Artists Books

A chance meeting with the artist has given me a new sense of hope. I shall forever cherish my signed copy of "Guided by the Angels" My husband and I were so drawn in to her vision that we purchased one of her original paintings entitled, "Keeper of the Lights". This book is a great and inexpensive way to have a glimpse at creation as seen through the eyes of a true angel here on earth, Mandi keep doing God's work and his light shall forever shine through you!

EVERY THING YOU WANT TO KNOW.

I simply cannot describe how this young girl's paintings make me feel. It is like looking into the face of God through an angel by the name of Amanda Dunbar. She is destined to attain greatness in her lifetime. Her angels speak so that we all can listen. It is time to heed the lessons by the child who is surely "Guided by Angels" Thank you Amanda for your precious, precious gift!

I simply cannot describe how this young girl's paintings make me feel. It is like looking into the face of God through an angel by the name of Amanda Dunbar. She is destined to attain greatness in her lifetime. Her angels speak so that we all can listen. It is time to heed the lessons by the child who is surely "Guided by Angels" Thank you Amanda for your precious, precious gift!

Amanda Dunbar has an extraordinary gift. To look at her paintings gives me a sense of inner peace and hope. I'm also amazed at the technique and vibrance of colour each one of her painting has. I would love to own at least one of her paintings. it would definitely be a valuable collectible and worthwhile investment. But for now the book is fantastic ! Keep up the good work Amanda!

The illustrations are breath-taking--make you want to run your fingers across the page. Thousands of little girls can identify with the heroine, who is clearly the author herself( read the author's note first).

My book arrived quickly and just as I had ordered it. It was packaged safely and securely. You will be happy with this seller.

This is a wonderful story perfect for your imaginative little ones. It took me back to my childhood and all the imagining and pretending I did as a little girl. My children were enraptured. I did not give it a five b/c they have not asked me to read it over and over. I think you have to be in a special mood for this story. Great at bedtime! Great for the little girl or boy who dreams of horses or loves animals.

This is a very special book about a girl who wants her own pony. My daughter loved this book, because she could relate to the story so well. She too wishes for a pony, but we don't have one. Very special book. Love it!

My girls LOVE horses. This is a really cute book, with great pictures about a little girl and how she loves ponies. It's totally worth it!

What a pleasure to read. Wolverton weaves through the book personal history and her experiences at the Los Angeles Woman's Building to bring art history and feminism in LA to life. Wolverton easily evokes engaging images with just a few strokes of the pen.

Terry Wolverton's Insurgent Muse is one of the most powerful, moving memoirs I have ever read. Once I started reading, I literally could not put the book down and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. Wolverton writes with insight, courage and humor about her own coming of age as an artist, her coming out as a lesbian, and her experiences with the Los Angeles Woman's Building, not only as an institution but as a vision of a creative, collaborative community of women. Anybody who is interested in the connections between art and politics, especially how artists get politicized and how political art gets made, should read this book. Though there's no happy ending to this story - in that the Woman's Building is no more - I found Insurgent Muse incredibly inspiring and an important reminder that art DOES matter and that sisterhood - however chimerical it sometimes seems - can indeed be powerful.

This book is really two books in one. A facinating look at a pivitol moment in time for women in the arts woven together with the story of the author's own growth and evolution as an artist and a person. A must read for anyone who is interested in modern feminist history.

Insurgent Muse is much more than a retrospective of feminist art and history. Terry Wolverton has written a personal, honest, detailed history of the venerable Woman's Building. The discovery of self, the intensity of feminist spirit many found at the Woman's Building live on in this wonderful and courageous book.

For those who want to learn about the feminist art movement, "Insurgent Muse" is an informative and insightful book that is deeply complex yet very accessible. This book gives voice to an important but much neglected part of American history. What makes this book so compelling is Wolverton's ability to weave her personal experiences with this political movement. With gorgeous prose and honest and courageous self-exploration, Wolverton shares some valuable life lessons gleaned from some very difficult experiences. In particular, I appreciated her insights about the nature of empowerment and how the artist informs the art and vice versa.

I'm a pretty picky reader. Half the books I begin I never finish because I lose interest. Among those I finish, there are very few that leave a lasting impression. "Insurgent Muse" not only held me captive to the very last page, but it also left me with a feeling of excitement. I highly recommend this book. Read it and you won't be disappointed.

My mother bought this book for my daughter (4 years old) at the Tate Gallery in London. My daughter absolutely loves this book and for the past 6 months we have read it probably close to 100 times. It is a wonderful introduction to impressionist painters and their paintings. Although I grew up in Europe, my daughter is growing up in Asia and doesn't have much of a chance to see such famous paintings. When we went back to Europe to visit my parents, she quickly recognized Monet's paintings at a museum we visited. This books is a great idea to introduce children to the classic world of art. I just ordered 2 more from this series.

This was a very nice book to use as an introduction to art appreciation with a Pre-Kindergarten class. Wonderful story and it was easy for the children in our school to relate to.

Very cute wish I thought of this myself. Very creative and the illustrations are terrific. Katie is adorable too. Check out the other books he's written the Sunflowers is another great book too. My three year old is learning about art, color, paintings and stories. A winner.

James Mayhew set the bar high with this adventurous and educational story. I cannot think of a better way to encourage children to explore impressionism. Our daughter was just 3.5 when we first fell in love with Katie. We have since purchased the series of Katie books and enjoy sharing them with other children.

I bought this book along with two others from James Mayhew's collection for my two and five-year-old daughters. We enjoyed learning about the artists, types of paintings and history. After purchasing this book, I ordered another one as a birthday gift for a six-year-old and took the kids to a local museum featuring Impressionism. It is a great book for introducing famous art pieces and familiarizing young children with art history. Katie's adventures allow the children to step inside the paitings and experience various imaginative scenarios. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in exposing young children to art appreciation, which can begin at an early age.

I was extremely happy with the service I receivec. I requested that this book be sent to the county jail, via Overnight Mail, for my son, and it wzs received the next day. Time was of the essence and you delivered. I can't rate the book myself, because it was not for me. I would definitely use Amazon.com again.

I have been admiring and studying the Art of Boris Valejio since 1988. This is a collection of Art (late 1970s-mid 1980s) from his career PEAK. Details and tones duplicated from a MASTER Painter. If you buy ONE collection of Boris's fantastic Art, IT MUST BE MIRAGE...

There are some beautiful pencil renderings with precision use of the eraser to bring his sketches to life. An added bonus to pages of glorious full color women and men in the god-like exploitation of the human form.

I'm a long-time Boris fan. I actually own this in hardback, purchased over twenty years ago. It still is one of my favorite art books even after two decades.

Okay, why "Mirage" and not some other Boris book? This isn't a just some anthology of book covers. Quite simply, it has the finest collection of sensual fantasy art I've seen. I say sensual and not erotic because there is a difference. Boris paints lots of skin in this collection... plenty of gorgeous female pulchritude, but it keeps to the tasteful side lecherous. Oh, there are a couple of male figures as well, and they're just as well executed as his females, so you can't fault him there, either.

But don't think this is a series of illustrations with some poetry (by the artist's then-wife) thrown in to justify a book full of nudes. There's always a heavy element of high (or sometimes low) fantasy in every scene... that's fantasy as in mythic, not fantasy as in Penthouse Letters, even though Bob Guccione would have jumped at the opportunity to have any of these women grace the pages of his magazine. And to the surprise of some, there are several very humorous images as well.

Yet there is some truly incredible art in this collection as well. There is one painting of a triton and mermaid... uh... "disporting" themselves underwater that still stands out after twenty-plus years as one of my favorite pieces of art regardless of style, genre or medium. That's saying something.

If you find nudity objectionable, skip this book... you'll never get past all the skin to see the art behind it. Some of the images are slightly disturbing. Some are what I'd consider "filler" to add volume to the book, not as appealing or creative as many of the others. Yet there are some that are simply stunning... breathtaking in color, style and subject, and that makes up for any weaknesses the rest might suffer.

And as I mentioned, there is poetry included as well, contributed by Boris' wife (before Julie Bell). As far as open verse goes, she does respectably well. Some of the poems are rather forgettable, but others may appeal to the individual reader. I like Dylan Thomas and a few other modern poets who use free verse, so the style doesn't bother me a bit. Still, on the whole, the art is why I got the book, not the poetry.

If you want art by daVinci and verse by Tennyson, save your money... you'll be disappointed. Personally, I enjoy art by Boris and poems by Doris just as well.

Overall, an incredible collection well worth the acquiring.

This book collects a series of Boris' paintings, plus a few very detailed pencil drawings, done between 1979 and 1982. If you're not already familiar with Boris' work - well, you probably are whether you know it or not. He has done years work of book covers for Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as reams of posters. The one constant through all his work is passion for the human form and human power, both male and female.

These paintings range from the lush and sensual to humorous or macabre. A hookah come to life has a demonic presence, but a bar of soap come to life (and licking the bather) is more charming and a little silly. Even the simplest pictures have overtones - that bather is truly a beautiful woman, leaving me just a little envious of such close contact. Maybe not envious either, but off in thoughts of my own. And the preface is right, 'erotic' is much too simple a word for all the different feelings and combinations of feelings that come from having or holding a strong, healthy body.

My only complaint is a sameness in the female figures presented. The faces are beautiful, long and elegant, but mostly the same. The figures - the one figure, really is beautiful, but I value the uniqueness of a figure and the differences between figures. Cloning can serve a narrative purpose, certainly, but sameness wears. Even the loveliness of Danielle Anjou, acknowledged as a principal model and collaborator, wears.

Boris is the master of the figure in fantasy art, and has been for many years. This is a great sample from an earlier time in his career. It's almost impossible not to like.

//wiredweird

If you are a fan of Boris Vallejo, or are thinking about buying a book of fantasy art -- this book should be the first one you buy. This is an absolute must-have for any art book collection, fantasy art or otherwise. Of all of Boris Vallejo's work to date -- this book by far has all his best art.

Boris Vallejo is by far the best fantasy artist EVER! His 1970s and 1980s art is by far much better than his current work, as is evident from the Mirage book. The figures/subjects in his early work in the Mirage book look like they actually belong in the painted scene. Many other fantasy artists draw subjects in scenes that look like models posing for a painting -- and look really stiff like cardboard. Boris meshes the scenes perfectly and transports you into another world with his vivid depictions of fantasy characters.

I recommend buying Boris Vallejo books in the following order:
1) Mirage
2) Fantasy Art Techniques -- buy it even if you're not an artist.
3) Enchantment
4) Dreams
5) Sketchbook

Verdict: Buy it!
Reviewed by Harrison Chua.

This book is pretty, yea, I'll give it that and agree with the other reviewers. It has innovative text stock and cover treatments. Otherwise, I've seen better "design" books that spark all sorts of inspiration. I guess because I didn't know of the artist before purchasing, I wasn't that impressed. If I had known who he was and was a fan of his work, it probably would have been better received. Oh well, I still kept the book...why not.

This is an absolutely exquisite book, anyone interested indesign would love it..I love every single page. it is now a prized on show possession!!Thanks Amazon i saved more than half the price too by buying this beautiful book from you..you have a new life customer who looooves lovely books....

Tord Boontje is one of my favorite designers. For me this book showcases his collection in such a gorgeous manner it is a delight to read.
I highly recommended this if you have an interest in Tord Boontje and design, or if you just love beautiful books.

Great book by a great artist! a must on a designer's shelve!
Inpirational, beutiful, colorfull, simple - it has it all!
A very strong recommendation.

I haven't even gotten around to reading the text in this book yet; the imagery alone makes it worth the purchase. A wonderful catalog of all of Boontje's works and projects, with amazing pictures. The mesh wrapping over the cover and the perforated pages make this book that much more unique.

This is a great book for anyone interesed in becoming a Trooper or other Law Enforcement Officer. It helps people understand the inherent risks of the job, but it also shows the amount of respect the North Carolina Highway Patrol receives (and deserves). It details several deaths of NC troopers (such as Giles Harmon and Bobby Coggins). It is an older book and very difficult to find copies of now.

A great read, hard to put down once you start

Firstly, this book is a credit to the North Carolina Highway Patrol -- a fine highway patrol organization.

I first read this book in late 1990, shortly after graduating from the Illinois State Police Academy. I enjoyed it, but didn't really connect with it on a "5 star level", as it didn't quite fit my concept of what highway patrol work is about and what my career would be like.

Now, 18 years later, I have thumbed through the book and find that it uncannily portrays exactly what patrol work is about. Some humor, some horror, some drudgery, some satisfying public service. Most of us love it, as witnessed by the almost non-existent resignation rate. The author did an outstanding job of selecting tales and retelling events.

The book is a bit unsettling to me since, as indicated by the title, it rather focuses on true fatal events that have happened out on the road (North Carolina highways, in this case). Almost all troopers have had countless gun battles in their sleeping dreams . . . no glory, just horror. Not to mention the even greater hazard of getting run over. As policeman/author David Hunter so accurately phrased it, "Every traffic enforcement stop contains the seeds of death". He was correct.

This is a very good book. Not everyone will connect with it, but if you're interested in the topic matter, I recommend it.

This book is great if you have ever thought about a career in the Highway Patrol. Just realize though it was written back in the 1980's and things have changed alot in the orgainization as a whole, but the people are still as crazy and dangerous as ever. The Stories are real and you can't put this book down.

This is an excellent guide to discovering who stands behind the badges of the highway patrol. I have a new found appreciation for the men and women who risk their lives every day. Even when they have to do so in an environment of decreasing respect and increasing firepower. I strongly reccomend this book.

I ordered this book based on some of the reviews I had read and I am very impressed with it. Though it is geared for kids, it is great for older artists as well. It breaks down steps and procedures wonderfully and presents them in a very informative many. If you want to learn the basics of drawing I would strongly recommend this book. Enjoy!

We purchased this book for our 7-year old daughter. The book is written and illustrated in a manner that she was able to open the book, read it and go by the illustrations by herself. She has been using this book almost daily since Christmas.

The book has enough explanations for those children that want to learn basics of drawing on themselves.

I purchased this for my 10 year old granddaughter. She loves it. She says it has all different subjects to draw and gives step by step how to.

This book is excellent for the beginning art teacher and drawing student. I am basing a lot of my curriculum on ideas inspired by this book in my upcoming school year. It takes your thoroughly through each step/stage of learning to draw so that anyone can master it! Great illustrations and ideas are perfectly fit onto each page, without annoying "materpieces" that you don't think possible. By the end, you will be drawing with the best of them-- and students will too!

Very good book for the price, has a good collection of her artwork as well as information about her processes and her life.

I was first introduced to the art of Bev Doolittle when I lived in Alaska back in 1994. I bought my first print in 1997 followed by this book and several more prints. I find her "hidden" imagery fascinating and mesmerizing. I love showing my prints and this book to guests, waiting for their inevitable reaction of surprise when they see the "whole" painting. She really is a rare talent and this book brings her whole collection (at that time) to you. I know some of her original prints are worth thousands now and its unlikely I'll ever own them. But at least I have high quality fold out "mini" prints to enjoy!

To be a part of Bev Doolittle's art is, in itself a gift. I saver each

picture as an example of anothers insite into " my West ".

The book arrived sooner than expected abd was given as a gift. the receipient was very pleased. I have been very pleased with every order I have received from Amazon.

Bev Doolittle's definitive collection (you don't need anything else of hers if you have this one) is a glorious compendium of richly detailed full-color reproductions of her paintings. The optical tricks alone are worth the book's price tag, and the minuteness and authenticity of Doolittle's details rival the paintings of Frank C. McCarthy (another favorite of mine). Anyone who loves illustrations of horses, American Indians, or both cannot call their collection complete without this title.

Like every Discworld fan, I've always had in my mind a good idea of what the characters looked like. I pictured Ridcully as Brian Blessed, Vetenari as David Warner, Granny Weatherwax as either Judi Dentch or Maggie Smith, Lady Sybil as Dawn French, CMOT Dibbler as Eric Idle, and Vimes as Russell Crowe. This book doesn't present the characters exactly as I've pictured them, but it's not far off and what it shows is certainly great!

Consider the picture of A'Tuin flying through space, or the picture of Granny Weatherwax smiling broadly. Look at Greebo, oozing feline malevolence (though too bad we didn't get a look at his human form, once described as being the sort of person who can commit sexual harrasment by sitting quietly in the other room).

All your favorite characters are here, and most of them are so well-done you can look at them and just KNOW who it is, without being told. Look at the totally gormless picture of Fred Colon, for example, or Carrot, looking quite noble... almost... regal...

Basically what it boils down to is that if you enjoyed, The Last Hero: A Discworld Fable you'll like this book. There's no story, just some lovely artwork. A definate must-own for any Discworld fan!

This book is a collection of Artist Paul Kidby's illustrations of the various characters in Terry Pratchett' Discworld. And boy howdy, what a good job he does. Personal favorites of mine are the picture of Discworld on the back of the elephants on the back of the turtle swimming through space!! Kidby gets it perfect! I am also very fond of his pictures of DEATH.. one of my favorite characters in the series.

If you are fond of the series, I highly recommend this book! I would also suggest that you check out The Last Hero: A Discworld Fable, which also features the art of Paul Kidby.

All the best,

Jay

"The Art of Discworld" is a beautiful collection of images by Paul Kidby - some are pen and pencil essays, others are more advanced sketches and many form completed paintings. They are grouped by theme and portray the Discworld itself, several landscapes (Ankh-Morpork, Lancre, Überwald...) and buildings (Unseen University, several Guilds, Night Watch HQ...) and almost every named character in the Discworld universe. In addition, Terry Pratchett adds interesting, lengthy comments on characters, how they came to be and his opinion on Paul Kidby's view of them.

There are a couple of inexplicable omissions (for instance, Magrat Garlick is barely shown in the background of a picture, even though she is mentioned repeatedly in the accompanying text) and several images have already been featured elsewhere (e.g. several book covers, the Mapps,the Calendars).

Finally, the illustrations and the text correspond to the Discworld situation as it was by 2006, which means there are some serious SPOILERS in the text for those who haven't read the corresponding books.

Overall, this is an absolute MUST for any serious Discworld fan. It's gorgeous to look at, interesting to read and at times hysterically funny like only something written by Terry Pratchett can be.

I would say that the art depicting the various characters of Discworld looks exactly like I had imagined them. This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend if you are a Discworld fan. The only thing missing in this book is a depiction of Sybil, Vime's wife. I would liked to have seen her included in "The Art of Discworld". All in all, an excellent Discworld resource for the Discworld fan!

It's amazing how a well written description or the good development of a character can put an image in someone's mind.

I found Paul Kidby's illustrations to be as I expected the assorted characters to appear. And it motivated me to further pursue reading more of Pratchett's work.