Arts Books

I got this book through another online retailer for half the price these U&N people are selling for. You just need to shop around.

I'm an artist, and I have a fondness for the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy IX was a challenge for me and after beating it, my claim is that it's the best in the series so far. After watching the last cutscene, I knew I had to have this book. I was very pleased when it arrived and have found it useful even today. FF9 is one of the most franchised game of the FF's(second to 7); I wouldn't waste that if you're a fan of it.

It's got all the characters, all the settings, all the fun. FF9 was my favorited in the series so I just had to get this homage to it. It's just fun to look at the sketches and rough-drafts and such. The town designs are really amazing.

If you're a fan of the FF series, anime, or just incredible art, I suggest you check this out.

I love Final Fantasy!! I have been a die hard fan since part one was released in 1990. There are several books out that show the visual effects from the Final Fantasy series, but this one is by far the best. It is strait forward, art, from the original designer of FF characters, Yoshitaka Amano. Page for page you will see the steps that he followed making this characters shine.

The main reason that I took one star away was because most of the art in this book is finished up designs from Amano. I am a very big fan of his work, ex. Vampire Hunter D, FF1-6,and 9 adn several other Japaneese work. I enjoy his early sketches better, they are much more fantasy like. But that does not mean that this collection is not beautiful as printed.

This is a beautiful editon to any Final Fantasy collecton or just plain art or drawings collection. Dont pass this up.

When I bought this book, I expected mostly black and white photos and small screenshots from the game, but when I opened it up I was happily suprised with a book full of large, colorful artwork. Being a fan of the game series itself, this book especially appealed to me, as it probably would to many other FF players. But even those who do not play the game will find them selves impressed with the tons of fantastic artwork that fills its pages. I definitely recommened this book if you are a fan of the game or just love great art!

The Art of Final Fantasy IX shows off the artwork from the proclaimed video game. The book contains all types of artwork, from characters designs, transportation designs, backgrounds, enviorments, weapon designs, and 3D renders.

Whether you're a Final Fantasy fan or an artist with interest in seeing great character designs as well as enviorments, this is a great book to look at. It also shows off final renders of the characters in 3D. A must have for any animator's library.

Another wonderful work by Al Seckel and an appropriate companion to his other gem "Master's of Detection".See my review of it dated Dec 1,2004.
This is a fine collection of 144 intriguing illusions.There are examples of a lot of different forms of illusions.I say a lot because there is one form which I like which is not included. That being "trompe-l'oeil" which is French for still-life deception,illusion,sham or camouflage.A well known artist who excels at it is Bev Doolittle.
Al has included many of the classic illusions,of which 105 is an example from the puzzle master Sam Loyd,and crops up in many books.No.5 is really good being a combination of a photograph of a man holding an "impossible figure".Nos.10 & 104 are similar,but 10 jumps out at me while 104 is something else!No.26 and 139 would have to be called "real illusions".No.139 reminds me of an experience I had on the Marsh Boardwalk at Point Pelee National Park during spring bird migration.An American Bittern,which stands about 20 inches tall, was standing in the reeds about 30 feet from me in a similar pose;except the bill was pointed straight up.The bird held itself completely motionless while I pointed it out to quite a few people over a period of a half hour or so.Some had great dificulty in picking it out,even with binoculars.What a thrill it was for them when they finally "found it".
A few are ageless ones namely,14(which reminds me of another of a girl in a mirror),77,95,147 and 144 ;but always good to see again.No. 119 is a switch where you get to make and solve your own illusion or puzzle.
Kudos to Jerry,see review of Oct 23,2000,who states:

"The mind is blind to what the eye can't see".Well said!

Anyway, a great treatment of illusions and sure to catch the interest of young and not so young,and all in between.







'

I got my book today and I'm so happy to have bought it.
You will smile and get amazed with such incredible pictures
and effects.

I agree with other people that the explanations about each effect are minimum. I'd like little more about the theory
behind each one, but it doesn't matter, you and your family
will spend great moments with this book. I definetly
recommend it to everyone :-)

Nicely done. I am happy with the purchase. However, I expected more elaboration on theory behind the ilusions.

The award for "Best Book for Young Adults" was an understatement. My boys could not put it down! And their friends come over and get totally absorbed in it too! I watched all of them crowd around this book and discuss each image endlessly. Finally, something tore them away from playstation! Thank you Al!

YALSA announces Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Washington, D.C.) -- The Young Adult Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced its 2001 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. The list was released during the ALA Midwinter Meeting held January 12 - 17, 2001, in Washington, D.C.

Compiled by an 11-member committee, the 79 nominated titles on the list were published from late 1999 through 2000 and represent more than 40 different publisher imprints. The list is composed of 35 fiction and 44 non-fiction titles. The committee annually selects for the Quick Picks list, outstanding titles that will appeal to reluctant teen readers, aged 12 - 18 years old. Reluctant readers are considered those teenagers who, for whatever reason, choose not to read. Teen input is a vital aspect in the final decisions of the committee. The visual appearance of a book and the standard considerations in the quality of content also are equally important when selecting books.

The list is not intended for teenagers with reading disabilities, though someof the selected titles may be appropriate for those teens.

The winner of the first prize went to the following title:

1. "The Art of Optical Illusions," Carlton Books, 2000 by Al Seckel

If you are a fan of the Pirates Movies this is a must have book! The art work in this book is amazing how they show them bringing the characters from conception art work to the big screen. Some truly amazing pictures in this book very vivid like you walked into the film. Love the Book and would highly recommend it.

This is a fantastic book! I can't say enough about how well this book was put together. It's oversided quite like the "Book of Codes" from the movie with splendid artwork throughout. Needless to say I am quite pleased. If you enjoy great production artwork this volume is for you.

This Product/ Purchase was very satisfactory. The book came on time as specified at the time of purchase. The descriptions at the time of purchase made the decision to buy this item very easy, as it assured me that this was what I was looking for. There were not only detailed descriptions of what was inside the book, there was also examples of some of the images inside the book, giving a preview of what to expect. The only suggestion/ concern I had with this purchase was that the packaging could have protected the book more than it did, as when it arrived there were a few slight mishaps when the book encountered the sides of the box on a rough delivery. Other than that I am happy with the purchase.

I bought this book, "The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean" for myself for Christmas, to add to my ever growing "Pirates of the Caribbean" collection. It's the perfect coffee table book; big, bold and loaded with beautiful photos of artistry and magic, and this book shows us "how" the magic was brewed to create what we know now as "The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy". Being an artist myself I can really appreciate the creative genius and the blood, sweat, and tears that this collective collaboration represents. Tons of work went into not only each character's development, but also that of the props, locations, etc., and you can see it all just by turning the book's pages. "The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean" book is magnificent addition to my collection and a proud representation of the hard work and talent of those who contributed to the movies...Bravo!

I'm one of the artists featured in the book. I have to say this is one book that I'm proud to have my name attached. Too often "Art of" books smack of kissing up to the producers and above the line folks. This is an "art of" book that doesn't lie. It's just a bunch of art. Period. Thanks to Jon Rogers at Disney for putting this together.

This book is right up there in the embroidery range of books. As a teacher of embroidery I find the ideas and the instructions are the best.
Have been using The Artful Ribbon since it was first available in Australia and this copy (second hand) was for one of my students. The quality, price and speed of delivery was excellent. Thank you.

This book has got to be one of the best and most comprehensive books out there on ribbonwork. It not only showcases the antique items where the colors have faded to perfect glory, but also incorporates the new and runs the gamut from embroidering with silk ribbon to forming flowers and bows of the ribbons.

This book is a wealth of inspiration and a source of continual referral for most any project using ribbon and will keep it's prominent place on my bookshelf!

This is the best book on ribbonwork. It incorporates many beautiful pictures of vintage and some contemporary work. The entire book is instructional (no silly projects to fill the pages!!!). The instructions are excellent and this is as close to a "beginners" introduction to the subject as I have been able to find. At first I was disappointed that there were very few photographs of instructions. Often the instructions use drawings and often drawings are the only examples of the completed piece. But, what I have come to love is the lack of pictures for instruction. This book achieves something many art/craft books fail to. It requires you to practice, to use a variety materials and to create your own color combinations. It makes the "copying" of another's work no concern, because basically, you cannot. The subject is so well covered you will have an understanding of it: from foliage, to flowers, to stabilizing your work for wear on clothing, hats, and pins, to stems and buds, to flat and dimensional, to texture and how to preserve your work, etc. I haven't found a better book and I do not expect to. I thank the author for covering subjects like the movement, or "dance," of the work and for challenging me with the drawings - to try it and then see how it looks. Last but not least, the author introduces a great way to figure how much ribbon you will need to make any project using any ribbon width! So you can make ANY size flower you want. Ms. Kling makes your journey an unexpectedly easy fall - into a creative medium more satisfying than anything I've dabbled in besides beads - which one can incorporate too, of course.

I've seen most of the ribbon flower books that there are--and this is pretty much the best. It has instructions that are clear and very easy to follow and there are so many different ideas for you to use. Not just a couple of projects--so many for you to combine. I have taken this book out of the library so many times that I wanted to keep it. Then I remembered I could buy it online!!!

In comparison to the other books available, it has more projects and I think the directions are easier.

If you love ribbon flowers (I make them as accessories in a business partnership) you will absolutely love this book!

This book makes you want to try ribbon embroidery! The varieties of applications are well illustrated. Loved just looking at this book! Really improved my roses...

Before ordering this book I've read many reviews. Those reviews helped me a lot to make the right decision. This book is just amazing for sharping your English grammar skill. You polish your English by learning little details. I'm a Junior in High School. I thought that my level of English grammar is pretty high, but till I started reading ''Painless Grammar" with all these small, tiny detail. My dad, is educated 52 years old teacher, who is a bookworm! Even he found this book very exciting. So right now, when I start to read this book he is always next to me. The book is written with good humor and explanations to every aspect of the grammar. I read 10-15 min. per day, that's enough.

I think this book should be a "hand book" for every single person, no matter how old you are. Folks, don't even hesitate! Just go for it, buy it, and have pleaser by reading "Painless Grammar."

This is a wonderful book for anyone with questions regarding grammar. It explains the rules of grammar with humor and illustrations. This will definitely be an asset to most any classroom!!

Lisa

This book has given me such confidence in my writing. As a 40-something college student, it has helped me a lot!

For any aspiring writers, this guide nails every technique possible in writing. Although it is about mechanics only - not storytelling - it is an essential guide for any writer-to-be and for professional too (for refresher tips!)

If you told me that at the age of 72,I would be buying a book on Grammar,I would have thought you were kidding.My old,long since departed teacher would be flabbergasted.However; not more so, than that I would be writing Book Reviews;and voluntarily at that.He had convinced himself that my only interests were playing pool,chasing girls,eating and sleeping;though not necessarily in that order;but more likely all at the same time.
I can't say that the proper use of grammar and punctuation were the high points on my lists of things to perfect. I did know the difference between "principal" and "principle"(I remind myself that the Principal was my "pal").I remember to use "but also" when I use "not only" and a few other things. So,when I saw this book,I wondered if it could help me with sorting out the difference between "lie" and "lay". Sure enough; it was explained;and now I can see why it is so difficult. A half hour later,I was still thumbing through the book and finding all kinds of interesting stuff;so I bought it.I plan to keep it right beside my Dictionary and Thesaurus and expect I'll turn to it often.I suspect I will continue my loose ways with commas,semicolons,colons,dashes,hyphens dots(I didn't know they were called Ellipses) etc. ;but at least I'll have something to turn to when I want to find out what is "correct.
Each subject is followed with "Brain Ticklers" to help you see if you really understand the points.If you run out of exercises;you can alwys use my review for practice---the only problem is that you're on your own for answers.Feel free to e-mail me it corrected.
A great resource,or is that resourse,and long overdue,or is that over due.(or is this a question?)
It's not easy teaching old dogs new tricks!!
Don't forget ,English is a living language,and the rules keep changing all the time.Some live in the past,some are way ahead of the times;and then there are the rest of us---God knows where!!

Great Book even for beginners, easy to follow steps allows creative people to quickly hone their gourd crafting skills.

I really liked this book and found it one of the best for gourd artists. There are so many styles, examples, techniques, designs and suggestions.

It is fabulous for the beginner through the expert. A definite book for your collection.

I have numerous gourd books and I would have to rate this one at the top! Great unique designs and techniques to learn from. Excellent book!

I love this book I've already made 3 projects featured ,they turned out beautiful,I am looking forward to giving some as gifts and selling some,a great book.

The philosophy of the arthur (DAVID MACFARLANE) is wonderful. One can learn much more than the BASICS in Gourd Art from this book. The pictures of the artists and their work explained are tops. The book reveals where one can go in the persuit of gourd crafting.

Since I named my son Graham after Bill, I thought perhaps I should know a little bit more about his life. I now now know alot more!

It is written in a narative style which makes it very easy to read. The stories are told by the people who were there, some happy, some sad ,some very funny.

If you are interested in the life of this man or even the history of modern day Rock and Roll Concert Production, how it started and evolved, I highly recomend this book.

This book is a little weird (to me) in concept but it works out really well in the end. The book goes from Bill's early days in Nazi Germany all the way to his death with no major stone left unturned. Lots of great stories with very little in the way of punches being pulled. I mean Bill really tells you what he is thinking. Very uncensored. Covers the drugs and the behind scenes stuff with no BS involved. Shows the guy for who he was, warts and all and lets him and the people he is talking about retort one another which I thought was weird in a good way. This book is of great interest to anyone who has probably gotten to this point in reading reviews. If you are interested in this type of subject then this book is a must.

It's a good insight into the rock scene back in the 60's and 70's. A must read for anyone who likes classic rock.

i didn't realize how much bill graham did behind the scenes.
montery pop ,woodstock, altamont,ect............

This book is structured so that as Bill Graham comments on different times of his life, he allows the persons hes speaking of to comment in the next paragraph. This makes for some very interesting reading. Grham discusses his time in Korea and killing the enemy. This experience allows him to have an abundant amount of courage when it comes to dealing with band managers in the future. Bill discusses Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Zeppelin, the Stones, J Geils Band, Santana, the Who and all the tense dealings with each of these personalities. This book could have benefitted from better pictures of the bands. Thats my only critical comment.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition is a treasure for those -- like me -- who love this Christmas classic. It is a great "behind the scenes look" that includes photos of the cast of characters whose voices are so familiar. Give it as a gift to the "Peanuts Fan" in your life.
Philip D. Halfacre
Author, Genuine Friendship

While we've been treated to many Charles Schulz documentaries and remembrances over the years, "A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is the first book to focus on the first Peanuts' television special. The book includes in-depth interviews with producer Lee Mendelson, animator Bill Melendez, and Vince Guaraldi's children. This book is the ultimate backstage pass to the recording studio, with interviews with the original child actors who voiced the characters and sang on Guaraldi's "Christmas Time is Here." As a bonus treat, the script and original animation art round out the book.

I loved this book! It has material for every fan of the famous TV special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I may not be musical, but if you are, this book includes the music. I am fond of the discussions of the people involved in creating the production of the TV show and the script. I will be using the script in my classroom for Reader's Theatre. The book has a lot of material that has meaning for me personally. I was young when this special was shown on television and it was always one of my favorites. The book was not a disappointment to read and own. I am very glad I bought it.

This is the ultimate companion to the tv show. The art work is from the original show and the dialogue is a great bonus! The book is also packed with great trivia and information about the decisions "behind stage" that led to the creation of the ultimate Christmas Special.

"Charlie Brown Christmas" is the crown jewel of Christmas specials. Heavy on holiday introspection, but with the dry wit and humor you'd come to expect from Charles Schulz's creations.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" just expands that experience, by outlining how the famed special came to be -- the music, the animation, the voice acting, even the advertisement to get people to watch it. It's a charming, nostalgic little book, and a good accompaniment.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" was spun up quickly, when Coca Cola wanted a Christmas special in less than a week -- and Charles Schulz's lovable loser Charlie Brown seemed to be the ticket. But the special was made very differently from other cartoons -- 2-D animation, no laugh track, uncutesy kids, and (horrors!) a jazz soundtrack. It was doomed to fail, they said.

Well, instead it became a booming hit, and has been running every December ever since. Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez reminisce in here about the much-loved Charles Schulz, and about Vince Guaraldi, who made the distinctive piano soundtrack, and why it's so beloved -- it dares to approach holiday ennui and commercialization, then dashes it away with Linus' description of Christmas' meaning.

As for the "making of" portion, there are storyboards, musical scores, test photos, clips of television reviews, and rare photos like Melendez and Schulz doing the football gag. Finally, there is the entire script of the special, framed by colourful stills from the cartoon.

You couldn't wring this much information from most half-hour animated specials, no matter how much fun they were. But it's a bit different with "Charlie Brown Christmas." It was so completely unusual -- and has proved to be so timeless -- that a book on the making of it, and its effect, seems completely right.

It's a very conversational, reminiscent book. It feels like sitting in a room with Melendez and Mendelson, listening to them reminisce about "Sparky." And we also get input from other people involved in the project, such as Christopher Shea (Linus), who talks about his famous "Second Chapter of Luke" speech, as well as odd bits of trivia (the little girl playing Sally had to be fed her lines).

The Christmas special is more than able to stand on its own, but "Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" is a wonderful accompaniment. Full of interesting tidbits and history.

I searched everywhere for a book of Fairy Tales. They just didn't seem to exist anymore! I finally found this one. It is beautiful. Big bright pictures, and the stories are just like I remember them from when I was a little girl.

I bought this book specifically for the illustrations. I wanted my kids to have something wonderful to look at while I read the stories to them. The book is large and the pictures wonderful. The perfect toddler's book!

I loved the book. It features classical fairy tales that have not been "modernised" beyond the point of loosing their original morals. That makes the stories a bit longer than the standard adaptations in other collections.

What sets it apart though are the super detailed and somewhat old-fashioned classical illustrations. They bring out the magic and mystery of these stories and will delight children with imagination and interest in art.

the classics with all the unPC violence and gruesome intact just like when we were kids. Refreshingly undisneyfied. THe illustrations are huge and fabulous. this is the fairy tale book to buy. I give it out at all the baby showers.

I wanted a fairy tale book that included "Little Red Riding Hood", as I'd gotten my little granddaughter a red cape with a hood. When I saw the illustrations in this fairy tale book, I almost wanted one for myself. The illustrations are STUNNING - it makes each story come to life. The art is so beautifully done that I told my daughter to consider this book a new "family heirloom." The selection of stories is a good one as well. I think it'll be my new favorite gift for young ones.

If you care about the environment and/or your health (or your family's health) you'll find the cleaning recipes in this book very useful. I remembered some of the cleaning techniques from my grandmother when I was a little girl, then they were all forgotten until now. You can find all the ingredients in your grocery store, borax f.e. is in the laundry isle. These ingredients used in this book work just as good if not better than the store bought. My grocery store offers nowadays eco-friendly cleaning products but they are very expansive, your home made version will cost you very little to make, and it's very easy. The A-Z cleaning key section is a quick way to look for a cleaning problem you have with the necessary ingredients and a link to the pages where it describes more about it. If you ever got a headache using those toxic shower cleaning products, think again, your body is telling you something...use nature's own...

"Clean" is a true gem. When I first read the book I thought to myself sure, sure baking soda and lemon is going to do the job of the store bought cleansers I've been using for years. Well imagine my surprise when I gave it a half-hearted whirl and soon found myself surrounded by a wonderfully fresh and spotlessly glistening bathroom and kitchen. And here is the part I really enjoyed, that overbearing scent of the cleanser I normally use wasn't there. I'm sold. I've mixed up my own batches of cleansers, refer to the book on a regular basis and am converted. Thanks to Michael DeJong's book not only is my home bright and clean and I am saving money but I can help save the environment.

I keep a copy of this book on my coffee table in my country house. I always enjoy it when my guests are curious and I can share this precious gem of a book with them. The author is genuine and exremely knowledgeable.
I have incorporated several of the recipies and they work without hurting me or our planet. I have purchased several copies to give to friends when I visit their homes.

"CLEAN" is an amazing example of how each of us can take responsibility for our environment--home, neighborhood, city, state, country, planet. It provides easy and safe recipes that replace commercial products, but more than that, it's creating a grassroots environmental movement. We all hear about Global Warming and figure, "What can I do?" or even worse, "the government will fix it." Environmentalism begins at home, and "CLEAN" is a great guidebook to get us started--if everyone exchanged just ONE commercial product for ONE "CLEAN" recipe, the process of de-toxing our planet would begin. And we all have the ingredients in our homes already--baking soda, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar and borax (OK, so maybe you don't have borax, but believe it or not--it's in every grocery store right beside the commercial laundry detergents and bleach!) You have to clean anyway, so why not do it in a way that is safer for your family, pets, neighbors and the other billions of people who share our planet!

This is a great book. Fun to read with fabulously fresh methods for cleaning the house. It truly is a ZEN experience. I read it quickly and refer to it often. Fully recommend it!!!