Painting-the

The strongest point of this book is the quality of its color plates--which of course makes or breaks an art book. Fortunately, the prints in this book are very rich and most images are full page. The accompanying text is also very thorough, informative, and interesting. My only complaint is that this book doesn't present much of the posters for which Toulouse-Lautrec is perhaps most famous; however, it does cover much of his other work. In that sense, I got to learn a lot about the body of this artist's work outside of the usual cliche of Toulouse-Lautrec. I would recommend this book for any art library.

"Being able to show people in simple, real moments of their lives was one of Henri's greatest talents", p 18

The young reader will learn about Henri's being born into a rich family, his having broken both of his legs in his early teenage years resulting in his small stature, and his years in Paris painting the life with which he came in contact.

Toulouse-Lautrec's painting of lively scenes of the theaters, dance halls and circuses makes this a perfect choice for young children. His Moulin Rouge advertisement prints are easy to read, uncluttered and therefore grab the young reader's attention. The young are frequently in motion. As a result they will appreciate Toulouse-Lautrec's ability to capture a scene in mid motion. The young reader will be drawn in by Henri's choice of brilliant colors and will have fun finding Henri in some of his paintings.

Henri's portrait of van Gogh is breathtaking. He van Gogh'd van Gogh. He does honor to the painter by mimicking van Gogh's style.

Venezia's illustrations are humorous. His narrative is delightfully entertaining. His approach brings the artist within reach of the young. His illustration of the Parisian friends that Henri may have introduced to his parent's is jokingly exaggerated.

The size of the book is perfect for smaller hands. It enables the young to have art within their grasp. Venezia gives the locations of the paintings and as result if the child lives near one of the museums or will be near one on vacation, she/he would be able to see the original.

This is the 18th in Venezia's "Getting to know the World's Greatest Artist" series. He also has similar series on composers. Venezia's back cover illustrations tie back to the subject. "Greatly influenced by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Mike also tries to capture the private moments ...".

The price of the book is well worth paying. The book contains the following: Toulouse-Lautrec's Paintings (13) and Prints (4), Photos of Toulouse-Lautrec - 2, Venezia's Illustrations - 6, Others' paintings/prints - 3.

This is a wonderful book . The pictures work the imagination and the poems are beautiful. The dual language format will intrigue young readers and just may get them interested in a 'different' language. In addition this will expose youngsters to some of Mexico's rich culture. I know several college professors who have adopted this book to use in their Children's Literature and reading courses. Truth be told, I liked it so much I bought it for myself several years ago and have been 'advertising' it ever since.

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 soothe the soul.

I have been a fly fisherman (Yes I am female and also not politically correct) since I was around age 8 and after pestering my Dad for days to teach me how to cast a line he relented and a great journey began. As well as a library on the subject of fly fishing, tying flies and trout art. Which is why I am in awe of James Prosek's writing, art and passion for fishing.

This and his Trout : An Illustrated History are a must own for anyone who loves fly fishing, painting trout or simply sitting mesmerized watching trout in their back yard creek like we do or from a bridge in rural areas of the states and world.

I recommend ALL the books this young talented and knowledgeable author has written.

I was not a big fan of James Prosek's first book. Next to the hyper-realism of Tomelleri, these water color illustrations did not work. Also, several were drawn from photos and were not morphologically (especially morphometrically) correct. So what? some may say.

Everything changed when I picked up a copy of Trout of the World. The style has changed just enough to make a huge difference. Sure, some of the paintings still look like he was in a hurry to meet a deadline but on the whole, I loved it. This is what we Americans (and Canadians) needed. There are other "cool" salmonids besides the stuff we are used to. Again, photos from books such as Freshwater fishes of Japan have been used as source material but I don't care. Great lateral views of some amazing fish!

James Prosek has found the right balance of color, detail and morphological information. The overall design of the book is also lovely. The lenok and taimen pictures are priceless as are the weird browns from places you would think, well...shouldn't have browns.

I think he used my Russian longfin charr as a source for his illustration. Looks very similar to the one I did some years back in pen & ink. Anyway, all fish lovers, wildlife painters and fisherman will adore this book. ANd don't just look at the pictures, read it!

Well done Mr. Prosek. I'm mad about trout, again....

I bought an air brush to paint diecast models. I soon realized it could do much more than spray gray paint on toy tractors and also that I needed intruction if I was going use this tool effctively. I choose Ms. Shanteau's "Ultimate Airbrush Handbook" - a wise choice. Very clearly written, excellent illustrations and meaningful exercises. Many aspects of airbrush work covered in detail. This is an excellent instruction book.

If I had to chose one book to learn about airbrushing, this is it! Every major aspect about airbrushing is explained clearly, from the most basic elements to very advanced techniques. Essential information concerning airbrush care and maintenance is included along with paint and accessory explanations. The step by step exercises to teach airbrush control were easy to follow and I had great results painting the beginner "Apple" project. Almost every chapter has a step by step how-to project.Pam Shanteau shares the spotlight with other great artists who are tops in their fields. It was neat to see how these pros paint. The fine art section was out of this world and the automotve airbrushing was some of the best work I have ever seen. Someday I want to paint that good!

This is a beautiful book and very interesting view of the Missions...

It is wonderful if you are interested in California Missions.

Father Tupa's paintings provide a unique view of the missions and chart the physical and spiritual pilgrimage to the California missions. His works are presented here with over twenty oil paintings and over 40 watercolors interpreting California's past and the history of each mission. An Uncommon Mission accompanies a traveling exhibition of the same name.

I have to admit that Mary Jo was a professor of mine, 10 (or more) years ago. I have always followed her poetry, though not when I was a student of hers. This collection reveals (again) Ms. Salter's relationship to family, to historical figures (particularly Emily Dickenson), to place and time.....Particularly important is Salter's "Elegies for Etsuko"......what a profound and felt piece of prose for a friend, a woman.....Salter says, "Given how brief a spell....happiness usually is, and the ways people are forever failing us, with time it shocks me less you didn't mind leaving the two of them behind; yes yes, I see that, I see it very well..." Salter goes on to question a gendered way of relationships, although always being deeply connected to those relationships (with her husband, her children,her students, etc.). Ms. Salter is a deeply thoughtful, grounded, intelligent and important poet (and teacher)...

Ihave to admit that Mary Jo was a professor of mine, 10 (or more) years ago. I have alsways followed her poetry, though not when I was a student of hers. This collections reveals (again) Ms. Salter's relationship to family, to historical figures (particularly Emily Dickenson), to place and time.....Particularly important is Salter's "Elegies for Etsuko"......what a profound and felt piece of prose for a friend, a woman.....Salter says, "Given how brief a spell....happiness usually is, and the ways people are forever failing us, with time it shocks me less you didn't mind leaving the two of them behind; yes yes, I see that, I see it very well..." Salter goes on to question a gendered way of relationships, although always being deeply connected to those relationships (with her husband, her children,her students, etc.). Ms. Salter is a deeply thoughtful, grounded, intelligent and important poet (and teacher)...

This is a wonderful value and a great starter book. The book covers material selection and application techniques in the beginning. A large variety of ideas are shown, with easy-to-follow directions for achieving each look. Having the paint included makes it even easier to work right from the book.

From the beginner to the advanced face painter, this book has an excellent variety of face designs. It's very well laid out and the graphics and pictures are very clear and well done. This is must have sample book!!!

I spotted this book and, having been impressed by the Van Gogh exhibit at the National Gallery last year, decided to check it out. (That being said, I know very little about art and seldom read about it, so this review should be taken in that light.)

Van Gogh was an amazingly prolific painter. His artistic career lasted scarcely ten years, but in that time he created enough paintings to decorate nearly every page of this 250-page book - and those aren't even all of them.

The book itself is a combination of a biography and an analysis of his paintings. This flows smoothly, perhaps because Van Gogh put so much of himself into his art: his moods are clear from what he depicted and how he depicted it.

The biographical portion makes for interesting reading in and of itself. Van Gogh actually came rather late to art after failing at other occupations, including that of a minister. Once he turns to art, he is almost immediately remarkably capable. Later on, he attempts to set up an artistic community in his famous "yellow house," with the help of Gaugain. It's a collaboration that fails disastrously, with Gaugain leaving and Van Gogh cutting off his earlobe. Van Gogh has a difficult time psychologically for a few years, then, when it seems he has finally turned things around, goes out and shoots himself. The authors suggest it's due to his believe that a dead artist is more valued than a live one, a strange but possibly true premise.

The analysis of the paintings, comfortably intertwined with the biographical information, are interesting as well, at least to someone like me who only barely understands painting. While the analysis occasionally descends into what is to me artsy gobbledegook, by and large the comments are incisive and point out the distinctive qualities of each painting and how it relates to his other work. The tone is positive and descriptive, which I liked. I could easily have imagined a much more critical approach or a tone that indicated this is the way to look at this painting. But the authors fall into neither trap.

So this artistic novice, at least, found this to be an excellent book about a great artist. Recommended for all those with an interest in the subject.

I purchased this book not being aware of the complete painting book but if I knew about the other one ( complete painting ) I probably would have chose that book for sure ! Anyway, as a second choise this is a great value book . The picture are beautifull and the text is full of detail about Van Gogh's life that is exceeded only by the Letter to Theo book published by Penguin. Well,now that you know my opinion, order this book if you are tight with money; other wise you may consider the complete painting if the quality of the picture and the text is as good as this book. Ciao

"VERMEER'S RIDDLE REVEALED The SPHINX, The JESTER and The GRAIL GEOMETRY" by Robert A. diCurcio

There is a lot to swallow in that title and too much to chew at one sitting, but if one wants to learn about a new discovery concerning this Dutch Master's paintings it is worth the effort.

The author's objective is to prove that Vermeer used Grail Geometry that is hidden in some of his paintings. Like Vermeer's paintings that can be viewed at different levels, this author provides an analysis that delves beneath the paint itself. He painstakingly constructs geometric shapes from positions of objects in the paintings and reveals the artist's intention to hide what is known as the Grail Geometry that leads to a secret map. It is a map known by few that allegedly leads to a sacred burial location, Mt. Cardou, France. It is the author's belief that the artist's Grail Geometry was applied before he began painting and he proves it.

Interwoven with his proof is a discussion of who Vermeer was, what is known of his paintings and why he would use the Grail Geometry. Vermeer was known as "The Sphinx of Delft," i.e. the riddle of Delft, hence, the author's title to this work. In conjunction with his explanation of Grail Geometry, the author adds a riddle of his own and solves it in an attempt to break the tedium of labels and lines. The proof is there if one has an open mind to scientific discovery and will concentrate on finding it. In recent private correspondence, the author has provided reproductions of "The Astronomer" and the "Geographer" that are more clear and simplified to clean up some of the cluttered graphics.

For this reader, uncovering the Grail Geometry in Vermeer's paintings is enough and considered to be an important discovery in the study of art. The author goes further, however, with his discussion and examples of Vermeer as a jester who incorporated supernumeries, hidden faces and beasties in his paintings. Although these visions may be found, they are vague to begin with and made more so by reproduction, some requiring a leap of faith so that they detract from holding the reader's interest in the Grail Geometry. Just when the reader is convinced that the author has met his objective, one is faced with another question, "Now what?" Perhaps the Jester should remain so, but part of an additional publication.

The author includes a bibliography, parts of which the reader should be familiar with, if one is to comprehend the background that led to R. A. diCurcio's discovery.

The first mistake that the reader might make would be to judge this book by its cover. A spiral-bound book is often considered the work of a stubborn amateur who decided to self-publish the result of his discoveries after being rejected by every possible publisher. This hypothesis is soon rejected after checking Amazon's extensive data concerning the author. We find that he wrote other spiral-bound books, among which, one is about his own Nantucket - nothing less than a book about Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick". Of the four books currently listed in amazon.com's online catalog, three of diCurcio's books are spiral bound, while the fourth is a hardcover edition containing almost 100 superb color reproductions of historic paintings. After reading "Vermeer's Riddle Revealed", the purchaser will understand why this book was produced in two spiral-bound volumes: to open both wide and to lay both flat -- so that the text volume and the full-page illustrations volume can easily be compared.

His starting point is something we take too many times for granted. We do not see everything around us. This untouchable truth is, alas, most of the time fully ignored. Our eyes cannot discern every chromatic line of colours (sometimes they can't see some at all), just as our ears cannot hear every possible sound outside the 20 to 20,000 Hz. range. What lies before us is not always perceived.

The "unperceived" is Robert diCurcio's starting point. In his analysis of Vermeer's paintings, his approach seems heretical - he removes all the colours from the paintings he examines. He reproduces them in black-and-white, like those dark illustrations we would prefer to see in colour in art books. But this is exactly the procedure that serves his agenda. The author maintains that Vermeer's paintings conceal a hidden occult geometry - a coordinated pattern of points, lines, and angles. The reader soon realizes that by removing colour to enhance the tonal values used by the artist, the author is able to see - and enables the reader to see -- patterns hitherto camouflaged for centuries. His analysis, demonstrating a geometrical basis for Vermeer's compositions (and some other very remarkable discoveries), appears to be undeniable.

This reviewer has no sympathy for those who might reject these findings by saying that you can see anything you want to see. The patterns are solidly confirmed by careful numbering of features that Vermeer placed at the nodal points of the same pattern that emerges in eight of Vermeer's paintings - in at least eight paintings out of the entire total of only 35 paintings in a lifetime's oeuvre. It is truly remarkable that modern technology - photography, the computer, and the laser printer - has enabled us to dig down below the camouflage of color to see the geometrical tonal patterns that Vermeer painted as underlayment for his masterpieces. One wonders if the Dutch master painter might ever have dreamed that one day the secret patterns, faces, and figures he lightheartedly concealed in the folds of drapery and carpeting would see the light of day some three hundred years in the future.

DiCurcio's work takes the reader into the world of Dutch master painting via the magic carpet of geometry - a field in which he spent many years as a teacher and as an engineer. After reading this extremely interesting book, a quote from Bob Dylan came to my mind: "There's no exit in any direction 'cept the one that you can't see with your eyes."

I have had this book for a couple of years, and have made several vests with these ideas. This is an excellent source to get the creative juices flowing. I refer back to it regularly.

This book is full of creative ideas and will inspire you to try new techniques, as well as trigger your own creativity. Creating vests can be a fun and fairly quick way to try these new techniques. I love this book!