4 comments about Dore's Illustrations for "Paradise Lost" (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. This is with out a doubt the best of Gustave's biblically inspired works. His mastery is proven by creating a visually stunning and poetic world of a time long ago but not forgotten. It's hard to remember what I used to imagine when I thought of the Garden of Eden or the descension of the fallen angels must've been like prior to reading this work.



2. It is amazing how such complex woodcuts could be done! Some of these are used in books. An example is the book cover illustration of the book "Raising Hell: A Concise History of the Black Arts and Those Who Dared Practice Them" (ISBN: 0399522387).

   If you like to see high standard of woodcuts, get this book.




3. Dore, known perhaps best for his woodcuts of Dante's "Divine Comedy", was not only a fantastic illustrator, but a prolific one as well, producing scores of woodcuts for great literature, including "The Holy Bible" and "Orlando Furioso". Before there were movies, a person could look at these pictures for motion, excitement, and dramatic storytelling.
   This is a necessary companion to "Paradise Lost", a great work in its own right. Dore's illustrations clarifies, vivifies, and expands on the reading experience. The pictures are brilliantly reproduced here at a small cost to the consumer. The book stands alone for great artwork and is worth the minimal price.



4. well, this book has my favorite drawings of gustave dore , but the priting quality is really bad , you better get pictures from somewhere. or may be look for another published version may be ...

2 comments about Hokusai's Mount Fuji: The Complete Views in Color.

1. Hokusai's prints can be enjoyed in many ways. Simply as samples of the woodcut artist's craft, these are spectacular samples. More than once, the editor presents enlargements of some part of a print. They show the lovingly detailed flow of a horse's tail (p.95), or complex texture of reeds in a rice field (p.54-55). These minutiae take on extra meaning when you remember that each is incised into a plank, with the space carved out from between the visible lines. This book's beautiful printing helps the viewer appreciate not just the technical feat of aligning so many colored blocks in making one print, or in creating the delicate gradients of sky and water. It also helps the reader to appreciate Hokusai's layered composition and to walk along the path that leads into the depths of each image.
   
   This also makes several statements about Japanese culture, from the humble pit-saw workers (p.57) and rice millers to elegant geishas or daimyo and his retinue. Behind all the bustle of life or terror of the seas (as in the famous "Great Wave"), there stands Mt. Fuji. Silent and eternal, it's almost hidden in many of the pictures. I've never seen Fuji in person, but it reminds me of Mt. Rainier as seen from the Seattle area - it seems to pop from nowhere as I turn a corner, looming and massive despite its distance. And, like the many views of Fuji shown here, Ranier looks different with every angle and every shift of light or weather. Hokusai conveys all that variability, permanence, and immanence, but also conveys a reverence for Fuji that a Western mind can't wholly encompass.
   
   Brief descriptions help identify each scene and comment on its composition without dominating the imagery. I recommend this highly, as a segment of Hojusai's ouvre, as a world class sample of print-making, or just as a book of pictures.
   
   -- wiredweird



2. Absolutely stunning work of art for today's viewer. A perfect, quiet reflection of long ago times of a graceful people and their love for something beautiful and lasting to have and hold. After visiting Mt Fugi, it was a delightful revisit of a wonderful time with our Japanese friends and the revered natural wonder. Captured nice to have beautiful moment.

5 comments about Texture Effects for Rubber Stamping.

1. This is a must-have book for serious stamper's. Nancy's techniques are very detailed and creative. You'll be surprised how many supplies you have on hand and around the house when trying her techniques. I've read the book twice and I've tried all her techniques. Believe me you will not be able to put this book down. Definitely a stamper's bible!!



2. This is not merely a picture book, nor is it a long-winded teaching book. The teaching is there, done via a series of projects which involve the reader in using the techniques. I love the clear way the content is provided. And I like it that Ms Curry gives her preferences, and reasons, for specific products. Altogether a great book.



3. This book has fun ideas shown in steps and in color! There are 40 projects with material lists and great texture effects that most anyone can accomplish. Very easy to follow the directions and some projects even have variations for additional ideas!



4. New approch for rubber stamping with great usages and provides every step for doing them. I love it.



5. 
   A beautiful book on using texture in paper crafts (not just in card making).
   
   This book goes beyond being a "basic rubber stamping book",which is why I bought this book. I have been taking paper crafting classes for a few years and it's good to have a book like this one on hand because many of the techniques shown in this book are used in the "upper-level stamping classes" I've taken.
   
   So often I have taken a paper craft class and then after a few years I've forgotten how to create a certain texture. Well, this book is great because it will often jog my memory of those upper-level classes that require skill and detail---BEYOND just inking a rubber stamp and slapping the design on paper.
   
   In order to create a card or picture with color and texture, it's good to know the techniques shown by Ms. Curry in this book. Then, after practicing these "texturizing techniques", an artist can apply his or her own style to their art product.

5 comments about Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast.

1. Through well-detailed photographs and drawings, this book provides a nice introduction to Northwest tribal art. It uses examples of two- and three-dimensional works of art to explain the meanings and symbolism behind the animal motifs. You will quickly learn to recognize the ovoid, and S and U shapes that are characteristic to the art form. It also explains stylistic differences between the different cultural groups. I used this book on a trip through the Northwest and it really enriched my experience.



2. Great pictures, explainations, and examples, Put in wonderful catagories and easy to understand!! Fully recommend!! I wish there was more of it as it is so well thought out!!



3. This is a great book if you are looking for explanations of the history of the Haida artwork and drawings. It also includes many examples of the artwork and is easy to read and understand for all ages.



4. Interesting and well written, this book has been not only a wonderful source of entertainment but a good reference for this native art style. Every image is a beautiful example of the style, and covers several medias (print, paint, clothing and carving). Stewart spends time covering all the basics, from the rudimentary design principles, to the myths and symbolism of the many animals and figures represented by the examples. Differences between tribal styles are also covered, each group accompanied by several wonderful examples of the art. This book is a great starting place for anyone wanting to study this art form, whether it be primarily cultural or artistic.



5. Great, yet another book about "Northwest Coast" and "Coast Salish" art that ignores the art of the Salish Indians of Western Washington. Ever since J. E. Standley flooded the Seattle tourist market with the fake Kwakiutle artwork, fake totem poles, and other hybrids of art forms from the northern coast Salish tribes, the art forms that are indigenous to our tribes here in western Washington have been all but forgotten, brushed aside by authors who chase the market with books that pretend to deal with all "of the Northwest Coast" but in reality ignore anything south of the 49th Parallel.

5 comments about The Dore Bible Illustrations.

1. THE DORE BIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS is the most highly praised and famous series of pencil drawings (turned into fine woodcuts by artisan engravers) crafted by the celebrated French illustrator, Paul Gustave Doré (1833-1883). These illustrations are inspired and memorable containing depictions of popular scenes and personalities as idealized conceptions, poetic and fanciful, from both the Jewish and Christian, biblical traditions. Doré's talent is mystically potent with his dramatic, chariscura renderings of moody heavens and skies; panoramic vistas and landscapes; and grand buildings and interiors, all to frame the engaging, spiritual dramas of salvation history. A moving, gallery stroll for young and old alike.



2. I bought this is for reference material, to see the classic imagery of the bible. The imagery is full of all the drama and suspense and gore that the old testament delivers..Amazing line work, fantasic detail and clever compositons. It's definitely an R rated verison and that's the way I think the Old Testament was meant to be, as a story. Buy it for its classical images that have been repeated again and again and buy it for its detailed engravings that will impress. It's timeless stuff.



3. These illustrations are beautiful and powerful in their composition. Any of Dore's stuff is great.



4. This work is a blatant example of revisionism. The first 2 plates have been "doctored" to remove the human form of God from the creation and garden of Eden accounts. While Dore's work is beautiful, this book is not an accurate representation of it.



5. In 1865, Gustave Dore illustrated an edition of the Bible with drawings that are popular to this day. This collection of Dore's 241 Bible plates from Dover Publications sells for a very reasonable price. I think some of Dore's illustrations are wonderful. Among my favorites are a portrait of Amos, Jesus and the woman of Samaria, and the arrival of the Good Samaritan at the inn.
   
   One thing that makes Dore's illustrations engaging is the fact that he sometimes chose to illustrate stories that are not well known. Examples include the stoning of Achan (Joshua 7:12, 24, 25) and the Levite finding the corpse of the woman (Judges 19:26, 27.) I found a number of these illustrations so compelling and sad that I went to the Bible to learn the stories. If you wish to become familiar with lesser-known parts of the Bible, perusing Dore's illustrations is one way to motivate yourself.
   
   I must add a word of caution. Some of Dore's black and white engravings are very graphic and unappealing to me. His rendition of David with Goliath's severed head, for instance, is one I would never share with a child. Nonetheless, if you look at Dore's illustrations, I think you'll find them thought provoking and well done.

3 comments about Women: A Pictorial Archive from Nineteenth-Century Sources (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. Wonderful selection. Clear illustrations, easily reproduced for pixels, a little more complicated for vectors because the paper is ever so slightly porous, but it is nicely opaque. And the paper does not change!! My copy dates back and the paper is still white. Great job.



2. I liked this book very much - it was a good mix of vintage images showing women in a very wide range of settings. i plan to use it for altered books and art journals and I forsee it being very useful because of the variety. I liked this better than several of the other clip art books of the same publisher; this is one of the most useful.



3. I use the pictures in this book for collages. I love the vintage look of the pictures and find that there is a good variety of sizes and subject matter.

5 comments about Art Stamping Workshop: Create Hand-Carved Stamps for Unique Projects on Paper, Fabric, Polymer Clay and More.

1. I have always wanted to make my own art stamps but never knew how or where to begin. Thanks to Art Stamping Workshop, all of my questions have been answered! After reading this fabulous book, I was able to create a stamp from items I had around the house. Gloria's instructions are easy to follow and the photos clearly show how each step is supposed to look as you go along. Gloria Page makes stamp carving easy and FUN! The variety of projects in this book are different from anything I have seen in other stamping books and are easily adaptable to any style.



2. If you are interested in learning how to carve your own art rubber stamps then you need this book as well as The Weekend Crafter:Rubber stamp carving.
   
   Both books provide clear cut instructions on how to carve your own stamps to make artistic and fun stamps that are one of a kind. But this book is much better of the two and I'd suggest this one if you can only buy one book on the subject of stamp carving.
   The projects in this book are lovely, artistic and not cutesy or cookie cutter similar to everything out there. You will easily be able to begin carving right away with this book alone. Well worth the 15 bucks here on Amazon! I recommend it.
   5 stars!



3. If you need some inspiration, I strongly advise reading this book. Before reading the book, I didn't understand and was very intimdated about carving. After reading Art Stamping Workshop, I am now carving and printmaking!! I also teach this form of art in various schools and art stores.
   
   One of the reasons I advise my students and online members to read this book, is because it is both teachable and progressive. It is an excellent book to study for classes, workshops, and personal study. With each technique, Gloria Page teaches in a way that you are bound to understand, and you are not left in the dark or in confusion in any way.
   
   In an online group that I host -Artists of the Round Table- we read this book from cover to cover, and tried each of the projects. "ALL" of the member LOVED it.....adults, as well as the children!!! Gloria Page was kind enough to make herself available during the workshop to answer any questions, and to give advise and commendation. What an "encouragement" this was to the members studying her book!
   
   Loving author.....AWESOME book. A perfect combination!
   
   Sincerely,
   ~Jacqueline F. Graham
   President, Artists of the Round Table
   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArtistsOfTheRoundTable/



4. It's a neat book.But I need to work at doing more stamps more often.



5. This book is my new stamp carving bible! The projects are inspiring and there are no hard to find tools required. Thanks to the detailed instructions carving a stamp from an eraser is easier than carving a pumpkin. A great book.

5 comments about The Dore Illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy.

1. The Illustrations from the 1st canto in the Inferno to the last of Paradiso are great because they help as a visual aid when reading the Divina Commedia. One can really see how and in which ways Dore, when he design the illustrations, followed the text very closely.



2. I have looked at a variety of Dante artists. Some well known and some are not. Suloni Robertson, John Flaxman, Willam Blake, Sandro Botticelli, Sandow Birk, Herb Roe. Do a google search to look at the works of some of these like Sandow Birk. There are some that are more obscure which in a way documents the Comedy, more specifically the Inferno. I'm not going to say who I don't like but Dore is the best. I am rather specific about artists. Dore makes the grade. He is good, really good and when you look at this book, you feel like you are in the terrible depths of hell. I like purgatorio too. I feel the religious prayer songs in my head as I see Beatrice's entrance. There is so much symbolism in these pictures, especially in Paradiso. Though I do disagree with the depiction of Muhammad in hell, the rest is fantastic. I mean that he looks more like he's British then Middle Eastern. I imagine him with blonde hair in the plate. The tortured look on Dante's face in the plate with Betrand de Born, (The cover pic) is extraordinary. I felt how he felt. That is why Dore is so good. I had also hoped for more detail with Ugolino because his story is fantastically horrifying.
   
   The book is a must for any Dante fan. I look at it a lot, even if I have seen the pictures hundreds of times. I really don't think that you can get bored with this. There is always something new to look at. Some detail you looked over. Buy this book because the scans online don't give the justice that this book has. Buy it, look it over, get inspired by it. Maybe we will see your work on Amazon in the near future.



3. The quality of this book - along with an amazingly affordable price tag - quickly persuaded me to pick up a copy. Its really everything you could ask for in an art book;
   
   The pictures are all very big, but not overwhelming; Its easy to see minute detail, and the overall scope of the image. I actually blew up some of the prints in photoshop and printed them on huge poster paper for my room, while not sacrificing a drop of detail.
   
   Also, I had to put quite a good deal of pressure onto the spine of the book in order to get a good scan from them, and im happy to say that doing so didn't even leave an annoying "bookmark" crease in the book, and the spine didn't even crease. Dover books really did produce a fine quality book, and the note on the back really is true: This book IS permanent.
   
   If you have read or are reading the divine comedy this book is a great reference to glance at every now and again to truly suck you into Dante's epic poem, and bring you to the Heights of Heaven, The Depths of Hell, or the pain of purgatory in a way you could never have imagened.
   
   The woodcuts done here by dore are so elaborate and vivid you could spend a good portion of a day just gazing into the faces of cursed souls writhing in hell, or the beauty of millions of angels soaring in the highest heaven. Dore illustrates every picture so full of movement and depth its the next best thing to a movie.



4. This guy is pretty much in the same league as Jack Kirby. Whereas Kirby's all soft lines and images pancaked on the page, Dore looks like he's carving his cartoons into a tree. And all these scary demons and things look tired, like they've been running marathons all day. The victims kind of look like they're enjoying it, so I guess if you're into S&M, I could recommend it. Me, I prefer "Spawn" by Todd McFarlane. The Violator? Now that's a monster you can sink your eyeballs into. And I know it's like super-uber hip, but I don't know why these illustrators feel they are so special when they work exclusively in shades of black. Like my momma used to say, "A little rouge really accents the cheekbones."



5. Book arrived in promised condition, and in a timely fashion. I would buy from this seller again.

2 comments about Print Liberation: The Screen Printing Primer.

1. This book is a great primer on screen printing! It is kind of like "T-shirts for Fun & Profit"-lite. This book is particularly useful for the weekend warrior or part-time entrepreneur. The step-by-step examples are terrific and clearly explained. As soon as I paged through it I came up with some ideas.
   
   That said, if you are looking for more detailed information, you should also pick-up How to Print T-Shirts for Fun and Profit. But get this one, too!



2. This is a fantastic purchase for both beginner and experienced silkscreeners, but is particularly great for those wanting to get started. The book is inspiring and interesting, providing detailed steps for creating your own prints on fabric, paper, and other objects. It also includes a history of silkscreening, a glossary, material supplier information, tips for starting your own business, and several free transparencies that you can use for your first print. Great buy- I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Lotta Prints: How to Print with Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum.

1. Walls, fabrics, cards, furniture, kids (if they'd hold still long enough!) I love Lotta's simple designs and can't wait to get printing.



2. I was disappointed. Nothing I haven't seen many times before in other books or magazines. Looked thru it once and off it went to the shelf.



3. The photos alone make this book the best source of inspiration I've found in a while. I have all sorts of new ideas to explore! Pretty soon everything in my house will be printed on. LOL



4. I was really excited to sit down and go through the ideas and inspirations in this book. Turns out its a half baked attempt at a book like this. The how-tos are basic and not very helpful. It tries to cover too much without really covering anything. I thought at least I would get to see more of Lotta's work: wrong again! Not a total loss, but I regret not getting myself out to the bookstore to preview this book before I bought it.



5. This is a wonderful book in the Lotta series, the projects are helpful, practical and simple. Lotta's projects are great for people who like to make things from scratch.