Product Description
Instrumentalists will find all they ever wanted to know about practice. This book outlines the many aspects of practice, such as repertoire maintenance, note-reading, and technique. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Basic Information
Provost's take on practice is simple and easily digested. Lots of white space on the 56 pages, and that's a good thing, especially if you're starting out. The book is an excellent primer for those new to practice and contains a wealth of basic information. The book's got 6 chapters:

General Guidelines: Goals, Productivity Techniques, Scheduling, Practice (7 pages)
Preparation & Technique (2 pages)
Memorization & Visualization (9 pages)
Note-Reading and Interpretive Practice (3 pages)
Probelm-Solving & Repertoire Maintenance (3 pages)
Developing Reading and Listening Skills (7 pages)
Appendices: Practice Schedules, Practice Outline, Bibliography, About the Author (8 pages)
In general, because Provost is a classical guitarist, this is where his practice approach is coming from. Nothing wrong with that, of course, because there are basic skills like planning, goal-setting, assessment, and maintenance that are part of any practice, whether it's music (say, hang drum), or curling, or chess. A very tiny bit of the material is specific to the guitar (or other string instruments) in that it talks of hand positions. Otherwise all the information is perfectly adaptable to any instrument or voice. Or curling. :-)

Especially useful are the bibliography (tho it's a little outdated since the book came out 18 years ago), and the Practice Outline in the book's Appendix. The practice outline is a great thing to stick in your case or on the wall of your practice room to remind you of all the great information in the book. In fact, I think I'll tear my pages out right now and do just that so I think about these things while I compose my own take on these ideas.

At a little over $11, this is a great and inexpensive way to get a little jolt of solid practice tips under your belt, or give that jolt to a musician you know who could use the structure. For people who have been playing and practicing for a while, however, most of this information will not be all that revelatory, though I was glad to be reminded of all this information when I read it. In fact, after reading it again, I've resolved to make goal-setting more explicit and frequent in my own practice. It's a great little book. Get one.

The next book review I'll do, as soon as I finish the book, is on a great new title by Gerald Klickstein (another guitarist), called The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness. It's a much more comprehensive book, though still focused on Western classical music. Stay tuned.The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness

Have fun and good luck with your practice.
If you're interested, check out my books:
Basic Music Theory: How to Read, Write, and Understand Written Music (Volume 2)
Sound the Trumpet: How to Blow Your Own Horn ... Read more

Product Description
In a captivating, behind-the-scenes look into the creative process of a fantasy artist, renowned artist Boris Vallejo discusses in depth the techniques of a personal style that has placed him among the leading international fantasy and science fiction artists of today. 91 color images; 32 line drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

More like an Art book with relevant words than a how-to
Ive was a huge boris fan as a kid.I'd look though his books at waldenbooks for hours.Something in the way he painted made me feel things Ive never felt before looking at a painting.So now that I got plenty of money the thought occurred to me to buy all his books.Well I turns out I still like him but I pretty sure It was the way he painted breasts that made him my favorite painter as a youth.Anyways this in my opinion is the best boris book of the lot.Its got everything.Paintings, how he works, bio, reference material, step by steps, Its like the perfect all-round art book.I rarely read artbooks but this stuff was actually good.I dunno, somehow it wasn't as boring to read about boris as it is van gogh or Cezanne.This really should be the model of more artbooks.Much respect.

An excellent supplement to their Fantasy Workshop book
I've been entralled by Boris and Julie's book covers for many years.Fixated by their figures, fantasy creatures, and supernatural landscapes, I couldn't even imagine painting figures in such detail myself.I really like this book, but will also admit that it left me a bit disappointed at first, not by what it included - but by what it lacked.Its strengths are summed up in Boris's sage advice that "the beginning artist should draw only what he sees" and its thorough demonstration of using models, reference photos, and sketching.By itself, that's well worth the price of this book - especially coming from a fantasy artist!Several step-by-step demos and many finished paintings add considerably to this, but still left me (then a wannabe artist) wanting to know more.What a surprize to find their other book Fantasy Workshop: A Practical Guide! Taken as a pair, these two books by Boris and Julie reveal a considerable amount of advice and details about techniques, style, composition, inspiration, and more for painters of all levels.In fact, they inspired me to take the plunge and try my hand at realistic portrait and figure painting.By following their methods and demos, I've been been pleasantly surprized with the results.I've since acquired more experience, as well as a substantial library of books by other authors (read my other reviews), but I find myself returning to this and others by Boris and Julie, for reference, techniques, and inspiration.

More like a portfolio...
I admire Master Vallejo's work and style, although sometimes he stays too much dependent on his female models, who may not be "flawless", as fantasy art would require...

Still, when I saw this book I thought Master Vallejo would share his genious with me... unfortunately this is not the case... the book is more than 100 pages but the "techniques" I expected to find may not sum up to more than 10 pages and the rest is pages of Master's great work... and those are mostly verbally explained while I would like to see more step by step visual instructions... and the tricks Master Vallejo wished to share with us are not exclusive to him...I accept that I had learned something from the book when I first bought it, but today you can find much more information from great resources in the Web about any kind of art... Then again, maybe Master Vallejo wanted to give the message that it is the talent that matters...

Before reaching a conclusion I have to underline something because it may be the single most important factor for you to decide to buy this book... The knowledge that this book offers may be of great value, if you are a beginner and trying to advance into indermediate level... But if you are more than that, all you see can be stuff you already know...

For me, this book can not go further than being a nice hard-cover portfolio book.... If I had bought it for this purpose, then I would most likely rate it with 5 stars... But, comparing its' name with its' content I give 2 stars (and one of them is exclusively for my respect to Master Vallejo)

Some of Boris's best early work and some good advice as well
For a reader that likes Boris's classic early works and who wants to know more about the creative processes that went into these paintings, it's hard to go wrong with _Fantasy Art Techniques_.

_Fantasy Art Techniques_ by Boris Vallejo was published in 1985, and is a guide to how he creates his paintings, the steps he goes through in the process, and some of the areas he pays special attention to.

He specifically discusses the uses of models & photographs, rough sketches, how to do skin tones, and how to approach the painting & underpainting.

I found his discussion on all of these topics to be very fascinating, especially the discussion of skin tones. Boris has a very recognizable style to his art; after reading _Fantasy Art Techniques_, I understand that part of his style is his treatment of skin tones and his extensive use of human models.

In the Introduction, Boris states "I have always had the facility to draw. I can't remember a time my life when I wasn't drawing or painting. In this sense, art has always been a natural part of my existence." Given this statement, it is not surprising that _Fantasy Art Techniques_ is written for the artist who has already mastered basic drawing techniques such as shading, foreshortening, anatomy, color theory, proportion & composition. However, _Fantasy Art Techniques_ does do a good job of showing an accomplished artist the steps & thought processes involved in starting with a concept and creating a finished piece.

_Fantasy Art Techniques_ includes a lot of prints of Boris's works, and is worth purchasing just for that. Many of his most recognizable paintings are included, such as "Siren Song", "Dragon Tattoo", "Counterfeit Lover" , "Lavalite World", "In the Moons of Borea", "Primeval Princess", "Of Men and Monsters", "Iron Warrior", "The Victorious", "Scarecrow Angel", "The Magnificent", "Broken Sword", "The Sorceress", "Red Amazon", and "The Witch and Her Familiar".

There are many more paintings besides those included in the book, and also a number of rough sketches, pencil drawings, modeling photographs, and pen & ink sketches. Truthfully, I found I liked the pen & ink sketches even more than the resulting paintings.

[For anyone reading this review, I would also like to note that I am very biased towards Boris's earlier works. While the details in his more recent works are crisper and things such as proportion, posing & reflections may be more technically correct, I find that much of Boris's later work is . . . well, kind of boring. In his earlier works, including many of the paintings shown in _Fantasy Art Techniques_, it is easy to look at the painting and almost immediately start imagining the back story of the characters and how they wound up in the situation depicted. In his later works, I find myself looking at the painting and thinking that it's great technique, but I don't get a sense of any story at all, just someone who said "wow, painting such-and-such scene would probably be really difficult, so I'll go ahead and do that just to show that I can."

All of which is another reason I give _Fantasy Art Techniques_ five stars: it is a GREAT collection of his works from a stylistic period that I like a lot more than anything he's done since the mid 1990s.]

Wonderful conservation, like new
It seems new. We think the book has a wonderful conservation, like new ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (18)

Altered Art:Techniques for Altered Books,Boxes,Cards&More
A very good book with great ideas.Have not had time yet to thoroughly read nor try out any techniques.From skimming I found some great ideas.A very good book for an art bookshelf to study & gain ideas & insight for your own art!

Wonderful Inspiration
This book inspired me so much that I ran out and bought a ton of supplies for creating altered art. With no experience and less than $10 in supplies from the local craft store, I created my first peice of altered art. While it's not exceptional, it has inspired me to do more. While my staff painted pottery in record heat (we're in day four of a week long heat wave) I sat at my desk working on my first altered book. Seriously good fun for anyone with a creative heart. Great reading, great inspiration, wonderful artwork from talented artists. A must have for the new and experienced mixed media artist. [...]

Awesome!!!
I could look through this book every day for a month and see something new. Love Love Love it!!!!!

Very well done
I am new to altered art and totally hooked! I have been taking workshops and learning techniques, but haven't been as good about taking notes while trying the technique. This book solves my problem. It is very well done, and has some new things that I'll need to try on my own.

Altered Art: techniques for creating atlered books, boxes & more
Great projects created by pro-artists. stimulated my creativity.
I shared this book with some other artists who now wish to purchase it (from Amazon, of course) glad I bought it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Not quite what I expected, but good info
The title of the book suggested a book filled with techniques to make black and white photos, but what I valued most from the book were the lessons on composition and imagery.I can tell you, that I am a novice photographer, and the first section of the book almost lost me and I put the book away to begin with.It was technical jargon without a lot of definition.I would recommend jumping directly to section 2 and reading from there, as there are really good lessons in composition and ideas for improving your "artistic eye", irregardless of color or black and white images.The author used great photo examples and explained the images in detail on what works for the image and what does not. Towards the end of the book, the author finally gets into the technical aspects of creating a black and white photo using a "digital darkroom." That dark room, the author assumes that you use Photoshop, but I am guessing the techniques are pretty universal with any software.If I could give half stars, I would probably give 3.5, but I am rounding up based on the lessons on composition... that I thought were very good.

Some new ideas to improve your B&W photographs
As the name of the book implies, the strength of this book is the artistic aspects of B&W photography. It has something for everyone, beginner to advanced, film and digital, but overall, it's targeted for the experienced photographer shooting either film or digital.

It starts out with some equipment discussions on camera selection and the use of filters (for the film folks) but most of it's pages are dedicated to the artistic aspects. He discusses in some depth the various genres of B&W photography (street, landscape, portraits, etc) using his own images to illustrate each. Then he moves on to the best part; his discussion of composition. Throughout the book he trys to get the reader to avoid the cliched, "photo club" images and develop one's own perspective. His rules of composition avoids all the standards like "the rule of thirds" (not even mentioned) and presents different concepts like the golden ratio, triangular compositions, pictorial tension between 2 elements, etc. He uses his own images and refers to various artists to illustrate his concepts. This is very effective in getting the reader to take a fresh look at his/her work.

His rather brief section on photoshop conversion is good, but if you're looking for Photoshop help, a more detailed book would be better. He uses CS3 which is a few years old, but the tools for the B&W photographer are really no different in CS5. Some of his Photoshop approaches are different from what a lot of experts would recommend, but everyone has their own style. For example, he doesn't address layer masks, relying instead on selections to make local adjustments.

So overall, its a very good book for the more serious B&W photographer looking to take his work to a higher level.

Very good read for beginners
I understand why some people are upset with the book. "Digital Workflow" should not have been in the title since the author does not go deep into the post-processing. However, the book itself is very well organized, has some valuable tips for beginners and most importantly it's an easy and pleasent read.

Digital Workflow?
When I read the title "The Art of Black and White Photography: Techniques for Creating Superb Images in a DIGITAL WORKFLOW" - I bought the Book considering this subject - DIGITAL WORKFLOW - today the Digital Tools provide many ways to work with Black & white and the Book dedicated only 40 pages of 260 to talk about digital darkroom...also speaks superficialy about this techniques.

In my viewpoint it's not a good book for those who want to learn on black and white photography in a Digital World, but it's useful for those who are looking for a Composition in Black & white and other subjects.

always the same...
Only 40 pages of 260 dedicated to digital darkroom... The rest of the book speaks about basics in photography, such as tools and fundamentals, photographic genres and rules of composition... this kind of information is always present in every book of photography...

so, it's not a good book for those who want to learn on black and white photography, but it's useful for those who are begginers in photography... ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Materials yes - Techniques not really
I wish I'd read the other reviews carefully before ordering this. I have The Practice of Tempera Painting by Thompson (which is very detailed on the technical aspects of tempera painting) and I was expecting something similar here.Unfortunately it is heavy on material info (mostly about the pigments used) but almost nothing usable about medieval painting techniques or methods.

Since most of the pigments mentioned are extremely toxic it's doubtful the book would be of much use except as a source of historical information.I, for one, would never have these pigments (lead, arsenic, mercury, etc) in my studio in powdered form.Very dangerous stuff!

A medieval painting cookbook, not a style manual
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the "materials and techniques" were mostly on what pigments were used, and how all the different paints were manufactured.Usually using really toxic materials and methods.

Don't get me wrong, it was fascinating, but not the how-to-paint in a medieval style manual that I had hoped.

A great reference if you want to take your life into your hands and cook up authentic medieval paints and pigments.

Mmmmm. Lead, Copper, Arsenic and Mercury, My Favorite!

Great Read!
Very interesting read if you are interested in how medieval painting was done and what methods and techniques were used.Written in a conversational format, making it a quick read.

An excellent primer for illuminators and painters
The book covers a history of carriers and grounds, binding methods and vehicles, their viscosity and transparency effects, pros and cons of different binding media, glazes and varnishes. It then gives aclassification of medieval pigments and details the main pigments used toproduce colours on the page, wall and panel. Mixing, reaction andpermanence problems with pigments, confusion of identification, and historyare described. Metals are also discussed, including types of gold media andgilding methods. This is an absolutely essential book for anyone (andespecially SCAdian illuminators) interested in the building blocks ofmedieval painting. It will give you a good grounding in the basics and helpyou understand the resources, techniques and mindset of medieval artists. Icannot recommend it enough. It is also an entertaining read(if occasionallyunintentionally). ... Read more

Product Description
Watercolour is an enormously popular painting medium and an increasing number of artists are choosing it in preference to other mediums, exploiting it in inventive and creative ways for every possible subject. This book covers the subject of watercolour in the broad sense of the term, suggesting ways of working with gouache and acrylic as well as explaining the time-honoured technique associated with transparent watercolour. ... Read more

Product Description
Visual media artists-comic book artists, film and video storyboarders and animators, and creators of interactive games-must express purely with pictures everything that the writer can't communicate in words. As a result, truly effective visual storytelling must be compelling, dynamic-and have the appearance of reality.In Visual Storytelling, veteran comic book publisher Tony Caputo demonstrates everything the aspiring visual media artist needs to know in order to master sequential art. In Part 1, artists will discover, through clear illustrations and pictures, each stage of the production process, including plotting, writing, penciling and lettering, inking, coloring, and painting. Part 2 shows, step by step, the basics of figure drawing and anatomy, and basic light and dark techniques. Finally, Part 3 details the basics of page composition, layout, and design as well as the art of creating incredible comic book covers and splash pages.Filled with fascinating illustrations by such legendary artists as Mat Nastos, Jim Steranko, Neal Adams, Wally Wood, Andrew Loomis, Scott McCloud, Terry Moore and Jeff Smith, Visual Storytelling also features a ready-to-use guide that helps chart progress and skills in visual storytelling media. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

great reference book for comic book artists or graphic novel artists
A fine book that will help anyone who wants to produce a graphic novel or comic book.

Advertising dressed as information
I was eagerly anticipating the information from this book, having studied the narrative artform for the past 3 years and having read through the Mcloud, Eisner, Janson and various books on film.
I couldnt believe how little actual information is in this book, it jumps from here to there with no flow and it's lack of content hidden in examples obviously from the works of those adding to the book.
Don't waste your time, buy Both Will Eisners Books on storytelling then Scott Mclouds books, leave this boring jumble of arse on the shelf.

misleading
This book is unfortunately very misleading in its content - Aimed as a multi format guide, the book rarely strays away from comic book technique.
For filmmakers/animators, this book offers little beyond rudimentary film theory and skills. Plus the majority of the example material is very sub-standard. Avoid this one.

Good read but doesn't keep its promise
There is no doubt this book is good value for money. What basically lets it down is its illustrations - much of the text is explained by illustrations and some significant examples are so poorly reproduced or so small that the meaning is lost.

On the whole, with a few exceptions, I found it skirting around the topics offering little depth.

The books gave a good general coverage and pointed out the areas to follow up with further reading/viewing.

This said, I still would recommend this book for anyone interested in the techniques of visual storytelling.

Don't pass this one up!!
This book belongs in the library of anyone who is or would like to be a storyteller whether it be comics, animation, film or any multimedia field. This is one of those rare books that doesn't get published enough. The fact that it covers more than one medium makes this an invaluable reference title. Besides, how often do you find a book that tells you how Steranko does it? ... Read more

Product Description
Published in cooperation with the National Gallery of Art, and written by its Curator of Painting, this is an essential work for painters, teachers, students and art lovers who want to understand the methods by which great paintings have been created.

One hundred masterpieces from the National Gallery...each superbly reproduced in color, full page size...offer the reader unique lessons in painting techniques. Detailed captions, diagrams, and closeups of significant sections of every painting explore the specific methods the artists used to create each masterpiece, focusing on the function of line, three-dimensional form, space, color, design, brushwork, and technical procedures.

Practice exercises are included in many lessons to teach the reader to apply, and recognized, the varied techniques of the masters. The reader will find landscapes, seascapes, portraits, still lifes, and figures by the greatest masters of Western painting: Leonardo, Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Goya, Velasquez, El Greco, Rembrandt, Rubens, Durer, Vermeer, Bruegel, Ingres, Poussin, Corot, Renoir, Manet, Cezanne, Degas, Courbet, Monet, Gauguin, Turner, Constable, Gainsborough, Homer and Picasso, all in one volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Highly Overrated
Hearing so much praise for this book, after buying and reading it I was very disappointed.As an ardent collector of art books my opinion is that there is absolutely nothing here that is not said elsewhere and said better, and I could not disagree more strongly with these holy grail reviews.Examine a copy from a library before spending your money.

This is an amazing book
I bought this book based on several recommendations that it is a "life changer."Well, it may not be a life changer, but it sure changed my understanding of painting.It starts out with a brief but amazingly insightful discussion of principles (color, line, form, etc.) that influence paintings and their composition.The remainder of the book is page after page of quality images of master paintings where the author indicates and discusses how these principles were used.I'd rate this the best book of its type I have ever read.PS - The revised edition (1972) has more color plates and larger images than the earlier one (says the jacket).

Seeing Paint
I have the original "Painting Lessons from the Great Master." It is better for a number of reasons. For one thing it is larger. This is one of the truly good books on seeing and learning to paint. It is worth its weight in gold. J. Carter Brown doesn't spout out alot of mumbo jumbo that intimidates the "I can't draw a straight line'crowd; which is all of us. He is enormously generous with his profound knowledge of art; not like so many pundit/curator types. I truly love this book. I have read it dozens of times, everytime learning something new. If you can get the older version - 1968!

A profound text allowed to languish out of print!!
I am an artist who has persued the knowledge of classical drawing and painting, (as well as the joys of modern art)for at least a decade, and I believe that along with Robert Beverley Hales masterworks, this great book by Hereward Cooke is one of the most profound I have ever encountered.
It is not one of the typical "how to" art tuition books so prevalent now,those that are really just a sort of long winded advertisement for the artist/writer (and sad to say, often a very embarassing and mediocre ad at that).
This book is not for the hobby painter who just wants a pretty effect. This is a serious and profound study of the thousands of ideas , both simple and subtle, that painters have developed over umpteen generations, and which in the 20th century were almost lost to us. But this is the 21st Century!! Lets learn to match inspiration with inspired technique and understanding. Watson and Guptill really should reprint this gem, REALLY!! ... Read more

Product Description
Art as Therapy introduces the theory and practice of art therapy in a concise, accessible and informative way. Tessa Dalley's introduction gives an overview of basic issues, research and development. Subsequent chapters, written by specialists, are chosen to demonstrate the ways in which art therapy can be applied to different client groups, in a variety of clinical settings. These include children, adolescents suffering from anorexia nervosa, the mentally handicapped, the elderly and terminally ill, those in psychiatric hospitals and prison inmates. Illustrated case studies provide visual explanations for the art therapy processes and the final chapter discusses training for the profession. Art as Therapy has been welcomed by art therapists, social workers, psychologists, nurses and teachers. ... Read more

Product Description
The city is a never-ending source of subject matter for artists, and watercolour is one good way of capturing these images. This book shows how to look at the city, recognize the aesthetic quality of its panoramas, and capture them in watercolour. Numerous exercises give step-by-step guidance on how to apply the techniques described. This book is aimed specifically at artists who are just beginng to paint buildings. ... Read more

Product Description
Join the countless professionals who have benefited from the best "how to" storytelling guide available today. Storytelling: Art and Technique is a proven handbook and selection tool that shows you how to select, prepare, and tell stories to and for children aged 3 to 13. Ideal for both beginning and experienced storytellers working in public or school library settings, this useful volume reveals the storyteller's art--from planning through performance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A decent book on storytelling to children
This book wasn't that much help to me, but I was looking for something that I thought I could glean from this book to help me with storytelling to teenagers and young adults. If you only want info on storytelling for young children this book is probably a good one.

A Wonderful Resource for Beginning Storytellers
"Storytelling:Art & Technique" is an excellent book for anybody interested in becoming a storyteller.It begins with the history, purpose, and value of storytelling.The chapters on selecting andpreparing a story are very helpful. Also included is information onstorytelling to different audiences, from children with special needs toyoung adults.At the end are thirteen delightful stories to tell.Eachstory contains the source, culture, telling time, audience, and notes ontelling.I found this chapter as well as the appendix full of sources tobe incredibly valuable!Although this book can be a little dry in places,it is an outstanding resource for storytellers, especially those juststarting out! ... Read more

Product Description
Crafters and stitchers--especially parents, teachers, and child-care providers--will love this unusual, easy, and inexpensive craft. Projects include simple bracelets, hand puppets, stuffed hand puppets, and decorative art pieces for home and gift use. 200 color illustrations.Amazon.com Review
The essential materials of feltmaking are basic--wool, hotsoapy water, a pair of scissors, and your hands--yet the results areanything but simple. This attractive book explains how to get startedin the craft, then thoroughly explores making ropes, beads, and flatpieces of felt (the three basic feltmaking techniques). From there,the felt you create can become sculpted figures, flowers, butterflies,masks, vessels, puppets, buttons and other clothing embellishments,various wearables, and even a miniature scene with manipulatablefigures. All of the techniques and projects are carefully explained instep-by-step detail and supported by clear color photos. Most of theitems have a lovely folk-art quality, with vivid colors and handmadecharm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good for teaching kids.
This is a good book for teaching beginning felters and children. The instructions are clear. But, projects are very simplistic and basic.

Nice instructions
A lot of projects are not my taste, but there are a lot of different project ideas and instructions are very clear.

the art of felt making
I am really sorry ( as i hate not giving good reviews) but i found this book far too simple and childish in its finished felt.Now having said this, I CAN see a use for it in schools. The ideas were most suited to young children i thought. A good weekend/holiday craft book for the children to have some fun and keep out of mums hair. lol

Easy to learn!
This book explains very well how the is the wool felting process! And now I can make my own felt pieces!!!!

Better if you're curious about felt than if you are looking for something specific...
This is a good book, wonderfully illustrated, with clear directions.It is definitely a good resource for the beginner.However, I was looking to do something specific (make dolls), so only a small portion of the book was pertinent to my task.I should have realized that from the title - it does say that there are lots of different projects to make.The other thing is that this book only covers a single method of felting - called 'wet felting'.There is also a method called 'needle felting', which is not covered in this book at all.I find needle felting easier, less messy, and more 'airy' looking... all of which I liked better for the project I was doing. That said, wet felting is definitely the way to go with kids.It takes a lot of elbow-grease, but is rewarding and fun.This book would be good for someone experimenting with different wet felting projects and those doing projects with kids. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (25)

Excellent Book
Excellent Book! Wish I had purchased sooner.Good easy to follow tips, clear instructions, needed details.I am back into my mosaic projects.Mary in NC

Excellent resource
One of the best sections of this book shows how the same mosaic looks using different color of grout - the first time I'd seen this - and I found it very helpful. It is an excellent resource book; I keep going back to it for more information.

A Great Reference Book
This book documents everything you'd want to know about all types of mosaics.It has great photos that show step by step "how to".I was left with all my questions answered and I felt ready to begin my own project.

Great book to learn different techniques
I have to agree with some of the other reviewers.This is a good book for beginners to learn some of the basic techniques to create mosaics.There really are not any patterns in the book that you can duplicate to begin working your craft.But it will provide you with a great initial knowledge base to get you on your way.

Great for intermediate mosaic artists
This is a great book if you want to grow as a mosaic artist.I recommend this to all my mosaic students who are wanting to speed up the process and explore new methods in the medium.It visually depicts all the steps in a particular process in very colorful and vivid photos, and the section on laying techniques is excellent.There are no specific projects in this book, but if you are dreaming of a project that is more advanced, this is the book to buy. ... Read more

Product Description
Through his student Kay Morrisey Thompson, master calligrapher Ukai Uchiyama teaches readers the language of sumi-e, the distinctive Japanese calligraphy which combines Zen spirituality and boldly mimetic natural images.This beautiful volume, winner of the Good Design Award from the American Booksellers Association, offers striking illustrations in black and white and color of its lessons on the practice and philosophy of sumi-e.Readers are encouraged to learn about the bamboo-handled brushes and ink sticks, experiment with simple naturalistic forms, and explore the history and spiritual foundation of an art form which this book makes accessible to Westerners for the first time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

It"s OK
Clear and straightforward.My students like.I have used it for a year.Works OK.

Sumi-e Detail Lacking
While this book was informative about Sumi-E it did not give detailed information regarding technique.It is more of a general overview rather than something an artist already skilled in the medium can use.

Inspiring and Informative-Great text for Students!
Any intelligent student of Japanese Brush Painting will recognize the importance of
Kay Morrisey Thompson's stunning book "The Art and Techniques of Sumi-e" which
has been in demand since 1960 and has been awarded the Good Design Award by the
American Booksellers Association. Her text is beautifully written and clearly
moves the student along from the basics into the impressionistic world of
Sumi-e.
One cannot "lump" Chinese art and Sumi-e(a Japanese style) together or they will have completely missed the inspiring philosophy and impressionistic link with
Shodo ( Japanese calligraphy) as illustrated by the artist Sensei Uchiyama.All
Dedicated Sumi-e students should realize that their goal is to first master and understand their
basic strokes and then personalize this artform to reflect their individualizm. Although brush painting originated in China, the Japanese Zen Buddhist priests adapted it to their culture. Therefore, the word
"Sumi-e-"is a Japanese word describing a Japanese style of painting. It's
meaning "ink picture" is a very broad term which allows the student to be creative.
To understand this very complex ancient art the student
must read and explore as many available books as possible about brush painting to broaden his or her
horizons. This book should definitely be on the student's "Must Have" list.

A Grand Title for a Rubbish Book
Any person hoping to learn the art of Sumi-e will be poorly served by this book.
All the illustrations are hurried and rough.The author tries to explain this away by stating that the illustrations were hurried through for inclusion in the book.
Absolute rubbish!!Any reasonable Sumi-e or Chinese painter can do a very quick but quite beautiful painting.
If you want two very good examples of books to buy then look no further than "Chinese Painting Techniques" by Alison Stilwell Cameron, or "Chinese Painting Techniques for Exquisite Watercolors" by Lian Quan Zhen.
Both these books are superb.
I own all three of the titles here and can truly say that "The Art and Technique of Sumi-e.." is very poorly presented and I never use or read it.

Excellent instructions, beautiful illustrations
This is an excellent book for any student of Japanese ink painting.The author's clear instructions focus on technique as well as the spiritual side of sumi-e. The illustrations are exceptionally beautiful & worth the price alone.

The book starts out by discussing materials as well asa student's mindset. Line brush strokes, washes and calligraphy brushworkare then detailed & illustrated.

The author then talks about thefour gentlemen of Japan. They include the orchid, bamboo, plum &chrysanthemum. Because they are so varied, practicing these has reallyhelped my paintings improve.

Many other subject types are covered. Someinclude grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vegetables, birds, and animals.Landscape element techniques encompass rocks, clouds and mountains. ... Read more

Product Description
The creative arts are a powerful tool for therapists who wantto provide effective therapy experiences for their clients. The magicof the arts touches the spirit and promotes a level of communicationthat is different from everyday life. The person running these groupsmust play many roles: facilitator, teacher, artist and therapist. Itis a journey of discovery and wonder. You will learn why the creativearts are an important element in therapy, what it means to becreative, what enhances creativity and what hinders it, how creativearts groups interact to promote discovery of self and others and howto run effective groups from the initial planning to closure for agroup that is ending. The second part of the book describes thecreative arts, giving you specific information about visual andtactile arts, drama therapy, theater games and improvisations,clowning, music, dance/movement, movement exploration, meditation andcreative visualization. Along with the d!escriptions, there are over240 activity ideas for you to use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hopeful
I have yet to receieve this book. It said up to 15 business days, and it has been much more than that. I am not sure what route to take about either getting the book or getting a refund.

Good Art Therapy college level book
I bought this book for my Expresive Art Therapy class in college, and it has been very useful. I have been looking other books for my reasearch paper, and I would say some of those books show more excercises.This gives a generalized idea on what the Art therapy sources are and how you can use them. ... Read more

Product Description
Bomb the wall.

Once viewed as merely a blemish on the urban landscape, graffiti today has evolved into a legitimate art form in its own right, influencing entertainment, advertising, fashion and other creative industries worldwide.

In this unprecedented book, master graffiti artist Scape Martinez shows how he does his thing, offering streetwise advice to help other "writers" create maximum-impact, legally sanctioned work. Step by step, he lays out the philosophies and realities of the genre. From picking a "tag" and developing letterforms, to the logistics of prepping a wall and working a spray can in a painterly fashion, Graff will help you find your style and leave your mark--large and loud.

• A breakdown of the fundamental elements of graffiti-style--letters, character, backgrounds - and how they work together and intermingle with arrows, symbols, quotes and tags
• From paper to wall, a start-to-finish approach for creating graffiti in various styles
• 5 on-site step-by-step demonstrations show the creation of various types of compositions, from throw ups to full-blown pieces.

IMPACT your art! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

art and technique
i got this for a my girl and she wasn't to happy with this book. i thought it was interesting. with the different bombs and such. but i guess it's not what my girl expected it would be.

Amazing Book.....
This book has provided countless hours of enjoyment for my teen who is interested in graffiti art.The book is of immense practical and educational benefit and has proven to be one of my son's most-loved possessions. Thank you Scape Martinez!!!

If you can't beat them, join them!
As graffiti is now a recognized art form and in the right places it can look awesome, I decided to support my son in his endeavor to invent his own artistic expression. He is so taken with graffiti that he wanted to know more about it. The book makes a point of the fact that it is illegal to graffiti in public places. I also bought him a sketch book (black book) so he wouldn't be tempted to use our walls!

An excellent graffiti how-to book
In this excellent book, graffiti artist Scape Martinez offers step-by-step instructions on how to create graffiti art. The book covers all aspects of graffiti,such as tagging, letter development, color selection and spray painting techniques. Full-colordemonstrations and easy-to-follow text accompany a timeline tracing graffiti's history throughout the book. We love this book and use it a lot for reference.

Bought this for my son...
Had to pick out a book on graffiti which I know nothing about but I picked a winner.Book is well written with great pictures and very informative. ... Read more

Product Description
If you are a digital artist, illustrator, cartoonist, graphic artist, designer, or serious hobbyist looking for new and interesting ways to use Photoshop, this is the book for you! You already know how to use Photoshop as an image editing tool; now, challenge yourself and discover the more artistic aspects of the program with one of the world's best teachers by your side.

In addition to four brand new chapters on real world projects, this new edition of award-winning digital artist Derek Lea's bestselling Creative Photoshop contains several brand new features such as "What you'll learn in this chapter" summaries, so you can quickly find projects using the specific tools you'd like to focus on, and supplementary information at the end of each chapter, containing useful resources and additional gallery images to provide further study and inspiration. As you work through Derek's fantastic artistic methods, be sure to visit www.creativephotoshopthebook.com for more information, including the project files for each chapter, available for download for you to work with, a reader forum, and more.

*Stunning images from award winning digital artist Derek Lea inspire you to push your own creativity further than you even thought possible
*Compatible with previous versions of Photoshop
*Explore Photoshop from an entirely unique perspective as you learn how to create graffiti, antique effects, stencil art, and so much more
*Fully updated throughout for CS4, plus four brand new chapters on real world projects that combine traditional art methods with Photoshop to create tactile images ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Not for intermediate or advanced users
I think this book would be good for beginners. Perhaps people who have a basic knowledge of photoshop and want to start learning new techniques would get a lot out of it.
I work in photoshop every day at my job and this book was way too basic for me. Also, i agree with the other reviews: be careful, the style of the illustrations that are being taught could heavily dominate the work you create for clients and yourself. in some cases that might be okay in other cases it could be hideous. take the designs with a grain of salt ad don't forget your own designers eye!

great book, fast shipping, very happy
I felt secure when buying from amazon. transaction was fast.
But the book is awesome, easy to follow and takes you from ground to top (mid level would say) you have to know some photoshop it is not for beginners.

Fantastic resource
Couldn't find a copy of this locally (South Australia) to have a good look through before deciding to purchase, but was intrigued by the techniques noted and the style of art that Derek Lea used to explain his skill set. Am glad to have made the decision to grab a copy and recommend it highly. The examples shown cover a wide range of styles, effects, working methods and considered processes that clearly explain how Derek approaches and executes his art within Photoshop. I'm a fan of his 'look' and it appeals to me directly - however, I'm also equally sure that you don't need to necessarily love his subject matter to learn a lot and gain some useful and well defined knowledge. The book is very well presented and intelligently designed to make both a favourable impression and aid the learning process. Each technique section is independent of others, so you can read through individual projects in any order, rather then start at the beginning and wait to get to the bits you really want to read. If, just like me you're seriously considering a purchase, then I can only say that this is a great resource and a welcome addition to my library.

Regurgitated Material From Previous Book
Bought creative photoshop last year, bought creative photoshop cs4 a couple days ago. What a rip off. More than half of the book has the same materials and excersises fro the previous edition I bought. Avoid focal press and author Derek Lea. Not worth it.

Awesome Book
This book is well written. If you're the type of learner who does well with written step-by-step tutorials, then you will probably like this book. I was looking for a book that covered Adobe Photoshop CS4 exclusively and that's exactly what this book delivers. ... Read more

Product Description
Now available in paperback! Acrylic paint is the preferred choice for most artists. Now there's an all-in-one sourcebook that demonstrates how every artist can exploit this medium to open up an unlimited range of creative possibilities!In Acrylic Painting Techniques clear, step-by-step lessons show artists how to use acrylic paint transparently, translucently, or opaquely; apply watercolor and oil painting techniques with acrylics; extend the versatility of acrylic paints with gels, gouaches, metallics, and gessos; and much more. Readers will also discover how to combine other mediums like charcoal, Conté crayon, and casein with acrylics to create a variety of unique effects.For every artist interested in creating expert paintings with acrylic paints, this is your best one-stop source of tested tips and techniques! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Quiller - Acrylic Painting Techniques
Acrylic Painting Techniques
This book is an excellent source of ideas and inspiration for artists looking to expand their understanding of acrylics and mixed media. It is thoughtfully and thoroughly written by someone with great reverence for the nature from which he takes his inspiration.

A wonderful informative book
This book is a must for all acrylic painters who want to explore different techniques.It contains many different ideas that can be used with acrylic paints together with other mediums.I highly recommend it.

A master at work
This is a great book by Stephen Quiller who is a master artist in acrylic. His books explains all about how he accomplishes that with ease. For me, the impressionistic paintings are a beauty to behold and I've admired Quiller's work for years and now I know how he does it.

Dont expect to much
I should have read the reviews more carefully. The author does mostly introduce its own style. Yes, the colorwheel is useful.But most of the techniques are kind of special and in my opinion it is a matter of taste if you like to use them. As much as you might like the authors paintings - or not. What I found very nice about the book is the introduction and the thorough coverage of the media and all its 'helpers'.

Anyhow, if you are looking for an introduction to acrylic painting with some step-by-step examples and useful hints, this is most likely not the right book for you.

Not for the beginning acrylic artist
I found this book to be very helpful in experimenting with new ideas for my paintings.However, it is not for the beginning artist.This book shows various techniques but it won't show you how to paint a picture step by step ... Read more

Product Description
This liberating guide teaches artists how to begin, design and apply collage techniques in exciting new ways. It features fascinating work from 50 leading collage artists who explain their techniques in easy-to-follow, step-by-step demonstrations. Seven different sections encourage artists to stretch the relationships between color, texture, shape and paper. Following 100 innovative demonstrations, artists will achieve amazing results from mixing collage with other mediums, including watercolor, acrylics, unique papers and more. Those who work in watercolor or acrylic will find that this book can help them boost creativity and add a new kind of excitement to their work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Creative Collage Techniques
This book is jam packed with fabulous surface techniques for various types of collage.I find it especially interesting and informative since many of the techniques involve altering paper, and I am an artist that works with paper.I would recommend this book for anyone who works with paper of any degree - collage, art books, altered books, card making, sculpting, etc.

Kathy Metz-Carson

Be inspired!
Paging through this book I immediately wanted to get out to my studio and paint! There are so many ideas. Though I've done some of the exercises previously, the way they're presented has given me new ways to work with collage materials. Good for beginners and those who want to get out of a painting rut (me!). Highly recommend it.

Unique and Invaluable Collage How-To
I had been making collages for eight or nine years when I stumbled on this book in a secondhand book store. Paging through it, I was amazed and fascinated by its clear, practical, thoroughgoing presentation of contemporary collage fundamentals, illustrated by clear and appropriate photos which complemented and enriched the text. As noted elsewhere, the book showcases the work of a number of different artists, with each finished collage illustrating the particular technique or materials being discussed. It also features numerous photos of the steps involved in specific types of collage. As promised on the cover, the book is "a step-by-step guide including 52 demonstrations and the work of over 60 artists."

This book gets the reader started almost immediately on several highly doable beginning-level projects: initiating a "treasure hunt" for materials you are likely to have around your house or apartment, making rubbings from readily available textured materials, using simple colored shapes to produce "your own Matisse." Its tone is lively and encouraging: "Collage can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Anyone can do it. Take this fascinating medium as far as you want to go with it. Reach for the stars from the top of the Ferris wheel! It won't cost much if you start with simple, discarded materials. Don't think about making art...play for a while."

Even while nudging the reader into hands-on collage-making, authors Nita Leland and Virginia Lee Williams manage to slip in a succinct and informative history of collage. On page 2, they also provide a handy boxed summary of major collage terms, with the phonetic pronunciation of each term in parentheses. I loved this feature because, for all the time I had been actively and enjoyably making all kinds of collages, I had no idea I was engaged in "bricolage" "froissage," or even "frottage"-- and I had just begun to branch out into mixed-media assemblage, but without knowing I was grossly mispronouncing the word "assemblage"!

Besides my failure to sign up for French 101 when I had the chance, I failed to consider going to art school during my prime-time years. So in the area of collage and the "paper arts" in general, I suppose I could describe myself as self-taught -- meaning I bumbled around with my papers and paints for some time, quizzing art store employees about basic supplies, producing a series of disastrous messes interspersed by a few really gratifying creations, devouring every vaguely relevant book or magazine I could find. I now think I might have gotten a better grip on the fundamentals from the outset, and maybe made faster and steadier progress, if only I had known about this book.

*Creative Collage Techniques* may technically beclassifiable as a textbook -- and both authors, besides being working artists themselves, are clearly experienced workshop instructors -- but please don't interpret this to mean that the book is in any way dry, "academic," or overly theoretical. From start to finish, it is great fun. It keeps on grabbing your interest with new ideas and techniques that build on the basics the authors have already taught you while communicating their personal enthusiasm and joy in creating. I went back to some of the things I was already doing myself and tried "doing it their way" instead, since they offered so many helpful new tips I had not found elsewhere. These covered essentials (protecting non-archival papers) as well as electives (speeding up drying time by hanging two hair dryers above your work table). I also picked up some new information about working with acrylic paints and mediums, which is covered in some detail. Refreshingly, however -- unlike the growing number of acrylics books with barely concealed corporate sponsorship -- Leland and Williams do NOT use this as an opportunity to promote a particular line or to urge purchase of specialized and costly products such as specific unusual hues or "gourmet" gel mediums (e.g., self-leveling, resinous and stringy, pumice-containing). Under "Acknowledgments," they thank personnel at multiple companies, including Liquitex, Golden, and Dr. Ph. Martin.

No other collage resource, to my knowledge, covers such a wide range of topics in such clear and complete detail -- everything from principles of color selection and design to multiple ways of creating customized collage papers.Regarding the many collages presented as examples, I personally did not find these all that intimidating -- possibly because I had already perused so much other intimidating art in other books! In this regard, the book that comes most readily to mind is *Collage Sourcebook: Exploring the Art and Techniques of Collage*, which to me is a portable paperback gallery of gorgeous and often wildly unattainable creations, some of which took months if not years to complete. Realistically, I am just not going to be whipping up complex fabric collages incorporating vintage materials and lots of fancy machine-stitching any time soon; nor am I likely to invest in a printing press for a little avocational collography. I am much more likely to try the majority of the many interesting and far more accessible methods presented in *Creative Collage Techniques*. (Some of the collages in the Leland and Williams book do show a high level of drawing ability which not all of us have yet attained -- but one of the big pluses of collage, for many of us, is that skill and experience in representational drawing are purely optional.)

Admittedly -- though this is not a deficit at all from my perspective -- the Leland and Williams book is light on some of the trendiest current topics: complex (and sometimes costly) methods of image transfer, advanced manipulation of photographs using $300 professional software, etc. Information on such topics is readily available elsewhere. Also look elsewhere for the particulars of scrapbooking, book arts and altered-book "journaling," or any method that relies heavily on what Gwen Diehn calls highly determined materials: other artists' prefab rubber stamp images, manufactured stickers or stencils, fancy die-cutting machines, and the like. In the spirit of the most timeless and classic principles of making purely original art, these authors describe a large variety of strictly DIY methods for creative transformation of the most basic generic materials -- everything from distressing collage supports to embedding your own leaves and grasses in your own rice paper. When they do suggest a slightly more exotic material, they always describe just what it is and provide the name of a source.

The one project I found a tiny bit far-out -- albeit very attractive and intriguing -- involved "peeled paper." I wish the authors had suggested one or two alternatives to the kind of paper they advocate using for the technique, which they describe as "300 lb. rough Indian handmade paper." But this is really the most minuscule of gripes, as well as being my sole criticism of an otherwise wonderful book.

In all the ways that matter most, *Creative Collage Techniques* is the most practical and purely delightful guide to collage I have ever encountered anywhere.It offers endless learning and something for everyone, from the tentative beginner to the seasoned pro. Assuming you love making collages or would love to start, please do yourself a tremendous favor and get your hands on a copy of this book. If you are like me, you will soon be wondering what you ever did without it.

Collage Techniques
As a long time artist I still like to review and buy books of various techniques. You can always get inspirations and new ideas. People can learn of new supplies and new uses of different items in this book. The pictures and instructions are clear and helpful.

Collage Techniques
Excellent resource book for beginning artists and people interested in collage media. Pictures and instructions are very good. I have learned from it. ... Read more