5 comments about Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden: Making Pots, Planters, Birdbaths, Sculpture & More.

1. Nice book with lots of ideas and samples. Make something for your back yard and have fun at the same time. It is a cheap hobby! A bag of cement $3.95 and you have a birdbath, etc!



2. I don't really care much at all for most of the modern concrete art in this book, but I still love this book for the ideas it gives me to make my own designs and also explains how to do it.
   
   I do a lot of sculpting in clay and am also very much into gardening, and have now found a new medium for making beautiful ornaments, planters, furniture for my garden and also things I can make as gifts using concrete mixtures. The best part of this book for me is how it demonstrates how to create various forms and armatures to allow your ideas to become real. The photographs are plentiful and give you a very clear idea of how it's done.
   
   I have Sherri Hunter's first book on Creating With Concrete, but I like this one even more. Great fun book!



3. This book contains many "recipes" for making concrete containers and concrete art. The book contains many full color photographs to guide you through each project step by step. The instructions are thorough and easy to follow. I've already made the hypertufa planters and stepping stones. The author also included numerous photos (and website links) of other artists' works. I found this book to be very inspiring.



4. This book is filled with inspiring ideas and recipes. I am excited to get started - Only problem is that it is always raining on the days I can work!



5. Start with her first one, Making Concrete Garden Ornaments, then try this one to expand you skills. An excellent way to get a feel for this art form!

3 comments about Spiral Jetta: A Road Trip through the Land Art of the American West (Culture Trails).

1. Land art was a controversial movement that came out of the 1960's and 1970's. Artists like Robert Smithson, Nancy Holt and Walter DeMaria tore apart the concept of art being individual works displayed in a gallery or sculpture garden independent of surroundings and time. They went to the most remote corners of the American west and southwest and created huge installations that are wedded to the landscape with an expectation that time and elements, as well as the viewers' physical perspective, can change their work and statement.
   
   A generation later, an urbanite armed with a doctorate in art history, who was well read on the debate about land art realized that since its entire point is about where it is, she ought to go out and see these icons for herself. Erin Hogan may have been intellectually equipped, but going to land art is nothing like donning heels and a black dress and going to a gallery opening in Chicago. Thus her book is an amalgam of art history, art criticism and a frequently funny travelogue of an innocent who had never traveled solo before. The title of the book incorporates this range: the first earthwork she visits is Smithson's "Spiral Jetty" on Salt Lake, and the car she drives to remote, off-road locations requiring high-riding all-wheel drive vehicles is a VW Jetta.
   
   This book works on many accounts: Hogan is a natural storyteller and she is an accessible interpreter of art history and criticism. Due to very poor directions, not to mention a scary evening in a bar called the Saddle Sore, she does not find Holt's "Sun Tunnels" and later, a conversation with a Navajo ranger convinces her that it would be foolhardy in gun country to seek James Turrell's "Roden Crater." Although that's disappointing, she achieves some major experiences, especially a transformative overnight at De Maria's "Lightening Field." However inauspicious their start on the trip, she and the Jetta survive, and she provides revised travel directions for those who would like to make their own pilgrimages without the slapstick.



2. As a woman who also took a road trip (well, OK, it was in a converted bus with my husband, pets, 200 pairs of shoes - and I still had to be dragged kicking and screaming), and lived to write about it, I had high expectations for this book. I was not disappointed. Even though I've never been that interested in "land art," Hogan nevertheless manages to bring it to life with humor and grace. I could also relate to her many misadventures as well as her growth during the trip, and I'm certain other readers will love going along for this ride.



3. Many art historians have written about the great modern earthworks of the American West and Southwest, but this is the first travel book to do so. What sets this book apart from others of its kind is the quality of the writing and the personality of the author, Erin Hogan. Hogan, an avowed urbanista from Chicago, writes with real comedic flair about the road trip she took in her trusty VW Jetta to visit the legendary Spiral Jetty, Lightning Field, Double Negative, Rodencrater, and Donald Judd's Chinati Foundation in Marfa (almost all of them funded by the Dia Foundation). Writing in a picaresque mode, along the way she encounters some pretty hairy and scary characters straight out of the old Wild West, but gone wrong, terribly wron. While her discussions of the formidable works of Judd, Smithson et al are excellent and accessible for general readers, the account of her accidental discovery of a folk-art site known as Hole 'n' the Rock is absolutely transcendent, right up there on a par with Perelman, Benchley, Woody Allen. A fabulous read. I hope we'll be seeing more from this talented writer--and soon.

5 comments about Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques and Projects.

1. Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques and Projects
   
   I have this book on my coffee table so that I am reminded to look at it many times a week. I am now collecting the odd pieces I come across in a day and am enjoying seeking out that "special object" at garage sales for my new art project(s). The book provides great ideas and direction to give you that creative push into found art work.



2. A good book if you are interested in making jewellery, not so much for the artist really, but some beautiful images. The techniques are quite complicated and you'll need a lot of things to buy to achieve what the book shows you, but hey, if you're into that type of thing, go for it.... I guess the title isn't really that clear, perhaps should really have referred to jewellery making...........



3. "Creepy cover" was mentioned by one reviewer and yet I found the cover the major reason for my interest in the book. I have had this book for some time and consider it a favorite in many ways. I love the charm of how each project is layed out on the page (e.g. the SECRET INGREDIENTS design marker for each project), GREAT step-by-step images following the descriptions on how to proceed for each project, the use of many objects already laying around the house that are given a "new" life through various applications and transformations of the various projects or techniques described, and the best reason are the numerous artist's descriptions for each project and sections elaborating reasoning behind her design process. I particularly enjoy the "Adorn Yourself: Jewelry with a Story" commentary. These sections are true motivators for me and often crack my periods of artist blahs when I don't feel an ounce of creativity flowing through me. When I read a few of these sections in Wynn's book, my mind begins to whir! The techniques are great in gaining confidence for creating your own designs; however, I do have to say that I absolutely love the octopus necklace design. I made my own, quite a bit different than the author's but with enough flair to see where I got my idea from. I think others will enjoy this book for a variety of reasons - the quaintness of many projects, the bizarreness of others, the sound techniques (with a few minor quirks that may be remedied by an revised edition down the road, I've heard), and most importantly, the motivation provided by the author in a multitude of ways throughout the book. Use this book for many reasons - reference, guide, motivation, resource, etc. It is definitely in my top five of multi-media artwork books available. Enjoy!



4. I am a working artist and am currently exploring collage and assemblage as an alternate form of expression. I bought this book based on the cover. I found the doll's head intriguing and hoped to find other projects in that same vein. While the book includes detailed instructions for a variety of assemblage projects, I found it bordered on being a "craft" book. Many of the projects include instructions for metal work, which I am not interested in. The author also has several projects that are shrine-like in character. And sadly, there were no other "doll" projects, except if you count using doll arms to make jewelry. I ended up giving this book to a friend of mine who teaches assemblage at art school.



5. I bought this book along with another book on collage assemblage. I read the other book first and found this one not as interesting a read but it does have some good assemblage details that the other book did not have.

5 comments about The Figure in Clay: Contemporary Sculpting Techniques by Master Artists (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. Fantastic book! What a joy! I agree with some of the other reviews that this is perhaps, not a book for novice sculptors. However, if you are working in clay; already been creating sculptures; and are looking for a way to increase the size of your work, this is the book for you. It will be a timeless treasure for me. Just seeing how other sculptors are currently working gets my juices flowing.
   
   Pay particular attention to the "gallery" at the end of each section. After being blown away by the featured artists work, you get into their heads a little more by seeing examples they have chosen of other sculptors work. Good stuff!
   
   If you are a beginner, don't be put off by the lack of basic information. Go take a class in clay--whether it's on the wheel or hand-building--get inspired and keep this book to remind you of what could be in your future.



2. Better than expected. Some novel and interesting techniques as well as anatomical knowledge put to use in unique visions makes for a very useful book for beginner and advanced sculptors. There is just enough personal and aesthetic information to make me want more. And, the focus on individual artists who then select other admired artists offers a sense of network and insight.



3. I am fairly new to building in clay, and I found this book a treasure trove of ideas and techniques by masters of the art. The book is beautifully illustrated, and each of the artists describes their personal vision with regards to their work and then gives a detailed description of the process and techniques used in creating a piece along with formulas for their clay bodies, glazes and firing techniques. I found this book very helpful and inspiring.



4. I've been wanting to get into ceramics for a while and this book was just the thing to get my creative juices flowing. It has many (500 actually) beautiful pieces to admire, with such a wide selection of styles. I love that it has a both beautiful and grotesque figures revealing so many artistic view points. It's definitely not a "how to" book, with just enough info to get a basic idea of how each piece was created but the beautiful photographs and wide variety of sculptures makes it well worth purchasing.



5. A rich and exciting collection of wonderful artists and a never ending wealth of inspiration. My favorite book of contemporary ceramic art

2 comments about Sculpture Today.

1. This book is PERFECT. Hundreds of photos. Short texts. I'm waiting for Sculpture Today #2.



2. This is a beautiful book. It is more than I expected and a pleasure to own.

5 comments about Metal Clay Jewelry: Projects. Techniques. Inspirations..

1. This book "makes the creation of fine silver and gold objects a possibility for non-metal craftsmen." Indeed, Louise gives very precise instructions how to work with metal clay for someone who has never taken a class -- but -- it's still better to take a class for safety considerations because firing requires using a torch or kiln. A class will also help you to plan your design before opening a package of metal clay; once exposed to air, metal clay dries very fast, so it's important to know what you will need to accomplish before firing.
   
   Metal clay is a relatively new product. Invented by Japan's Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, it is 99.9% precious metal and .1% binder. Jewelers in the US learned about the product in the mid-1990s and embraced it as enthusiastically as versatile polymer clay had been earlier. Like polymer clay, metal clay can be molded, rolled, stamped, and folded. Gemstones and glass enamel can be a part of a design in metal clay.
   
   Louise carefully describes the various forms of metal clay and provides an excellent chart of temperatures and times needed to fire different clays. Although there is no waste with metal clays because you can re-hydrate scraps, you must be careful not to mix two clays that require different firing temperatures.
   
   Twenty projects are shown in detail, from simple to more difficult. Jewelers who have struggled with solid gold granulation will be shocked to see how easy it can be accomplished with metal paste. A metal clay class and this book will certainly inspire you.



2. This book has wonderful photos and projects! If you work with metal clay, you need to have this one in your library!!! AWESOME!



3. I recently started working with metal clay. As a result, I purchased a series of books in order to learn more. This book is by far the best I have ordered. I really enjoyed it because it is full of innovative, very creative techniques yet it also covers all the basics in detail. The directions are clear and don't make the beginner feel intimidated. This book guarantees that you won't be bored after you master the basics.



4. Excellant book with some great creative ideas in it.
   
   Easy to understand and read.
   
   Great for a beginner.



5. Great book! A must for those interested in working with metal clay. From the extremely clear explanations to the detailed step by step photos it is hard to imagine how one could go wrong with this "personal and private lessons" kind of illustrated text.
   
   As someone who works with jewelry I found this book to be a most up to date source of both information and resources. I sincerely hope this is not the only book Ms. Duhamel writes, as I for one would be waiting for the next. If you are interested in technique as well as design, this is a must next to your bench.

No comments about Bernini and the Birth of Baroque Portrait Sculpture.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Origami: Step-by Step Instructions in Over 1000 Diagrams (Origami).

1. I have enjoyed this book for the past 18 years, and have figured out about three quarters of the full content. But I have been frustrated for the past 18 years, too... I have never been able to go past the 32nd step of the grand piano figure... and I wonder if anybody has ever been able to figure out how to finish the whole model!!! I wish Mr. Lang would demonstrate how he does it himself in one of his videos... and then I would be so much happier!!!



2. This book has some of the most original models I've seen among origami books (including a particularly impressive clock). However, many of the instructions are vague or extremely difficult to fold as described. Some of the more advanced models will take lots of experimentation to figure out what the intended fold is.



3. An excellent book for beginners and continuing students of origami. Many color photo step-by-step illustrations of simple and more complicated models. Well worth buying.



4. this book would fit nicely on a shelf in bill gates mansion. If you're a hardcore nerd and grew up within the 80s and 70s, played with erector sets and studied quantum physics at the age of 2 then you may be able to decode the rocket science behind the drawings and instructions given in this book. nay on the origamay



5. I agree with several of the reviewers here. As a "purist" I object to models that don't start with a square, of which there are many here. I am also bothered by measurements that do not arise from the creases themselves (eg "fold into thirds".) Finally, Lang jumps from very easy to very advanced, with virtually nothing in-between (and uses harder folding sequences than neccessary IMO, Montroll achieves similar complexity in his finished models with far less difficulty.)
   If you are willing to look past these objections, the finished models themselves are frequently amazing.

5 comments about Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain, 1850 to the Present.

1. If you collect this type of pottery, you will have to get this book sooner or later as it provides an outstanding reference to marks found on these items and so permits you to assess the age of the item. But the lack of any real advice, wisdom, guidance, explanations, etc. about the subject of collecting these pieces, knowing when marks are real or fake, and assessing the quality of the pieces is essentially nil. So you will have to learn pretty much everything you need to know from other sources. A real disappointment given that the authors are almost certainly know a lot more about the subject matter than they put into these books. M Pezim



2. This is a good resource book. It has it's limitations, but I use it almost daily. I look up alot of ceramics marks, and I find the large majority of them in this Kovels book. It is great if you are looking for a specific makers mark, or decoratoras mark. The limitation is that there is no way to comprehensively view all marks from one particular maker. If you have a few treasures that you want to accurately identify, then it is very good. Don't get me wrong, I haven't found every mark I look for. But I haven't found a Marks reference that I do. This book provides a good clean and easy format to locate the mark I need, and quickly.
   
   Also, if you are looking for back ground info on the company, this isn't the book for you. While the Kovel's do an excellent job of showing literal thousands of easy to find marks, thats all they show. All in all a highly recommended resource. Any serious ceramics collector, dealer, or dedicated flea market/yard saler should have a copy.



3. Bought this as a gift for my daughter and she has really enjoyed it's contents. Now she can see if the "Junk and/or Antiques" she has purchased has any real value!!



4. I haven't been happy with this book since I purchased it. Haven't found one mark from any of the pottery or china I have from this book. Only one or maybe two examples of the companies which made the pottery but not the marks. For example I can't even find the simple "Anchor" from Anchor Hawking Co.(There are plenty of other anchors). I have a very nice Blue "Old Fashion"/juice glass fron A.H. but I have never seen one in blue. Looked it up and could not find MARK in this book. I was very surprised. I've been thinking about purchasing the Second Edition of Kovels' book, but been holding back... Can anyone tell me if it is better or if it's just me, I hope..Mary, techmom@usamedia.tv (No Solicitors Please! Only those wanting to talk about this book please reply. NO SPAMMERS!!)



5. Marks on pottery have always been of interest to me. Some are obvious and well-known and others obscure. Couldn't find all the marks I was looking for. Still a good book to have.

No comments about Tara Donovan.