5 comments about Bead on a Wire: Making Handcrafted Wire and Beaded Jewelry.

1. Bead on a Wire has tons of great information for a beginning wire jewelry maker as well as detailed projects for the advanced designer. The photographs are clear and the text is easy to understand. I would highly recommend this book.



2. This book is just what I was looking for... almost half is about wire techniques that really take beaded jewelry well beyond the basics. The instructions are very clear and the photos let you see every step of the process. The projects that comprise the balance of the book are interesting and really sparked my own imagination to create unique jewelry items.



3. I am so glad I purchased this book. It was very informative on tools, materials and the how to's for designs and projects. It is a great book for me, a beginner.



4. I bought this book when it was published, and three years later, I still think it is probably the best book on beginning wire work out there. It has very clear, step by step instruction on the basic wire work techniques and some alternative methods of forming. The only mystery for me is how she manages to flush cut good jump rings from 14 gauge wire. When using 14 gauge wire or even 16 gauge, I always saw cut my jump rings. The result is much better -- at least for me.



5. I'm just starting with wire work and found this book to be very helpful. Good pictures and instructions. I've been very pleased with this book and have made several of the projects.

3 comments about Charles Reid's Watercolor Solutions: Learn To Solve The Most Common Painting Problems.

1. I love Charles Reid's style of watercolor! He explains how he achieves his loose, but very expressive style and how you can, too! The only thing better than a book by Charles Reid is watching him in action on his watercolor videos.



2. This is yet another wonderful book by the watercolor master, Charles Reid. Great book not only for beginners but for experienced watercolor artists as well!



3. This ought to be the best book Charles Reid has written on watercolor. It's absolutely honest and generous at giving his best painting knowledge and advise to anyone who loves watercolor. C.Reid is undoubtely one of the greatest watercolor masters of our time and his style is unique. I was a little hesitant about buying this book (I have most of his) because of the title, but "solutions" turns out to be a series of master classes, with excellent examples and critique of watercolor paintings. I'm eager to start reading it and applying all that knowledge. Just wished it was more comprehensive in each subject, but guess nothing is perfect. The book has beautiful plates and pictorials, it's nicely written, and intermediate-to-advanced watercolor artists will take the most advantage of it. It was worth the wait. Thank you, maestro!

5 comments about Landscape Graphics.

1. Over the last ten years, I've recommended several landscape graphics texts to my students, and this is the one they repeatedly tell me they like. It provides a good mixture of how-to instructions and a wide variety of examples--diagrams, plans, sections, elevations and perspectives. Color rendering is not covered (I use Michael Doyle's book, but I'm sure there are other good ones).
   
   ***Students purchasing a used copy of this should check the publication date. The older version (1987) has some amusing and alarming examples--use with caution!***



2. Excellent first year planning studio text book; excellent sketches and explanations, clear and comprehensive diagrams and text



3. Though the book was published in 2002, the graphics may seem a bit dated in our digital age, but the book is an excellent source of skills and design treatments needed in landscape design. Lettering and symbols are very helpful. The book is consistent with college level instruction and is recommended reading.
   
   Dan Halsey
   [...]



4. This book is an absolute must-have for the beginning landscape designer/architect's personal library. As a fifth year landscape architecture student, my book is in wretched condition due to the fact that I refer to it constantly, more than any other book I own. It will continue to be useful to me for years to come.



5. Lots of good ideas with which to practice or trace. Definitely a particular style, but still somewhat general. One could easily devlop their own style from this. And more than likely, you're probably required to get this book if you're reading this. Best of luck!!!

5 comments about The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art Study.

1. This book is tedious and time consuming but WOW the results! I started with Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (Edwards) and then moved on to The Natural Way to Draw. Edwards book (I loved it too) explains drawing in a very logical way whereas this book takes you into "the experience of drawing". If you are serious about pursuing drawing and have the time to follow the lessons in this book on schedule... I strongly recommend it! You will be amazed at how fluid it will make your drawing. I am a perfectionist and get hung up on the details... now the pictures just flow out.



2. This classic drawing text belongs on the bookshelf of any artist or art educator, right next to Peck's Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist (Galaxy Books). I mention Peck's book here specifically because, like Nicolaides, it is often decried for being dated. Indeed, older works do occasionally present some problems; I have to apologize to my students for Peck's antiquated terminology in the section, "Distinctions of Race," for example. Nicolaides presents no such difficulties, but is nevertheless often regarded as too tough, too rigorous, too old fashioned.
   
   Certainly, compared to The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: A Course in Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidence, which I have not used but have perused, Nicolaides asks a lot of his students: twenty-five sections, each requiring fifteen hours of work. This amounts to 125 three-hour sessions, and demands the rigorous work ethic of a Twentieth-Century, industrial era technician. The second paragraph of the section, "How To Use This Book" begins, "I assume that you are about to embark upon a year of art study..." and is meant to be taken seriously. A student who is dedicated to learning to draw, and is willing to commit him- or herself to spending three hours a day, two or three times a week, for a year in order to do so, will find no better guide I have encountered than this book. Educators will also find many exercises in this book which can be incorporated into a semester's lesson plans, and this is how I use this book.
   
   The rigid instruction of this manual is unadulterated by unnecessary, dubious psychology, nor does it pretend to be quick and easy. Many "How to Draw" books are essentially shorthand, teaching quick tricks designed to allow a student (or hobbyist) to produce passable results in very little time, by following formulas or copying, step-by-step, from a master drawing. Nicolaides doesn't speculate into scientific or pseudoscientific topics outside his area of expertise, nor does he pretend that learning to draw, to truly draw from observation rather than imitation, can ever be quick and easy.



3. I'm sure this book is all that many reviewers have shared but for me,being a complete beginner, its way over my head and abilities. I need to work at an entry level and continue before I can appreciate and grasp all this author offers. I have found, The New Drawing on The Right Side of The Brain to give me this. also picked up Keys to Drawing & Secrets to Drawing REalistic Faces. Each of these selections are better suited to the level I'm at and didn't overwhelm me to take this artform on.



4. This book is essential for everyone who wants to learn how to draw and the theory behind it. A classic.



5. Although I have been life drawing for more than 30 years, I feel that the Gesture exercises of Nicolaides book have brought more expontainety and vitality to my work.

5 comments about Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop.

1. This book excellent for graphic designers and anyone who needs to create professional appealing graphic layouts. As an interior designer, I purchased this book to help me design my portfolio and will continue to resource it for project presentation layouts. The visual breakdowns are inspirational; and the text, informative.



2. It has a lot of examples and explanations of grid and grid-related layouts.
   A good reference guide for designers, whether they are students ore professionals.



3. You may think this book is a little dry, but it is really essential to learn how to use and when you can violate the grid when creating layouts for print or web projects. A must have for any student in graphic design. Also try Kimberly Elam's "Grid Systems" book if you need additional resources.



4. What a strange publication. Divided into two sections the first explaining grid formatting with actual printed material and the second revealing how to design print without a grid.
   
   There seems a contradiction here because the grid, used intelligently, will allow a whole range of graphic options to be presented with clarity. Some of the print examples reproduced in the first section do show this with perhaps the most useful item a grid thumbnail for each piece, unfortunately I thought it was rather too small on each spread despite being the key to explaining each format. From past experience, designing magazines, I would start work on a grid by concentrating on the text type size because it is the least flexible of all the elements on the page. This point really wasn't made enough of in the book's chapter: Grid Basics.
   
   The reproductions show a reasonable range of design solutions, essentially print though there is an example of corporate signage. Missing are magazines (consumer or trade) timetables and the like. Without a grid this type of printed matter really wouldn't exist.
   
   The book's contradiction, to my mind, start with the second section: 'Grid Deconstructions and Non-Grid-Based Design Projects'. The forty items shown seem to have a couple of common threads: their design is essentially arbitrary which makes them look very messy and frequently their typography (display and text) is used as a design element which makes the words unreadable. Their design is the opposite of grid stimulated creativity, in other words visual chaos.
   
   Some of the examples are quite amazing. On page 180-181 twelve pages of a calendar are shown, totally useless as its impossible to see the days and dates. Pages 188-189 show eight spreads from a design school journal showing irregular shaped blocks of text creating a sort of collage. I doubt anyone made the effort to read any of it. What is interesting about this second section material is that so much of it comes from educational establishments. In the real world all this designer whimsy would be rejected by the client on sight of the first dummy
   
   'Making and Breaking the Grid' is well printed with 175dpi and the layout is adequate and for a book about grids you would have thought its own grid would have been included but it is strangely missing. Overall I felt that because the contents present two opposite design ideals the book's editorial concept is rather flawed.
   
   From my experience there is only one book that really explains it all: Muller-Brockmann's Grid Systems in Graphic Design published in Switzerland and full of good solid, practical, hands-on information. This book's only purpose is creative clarity.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



5. I really enjoy this book, though it is not my absolute absolute favorite. It is still a good addition to any designer's collection and it is written by one of the most knowledgeable in grid design.
   
   It is well-thought and very interesting. A bit unlike the other grid books - in a good way.

5 comments about Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors.

1. Hi,
   This book explains everything about colour. Most important thing is it teaches you to identify and match colour with value.
   Entire colour wheel is simplified so one can easily remember it.
   This is best book of Colour I have ever read.



2. I had started to paint before seeing this book and was really frustrated of the results. Then I found this book and went through the exercises and eventually I understood where I went wrong. The explanations are clear and every exercise gets you one stage ahead in the way of "seeing" colors. I was so encouraged by this book that I ordered the one about drawing.



3. A wonderful book,,makes color mixing for the non-professional arist very understandable.. A treasured addition to my book collection.



4. Even though I knew a lot about colors by eyeing it this books teaches you why and more. I had never thought to use a value wheel etc.



5. Very comprehensively written and easy to understand. Just like the course I took in college so it's a great review.

5 comments about Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type (Design Briefs).

1. Grid Systems had excited me to the point that I went to the store and bought it while my Amazon order was delayed in shipping (t'was never delivered). I tore into it with great delight until I reached about page 20. It was then that I started to notice an abundance of the same types of 'grid example thumbnails' with one-sentence notes. While, in the first half, these are informative, they just become page fillers that speak to the same principals again and again. There are far too many of them. It's clear that this is designed to make the book heavier.
   
   My interest peaked again, though, when I got to Jan Tschichold's 'Die Neue Typographie' layout (as promised on the cover). There was an overlay of vellum with the grid for the piece. "Finally," I thought, "some applied theory!" But no. The overlay shows the grid and a triangle (mystery triangle to me- never explained). The accompanying 7 sentences do little more than to describe the piece and provide a history. This is par for the rest of the real-world examples in the book: A complex overlay with zero supplemental information on it.
   
   This book is well-designed to sell if you flip through it or look at the Look Inside on Amazon because you'll think there are in-depth analysis for historical and popular works based on the grid. But there aren't.
   
   Consider another option.



2. The organization of the book seems a bit disjointed to me. I would have also liked to have seen a lot of the examples use actual type rather than block diagrams.
   
   The overlays are helpful, more discussion about them would make them even more useful. I want to like the book, but am not quite there. If I had to describe the book in one word it would be sterile.



3. I am a web designer and a someone who appreciates good print design. A lot of books on CSS (cascading style sheets) try to explain the concept of grids, but these are usually written by people that have a great grasp of the tech side of things, but their writing skills, or ability to relate these concepts are limited.
   
   This book doesn't mention web design (so far as I've read), but she perfectly explains grids.
   
   Lastly, this book is a piece of art. It is pretty. It is stylish. It has semi-transparent overlays in many of the sections allowing one to see a page without grids. This book is special.



4. amazon has super slow shipping. took a month for the book to arrive. had to buy another book at a bookstore.



5. If you want an excellent book dealing with the grid - and if you want to actually learn something - get Tim Samara's Making and Breaking the Grid. I was very unhappy with this purchase.

5 comments about Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels.

1. This is a great tutorial and reference for anyone considering writing a comic book for the first time (or perhaps someone more experienced who'd like to get a fresh perspective and/or deeper understanding of fundamental structure). Scott has taken all those elements that go into making a good comic book (that you've probably noticed subconsciously but couldn't put into words) and laid them bare with expert analysis.
   
   The analyses and guidelines are presented in a light-hearted, comic book format that is both entertaining and enlightening. You won't find yourself getting sleepy or distracted while reading this book - and you will understand every concept with perfect clarity, even if you are a complete novice.
   
   Get this book! I found it at my local library and read it twice (cover to cover). I plan to buy it so that I'll have it handy for reference as I plan and begin drafting my first comic book.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. Scott McCloud's "Making Comics" is a must-read for all aspiring comic artists. This book is very different from other comic technique books. While most other books will teach you how to draw characters or backgrounds, this one teaches you how to tell stories. McCloud goes in depth into what makes a good story through pacing, image choice, layout, words, facial expressions, among many other factors. All of the instruction is given in comic form, so it is very easy to see how the techniques are implemented since he shows you right on the page. I particularly like the section on facial expressions. He has a very inventive method of using basic facial expressions and then mixing them to create totally new facial expressions. It has to be seen to be believed.
   
   If you're thinking of starting to draw comics, or if you're on the edge of giving up comics because you just can't get it right, this will give you the inspiration to keep trying. If you're a great artist, then you'll come to a better understanding of the techniques that you use. I definitely recommend reading this book.



3. I've always found it fascinating to imagine how a comic book author/illustrator creates the stories and images that appeal so much. Having been a non-fiction book author for many years, I have a firm understanding of the writing process. I sometimes pick out a few illustrations to put into a book.
   
   But building a story around the illustrations, that seems like a trip to the planet Neptune to me. I was very pleased to find that Scott McCloud is very good at explaining (and illustrating) the creative and production processes he uses. I was delighted when I realized that he had also described how an individual could make a few comics to share with friends.
   
   With computer art getting to be easier to do, I can see that there's even hope for those of us who couldn't draw out way out of a paper bag.
   
   Mr. McCloud has the kind of mind that sees everything in perspective, in this case as facets of an overall story-telling task. He always has the goal of engaging the reader in mind and relates his points well to that purpose.
   
   The work is impressive at another level . . . it's a masterpiece of providing instruction. The book shows more than tells, as a book about comics should do.
   
   If Mr. McCloud ever tires of making comic books and graphic novels, he should go into explaining non-fiction subjects. He would make a fortune!



4. When my grandparents got me this book, I didn't think it could help me. I was looking for a "How to Draw" not a "How to Write". This book proved me so wrong. I couldn't believe how much fun it was to read, and it helped me a lot too. Almost everything I thought I knew was proved wrong and after reading it I felt like I understood comics so much better. As well as making me better at writing comic books, it made me a better writer altogether. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in comics or in just plain writing or art.



5. Well thought out, well written, quality throughout. I like this book the best so far; the previous weren't as appealing as this but were still very well done. The author really practices what he preaches as far as his message and the book speaks for itself. You won't be disappointed. Looking forward to the new books!

1 comments about Launching the Imagination.

1. the book was ok, i bought a brand new one, and it's looks absolutely fine,there's nothing wrong with it.
   and i got it on time, it wasn't too fast either, yeah, it was ok

5 comments about Landscape Painting Inside and Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio With Oils.

1. One of the most helpful art books I have in my collection - lots of step by step descriptions and painting challenges. I highly recommend this book not only for oil painters, but all media.



2. This is a great book with lots of useful suggestions about painting, managing a career, developing self discipline as an artist, etc. I expect to use a lot of these ideas even though my primary genres are figure and portraiture.



3. Kevin MacPherson has written a wonderful book. As an artist I am constantly trying to perfect my paintings, and this book is a great tool. If you are wondering "Should I purchase another art book?", the answer is YES to this one.



4. This book is very interesting; I have many art books, and this one gets you to thinking. It offers many ideas about how to go about creating better artwork (including using the computer, creating great value studies, use of color, etc.). A beginner or advanced artist would benefit from this book. This artist's work is beautiful. The book is well written, contains great content, and deserves "five stars." RMD



5. This guy knows his stuff and conveys his ideas superbly with great examples to support his recommendations. I respectfully disagree with his comment in the book "that while copying a picture may require great skill, it is not art. With the fabulous digital technology available today, we students of art can freeze that moment in time that we all wish to capture. Painting with passion comes from within and can be stimulated in various ways. An excellent book for any artist's library.