Reviews (2)

An essential read, VERY CONTEMPORARY
Relational Aesthetics is an essential read for all artists working today. In very concise and clear (as clear as theory can be) language, Bourriaud lays out the stakes for a new model of art-- one that holds inter-human exchange as a priority in an aesthetic landscape simultaneously overrun by aged paradigms and the implementation of technology for technology's sake. Bourriaud illustrates his critical points by frequently citing and describing contemporary works which successfully contribute to the future trajectory of art.
Good Topic withPoor Translation
I am just beginning my venture into critical discussion of the Arts and reading Relational Aesthetics sparked my interest in art's effect of linkageing and relating. The author explores and gives names of many artists working in the 90's that used human interaction as their medium.
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Subjects:  1. Aesthetics    2. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Reviews (7)

Loaded with help for your parties!
This book is loaded with help and ideas, and will save even the most clueless host/hostess. You get tips for setting up your bar, decorations, and invitations. You get information about wines and beers. But the best part are the individual party ideas. There are cocktail parties and dinner parties. Holiday parties and unique theme parties. Each party comes with a schedule for planning ahead, so you don't have to do any mad scrambling around the day of the party. Each party comes with a unique "signature drink", so you can cut costs by just offering a signature drink, wine, and beer. There are recipies for each party and shortcut ideas if you don't have time or don't want to cook. There are also music ideas and decor ideas, in good detail, to really help you. No other entertaining book I've ever seen includes help with so many aspects of your party so well. And unlike most entertaining books, there's a resource section so you know where you can actually find the items featured in the parties (food, decor, etc.), so you don't see something you love but can't copy. (There is one problem, however, I've found some of their resources only sell wholesale and won't sell to you unless you have a reseller ID, which is really disappointing. They should have only included retail resources anyone can use.) Everyone who either entertains or likes to daydream about it should have this book - the ideas are unique and fabulous. I bought this book because I needed an idea for our wedding rehearsal dinner. Within 20 minutes of looking through the book I had a brilliant idea (there is no "rehearsal dinner", but I found a perfect theme party to use). I have many party and entertaining books, and this one is definitely my favorite. I love it.

A must have
Perfect. Everything I was looking for and plenty moore. Very helpful and easy to follow. Thanks InStyle

Great book with many helpful hints
Leave it to an entertaining powerhouse like In Style to deliver time and time again. This book gives great hints that come from celebrity party planners. Tips on invitations, menu, decor, music and much more. The book even goes on and tells you what to do two months before the party, one month, two weeks, one week, day before, etc. Definately a great gift book. Many delicious beautiful quick recipes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining - General    6. Entertaining - Party Planning    7. General    8. Art / General    9. Parties   

Reviews (14)

Good, but not the best
I have purchased this book to learn about the fundamentals of metalsmithing. Unfortunatelly in most cases the final product is shown and only theoretical description is provided without pictures or description of tools needed. The book is more theoretical than practical and other literature is needed in order to get a full idea of what is needed and how job gets done.

Fundamentals of Metalsmithing
This book is a required book for a college class I'm taking.
Great Introduction with beautiful pictures
This book covers basic jewelry metalsmithing techniques in a way that you can understand.The step by step instructions allow a good jumping off point for creative minds.Everything is very detailed and the images give reasonable explanation on how to create pieces.Included instructions are how to achieve heat scarring with SS, making bezels, designing boxes, and different forms of casting.With that said there are pictures that have techniques that are not included and seem very interesting; it is somewhat annoying to look at something and have no idea how to make it (Pg. 50, 81, and 86). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Jewelry    5. Jewelry making    6. Metal Work    7. Metal-work   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing    4. Painting    5. Technique    6. Techniques - Drawing    7. Techniques - Painting   

Editorial Review

Alan Fletcher's Read more

Reviews (32)

Endless supply of inspiration
Whenever I need to reset my thinking about a particular problem, this is the book I reach for. It is essentially an entire book of prompts to get your mind moving again. I find it an irreplaceable source of inspiration for new ideas.
A Unique Look at Art
The Art of Looking Sideways is fascinating.A Potpourri of different treasures, from written words to visual art.After buying a copy used, I was so impressed that I bought seven more new copies, one for each of my adult kids.I'm sorry I can't describe the book in more detail, but each page is a different detail.If you want a wealth of ... well, just a wealth--I recommend this book.

A right hemisphere brain stimulant, an excellent book
The Art of Looking Sideways [Alan Fletcher] is inspirational, intelligent, invigorating, and stimulating. This book is a collage of witty text, images, metaphors, idioms, paradoxes, and humor.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Design    4. Design - General    5. Graphic Arts - General    6. Individual Artist    7. Popular Culture - General    8. Reference    9. Visual communication    10. Art / Design / General    11. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    12. Graphic design   

Reviews (3)

Catalogue of a 1995-96 exhibition with 7 papers and pictures of the artifacts
This quite beautiful book is the product of an exhibition by the Art Museum of Princeton University that ran from December 1995 through February 1996.It was called "The Olmec World: Ritual and Rulership".The first half of the book contains seven very interesting papers that made varying degrees of sense to me.Not because the papers were poor, but simply because I am not an authority in the field.Trying to weigh and interpret the scant threads of evidence (but the evidence is actually amazing) is tough for professionals.For amateurs like me, it is quite impossible to do much more than pay your money and take your chances.We follow along as best we can and watch developing trends in the scholarship.
Reconstructing a culture entirely from religious art
Mesoamerican archaeology is a little world by itself - I know, because I used to live in it. It has a very cosy relationship with museums and the "art" collectors who buy the objects that are looted from archaeological sites, which lie destroyed, torn into shreds under the forests all over Central America and Mexico. But it has almost no touch with reality any more. The things they say about the ancient Olmec are almost fantasy, because in truth we know so little about these people. Almost all the objects in this book were stolen from Mexico, ripped from the archaeological context that might tell us something about their real meaning. These are probably religious articles - we may never know. But imagine trying to reconstruct the rich life of rennaisance Italy by looking at reliquaries in Catholic churches! If you are still persuaded by the "mysterious Olmec" propaganda spouted by Coe and his looter buddies, go read Flannery & Marcusin the first 2000 issue of the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, and think it over.

A Must Have for any Olmec Enthusiast
The Olmec World is an amazing resource for those who study or have an appreciation of early Mesoamerican Art.At its most basic level The Olmec World is the catalogue of the 1996 Olmec Exhibition at the Art Museum at Princeton University the first comprehensive show of Olmec art in America.Drawing upon nearly all of the major Olmec museum collections in North America from Dunbarton Oaks to Princeton's own expansive holdings, the exhibition also drew heavily from many private collections never before shown to the general public.For instance, John Stokes' amazing collection of ceramic babies and jade masks are showcased in this catalogue.However, almost as impressive as the pictures are the essays in this collection.Michael Coe has done a marvelous job of soliticing and editing a myriad of papers on the mysterious Olmec. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - Native American    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    5. Criticism - Native American    6. Exhibition Catalogs    7. Exhibitions    8. History - General    9. Indian art    10. Mexico    11. Olmec art    12. Archaeology    13. Central America    14. Ceramic arts, pottery, glass    15. History of art: pre-history    16. Museum, historic sites, gallery & art guides    17. Sculpture & other three-dimensional art forms    18. Social Science / Native American Studies   

Reviews (5)

Remarkable
Coupled with Hans Richter's: "Dada, Art and Antiart" and movement's philosophy and works are clearly understood. Graphics are truly great and commentary enlighten. It might be noted this book is German published as the Max Ernst book "Life and Work". Both with numerous colored plates of the highest quality. The Dada book though excels in text.

DADA:ZURICH,BERLIN,HANOVER,COLOGNE,NEW YORK,PARIS
IF YOU LIKE ART THIS IS THE PERFECT MEAL.
Dada: The Movement of Absurdity and its Profound Effect on Art
With the world wholly at war in WW I everything sane seemed challenged - to a few artists.These important minds gathered into a movement that at the time seem absurd - straying away from the expected paintings and drawings and sculpture that had become the norm for the definition of Art: names such as Tristan Tzara, Hans Arp, Sophie Taeuber, Hans Richter, Hannah H?ch, Raoul Hausmann, George Grosz, John Heartfield, Kurt Schwitters, Max Ernst, Francis Picabia, Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp challenged every aspect of the establishment and raucously boasted works consisting of photographs, collage, commonplace items such as the infamous urinal, performance, and poetry.The ultimate result of this at first dismissed movement (a movement which lasted only ten short years form 1916 to 1926) is now patently obvious in the manner in which art has been transformed in the post-Dada world.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Arts, Modern    5. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    6. Dadaism    7. Exhibition Catalogs    8. Exhibitions    9. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    10. History - Surrealism & Dadaism    11. Surrealism & Dada   

Reviews (1)

Artist and Dog
This book presents a charming side of Picasso, demonstrating his affection for a sweet dachshund named Lump. The photos show Picasso's universal, gullible side in allowing himself to be wonderfully manipulated by a dog ! The images of them together are unforgettable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1881-1973    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Dachshunds    5. Dogs - General    6. European    7. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    8. Individual Artist    9. Modern Art    10. Pets    11. Picasso, Pablo,    12. Pictorial works    13. Art / General   

Reviews (49)

Of course it's brilliant, and it's b.s., which is why it's brilliant...
Seriously, at a certain point when I was around 18 or 19, this was my Bible, or my Little Red Book - I and a handful of friends (Warhol died at about the same time) took every syllable here very, very seriously.
At worst, amusing and entertaining.At best, brilliant.
When viewing a piece of famous art, a person might ask themselves, "what exactly was the artist thinking?" or they might wonder what the artist was like to be able to produce the work that they do.In the case of Andy Warhol, the biggest art star of the last 100 years, these questions are answered in his autobiographical work, "The Philosophy of Andy Warhol : (From A to B and Back Again)".
Warhol....WHO?????
This is an excellent book to read if you want to take a look into the life and mind of the man himself, Andy Warhol. It is an entertaining book that will get you through the boring days at home or the long bus rides, yet it is not a repeat reader.The clever relevancy of the stories directly relating to the chapter titles makes you want to read further to see what exactly he is talking about. The book contains some material that seems completely irrelevant and dim-witted, making me wonder why I am reading it. Warhol has his moments though, creating a few laughs here and there, but nothing that would make the book justifiably great.
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Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. 1928-1987    3. Artists, Architects, Photographers    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Individual Artist    7. Warhol, Andy    8. Warhol, Andy,    9. Art styles: c 1960 -    10. Biography & Autobiography / Artists, Architects, Photographers    11. Individual artists   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art, Colonial    4. Art, Latin American    5. Artists, Architects, Photographers    6. Caribbean & Latin American    7. Exhibitions    8. History - General    9. Latin America    10. Art / General    11. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (14)

A must-have
I am a landscape architecture student in new zealand, this is basically the text book we use for a couple of our design studios. The graphics in the book are so helpful to my projects and it sure helped me improve my graphic skills. I reckon it is a definitely must-have for all landscape students or landscape architects:) highly recommand!

Landscape Graphics Plan, Section, and Perspective Drawing of Landscape Spaces
Excellent resource for learning how to draw trees, vegetation and other elements for architectural presentation drawings.Many of the drawings can be photocopied and pasted on your own drawings and the author encourages you to do so if you are sketch-ability-deficient.Very good value.

Great For Beginners!
I am a beginning landscape architecture student, and I found this book to be extremely helpful, as I am beginning to learn how to design proper plans. This book breaks down the basic tools to use for drafting, basic concept diagram info, great info on plan views, sections and section elevations. There is also a really helpful library of symbols (both plan and section) that I use all the time! Highly recommended for beginners! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Designs and plans    3. Landscape    4. Landscape architectural drawin    5. Landscape architectural drawing    6. Landscape architecture    7. Drawing & drawings    8. Landscape art & architecture   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Individual Artist    4. Art / Individual Artist    5. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (2)

Excellent reference - but a work in progress
I have been using this book since this edition was published.It is an excellent compilation of summary information about makers of Native American jewelry and other collectible wares.I expect that thishas - to this point - only about one-third or one-half of the people listed who make jewelry.I annotate mine with added marks for unlisted jewelry makers, together with summary information on them.When I can, I ask the artisan to autograph the book, preferably near the added information.

Hallmarks of the Southwest
This book is an excellent reference to anyone who collects or sells Native American Jewelry. It shows the mark of the well know artists in Native American silver jewelry. The Navajo , Hopi , Zuni Indians are all included in this book. Very detailed, I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. General    5. Hallmarks    6. Indian art    7. Indian silverwork    8. Southwest, New    9. Textiles & Costume    10. Antiques & Collectables    11. Base metal & ironworking   

Reviews (15)

Say "cheese" cake
I ordered this book because of the glowing reviews.Even the review that was negative sited "faults" that I view as pluses. I returned this book as soon as it arrived because I found the poses to be cliched cheese cake for the most part.

YOU MUST PURCHASE THIS BOOK
This book is essential for all artists. each shot is posed and designed so beautifully, that it reaches the level of perfection. your drawings will tremendiously improve if you study from THE FEMALE NUDE I. it's impossible to flip through the book, without getting an intense desire to draw. and then you sit in awe, from the fact that a book can have such an impact on you. YOU MUST PURCHASE THIS BOOK!!!!!

A MUST MUST ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE... and here's why
If you really want to learn to draw... buy this book. Don't hesitate. This is the best pose book I have ever seen! Carefully designed by an artist for artists. Each pose is a full page. It's in black and white, so you can really work out your values / tones without getting distracted by color. The model is perfection itself, not a stick figure but curvy, streamlined with amazing muscle tone. Loads of varied poses and so well arranged. She poses barefoot and in heels. In heels she strikes a totally different attitude, you don't see this in other books. No dull expressionless faces, she's alive from head to toe. Having a great model is half way to a great drawing.
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Subjects:  1. Art / Study & Teaching    2. Art / Subjects & Themes / Human Figure    3. Art / Techniques / Life Drawing    4. Art    5. Artists' models    6. Figure drawing    7. Figure painting    8. Nude in art    9. Study & Teaching    10. Subjects & Themes - Human Figure    11. Techniques - Life Drawing    12. Women in art   

Reviews (2)

I would give this glorious book 10 stars if I could....
This book is simply magnificent.But first, a word about the price. The British publisher, Thames and Hudson, prices this book at 45 pounds.At this time, 1 pound = $1.8 US.I encourage you to compute the currency exchange and then shop . . . .
Intelligent extraordinary and revealing.
Extremely well written account of the ongoing excavation of Chauvet Cave. The detail in the authors descriptions of the many artifacts found and the maticulous fragility used in processing, dating, and cataloging. This book goes way beyond cave art. From the animals and humans that had contact with the cave to the environment, geology, and paleo-botony. These are some of the oldest art ever dated and while reading their accounts the reader is transported back into time witnessing specific events that occured more than 32,000 years ago during the IceAge.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. France    3. History of art: pre-history    4. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (15)

Your Passport To The Next Life
What an absolute miracle we have these texts today, some four millennia after many of them were first conceived of in an ancient desert land! The story of the re-discovery in the nineteenth-century, after the last known copies were believed destroyed in Alexandria, is the recounting of an archeological miracle, and the fact that they survived the circumstances of their discovery at all amid corruption and mistrust in the black markets of Cairo is even more amazing.
A rich and interesting resource on this version of "The Book of the Dead" with fabulous reproductions of the papyri
This is book is a wonderful piece to just look at.The plates of the papyri are gorgeous and are able to hold one in an almost trancelike state just looking into them.However, the texts of the papyri are not easily understood.So, this book is also amazingly helpful by the way it is put together for those of us who are non-specialists.
Hymns for the Living; "Rise up, O. Pepi. You have not died !"

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Subjects:  1. Ancient - Egypt    2. Antiquities & Archaeology    3. Future life    4. History    5. History: World    6. Incantations, Egyptian    7. Reincarnation    8. Religion - World Religions    9. Ancient Egypt    10. Ancient Egyptian religion    11. Egyptian archaeology    12. History / Ancient / Egypt    13. History of art: BCE to c 500 CE, ancient & classical world   

Reviews (41)

Mostly good with a bit of nonsense
All the stuff about "R-mode" and "L-mode" is really just pop-science. Like Freud before it, and as is the current trend with "memetics", it's a popular idea which people use to pigeonhole and explain social and psychological phenomenon which rely more on theory than anything else. Edwards makes the all-too-often assumption that any difficulty facing a potential artist is the "right-brain's fault". And after the first few chapters it gets really tedious. I wouldn't be surprised if she read this review and said to me that my "right-brain" is tricking me into thinking it's not really doing anything ;o)
can't say enough good things!
i can't say enough good things about this book. the explanations make sense, the exercises progress logically, and each one pushes your limits a little bit more. my drawing skills have improved immensely, and i'm only 1/2 way through the book. the basis of good painting is having a good drawing and sense of the perspective in your subject. without the ability to "see" what you're looking at, paintings will come out less than stellar - this book will prepare you to be able to "see" the way an artist sees. buy it!

Response to Bruce R. Bain
For those who can already do "that", it must be difficult to appreciate that some of us can't do "that", so for us non-"that"ers, doing "this" in order to do "that" can be stunning!
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Cerebral dominance    4. Drawing    5. Study & Teaching    6. Technique    7. Techniques    8. Visual perception    9. Art / General   

Reviews (8)

Buy it and keep it for reference
Wow! A very nice book for learning perspective for artists (without even one formula!). As an artist you must obay to the laws of perspective for your creation to become natural.
easiest way to learn perspective
It's funny that reviewers are saying that this book still holds up for being written in 1939, as if our eyeballs have evolved since then.
Easy to Understand
Good, solid, workmanlike explanation of perspective, described step by step.Plain language, no wasted words.Clear drawings.Do the assignments, it's like taking a class you'd pay $350 for.I've tried to learn perspective from other books, but they were too complicated.This is THE classic.Every illustrator needs it.I use this knowledge every day. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Design - General    4. Drawing    5. Perspective    6. Study & Teaching    7. Technique    8. Techniques - Drawing    9. Art / Techniques    10. Art techniques & principles    11. Drawing & drawings   

Reviews (12)

Simply amazing
This book is an enchanting and fun way to learn how to draw dragons and other mythical creatures. It helped me a lot in my art with it's easy to follow instructions and beautiful illustrations. Jessica Peffer really knows what she is doing and this book is really well organized. A truely amazing book.

A Wonderful Way To Learn How To Draw!
As far as drawing can go, this has to be one of the most helpful books out there. I must admit that I am a dragon-obsessed freak, but you don't have to like dragons or fantasy art in order to like this book.
Simply Amazing.
I found this book to be extremely helpful.The author of this book did an amazing job with the illustrations and breaking down the steps where they are able to be followed to the finished product.As far as drawing books go, this was one of the far more helpful and I was thrilled with gaining insight on how to draw the more complicated anatomical features of the fantasy creatures, such as wings with feathers.I suggest this book to anyone who is interested in fantasy drawing, but cannot seem to pinpoint certain features such as feathers, horns, or tails.
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Subjects:  1. Animals, Mythical, in art    2. Art    3. Art - Drawing    4. Children's 9-12 - Art & Art Instruction    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    6. Children: Grades 4-6    7. Dragons in art    8. Drawing    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Technique    12. Techniques - Drawing    13. Drawing & drawings    14. Iconography, subjects depicted in art   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art appreciation    4. Arts    5. Folklore & Mythology    6. General    7. Psychological aspects    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Social Science / Folklore & Mythology    11. Theory of art