EG Books

This is the perfect gift for the deadhead in your life!! Very informative, and neat pictures as well. You will love this book.

I bought this set as a Christmas gift for my son. He was very happy with me and the set.

This was an excellent gift for a Grateful Dead fanatic. He loved it and uses it all the time!

It's very easy to get lost in this book, if you care about Grateful Dead lyrics. Steve Urbauer Stephen Urbauer

I was a little disappointed to find that some of the songs that were not written by the dead but clearly made famous by them were not in the book. How can you not have song's like dark hollow in the book. Who is the original writer of that? I have no idea but the dead made that song. I feel it is one of there best and to not include that one and others was for me personally a bit of a let down.

An excellent book showing many and varied techniques with very easy instructions. This book is very inspiring.

This book has great, inspirational photos and very good instructions. My main disappointment with it is the authors attitude toward silk paints (i.e., not dyes). I have used several varieties of the paints that are made to mimic dyes and find them to work very well, leave the silk soft and be very easy to use. They are a great way for a beginner to get started and try most of the same techniques used with dyes without the hassle of steaming or the toxicity. I am glad that I had some experience silk painting before I got this book because her attitude would have discouraged me from every trying. Aside from that - it's an excellent book, worth the price and full of great pictures to inspire you.

You name it she tells you how to do it. For beginner & Intermediate silk painters. Educational, Informative and well formatted. My only suggestion is a ring binding so the book could lay flat when it is being used for refeence.

I love this book! I think the blend of historical content and variety of techniques described make this the perfect book in your resource library!

An excellent, comprehensive guide for the beginning silk painter. The author demonstrates many inspirational designs and recommends her preferences for dyes (by brand), gutta, and other resist options. I've not painted on silk before and, after reading this book, I feel I have all the knowledge I need to begin painting on silk.

Having found myself a little out of depth as regards people needing release from pain and stress, I have found the practicality of this book invaluable. It has opened my eyes to understand a lot more of the history of art therapy, and the exercises are helpful. I found the pictures included also enable one to grasp some of the concepts within the text and the layout of the book makes it exciting reading.

The book is incredible introduction to art therapy.
I am personally writing my thesis on art therapy and it has proven an invaluable resource.

Great read and quite informative

An excellent primer for a psychotherapist who uses art for evaluation and treatment in psychotherapy.

Usually these types of books are theoritical (for example why art therapy works) while this one is practical with many activities to work with.

This is an informative book for Art Therapists or those interested in learning more about Art Therapy. It is written in a easy, readable manner. I am an Art Therapist and I used it a lot when doing research for a presentation and found it very helpful.

Egypt: Yesterday and Today

After reading this beautifully illustrated table-top book comparing Egyptian scenes of the past and present, we purchased it for our granddaughter who is planning a career as an Egyptologist. The artwork is super, and the narrative is clear and crisp. An outstanding gift.

Many books on David Robert's are small or not generous enough to allow you full scope to enjoy his paintings or they focus on his Levantine paintings.

This book is probably the best around that is not to expensive but gives you a feel for his grand Egyptian paintings. Some really nice ones of Sphinx, pyramids and also some of the lesser temples feature. The only other book which is now out of print that deals with this subject well is Peter Clayton's the Re-discovery of Ancient Egypt. Thames and Hudson.

This book is no more available in France (I'm from Paris), and I saw some sketches of David Roberts a trip in Aswan, so wished discover his work. I am delighted with this book. The high quality of printing, the intersting texts (even for a french citizen) are what was expecting. The most spectacular sketches are those of Isis temple that show the paintings on columns and ceiling nowadays disapeared. It is also fascinating to see the evolution of egyptian civilisation from 19th century and today, regarding way of life and architecture.
In one word : thank you mister Roberts.

As in the previous Roberts books, this format of a real-life photograph side by side with the artist's rendering of the same scene gives the reader a very reflective perspective into the Ancient World.

This is a most amazing book, it has both water colours and photos of the sights of Ancient Egypt. As a reminder of a special holiday or a factual account it is the best. The size of the book makes it prominent coffee table book and easy to just pick up and dip into another wondeful page.

This book was extremely useful to me, it really provides me a clear picture of the colors,textures and designs of that time.

For the embroiderer interested in historical needlework, this book belongs in your library. It's a wonderful treatment of embroidery techniques from the 18th century.

The book has a good bit of "how to" information in it - and a lot of "how they did it" information - as well as beautiful photos of 18th century needlework (especially on clothing), and many diagrams of typical designs.

It's also a very readable book. The author includes historical anecdotes, excerpts of personal letters from the era, and some interesting nitty-gritty details about costs and labor. Very interesting stuff!

Gorgeous and fascinating! I love embroidery, so the history and reference in this book are especially interesting. Very good value.

This book has an abundance of photos of actual gaments to illustrate the various stitches. Anyone who loves this period of dress, and the details of fabric decoration that made the 18th C.costume unique, should have this book. Whether they are into making their own pirate coats, or just admiring the amount of work that our ancestors put into the highest fashions of the day, this is a valuable reference.

This book is well researched and presents clear detailed descriptions of a fascinating subject. I love the inserted quotes especially those from the ever chatty Mrs Delany. (I highly recommend the wonderful book by Ruth Hayden "Mrs Delany Her Life and her Flowers") The only reason I chose to give this book 4 stars rather than 5 is the lack of color photos of the garments. Too many of the items are represented by simple line sketches making them difficult to visualize.

Sandra has done it again - written the ultimate bible of stenciling! Many new and wonderful techniques are shown with clear instructions and wonderful step-by-step full color photographs. The chapters on faux marquetry and imitation textiles was fasinating, showing that anyone can stencil beautiful finishes with the best part being, it doesn't look stencilled! The designs are very up to date, touching on all the hot decorating trends. She also includes classical designs that will be here forever. I have been teaching stenciling for 15 years and I'm going to recommend this book for both my beginners and for seasoned experts. Perfect for all you 'Trading Spaces' followers who want to easily and quickly add a new painted accent to your home. I am going to try a velvet scarf with the amazing devore technique, I think they might just be what everyone on my gift list will be getting this year. I can make lots for a fraction of what it would cost to buy them. Sandra finishes the book with lots of sources for materials and a detailed reading list. If I could give more than 5 stars I would! Can you tell I'm trilled with this book? It's the first and only review I have ever written!

This lady is brilliant. Anyone who thinks that stenciling isn't an "art" has yet to read this book.

I first decided to buy the book because I had not done stenciling before and was considering doing some of it on projects I have under way with a friend. It appeared to have the "basics" I needed and some clever ideas to boot. Was I surprised when I finally sat down, almost a month later, to actually read the book. I literally read it from cover to cover. I couldn't put it down!!

Not only does Sandra Buckingham present the basic techniques of stenciling, she gives the reader a short course in art and design. She does this without bogging the beginner in too-much-information all at once, but with clear concepts and how they are applied throughout the book
(my favorite tip is that things don't cast shadows on the sky behind them!) Along with the notes on materials, equipment, care of tools, and safety tips was information on color, design and perspective.

While the author states up front that this is not a book of "projects" to produce, in fact many of the illustrations of technique would be workable as projects as they are presented. Her primary intention is to provide a compendium of techniques to equip the reader to do their own projects in novel and creative ways, and she succeeds quite amply. I thought of dozens of ways to apply what I read and have definite plans for using them.

Although many of the techniques the author presents are probably more than a little time consuming and some of them fairly complex, that their results are stunning is immediately apparent from the wonderful photos in the book and obviously worth the time spent on them. I have no doubt that the clients for whom she has produced these miracles are more than pleased with the results.

Especially delightful were the picket fence (p. 190) and children's room designs (p. 151-157). Even something as simple as a saying stenciled on the wall over a child's bed made the room more charming and personal (p. 264). My immediate thought on seeing the latter was that "someone loved sleeps there."

Amazing too were the impasto techniques that create an architectural or embossed look where they were used. The description of the method seemed very straight forward, and I will definitely give it a try, on paper projects if not on a larger scale. The foil and metal embossing also caught my attention as easily learned techniques that I might use in the immediate future for one of the projects on which I'm currently at work .

I found the artist's trompe l'oeil effects were tremendous. The fresco painters of ancient Pompeii would have been proud of her work. The rich looking red and gold drape on wrought iron rod (p. 168) and the delightful checkered gingham swag over headboard (p. 169) were impressive enough, but the shear curtain suspended from rings (p. 171) is utterly breathtaking!

If you're interested in new techniques for multiple types of surface, whether paper, wood, plastic, glass, ceramic, plaster walls, whatever, this is the definitely the book for you.

I picked this up through the "buy used" option from Amazon at a very reasonable price, although its worth the retail price and am very happy with it. I do a lot of crafts/stencils and find this book to add much to my knowledge base for stencilling. It's really complete and quite a substantial book. The pictures and text are thorough as well as inspiring. I will definately utilize the techniques shown. If your beginning or already an experienced stenciler this book is a good resource to have in your library. It seems so good to finally buy a book that delivers what it sells. Alehar

You can't go wrong with any book by Sandra Buckingham, and she has really outdone herself this time. This has to be the most comprehensive book on stenciling ever published.

Stencilers who want a complete handbook to the art, from choosing between materials and tools to understanding paint differences, glazes, and equipment, will find The Complete Stenciling Handbook packed with essential details. The chapters on how to create different stencil effects, from producing raised art to using layered patterns, supplement techniques and discussions with plenty of color photos illustrating finished results. An excellent comprehensive guide.

as another reviewer pointed out on this book: Stamp!: Tips, Techniques, and Projects for Stamp Lovers(2004)-this book Stamp Art-was entirely reprinted in that book. While this is a great book for stamp artists, I did want to forewarn anyone, like me, who owns many craft books that this book has been reprinted so double check before you order it that you don't already own it.

Other than that-Sharilyn Miller puts out a great rubber stamping book-full of easy to follow instructions and full color photos. Recommended.

This book was a wealth of information on everything we stampers want to know and learn about. There are tons of projects and techniques to keep you busy for a very long time. And in the back there is a helpful section of terms and resources. If you have a limited amount of dollars to spend on books about stamping then I would suggest that this book should be a "must have" for your stamping library. It was worth every penny I paid for it.

The current trend (2005) in rubber stamping seems to be collage with an emphasis on the scrapbooking or altered books. This book gives you inspiration to take any of your paper obsessions a step farther.
The beautiful color photos, coupled with clear instructions help you imitate the design given or use that as a starting point for your own creation.

This book is a must have is you are involved in the paper arts.

I've been playing around with rubber stamps and card making for awhile and have a few great books in my collection - this is definitely one of them! I've never been to a rubber stamping class or anything, just have been learning techniques from books and this one definitely has great instructions. The steps are clear, materials required are listed out, and there are lots of pictures. The samples are beautiful which make it that much more fun. The different techniques range from faux finishes to marbled surfaces to masking/layering/stenciling to reverse stamping to deep thermal embossing etc etc. There are also some neat projects like making little books. I've tried most of the techniques - all have been easy to do with the help of the steps and explainations. What a great craft this is!!

This is a wonderful book for stampers of all levels. It starts out by describing the basic materials & techniques used in stamping. Then it both demonstrates & explains step-by-step each of 15 techniques by various artists.

Some of my favorite projects include faux postage stamps, stamped booklets, miniature books, stamp carving & reverse stamping. An easy, less messy approach to marbling surfaces was indispensable to me.

The 3 galleries focusing on artistic stamping, altered surfaces, & mixed media effects are of great inspiration. Another gallery section shows a wide variety of techniques made with just one stamp, such as cranes or grapevines.

The glossary, extensive resource list & directory of artists are great bonuses. If you're looking for fresh stamping ideas focusing on non-cute, artistic stamping this is the book for you.

I have taken classes from Rice' and every class has taught me something new and inspired me creatively. I'm an experienced editor and agree better proof reading was needed but her examples and information and her association with other artists included in the book are the most important reason for buying it. If her name is on a book, buy it. She has a new book coming out in October 2004 and I am anxious to buy it too.

This book is delightfully full of creative uses of rubber stamps by talented artisans in many mediums. The author has explained every project in easy-to-understand terms. Projects are separated into sections, such as "for the home," which makes it easy to select a project, and each section has a well-written introduction by the author. I didn't find one project I didn't like or wouldn't want to reproduce. The photography is wonderful! Any little petty glitches, which you'll find in any book, are easily overlooked because of the innovative subject matter and the masterful photos. (Even the revered "Chicago Manual of Style" has typos!) If you want something a little different, this is the book I recommend. It's worth every penny I spent on it, and I look forward to more great books by the author!

Overflowing with ideas and insider technique tips, Rice and friends present us with bountiful inspiration in this enthusiastic, well-illustrated book. It's not just a must-read but a must-OWN if you're involved with paper and fiber arts. The tip about silk screen ink (for art on fabric) saved me weeks of reinventing the wheel, and that's just one very small note in a book chock FULL of fabulous ideas and projects. Thank you, Rice!

This Instructional Project Book offers wonderful projects by today's renowned top artists in stamping, clay, collage, etc. However typographical errors distract from the step-by-step instructions.
Xyron is one of the most "top of mind" brands in the Arts and Crafts industry, but was referred to as Zyron several times throughout the book. I noticed misspelled words such as Dall instead of Doll and poor sentence structure.
I do not blame the author, but the Publishing House for proofreading errors. This shows lack of knowledge and details for the art form in which they are representing.
When I buy a book of this price point and with step-by-step instructions I expect top-notch editing!!!!

this book is awesome! there are so many projects and all of the doable! the colors, patterns, media and all the embellishments used make you want to do the projects. this one is a keeper for me.

It was everything i ever wanted. thanks.
and it came very fast. i appreciate that

The book came really fast and I was really pleased with it's condition hope to do more business!!!

The workbook is like the excercises inside the book. Well they are the excercises in the book just on paper so you can write on it.

A great asset to the Tonal Harmony book. The workbook makes the lessons come alive. Far more experiential than just reading the book.

The tonal harmony workbook contains exemplary exercises to provide efficient practice of the material covered in the text. The audio CD are definitely helpful in supplying aural guidance, and the Final Workbook CD-ROM is perfect for the Theory student (not yet in need of the complete, and extremely costly, version of Finale). Overall, the Tonal Harmony text and workbook are a great asset to any student of Music Theory over the lifetime of his/her musical career.

There are a few books on J.S. Bach's cantatas for the general readership.(*) However, none rivals Alfred Dürr's in its comprehensive coverage, in its scholarly information, in its lucid writing, and in its user-friendly layout. For those who are familiar with Bach scholarship, Dürr needs no introduction. He led the editing work of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, the new complete edition of Bachs works, and his credential on Bach scholarship is never a question. What one wants to know is whether he succeeded in producing a useful book. In my opinion, he more than did it! This massive volume, nearly 1000 pages in length, has added tremendously to my listening pleasure and deepen my understanding of Bach's cantatas. In a word, indispensable, for me and for any lovers of Bach's cantatas. This is especially true with the recent trend of Bach boxes which contain almost no information about the works.

This book is organized in 3 parts. Part 1, Introduction to Bach's Cantatas, includes a history of the genre before Bach, a chronological survey of the cantatas, and a 6-page discussion on performance practice. This covers the first 71 pages of the book. Part 2, Church Cantatas, and Part 3, Secular Cantatas, cover all Bach's cantatas. For each cantata, Dürr includes libretto in German-English (translated by Jones) parallel text, estimated time (**), instrumentation, a history of the work, and descriptions of each movement. The time signatures and keys are indicated on the upper-right corner of the texts. Many receive music examples integrated in the text.

There are 3 way to find a cantata. Dürr chose to organize the works according to the practical purposes for which they are written. The church cantatas, which constitute the majority, are ordered by their place in the liturgical calendar, and the secular cantatas by the types of occasion or venues for which they were written. The other 2 ways to find a cantatas is by the alphabetical order (of the beginning text) and by BWV numbers, which form 2 indexes at the end of the book.

Also included are: a table of abbreviation in the beginning, an extensive bibliography and a glossary of term at the end of the book.

This book is not meant to be at the cutting-edge of the Bach scholarship. There are other more specialized, more scholarly updated books on Bach's cantatas, notably Eric Chafe's Analyzing Bach Cantatas. However, for the general readership, nothing approaches this book in its comprehensiveness, depth, lucidity, and usefulness.(***)

Most highly recommended.

----------------------
(*) 1. Gillies Whittaker: The Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach (Oxford, 1959).
2. Richard Stokes: J. S. Bach: The Complete Cantatas.
[1 & 2 both treat every Bach's cantata then known.]
3. Alec Robertson: The Church Cantatas of J. S. Bach (New York, 1972).
4. Charles Terry: J. S. Bach Cantata Texts, Sacred and Secular (London, 1926).
5. Melvin Unger: Handbook to Bach's Sacred Cantata Texts: An Interlinear Translation with Reference Guide to Biblical Quotations and Allusions (Lanham, Md., 1996).
6. Murray Young: The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: An Analytical Guide (London, 1989)

(**) Estimate time is usually on the slow side. My conjecture is that this was the performance practice at the time of publication of the first (German) edition (1971).

(***) Buying tips: Oxford University Press' monographs on music tend to be more expensive in the U.S.. For this book, as well as Chafe's, the budget-conscious readers are advised to check out book vendors in the UK, e.g. Amazon's UK site.

Alfred Durr, co-editor of the Neue Bach Ausgabe, shares his wealth of knowledge of this vastly varied and enormously rich repertoire in this large, expensive, but excellent book.

The first section of the book traces the development of the sacred cantata as a genre through 1750. Durr here defines important terms and places Bach's works in historical context.

The bulk of the text is a presentation of the cantatas in the order of the liturgical calendar. For each cantata Durr provides the text, its English translation, and the circumstances surrounding the piece's composition. He also offers analyses/descriptions which vary from half a page for some of the briefer, simpler works, to ten pages for works of particular depth (BWV 106 comes to mind).

This book is an invaluable resource to Bach scholars, singers, and conductors. Also consider Marvin Unger's book on Bach's Cantata Texts for an intertextual look at Bach as theologian.

BMN

This is a dense and rewarding book for classical music fans as well as those interested in the German language. Worth the price.

...such as myself. Yes, yes, I know, it's bloomin' expensive for a paperback, but what a paperback! An essential companion to one of the greatest bodies of music ever written. Professor Dürr describes the cantatas in church year order, so first up is Advent cantata BWV61 "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" for the first Sunday in Advent. In addition to the church cantatas, you also get the secular cantatas and the Christmas Oratorio, not to mention detailed historical and musical descriptions. In short, a treasure trove of a book.

Alfred Durr's The Cantatas of J.S. Bach is the "bible" for any conductor, artistic director, church musician or music performer and listener that is interested in performing or understanding Bach's canon. Hi give it my highest recomendation.