Painting-the

This book may turn out to be my all-time favorite book of bilingual poetry. The frosting on the cake, so to speak, turns out to be the art work accompanying the poetry. Each time I read one of the poems I like it better than the last time. And these are carefully selected, excellent quality poems: with writers such as Octavio Paz, Alberto Blanco, Rosario Castellanos (and many more) how could they not be terrific? A lasting gift for any occasion, especially for someone interested in bilingual stories from Mexico.

Being a beginning self-taught student in Spanish with a special interest in Mexican Spanish by way of my residency in Texas, I took a chance on purchasing this bilingual book and was more than delighted by what I found inside. The convenient side-by-side text of the poems and short stories makes it easy to follow the translations and improve language skills. However, the real treasures in this book are discovered slowly, as one peruses the glowing artwork by various Mexican artists in conjunction with the inspiring words that seem to interweave themselves into the pictures. This is a book to sit back and savor during personal quiet time, or to read to your children. The melodic rhythms of both the Spanish and English texts rock the heart and sooth the soul.

This was a wonderful book with not only great poems but beautiful illustrations. It is a nice book for anyone who wants to get the feel for Mexican folk writing and art. The poems are simple enough that you can read them without having to know too much Spanish.

This book is a good source to balance the word and image of Islam and Muslim in the western world. Muslim is not only in Arabian peninsula or Gulf contries, in fact Indonesia is the largest muslim population in the world. Many pictures on the book can give the different side of Islam in Southeast asia. They don't speak arabic, they don't have big nose,they are short, skiny etc. I recommend this book for the people who wants to know Muslim in Southeast asia without reading a long history book.

But there is unbalance information in the book I noticed, specially information about Indonesian muslim in the introduction. Steve Raymer seems doesn't have a good source that he can get the information about Indonesian muslim. Might be because they are so many and he tries to put it in the same ammount as Malaysian which is only about 1/6 or 1/8 of Indonesian in comparison. It is best if he can consult or clarify his information with the Indonesian sociologists, historians, or scholars in order to validate the information. One of the examples is on second page, the picture doesn't not macth the note (citation). The picture is showing the people who are suplicating, is not always in arabic, but he says those people are reciting the koran. This is just small example.
I recommend people who have this book to check with the Southeast Asian people to clarify the information.
More than that, good work and well done.

Steve Raymer has done an exceptional job at capturing the humanity of Southeast Asian Muslims through the lenses of the faithful camera. The pictures are breathtakingly beautiful, while the accompanying caption and text serve as an easy-to-read commentary especially for those expecting only an excursion into the subject. His attempt at a sympathetic understanding of a culture that is relatively obscure to the average Westerner is commendable; the journalistic objectivity being a salient feature of the book.

Raymer, in my opinion, succeeded in shattering the perpetuated myth surrounding the perception of Muslims. Not only does he cogently disprove the notion of a monolithic Muslim culture across the Muslim world, but he also demonstrates the existence of diversity with which Islam is practiced in this forgotten region. The cognitive image of either a rich Middle-Easterner or a terrorist brandishing an AK-47 so often associated with Islam must now be relegated to the domain of stereotypes. The book is probably a silent apologist for the peace of Islam.

Caveat emptor for those expecting their stereotypes confirmed and prejudices accomodated; the book is sure to frustrate them.

The maxim that a picture is worth a thousand words had never been truer. The picture is now worth millions of humans.

As one who's lived in Southeast Asia off and on for the past seven years, the thing that strikes me about the book by Raymer are the brilliant photos, yes. But the way they are put together gives a human face to Southeast Asia's Muslim peoples. A fair and realistic look at them is refreshing in light of many Western reports that tout them all as gun-toting extremists.

Just back from Venice, how I wish I had owned and studied this volume which re-tells the story of Venetian art and architecture, placing it securely within the development of other Italian art of the periods it covers. The reproductions are delicious and the analysis accessible to anyone who is interested enough to do a little digging. Well worth its price.

Having spent a month painting in Venice and planning a return painting trip, I began reading Mr. Hills' book and quickly ran to get a note pad (and a dictionary). His evaluations of so many rich aspects of Venice, visually and historically, were illuminating, and his blending of these various fields into one another fantastic. Notes in hand, the return trip was magnificent, as was the city. The language can get a bit dense, but as I looked up unfamiliar words, they were the exact word for what was being described.

Extraordinary examination of color, space, the transparent, the luminous, form, shade, shadow and how these interact to form a work of art. As the author states: "Too often art historians write of pictorial space as though it replicated physical space whereas Renaissance painting at its most refined is a process whereby thought becomes incarnate in design: in doing so space becomes luminous, self-evident, revelatory."

If like me you're interested in ancient wall paintings, this is a book for you. There are not many books about this subject, and I was very happy to find it. My fascination with these paintings is the joy and happiness they portray. The vibrant way people, birds, dolphins and flowers are portrayed by these ancient artists show a enormous love for life itself. That makes these paintings so special for me, much more than just their historical meaning. Now don't expect a very thick book with photographs of many wall paintings in prime condition. That is impossible with this archeological subject. And the male homoeroticism aspect can be found with some imagination, but only if you realy look for it. The book itself is of a very high quality, printed on high gloss thick paper and with excellent photographs.

I was able to work at the excavation in Thera, and this book is really quite helpful in understanding the civilization that lived that lived in Ancient Akrotiri. The book has excellent photographs of the wall-paintings that depict everyday life in Ancient Akrotiri--some paintings that you will probably only see in this book! There is also a wonderful commentary on these wall-paintings by the head of the excavation, C. Doumas, not only explaining what the pictures depict, but also narrating where and how they were found. A good investment, and a wonderful book!

If you are interested in Ancient GREEK, MALE HOMOEROTICISM or Classical Civilization, I recommend the book to read.It is a very interesting book.

If you are a student or a teacher of the arts, this book is a must. It is divided into sections and you can practice and teach yourself each lesson. Very easy to follow and understand.

I don't work in watercolors, I quilt, and I've found this book invaluable as a guide to understanding perspective.

North Light, the publishers of the Watercolor Basics series has hit paydirt once again with Phil Metzgers' Perspective Secrets. In direct simple and engaging language Metzger takes you through the many types of perspective without terrifying you with wordy rules and procedures. It is all covered in this handy and educational volume. You move through beautiful examples of putting space and the illusion of air in your paintings to the subtle issues of close-up perspective such as with bricks. There is also some information on perspective dealing with stairs and inclines all supported by Mr. Metzger's handsome paintings. As with other volumes in this series the subject matter is gone into both more deeply and with more approachable and beautiful artwork. This is a must have for any budding painter.

David Dewey's text on watercolor is not just another vanity book showcasing one artist's personal work, but a thorough in-depth introduction to both visualizing & handling a most difficult medium. Nor does it pretend to be an easy does it 1-2-3 & your painting watercolors type of book. Rather it is layered & dense with information that could easily keep you preoccupied for a year or more worth of instruction. Start with the monochromatic exercises in the beginning of the book & follow them religiously till you know them blindfolded. Do the same with the invaluable content on color theory & the related exercises. The lessons provided will reward you with a mastery of the medium & help you to find your own voice in watercolor. This book is not another feeble attempt at learning to carbon copy of someone else's technique. The many examples of various watercolor artist's work & their analysis is excellent as well.

This is a model of concise instruction, wise advice, deceptively simple exercises, and compact design. Like they say on TV: if you buy just one watercolor book, make it this one.

Dewey gives equal emphasis to materials, theory, technique, the principles of design, and simple practice. He sees the whole art. He begins with an overview of paint manufacturers, brushes, papers and other supplies, and closes with an invitation to try mixed media and a step-by-step explanation of how to do a large studio painting. There are penetrating discussions of color theory and mixing paints, on selecting the palette for each painting, and on building a painting from value sketches.

The technical advice in this book is exceptionally accurate and easy to understand. The four pages explaining how to paint washes avoid the errors or omissions common in most other books. All topics are illustrated with pictures that add information rather than decorate the page. Dewey includes several traditional techniques that other methods don't mention: pen and ink wash drawings, value design sketches, using a sketchbook, monochrome paintings, color chords for color design, the "color" of gray, and much more. The book is so compactly organized that many gems of advice are tucked in the picture captions; the book can be studied repeatedly and still teach something new.

Dewey has painted the student lessons and technical examples displayed throughout the book. The more advanced lessons build on simple but beautifully designed demonstration paintings (my favorite is the still life on a patterned rug). Everything comes together in a harmonious vision of watercolor art, a reference and inspiration for many hours of happy experimentation and learning.

An outstanding book for the watercolor enthusiast. Dewey's chapters cover materials, subject matter and technique that even the advanced watercolorist can learn from. The book is a handy item to help both the practicing artist and teacher. Not so much a step by step study, but rather information that can be applied to the artists individual style and subject matter.

I thoroughly enjoy this book and would recommend this to anyone who likes to paint in watermedia. Barbara Nechis provides an approach to creativity in painting that is both thought provoking and pragmatic--a very difficult combination. I particularly like the humor in her tips about the "don't" myths of watercolor painting. There is also frankness in how she takes advantage of "mistakes" that actually illustrates her approach to creativity. She is generous with the techniques that she shares--I have tried them and they really work!
So far what she has proposed as approaches to painting background are the most helpful to me--and other budding artists who are struggling with the balance of painting the subject and the background. Other books talk about planning the whole painting and working on the background first, Barbara gives you enough approaches and techniques for you to try with some confidence for success. I paid full price from a bookstore--still think it is worth every penny. Buy it.

I have read and re-reread this book many times, and each time I learn something new.

I marvel at how Barbara Nechis lets the watercolor itself do the painting, and how we, the artist can aid in its completion, from our hearts and subconscious. I enjoy reading books like this which encourage departing from the 'rules' and letting the imagination take over.

Barbara Nechis is not only a gifted painter (a real original artist) but an excellent teacher, if this book is a way to judge her. Her techniques and explanations are as good as her beautiful impressionistic and very original painting style. A book to treasure and to learn from.

Rose-Marie and Rainer Hagen have done their research in examining paintings throughout time and have created two extraordinary volumes that invite us into the Art Appreciation Theater of an honored university of learning. Their biographies are strangely missing from these books: we can only surmise that these two fine art historians have spent countless hours in the museums of the world. The fruit of their labor is a world of revealed details secreted within the masterpieces we 'thought' we knew.

The technique: Introduce a complete painting, give a thorough background about the time in which it was created and the artist who created it, and then from isolated windows, fill the remaining pages about that painting with details that not only address the painter's technique but also make commentary on the social mores, theological and philosophical concepts often at odds with the casual audience perceptual skills, and in general open vistas of enjoyment and insight to even the most experienced viewer. The Hagens have managed to gossip a bit, chide and joke a bit, and in the end offer us insights into exactly 'what great paintings say!.'

Most of the paintings scrutinized are the large panoramas of, for example, Rembrandt ('The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp', 'Balshazzar's Feast'), Rubens ('The Love Garden' with the foggy details of Venus milking her breats as fountains!) van Eyck ('Adoration of the Lamb') Poussin, Goya, etc. In addition to famous masters, the Hagens bring to light such lesser known greats as Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz, a "Netherlandish master," Johannes Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, and Ilya Repin to mention only a few.

One of the marvels of this collection is the consummate attention paid Courbet's 1855 "The Studio" which depicts a painter at easel, his model, the commissioners of the painting, royalty and peasants - all painted with adoring detail. It definitely is a statement of the artist's political standpoint!

Technically the books are rich in color, creatively designed and close to color-correct. There is much to be enjoyed here and even more to advance the understanding and appreciation of art. A true gift!

This is a great book on art. So many times when I look at art books, what I find are commentaries on the "artistic" qualities of the paintings. You know, books gushing over an artist's use of colors and light effects.

Instead, the authors of this book analyze the social and historical contexts of the paintings. Great paintings are rarely purely decorative objects, but instead have some sort of message embedded within them. Objects within paintings typically have symbolic significance, and this book really helps the viewer understand the "message" in a painting, rather than concentrate upon technical aspects of artistic methods.

It would appear that Taschen is issuing the Hagens' work in two fat(ter) volumes. I have this one (vol.1) and the one with the teat-tweaking sisters on the cover (vol.2) If so, so much the better. The authors are generous to call all the paintings collected here for discussion 'great' but what sour soul would fault someone for being too generous? Without quibbling over the adjective then, I would say that just about all the paintings discussed here definitely become more 'great' than they may have been before the reading. Chronologically ordered, the choice of paintings reflect the authors' preference. As well as their prejudice. Some of the really humongously important paintings are left out, while some of the more obscure ones -- so obscure that it is usually attributed to some Netherlandish Master -- are described lovingly. With every painting, we get the big picture of the whole world into which it was born. Then-current language of symbols, now lost on us moderns, is as fascinating as the social practices of those times: For example, Europeans in the Middle Ages thought nothing of exposing their genitals, especially to warm themselves by the fire, and there is a picture to prove it. What's really nice about this way of presenting works of art is that you get the whole package (historical, social, symbolic, technical, biographical, etc) strictly within the context of one painting that is right in front of you. This book is one art book that is finally done right. No pretentiousness, no supercilious or careless assumption on the part of the author that you know what you ought to know about "masterpieces." Each description is done with real affection for every -- I mean, every -- part of the painting, rather than doing a sweeping thematic summary of the concept. The descriptions read more like stories rather like academic analyses, so they are good to read before going to bed, too. And after each story, you get to feel a little more affection, not awe, for the paintings -- and the people who painted them. Worth every cent.

With Paintbrush and Shovel is certainly a unique book. The beautiful paintings of wild flowers - 238 in all- really look more like high quality photography, they are so exquisitely detailed. The story that goes with the paintings tells an unknown story about work done by WPA women during the depression. One of the projects fostered by Roosevelt, the WPA gave work to unskilled African-American women and it was these women that cleaned up this willderness and brought the wild-flowers to Bessie Marshall to be reproduced in watercolor. The book is well-worth owning.

The wildflower paintings in this book are absolutely unbelievably beautifully detailed. When you see them you will not believe the artist could so accurately paint the tiny delicate features of each flower and could so accurately recreate the wonderful colors. If you like, forget about the wonderful story documenting the WPA project in the 1930s to create a wildflower park and document the flowers with paintings. But, if you are an artist or a wildflower lover or both you must check this out just for the wonderful paintings.

Additionally, the printers spared no expense. They used high quality paper and achieved exquisite reproduction of the paintings. I'm sure they were fearful they would be totally out classed if they did not.

This book provides a rare glimpes into the WPA projects especially designed by women. The book also illustrates the history of the park and chronicles the work of a diverse group of women who established a botanical preserve in a City Park during the 30's. The project, of national significance, was part of the WPA that provided work for African Americans and White Women during the depression. How intersting to read that the park provided an income for these deprived women, who created a wildflower/bird preserve for a small city. The beautiful botanical illustrations by B. Marshall are exquisite and the story to follow only enhances the charm of this well documented history.

"You Can't Take a Balloon into the Museum of Fine Arts" is the problem that confronts a young girl who is visiting the Boston museum with her brother and grandparents in this charming children's book from author Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and artist Robin Preiss Glasser. So grandma volunteers to wait outside, with the balloon (which is green), while the others tour the museum. However, before the trio even gets inside, the balloon comes undone from grandma's wrist and sails away. However, grandma is not about to let the day be ruined and sets off in hot pursuit of the balloon, helped by a nice young man on a motorbike. While grandpa and the children tour the Museum of Fine Arts, grandma chases the balloon across Boston. In doing so, we get to see pretty much every major site in Boston, from Trinity Church and the Boston Common to Faneuil Hall, the Old North Church, and Fenway Park (the balloon manages to follow most of the Freedom Trail, but turns away from the U.S.S. Constituion and Bunker Hill Monument).

However, there is more fun to be had in this book. Scattered throughout the scenes are 33 past and present legends of Boston. My cocked hat is off to the person who can spot even half of the faces from history and today that artist Robin P. Glasser has put into these scenes of places around Boston. Larry Bird and Bill Russell I recognized (but I missed "Red" Auerbach), and I figured that was Paul Revere in front of the Paul Revere House, but I never would have known that was Michael Dukakis eating lunch at Durgin Park. Meanwhile, back at the Museum of Fine Arts, we see photographic reproductions of some of the famous painting to be found within, such as Rembrandt's "Artist in His Studio," Edward Hopper's "Drugstore," and John Singleton Copley's "Watson and the Shark" and "Paul Revere."

I saw most, but not all, of these sites on a trip through Boston last year so it was fun to be reminded of what I had seen and see some glimpses of what I had missed. I was not surprised to learn that Weitzman and Glasser had collaborated on a previous effort, "You Can't Take a Balloon Into The Metropolitan Museum" as well as the more recent "You Can't Take a Balloon Into The National Gallery." But this book is a green balloon and Boston and those books have a yellow balloon in New York City and an orange balloon in Washington, D.C., which are both completely different. I am not sure if readers who live outside of these three American metropolises could possible enjoy these books as much as natives. But certainly if you live in Boston this is a book that will remind you of the rich history and culture of Beantown. You can also think of it is a tour guide for kids.

The Preiss sisters are back and taking Boston by storm, or should I say balloon. As in their previous books, You Can't Take A Balloon Into The Metropolitan Museum and You Can't Take A Balloon Into The National Gallery, a little balloon carrying girl and her brother visit the Museum of Fine Arts with Grandma and Grandpa. Everyone knows you can't take a balloon inside, so Grandma does the honors and waits outside on the steps, holding the treasured balloon, while the others go in and take their tour. In no time, the balloon escapes, and the fun begins. As life imitates the famous artwork the little girl is observing inside, Grandma chases the balloon all over the city from the Boston Library, Trinity Church, Chinatown, and the Boston Harbor, to Faneuil Hall, the Old North Church, Fenway Park, and many other famous landmarks along the way. This hilarious, joyous, manic romp, will mesmerize youngsters with it's exuberant and engaging pen and ink illustrations, with just a little color used here and there to highlight the action, and includes thirty-three hidden famous Bostonians, sprinkled throughout the comic book-like pages, to find and learn more about. Part art book, history lesson and travel brochure, this is a creative and inventive tour of one of America's great cities, and includes a map of the balloon's route, an informative list of artwork seen in the museum, and biographical sketches of the hidden "faces from history." Perfect for kids of all ages, You Can't Take A Balloon Into The Museum Of Fine Arts is a wonderful addition to an already terrific series, and guarantees hours of clever and imaginative, page-turning fun.

Building on the enormous popularity of "You Can't Take A Balloon Into The Metropolitan Museum" and "You Can't Take A Balloon Into The National Gallery" Weitzman and Glasser now offer a fun, colorful peek at the Museum of Fine Arts while presenting an affirming grandparent/grandchild relationship.

Each full-color page bursts with vibrant energy as a little girl's balloon (not allowed inside the Museum) escapes her grandmother's grasp and soars away. Off we go, following the green orb through the streets of Boston. This chase is matched with the works of art the little girl is viewing.

There's a bit of history here, a bit of whimsy, and a lot of entertainment...