Artists Books


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Animation-->Artists-->16
Related Subjects: Directors
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250
Artists Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Artists
Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper
Published in Hardcover by Flower Valley Press (1995-01)
Author: Charley Harper
List price: $49.95
New price: $29.00
Used price: $34.14

Average review score:

totally beguiled
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-25
"Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper" tickles all my funny bones. He has delighted me with not only his unique art but also whimsical description and insights into the animal kingdom.
I am on a hunt for the proper bookstand to display this book, to be smiled at page by page.
I am charmed.
Karen of Maine

Beguiled by Charley Harper
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11
This book is a great value for it's price. Alot of color prints and a wonderful samples of Charley's style. Charley Harper is a huge talent and this book is a wonderful example of that.

Charley Harper's art is beguiling
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-01
If you like animals, or mid century modern, you will love this book. Charley Harper's simplistic art is so wonderful and his play-on-word prose goes perfectly with his arwork. I don't know how anyone couldn't love his art or this book.

fantastic
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-08
Great book. The stories that accompany the images are as wonderful as the artwork. This is the fourth time I have purchased this book; everyone I have given it to has loved it. I love to introduce people to Charley Harper's work-he will be missed.

Only OK...
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-04
I purchased this book, largely based upon the reviews on Amazon and the the fact that it was the only book on Charley Harper on the market at the time.

While I L O V E Charley Harper's work, I don't think this book does him justice. There is little to no design to the book and a very limited selection of Charley's work.

Spend a few dollars more and get Todd Oldham's Illustrated Life book...I just received mine and it is beautiful. I don't think it has all of Charley's work, but it must have most of it. There's a great interview of Charley by Todd Oldham, as well.

Artists
Breath of the Dragon
Published in Library Binding by Tandem Library (1999-10)
Author: Gail Giles
List price: $12.25
New price: $12.25

Average review score:

A multilayered delight.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-03-08
Breath of the Dragon successfully pits ancient Thai cultural beliefs against more modern day outlooks with main character Malila in the middle. Through her grandmother, she learns to embrace and appreciate her heritage while Grandmother grows and learns as well. Perhaps the central lesson is that life, while not always easy, often works out for the best. Gile's weaving of Thai language, customs, clothing and festivals adds to the richness of the well paced story and while not tying everything in a neat package at the end, leaves the reader with hope none the less.

Incredibly Moving!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-27
I used to live in Thailand and I was worried how true to the culture the book was going to be. Not to worry, this book is wonderful. I can't believe how good it is. I'm glad I bought it and will highly recommend it to my Peace Corps friends.

BEAUTIFUL!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-15
I was so touched by the beautiful language and touching portrait of Malila. Every child has experienced ostracism at some point and this is an excellent story how one child not only survives it, but flourishes. Keep a hanky handy! A fantastic story to read aloud!

Teachers---Take Note!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-01
By the time I was reading the final three chapters aloud to my class, there was not a dry eye amongst my charges.

I had my students write letters to Malila (the main character) and the depth of empathy revealed in this assignment pored its soul in their expression.

Subtle and beautiful
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-19
BREATH OF THE DRAGON is a beautiful book, subtle, its language spare and poetic. It is the story of Malila, a young Thai girl who comes to live with her grandmother after a family crisis. Malila's grandmother is a wonderful person, creating an atmosphere where the little girl's artistic talents can flourish and where she can feel safe and loved. Within this story Giles seamlessly interweaves fascinating information about the customs and culture of Thailand. I highly recommend this book and eagerly await more works by Gail Giles!

Artists
BUSINESS & LEGAL FORMS GRAPH DESIGN
Published in Paperback by Allworth Press (1995-04)
Author: Tad Crawford
List price: $22.95
New price: $4.90
Used price: $0.99

Average review score:

This book is a must have!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-02
First off, I have to say this book is absolutely perfect for all first-time freelance graphic designers. My business partner and I recently started our own design agency at [...] and didn't have a clue about where to get our hands on the legal forms needed. We were referred to this book from another source. And since my partner's father-in-law is a lawyer, we decided to let him take a look at it to see what he thought. He said everything was solid. He couldn't find any holes on any of the forms inside. So after making a few small changes to custom fit our business, we were set. I can honestly say this book should be on the shelf of every aspiring freelance graphic designer. I highly recommend it.

Don't take them on their word. Get a contract signed!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-19
I have only serious clients who are willing to pay me because I take a contract to our first meeting and make them sign it. These contracts will protect you and your clients! They are worded with the legal stuff but easy to understand. He even explains what it all means. It even has a CD so you can pop it in your computer right before your meeting (as I have done) and print a contract.

Buy it, you won't be sorry.
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-29
This book has EVERYTHING you need ... and then some. When you think you're not going to need one of the forms in this book, you later realize that YOU DO! As a freelance artist, using these forms made me feel as though clients noticed that they were dealing with a real professional. Absolutely a great investment.

Must have for freelance designers!
Helpful Votes: 22 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-31
In starting out and gathering information it's hard to determine what books will be helpful. This is great. It is filled with tear out forms you can make copies of and use over and over. Great information. And the CD-ROM includes all the forms in pdf format, as well as Pagemaker and Quark XPress so that you can make changes to fonts and style, logo additions, and more, to suit your own home business. Files are compatible with Mac and IBMC platform, which is great for me being a designer working mostly on an IBM computer. Excellent book!

It's a $29.95 Lawyer!!
Helpful Votes: 26 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-19
Our small graphic design firm had been relying on the legal forms and contracts from this book for about one year. Finally, we decided that perhaps we ought to visit with a lawyer to make sure we were doing it right...$560.00 later for an initial consultation, we realized that this $29.95 book was the best business investment we'd ever made! The lawyer confirmed that the contracts that we had been using were airtight and were great (he had a few other pointers...but, none worth $560.00).

We have had many comments from our clients that over all the creative teams they'd worked with over the years, our design firm had surpassed them all in business professionalism. If you are serious about running a firm, or just want to protect yourself, you really can't go wrong with this book! Such a small investment for such a large return!

Artists
Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist
Published in Paperback by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (1999-12-03)
Author: Chuck Jones
List price: $25.00
New price: $14.81
Used price: $9.29
Collectible price: $57.50

Average review score:

and so, having re- re-disposed of the monster
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-12
tremendous text for classic bugs bunny enthusiasts. brings a new found appreciation for the masterminds behind the character development and the environment they "grew up" in.

Fantastic...A MUST for ALL Looney Tunes and Chuck Fans!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-05
Simply put, this is the best book ever written about Looney Tunes, and what it took to make them. Chuck shares entertaining behind the scenes info about the Termite Terrace and the people who worked there. Chuck say's that it was quite normal to see the animators look like they were going to wack each other with a mallet. Chuck also tells stories about those notorious poducers, Leon Schlesinger (whos lisp was used in Daffy voice) and Eddie Selzer. When Eddie said "I don't want any gags about bullfights, bullfights aren't funny!", Jones and Mike Maltise had something. Result: Bully For Bugs. When he said the same thing about camels to director Fritz Freleng, the result: Sahara Hare. Though Eddie is quoted as saying about Pepe Le Pew, "Nobody'd laugh at that s**t!", he happily accepted the Oscar for "For Scent-imental Reasons", a Pepe Le Pew cartoon. That (and many more) hilarous titbits are spread throughout this superb book, including high-quality backgrounds and scenes for "Duck Dodgers in the 24th and 1/2 Century" and many others. Also included are many drawings and many photos of the directors, animators and producers. The most illistruated and well thought out book about cartoons ever made.

As Wile E. Coyote would say "Genius, pure genius"
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-19
The world lost an animation genius recently with the death of Chuck Jones. Luckily, there is a book like this that celebrates the animation genius he was. Arguably, Jones was the father of some of the best Warner Brothers cartoons ever made, including "Duck Amuck," "Duck Dogers in the 24th and 1/2 Century," and my personal favorite "What's Opera Doc?" He also is responsible for giving us such great pieces of pop culture as the original "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

Part autobiography, part instruction, part tribute, this book shows us the man behind the screen, or should I say behind the pencil? We often wonder where a genius comes from - Chuck seems to say from anywhere. His mark on the development of the cartoon is undeniable, and monumental. But just as you cannot appreciate art fully until you know about the painter, so it is with Chuck's cartoons. I have a greater appreciation for the work that goes into developing these 8 minute masterpieces. Yes, it's true that Jones gave us some of the clunkers in the 60's as the Warner Brothers studio (and the MGM studio) animation division gasped what seemed to be its last breath. But it's all the more amazing that Chuck could produce such works given what little he had to work with. The world would be poorer were it not for the gives Chuck has given us, including Wile E. Coyote (super genius!),and the Road Runner, Pepe Le Pew, Marvin the Martian and many others. His style was distinctive, his contributions monumental and behind it all, he was a fascinating and talented man. This book stands as a tribute to this genius now that he's no longer with us.

A Joy to Read
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-30
Rather than an autobiography, this book is more a collection of musing from one of America's greatest storytellers (he just happened to tell his stories with pictures shown in rapid succession!) From his love of Mark Twain to his contempt at studio management, we see not how his life unfolded, but rather how Mr. Jones created his vision. Though there is no drawing instruction, I have to agree with the plethora of lists that this should be on the shelves of every animator, professional or aspiring, as it illuminates what goes into a great cartoon before penicl ever touches paper.

The Life and Times of Charles M. Jones
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-05
Chuck Jones is one of the best known people in the animation business. He's been in the animation business for over 65 of his 88 years(as I write this review, he'll be 88 on the 12th of this month!).

This book lists all of the cartoons he's been involved with (Warner Bros, MGM, Dr. Suess specials, and many others). Also, he talks about growing up, how real life inspired his cartoons, what it was like working in Warner Bros studio, pays tribute to partners Tex Avery, Friz Freleng, Mike Malthese, and Abe Levitow, and talks about other projects he's done (like his How to Draw From the Fun Side of Your Brain). And as the other reviewers have pointed out, there's an animated cartoon of the Roadrunner and the Coyote on the pages of this book.

Since this book was originally published, he's produced one video in the 1990's (Chariots of Fur) and the historical and whimsical book Daffy for President (available through the US Postal Service).

Artists
Depp
Published in Paperback by Ecw Press (2001-10-01)
Author: Christopher Heard
List price: $17.95
New price: $9.99
Used price: $6.22

Average review score:

hotter than eva!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 24 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-29
I ordered this book about Johnny Depp and when I first opened the book to pg.1 I got really interested and i said to myself "What a good book I picked out".I love Johnny Depp.He is my favorite actor and i think he is so hot!This book is a gotta- get cuz everything about johnny depp is hot,baby!!

Very Interesting!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-14
This book talks a lot more about his movies and whatr he did in them/for them then hid personal life. But, it does talk about his relationships and has a whole chapter (named 1410) on his hotel trashing arrest.

I liked that it talked about his childhood. Also, it potrayed him not as a "Bad Boy" but as a really nice guy who has been a target of the tabloids. Seriously people, get this book! I laughed quite hard in a few places. Also, this book came out before POTC so its not one of those type of books (the kind that go on about how he is such a rebel and if asked about Ed Wood or Chocolat they would go "What? Johnny Depp was in that??").

Simply the best...
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-26
This is by far the best book about Johnny Depp. You can tell that Christopher Heard truly respects Johnny. If you can only buy one book about Johnny make it this one. I hope he will continue to update this as Johnny continues to amaze us with his uncompromising performances as one of, if not the best, actors of his generation.

Excellent biography
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-13
This biography is outstanding. It is about the life of the great actor Johnny Depp, who has been in such movies as Edward Scissorhands, Don Juan de Marco, Donnie Brasco, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. If you would like to know the absolute truth about Johnny Depp, what kind of person he really is, and what makes him such a remarkable actor, you must read this book. I already loved and admired him, but after reading this book, my respect for him grew tremendously.

The main focus of this book is his career, and it goes into great detail about all of his movies up until 2001. (Pirates of the Caribbean, Secret Window, and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory are not included in this book) You will not only find out why he chose to do these movies, but you will also discover who chose him for these parts, what he did to come up with his characters, his relationships with co-stars and directors, and much more. There are tons and tons of quotes from co-stars about Johnny; what it was like working with him, what they think about him as an actor...I found this to be very interesting. You can absolutely tell that Christopher Heard went through a great deal of research for this book. Very impressive. It also covers Johnny's personal life, from his romantic interests, to his family life, his struggles, and his not-so-proud moments. This book sets the record straight. Additionally, it does include several small pictures, mostly in black and white, but there is also an 8 page section with full-page colored photos of Johnny as well.

Please read this biography so you can give Johnny Depp the respect that he deserves. This book will give you proof that he is not only a talented actor, but a completely brilliant, creative, and sensitive man.

No Bias Included
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-24
Christopher Heard states clearly that he's not telling the story from the press' point of view or from a pro Johnny point of view. He's simply giving the facts and the explanations that the media conveniantly missed. His somewhat mocking of the media's dreamt up persona of Johnny is entertaining, and also informative. It's what you need to know about Johnny, and makes you realize how much you respect him rather than just obsess over him.

Artists
Don Troiani's Soldiers of the American Revolution
Published in Hardcover by Stackpole Books (2007-01-10)
Authors: Don Troiani and James L. Kochan
List price: $39.95
New price: $26.79
Used price: $23.00

Average review score:

An Excellent Work!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-07
A wonderful gallery of accurately painted forces of the Revolutionary War era including Loyalists & German hired troops as well as weapons & artifacts. All that seemed to be "missing" might be the 1st Continental Light Dragoons or the Continental Marines. It was also great to see that for the first time since John Mollo's 1976 Uniforms of the American Revolution the uniform of the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons correctly depicted with white facings as opposed to the inaccurate buff color.

A must-have book for the student of the Revolutionary War
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-29
Although the world is filled with books on the various sorts of things which armed and equipped the Revolutionary War soldier, this book moves into uncharted territory. While Troiani's paintings brings these diverse sorts of soldiers to life, the full color photographs of many of the most important surviving artifacts from the war adds a dimension found nowhere else.

A must for AWI fans
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-14
Yet another excellent book by Don Troiani. A must for any AWI fan. I found the mixture of paintings and original weapons, uniforms and accoutrements a refreshing touch. However, those who have copies of 'Battles of America' and 'Soldiers of America'will find many paintings repeated in this new book.

A groundbreaking glimpse of America's Revolutionary heritage
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-30
Not since George Neumann's landmark "Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution" has there been such a remarkable assemblage of artifacts and images. The former, drawn from public and private collections from across the nation include many items that have never been published, let alone in color. Don Troiani's exquisitely detailed images, some new, some drawn from previous works, provide invaluable context for the objects, as well as documenting the bewildering variety of uniforms worn during the war. Both artifacts and images are described within the impeccably thorough research of noted historian James Kochan. This volume is destined to be the standard reference for the student of the American Revolution that "Echoes of Glory" is to devotees of the Civil War, and is a must for anyone from historian to general reader who is fascinated by the drama of the war that gave birth to America.

A NEW WINDOW ON THE REVOLUTION
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-04
With nearly two and one-half centuries having passed and literally thousands of books on the topic having appeared since the events of the American Revolutionary War, calling a new volume "pioneering" seems a bit bold. Relative to this important and exciting new gift to students by master artist and collector Don Troiani, though, that term is fully appropriate. In literally no other book to date have such historically valid visual perspectives of our War for Independence been gathered, through both a remarkable array of original artifacts and Troiani's impeccably researched and executed artwork. For this pre-photography American military epoch, no other source yields such a "you are there" perspective



While the bookshelf of "material culture" albums relating to Civil War memorabilia is both broad and expanding nearly every year, the number of significant books on Revolutionary War artifacts and relics ever published can literally be counted on one's fingers, with most of the still best-selling volumes having appeared during the bicentennial years of the 1970s. That sharp contrast, of course, is a direct reflection of the exceptionally greater rarity of the arms, equipment, apparel, and everyday-life items that can be proven to have been used by the armies of the 1770s than is the case with the militaria of the 1860s. Troiani has done all Revolutionary War students a great service by expanding the presentation of such earlier artifacts beyond those from his own fine collection with a startlingly superb array of items from other private and institutional collections, most never before published and many rarely ever seen by the public. These historic jewels are brought to the reader through close-up, full-color photos of such striking detail and beauty as to almost produce the experience of having these fascinating artifacts in one's hands.



The element that weaves together and breathes life throughout this gallery of fine militaria, of course, is Troiani's peerless artwork. With more than 50 of his paintings beautifully reproduced in this volume, the artist has brought true vibrancy to an era and its people almost habitually misperceived as lifelessly archaic or, worse yet, patriotically "quaint." In particular, the single-figure and small-group studies clearly reflect the precise documentation yielded by author James L. Kochan's exacting material culture scholarship. Such world-class historical accuracy, together with artist Troiani's insistence upon "period-correct" faces and physiques, has produced for us a strikingly innovative window upon the Revolution.

Artists
Going Digital: The Practice and Vision of Digital Artists (Digital Process and Print)
Published in Paperback by Course Technology PTR (2005-07-25)
Authors: Joseph Nalven and JD Jarvis
List price: $39.99
New price: $22.65
Used price: $17.85

Average review score:

The State of the Art in Digital Art
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-10
There was a time when artists bread and butter work was painting true to life pictures: portraits, battle scenes, ships, landscapes. With the advent of photography, art changed to other forms, some of which bore no recognizable appearance of anything known to anyone but the artist.

With the advent of digital photography and the necessary software to manipulate images, digital artists began to move in the way of the painters. Their digital images are formed by the manipulation of multiple images, of changes that can be made down to the bit level if desired.

This book explores digital art. While as of yet this is not well received by the conventional art community, it is a sign of coming times. Specifically in this book the same three specific images have been given to seventeen artists to use to illustrate what they might create. The procedures they followed to create new images coming from these three seed images are documented. The results are wildly different between the resulting pictures.

This is the forefront of digital art.

A must for any aspiring digital artist. Matt Kelland
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-03
Joseph Nalven and JD Jarvis' Going Digital: The Practice And Vision Of Digital Artists is written by a cultural anthropologist who developed photography as a tool for working on ethnographic research, and an author who has long worked in TV production and graphic design: the two together offer a survey of the digital process as it applies to creating the art, from photos to finished products. 17 artists were asked to take three seed photos and use the images creatively in their own works of digital art: Going Digital takes these 17 efforts and blends them with discussions and examples of digital art from around the world, considering common challenges, presenting step-by-step processes from digital pioneer efforts, and creating a solid set of practical examples. A must for any aspiring digital artist.

Now and Always
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-25
Anything written about the practice of digital art today is doomed to be obsolete shortly. Very little is likely to survive even as being "quaint" in the way of Bill Gates's famous comment that 640 bytes were enough for anyone.
Since we have digital artists in the thousands, however, all eager to learn more technique, to make the most of all that's available, to see what each other is doing, we need resource material to serve them. "Going Digital" does this admirably in an original way. Seventeen artists each take the same three given photographic images and use up-to-the-minute tools to mold their own creations. The results are startlingly different. Most important, each artist has recorded his or her creative process in a sort of running diary, illustrated with dozens of images used or discarded en route to the final one.
The technology will more than likely change drastically as artists and computer scientists continue to interact. What will remain exciting and inspiring in Joe Nalven and JD Jarvis's book is the implicit discussions among editors and contributors about the meaning of art, the value of art, the place of artists, what changes and what abides. Both the many fine prints and the thoughtful questions raised fit into the history and practice of art, as always fascinating every one of us. Every question has more than one answer; rarely are these answers just yes and no. Although the discussion is implicit, the reader knows that he is in the hands of experienced teachers. The authors leave no doubt that their book goes past "now".
You'll want this book on your shelf or in your hand always. I wish that Amazon would let me give it a sixth star.

A
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-06
There is little that I can add to the previous excellent, detailed reviews. But I did want to add my two cents worth:

I received my "Going Digital" from Amazon a few days ago and read it cover to cover in two sittings - loved it! I especially enjoyed the participant's musings on the three seed photos. It was interesting that most all of them liked the image of the figure.

The resulting prints could not have been more different - a very interesting intellectual/artistic exercise indeed. It is a "must have" book for all digital artists - and will undoubtedly be a classic text book on the subject.

(...)

I find that having to create something with images not of your own choosing forces
you to stretch the limits - to step outside of your comfort zone. I have produced images that I NEVER would have done otherwise.

I have been working digitally less than two years, most of that time I have been in
an internet group with weekly challenges. I credit the "seed image" restriction with helping me grow and find my own voice in this digital world.

When I switched to digital everything was so new and unfamiliar. I have not been able to get into a comfortable rut with the ever-changing challenges. They have pushed me in directions I never would have chosen for myself- and that's a good thing!

When I finished the book I looked for a website that had the images available - I was dying to try my hand at it!

Buy the book, then try out the concept of "seed images" for yourself. It is a fantastic learning experience.

Oh wait... while I am here. Harald Johnson's other book "Mastering Digital Printing" (second edition) is another "must have" if you are serious about your digital art.

Carol
(...)

The Revolution has begun!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-11
This book is a treasure trove of ideas for aspiring digital artists. Digital art has come of age, and Nalvin and Jarvis offer a comprehensive overview of the revolution that is transpiring before our very eyes. The book features an international group of digital artists working their magic on three simple images, while explaining their techniques and exposing their creative thought process at every step along the way. For the reader, each chapter provides a compelling intimate journey through the creative mind of a digital artist. My favorite was Greg Klamt, whose creativity is boundless. For me, this is digital art its at its very best. As Jarvis has stated in his digital manifesto, in the digital art world ".high cost will no longer signify superior work. Galleries and critics alike will soon have to realize that creativity, vision, diversity and craftsmanship have returned as the benchmarks of "value". Bravo!

Artists
Graffiti Girl
Published in Kindle Edition by MTV (2007-05-15)
Author: Kelly Parra
List price: $9.95
New price: $7.96

Average review score:

Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-30
Angel loves doing art, but is still finding her place within the scope of it all. Her work is labeled "whimsical", but she wants to up it to "realistic". However, when bad boy Miguel approaches her saying she has the perfect style to be a great graffiti artist, well, what else can Angel do but say yes to lessons? But as the days go on, she gets wrapped up more and more in the sometimes seedy underbelly of the world of graffiti art. Will she be able to pull herself out before it's too late?

I really enjoyed this book. Told in a very raw, honest, and realistic way, this novel portrays the Latino culture in a way I don't think I've seen before in YA literature. The events in this novel feel very real and make you invest so much into Angel and her life, leading up to a killer climax. I almost cried while reading this book and that is extremely hard for someone to do. This book is highly recommended.

I loved Graffiti Girl!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-12
The Sista Hood: On the MicAngel reminded me of myself as a young girl writing in California. Kelly felicidades on your first novel, it's great to see Latinas writing postive novels about subjects that young people can relate to. I felt you weaved Angel's personal journey as a writer and growing young women with humor, realness and craft.

Quick, Real YA Read
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-20
Parra weaves the conflict of a races, multi-hertiage, and defining one's identity in this fast-paced novel. Labeled YA, the novel can be enjoyed by a broad range of ages. It is difficult to believe this is Parra's debut work--such a terrific job!

Personally, I will never see graffiti the same since reading of Angel's struggles. While the book began a bit slow for me, the pace heightens quickly and won't let you go. The situations are real, so are the conflicts and the decisions that Angel faces throughout her journey. Parra has a fantastic YA voice, and I look forward to her next creation!

Couldn't put it down...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-05
I read this book in two sittings, which should tell you that it was downright entertaining.

Graffiti Girl is labeled young adult, but the themes in the story can appeal to a much broader audience. The protagonist, Angel Rodriguez, is a young artist who has an incredible need to express herself, yet struggles to embrace her unique style. She jumps right off the page-the kind of tough, sweet heroine who isn't concerned with prom dresses and makeup. Angel has real issues, driving internal conflict, and a message. She'll stay in your thoughts a long time after you finish her story.

Parra creates a seamless balance between the edgy and wholesome-an accurate description of setting in a racially diverse, small town high school. The prose is snappy and clean without being weighted down by excessive slang or references to pop culture, something a writer with less experience might use to remind us that we are reading contemporary fiction.

Well written, and well worth my time. I'll be looking out for Parra's next.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-01
Angel is a teenage girl whose life, or much of it, at least, is about her art. She loves art, but when she enters a contest for a mural, and doesn't win, she's more than a little disappointed. In her disappointment, Angel turns to another form of art, one that's more often than not practiced illegally: graffiti.

Miguel shows her his artwork, his graffiti, and even lets her into his graffiti crew, Reyes del Norte. She finds her voice in graffiti, and also finds herself drawn more and more to Miguel.

However, Miguel's not the only guy in the picture. Nathan is a much more clean-cut, wholesome guy, whose art is a lot more conventional, too; he won the mural contest that Angel wanted to win.

To say Nathan and Miguel don't get along is an understatement. And with both of them taking a rather sudden interest in Angel, their rivalry is getting even more intense. What side in it all will Angel pick--and will she stay true to herself and her art?

I was very excited to pick up this book; the summary sounds pretty great, and also really original. For the most part, GRAFFITI GIRL lived up to my expectations and was pretty awesome!

I love the characters, especially Angel, and I was impressed with the way the difficult decisions Angel had to make were realistically fuzzy and grey rather than clearly black and white, the way these sorts of choices (picking between two guys, for example) so often are to the reader.

The writing in the story was excellent, and the subject matter was fresh and interesting, making this story well worth reading. Kelly Parra is an impressive new voice in YA literature--keep an eye out!

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

Artists
Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints
Published in Paperback by Watson-Guptill Publications (1996-12)
Author: Hilary Page
List price: $24.95
New price: $24.95
Used price: $21.95

Average review score:

Compares with M Wilcox book
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-06
Helpful, providing definitive information on the behavior of the paint, accurate color photos, and information in disagreement with Wilcox's book--i.e. the color Opera by Holbien as a "permanent" color. (Color rec. by E. John Robinson). Useful when picking between different manufacturers, especially with online shopping.

Review of Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-14
I recently purchased Page's Guide and I'm delighted that I did. Firstly, the book came autographed and with several appended additions to information. Page's dedication to accuracy and clarity is impressive. Secondly, the book has a remarkable amount of information about all the brands of watercolor paint available in the U.S. relating to lightfastness, transparency, granularity, opacity, and so on, and the colors are actually shown in the book. Unlike other writers of watercolor paint guides, she uses all the colors in her book, which makes it sigificantly more interesting to review and read. Lastly, I take painting lessons from a nationally-known artist who has also published books relating to watercolor painting and color, and she recommends Page's book over others. I had already purchased Page's book, so I was thrilled to hear another expert give it praise.
I rate Page's Guide with four stars because I believe there is always more we can know about art, and Page may decide there's a more detailed edition she needs to publish, and also because actual publication printing inks are not as accurate in depicting colors as seeing the actual watercolor paint on watercolor paper. But for anyone contemplating purchasing Page's Guide, I highly recommend it.

AWESOME RESOURCE
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-24
I've read dozens of books on watercolor pigments. This is by FAR the best out there. Complete and unbiased information on all the leading manufactures pigments. This is the only book I keep on my studio desk with me at all times.

A Necessary Resource for the Watercolorist
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-19
"Hilary Page's Guide to Water Color Paints" is a necessary book for anyone doing watercolor. Her coverage is very through and she also has a web page for updating the information. She compares every well-known brand of artists' watercolors from Holbein to Winsor and Newton and her observations will save the artist, whether professional or rank amateur, both frustration and money. What's more, she tested every one herself! I liked the index, which first lists the company and under each company the colors sold. It makes it very easy to check up on the paints that interest you. Her short introduction on pigments and paints is also quite informative. If you work with watercolor you simply cannot afford to be without this book!

By the way my copy was given to me by my daughter for my birthday and was autographed by the author. The author had also neatly written a correction inside the book. This is a dedicated person and her work is much appreciated!

A must-have book for every serious painter
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-11
This was the first, and is still the definitive book on the chemistry of watercolor paints. Hilary Page is a fine watercolorist, but her main contribution to the industry has been her copious analysis of the characteristics of various manufacturers, brands, and qualities of watercolor paints. I became interested in the stability of paint in the early 80's while trying to find the most fade-proof pigments available for my own watercolor paintings. I did many of the same tests Hilary did, but no where near as complete. When her book came out much later, I purchased a copy and still use it today. My copy is marked up with notes that I refer to constantly. I feel this book should be on the shelf of any serious student of watermedia.

Artists
Hollywood Dealmaking : Negotiating Talent Agreements
Published in Paperback by Allworth Press (2002-06-01)
Authors: Dina Appleton and Daniel Yankelevits
List price: $19.95
New price: $11.43
Used price: $9.34

Average review score:

Super Helpful Book on Entertainment Industry
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-14
I work at a Production company and a lot of contracts we hand to outside lawyers, but this is a good tool for me because it goes into details and discusses each point in a contract. This is something I'd love to have had many years ago, when I just got started in the business, and now that I have it, I am learning a lot of new things. There isn't any other book out there- quite like this.

AWESOME RESOURCE FOR ANY BUSINESS AFFAIRS EXEC!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-27
Best book I ever bought dealing with the industry, bar none! I can't believe it's under $20!

good Read
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-15
Good but I liked the lingo section in the book Twelve Step Plan To Becoming an actor in LA but it was definetly helpfulGood Read

Josh Simon CAlifornia

Make your agent read this...but you should read
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-31
This is a great resource for dealmaking, but most actors and writers that I know aren't negotiating their own deals. The trick is to get your agent to work harder at creating opportunities, so that they actually have deals to make. Yes, your agent should read this book ... but for myself, as an actor/writer the book HOW TO AGENT YOUR AGENT...is my bible. It helps me kick my agents in the butt ( without them knowing)and I get results...they're working harder and I'm getting work. Also I liked that book with all the casting directors pictures...just in case you see them in Starbucks and want to say hello.

FABULOUS RESOURCE.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-24
THIS IS THE MOST USEFUL BOOK I HAVE SEEN ON THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. BEST DEAL-MAKING BOOK ON THE MARKET. 5 STARS!


Books-Under-Review-->Arts-->Animation-->Artists-->16
Related Subjects: Directors
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250