg blending into the background and your mind has to fill in the line of the leg. I don't care for 100% realism (take a photo), but I am not a fan of completely abstract paintings either. The point is that I already know what I like and don't like, and you too probably have some idea as to what you like and don't like.
   
   Alex Powers breaks down the different design components of art and shows how he emphasizes the components of value and line to create his art work. However, he encourages you not to just copy his style but to find those components of art (line, color, value, edges, shape, etc.) that appeal to you and make your own artwork by emphasizing them. It is his discussion of the these different components and their relationship to one another that makes this book invaluable. For example, if you want to emphasize the use of value then you should deemphasize color. In this book Alex Powers explains why and covers many other similar design considerations.
   
   The text of this book is fabulous and should appeal to any artist. However, I found the text to be a bonus, as the truth is that I bought the book because I liked the pictures (lost edges, etc.). Although, like a previous reviewer, I don't believe the cover is represtative of the work found inside.



3. Well rounded approach that can be used in painting in all media. Although his approach is primarily realistic, the principals work well with abstract and non-objective subjects also.



4. The book is well presented in an easily readable format. The
   subject matter is informative with beautiful illustrations and it would appeal to both the beginner and the more experienced artist.



5. No well stocked watercolor library should be without this important book by Alex Powers. From understanding the human form to a thorough knowledge of design, Powers impacts an artist's skill. The work in this book guides in how to take your portraits from sterile mug shots to emotional works of art, full of drama and motion.

1 comments about Bookbinding: Its Background and Technique.

1. Being a small publisher and bookbinder, I found this book very informative. It covers a wide view of bookbinding going back to the middle ages, right thru the 1950s. Edith Diehl has "been there" and knows all the ins and outs of bookbinding. At first some of the material may seem dated, but this is a manual for restoring books, using the same material and methods of the time period. Anyone who collects books should have this very well written and illustrated manual.