Artists Books

This book is an excellent view into the highlights of M. Parkes work. One could sit for hours gazing at the paintings that are in this book. Also a very inexpensive way to preview prints I might buy in the future.

A beautiful book, one that you can keep as a reference on on the coffee table. Beautful, beautful book

This book is an absolute bargain. The art is gorgeous, and very well reproduced. Thankfully, NONE of the artwork spans more than one page, and cuts the piece in half. All of the prints are on the right page, and a commentary (including date, title, and size) is on the left page. My only complaint is the text. Parkes actually comments on approximately 1 in 4 of the prints. The rest of the comments are not words of the artist, but "meaningful interpretations" from misc. sources. The commentary from these sources varies from interesting to pathetic. IMHO, the only comments worth reading are the ones from the Parkes, which are in quotations. All in all though, this is a MUST BUY if you like the work of Parkes. You will be delighted, I guarantee it.

This book contains not only a wonderful collection of works by Mr. Parkes, it also has a short statement from the artist on the meaning behind, or the inspiration for the piece. He gives you just enough information to see where he is coming from, without interfering with personal interperetations. A great gift! (Thanks for the book, Dad!)

This is a magnificent book. The large illustrations and text that accompany them are beautiful to look at and insightful. We all interpret his work in our own way, it's nice to see how the artist himself interprets his work. I have several of his books and like them all, but this is my favorite.

do not read this book, it's Too Good.
i professed to a bookshop, "most people buy it because it's shiny, but it's actually a Great work of Genius," that was just a common marketing ploy used in media & politics, propaganda or more aptly, less-than-half truths used to mass-hysterically sway popular opinion. No one is buying Xerø.
the silver reflective cover designed to snaz-up the flashiness instead of causing the Art-Literary-Masterpiece to stand-out on the shelf actually only reflects the books beside it, making it essentially invisible.
the Work is such a complete Representation of Life you can't even see it. hence: "is what it ism" the religion.
also see ref. Xerø: "nutella & fluff on the common denominator of slice," Laruocco wants to be the dichotomy of eastern & western culture, spreadable, drinkable, freezable; the Lowest Common Denominator Of Language.

illustrated vibrantly with vivid photographs mixed with drawings, chapter titles include:
the Melding American Capitalism -&- the CAPITALIZATION of G O D.
the shapes the Vowels take on your face A e i o & u, & the double You. [---what part of "NO" don't you understand? ---the K & the W ]
"is what it ism" -- the religion. 'mASS':: word is a diction, words are a diction!
the 12-steps of Ass Synonymous, an in-depth synthesis application of a spiritual discipline.
the 'Ad(Ass) replacement strategy' an attempt to conform to language through trash chic advertisement.
products like: Butt & kNOwSe Curiosity Remover Cream™ - No's if's &'s OR's But's about it,-- Break your chains of thought!
'A Parody Keeps the Doctor Away.' etc.
Laruocco invented the mixed metaphor before they were called mixed metaphors, before it was looked down upon, that 'she mixes metaphors'. She'd patented her Laruoccan®™© technique before copyrights became fashionable & Genericide became poetic. her words make ¢. clairvoyant kleptomania when i stole your ideas before you have them.

Xerø is like a children's book for adults who liked the straightforwardness of the 3 bears but refined & tainted their intellect beyond years of mass media. The story begins: "She goes to the doctor to fix the crack in her ass." & it continues to conclusion.

i have schizophrenic sub-divisiaries hence the "La Ruoc & co." publisher who Represent you... so you can BLAME them when people look at your book & Gasp "WHO Published this!" i say... "the other girl." (im thinking the other girl too) but she's the same girl under the same wig at the same time.
Xerø sites references to: "the diamond sutra," the Buddhist bible; "I & Thou," Martin Buber; & "Magick, book 4 liber ABA" Aleister Crowley.

This here shiny book is just bursting with some of the most interesting pieces of artwork I've been privy to sift through in a great long while. If you're interested in playing it safe, and not expanding those brains of yours, then go and commit suicide... otherwise, go ahead and give a gander at this crazy masterpiece, known only as Xero!

-Blister Herzog

here is my homemade attempt at reviewing what is above reVIEWs/like a shirt for madonna concert in puff paint/ if you are looking at this before the new year begins, then reading this book would be a way to save yourself from another year in the dark. if it is after the new year, then don't wait any longer to read it. PreSUMing you are reading this, you like books, so you've got a chance. But all your life, you have probably been using words with some thought, but xero awareness of their vitality, ASSuming them to be iron little SOLDiers/soldEARS without souls or feathers or intentions of their own. LA Ruocco has somehow birthed what can only be described as a tremendously disorganized frenzy of thought/ picture a sky ravaged by comets/ basically, an exquisite wreckage of language, and on each page there are multiple moments when: when hunter s. thompson (may his gonzo genious requies in pacem /or Vegas) shot out the phrase "Buy the ticket, Take the Ride" he was talking about this.

La Ruocco's Xero is epistemological profanity at its cleverest. A chaotic but perfect world to explore. For the lover of art that makes you think and laugh, Xero is, as Robert Bork once said, an 'intellectual feast.'

Xero mixes free-associative, recursive, pun-filled, and at times startlingly clear prose on topics from religion to La Ruocco's ass. To itemize the topics, to give away too much detail, would be to ruin part of the fun, which is discovery. The book unfolds, the ideas link and fertilize each other.

Interspersed throughout is copious color photography, much of it including said ass and the rest of Laruocco's stunning beauty.

Collaborative portions include a conversation about intellectual property and pornography with John S. Hall, and documentation of a scheme with Michael Portnoy to replace Calvin Klein ads with their own ass-based versions.

Xero is less a book than a journey and a performance piece. But that's wrong. That's because we have preconceptions of what a book should look like, be like, act like. When you spend time with Xero you are provoked, stimulated, tickled. You don't just read about experiencing; you experience. You'll be enlightened, exhilarated and entertained by the journey.

--- (...)

If you haven't read Laruocco's Document Zippo, you have missed one of the more significant events in literary history.
Any fear that she was a one-shot author is delightfully vanquished by the publication of Xero. In an age when economy determines the list of authors released by major publishers, L.A. Ruocco is fiercely unique and independant. Xero bridges the gap between western and eastern civilization and bi-polar thinking in the lowest common denominator of a language which, although appearing to approach neology at times, is in fact precise and deep. Her work will be current and flourishing long after her detractors have learned to cohabit with the dust.

Excellent resource for learning about the ins and outs of getting your songs copyrighted and published. Simple, well-thought-out and professionally done. A must-have cassette for your car.

I am a songwriter and have long looked for a concise, practical guide and overview of the songwriting business. THIS IS IT!!!!! I would recommend this audio cassette to anyone and everyone interested in this business of songwriting. It replaces confusion, mystery and 'overwhelm' with a really tangible, step by step understanding of what needs to happen, and how to do it.

This book clearly presents the information needed for an unsigned songwriter to take steps to becoming a published (signed) songwriter. The chapters are well organized and the reader's voice is easy to understand. I have been a music publishing professional for 20 years, and this book answers all of the questions most frequently asked by novice songwriters. Highly recommended!

Being in the music industry for the past several years working with an indie record label, Lansdowne, Winston, Bloor, Hoffman House Music Publishers, SGA and writing for Music Connection Magazine and SunsetStripRadio.Com, I've met a lot of eager songwriters/artists trying to break into the industry and this book would be absolutely perfect them. Like most struggling artists, it's hard to find time to sit down and read, let alone work all those odd jobs (or that one job that's less than ideal), write songs, rehearse, do the club networking-thing, and live a life worth living. You can listen to this book and let it sink in slowly, passively, painlessly, etc. NO READING REQUIRED..haha...Aaron talks about various resources to help you get started on your pitching spree, specifics about copyright, collaboration, etc...Do your songwriting dreams a favor and get this book/tape.

I've been a songwriter for 20 years - the last 9 of which professionally, meaning I've been lucky enough to have gotten paid for it. I also teach songwriting for UCLA Extention, The Songwriters Guild of America and many other songwriting organizations throughout the US and Canada. I will be recomending Mr. Mezza's "You've Written a Song..." to all my students as well as my professional colleagues. This information is vital to the beginning songwriter and timeless to the veteren. If you put words and music together...GET THIS TAPE. Phil Swann, staff songwriter for Dreamworks SKG.

This is a fantastic book but I don't think most people would want to spend nearly $500 for a copy. I was able to find a copy on AbeBooks (in Germany) and had it shipped to the U.S. for less than $50 total. If interested try AbeBooks or Alibris. I hope all lovers of Tanguy's work can get a copy. Even if you can only get a German language text version the color plates and reproductions are worth the purchase!

I purchased this as a Christmas present to myself this year. It has become my favorite gift. I love Tanguy's paintings! Along with Miro', he was my favorite Surrealist. It's good to see some pictures of the man and his life. Nice illustrations. Informative.

This is a long-overdue volume, fully and gorgeously illustrated, covering the life and works of, in Breton's words, "the purest surrealist." The reproductions are masterful and directly relevant to Tanguy's development, while the commentaries remain truly informative without foundering in the numbing dryness so typical of this type of overview. Tanguy's fantastic, evocative visions have not received anything near the attention lavished on artistic compatriots such as Dali, perhaps because the former's near-eremetic lifestyle seemed to put his graphic revelations of the subconscious totally beyond the pale of rational understanding. This book finally provides a clear passageway into Tanguy's universe.

I am by no means an "ART" person, but there are a few artists that tickle my untrained eye, and Tanguy is on top of my list.
This is a comprehensive and insightful look into the works of this underappreciated surreal artist. Move over DALI here comes Tanguy! Get this item while you can!!!

No library of 20th century art would be complete without this splendid overview of the life and work of French-American artist Yves Tanguy. The background and technical information is thouroughly researched and wonderfully written, and the illustrations, including the flawless color plates of the paintings, are sumptious and wonderfully reproduced. A very well-designed and well-made book, too. Buy it!

There is no doubt this is a nice book, but the material is abundant elsewehere and a LOT less expensive. If you are a completist or money comes easy to you, by all means get this. If five hundred dollars seems ridiculously expensive even for a limited run, you can buy Wallace Wood books in bookstores, comic stores, and online very easily.

I recently purchased this volume, along with Starger & Spurlock's "Wally's World," and this is by far the superior of the two books. Rather than attempting to write a biography, as S&S do, Bhob Stewart has assembled some 35 essays about Wood, including four by Stewart himself. These range from one page to 46 pages in length, and from breezy to scholarly in tone. Some are more interesting and better-written than others, but collectively they add up to a fascinating portrait of a uniquely talented artist whose life ended far too soon.

As you'd expect with any book about Wood, there are copious illustrations, including 16 pages of full-color reproductions on glossy stock in the hardcover edition. (The paperback omits these.) The quality of the reproductions is generally good, although there is just the tiniest bit of bleed-through in the black-and-white pages. I wish they'd used a better grade of paper!

If you are a hardcore Wood fan, you should probably get both this book and "Wally's World." If you have to choose, this is the one to go with, assuming you can find a copy at an affordable price.

I came upon this book while browsing a comic shop in Cambridge, and soon realised it was the long promised comprehensive survey of Wood's art and career. I applaud Bhob Stewart for his perseverance and obvious passion in bringing this book to publication. Any fan of Wood's will want to read this book. It contains tons of great art ; some of it obscure and previously unseen, and the biographical information it presents is thorough, and illustrated with great photos. A blurb on the back of the book proclaims, "Hooray for Wally Wood" and sure enough the vivid and imaginitive genius of Wood is on full display between its covers. This is the triumph part of his story, and it makes it a must have art book. But this book bravely explores the person of Wood as well,including the negatives, and the price he paid for his obsessive genius. It's a tragedy that anyone who knows Wood's story is familiar with, and it speaks loudly to the American culture at large, and how we have in the past, sometimes treated our heroes like throwaway commodities. After seeing some of the gorgeous art in the book, it seems incongrous to imagine the same Wood staying up for 3 days on Dexdrine to ink a Wonder Woman comic, but it happened, and frequently. A giant like Wood routinely worked on mediocre jobs just to scrape by. This warts and all approach is as honest as it is heatbreaking, and in my opinion transforms the book into a work of art of another variety, in its portrayal of a gifted but tortured individual. Attention, Hollywood!
Assistants Paul Kirshner, Nick Cuti and others contribute amazing , written tributes to Wood that say just how much they loved the guy, all the while dealing with his difficult personality. For these heartfelt rememberances alone, this book is a welcome, if sobering addition to the legacy of the great Wallace Wood.
I don't know if the author's intent was to produce anything more than a beautiful art book and tribute to his friend, but the fact that this book also functions as a cautionary tale that provides insight into the creative process and inner workings of such an American icon as Wood, is a facinating by product that should be of interest to any general reader.

"Against the Grain" is an excellent collection of artwork by the late comic book artist Wally Wood, accompanied with essays by his friends and associates.

If you've never heard of Wood, you are in for a major treat here: Martians, robots, other-world landscapes, elves and dinosaurs have never looked better before or since Wood's time. Wood's crisp handling of pen-and-ink, his superb attention to detail (which fans called "beautiful clutter") and his extraordinary use of shadow and light are here for the reader to behold. The illustrations cover the entire range of his career, including his work from the 1950s with EC comics, his illustrations for Galaxy and other sci-fi magazines and his final masterwork, "The Wizard King".

Whether it was a grotesque monster from an unknown planet or a parody of Superman, a complicated machine from the 24th century or a fighter jet battle, a lush female in a tight-fitting spacesuit or a caricature of a contemporary politician, Wood could draw it. He could have you reeling in terror from space aliens or laughing out loud with "Batboy and Ruben." His influence on future generations of cartoonists was extensive, and some of them pay tribute to him in this book.

He had both friends and fans, some of them aspiring artists who probably would have paid him just to work in his studio. He could play guitar and entertain a group with his conversation, which tripped from art to politics to science.

Thomas Edison once said that invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, and Wally Wood must have understood that perfectly. His creations were the result not just of skill but of hours of labor. This is obvious from the fine details of such pieces as the spaceship interiors of "There'll Be Some Changes Made," his use of high contrast lighting in "Atom Bomb", the precisely-falling raindrops and slanted spears of "Joan of Arc," the exact movements of a medieval duel in "Trial by Arms"...

Phew! It's hard to know where to stop.

As a teenager and amateur cartoonist, I would imagine Wood as living in a Manhattan penthouse (for surely someone that talented would be rich) overlooking the New York skyline, working at his drawing board and surrounded by futuristic machines, while gorgeous women lounged about his bizarre-looking furniture. (He depicts himself in that manner in "My World", a tribute to science-fiction artists.)

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Despite his talent and his fans, Wood became a life-long alcoholic who worked in dank basements, spending weeks at his drawing board, half-wishing he could enter the fantastic environments he was creating and flee all his problems with publishers, bills and imperfect women. It was as if all his emotions had been bottle-necked and could only come out on the drawing board. (One of his three wives was a psychiatrist who concluded that he just had to control everything or else.) In the end, he just walked away from it all, putting himself to sleep with a handgun in 1979.

Still, his fans and associates have assembled this superb collection and hopefully there will be more of them.

Although it had been promised to be a "definitive biography" by the publisher, Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood continues the piecemeal format of everything that has been available about Wood and his contemporaries (Severin, Elder, Ingels, Crandall, Williamson, Craig, Davis, et al) for the last 40 years. -Which is to say it's a rambling book of personal essays/reminiscences, panel discussion excerpts and brief, fan-flavored interviews. The books one undeniable saving grace is that it is very generously embellished with samples of the artist's work. But overall, it feels like a blow-out issue of Squa Tront.

This will scratch the itch of the diehard and casual fan who wanted a coffee table browser on the subject. For those, like me, who hoped, finally, to see the subject's life drawn in one cohesive portrait by an insightful Boswell, it's a letdown, or "more of same."

I hope the book does well. It is, perhaps, an urgently needed Wood intro for newer generations who lack a sense of history. It is a welcome public reminder/declaration of Wood's place in The Comic Pantheon, where he clearly stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Roy Crane, Milt Caniff, Walt Kelly, Al Capp, Chester Gould and, dare one utter it, the Great Charles Schulz. Honest, it's not a bad little read. But I wish it had offered something new on the subject, or at least somehow extended the genre of fan appreciation/criticism established by Squa Tront during the 60s and 70s. As it is, this book has an odd way of making me feel that an entire generation, my generation, never really grew up.

Haven't had a close look yet but based on the authors other book "Human Anatomy for Artists," I'm sure it's amazing. Only disappointment was a tare in the front cover from the way it was packaged by Amazon. Disappointing when your book is over $45. Wasn't sure how to contact them to have the opportunity to fix the problem.

Excellent reference book. 5 stars from the first to last page.

Artists who plan on focusing on animals had better pick up a copy of Animal Anatomy For Artists: The Elements Of Form: a virtual 'Bible' of animal anatomy, is features over five hundred original drawings and over seventy photos which painters, sculptors, and illustrators can use to understand the underlying anatomy of a range of common and wild animals. Forms created by muscles and bones provide artists with a three-dimensional figure of the final surface of the animal, while Goldfinger provides discussions of how each piece of animal anatomy interacts with another.

This is a very detailed book and a must have for those that need to know more about animal anatomy. This book does layout the skeletal and muscular design of the used animals very well. One thing that it does not give you is a detailed description of exactly how the joints move or muscles work. But overall a must have if you are doing an animal study for sculpture or 3-d modeling.

I got Goldfinger's human anatomy book, but in comparison, this is even better. Great multitude of drawings and diagrams of different species of animals, from bones to muscle to final skin with great angles. Highly recommend it.

And many of the reviews here were very helpful.

My son who is 2 and half years old loves this book. In fact, he wants us to read him this book over and over again. What a great and humourous way to introduce the very young to the world of art!

SAKE. NO FAME OR FORTUNE FOR ART DOG....JUST HIS LOVE OF PAINTING THE WORLD IS ALL HE DESIRES! It's really a beautiful book visually and meaningfully. ART DOG makes the world beautiful for others . Isn't that a wonderful thing to teach a young child?

I've read this to my six-year-old since he was a five-year-old - he doesn't get tired of it, and mercifully, neither do I. The idea of a hero who uses _painting_ instead of punches to win the day is so cool it makes me wish I'd written it.
Also, I take my son to the children's floor at Berkeley Main Library, where they have a kid's size version of the Brushmobile (you'll have to read the book to know what that it) that he's loved to 'ride in' even before we'd found the book. The day he no longer fits behind the palette, I think we'll both cry.

"Art Dog" is a wigglin' fun story book about Arthur Dog, the security guard at Dogopolis Museum of Art. He lives a secret life as a graffitti artist who finds himself being blamed for the stolen "Mona Woofa". However, he is able to paint his way out of...well, I can't give away the story here! (This detective dog sure is smarter than Scoobi Doo!)

The story is very short, quick, and barkingly fun. Not only will kids love it, but adults will love the depictions of Vicent Van Dog, Pablo Poodle, Henri Muttisse and others. It is dog-gone worth the few bucks for this book. This sure is a good book to sniff out.

By day, Arthur Dog, Dogopolis Museum of Art security guard, and lover of paintings by Vincent Van Dog, Pablo Poodle, Henri Muttisse, and Leonardo Dog Vinci. By night, Art Dog, masked grafitti artist painting the city in beautiful color. "No one knew who Art Dog really was... until one night at the museum." Yikes! Someone has stolen the Mona Woofa! After being falsely accused, Art Dog paints his way out of jail, lifts his nose in the air..."I can smell art a mile away," and saves the day in superhero fashion..... Thacher Hurd has authored an entertaining, wacky picture book that's sure to tickle the funny bones of young and old alike. His delightful, high-spirited text begs to be read aloud, and is full of terrific sound effects, wordplay, and dog puns. But it's his bold, bright, and splashy illustrations that really make this book stand out and sparkle. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Art Dog is a funny, engaging, rip-roarin' adventure you don't want to miss. "Who was Art Dog? Who was this painter in a Brushmobile, catcher of crooks, bringer of light to the Dogopolis night?" Only readers will know!

Wow! Anyone who is a fan of Chesley's art needs this book. Lots of great biographical info as well. Quality of lithography is top-notch. Expensive but definitely worth it.

If you were about 10 years old in 1950, there was very likely a moment of absolute epiphany in your young life. In my case it occurred in the Junior High library in about 1950. From the shelf I pulled a large dark blue book about 8 by 11 inches in size. Even the end-papers were stunning, color plates of the surfaces of Mercury and Jupiter. But, thumbing through, I actually began to tremble when I got to facing pages 132 and 133! It is safe to say I have never recovered from the sight. I now have two copies of this book, one at home which I purchased in about 1951 and one in my office, which I purchased a few years ago. It was THE CONQUEST OF SPACE, by Chelsey Bonestell and Willy Ley.

Who was this incredible artist, Chelsey Bonestell? Although I collected books illustrated by Bonestell throughout the 1950s and 1960s, I knew little about him personally until I found a trade paperback about him in the late 1970s or early 1980s, which gave a broad overview of his life and work.

The present book is a greatly expanded version of that earlier work, 256 pages versus 133 in the trade paperback. Since that paperback came out, both Chelsey and his wife have died, but I think it is safe to say Chelsey's work is more appreciated than ever. Here you'll learn of his childhood, his work as an architectural renderer and movie matte painter, and his entry into space art at an age when most men are thinking of retirement. Chesley lived to be nearly a hundred, and was able to compare many of his painted visions of other worlds to actual photos taken by astronauts and robots. But none of these photos have the incredible artistic validity of Chelsey's own vision. As many have commented, where Chesley's vision disagrees with reality, it is generally Chesley's vision which is the better.

For several generations, whenever anyone thought of space travel, or explorations of other worlds, it was Chesley Bonestell's vision they recreated in their mind's eye. Few artists have ever had or could ever hope to have such an impact.

Whether you are an old fan or are discovering Bonestell for the first time, this is a rich feast of his art, which ranges from architectural renderings to recreations of long-vanished Spanish missions of California.

"The Art of Chesley Bonestell" is an extremely high quality Science Fiction art collection that comes around once in a decade or two. The last Chesley Bonestell collection of this calibere, "Worlds Beyond: The Art of Chesley Bonestell", was published in 1983. Chesley Bonestell's art goes back to the golden age of Science Fiction of the late 1940's, 1950's and 1960's. His work was displayed on the covers of SF periodical magazines, SF paperback books, and Space Science books of that era. His style is realistic and his work is breathtaking! His concepts of other-worldly-visions are naturally realistic and have a Zen-like feeling of mystery to them. The color plates in this book are of awesome quality. I guarantee this book will increase in price, as the 1983 collection has. The 1983, "Worlds Beyond: The Art of Chesley Bonestell", sells for around $100 or more. Buy this 2001 book, "The Art of Chesley Bonestell" now, because it will only cost MUCH more after it goes out of print.

I bought this book for the space art but found out there are many other excellent paintings to go along with them. Bonestell's art makes you want to be at the places he's painted except for places like New York under nuclear attack and ancient Egypt being bombarded by comets. The space art is incredible. I only wish I could get large prints of some of the pictures to frame them. I'm even considering buying another book and cutting out some of the pictures that are barely large enough to frame.

I am among the hundreds of thousands -- perhaps millions -- of people who owe their lifelong interest in matters of astronomy and space science to a childhood discovery of the art of Chesley Bonestell. I remember vividly pawing through the pages of The Conquest of Space at the age of about ten, my mouth open as I saw the marvels of the universe displayed.

It was thus actually rather nerve-racking when I opened this new book for the first time. Could the reality of his art possibly match my childhood memories? Could all of that vividness and excitement have been magnified in my mind's eye over the succeeding decades? Was I in for a disappointment?

I most certainly was not. If anything, the fabulous art inspired and excited me even more than it had way back then.

And there's a lot of that art here -- a real feast of it, superbly reproduced. And I discovered as I kept turning the pages, hands quite literally trembling as I discovered treasure after treasure. Even more excitingly, I found that Bonestell had worked in areas of art I'd never suspected before: fabulous landscapes, stunning sketches ... I have perused many, many art books, but I've never before reacted quite as strongly as to this one.

And it gets better. There's a long, beautifully written and utterly fascinating illustrated biography of Bonestell written by Ron Miller. It's almost as if one's getting two books in one.

An earlier reviewer (who cannot spell "Chesley") talked of this as if it were an expanded version of The Conquest of Space. He was talking through his hat. This is a completely new book covering the entirety of Bonestell's career both visually and textually; it contains a big selection of illustrations from The Conquest of Space (all the best ones), but they form only a small part of the huge and sumptuous collection on display here.

This is a gorgeous book, and an extremely valuable piece of work -- the authors/compilers deserve the highest praise for having brought this treasure to us.

I've seen some of his other works posted on the web, and he needs to publish another book!

A great collection showcasing his style, from intricate dollhouses suspended in nature, to cascades and showers of rainbow elements, to stony vines, this is a great book. Again, I've seen other pieces of his on the web which add a new dimention to his volume of work--so he hopefully will publish again!

i found myself in a world i only dreamed of when i strolled into an art museum one evening visiting san fran, i fell in love...i was trancended into architecture ,love ,hate all the emotions of something familiar,yet far away...now all i do is daydream of actually owning a piece of artwork by merriam..i hope that it doesnt stay a dream for me forever...Love you Daniel
-mykelle

I was given this book as a gift, and I was in awe. I'd never seen soo much done with water colour before. I've owned the book for a few years now, and have two tattoos based on excerpts from two of his paintings. I've been searching for another book of his art but have not been successful, so hopefully someday!

I have fallen in love with this wonderful artist. His imagination must be a fantastic place to be and you can get an insight into it with this beautifully done book. Of all the art books I own, this is the one that I find everyone loves...even children. His work is light and airy and enchanting one minute until you realize there is an underlying darkness to his work which just makes it even more interesting. His world is a fabulous place to visit.

I am an aspiring illustrator and am always looking for great art and illustrations to inspire me. When I first saw The Art of Daniel Merriam i was awe struck. It was amazing to see so much color and creativity packed into each piece. This book is loaded with images to stimulate the mind. Each piece has a story to tell in itself with so much detail and symbolism. I truly commend this artist on his style, skills, and creativity. I am always eagerly awaiting a new book by Mr. Merriam. This book takes you to a whole new world in your imagination, I suggest you take the trip...truly amazing.

I'm a school art teacher. Teaching perspective to students is always a challenge. One has to think of examples to illustrate the different kinds of perspective.Phil Metzger's book has finally help me in this aspect. There are ample examples where I can draw from to make my explanation clearer to students. His Part 3 on "Special Problems" touches on perspective of complex structures and what he has shown are very informative and valuable to me as an art teacher.

The "Art of Perspective" is an impressive and very useful guide to achieve a convincing illusion of depth in drawings or paintings. PHIL METZGER shows outstanding talent presenting his techniques with simple and easy-to-follow explanations. With his guidance we succeed putting perspective into the picture- no matter how special our eye-position or view-point may be. And he does not leave out any complementary subject, like atmospheric perspective, light and shadow or reflected light as well as many other effects that contribute to the illusion of depth. Moreover his fine watercolor paintings stimulate us to contemplate, having adopted now the ability of showing what we see in a very convincing way.

This book is incredible. I highly recommend it.

The writing is detailed, clear and simple. The accompanying photographs, line drawings, sketches and paintings are numerous and clearly show what is being discussed.

The discussion is comprehensive but written in a way to make the subject clear without unnecessary clutter.

The author starts with "Natural Perspective" including the elements of size, spacing, tone, value, color, overlapping, placement, etc., then moves on to the rules of Linear Perspective.

I have a burgeoning collection of art, drawing, sketching and painting books and this ranks at the very top.

The discussion of Natural Perpective in the first several chapters is - by itself - worth the cost of the book.

I can't recommend this highly enough !!!!!

So many books fall far short of their promises. This one delivers.

I am an art teacher who has spent years teaching perspective, linear and atmospheric...and I have never found a very good book until this one!!!! The Art of Perspective: The Ultimate Guide for Artists in Every Medium

Illustrates and explains the right way to draw roof angles, shadows and reflections, as well as stairs, tile floors, wheels, etc. Uses many diagrams, photographs, painting examples (watercolor & some oil), and written suggestions for different methods to try in figuring out how to draw something correctly. Briefly touches on focus, reflected light, scale, etc; some step-by-step demonstrations on drawing houses. Some prior perspective knowledge might fill in some small gaps in information (struggled through Rex Vicat Cole's Perspective for Artists, a helpful 1920s textbook-like reprint) but this book goes to great lengths to illustrate perspective in a way I can understand.