Reviews (7)

Perfect downplay of Italian Renaissance art.
As a coffee table book- it is OK- big and colorful pictures.... Too colorful!For example, a large-scale view of a painting has a black and yellow palette, but the detail is blue and red.As a professional reference- it is as bad as bad could be. No professional artist would ever have their work photographed with flash!!! But in this book there are plenty of those. Paintings have flash spots - unbelievable!
Amazing Detail often refered to set
This is a stunning two volume set.The amount of detail in both the written word and stunning photographs brings Florentine art to life.The text covers not only the technical aspects of the art and architecture but also the socio-political environment in which the art was created.These discourses can be a little dry but they are enlightening.The photography will certainly recapture ones interest when the text gets a little dull.

A Rare and Treasured Treat
Talk about magnificently beautiful! THE ART OF FLORENCE does full justice to its subject -- and it's a lot cheaper than plane fare to Italy.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. European    4. History - General    5. History - Renaissance    6. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    7. Italy    8. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Landscape    4. Landscape Painting    5. Oil Painting    6. Plein air painting    7. Subjects & Themes - Landscapes    8. Technique    9. Techniques - Oil Painting    10. Techniques - Painting - Specific Subjects    11. Art techniques & principles    12. Nature in art, still life, landscapes & seascapes    13. Oils   

Reviews (4)

The Old-Soldier of Art History Texts never dies (unfortunately). . . .
Gardners' has long been regarded as the rather stuffy "bible" of art history texts, mainly because of its commercial longevity (it's been around since the 1930s). Recent editions have suffered under recent editorship. The addition of tiresome "clever" subtitles, coupled with the creeping-in of a new shallower "touchy-feelie" approach to the exegesis of the artworks--no doubt intended to perk-up this withering old warhorse--are sad things to behold. Readers are well-advised to select instead the far superior ART HISTORY by MARILYN STOKSTAD. It is everything Gardners' used to be...and more.

quick
got the book, in good condition by the date i was supposed to recieve it.hassle free.

Beautiful book, but poorly edited
This is lushly detailed book with fine reproductions.However, I found the book to be full of editorial errors and blunders.Why should consumers be asked to pay one-hundred dollars for a book that is this poorly edited?Profits should go towards finding new editorial help.Let's hope the new edition finds someone in charge that is more organized and observant. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. General    4. History    5. Subjects & Themes - General    6. Art / General    7. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Reviews (47)

Great starting point
This book is a great place to start when you've jumped into a project and have no idea of what direction you're going to go with color.
My Best Friend
Any new project I have, this is the first book to come out. It's great for everything from inspiration to seeing colors put together to working with clients!
Outstanding Color Resource
The Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color presents a foundation of basic color theory and then moves on to explain how individual colors, and their combinations, can evoke different responeses from the viewer.There are many photos to serve as examples so that you see the effects for yourself.The book does an excellent job of giving enough information to be useful without bogging the reader down with a lot of dry academic theory that would be of little practical use.In addition, there are Pantone color codes given for all of the specific color combinations shown for ease of use if you will be using professional printing services.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Color Theory    4. Design - Book    5. Graphic Arts - Use of Color    6. Graphic design    7. Theory of art   

Reviews (4)

The definitive reference for scientific illustration
Since its first edition this book has been by far the best single resource available for anyone with a serious interest in scientific, medical, biological, nature, botanical, or wildlife illustration. There is no greater guide to Scientific Illustration . . .
ELaine Hodges'"The Guild Handbook to Scientific Illustration" is truly a landmark as a referenceand the finest on my shelf-- and I cannot count the times I've sought it since 1989 out either to clarify a client's request or as a refresher for some obscure technique(carbon dust, for example). . . The book is the final word in scientific illustration
Over and over in my work I found myself referring back to this encyclopedic manual.A must for all those in the field of scientific illustration, and a huge help for graphic artists and illustrators ingeneral. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Commercial - Illustration - Science    4. General    5. Graphic Arts - General    6. Natural history illustration    7. Research & Methodology    8. Scientific Illustration    9. Art / Graphic Arts    10. Biology, Life Sciences    11. Illustration   

Reviews (1)

Fascinating Look at Victorian Jewellery
Lots of pictures (wish more were in colour, but understandable as to why they're not! The cost would be prohibitive) and information on Victorian jewellery. Recommended to anyone who is interested in that time period or just jewellery in general. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Still-life painting    2. Technique    3. Trompe l'oeil painting   

Reviews (4)

thoroughly covered material
I used this textbook in a college course called Survey of the Fashion Industry. The text covers all aspects of merchandising, with a strong focus on fashion design (entire chapters on textiles, etc). Good photos and lots of material!

Fashion : From Concept to Consumer (8th Edition) by Gini Stephens Frings [Hardcover]
Quality book. Received in a timely manner.

The best
Plain and simple this is the best fashion book to study! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Clothing trade    4. Decorating - General    5. Design - General    6. Development - Business Development    7. Fashion    8. Fashion merchandising    9. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Art / Design / General    12. Clothing & footware manufacture   

Reviews (10)

Best grid book in the known universe
This book unleashes the every aspects of grid use in universal graphic design. I'm very satisfied the detailed text. Recommend to every student or professionals. Thank you Timothy. I'm looking for more great books from you.

Good overview of grid systems and their uses
This book is pretty sweet. Samara gives an overview of grid systems, how they are constructed and when they are used. Also, there is a large selection of example works, with cross-references within the book to other similar works.
Maybe post-Lasik...
I can't vouch for the content; it seems sound. I'm just trying to read the friggin' thing, which is quite a challenge because the body text is light grey and <9 point, in small columns. It's all very lovely from 2 feet away; the headings really stand out. The composition is subdued and attractive. You could frame some of the spreads if you wanted to. But to actually read it, well, pity those without 20-20, like myself. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Design - General    4. General    5. Graphic Arts - General    6. Graphic design   

Reviews (15)

book review
This is an outstanding introduction to drawing with exercises along with the text.It is like a course with the lab included.Starts with the basics.If you actually do the exercises, it's a lot of work but well worth it.By beginning one's drawing with this book, one can easily understand any others on the subject.It's a perfect - Drawing 101 - course.
Very helpful book for serious beginners
The book provides excellent instructions to master the foundation for good drawing. I have a very competent and professionally successful instructor. He has pointed out to me the areas that I need to improve. The book has become my 'in-home instructor' now. I needed to work on my perspective(mostly for objects above eye level), tonal values (light and shadow, reflections within and transitions) and translating the local color to black and white(the author has done a great job explaining this). After completing just one exercise, I could see significant improvement in my drawing. I highly recommend the book.

Wonderful book for both beginner & expert
I'm an instructor for digital art online and find this book to be a MUST for ANY artist.It has lots of illustrations and simple, well-written explanations!I would recommend it to any of my students who want to know theory and application, from perspective to tones and shading.Everything is in black and white, so you can really see the tonal changes in the renderings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing    4. Study & Teaching    5. Study and teaching    6. Techniques - Drawing    7. Techniques - General    8. Art techniques & materials    9. Drawing & drawings   

Reviews (54)

I am not sure what to think...
..but the whole subject is intriguing one, disturbing for orthodox Christians and perplexing for undecided ones.
A must have for a religious history library
Here it is finally published the legendary Gospel of Judas, this will rank as probably the greatest codex find of this century. In this book you will find the first translation released to the public. It is a very brief read at 170 pages with 25 pages devoted to the actual Gospel that is well foot noted to explain most verses content. The book also contains four very well written essays by leaders in the field of religious studies.
Patchy, but Good
Granted, there is not much left of Judas due to where and how it was kept, but it follows in classic Gnostic form:Judas, the "author", is the only disciple who gets it.It is good to get to see the "Judas" perspective after 2 millenia of demonizing.'Tradition' says Judas was evil, but this says what I've always sort of felt and believed, Judas was just doing the job he was put here to do, just playing his part. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - History - General    2. Early Christian And Byzantine Art    3. General    4. Gospel of Judas    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History Of Religion (General)    8. Jesus Christ    9. Judas Iscariot    10. Religion    11. Religion / Antiquities & Archaeology    12. World history   

Reviews (3)

Fascinating read for any art lover!
This book is a tremendous read.And you don't need to be an art historian or student to appreciate the information. Easy to understand, you will never look at those "boring old masters" the same way again.

Thought-provoking book on European Art Masterpieces
If you have never been particularly interested in art but want to start learning about the great European artists between the 14th century and the early 19th century, this is a great book to start with.And I am sure it has a lot to offer to advanced students of Art too.
An amazing European art history course
This book is worth every cent, just for the 1,000 glossy photos of major European "Old Master" works!!
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Subjects:  1. Appreciation    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Painting    5. Painting, European    6. Reference    7. Symbolism in art    8. Techniques - Painting    9. Themes, motives    10. Art / Reference   

Reviews (20)

New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook
Excellent.It really helped doing it step-by-step.Amazing results!

Too advanced for beginners
This book is way too hard for a beginner. After I read it, I set it aside and got the book So You Thought You Couldn't Draw by Sandra Angelo. That is truly a workbook for rank beginners. She starts you out with copying the masters, then photos and then from life. Edwards starts you off working from life which is too hard for a novice.
Worth Every Penny
This workbook comprehensively develops the skills that natural-artists take for granted. I am currently working my way through it for a college design class and I saw improvements in my drawing with the first 6 exercises (out of 40). The workbook hones skills that many artists have difficulty explaining to beginning artists. The accompaning text book is not necessary, but is an interesting read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing    4. Individual Artist    5. Technique    6. Techniques - Drawing    7. Techniques - General    8. Art / Drawing   

Reviews (4)

SIMPLY THE BEST COMPILATION OF ILLUSTRATIONS EVER !
Amazing pics, great essays a lot of reference! one of the you must see of this year!

Successful illustration works.
This is a awesome collection of the new illustration style that the world is consuming today.
Really great examples of Illustration
I am a motion graphic designer, and used this book to give me inspiration... It has fantastic examples of the best in contemporary illustration artwork. A lot of my job is just keeping up with what is going on in the creative world. And this book definitely gives me a glimpse. There is a wide range of styles, concepts, and media. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Design - General    4. Techniques - General    5. Illustration   

Editorial Review

First published in France in 1994, Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent work on Chardin
As an admirer of Chardin I was realy glad to buy this book. Actually this is not a book, this is a treasure. It is an exhaustive work on Master Chardin not only on his still lifes but his work as a whole. The quality ofthe presentation in one of the best I have ever seen in art books!Read more

Subjects:  1. 1699-1779    2. 18th Century Art    3. Art    4. Art & Art Instruction    5. Biography    6. Chardin, Jean Baptiste Simeon    7. Chardin, Jean Baptiste Simâeon,    8. France    9. General    10. Individual Artist    11. Painters    12. Art / Individual Artist    13. Chardin, Jean Baptiste Siméon   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Atlases - General    4. History - Baroque & Rococo    5. Maps & Road Atlases    6. Science/Mathematics    7. World - General    8. Antiques & collectables: books, manuscripts, ephemera & printed matter    9. Maps, charts & atlases   

Reviews (114)

Highly enlightening- great for beginners!
...it's a solid treatment on the basics of drawing, yet it's not geared towards my *main* interest: learning to draw from memory.
An effective way to learn drawing !
I discover the book in a previous edition, and this one resume lots of experience and tips to help the aspirant "artist" in the process. It definitely help to supplement it with the workbook, but not necessary. I also had the opportunity to take the class this summer in Cambridge (UK) and I will sum it up in two words : It works !
a great read
this book has alot of needless right brain/left brain info that to me is just there for page filling and with that said... this is pound for pound the best book on learning to SEE really well and really fast. I have many drawing books and this one really helped me alot as far as seeing goes after I finshed the book and all its exercises I was doing like like portrates for the first time in my life
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Brain    4. Cerebral dominance    5. Creativity    6. Drawing    7. Reference    8. Technique    9. Techniques - Drawing    10. Techniques - General    11. Visual perception    12. Art / Drawing    13. Art techniques & materials    14. Drawing & drawings   

Reviews (8)

Amazing Japanese Tattoo Art
This book is a great reference for tattoo artists and other artists that enjoy the art of Japanese tattooing.

fabulous photos, unique access, lost opportunities
It appears to be the sad fate of English-language books on the Japanese tattoo that they so rarely combine all the desired publishing strengths--first-rate photography, unique insights, disciplined writing, and careful documentation--in a single volume.And this is disappointingly the case with Takahiro Kitamura's "Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo."The book includes, as previous reviewers have noted, stunningly beautiful photographs, and it benefits mightily from the personal access of Kitamura (who tattoos as the artist Horitaka) to modern practitioners of the Japanese tattoo. However, it is also the case that only a minute percentage of the book's illustrations are captioned and explained, the text keeps shifting perspective and voice, and the glossaries and index are inadequate. Excellent book
Best tattoo book I've ever seen.Large, colorful pictures, detailed descriptions, and beautiful artwork.I had to drive all the way to Japantown in San Francisco to find the book because it's out of print or something, but it was worth the wait.Pick this up, you won't be disappointed... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Beauty & Grooming - General    4. Books    5. Fashion & Grooming    6. Japan    7. Social life and customs    8. Tattooing    9. Body art & tattooing    10. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (1)

Culture on a Shelf
This is the sort of book that a student buys for a Humanities class and keeps the rest of their life. Children growing up with this in the home will immediately identify the worlds greatest art and buildings having already seen it here in this book. This book represents an investment in a cultured home and is one the whole family will appreciate for a lifetime. The pictures are beautiful. The organization is state of the art. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Arts    4. General    5. History    6. Reference    7. Art / General    8. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (5)

The fountain pen bible
This is it.If you buy only one book on fountain pens, or if you are serious about fountain pen collecting, this is THE book to get.Unfortunately, it is Really expensive.Look around for a used copy using the usual suspects on the Web.The photos are great and the captions clearly identify each pen shown.Numerous non-US pen companies are written about and many pens are pictured here and nowhere else (in other standard pen ID books).Highly recommended.

Buying this book enhanced the joy of pen collecting!
I have always admired Lambrou's book, 'Fountain Pens of the World', but could not justify the price -- after all the cost of this book could go towards another fountain pen -- I WAS WRONG!! Buying this book saved me making mistakes in collecting!
I have always admired Lambrou's book, 'Fountain Pens of the World', but could not justify the price -- after all the cost of this book could go towards another fountain pen -- I WAS WRONG!!Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Collectors and collecting    6. Fountain pens    7. General    8. History    9. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    10. Antiques & Collectables    11. Art / General    12. Precision instruments manufacture