Reviews (15)

EXCELLENT rendering help
My rendering skills have improved HUGELY scince recieving this book.It helps with marker, colored pencils, pastels, how to treat light, etc.My renderings look amazing and it is a great reference for when I'm not sure how to treat a surface/object.I would absolutely recommend this book.

Color Drawing Book
I needed this book expedited and it got to me even before the dates listed on my confirming email. Very pleased.

Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills for Interior Designers
Excellent reference book for explaining techniques for drawing with Prismacolor markers and pencils, which are the primary instruments used by interior designers to use in color renderings.Book has the shortcuts and techniques needed to help take what you learn in drawing class to a higher level. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural Drawing    2. Architectural rendering    3. Architecture    4. Art & Art Instruction    5. Color drawing    6. Design & Drafting    7. Drawing    8. Technique    9. Techniques - Drawing - Colored Pencil    10. Architecture / Design & Drafting    11. Art techniques & materials    12. Drawing & drawings    13. Graphic design   

Reviews (11)

A Great Gift
I have received this book as a gift and have given it as a gift.It is wonderful!You can look at it for hours and still pick it up again and again.Also, you find that there are many more illusionists other than Escher.

Wow.
This book is a wonderful overview of a lot of interesting artistic styles and mind-blowing techniques.Of course, you can buy more complete editions about the specific artists within this book, but I haven't seen such a variety of of artists and images put together in such a great way before.This was a great purchase, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in any of the artists within it.

Masters of Deception
This is an excellent resource. Anyone interested in visual illusion and the artists involved in creating it will thoroughly enjoy this book. It is difficult to get a chance to look at it, let alone read it, because someone else is always picking it up and becoming enthralled with it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    4. History - Contemporary (1945- )    5. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    6. Optical illusions in art    7. Art / General    8. Art Forms, Treatments & Subjects    9. Puzzles & quizzes    10. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes   

Reviews (26)

Graffiti World By Nicholas Ganz
I am really interested in graffiti of the world and have found it somewhat hard to find good books on the subject. Overall this is a good book with many full-color illustrations along with text giving credit to the artists. Since there are not that many graffiti books out there I believe this one is one of the best I've read yet. Although many of the pictures in this book are really good, they are basicly the same works that you can find images of online and through other resources. What I'm tring to say is that I wish there could have been some more never before seen illustrations, not the same old stuff I've seen a million times!

The best global outlook of Urban Art
Nicholas Ganz has done a great job at traveling the world tocapture in this book the state of street art everywhere. Taking the reader through it by continents (Americas, Europe, Rest of the World), the book takes you on an in-depth, visually-loaded trip that highlights the work of the best street artists around these days.
Great book a must have
I got this book last year the WHOLE thing is art down to the cover (I had framed). It shows many styles of art from walls to ships postboxes the list would go on .........anyway great fo the end table or for ideas ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Folk & Outsider Art    5. Graffiti    6. Graphic Arts - General    7. History - General    8. Mural painting and decoration    9. Popular Culture - Counter Culture    10. Popular Culture - General    11. Street art    12. Techniques - General    13. Art / Popular Culture   

Reviews (8)

A WINNER
I bought three books on Polymer Clay, and this is the only one with all the techniques there that I want to learn.
Polymer Clay Bible
Everyone starting out in polymer clay should have this book in their library. Many newer techniques have been developed since this book came out but this book contains everything you need in order to develop your own original work. If you're looking for a "projects" book skip this, but if you want the basicsthis is the book for you. I only wish Nan Roche would write another! I still find myself refering to it and I've been working in polymer clay for over 15 years.

The Book that started it all for Polymer Clay
It was the first book about PC. It was the only book available for quite some time. Many of the most renowned PC artists started with this book and you can see the influence in their work.
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Subjects:  1. Antiques / Collectibles    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Jewelry    6. Jewelry making    7. Polymer clay craft    8. Art techniques & materials    9. Ceramic arts, pottery, glass   

Reviews (17)

Excellent primer for the novice and self-trained
I recently finished reading - and taking copious notes - from The Elements of Graphic Design. As an individual taking himself through the process of learning graphic design without having to go to school, this book is invaluable. White makes the concepts crystal clear and simple prose imbued with his own take on doing design correctly plus doing it well. I've always had a good eye for composition but White's work has helped me see the underlying methods for making my designs better. I'm now building a presentation from his work to share with our marketing team to build a consistent look for our work. His book is a superb work for anyone needing to get a quick grip on design fundamentals, too. Just put them to use! There's no magic here, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do design. White will show you the way.

The Elements of Graphic Design
The Elements of Graphic Design
well organized for reference
I used the book as reference for teaching design for HS publications. The visual & theoretical information worked well to show how to organize information and why. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Computer Graphics - General    4. Graphic Arts - General    5. Graphic design (Typography)    6. Layout (Printing)    7. Type and type-founding    8. Typography    9. Art techniques & principles    10. Graphic design   

Reviews (33)

valuable
As a graphic designer, I spend most of my time on the computer and have sorely missed creating with my hands. This book is bringing me back to that in an exciting way. Contrary to some reviewers I am very glad the book doesn't indulge too much in Photoshop instruction (although it does give information aboutPhotoshop that is most relevant to the processes, like print specifications). That would be a waste of space because there are a gazillion Photoshop books out there, but these techniques are much more rare and need as much space as possible to teach them. The authors do a great job of this. Very clear, thoughtful and succint writing. No wasted words.
DEFINITELY INNOVATIVE !!!!
If you are a serious printmaker this book is a must have.It shows you how to combine traditional printmaking with digital printing, printing on different substrates, has great pictures and much more. YOU DONT NEED AN EXPENSIVE PRINTER TO FOLLOW THIS BOOK.I have an EPSON 1280 INKJET ($399) and it works great.The ideas and possibilities are endless. I highly recommended this book !

Technology and creativity
It's good to see someone use technology creatively. All too often "art" and "technology" are seen as mutually exclusive. These authors show that that is certainly not the case.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Assemblage Art    4. Digital & Video    5. Digital art    6. Ink-jet printing    7. Technique    8. Art techniques & materials    9. Image processing   

Reviews (5)

Thorough Guide to Fashion Drawing
This book is a thorough guide for learning the art of fashion design illustration. The book features a plethora of examples to teach how to draw faces and poses in correct proportion, as seen in professional fashion illustrations. The examples in the book are large, facilitating the use of tracings prior to free-hand drawing. Anyone who wants to learn fashion design, especially teenagers interested in the field, will find this book an invaluable asset.

cool
i thought this book was great and easy to read you learn alot from just copying and praticing your drawing technigues, its amazing and loved the art.its a must buy for a fashion student or for some interstead in fashion illustration.

Better than expected!
I ordered this book as a hobby figuring that the 200+ pages must have some decent methods to improve my drawing skills. I have been looking for a fashion design instruction book for a long time now.This is certainly an elusive topic to find information on -- even on the web I couldn't find any website that offered any helpful instructions.I have never been able to find anything suitable, especially since I didn't want to invest a lot.This book was a good price that I didn't think would be too much of a loss if I didn't find it useful.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art Forms, Treatments & Subjects    4. Design - Textile & Costume    5. Fashion    6. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design    7. Techniques - Drawing - Specific Subjects    8. Techniques - General   

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 (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 (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   

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)

The Quilts of Gee's Bend
This book is a testament to the ingenuity, tenacity, and faith of the women of Gee's Bend who, from their lives of deep poverty and hard scrabble living, still found the inner resources to create functional, yet strikingly original art.
A BEAUTIFUL REMINDER
Not only did I purchase this book, I purchased one for a friend of mine who is a quilter. The quilts and the incredible stories behind them are powerful motivators for those who wish to accomplish anything, not just quilting.It is the triumph of the human spirit and proves that deep down, each of us has an indominable core.I am envious of the skill that these women posessed and of the oral history and cultural traditions which have been created and passed down.It's a reminder of the scope of human potential.

great collection of American Art
I am an Alabama native. I have visited Gee's Bend, Alabama many times, but mainly to EAT!! They have more than pretty quilts in Gee's Bend. I have seen the quilts but because I love quilts and even tried unsuccessully to make one but, not being an expert, I guess I did not appreciate how popular the Gee's Bend quilts would become until I saw the story on CBS's Sunday Morning about the quilts being on display at the Whitney Museum in New York. The current quilters visited the opening at the museum and song those old gospel songs to their many fans.Read more

Subjects:  1. American - African-American    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    4. Folk & Outsider Art    5. Multicultural Nonfiction    6. Quilts & Quilting    7. Social Science    8. Alabama    9. Art Forms, Treatments & Subjects    10. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    11. Quiltmaking   

Reviews (1)

"Inspired Designs, indeed"
I have admired Beryl Taylor's artwork for a long time, and eagerly looked forward to this book.Although I don't use fabric and sewing in my mixed media artwork, I am fully inspired
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Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Assemblage Art    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Paper Crafts    6. Papercrafts    7. Techniques - General    8. Needlework & fabric crafts   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (27)

Body guide for art
Very good surce of material for developing paints, draws and even sculpture.

Pretty pictures, not much information
I was looking for a book that would give me real understanding of the way that muscles connect to bones and how they work in motion. This book doesn't do that, and some of the drawings of muscles are so stylized as to be almost useless -like the drawing of muscles of the shoulder on page 103, which seems to have been compressed vertically simply because it looks cooler that way.
Beautiful photos, could use morefull body shots showing face
The photos and book are beautiful.I am happy with the book in that regard.Also it has a wealth of information necessary for a solid education in figure drawing.The transparent overlays of muscle over skeletal structure is great.I would have liked to have seen more full body shots, head to toe, with faces pointed towards the viewer.Really though, it is an invaluable addition to my artistic reference library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anatomy, Artistic    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Artistic anatomy    5. Figure drawing    6. Human figure in art    7. Pictorial works    8. Reference    9. Study & Teaching    10. Techniques - General    11. Techniques - Life Drawing    12. Art / Techniques    13. Art, Architecture & Photography   

Reviews (16)

Excellent
If you are an artist, have an interest in art or even just like to read thought provoking quotes then you could do a lot worse than have this on your shelf. The book is collection of conversations, thoughts, writings. There isn't much of a structure to it - more a random collection although the index helps somewhat. It lends itself to just opening the book at a random page and reading whats there. It contains one salient point after the other on the how's, whys and wherefores of painting, drawing and sculpture. This book should be on every artists shelf.

"Art," before commercialism took over.
Finally a review of art, for the sake of art, without becoming cluttered by commercial concerns.Paint color, composition, line...The book is written as a painting with no particular beginning, middle, or end.It needs to be absorbed as a whole to fully appreciate its contents.The pedantic English can tire but it does not subtract from the freshness of the message and the pleasure it provides to every student of art.

an eternal favorite
"There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual.Such are the moments of our greatest happiness.Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall his vision by some sort of sign.It was in this hope that the arts were invented.Sign-posts on the way to what may be.Sign-posts toward greater knowledge." Robert Henri
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Subjects:  1. Addresses and essays    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Criticism    5. Fine Arts (General)    6. Techniques - General    7. Painting & paintings    8. Theory of art   

Reviews (18)

A Must.
Yes this is a must for landscape artists.I have been a professional artist and art teacher for years.I have used this book and have recommended it for my students.

Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting
Book arrived within a few days of order in excellent condition.

A very important resource for the Beginner
My Artist teacher asked that we read this book. It is a very helpful tool for those hours that you spend alone trying to analyze and fix problems in your paintings. This book provides those lessons and advice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Landscape painting    4. Technique    5. Techniques - General    6. Techniques - Oil Painting    7. Techniques - Painting    8. Art / Techniques    9. Art techniques & principles    10. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (33)

Got me drawing again!
Thanks to Danny I was able to re-energize my love of drawing/sketching.
Freedom to draw
After reading Everyday matters you must own this book.It's liberating to realize that at 48 I have given my self permission to draw.The way that he instructs each "lesson" is ingenuis.This book is well written and illistrated (dahhh). Take the time to feel this free in your drawing creativeity. He guides you in a new way of thinking.
Draws You In
This book motivated me to start keeping a journal and drawing more. I'd been journaling for years but stopped soon after I read "SCRAPS: Adventures in Scrapbooking" (very funny essays but the book promotes journal slacking) then I picked up Danny Gregory's and I'm glad he shared his take on really noticing what's all around us in life in this book. Very cool, this guy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Creative ability    2. Creativity    3. Drawing    4. General    5. Psychology    6. Self-Help    7. Study and teaching    8. Techniques - Drawing    9. Art techniques & materials    10. Drawing & drawings    11. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques    12. Self-Help / Motivational   

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