5 comments about Draw Real People! (Discover Drawing Series).

1. I am 13, and drawing has always been a major avocation for me. Normally, I don't like drawing books, because most of them only give you a limited amount of objects to draw, in one pose. The most useful part of the book was always the first one or two pages, which normally include an introduction to drawing and the basics of shading. "Blocking out the subject in simple shapes" has never worked for me, for whatever reason, and neither has the technique for drawing portraits where you put in lines where the eyes should go, exc... I found my drawings to be of much better quality if I simply looked at the picture and tried to draw it, as opposed to following the step by step instructions. Using this straightforward style, I started drawing people's faces, until I was recommended this book. I bought it, and it was a worthwhile investment.
   I'd never heard of this particular drawing style before, and I wish I had; it would have saved me much trouble. I wish I could post a before and after picture for you to see how much my drawing improved when I started using this style. Shading is explained thoroughly throughout the book, as is highlighting and many other important techniques. I recently painted an 8x8 mural of our school logo, a Native American, and this book provided priceless help. Though it might help to go through some trial and error first, I highly recommend this book to all classes of artists, beginners to professionals.



2. THIS BOOK IS EASY TO USE AND UNDERSTAND, WHICH I FIND MOST HELPFUL. THE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ARE EASY TO FOLLOW AND THE RESULTS ARE AMAZING. I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR EITHER A BEGINNER OR AS A HELPFUL REFRESHER. THE TECHNIQUES ARE PROFESSIONAL AND INFORMATIVE AS YOU GO ALONG.



3. As a self proclaimed 'doodler' I've always been fascinated with how you can make a drawing look lifelike... and not cartoonish. I could sit for hours and doodle and copy almost any picture, but they never looked real. This book is written in such context that even my 12 year old daughter has now taken an extreme interest in pencil drawing. It could have something to do with the examples in the beginning of the book of portraits drawn by children as young as 11 years old and they are better than anything I had ever done! After one day of reading the entire book and acquiring the recommended supplies, I took a deep breath and started the practice sessions. At the end of the first day, I decided I wanted to try to draw the eye and the lips using the newly learned techniques and was absolutely blown away at the realism on my piece of paper! Now, I shall try to draw the other facial features and then an entire face. I can't wait for my next break at work so that I can do more.



4. Based on the recommendations I decided to give this book a shot.
   I am a dabbler in most everything, and have recently picked up drawing again...
   
   this book, has nice pictures of faces and up-close and personal body parts (like ears, and noses) it's not for the raw artists. There's a surprising lack of step-by step on how-to-, where to draw each part of the body and so forth. They have only a few samples with the steps drawn in; I'd love to have more pointers!!
   And, it should be titled, "How to draw the head profile" instead of "How to draw real people", since the author did not include how to draw human figure, hands, arms, etc.
   
   however, it's still a helpful guide in giving the basic knowledge of how to draw the human face.



5. My eleven-year-old daughter wanted a how-to-draw-people book that was more advanced than cartoons. This is the one I chose, and she loves it. At her age, she just tries to copy the pictures, but when she is older I am sure that she will read it, and learn even more about technique.

5 comments about John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits.

1. i have been a fan of the dc vertigo series for a while. i finally came around to reading this book after watching the movie. while being similar in many ways, the differences make this comic and the movie entertaining in similar and different ways. the comic is a little more indepth while the movie is faster paced. the other main difference is the movie takes place in america and the book takes place in england, so be prepared for brittish cussing instead of american.
   
   off the subject of the movie vs comic, this is extremely well written. l haven't read the first hellblazer graphic novel original sins yet, so i can't say about the continuing storyline. he is the antihero that intentionally pisses off everyone including his friends. also i liked the way he kept his soul, but i don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't already read this book. awesome read for anyone who had a taste of the dc vertigo collection and likes it.



2. Garth Ennis, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits (Vertigo, 1994)
   
   It is entirely likely that anyone reading this review doesn't need me to say a thing about it. You already know who John Constantine is (even those of you who don't follow comics, thanks to the recent Keanu Reeves vehicle). You probably even know what issue numbers are contained in this book, which was the beginning of Garth Ennis' stint as the primary writer, and what happens in them. On the off chance, however, that someone who's not into comics stumbles across this review, I'll go ahead and say "get this."
   
   Chain-smoking, hard-drinking John Constantine, rake, magician, and all-around bad guy, has just found out he has terminal lung cancer. He's going to die. He has few to turn to for help; most of his friends are dead, and both friends and adversaries still alive are loath to help him for various reasons of their own. Thus, Constantine has to come up with a typically brilliant, diabolical plan in order to get himself out of an inextricable mess.
   
   Granted, this is a regular day in the life of the Hellblazer, but Ennis, the man behind the great Preacher, brings a style and energy to Constantine's character that's undeniable and attractive. He's a bit less comfortable with some of the minor characters from older issues, as if he's still getting used to being thrust into their skins, but as this story arc is highly centered around Constantine and a new character, that doesn't play as important a part as one might at first think. (The Snob, especially, is... well, downright boring here.) Ennis' writing is as witty and wiseacre as ever, and, well, it's simply a load of fun. If you're not familiar with Constantine, you may want to hunt down Original Sins before this, but this is one you'll definitely want to go on to. *** ½



3. Garth Ennis is one of the most consistently entertaining writers in comics today, and one of the most challenging. DANGEROUS HABITS is the beginning of that. Obviously his great work has continued through his run on HELLBLAZER to his unbelivably innovative and instantly addictive series PREACHER, to his challenging work on WAR STORIES and his hilariously over-the-top reboot of THE PUNISHER. In regard to DANGEROUS HABITS, although he is missing his best artistic sidekick, Steve Dillon, that does not prevent this run of HELLBLAZER from being the best I've ever read, with one of the greatest plot twists in comic history. It's simply brilliant.



4. Garth Ennis decides to take the decidedly low-rent, if dangerous John Constantine even lower. Smoking a lot really is bad for you, even if you are a magician of sorts.
   
   Constantine here finds out he has lung cancer, and it is going to get him. For him, being dead is most definitely not something he is looking forward to, as it is likely to hurt for a long, long time.



5. No.
   
   Granted, there are differences in the stories. (Mild differences.) And, the book is better than the movie. (Mildly better.) But, if you've seen the film you are bound to find yourself asking, 'Why am I reading this?'
   
   Ultimately, Hellblazer is a horror story: The excitement in reading the work is the subversion of normal expectations (real world setting... but, with daemons and magic), the creation of tension (cancer, a life of regrets... but, with daemons and magic), and, most particularly, with the reveal / resolution of the tension.
   
   In any Hellblazer tale the normal world goes sideways, bad things happen, and, impossibly, Constantine makes it out alive. And that makes for good reading. As long as you don't already know the reveal. Which, if you've seen the movie, you do.
   
   So this isn't so much a negative review as it is a warning that if you've seen the film you are better off buying a different issue of Hellblazer.

3 comments about AutoCAD 2008: A Problem Solving Approach.

1. I got this book in a very timely manner. It was in excellent condition and the price was unbeatable.



2. The best autocad Book you can purchase, command by command instructions with examples and exercise.



3. This book contains a detailed explanation of AutoCAD 2008 commands and how to use them in solving drafting and design problems. Every AutoCAD command is thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations that make it easy to understand their function and application. At the end of each topic, there are examples that illustrate the function of the command and how it can be used in the drawing. When you are done reading this book, you will be able to use AutoCAD commands to make a drawing, create annotative objects, make and insert symbols, dimension a drawing, create 3D objects and solid models, render and animate the designs, and write script files.
   Some of the features of this text book are:
   · Step-by-step instructions for creating annotative objects, making and inserting symbols, and dimensioning drawings promote efficient use of the software while strengthening your problem-solving skills.
   · Customizing and advanced techniques (such as creating templates, script files, slide shows, and animation) use to enhance productivity are thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations.
   · Dual emphasis on conceptual learning and hands-on practice fosters a thorough understanding of the power of AutoCAD 2008 for engineers, architects, drafters, and designers.

2 comments about Universal Design for the Home: Great Looking, Great Living Design for All Ages, Abilities, and Circumstances.

1. This book is a fabulous resource for anyone building or remodeling a home. It demonstrates, both in words and photographs, why universal design is a great idea for anyone, not just people with physical limitations. Who wouldn't want to live in one of the houses pictured in this book? Wider doorways and halls, more efficient and better designed appliances, no threshold to trip over when entering your house--these are all great ideas for all of us. Use this book for yourself, give it to your architect or builder, you will not be sorry.



2. What a tremendous step forward from prior universal design home building/remodeling books. It inspires as it educates the reader about the pragmatic sensibility of this concept. Plentiful, excellent color photography and diagrams backup the top-notch content. Designer Wendy Jordan goes far beyond the functional basics to provide a smart guide to great design that works to everyone's advantage. Her helpful "great idea", "spotlight" and "universal specs" move the reader around all the important home design zones and deliver very important lessons on creating smart living spaces for a much broader range of users while anticipating future needs, be it aging or disability.

5 comments about Experimental Drawing.

1. This is one of the best books on drawing that I've come across so far. Being self-taught I don't have ready access to a teacher or other artists, hence I have to find my inspiration from books. Kaupelis provides a superb variety of drawing styles and subjects. The approach is based on learning to draw first via blind drawings etc. and then once you've got the various rules sorted it's time to break them and see what happens. For me Watson-Guptill provide an excellent range of art books as opposed to the trite North Light series. No matter what sort of artist you are, if you like to draw then this should be in your library.



2. This was one of several drawing books I considered as support material for a beginning drawing class I was recently called on to teach at a local state university. So much of drawing becomes intuitive after several years, that a good text by another instructor can bring those second-nature drawing decisions to the surface for both self-examination, and instructive help for the student. Though there is another book being used for the class, I found the excellent mix of contemporary and old master drawings throughout this volume to be especially nice for examples to students, and the exercises clear and useful.
   I had not realized how long ago this was published, but recognized some of the exercises from my own studies from a few years ago, not knowing they were from this particular book. How many ways can you teach drawing? There are many variations, but most revolve around leading the student to trust their eyes and draw what they really see, and there are many such encouraging exercises in "Experimental Drawing", as well as a variety of techniques for manipulating the drawing media and constructing interesting compositions. I would not consider this a complete drawing course by any means, but it offers a variety of possible explorations that greatly benefit the study of the foundation of art -- drawing.



3. Has some very good ideas for getting your creativity going. My only criticism is that the computer art section is outdated and should either be updated or removed.



4. I love the book. I am a professional artist and I want to explore more in experimental drawing. This is the book to have, it proposes lots of different exercises and challenges to improve your skills and try out new forms of expression. I would not suggest it for a beginner though.



5. There are loads of examples which illustrate the wide range of drawing techniques and uses. I think it is very helpful to students of drawing - both the young and the young in heart!

2 comments about AutoCAD 2009: A Problem Solving Approach (AutoCAD).

1. This book contains a detailed explanation of AutoCAD 2009 commands and how to use them in solving drafting and design problems. Every AutoCAD command is thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations that make it easy to understand their function and application. At the end of each topic, there are examples that illustrate the function of the command and how it can be used in the drawing. After reading this textbook, you will be able to use AutoCAD commands to make a drawing, create annotative objects, make and insert symbols, dimension a drawing, create 3D objects and solid models, navigate through your drawing, switch between layouts and drawings, create and record viewpoints and actions, render and animate the designs, and write script files.
   Some of the features of this text book are:
   · Step-by-step instructions for creating annotative objects, making and inserting symbols, and dimensioning drawings promote efficient use of the software while strengthening your problem-solving skills.
   · Usage of commands and shortcuts to increase efficiency of the users.
   · Additional information is provided to the users in the form of Tips and Notes.
   · Customizing and advanced techniques (such as system variables, creating templates, script files, slide shows, and animation) used to enhance productivity are thoroughly explained with examples and illustrations.
   · Dual emphasis on conceptual learning and hands-on practice fosters a thorough understanding of the power of AutoCAD 2009 for engineers, architects, drafters, and designers.



2. Excellent used text book. Fast Shipping. Arrived in time for class. Much cheaper and easier than buying at college bookstore.

No comments about Olympic Architecture: Beijing 2008.

No comments about Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture.

4 comments about Draw Your Own Celtic Designs.

1. This is a handsome volume with not just exciting step by step guides to drawing Celtic designs but also some wonderful photographs of carvings, illustrated manuscripts, etc., and fascinating text by David James of the history of the Celts and their art. I've never seen a book quite like this - it really gives one an incentive to try the knots, spirals, birds and other designs. Vitor Gonzalez' art work is always magnificent.



2. MARAVILLOSO LIBRO Y UNA GRAN VARIEDAD DE DISEÑOS PARA CREAR UNA SUPER OBRA DE ARTE



3. Really good book for the beginning Celtic artist or tattoo artist. My bonus son likes to use this book for tattoo inspiration.



4. This book provides the building blocks to eventually create your own orignal Celtic designs. Each chapter covers a different motif (knotwork, spirals, key-patterns) and includes several projects beginning with a simple one designed to teach the basics and then further projects applying those basics and increasing in difficulty. Expect to put in your fair share of elbow-grease and practice, especially in the more difficult projects, but in my own case I was able to compose a simple yet elegant design the day I received the book. Definately worth the price if you are serious about learning this form of artwork.

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.