5 comments about The Western Horizon.

1. 
   This magnificient book contains some of the most impressive photographs of the West I've ever come across. Macduff Everton does with color what that great photographer,Ansel Adams did with Black and White in his majestic photographs of the West.
   If one has ever doubted that Photography was an art,the work of these two photographers alone,should dispel that attitude.
   I visited Mono Lake in the early morning,during the day and in the evening;and as much as I was impressed with its scenery,I never imagined the splendor that Everton has captured in these wonderful photographs.
   When you look at one of these photographs,like the one on page 63 you have to be impressed with the light,shadows,clouds,forms,color,composition and all that has been captured in this photograph. Just think,this is a one-of--a-moment scene;that will change in a few short moments ,and this exact image will be lost forever,if not captured at the time.
   This book will be looked at over and over again,and bring back many of the secens I enjoyed in these wonderful areas.Though,try as I did at the time,I only saw a glimmer of the splendor Everton has captured in this book. It takes skill,dedication ,patience and experience to "see" and capture these scenes in the way Everton does to share with us.
   The book has top-notch paper,color rendition,printing and paper.However,this book has one weakness. The inside hinges are vere fragile and subject to breaking with minimal usage. I have already had to make repairs to my copy.



2. I noticed that the writing on the front flap of the book jacket claimed that the images are large format panographs. After taking a close look at the first few images on pages 1-10, I came to the conclusion that these are panographs taken in 135 format not the medium format of the 120 or 220 types. Everton's notes of camera and film on page 7 confirmed my assessment. It is interesting that he departed from the usual practice of his peers by choosing the colour negative film Fuji NHG II rather than its sibling, the transparency film, Fuji Velvia 50. Though it does not have the punchy colours and high contrast of Velvia, NHG II gives softer colours in highlights and more shadow details. With negative films, mastery in controlling exposure is only half of the accomplishment, mastery in making prints is essential for bringing the final image to the masses. Everton said he developed his prints in a rental lab. If so, his craft is well done. The contrast control of each image is good with no lost of colour saturation and shadow details, even for heavily overcast landscape such as the one on Lemhi Pass (p56). About half of the images was taken at a time when a storm was approaching. Some even have a clearly visible rain curtain (p33,49,62). The panograph of the Great Sand Dune Monument (p62) is a real visual treat. The land and sky were connected by a rain pillar over the sand dune on the right, illuminated by the emerging light. The highlighted strip of the desert floor formed the visual anchor for the reader, guiding my eyes to start the journey from the lower left-hand side of the image then wander into the distant storm-covered horizon. The smoothness of the dunes form a visual contrast to the roughness of the storm clouds above. It is rare to see a rainstorm in a sandy desert let alone under such magical lighting. Capturing fleeing moments like this calls for great patience and skill on the photographer's part. The panograph of Lower Geyser Basin is my second favourite (p49). The steam pillar jetted out of the geyser is the force within the deep earth whereas the heaven is owned by the menacing storm dumping torrents of rain from above. I couldn't stop asking if this image was taken on Planet Earth or near Mount Doom of Middle Earth in Tokkien's fantasy. My other favourite is the panograph of the Lower Calf Creek Falls (p72). Here stillness and transquility was interrupted by the gushing waterfall. The branches of the two trees at the foreground formed a perfect arch that frames the waterfall. This is a stage built by Nature where we are invited to sit in front and be immersed in the sound of moving waters.
   The map next to Everton's preface showed not only the places where the images were taken but confirmed the warning that American wilderness is an endangered specie. The rest of the writings is simply an eloquent elaboration of this urgent issue. This book is another quality publication from Abrams Inc. I give it four out of five stars.



3. This book deserves more than five stars for the unmatched color panoramas of the most picturesque horizons in the western United States.

   You could visit these sites for twenty years and not see actual scenes as luscious as these. Whether you know the West or think you would like to, I suggest that you start with this remarkable book. This is the West as you've never seen it . . . but could. The wonderful photography is nicely complemented by the essays that provide geological and historical perspectives on the scenes portrayed here.

   The photography is all done in 148 or 150 degree large format color panoramas. This perspective approximates what the human eyes can see, including peripheral vision. As a result, these images give you a remarkable sense of being present that is almost impossible to obtain in a book.

   The reproduction quality is amazingly good, and the lighting and tones vary wonderfully from one outstanding photograph to the next. Almost all are displayed over an entire wide panorama-sized page, and many extend over parts of two such pages.

   The feeling is so ethereal that it evokes the same sense of natural wonder that looking at paintings by the Hudson River School creates. There are in fact some parallels, as a few scenes include tiny people or animals in the foreground.

   The book is divided into sections showing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Cascade range, the Pacific Northwest, and California. Although I have traveled extensively in the West for over 40 years, more than half of these scenes were new to me. I can see that I have many wonderful trips ahead of me to visit these locales, now that I know how gorgeous they are.

   Here is a list of the sites:

   Sand Hills, Nebraska

   Badlands National Park, South Dakota

   Theodore Roosevelt National Park

   Montana Prairie

   Breaks of the Missouri

   Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

   Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park, Montana

   Lemhi Pass, Montana

   Mores Creek, Idaho

   Aspen, Colorado

   Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado

   Grand Canyon, Arizona

   Grand Staircase -- Escalante National Monument, Utah

   Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

   Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

   Monument Valley Tribal Park, Arizona/Utah

   Wupatki National National Monument, Arizona

   Mount St. Helens

   Crater Lake, Oregon

   Mount Shasta, California

   Oregon Coast

   Big Sur, California

   Santa Catalina, California

   Yosemite, California

   Mono Lake, California

   Joshua Tree National Park, California

   Death Valley, California

   The text connects these boundless images to "a West of unlimited horizons" and the work of Turner in developing his frontier theory of the role of the West in stimulating American imagination and initiative. Even today, the book argues that the "unconstrained Western horizon" is important to our sense of taking on the new challenges of modern society.

   Everyone who sees these photographs will agree that it would be horrible if these sights were ever to be spoiled. We are fortunate that government policy began to preserve these lands beginning in the 19th century. With today's challenges of pollution and visitors, perhaps even more will have to be done.

   Reading and looking at this book is a spiritual journey, not unlike a peaceful meditation. If your spirit is troubled at all, I suggest this book as a balm that you can always use to ease your discomfort.

   Live with beauty!




4. Wow. What a wonderful book that amazes me, everytime I open the cover. Everton seems to have complete control over the dynamics range in all of his photographs. Dark clouds yield to lighter, fluffy clouds, down to a light horizon, and a rich, dark lower 1/3 of these exposures. Add to this control his use of a tool that has limitations, at Noblex 150 panoramic camera.

   Everton also captures locations that have already been widely photographed before, but with his own signature. He adds a new face to Calf Creek Falls in Utah. A must have book for your table.




5. The Western Horizon honors the expansive beauty of U.S. topography west of the 100th meridian & east of the Pacific. Mary Heebner provides lightning commentary and subtle sketches complimenting her husband, photographer Macduff Everton, as he captures sites in inimitable ways. Together, they lift a creative curtain... and what a chronicle of our planet's passage they present!

   Spectacular photographs are framed with informative prose-poetry re: geologic history and human wear. Many of the images are highlighted by magically addictive, cloud reflected light ... others are pure, simple zen. You gaze & graze on Earth's lines as they reach skyward. Time is everywhere. Many thanks to Abrams for yet another choice coffee table reference. Hopefully, Heebner & Everton will have an opportunity to soon grant us some more cardinal horizons. I'd rate The Western Horizon at no less than a full box of gold stars - it's a perfect book either to share or to savor alone.

1 comments about Painting Animals (Decorative Painter's Library).

1. Painting Animals is a fantastic book for all decorative painters! The contents cover everything from supplies needed and care of brushes, painting techniques with detailed brushstrokes, preparing surfaces, specialty finishes, and projects from easy to challenging levels. Each project contains a supply list, full page photo of project, detailed instruction, pattern and step by step photographs to help guide you through the lesson. If you love to paint or want to learn decorative painting, this book can get you started and help you grow as an artist.

5 comments about Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints.

1. 'Guide to watercolor paints' is one of the best books I have ever read on color. Never will you have to buy any brand of color and not know what its made of. From Manufacture to color its all here...
   
   I am giving myself three pats on the back for buying this book and Hilary Page, ten star's for writing it!! Nancy



2. I recently purchased Page's Guide and I'm delighted that I did. Firstly, the book came autographed and with several appended additions to information. Page's dedication to accuracy and clarity is impressive. Secondly, the book has a remarkable amount of information about all the brands of watercolor paint available in the U.S. relating to lightfastness, transparency, granularity, opacity, and so on, and the colors are actually shown in the book. Unlike other writers of watercolor paint guides, she uses all the colors in her book, which makes it sigificantly more interesting to review and read. Lastly, I take painting lessons from a nationally-known artist who has also published books relating to watercolor painting and color, and she recommends Page's book over others. I had already purchased Page's book, so I was thrilled to hear another expert give it praise.
   I rate Page's Guide with four stars because I believe there is always more we can know about art, and Page may decide there's a more detailed edition she needs to publish, and also because actual publication printing inks are not as accurate in depicting colors as seeing the actual watercolor paint on watercolor paper. But for anyone contemplating purchasing Page's Guide, I highly recommend it.



3. I've read dozens of books on watercolor pigments. This is by FAR the best out there. Complete and unbiased information on all the leading manufactures pigments. This is the only book I keep on my studio desk with me at all times.



4. "Hilary Page's Guide to Water Color Paints" is a necessary book for anyone doing watercolor. Her coverage is very through and she also has a web page for updating the information. She compares every well-known brand of artists' watercolors from Holbein to Winsor and Newton and her observations will save the artist, whether professional or rank amateur, both frustration and money. What's more, she tested every one herself! I liked the index, which first lists the company and under each company the colors sold. It makes it very easy to check up on the paints that interest you. Her short introduction on pigments and paints is also quite informative. If you work with watercolor you simply cannot afford to be without this book!
   
   By the way my copy was given to me by my daughter for my birthday and was autographed by the author. The author had also neatly written a correction inside the book. This is a dedicated person and her work is much appreciated!



5. This was the first, and is still the definitive book on the chemistry of watercolor paints. Hilary Page is a fine watercolorist, but her main contribution to the industry has been her copious analysis of the characteristics of various manufacturers, brands, and qualities of watercolor paints. I became interested in the stability of paint in the early 80's while trying to find the most fade-proof pigments available for my own watercolor paintings. I did many of the same tests Hilary did, but no where near as complete. When her book came out much later, I purchased a copy and still use it today. My copy is marked up with notes that I refer to constantly. I feel this book should be on the shelf of any serious student of watermedia.

5 comments about Color Harmony: A Guide to Creative Color Combinations.

1. Overwhelmed with color combos, but not effective guidelines for combining.



2. The primary target audience for this books seems to have been Japanese, with Westerners as an afterthought.
   
   The books does contain hundreds of color combinations, but throughout the book the 61 colors used to form different combinations are identified according to the Dai Nippon Inc Color (DIC) System.
   
   The book also contains swatches in 61 colors, which you can cut out with scissors, and which are on the back also identified according to DIC system.
   
   At the end of the book there is a conversion chart, where you can find what color in DIC system correspondes to what color in CMYK, but it is way less convenient that using color combination books like Color Harmony Workbook by Lisa Sawahata, which I have found to be infinitely better and much more practical and user-friendly for Westerners.



3. This book has some decent information, but using the colors in the book is made ridiculously difficult by the color chart at the end of the book. First, if a value is a zero, they put nothing at all. This makes it difficult for your eye to trace the line of numbers for your color. Second, though the colors are given in CMYK, they are given in the order YMCK. This means to enter the color into Photoshop or another image program, you have to start with the third number, read back to the first, then jump to the last. It's not brain surgery, but much more difficult than it should be.



4. This book is a great tool for finding color combinations. It contains small samples of 2, 3, and 4-color combinations. At the bottom of each combination page is a tip for using colors together. My only quibble is that the samples are VERY small, probably because the footprint of the book is also small.
   
   Recommended for getting ideas on color.



5. Book came in good condition about two weeks after order.

5 comments about REJECTS: the Extreme Art of Retail Caricature.

1. I recently joined the National Caricaturist Network ([...]) and among the many many talented individuals who make up the membership, Joe Blum stands out as one of the absolute best. Joe combines awesome artistic ability with a twisted knack for nailing the individuals who sit for him.
   
   A good caricature is well drawn combining a likeness with humor and sometimes warmth. A great caricature includes a spark that leaves a little bit of that individual and their life in the caricature.
   
   The caricatures in Rejects are unmistakably art, not just "funny drawings". The monologue shares a lot of insight and advice about retail caricaturing as well as human nature and life.
   
   A great coffee table book to enjoy over and over again.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who has ever laughed out loud and would like to do so again!



2. Joe Bluhm's new book entitled "Rejects - the extreme art of retail caricature" is a must have for anyone who loves caricature...every page a gem!!
   
   Although a majority of these drawings were rejected by their subjects (sitters had absolutely no clue what they were walking away from) they are the finest examples of the best retail caricaturist working in the world today.
   
   Give yourself a gift and make sure you pick up a copy, you certainly will not be disappointed!!!



3. I recently got in to caricature and had heard whispers of Joe Bluhm on a couple of forums. They were saying he was the guy who could push the envelope to the utmost extreme while staying within salable reason. And, as you will see in the book, he does just that... most of the time.
   
   Joe pushes his drawings right to the tipping point. Think of it like a bucket of water. Most professional caricaturists are able to draw to about a quarter inch below the brim. Maybe even to the brim, but rarely ever do. Joe fills it to the point of no return -- so much so there's a slight arc of the water as it hangs in equilibrium, about to spill. If you were to add a drop more, it would collapse. No other artist that I've seen can get it to that point.
   
   The expressions and likenesses are pushed just ever-so-slightly more than even the most extreme caricaturists would dare. The coloring bold and magnificent. Some of the pictures border on offensive, a couple too damn cute, yet pushed right to the edge of exaggeration, you don't know if you should laugh or wish the kid was your own.
   
   Definitely buy this book. It's absolute hilarity and a bargain at it's price.



4. Rejects is all it is promised to be. These caricatures really capture the subjects personality and outstanding features whether they like it or not. Most people really don't like their bad features pointed out especially for the world to see, which is why they probably rejected the artist's rendition in the first place. If you are an artist you can appreciate these interpretations.



5. I worked with Joe for many years drawing caricatures at a theme park in Orlando, and have had the privilege of witnessing him draw first hand. I can honestly say that he has no fear when it comes to his craft. While many of us would back down from drawing that strange looking woman in our chair the way we truly wanted to (for fear of rejection, bodily harm, or perhaps both), Joe would create a grotesque masterpeice with every sketch and display it proudly.
   
   His boldness has paid off. This collection of under-appreciated park sketches is almost as fun and inspiring as watching Joe draw in person.
   
   Great for artists or anyone with a sense of humor!

4 comments about Celtic Design: Illuminated Letters.

1. The Celtic sure did some amazing artwork. I bought this book to view the artwork closer. This book delivers.



2. THE COVER OF MEEHAN'S "ILLUMINATED LETTERS" IS MISLEADING. THE COVER EXHIBITS THE VIBRANT AND RICH COLORS THAT CELTIC ILLUMINATION IS REKNOWN FOR, BUT UP0N OPENING THE BOOK, I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO FIND NOT A HINT OF COLOR. COMPLETELY BLACK AND WHITE. THERE IS AN INTRODUCTION, BRIEF BUT INFORMATIVE, AN EARLY DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER, MAJOR INITIALS CHAPTER, DECORATED ALPHABET CHAPTER, ANIMAL ALPHABET, AND TWO DECORATED AMPERSAND CHAPTERS; WHO USES AMPERSANDS THAT MUCH?! I THOUGHT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MANY MORE EXAMPLES OF ILLUMINATED LETTERS (NOT AMPERSANDS) FOR THE 160 PAGE VOLUME THAT IT IS.



3. This book makes Celtic lettering styles accessible to anyone. As great as Meehan's other books.



4. This is an excellent book for those looking to create celtic designs.

   This book teaches about the development of illumination. It then goes into the major initials, decorated alphabet, decorated ampersands, the animal alphabet and animal ampersands.

   The book is best used when accompianied by Aidan's other Celtic Design books. I have 7 of the books in this series and love them all!

   All in all this is a great book for someone looking to create celtic designs.

5 comments about The Ch'i of the Brush: Capturing the Spirit of Nature With Chinese Brush Painting Techniques.

1. Chinese brush painting is difficult if you lack enough experience with watercolor painting (I have painted with acrylics mainly). The pictures in the book are beautiful and the book is good as just a coffee table book to look at if you are a curious person and wonder how Chinese (or Japanese)painting is done.



2. What a delightful treat for painters of all stages!!! Nan Rae's book is a very lively and spiritual work that draws you to her obvious passion for her art. I'm a beginning painter and have bought several brush painting books. The Ch'i of the Brush is a very dedicated book with beautiful illustrations that are easy to follow-her directions and explanations make you feel that she were giving you the lessons right in your own home!! This book gives you an exciting confidence and enthusiasm for the art that makes you want to learn all that you can do. The histories and works included are very appreciating and thorough--very interesting to read. Plus, the most beautiful part--Nan Rae's wonderful illustrations and paintings are displayed page after page and her happy spirit lifts right off of those pages!! If you could pick only one book on Chinese Brush painting, this is definitely the one to have.



3. Being a collector of traditional and contemporary Chinese paintings for over 25 years, I am also very interested in the variety of techniques different Chinese painters use. This book covers the basics of Chinese brush painting, ideas and concepts taught for hundreds of years so there nothing new in this book. Not seeing Nan Rae's work prior to purchasing this book, I was very surprised by the mediocre level of her paintings. Her paintings have a western influence but her ability to merge the two cultures just doesn't work. For myself and other fellow collectors, her paintings in no way capture the essence of what true Chinese culture and its painting is all about. Another disappointment about her work (from this book and website) is that many of her paintings are copied (and not very well at that) from older Chinese paintings and famous artists works. If your really interested in Chinese painting techniques, find books by true Chinese painting masters such as the Chinese painting series by the Asian based publisher Art Book Co. (with English text) and not someone who paints as if it were a casual hobby. Buy this book if you're interested in "reading" about simple Chinese brush techniques but once your actually begin painting, find some reference paintings created by actual Chinese artists who capture the true spirit of Chinese painting and the culture.



4. This is a book filled with beautiful art. From the helpful detailed instructions for the beginner to the inspirational techniques and compositions for the experienced artist, this is the one book you must have on oriental brush painting. I teach brush painting and every student lights up when they look through this book. This book goes to every class I teach and every student wants a copy to take home. I have many books on brush painting but this is one I will always treasure.



5. The first thing that struck me as I thumbed through this graceful publication was how visually beautiful it was. I thought perhaps I had purchased a lovely coffee table book! Ms. Rae's work is beautifully reproduced on its pages and alone is reason enough to buy this book. As I dug deeper, I have discovered the author writes as eloquently as she paints. Her explanations are clear and concise and the illustations are very helpful. But more importantly, perhaps, woven throughout the book is an underlying sense of encouragement. This author doesn't just want to show you "how-to," she wants to inspire you. And I must say, she succeeds. I also suggest checking out her website. She is a prolific and exuberant artist!

5 comments about Painting Murals: Images, Ideas, and Techniques.

1. This book has been a wonderful addition to my collection. I really enjoy all the beautiful illustrations and actual pictures of murals. As an amateur muralist, it has also been a wonderful reference book and I have used it many times!



2. I wanted a book that taught me how to paint murals, and by golly that's what I got. This book has a thorough explanation of tools, techniques and strategies to get the beginning muralist started. There are examples of murals, old and new, to get the creativity going. Just enough inspiration to jump off from. I don't like mimicking other's work, just getting good foundational ideas. You need this book if you don't want too much fluff, and just enough stuff!



3. GREAT BOOK. FULL OF A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION. PLAN TO KEEP THIS ONE. CAME IN GOOD CONDITION AND ON TIME.



4. While there were several photographs of murals in different stages, most were not done sequentially with step by step instructions. There were good hints for painting effects. Overall, I found it to be the author's brag book with mostly photographs of their completed murals.



5. I have owned this book for several years. I have loaned it out, and purchased it many times for artist friends that want ideas or to start painting murals. If not complete, it has wonderful pictures and lovely step-by-step photos that make it a gem of a book.

3 comments about Michelangelo & the Creation of the Sistine Chapel.

1. This book is the unveiling of Michelangelo's unappreciated genius. The glory of the cleaned and restored Sisten Chapel bursts forth in the high quality pictures throughout the book. Because it was written by an artist, there are lovely little bits and pieces one does not normally find (such as a page of faces . . .). I was so smitten with this book that I read it cover to cover in one evening. It is well written, clear, concise, and understandable without being condescending. This collection of picutres of the restored Sistine Chapel is wonderful. It surpassed all my expectations.



2. This book is the unveiling of Michelangelo's unappreciated genius. The glory of the cleaned and restored Sisten Chapel bursts forth in the high quality pictures throughout the book. Because it was written by an artist, there are lovely little bits and pieces one does not normally find (such as a page of faces . . .). I was so smitten with this book that I read it cover to cover in one evening. It is well written, clear, concise, and understandable without being condescending. This collection of picutres of the restored Sistine Chapel is wonderful. It surpassed all my expectations.



3. This book was illustrated after the Sistine Chapel was cleaned and Michelangelo's vibrant colors were brought back for us to enjoy. The author gives a short history of Michelangelo's life, places him in the context of the rennaisance that he was such a major part of. She shows some of his other works, but this is all unimportant. What is the grabbing point of this book are the photographs of the Sistine Chapel after the cleanning. The colors that glow from the paintings Michelangelo did are so beautiful and unexpected from what we have seen of the Chapel before the cleaning. Michelangelo's genuis shows through at last and this book gives you the chance to enjoy every bit of it. The photography is excellent and for such a small price the whole beauty of the ceiling is yours to enjoy over and over. I highly recommend this jewel of a book.

5 comments about Harley Brown's Eternal Truths for Every Artist.

1. Mr. Brown's Eternal Truths is the kind of book I have picked up again and again. Not so much for the artistic advice, as for the cheerful inspiration that fills every page. It inspires me to actually head to my art table and begin painting, which is much more than most books. And, most especially, Mr. Brown approaches everything (his paintings, his advice, his life) with humor and joy. A lesson to us all.



2. This book is an amazing compendium of technique infused with insights that will inspire artists to rethink what, why and how they paint. Set up casually with plain talk, it belies the great book design and wonderful artwork. I highly recommend this book to all artists who aspire to do better!



3. Fantastic book, and highly recommended for anyone wanting to get inside the "meat" of an art instructional manual. Harley has a wonderful sense of humor, and an easy way of explaining his procedures. I have read it through cover to cover, and use it to reference repeatedly.
   Next purchase, is Harley's newest book.



4. Brown's book is excellent for intermediate or advanced artists. I think beginners will find it confusing and beyond them (Brown presumes some drawing and painting abilities are in place). His book will help you "bust loose" and get to the next level. His advice and side-comments are entertaining, anti-establishment, anti-artsy-baloney and generally right on! Enjoy.



5. I wish this book had been called, "Eternal Truths for Every Artist Who Works in Two Dimensions." It's about flat art. A very few points are relevant to sculpture, but not many. Could easily have saved the money I spent on this and have NOT earned the purchase price back in increased sales yet.