Painting-the

Love this book for everything in it. Instruction, ideas, technique, lessons on what and what not to do in painting. Thanks for this one.

EXCELLENT BOOK AND WORTH A BIG PRICE BUT BUY THE 2000 ED BECAUSE OF ADDED MATERIAL. HIS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TECHNIQUE AND COMPOSITION ARE GREAT LEARNING TOOLS!!

No better data is available...BUY this book NOW!Read EVERY page!Become a better artist by practising Paynes wonderful insights into the real world of art.Whether a studio or plein air painter, this book has what you need

We had recently seen "The Last Samuri" so I was in the frame of mind to learn more about Japanese history and culture. I found this book on the Breakfast table one recent morning. The introduction and explanation of Kanji was clear and concise. This book provided a great beginning to the subject of how a culture influenced a language and how a language influenced a culture. I couldn't put it down for an hour or so. I'll refer to it often.

How lucky I was this holiday season to have received Designing with Kanji: Japanese Character Motifs for Surface, Skin and Spirit by Shogo Oketani and Leza Lowitz. From the beautiful cover to the exquisitely illustrated text Stonebridge Press has done it again! Oketani and Lowitz have taken an art form that is little understood in the United States and have made it accessible. I have always been drawn to "Asian things" in my home from artifacts to flower arranging, and the Kanji calligraphy and historical background helped me clarify my fascination with the genre. I had no idea there were other Kanji fonts such as modern and stylish for instance.I particularly appreciated the poetic description of each illustrated Kanji and the little Kanji Facts interspersed throughout the book. I have no tattoos and am not expecting to get any in the near future however, this book is for anyone wishing to understand the Japanese "character".

Exciting and enlightening book on Japanese Kanji!
This book is an invaluable resource for decorative artists, jewelers and crafts people alike.
I use this book often as inspiration for my jewelry designs and paintings.
Hundreds of illustrations combined with descriptive and historical definitions make this a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the Japanese language.

I bought this as a gift for my niece/goddaughter about 11 years ago and have wished I'd got one for myself ever since. It is simply gorgeous with a very moving text. You don't have to be a committed believer to enjoy this lovely book.

As an artist with an Master's degree in painting, I was amazed by the stunning reproductions in this "children's" book, and kept looking at it, and looking at it. The reproductions are so vivid, the text so appropriate, and the book so well designed that I could almost imagine I was walking through the chapel myself. It was the first time I'd seen the frescos in an order the artist intended, which made them even more powerful. Eventually the book went to a friend who admires frescos, but there was such a sense of intimacy in it that I've been searching for another copy for well over a year. The text and the images meld beautifully, and I can honestly say it's the first story of Christ's life I've seen where I felt the illustrations or text didn't "get in the way". Even if you're a fesco fan who's more interested in Giotto than in the story, tear up your check for that expensive art book and buy this first.

As an art educator, church librarian, and special lecture person who links art with religion at my church, I can highly recommend this gorgeous book to you. Madeleine L'Engle is one of my favorite writers and she presents the life of Christ in flowing prose. I even picked up a few facts I did not know. The book is illustrated using various panels from the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy which adds sumptuousness to its narrative. As a child I was drawn to picture books like this because of their medieval, almost Oriental appearance, so if you wish to influence your children to appreciate a good story well told and illustrated, select this book. The text is on an 9-13 year old level. The "glorious impossible" is something that cannot be explained but only rejoiced in, and I think that sums up God's gift of Jesus to us in a very satisfying way. Enjoy.

If you are going to buy one book about color mixing in painting, this is the one for you. She explains the best colors to use and gives helpful hints as to what mistakes not to make. She does so in a straight forward understandable way. I want to buy more of her books!

As a novice, searching books for the best instructions, I feel as though I have found a gold mine in Helen Ven Wyk's Color Recipes 2.The book is chock full of simple and informative instructions with many beautiful color illustrations. I am enjoying her book as I enjoyed her instructional videos on PBS. Perfect for the beginning artist.

I was fortunate enough to have studied with Helen at her studio in Rockport MA. She was so giving of her talent, and her teaching is so down to earth and easy to understand. I have all of her books, and refer to them often. She solves just about any problem you may have in painting. How sad that we have lost her, but how great to have her expertise in her books. This book is an excellent reference book as well as a teaching tool. You cannot go wrong buying any of her books.

My 5 year old loved this book from the library. I really enjoyed it too! She kept saying that the house was her home and the man was her husband, and the children were her children. What a wonderful sense of family.

The pictures and the flow of the book are wonderful! It leads itself to a great many discussions and learning of terms as well as thinking about other places and cultures. Because of this book we are going to find additional books about types of houses and construction. My 3yr old and my 10 yr old have really enjoied it!

Wonderful! A treat for children, and fun for adults to admire as well. The illustrations are superb, and the concept of touring a house and figuring out what comprises a house a house will make kids remember this work every time they enter a new house.

This is a fantastic book. There is a different picture for every letter of the alphabet. Each picture is different in style, type, artist etc. There might be Japanese woodcuts, Picasso, watercolors and so on.

This is an excellent introduction to art and types of art and styles and artists.

Also, in each picture is something that goes with the letter of the alphabet. Ball for b and so on.

A great way to practice beginning sounds and letter recognition.

This is a lovely book with great pictures and there are many educational type things you can do while enjoying time with your child. Well worth the money.

Enjoy.

I can't tell you how wonderful this book is for me and my two-and-a-half year old daughter. It is such a delight to curl up in bed and turn the pages as she gleefully points out the item that starts with the letter A, B, C...and so on. We've only read it a handful of times, but she's already gotten each picture and letter memorized. It makes me so happy to be able to introduce her to fine art at such a young age and for her to find so much enjoyment from it. This is truly a gem of book for every parent & child's bookshelf!

My three year old instantly loved this book. Only a few letters and pictures were difficult for him to connect M= Magpie and J=Jug but C=cat and D=dog were easy. He enjoys reading it with me or he'll pour over it alone reading it to himself. I highly recommend this book.

I first encountered her work in SF just last year. I really wanted to buy one of her pieces similar to the first painting you see on the first page of her website. Since someone else bought the piece I was contemplating, I ended up with her book instead. I really love the paintings, writings, and most of all the symbolism. Irene is a very unique painter and has a very lovely spirit (we have exchanged a few emails). The book is full of delightful images and poetry and one cannot help getting lost in her fantasy-like gardens. I highly recommend this wonderful book for yourself or as a gift to a loved one.

Can you gratify the senses while you nourish the soul? In this wonderful book of recent paintings by the contemporary artist, Irene Hardwicke Olivieri, it becomes evident that it would be impossible to do otherwise.

The artfully presented reproductions offer an intimate look at the artist's work over the last several years, drawing us into a rich world of desire and possibilities where the sensual and the spiritual are inextricably intertwined - did we ever really believe the centuries of dogma that insists they are mutually exclusive?

Turning the pages of this book is like rediscovering the contents of a long lost jewelry box. Olivieri's images pin our hearts to the incomprehensible beauty of our fantasmagoric world, sewing them together into a mythology that is, at once, entirely original and peculiarly familiar.

To quote from David Pagel's excellent introduction, "Olivieri's pictures... re-write the story of the Garden of Eden."

For those of us who cannot indulge in the pleasures of purchasing several of the artist's paintings, this book can be a very satisfying substitute

This evening I met Irene Hardwicke Olivieri at a lecture she gave in Washington, CT. She showed slides of her work and I examined this book. Her work is so extraordinary, that I came home and had to buy the book, which is a lavish and beautifully done catalogue of her work. I only wish there were three hundred pages instead of sixty. Wonderful, really wonderful.

In addition to being a meticulously executed illustrated art book, The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet by Ian A. Baker, et al. guides the reader through some lesser known biographical details of Tibet's greatest Dalai Lamas and of the history of Tibetan Buddhist culture as a whole. The amazing drawings, many of which painted in an almost feverish surrealistic style, are accompanied by insights into the lore of the Dalai Lamas, with thoughtful excerpts from their writings. I am also much obliged as a book shopper to show my appreciation to the book's publisher, Thames & Hudson, for the excellent printing quality and overall layout and binding of this book, details which for me always work to enhance the message of a book and to demonstrate the seriousness and loving care with which the authors themselves have treated their creation.

Herein one can see unmistakable evidence of the ancient Secret Doctrine so well-protected by the Sacred Order of Tibet. It is a shame that this doctrine is lost in a proliferation of intellectualism and out-right black magic, but the clarity and powerful beauty of these images reveal that the doctrine exists for those who seek it. The writer even acknowledges with quotes from H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama the essential clue of White Tantrism; but this book isn't the place to learn that. A beautiful book, a tantalizing glimpse at a hidden science. For more information on the Secret Teachings of the Tibetans, read "The Perfect Matrimony" by Samael Aun Weor.

The Dala Lama's Secret Temple is a wonderful and insightful look into one of the most spectacular temples in Lhasa. Having just visited the Lukhang, I had the pleasure to personally view the murals. Many of which are unique to Tibetan paintings. And still very preserved. Better than I could have photographed myself, this book presents each of the walls paintings in the highest quality plates. Descriptions of the historical significance of the temple mirror the detail works of the painting. A nice addition to a library of Tibetan Art and Buddhism.

If you still love a book when you've read it upwards of 200 times it's a great investment. My daughter is two and loves animals. I'm forty (plus) and an artist (and not a cat fan). We're both intrigued by this wonderful, and wonderfully illustrated, story of a resourceful cat who, thwarted in his daily birdchasing activities decides to become an artist instead. I particularly appreciate his (lack of) humility in assessing his work: "Then I step back to take a look at my picture. Wow! It's good. I like it. I'm an artist!"
Get this book!

Elemenopeo isn't my favorite children's book, but it's in the top twenty. I'm kind of surprised by the lukewarm reviews this book has received. While no one seems to hate this book, it is consistently faulted for being fluffy or boring or bland. While I can't completely disagree with any of those adjectives, I don't see it as a problem. In fact, the gentle simplicity of this story is what I like best about it.

My kids(2-7)love this book - I think because it seems so authentic to them. Elemenopeo is a regular cat and that forms the basis of this story. Cats are usually pretty set in their ways, but they will risk an occasional - very careful - adventure if they're sure it won't put them in an undignified situation or get their fur wet. Cats also feel that they are entitled to their own set of eccentric whims, such as eating bagels and lox for breakfast every morning. Like Seinfeld was a sitcom about nothing, and this cat story is just the same. My older kids know that cats hate adventures, so this 'boring' story about a cat who has a wonderful day doing very little makes sense to them. I wouldn't say that it's necessary to be a cat person in order to enjoy this book, but it helps. Elemenopeo gets a great deal of pleasure from the ordinariness of her day, and anyone can understand that. But I suspect that only people who really like cats will see that there is humor in this story. Even if this book really is boring (don't think sparse . . . think spare!), the wonderful illustrations make up for it. The paintings are vivid and colorful - lots of fun for kids and grownups to look at. BONUS: If you are familiar with modern painting you'll probably notice an uncanny resemblance between the pictures in the book and the art of Marc Chagall. I think that using "Serious Art" to tell such a simple story adds to its charm. -The kids don't get it, but it's fun to have a private joke with the illustrator.

At the very least, this is a great bedtime story. It's calm, involves sleeping and sweet dreams, and does not have any content that even remotely encourages kids to stay awake. My kids always seem pensive after we read this story - I think they're wondering what our cats do when we're not around. If you wish you enjoyed this book as much as I did, you might consider brushing up on your cat psychology. I recommend "Three stories to read to your cat." This will open a window into how cats think.

It's a short story about a cat who gets trapped inside for a day and decides to paint a picture. Yes, its simple, but its also magical. The illustrations are original, bright and fun to look at. My three children love it!

I'd ignore the Horn Book review. A pointless story? Only for those who believe simple things are pointless. Some people still find simple things beautiful.

This is a wonderful book about Vincent Van Gogh. It is beautifully illustrated and brings to life the story of "The Starry Night." The relationship between the boy in the story and Vincent is that of beloved friends. Vincent's insanity is never brought to the fore; however it is dealt with along with a subliminal message of compassion and tolerance. As an Art History teacher I have used this book on numerous occasions to introduce Van Gogh to children as young as Kindergarten and as old as 5th grade, with each level taking from it what they could. The illustrations in the book are exceptional. One can only be moved by Vincent painting in the darkness with a halo of starlight around his hat. Teaching Van Gogh to children is always a touchy subject. How do we separate the genius from the insanity? This book brings Vincent to a level of understanding that children can comprehend without ever mentioning his illnesses. It is a lovely, well-written story that introduces Van Gogh and one of his most famous paintings in a delightful manner.

THE FIRST STARRY NIGHT provides a perfect introduction for children to the life and works of the artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Jacques sees past the rough exterior that Van Gogh portrays to others and recognizes the loneliness and longing for friendship within his heart. We often forget that in their innocence children recognize the inner needs of another individual in ways that we as adults do not. A child is much more accepting of the uniqueness of the individual, not focusing on the oddities or eccentricities. Joan Isom portrays a kind and caring side of Van Gogh not often displayed in other books, but a side that every child should and needs to see. The comparison of the stars to a good painting or a good story in their everlasting qualities is one that should be instilled in every child. The emphasis on the fact that we all see things differently and an appreciation for those differences is a lesson that I try to incorporate daily in the classroom. I think that we all long for a "brother of the heart" and that those of us who are fortunate enough to have found such a person are truly blessed. This book provides the inspiration to each of us to reach out to others and to the stars just as Vincent Van Gogh did on that "starry night" long ago.

"Why do you love the stars so much?" young Jacques, who washes pots and pans in Madame Rouel's kitchen, asked his friend Vincent. "Maybe because they are like a good painting or a good story. They stay." Joan Shaddox Isom's THE FIRST STARRY NIGHT, like the stars that Vincent loved so much, is a story that stays: in the heart's mind and memory. Enriched by Joan Isom's illustrations, this portrait of Vincent van Gogh--as seen through the eyes of Jacques, his "little brother of the heart"--is as full of star-spun magic as Vincent's own paintings. One reads the last words of this elegant and perceptive tribute to this lonely and mis-understood painter, with a sudden shock of recognition: for Vincent's never-ending stars still whirl like pinwheels across the night sky above us--and though we may have feared to lose him, we see that "he is not lost at all.