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

1. Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors
   Very good book for a beginner and quite useful to the more serious.
   Arrived within 8 days of placing my order and i used standard delivery. Superb.
   This book is a natural progression from Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain by the same author.
   It's a shame that it's only available in the USA.
   Lived up to my expectations.



2. this is a disappointing book, for three reasons. first, edwards simply recycles the mummified "color theory" dogma inherited from the 19th century (primary colors, complementary color contrast, and the "mud" definition of subdued tones); worse, she merely parrots it secondhand, in dribs and drabs and without no insight into what she is saying. second, the "scientific" statements about color are dilettantish, superficial and in many specifics factually wrong. finally, the practical guidance is devoid of any artistic spirit: the introductory color lesson asks the student to make little wheels of color and then, when the little wheels are completed, to copy wallpaper. no, that's not a metaphor: you choose a piece of wallpaper, paste it to a sheet of watercolor paper, then copy the design while inverting or shifting the color scheme.
   
   the acme of edwards's color advice is her scheme for "color harmony" -- each painting must contain a balanced selection of the primary colors that are balanced within themselves on lightness and chroma (which edwards calls "value" and "intensity"). this is another empty cliche from 19th century color theory -- victorian art theorists speculated that a harmonious painting, spun on a turntable, would blur into a gray disc -- and the irony is that edwards introduces as a principle of harmony what she disparages as "mud" in color mixing. the worst point, however, is that she does what "color theorists" always do -- lay down simple rules as dogma -- in this case the assertion that painting harmony is simply the manipulation of color patterns.
   
   of course, since we are in the realm of mummified "color theory", those patterns are the 18th century complementary color contrasts (yellow+purple, orange+blue, red+green) that have turned amateur painting into an anthill of identical cliches. this simplistic rule has been repeated for generations, not because it is accurate or useful (colors that are "off complementary" are actually more harmonious together), but simply because it is dogma -- something you can teach that has been taught before. significantly, these teachers (edwards included) are never fine artists themselves.
   
   indeed, the whole book has a discouraging, reductive approach that resembles teaching the blind to paint. paint something simple, like a vase with flowers. hold up you metric wheels to judge colors. adjust colors using your wallpaper painting methods. make paintings by blocking in colors, then adjusting colors. stand back, squint, and "change whatever color doesn't look right." add colors that are missing and vary colors that are too similar. avoid mud. use complementary colors. get a new sheet of paper, rinse and repeat.
   
   the only thing soaring about this book is the flight it takes as you fling it out your window; the only inspiring moment is when it flops into your trash can. yes! three points!



3. 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.



4. 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.



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

5 comments about Hand Job: A Catalog of Type.

1. I was really looking forward to receiving this book. It arrived and I opened it on the best design. There are a couple of real gems in there, but there is a big gap between these gems (Adam Haye, Jose Ricardo Cabral Cabacos, A.J. Purdy and Luke Ramsey) and the rest.



2. I'm a little biased because i am in the book. but it really is something i pick up at least once a week and page through. pops off the shelf. Mike did an awesome job curating this book and all of us in it, owe him many thanks. plus, the title is simply classic.



3. I bought this book and it truly is awesome. I immediately embraced the hand drawn medium. I was lucky enough to have an appropriate project. When I brought it into work (I work at a Vegas ad agency) I learned a fellow designer had his copy stolen. The more resources the better, you'll want your own copy of this, but stealing books or ideas is just wrong. Buy this sucker!



4. Great book. I'm a lover of typeface and bought it because it was inspiring to look at. Everyone picks it up off the coffee table when they come over...the title intrigues and they are then transported into the artistic world of cool typeface and imagery...



5. Pues eso, un montón de trabajos realizados con diferentes tipografías hechas a mano. Para lo bueno o lo malo no tiene teoría, ni textos de relleno, ni abecedarios con las diferentes tipos.
   Yo lo recomiendo, me gusta hasta como huele.

5 comments about Ed Emberley's Complete Funprint Drawing Book.

1. Great craft ideas for preschoolers through grade school. Make sure to have the washable stamp pads ready for when the book arrives.



2. We got this for my 6-year-old daughter. She has used it well. There are so many things to do in the book that she hasn't gotten bored. We haven't had much luck finding washable stamp pads that easily wash off her fingers though! Her stained fingers are worth it though!!



3. As a homeschooling mom of a preschooler and first grader, I am always looking for things that are appropriate for a wide variety of age levels. The Complete Funprint Drawing Book is perfect for homeschool art! The directions are simple enough for my just-turned-four year old to follow, but the endless variety of things to make is interesting enough for my six (and a half) year old. I am looking into more Ed Emberly books to add to our homeschool art resource collection.



4. I loved Ed Emberley's books so much when I was a kid, I had to share them with my own children and my students.
   
   Lucy Adams, author of If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny



5. These books are great for art projects with kids. My class is making a gift for the school using these art ideas.

4 comments about American Widow.

1. With time inexorably passing by, and amongst the far too many pointless narratives exploiting 9/11 to nobody's gain, here comes Alissa Torres' extraordinary book. The blessing of truth, unmitigated and at times scathing, as it emerges page after page in American Widow, does more for our collective and individual insight than any increasingly pale, and vain, anniversary celebration. And the splendid drawings make this book highly recommendable for any curious and intelligent child and for all New Yorkers, really.



2. 
   The events of September 11, 2001 will go down as the day international terror began to rule the United States and an era of battle readiness gained prominence. For Alissa Torres, and those left behind by the deaths of the thousands in the towers, a painful chapter in life began.
   On many levels, Torres bares her soul as she wades through the intense emotions surrounding the loss of Eddie Torres, her husband. Pregnant on September 11, 2001, the birth of her child by a dead husband put her into a situation even more intense. Betrayal, loss, anger, loneliness, and desperation ooze through in the sparse diary/dialogue laden narrative. The art by Sungyoon Choi is simple, and does not overwhelm the angst filled text.
   
   Content wise, most Americans will never get a more honest education in the politics of humanitarian aid, whether Red Cross, or government based. The frustration the survivors must have dealt with are intimidating in lowpoint emphasis. The transformation from wife, to widow, to victim, to charity dependent, and finally to independence is compelling.
   
   This will be a controversial book given the subject matter. Agree with Ms Torres or not, you will find yourself wanting to find out `the rest of the story'.
   
   Tim Lasiuta
   www.randomhouse.com



3. This is a beautiful love story told during a tragic period
   in our Country's recent history. The drawings are hauntingly beautiful.
   I was quickly drawn into this gripping story and tribute to a husband who is sorely missed.



4. American Widow is a graphic novel revealing the story of Alissa Torres who was left widowed at seven months pregnant by the tragedy of 9/11.
   
   The story includes that fateful day up to the one-year anniversary with alternating flash backs including scenes of Eddie at 10-years old, his life before meeting Alissa and their courtship, marriage and pregnancy. In chapter one alone, my arms were covered with goose bumps. 9/11 was just Eddie's second day at his new job with Cantor Fitzgerald. Included is Alissa's deeply frustrating struggle with several assistance agencies and the government plus you see how different friends and family react to her circumstances.
   
   The story exposed shows us just a glimmer of what surviving family members endured that I would have never imagined. When Alissa's private thoughts are shared you get a sense of how difficult and confusing this time in her life was and you can't help but be affected by this deeply personal story.

5 comments about Gardner's Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume I (with ArtStudy CD-ROM 2.1, Western).

1. I took one Art History course in my college career at Boston University and it was taught by Prof. Fred Kleiner, the author of this book. I clearly remember, over 25 years later, how wonderful and exciting Fred Kleiner's lectures in Art History were. When I go to museums I remember Prof. Kleiner's passionate, stirring descriptions of art and architecture. I was a business major, and his love for art really broke through and taught me to understand what is so wonderful about art. We also used Gardner's Art Through The Ages back in 1980, but it was before he was the author.



2. The book arrived fast but wasn't in very good condition. I paid $60 for it but I doubt I will get $20 when I resell it! I wish I had been given a better description or better price for this book!



3. The book arrived in a very timely manner and it was in great condition -- no markings or bent pages. I would definitely buy from this seller again.



4. I am extremely disappointed in amazon and this book. You guys delivered it over a month late.I'm not paying for amazon prime so I can receive much needed books over a month late. I had to go to my College bookstore and pay $120. You wanna know the worst part? They don't accept devolutions. So I'm extremely disappointed.



5. This book is very informative and it tries to explain so that there is not much confusion after looking it over.

5 comments about Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist (Galaxy Books).

1. its a very useful book for life drawing, detailed images on the bones and muscule.



2. As a teenager, I bought this book to help me draw people better. Learning body and head proportions is key to drawing more realistic-looking people, and this book can help you along. Peck's illustrations show you different ways to look at the human body, sometimes using blocks, spheres, and other objects to represent how a certain muscle group works or looks to help you better understand how it should be drawn. He covers everything from musculoskeletal structure to facial expressions, emotions, and photos of faces from around the world. And for those who like to warm up their skills by sketching people but have no model to use, there are several human model pictures towards the back of the book to help you out. Before I took college courses and had real models to work with, I used these photos to do my many quick pencil or charcoal sketches as a warm-up for drawing. Having this book before those courses definitely helped me draw better and faster than some of the others who were learning to draw people for the first time. I have referenced it several times since then when drawing or painting people to make sure I'm getting the right idea of the muscle structure. I have used other books for learning to draw people that was more step-by-step, but this book has a lot of different detail other books don't have.
   And I was surprised to find out it was from the 50's when I looked it up here on Amazon, since it doesn't really appear that way at all.



3. I am an art student who wanted a guide to the human body. I could not be happier with "Atlas of Human Anatomy" because of the detailed illustrations combined with easy to grasp sketches. The written sections are not extremely long, and while they do delve into technical language that can be difficult, it is overall all well balanced with the illustrated elements. I find both sides important, and as a comprehensive resource on the human body for the artist, I highly recommend "Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist".
   I can only say that it has helped me tremendously.



4. My professor/adviser of art advised me to get this.
   
   It was great advice :D



5. This book surprised me. I already have several dozen books on art anatomy, but Peck's book has more. He goes into expressions, cultural and age distinctions, and locomotion. Is this the only book you'll need in studying anatomy, probably not. But each book you get on the subject, and study (NOT JUST COLLECT) will hone your visual memory until drawing the figure becomes second nature. Note: Study means putting time and effort on that drawing pad!!! Also, nothing beats drawing from life or imagination! These books are to supplement these areas.

5 comments about The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern.

1. I bought this for my daughter's summer reading for Art History class - a 200+ page brief summary of the history of art. I paged through it to see what she was getting into, and I was very impressed with the breadth and interesting facts contained within. It's a great outline of a huge topic, that gives the reader a framework into which subsequent knowledge can be organized.



2. This is a wonderful book, I am studying for the Art praxis and found this book very helpful. Good crash course in art history.



3. I bought this book to review for the Art Content Praxis. It's been about 20 years since my art history classes so I definitely needed a refresher. Although, I did remember a lot and reviewed other books, this book put me over the top.
   
   It's fast paced and easy to read! Short highlights to remind you of things you may have forgot and adds what you may have missed.



4. This book is just what is says it is: "a crash course in Art History" and it is great! Carol Strickland is a top flight writer and art historian. She covers the most important artists and movements in a concise and readable manner. Her side-bars that appear throughout the text add interesting anecdotal material that is always worthwhile. There are plenty of art reproductions, many in color, that illustrate the text.
   
   I have used this book (1st edition) for several years in a one semester high school Art History course and it is perfect. It is also makes for very pleasant and informative personal reading. I recommend it very highly.



5. This book is well worth the price! I feel like I need to memorize every word written! Full of relevant information!

5 comments about Designing Interactions.

1. Outstanding read about the history of how some of the things we use daily were conceptualized and designed.
   
   Moggridge interviews some of the coolest and relevant inventors of the modern (technology) era.
   
   The book hit a dry spell toward the end but finished strong.
   
   As a usability and design professional I found this book to be a good read on perspective, and to read the techniques and methods used to develop new things.



2. The book provides some good insights into the world of interaction design.
   However, it's a bit boring and too much of a history lesson.
   
   While the information provided within is a nice examination of various things previously done, the book provides little about how to go about processing or coming up with the information or general practices for doing so in your own project(s). However, if you have a generally analytical mind, you can definitely pull some of that information out of it. The few gems of knowledge as applied to products already designed are very valuable and the proper descriptions were chosen for each.
   
   The "interviews" contained within the book are a bit too disparate for my tastes, though. There is a lack of general cohesion that causes the book to "feel" off-topic, even though it is all related. Focus seems to be lost on the underlying reason for the book (even based on the forward, description, etc.).
   
   There's a lot there, but you're going to have to pick it out for yourself. The book definitely lacks the ability to state what the intentions of varies arguments and examinations are but what is there is valuable.



3. This book makes you think a lot about how interactions have been designed. It has a lot of great examples and I even picked up a few tricks on storyboarding my interactions and designs. Well done.



4. En este libro se revisan una serie de autores que son relevantes en el campo del diseño de interacción. Podemos encontrar desde Brenda Laurel hablando del desarrollo de juegos para niñas, hasta los creadores de Google. No es un libro que profundice en los temas, es más bién un útil panóptico del desarrollo del diseño de interacción.
   
   Marcos Chilet
   Diseño, Pontificia Universidad catolica de chile.



5. This book is a terribly self-indulgent view of interaction design. There is no real analysis in this book or critical thinking. It's mostly a collection of simple stories from companies or efforts that Moggridge likes. There is no real theory offered here, only anecdotes. It's also a very Silicon Valley-centric view of the world. If you are looking for a partial history of interesting "interaction" design efforts, this book may be for you. Though, perhaps, not at the price it sells for.

5 comments about Dynamic Art Projects for Children: Includes Step-by-step Instructions And Photographs.

1. I "volunteer-teach" art to primary students. This year I am teaching 2nd grade. This is a great book - beautiful pictures, easy-to-reproduce projects. Be aware that not all projects in the book are for younger children. The age starts at 7 and goes to 12. There are a handful of projects for 7 year olds. Instructions are clear and well organized.
   It has been a great help.



2. I teach art classes to groups of children who are preschool-age, K-5, and 5-8. I have used several of the projects from this book and everyone has loved them, including the parents of the children, the classroom teachers, and program coordinators with whom I've worked. Photos in the book are very helpful and the directions are percise. I have been able to tailor them to fit into short meetings or longer workshops. The work of my kids has been displayed all over town to rave reviews. I've had the parent of one of my art workshop kids borrow the book to duplicate a project I had done with her daughter for the youth group at her church and they loved it. My mother has a friend who works with kids and she saw pictures my mother had taken of the foil snake projects my workshop kids had done. I am now getting the information for the book for her.



3. LOVE the illustrations. This book is vibrant with color. I am most impressed with the fact that they included work from children. However, as a first grade teacher, I will only be able teach a few lessons. The projects are intricate and would probably require more than one session. Nonetheless, I'm still very happy with this purchase.



4. This was one of about 20 books I bought for I summer camp I was running. This book is worth every penny. I ended up using a project a day in the camp. Kids and parents loved it and I appreciated the step by step instructions and pictures. Truly a great buy!



5. THis book is awesome and full of great lesson ideas. The spiral binding makes it as functional as it is informative. This book has it all: art standard connections, easy to follow directions, photos and student examples.

5 comments about Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition.

1. MANY great reviews had me taking a chance and ordering this book. If you are at a beginner level with line drawing and the quality of line--then it is a good buy.Many teachers do not stress these force lines. I guess I was lucky as mine did (years ago in the 70's)In this book, he stresses force lines of figure drawing and the quality of the line (light touch, dark, heavy) as a way to show the force in a figure--therefore, adding a new dimension to your flat looking drawings IF you always use the same pressure on the pencil as your method. Or IF you draw tight and are afraid to loosen up and let the pencil flow on the paper along force lines until you have the figure. It really didn't help me at ALL, as I learned figure drawing this way. There are many of his and student drawings, and that's fine, but in all fairness and honesty--it didn't help me. I was disappointed in all the glowing reviews?!



2. Although I have not read through the whole book, it has some great info and has renewed my interest in drawing the human form.



3. I just finished reading this book the first time through, and it's great. All of the other reviews are spot on. It does help to have some knowledge of anatomy, but if you don't, you can still learn from this book, and it will make learning anatomy more fun. It has lots of great full page drawings too. I've noticed improvements in my skills, and look forward to going through it again in the future.



4. I've added this book to my required book list for Figure Drawing for Animation. Great book, and very helpful to my students. I see a marked improvement in ability within reading just the first chapter.



5. I bought this book for Xmas for my son's girlfriend. Both my son and his girlfriend are Animation students at San Jose State University. They have to draw constantly. I mean CONSTANTLY. She said that this is a terrific book. This is coming from an Animation student and you cannot get better feedback than that. Highly recommend this book.