5 comments about Saints in Art (Guide to Imagery Series).

1. This beautiful book contains a collection of biographies of saints together with Old Master's paintings. There are usually several paintings depicting each saint.
   They include bullets of artistic information about most of the pictures. I do not recommend it for children
   because of the sometimes grahic depictions of martyrdom.



2. I believe there can be intrinsic value in Art, and for whatever reason, I relate better to Art in which I can recognize 'true' expressions of 'the Human Condition.' IOW, I may have a limited breadth of soul, but I see much Modern Art as Absurd (or Disturbing). To cut to the chase, regardless of your Religious orientation or preference, there is much sense to the range of human expression found in this book, and best of all for my money, the wonder of it all.
   
   However, the book title is literal, it is a book of Saints represented in Art. If you're at all put off by the ubiquitous nature of bygone Catholic days, 'got enough dogma,' you may not care for this book. If you are able to look past this, you may very readily see a wide and true spectrum of views of our common Humanity.
   
   In all Art books, I prefer the narrative not going overboard, this book does it fairly nicely. The narrative includes bio info on the Saint depicted, but it also includes helpful Art criticism that is pragmatic and avoids esoteric verbiage best kept in Graduate Studies. It's a nice quality book, but the only fault I find with it is, I wish it'd been a larger format by several inches, I prefer the Big Picture. A pretty good value.
   
   Hope this review helps.



3. Books with stories that you can leaf through, without reading linearly from cover to cover, are always fun, and for lovers of medieval art, Saints is one of the best. Lushly illustrated, and formatted somewhat like a travel guide, the mini-biographies summarize what is known about each saint. Representative art works are provided, accompanied by sidebars and annotations with arrows that point out key features. Saints in Art is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to decipher the symbology and iconography contained in the religious works, great and small.



4. this book is awesome! it has info on over 100 saints commonly found in art. stuff like name, time and place of earthly life,what they did, patronage,special devotions, connections to other saints, when they became saints and their feast days are easily found on the sidebar. there is a little biography and then a collection of maybe three paintings and an explanation of who is in the painting and what they are doing as well as the meanings of the objects they are pictured with. for instance, if i ever see a painting of a woman with her hair down pictured with a container of oil or ointment i will know it is mary magdalene. a t-shaped cane is an emblem of St. Anthony Abbot, etc. super useful saint painting decoder.



5. This title originally comes from the popular Dizionari dell'Arte series by Italian publishers Electa and we should be thankful that the Getty has taken on the task of translating these fabulous reference books into English. Saints in Art is an important source not only for the iconography and hagiography of the principal saints in art but on the great visual history of European painting (with an emphasis on Italian). Lavishly illustrated. I highly recommend it!

2 comments about Discover Calligraphy and Illumination Kit: A Deluxe Art Set for Aspiring Artists (Discover Series).

1. I felt that this product would more than help me with beginning calligraphy. I was extremely pleased with the contents of the set, and I feel the book included would be more than helpful in going through the stages of calligraphy, from beginner to experienced. I would definitely recommend this product for anyone trying to learn the aspects of calligraphy.



2. This kit includes six tubes of gouache, calligraphy ink, pen nibs, a holder for the nibs, a dish-style ceramic palette, two brushes and an instruction booklet.
   
   I am not patient enough for calligraphy, but bought the kit for the instructions for the versals (a hand-drawn type of letter), and for the instructions for illuminating letters. The instructions are clear and well illustrated. There are also useful tips scattered throughout the booklet. This is a great kit.

5 comments about Drawing Crime Noir: For Comics and Graphic Novels.

1. Excellent book that teach how to draw comic-strips
   and stories for Film-Noir style images. It succeeds
   in defining the Film-Noir basics, and has beautiful
   illustrations and is an entertaining book too. It
   has a tough attitude, like its subject. So cool!
   This is a great buy! I strongly recommend it, and I
   oughta know, because I am a cartoonist and I am fit
   to judge it. Don't let this instruction book escape
   you, you will regret not getting it. It belongs on
   every book shelf about cartooning in serious mood.
   I got it and am happy I did, it was the best buy ever!
   ----- Luisa Felix, FelixHoboken@aol.com



2. This book is written in a very entertaining matter. Normally I mostly go through art books reading sporadically but this book I actually read from cover to cover. Fortunately the images are no disappointment either. Best of all though is that the tips are actually helpful and honest. I certainly recommend this book for anyone getting in to the noir style.



3. Great tips for using expressions, postures and shadows. Package arrived in good conditions and on the expected time.



4. Great job of deveoping this genere. Hart, gets to the point-it is all about the mood and drama! His artistic ability to state the obvious shows that he dosen't mess around with the sissified PC crowd. Attitude with brooding emotion is what this life is all about and Hart is the master at pushing you in the right direction to capture this in your art.



5. I've purchased a number of Christopher Hart's books on drawing certain genres and facets of comic books; as a self-taught artist, I'm always looking out for the next book to help me out. Paging through "Drawing Crime Noir" I was initially impressed, and decided to pick it up.
   
   This book offers a number of interesting sections: discussions of character, clothing and accessories, drawing composition, and, of course, the all-important chiaroscuro shading. However, nice to look at as all of this is, little of it is really "teachable" - in other words, this book talks a good game, but frequently doesn't really "show" you, step-by-step, how to develop principles in creating your own scenes. Probably the most useful section is on drawing costumes for femme fatale characters - it will help a great deal those who are having difficulty drawing the more "cutting edge" fashions. Most disappointing is what one might think would be the most important section, the one on shading. It shows you some different shading options, but doesn't really delve helpfully in how to apply these principles across the board.
   
   Overall, this is a well illustrated book, but it lacks a really hands-on, helpful tutorial style. Definitely for artists of the intermediate skill level and above.

5 comments about The Best of Brochure Design .07.

1. I bought this book to keep for myself, after borrowing a copy from my local library and exhausting my renewal opportunties. It is basically a gallery of highly professional brochure designs, beautifully presented with a strong emphasis on layout. Of particular value, from my perspective, was the inclusion of software used in producing most of the brochure designs. It is an excellent resource for any one interested in graphic art and digital design and a great book to keep for inspiration and frequent reference.



2. This is an extremely useful design reference for art directors/graphic designers. Although I do have to admit that it isn't as well rounded as I thought it would be. I have to agree with one of the other reviewers about designs that are more organic or traditional being omitted. However, for all those who are need reference for modern and contemporary design for brochures, you need look no further.



3. very good book about graphic design and in particulary about brochure.
   You can find very good and inspiring ideas.



4. This book features virtually no organic styles or traditional layouts. I felt the designs were very corporate, cold and modern Euro-looking, which I find has limited application for inspiring the type of design work I do (luxury goods branding and design). I did go through the book very thoroughly.
   
   If you're looking for a broad range of styles (traditional and organic styles included) this isn't the book for you.
   
   In general, Wilson Harvey books are great, but usually follow the above pattern.



5. If you're expecting the equivalent of a text book telling you how to be a graphic designer, you bought the wrong book. And truthfully, I doubt that book exists. This book is the gorgeous and features the best informative graphic design (brochures) in the world. A must-have for every graphic designer.

5 comments about Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down.

1. This book is widely regarded as a masterpiece, and deservedly so. Thank goodness it's still in print!
   
   From cover to cover, the book is packed with deep and valuable insights into the behavior and design of structures, including the natural structures "designed" by evolutionary processes. And at the same time, the book is written in a delightfully chatty and unpretentious style which makes it a joy to read, and often even something of a page turner.
   
   The ideal audience is probably structural engineers, and even seasoned ones are sure to learn a thing or two. But most interested lay readers can also benefit from the book, and the author has clearly made a sincere effort to help bring the subject within their grasp.
   
   This book gets my highest possible recommendation, and the price is so low that there's no reason to hesitate to purchase it.



2. I'm a starting-out engineer with a degree in aerospace. This is the sort of book that I would've "wanted" to read while in school. I personally haven't had chance to use 90% of what I've learned in school. But this book has opened my eyes to the root of what we do as engineers. Not something that'll get you a better grade in school. Instead, it will motivate you to really learn the most basic and important thing in engineering and to realize how important and crucial what we do at work are. 100% recommended for all my fellow engineering geeks out there!



3. The author, who worked as an aeronautical engineer during the war, was fond of asking his colleages "but shouldn't we put feathers on the wings". That his answer effected an instrument design of my own is strange enough, but it's his persistence in asking such a question well into middle age that is perhaps of higher value. It illustrates the childlike joy that marks the pleasures of engineering. In another example, a drawing of a wing feather showing the quill not centered but close to the leading edge provides a vivid punchline to the story of the development of the mono-plane. How putting struts in the center of their wings made them twist off when pulling out of a dive - resulting in the deaths of many Fokker pilots. He deepens our understanding of shear stresses through examples of form-fitting cocktail dresses made of fabrics cut 'on the bias' - heightening my appreciation both for the human form and Poisson's Ratio. That a book on structural enginnering was a pleasure to read was a surprise. That it was un-put-downable boggles the mind. He enables what we most hope for and least expect from a book: to see the world afresh.



4. I must confess I had a terrible time in the U making my degree in mechanical engineering.. stregth of materials almost made me mad.
   
   But as Twain said it, I have not let my schooling interfere with my education... and this are the books that educate.. for education can only be self-education... this is what I was after in the U and I never received it!!!
   
   I go futher with this assertion, the progress of the US (and some other advanced nations) above all the rest lies in the fact that popularizations of science and technology are readibly accesible to everyone (for all of those who want to use it, of course).. if anyone ever doubts the positive effects of globalization and the internet, I can testify that ever since I can use Amazon I can tap into the resources of knowledge previously denied by geographical barriers and help the system that produces this books.
   
   Getting back to the book, no matter what your schooling is, if you are into design and need to know about structures you cannot go wrong with this wonderful book.



5. I'M PROBABLY THE ODD MAN OUT ON THIS ONE BUT I HAD TROUBLE WADING THROUGH THIS BOOK..IN FACT I THOUGHT THE WRITING STYLE WAS GROPING AND STUMBLING AT BEST. WRITING ABOUT STRUCTURES IN SIMLPE TERMS IS A TOUGH TASK INDEED AND I'M NOT SURE GORDON HAS SUCEEDED HERE. I FOUND THE BOOK TO BE A REAL "YAWNER".
   
   FOR MY MONEY I WOULD BUY SALVADORI'S BOOKS OVER THIS. SALVADORI HAS A KNACK FOR MAKING THE SUBJECT TRULY GRIPPING READING. HIS BOOKS HAVE A MUCH MORE PRACTICAL BENT, AND IMHO THEY ARE WRITTEN MUCH BETTER, NOT TO MENTION THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE TOP GRADE. TRY STRUCTURE IN ARCHITECTURE OR WHY BUILDINGS STAND UP.
   
   THE 2 STARS ARE FOR GORDON'S DISCUSSION OF STRESS AND STRAIN, THE BEST PART OF THE BOOK FOR ME.

5 comments about Melt & Mold Soap Crafting.

1. The photographs and instructions in this book are very inspiring, and overall mostly everything you need to know about melt and pour soap crafting is covered. This book will inspire you to create some beautiful soaps. My only (minor) complaint would be that I would have liked to see a few more recipes that were more practical, rather than simply decorative.



2. Contains some nice recipes & ideas to craft soaps out of store-brought M&P soap bases.



3. Although this has a slick commercial look about it (I tend to doubt the usefulness of commercial stuff!), this is a great beginner's book for learning and doing Melt and Pour soapmaking.
   
   This was the first book I bought, so perhaps there is some sentimental value for me. But it has clear written and graphic instructions on melt and pour soaping, along with useful information such as a guide to additives, basic information about setting up your work area, selecting and preparing your molds, determining the right temperature (thermometers are not so necessary in melt and pour, so you're going by 'behavior' and look of the glycerin). A troubleshooting page is included -- even with melt and pour, there will be problems! She has small sections (sometimes just a page) on mastering fragances, color theories, and other useful bits throughout the book.
   
   Please note that in my reviews, recipes are very secondary to me. In looking at and using soapmaking books, I'm looking for information on how to (create swirls, mix colors or scents in better, use additives, package, wrap, sell). Recipes give me ideas for recipes to make on my own.
   
   I like the variety she offers -- very brief bits on all kinds of soap making - loaf, french milled soaps, commemorative soaps, tube (cane) soaps, leftover soaps (she calls this shelter soap, which makes me wince a bit), soaps with small toys in them, bath salts, soap tassels (invented by Sandy Maine, see my review of one of her books), gemstoneskitchen soap and more).
   
   Her recipes are written as instructions, telling you what you will learn. About 30 recipes, ranging in level of difficulty from one (moldless soap, saving face soap, tropical indulgence soap are examples) to five (Kaila's happy to be bar). She has a recipes for a Victorian bridesmade cake soap (difficulty level four) that looks good enough to eat. Most are in the one to three difficulty level.
   
   Four stars, though, not five. This book is missing some information, and its sources in the back are incomplete. You will need a lot more detailed information for learning how to develop your own recipes. And I wasn't impressed by the picture, on the rainbow loaf soap page, of food coloring bottles -- food coloring is inexpensive, handy and can be used, but it will not last. No note is made of that in this section, though it really should be noted for beginners.
   
   
   A basic book for beginners -- and fun recipes to try and to add to your own collection.



4. I really like this book and when I bought this book, I bought another M&P book. All I can say is I like the other one better. I like that there is a picture for each recipe but what seems to be lacking here is what fragrance to use at least on some of the recipes. I understand that some things should be left to the imagination but when it comes to recipes that I am trying to copy, I want to be exact and to kind of feel what she feels when the soap is used for the 1st time. There is no way I could make cake without knowing the full list of ingredients and I feel the same applies here. Overall this is a great book and a good read.



5. I think I have every M&P book out there. I wish I'd bought this one first, because it's the only one you need. Great book!

5 comments about Lulu.

1. This is big! It's not just BIG...yes, in size, it's quite large, it's also BIG in the amount of art included. Lulu is an amazingly creative artist, who thinks outside the box. Her work rocks!



2. As an art lover, I am always looking for books that pique my imagination and look good at the same time. This book certainly fits the bill! Every page is filled with wonderful pictures that tell a story of the artist's life, while showing her talent at the same time. Best of all, when not enjoying the great pictures inside, it looks amazing sitting on the coffee table with it's colorful jacket. I highly recommend this book, especially at the reduced price you get when buying it from Amazon!



3. This is a beautiful book that combines so many of my favorite things - great design, bold color, lovely patterns and details from travels around the world.



4. Stunning artwork, but more than simply a 'design book', this is an absolutely beautiful visual story. A journal by way of collage (what an utterly appropriate medium to tell a story of a person's life), this is a giant dreamy book; it is so easy to get lost for hours in the pages, the colours and patterns are hyptonising and tremendously inspiring. Definitely without a doubt worth the price for the super high quality production if the allure of the contents aren't already enough. AMAZING! I wish I could give this to every woman and little girl I know. My favourite book. I want to frame every page.



5. This book is truly breathtaking. It is not only inspirational, but a curious and honest - if not mildly voyeristic journey into the mind of an artist. The collages are like scuba diving and getting that glimps into someone elses world. Some of the collages are reminicent of St. Peppers - but much much more beautiful and feminine. I'm very tempted to buy another one to cut up and frame a bunch of the of the images for my walls!

5 comments about Acrylic Painting With Lee Hammond.

1. This book is good for a beginner
   I have 3 of her books and they are all the same basic techniques
   can be a bit boring but I see where she comes from in her work
   these books can definitely help a new artist venturing into these areas



2. This is a good book for anyone interested in acrylic painting. It covers various techniques and subjects. Very good !



3. I have thoroughly enjoyed using this book on acrylic painting. It shows step by step how to produce fantastic paintings using all kinds of techniques and ideas. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone wishing to know how to make your paintings look professional and have a great time doing it.



4. I am really enjoying this book. It illustrates some of the different techniques used by Lee Hammond. I am taking some local art classes, and this book gives me some interesting projects to work on at home. Even the simple example of making a round ball or shere look three-dimensional is helpful to a new painter and is not as easy as it looks. She stresses that there is an "Awkward Stage" in any painting, and she points this stage out in each of the projects in the book. This has helped and encouraged me to give my paintings the final details needed to make my paintings more realistic.



5. I picked this up hoping to learn something. There are a few things that are okay, but I was not really impressed by Hammond's paintings in this book. Perhaps they aren't her best works, or maybe they are 'dumbed down' to make this a beginner's book. I think this book is better suited for a beginner. I might also recommend skipping this book, and trying out Hammond's Paint People in Acrylic With Lee Hammond. The work in it is much more fine tuned, and a lot of the same techniques are conveyed in both books.
   
   Lastly, I think Hammond might be a little conceited. Even her simple painting examples for the book have her giant signature stamped right onto the work. Its as though she's worried that someone might think its not her work in her own guidebook.

5 comments about The Writer's Brush: Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture by Writers.

1. This is the bargain of the year. Wonderful full-color plates and extremely interesting biographies of the writer/artists.



2. I had seen a brief review of the book on t.v. prior to the holidays & ordered it for a friend of mine who is an avid reader & also dabbles in painting. He positively LOVED it, and this is a man who is not easy to please.....He said the book was insightful & gave glimpses into the other artistic side of writers....



3. This book is truly a treasure! Every page unveils little known talents and secrets of literary artists whose talents as painters, sculptors, and so on are every bit as fascinating as their written work. What is even more special is that the artists include such an immense variety of men and women from various periods of history. It is not a book to be read page-by-page, but like the greatest culinary delights from truffles to the purest chocolates, it needs to be savored in small, rich, fulfilling portions. I expect to see The Writer's Brush published in other languages, if that, indeed, has not already begun.



4. The Writer's Brush is a remarkable achievement. It's a unique work that is simultaneously a very interesting read and a valuable resource. The collection of artwork is a window into the oft unknown alternate lives of many of our best known writers. It is fascinating to see the artwork of Joseph Conrad, Winston Churchill, Emily Bronte and Kurt Vonnegut, Kipling, Ibsen and Ionesco... who knew that their talents transcended the page to the canvas. I am also enjoying learning about authors that I didn't recognize and then seeking our their writings. Bravo.



5. I just got this book, and it is one of the best literary compendia I have ever seen or read. I love learning more about some of my favorite writers and was surprised at how talented some were - some I never knew painted - and it was strange to see how some of the art would have been what you expect, and some wasn't. For example I am a huge Dostoyevsky fan and his drawings looked a little ragged and strange and dark like his characters. I didn't know he drew in the margins of his manuscripts. At over 400 pages I will probably spend the next 10 years taking this book down from the shelf to read the quick bio and look again at the art of a writer who comes up in conversation around our house or who I am reading...Really beautiful and inspiring book.

5 comments about The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript.

1. This Codex is remarkable at any price. The colors and reproductions are simply gorgeous and the text is helpful. Present are a bewildering number of religious pictograms, some calendric and other representing the mystical or dreamlike journey of the strange character 'one-eye.'
   
   The characters are, overwhelmingly, bloodsoaked and violent. There is decapitation, dismemberment and heart sacrifice. This document gives the lie to those anthropologists who claim that the mesoamerican societies are 'misunderstood' and were not human sacrificial--that tales of human sacrifice and cannibalism were tales perpetrated by the Conquistadores to justify their conquest and subjugation of gentle cultures.
   
   Well, not quite. Judging my this and other codices, as well as archaeologic revelations, suggest that these societies were just as bloodstained as advertised. This is not to justify the Spanish Conquest but just a simple fact.
   
   At the same time, many of the characters in this codex require major interpretation. Virtually everything is split, injured or vomits blood. Depictions of people [children?] being tortured and blinded are especially disturbing. Nevertheless, this is a document well worth owning.
   
   Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexic



2. Even if you, like me, don't have much of a knowledge base about ancient Mexican history, it's cool just to show people the book. I've flipped through it and gained a vague understanding of how it fits into history, and I appreciate that it brings to life an aspect of a culture that I really only know through mythology. The preface to explain the Codex is probably well-written, although, admittedly, I felt rather daunted by it. Skimming through it was still valuable, though. A good conversation piece!



3. I will not go over their 5 star comments except to say that I agree. The amazingly colourful and crisp art in this short book is rivetting. As much as one may credit the reknowned author, deep congratulations should also go to the publisher for a masterful print job.



4. Sin duda este es un título que no debe faltar en ningúna biblioteca personal, ya que la restauración de uno de los principales códices es perfecta, para aquellos interesados en la cultura y ciencia ancestral este códice es de gran ayuda.



5. This is a very strange and beautiful book in pictures. It reads like a dream if you tune in to it, and reveals very deep meanings about the relation between life and death, the human relation to the forces of nature, and time. Even though there are no words, it is possible to understand. If you get into it the symbols become more and more recognizable, and they begin to speak. the calendrical symbols and the spirit deities are completely recognizable. The sequences are all about times, and there is a big element about sacrifice. It has to do with the consequences of change; there is no life without death. The book has a very powerful image of life and death fused back to back that pretty much is the epitome of all the book is about. It's all about life and death in relation to time.