1 comments about How to Draw Faces.

1. I gave this to my 10 yr old son for Christmas and it really teaches him well how to draw faces. The face is very difficult to draw and this book will really get them on the right path. My husband is a good artist and my son is really taking after him, so they can sit together and draw together and learn together :)

5 comments about Toilets of the World.

1. Although the title (Toilets of the World) may not grab you, it is one of the more interesting little travel books I've seen in some time. The photos are terrific and the information is invaluable. If you are planning an overseas trip and want to experience the true local flavors, you should consult this book so as to avoid what could be some unpleasant culture shock before you get there. Remember the 'Seinfeld' episode where Geroge would not use a bathroom during the trip to India? This book will help you understand why he had a problem with that. This book also contains some terrific snapshots of worldwide culture that my high school students find fascinating - an impetus for them to take a closer look at the different areas of the world.



2. for anyone interested in architecture this gives a great overview of a much overlooked subject--the toilet. educational as well as humorous.



3. This books is worth it for the pictures alone. It will bring back memories for anyone who has every encounterd a toilet that they just weren't sure how to use.



4. There are some really bizarre toilets out there in the world. Some even scary!! Interesting and fun. We keep it on the back of the toilet in our guest bathroom. Makes for some fun conversation.



5. When I think of entertaining reading material, I rarely think of toilets. "Toilets of the World," however, is an amusing homage to the endeavor of excretion. Divided by continents, this book examines the most unusual of all toilets from the world over, from the fantastically complex (I would not want to, for instance, use the toilet on a submarine lest I inadvertently configure the valves incorrectly and release "a high-pressure explosion of sewage throughout the submarine at a force of 225 pounds per square inch") to mere holes in the dirt. Part and parcel of this book explains not only the physical structure of these toilets, but also the local customs of different cultures. The lack of toilet paper use in Turkey and India (the left hand substitutes...) is a key example of cultural toilet use differences beyond the obvious squat versus sit elimination methods.
   
   There are many unusual toilets in this book, but for my money, the toilets of Asia take the cake, especially the urinals in the Lemina Building in Tokyo, which electronically sense when a man approaches, then burst into music and move the urinal vigorously hoping the man can accurately track the target, all the while taunting him with disparaging remarks and engaging in flash photography. There is an equally frightening experience awaiting the women in the same building which results in a bad case of claustrophobia, and features not only a giant mechanical geisha kissing the unsuspecting victim on the knees, but also a light show, fake thunder, and a hideous androgynous mechanical freak appearing from a secret compartment with the toilet paper. I guess it beats a hole in the ground.
   
   Five stars for making peristalsis an interesting cultural journey, a feat I had hardly imagined possible.

5 comments about Baby Blues: This is Going to be Tougher Than We Thought.

1. At first, I didn't really like the comic strip all about babies and parenting, which simply isn't my cup of tea. But - over the time, I began to truly appreciate what a vaulable contribution it could be to our society: a pretty stern disclaimer to the usual maternal fantasy that every young girl holds dear to her heart when she is old enough to get married and produce children. The not-so-nice part of having babies like labor pains, breastfeeding, dirty diapers, vomiting, screaming temper tantrums, shot nerves, etc. are all so candidly depicted here on the very pages of our funnies. In fact, it seems to me that if it wasn't for the kinship ties and the anxious need to support the future species, Darryl and Wanda would've probably been very happy to simply drop off Zoe and Hammie at a nearby orphanage.



2. We received this as a gift from friends when we had our first child, and could not stop laughing as we gained a new appreciation for what it meant to be parents. Whether you're new parents, know someone who is, or have been parents for years and want to remember what it was *really* like, this book needs to be on your list.

   We've now given this book as a gift to four other couples who've had babies recently, and all agree that it's their favorite new book on the shelf. It covers everything - changing the first diaper, the first visits from the parents (both sets), sleepless nights, and the joy of teething, to mention a few.

   Buy this book. You'll laugh for a long time, and will probably end up sharing it with your other friends fortunate enough to have kids of their own.




3. I have been a fan of Baby Blues since my daughter was born, eight years ago. I sometimes think that Mr. Kirkman and Mr. Scott hide outside my windows and take notes, because so many of their strips are right on the mark! If you have small children, are thinking about having small children, or just want a good belly laugh, I highly recommend the entire series of Baby Blues collections. Enjoy!



4. I got this book about 3 months ago, and I loved it! It shows you that parenting isn't the most easiest thing in the world. This book has lots of laughs and good times in it. So if you want lots of laughs (100 percent guranteed) then get this wonderful book!



5. "Baby Blues : This is Going to be Harder Than We Thought" is the first book of the series and a must for "Baby Blues" fans. You can really see how much this comic strip has evolved, but yet, some things will never change. With great expressions and witty lines, it will have you smirking in no time. I recommend.

3 comments about Draw 50 Cars, Trucks and Motocycles (Draw 50).

1. This book takes you line by line through drawing cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Some are relatively simple, others complex. It is not perhaps an excellent way to learn to draw, but it will help you get a feel for drawing. It also has good explanations for the quartered wheel technique of circles. All in all a pretty good buy for the price-if cars, trucks, and motorcycles are what you want to draw.



2. This book is fine if what you want to draw is older models, but my son was disappointed because he wanted to draw hotrods and the like. I was disappointed because the book's cover should have indicated its contents better.



3. I was recommended this book from a co-worker. It is great for someone without a big drawing background. Breaks down the drawing step by step. Great for beginners and professionals alike!

5 comments about The Blue Lotus (The Adventures of Tintin).

1. Blue Lotus is certainly one of Herge's best, along with Cigars, Broken Ear, Tintin in Tibet, Red Rackams Treasure. What I find to be true in his best books is the belief that never dies which is that there is some point of contact possible between the relationships you pursue in your lifetime and the external world or the events and history of earth herself. This illusory point of contact is kept alive, we keep hoping for it, because Tintin is undefeatable since he never makes the mistake of loving.



2. As you might or might not know, most early Tintin was originally published in B/W format, with old style drawing. Yes boys and girls, it wasn't the colour edition we have now in hands. The first 9 titles are sceheduled to be released in English. This Blue Lotus is one of them.
   
   Most early Tintin might look very old to us. The drawing weren't that smooth, compared to the later coloured edition. If you're a die-hard Tintin fan, I'm sure you really wanted to know what the book originally looked like. You will notice that the panels also changed. Not just the size, but also the sequence. Some panels were even edited or deleted. Some panels are added. In short, you can compare both editions.
   
   The book was carefully printed and packaged. From the looks, people would already guess that this book (and also the others) is a lux book. The paper was good. The hard cover was good. The binding was good. The printing inside was also good. What more can you expect? Here the book also provided several pin-ups or covers in colour. It's a very nice gift!
   
   If you feel you're a die-hard fan of Tintin (and Herge) then no doubt you must have all these 9 B/W original editions.



3. Tintin's fifth album (counting Tintin in the Land of the Soviets as the first), is Herge's first mature work. Lotus is actually a sequel of the Cigars of the Pharaoh, but it can be read without having read the previous book, and is miles apart in terms of maturity. Also, the book transpires in a very definite time and place: Shanghai in the 1930s, as different powers (the japanese, the western countries) struggle for influence. Tintin takes the side of the suffering chinese people, in the form of his friend Tchang (inspired by a real life chinese friend Tintin met in Belgium, also named Tchang). For the first time, he chastises colonialism and the westerner's treatment of non western people (see page 6 and 7 in particular). Paradoxically, the japanese are the really bad guys in this story, personified by the evil Mitsushirato, Tintin's nemesis in this album. I suppose this was the view that many people in the west have of the japanese during that time. This is a complex, multilayered book (hardly the stuff one think is directed at children), and I suppose this was the reason why it was only translated into english in the 1980s, decades after most of the other albums.



4. Herge, The Blue Lotus (Methuen, 1936)
   
   Herge here continues the story arc that started in The Cigars of the Pharaoh, with Tintin and Snowy headed off to find the antidote for the madness-inducing poison that played such a prominent role in their last adventure and, of course, finding themselves in even more danger than they were the last time. This is still early work for Herge, and newbies to the series might want to start with one of the later volumes (anything published during World War II will likely make you a fan for life) and come back to this. And, of course, you don't want to read this one without having read The Cigars of the Pharaoh first, or a number of references will make less sense than they otherwise would. ***



5. Tintin, still in India helps out a Chinese family having problems with a bunch of Japanese military gangsters, in a rather cross-cultural extravaganza.
   
   Said gangsters would like to test out their sword sharpness on the young reporter's neck. The Blue Lotus itself turns out to be an opium den of iniquity kind of joint.

5 comments about Oil Painting For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. I have read through half of the book and, even though I have some experience with oils, am learning something new or different in each section. It is easy reading and is designed to allow you to read each section independently in any order. However, reading it straight through exposes some redundancy - not necessarily a bad thing. The color mixing study, in the end, helps you to understand how to mix colors to create highlighting and shading. But the mixing proportions are not defined clearly enough - so the exercise does not yield accurate results. The author does not explain that the same color in different brands are not truly the same and produce different results. But you get the idea.



2. Excellent book; I'd give it 4 stars for traditional oil painting. I'm knocking one star off because there is very little about water soluble oil painting, which is an important topic these days.
   I wish they had included more about water mixable oil painting facts and techniques. One example would be to warn people that you have to settle on one brand since they are not compatible as they are with traditional oil paints. Also, what about explaining about mediums to use? It's not the same as with traditional oil paints. So I have to go through this book ignoring the talk about how to mix with mediums and thus I have to find that information elsewhere, which interrupts the flow of working through this book.
   
   A couple of minor suggestions also:
   Include a checklist of the projects for readers to track their progress.
   The painting on page 15 showing the various stages of the painting process - explain more in detail, pointing out examples on the painting itself, maybe with arrows and circles on the painting explaining the different parts.
   
   I sure wish they would come out with a "Soluble Oil Painting for Dummies" book or incorporate it into this book, especially about how to use water soluble mediums.
   
   But otherwise this is an admirable book. I'm glad they wrote it.



3. I am currently working through this book and it is wonderful... a step-by-step guide that is simple, yet advanced.



4. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt as though I learned something the minute I opened this book. It is easy to understand and I am very happy with the my results. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is new to oil painting because everything makes sense. It is written so that even a novice like me can come up with a finished project. Love the book. Well worth the money.



5. I've found much more interesting books out there on oil painting. Yes this one does cover the subject well but for a book on oil painting it may be best to buy it at a store so you can actually get one that fits your painting style.

3 comments about The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design.

1. This book is designed to help architects in their design of new buildings. Spedifically, the book is organized about the common building codes in place around the United States. The intent of the book is to minimize the time that an architect need spend on checking building codes themselves so that he can proceed to working on the design of the building.
   The book establishes a simple system of seven steps to help the architect in his initial design effort.
   
   The first step is to determine the Building Code and occupancy, then check as to what types of construction are permitted by the code, move on to a preliminary structural design, consider using daylighting, plan for mechanical and electrical systems, determine building code requirements for egress and accessibility, and finally parking.
   
   By having all this informaion at your fingertips a great deal of time can be saved.



2. As an architecture student, I was required to purchase this text book to accompany my studio course. I have quite often reached for this book from my expansive library of required texts to find answers to rules of thumb for preliminary design. I found that this book is very good at explaining the basics that one needs to accommodate early in the design process. If you are looking for something dealing more with code regulations, this is not really the book to purchase. It includes a wide range of topics which can help answer many student questions. I have been happy with my purchase!



3. My only problem with this book is I can never find it because all my fellow studio classmates keep borrowing it. This saved hours having to calculate spans and dimensions. Definitely worth the price.

5 comments about The Monster Book of Manga: Fairies and Magical Creatures: Draw Like the Experts.

1. The illustrations are beautifully done and there are step-by-step instructions on how to draw each model. The only problem with this manual is that it only shows one model for each character type, a bit of a disappointment since the ones that I usually get 3 to 4 four each type, and that some of the costumes are a bit raunchy. Otherwise, very good resource for anyone starting out.



2. I had really high expectations from this book....
   I you are thinking
   - it will teach you how to draw or colour
   - give you step by step instructions
   - teach you how to you media
   
   well then your wrong... its just like a cool coffee book with lots good illustrations.



3. This is the third in a series and the first the producers have concentrated on a specific genre, which is fantasy and magic. I own all three and I love all three. However, I don't use these to learn anything.
   
   The art in this book is outstanding. I find this book and the other two to be very inspirational. I look through these books to find ideas and even to draw what they have in the books.
   
   The downside is you will not learn anything from this book, especially if you are a beginner. They try to give you some tips and some progression pictures of each piece of art, but it doesn't help to teach you anything.
   
   Buy this book simply for the appreciation of the art that is in it. Look somewhere else for "how to draw" instructions.



4. I own all three books in this series and I was pleased with every one of them.
   
   I must stress however that if you are seeking to learn how to draw then this isn't really a book you should purchase. They do go through various stages of each drawing with one or two comments but overall it isn't an instruction on how to draw manga.



5. You're not going to be a master artist by reading this book, but here's what you can expect to learn.
   
   The book has lots of great examples of all types of fantasy characters in different poses. The book walks you through a 6 step process for the characters:
   
   Stick Figure - Work on the pose and proportions
   Basic Shapes - Block out your character
   Anatomy - Draw in the muscles
   Clothing or Detail - Add accessories, clothing, or details
   Shading - Pick a light source and add your shadows / reflective light
   Color - Bring it to life
   
   On each step, there is some text that points out some of the details and explains why the artist drew them that way and what it does for your characters.
   
   You can follow the examples in the book and you'll get good at this process. It will help you become a better character artist. If you need help on a particular step, the practice will help you out as well.
   With this book and some discipline, you can become a better artist.
   
   I've had the book for a month and I've gotten a bit better at proportions, anatomy, and shading. I also draw about 25% faster.

5 comments about Patterns of Home: The Ten Essentials of Enduring Design.

1. The architect authors have matured since they wrote "A Pattern Language" (APL), and have made a large effort to extract and apply just the essential rules from the hundred of rules of APL.
   
   True, PoH is a large, posh book of large, posh homes. The cost of the homes are far outside the means of over 99 percent of American families. However, these large designs include truly practical concepts that can be translated into more realistic homes.
   
   Each design is far more useful and welcoming that what you might find in a bool of hundreds of houseplans. We are going to build an energy efficient home under 2000 sq ft, and we will refer to PoH to stay on track with the few essential elements. No, it will not have 30 foot ceilings over a huge common room (just you try and paint it!), but it will show the roofline and include other elements.



2. There may be a few good principles here but they were lost on me, amidst the overwhelming ostentatiousness of the houses. Do they think the only people who read design books are multi-millionaires? The houses lacked the very thing they were going for - a sense of home-iness.



3. I loved the original, but this one is lame. One star for pretty pictures. In a nutshell, here are the 10 patterns in this book.
   1. Be rich.
   2. Own a very large piece of beautiful property.
   3. Preferably in an environmentally sensitive area like a wetland.
   4. Or own a house in a historical neighborhood.
   5. Be very rich.
   6. Build a small house, say 4000-5000 square feet.
   7. Make sure your house is perfectly new and perfectly clean, but with mature landscaping.
   8. Use tons and tons of wood to build your house.
   9. Own several invisible cars.
   10. Be one of the .001% of the people who can afford these insane homes.
   Good luck.



4. I first got this book when checking out a bunch of books on home design from the library. This one really spoke to me and stood out from the crowd. I ended up buying one copy for friends who are building a house and one for me... because SOMEDAY I am going to build my house... and just has good ways to think about what I want to do with the house I'm in and what I'd look for both as existing features and potential features of a new home. Concrete ways to think about how to create a home that feels like home.



5. This book is clearly affiliated to Alexander's "A pattern language".
   What is positive is the focalisation on house building : easier to keep in mind 10 patterns compared to 253 (some of these not so useful in this case, as concerning region, city or neighbourhood).
   For each pattern, a general explanation of the concept is followed by a description of 2/3 houses particularly embodying it.
   Beautiful pictures, intesresting and informative comentaries, clear layout.
   What is lacking is the explanation of generally why some patterns are preferred to others in any given case ; and particularly why some have been overlooked in the various exemples and how this could have been amended.
   
   J.B. Epinal, France

2 comments about Visio 2007 Bible.

1. Visio is one of those software packages I use just often enough to get by, but end up frustrated as I know I could have done things differently (and easier). That's why I keep close tabs on my copy of Visio 2007 Bible by Bonnie Biafore. It makes all the difference between struggling along and actually producing useful documentation...
   
   Contents:
   Part 1 - Understanding Visio Fundamentals: Getting Started with Visio; Getting Started with Drawings; Working with Visio Files; Working with Shapes; Connecting Shapes; Working with Text; Enhancing Diagram Appearance with Formatting
   Part 2 - Integrating Visio Drawings: Inserting, Linking, and Embedding Objects; Importing, Exporting, and Publishing to the Web; Linking Shapes with Data
   Part 3 - Using Visio for Office Productivity: Collaborating with Others; Building Block Diagrams; Constructing Charts and Graphs; Working with Organization Charts; Building Visio Flowcharts; Documenting Processes, Workflows, and Data Flows; Scheduling Projects with Visio; Documenting Brainstorming Sessions; Analyzing Results with PivotDiagrams
   Part 4 - Using Visio in Information Technology: Modeling and Documenting Databases; Building UML Models; Building Software Development Diagrams; Mapping Web Sites; Creating Network Diagrams
   Part 5 - Using Visio for Architecture and Engineering: Working with Scaled Drawings; Creating and Managing Scaled Drawings; Laying Out Architectural and Engineering Plans; Planning Space and Managing Facilities; Integrating CAD and Visio; Working with Engineering Drawings
   Part 6 - Customizing Stencils, Templates, and Shapes: Creating and Customizing Templates; Creating and Customizing Stencils; Creating and Customizing Shapes; Customizing Shapes Using ShapeSheets; Formatting with Styles; Customizing Toolbars and Menus; Automating Visio
   Part 7 - Quick Reference: Installing Visio 2007; Visio Help Resources; Additional Resources for Templates and Stencils; Keyboard Shortcuts; Template and Stencil Reference
   Index
   
   For me, this book serves a couple of purposes. First off, Bonnie does a great job documenting the software. It's easy to find the subject or information you want, and her style of writing is clear and concise. I've not yet found an instance where I was unable to follow along and learn what it was I was after. Second, and most important, is that I pick up a number of ideas that I hadn't even considered. For instance, I learned about mapping web sites in her Visio 2003 Bible title a couple of years ago. I had no clue that was possible, and it allowed me to offer some very cool solutions to my customers. This year, I learned about creating customized templates and stencils for my own use. Again, a very timely feature as I'm spending more time producing certain types of documentation that require the use of Visio. I usually spend far too much time hunting through templates trying to find just the right shape or symbol I need. Now I can produce my own custom UML and Flowchart templates, and save all kinds of time. It's a question I never thought to ask, but I definitely grasped the application of the idea once she spelled it out. It's rare that I find such a good combination of reference and idea material in a single title...
   
   Unless you're already a Visio guru, you'll benefit greatly from going through this book. And even if you *are* the resident Visio guru, I'd be willing to bet you'll find something in here that will make you think "I didn't know I could do that..."



2. I'm a Visio kinda guy. I learn and communicate visually. This book contains text instructions for all the stuff you want to understand, but very few diagrams or print screens. Why? If you're so good at Visio - then use it. I want to understand how to incorporate shape data and data graphics. To be perfectly honest, I'd have preferred to purchase 'Teach yourself Visually Visio 2007 Professional' - yes I like color pictures. I'll let you judge for yourself. I've read 12 chapters and I'm still not clear on how and when to best add data graphics to my diagram. I wish someone would come out with a book who's chapter #1 tells you where to get all the master shapes YOU find pertinent. Anybody, please send me links to your favorite Visio communities - where people go to share Visio master shapes (etc.). I've got another 20 chapters or so to go in Biafore's Bible. Yes, I intend to finish his book, but it wouldn't have killed them to diagram step-by-step procedures for the more complex tasks.