Artists Books

I absolutely love this book. The pictures in it are all so beautiful and so reflective of traditional Mexican culture. I even went to the lengths of cutting the binding of the book and cutting out the pictures that I most loved and pasted them on my wall. That would be my only suggestion to the author, make the pictures where they can be pulled out and framed. They are just that stunning!

This a wonderful book. The illustrations are beautiful, vibrant, and an excellent example of Mexican art. This is very nice coffee table book.

This book was a beautiful insight to the 30's art of Mexico. Also through it one can understand much of the culture of ancient mexico and what was going on in the era. I loved it. I have always been fascinated in the calendars of this time. Great! KCT

What a marvelous book! I grew up in a bicultural home in Monterrey, N.L. Mexico, so I am familiar with these Mexican calendars. Although I do not remember having one of these calendars at home, I remember visiting homes that had them. It was fascinating to learn about the talented artists that created them. However, it was sad to see how early on the commercial world was trying to set standards of what a "beautiful woman" should look like. Never the less, these calendars are an important part of the Mexican culture and history. I hope these unrealistic standards are changing - in both Mexico and the USA! (PS - Although there were a few mistakes, the Spanish translation was well done.)

Nice texts abouth the authors, and a lot of good images about the mexican pinups, very influenced by the american ones, but dressed in traditional mexican outfit.
I'm interested in the pinups subjet and that's what I loved from this book. Another good feature is that is bilingual!

Lee Silber is a flat-out genius when it comes to teaching the business side of life to artists (right-brainers) who may have a block about such key issues as money management, promotion, and career choices. For everyone who has a starving artist in your family, do them and yourself a favor and get them a copy of this book. These books are well-written, funny, entertaining, and are taught by a man who has learned how to combine practicality with great creativity. This is a must read.

This book was an excellent read, helpful, and gets you brainstorming. It gives advice that motivates one to look for opportunities and to use one's strengths, which is to find creative ways to make more money and save more money.

It is definitely a great book to get you started and thinking about how to be smart about money and an artist. Lee Silber adds comedy and fun facts to the information making one's efforts to handle finances a little more approachable. This book opens your eyes and gets you thinking, the rest just takes action and more learning about investing, budgeting, cutting back on costs, and creating more opportunities to increase income.

I just finished this book and it's amazing! With most books I just read it then put it away forever. With Money Management for the Creative Person I am already putting Mr. Silber's valuable advice to work. What is so great about this book is that you not only get a ton of financial advice, but inspiration to keep creating in the face of adversity. The book it packed with real life stories from himself, celebrities and real-life people. It's very motivating. I highly recommend this book even if you feel like your finances are in order and you don't need help.

...and reading Mr. Silbers book has convinced me of this. Mr. Silber shows you how to set goals for money management and artistic endeavors without putting your life on hold. You can pay your bills and still pursue your art. This book shows you the way and explains how it is all about choices. The choices we make. The author's writing style makes the book fun to read and his easy to understand philosophy makes it believable.

Little did I know that AFTER I thought I'd never see the "light of day" concerning my finances, that this book would come into my life. It's informative, funny, well written, and just a great book for everyone. I've given it out to a couple of friends and then I thought, "Hey, GO BUY YOUR OWN!" Lee Silber is an author that makes it easy for someone, like me, that doesn't read a great deal, to flash those pages quicker than the remote on my TV. Thanks Lee! I can now go to sleep feeling like I can use your guides and NOT have to worry about what the Hell is going to take place tomorrow!

C.W. Nichol's recounting of his experiences learning the Martial Ways in Japan is a must for any serious practioner. This is a book I purchase for each of my students to give them an idea of what they should aspire to.

if you are interested in the martial culture, you must read this book. you will not be disappointed.

I have read this book probably about a half dozen times. Sadly it was out of print for a long time, but recently came back in to print with a new subtitle "One Man's Journey to the Heart of Karate". I never understood why it was out of print at all. This book is a classic, and is the one that all other martial arts autobiographies are measured against. And I should know because I have read them all (check out my book Martial Arts Biographies-An Annotated Bibliography if you don't believe me). This book is referenced in countless indexes of other books. It really gives a great history of karate in Japan during the 60s. Nicol describes living with other martial artists from the west such as Donn Draeger. If you haven't read it, I strongly urge you to pick up a copy, and read it today.

I just finished reading the book 'Moving Zen' for the second time. I had read it years ago, aoubd the late 70's, and I liked it back then. I can relate to many of the stories Mr. Nicol relates. Originally , I had trained in the Kenkojuku Shotokan--it is different than the JKA shotokan mentioned in the book.-- and since my training has changed to the modern approach of mixed-martial arts type training. Nonetheless, I still enjoy Nicol's book. If you want to get an insider's look to what it was like training in the JKA, and in Japan... it is a must read.

osu,

A. Bustillo

Nicole Sensei writes about his experiences in Japan starting from his arivel in 1962 to learn Karate and Judo. This book has inspired me to continue my training in Shotokan Karate even though I don't curently have enough money to go to a dojo. He also speaks about the little yet important ocurences that had inspired him to continue on with his dreams. One day i wish to have similar experiences and maybe met the man who wrote such an inspiring novel.

Set in the 1700's, the heroine is a 20ish woman of well-to-do stature who couldn't snare a husband because she's tainted with an odd ability to paint beautiful pictures of the future. She's not bothered as she'd rather spend her life painting than attending to a husband and children.

When the man from her latest painting suddenly makes a real life appearance into her life she dons a disguise and decides to flee to the safety of a widowed cousin's home. Considering she's practically accused him of murder in the painting it's understandable. As only can happen in a romance novel, he just so happens to have ties to the cousin and turns up at her safe haven but he doesn't realize she's the artists as she's died her hair from blonde to red. It sounds bad written out like this, doesn't it? But surprisingly the characters are captivating enough that I was able to buy into it and just enjoy the flow of the book. My attention began to wane about a third of the way through when the plot became too action driven for my tastes but overall it was a very decent romantic adventure and I don't regret reading it.

The characters were enjoyable. Their interaction was fun. Toward the end, I didn't like that she refused to marry him and would not explain why to her father and to him. Her reason was to avoid bringing future scandal to his life, but she didn't tell him that. He could have assured her that he'd want her anyway. She didn't tell her own father how much she loved him. Her father's actions might have been different had he known of her love for Trev. I don't like conflicts and dilemmas that are caused by someone not telling the truth about their own feelings. Other than that, the story was a fun escape.

I am torn between delight over discovering this new author, and dismay that I haven't picked up a Patricia Rice book before.

I am an avid romance fan, and this book sends Patricia Rice right up there among my other favorite authors (Lisa Kleypas & Judith McNaught). Rice has the rare ability to create memorable characters AND a decent plot.

I cannot express how delighted with this book. I admit that I thought the first chapters were a bit slow, but it quickly turned into a page turner that I didn't want to put down.

Sinda was an unconventional but extremely likable heroine. I liked how she was sometimes funny and witty, but never snippy or prickly. And I loved Trev. Rice did a phenomonal job of creating a sexy alpha male with just enough vulnerability and sweet points to make you wish he was real.

Having read so many other romances, I thought I was familiar with all the various plot directions, but I was always guessing on this one. Every time I thought I figured out where the story was going, Rice would change it up and then surpass my expectations. Absolutely a five star read.

If you want a change in story and plot...this is the book for you. Not only is the story innovative and attention holding, but Rice does such a nice job with her writting. I litterally couldn't put it down! Again, the story is about a woman who paints and draws the future, past, and present happenings in her sleep (or while she is unaware of what she is painting or drawing). Trev is the guy that she paints in her first painting (of the story), whom she's never met. The painting depicts the type of guy that Trev isn't...so he's mad. Anyway...Trev doesn't know that Lucinda painted the picture...he starts to fall for her before he realizes that she's the one who made a disgrace of his name. She's already fallen for him. And I'm not going to say anymore cuz it'll ruin the story.
Overall...the story was wonderful! It was different from the usual romance novel and i've read it several time. Hope that you enjoy it as much as I have!

Our heroine, Lucinda, is a Malcolm, a family whose women tend to have varied psychic or magical talents. Her particular talent shows up in her paintings which portray things that have happened or might happen in the future.

The trouble starts when one of her paintings results in the hero, Sir Trevelyan Rochester, being accused of his cousin's murder. Trev is furious, and sets out to find the mysterious artist and force her to confess that his uncle hired her to paint the damning picture. Lucinda, on the other hand, decides to retire, incognito, to the country and paint nothing but landscapes, hoping to avoid such disturbing occurrences in the future.

But magic can't be denied, and Lucinda's subsequent paintings draw her further into the intrigue.

The rest of the story is an exciting quest to find what happened to the cousin, featuring romance, psychic abilities, & the family members from previous books in this series, particularly the mysterious Aidan...

It was wonderful visiting with this family again, and I particularly enjoyed Trev coming to terms with magic. As someone unfamiliar with the notorious Malcolms, it took him a long time to believe, and his skepticism was very believable.

Along with the adventure and romance is a healthy dose of humor that really makes these books a joy to read. Much Ado About Magic has got magic, romance, intrigue, humor, and history. What more could you ask for?

This is a well-crafted, very modern story about the joys and sorrows of friendship. Cant wait to read more from McKinnon.

I loved this book. It dares, which is more than I can say for most of the novels I've read in the last few years. Fiction has become all the same thing, seemingly meant to make both writer and read feel good about themselves. This novel isn't about that. McKinnon's writing is alive, her characters are vivid and her story is wickedly fun. Reading the other reviews, it is clear that the author's refusal to tell the reader what to think has [upset] some readers and perplexed others; the smart ones, though, know that she purposely encloses you in the suffocating point of view of a narcissist--here's what it's like to live in the skin of a vain, short-sighted, self-glorifying young woman 24/7--as if to say you'd better watch out, world, or this is what we'll all become. But Becky is not a mouthpiece, she is a character whom McKinnon embodies fully and without flinching. I can't wait to see who and what she'll take on next.

Recently, we've been bombarded by the fiction publishing industry with woman characters that are ambivalent about their independence and obsessed with the desire to be all things to everyone (especially to men). The women of Narcissus Ascending cannot be reduced to these banal caricatures. Instead, Karen McKinnon, in her darkly ironical first novel, gives us two rivalrous characters - Becky and Callie - whose complex, obsessive, self-delusional personalities jumps off the page. The seeming authenticity of these characters makes them fascinating to read about. This is a unique and wonderful book that I highly recommend.

Narcissus Ascending, the initial novel offering by transplanted New York psychologist and writer Karen McKinnon is exactly what you expect it to be when you first see it on the bookstore shelf. And it is things you never expected it to be.

The title of the work and its modest size (214 pages) may lead you to believe it contains the usual dose of pretentious self-indulgence that often accompany a first novel, which this one does. Two of the first four words in the opening paragraph are "I" and unless you are among the most voracious and academic of readers, not a few times will you find yourself reaching for the Roget's to get a handle on the sometimes reachng vocabulary. But don't let that keep you from picking it up. This look at the relationships between a group of late twenty-something friends that don't spend their lives huddled in a New York City coffeehouse immediately grabs hold of your interest and rarely lets go.

Written in a unique "diary-like" narrative from the perspective of the main character, Becky, McKinnon's writing structure here is perfect for the subject matter and is a large part of what makes this such an enjoyable read. The lack of dialogue punctuation and the often combined thoughts and sentences make the reader have to work a little harder, but helps to stay atuned to the story line and each of its subjects.

The story is centered around four friends wrapped up in the melieu of New York's East Village who, aside from the day-to-day travails of Manhattan life are each dealing with the mental residue deposited by a fifth character, Callie, whom, though we don't actually meet until the last 80 pages of the book, we come to know and loathe...and fear, but are anxious to meet. The setting is well written and through the interaction and thoughts of each character, we are given a look into four distinct lives and points of view; neurosis, desire, ambition and all. McKinnon walks us through their relationships, individually and collectively, and as we progress, have no choice but to make comparisons with our own lives. Their private thoughts, personal battles and betrayals and the rationalizing of sexual indiscretions and desires are upfront and honest, to the point we are left to wonder how many of the characters and experiences are autobiographical or if the writer is just this good.

McKinnon does deserve a little slap for not reaching further into the character Dahlia and how her life as an incest survivor fuels her thoughts and actions, but should be highly praised for her research into modernist artist Becky. If we didn't know the writer was a psychologist, her depth of detail regarding her artist's struggle for professional self-definition and the art world itself would have us looking forward to her next show at the MoMA.

The storyline focuses largely on the angst and fears of its main players and their shallow, adolescent need to acquire revenge for past deeds done them by the protragonist Callie. But there is an unspoken subtext you can not help but delve into, questions about the foundative solvency in today's society you can not help but ask. Because most of the character development is so thorough and well defined, we can't help but wonder if present-day adults are really this [messed] up and whether we fall into one of two categories; those as equally disfucntional and in need of therapy as the characters we're reading about or those who are fortunate enough to have grown up.

A quick-paced, cozy-up-on-the-sofa-for-an-evening novel, Narcissus Ascending is a fun read that takes an naked, revealing look into the self-centered aspects of the human condition we all enjoy...or suffer from. But don't believe for a second that after you close the cover, it won't have you thinking.

Perhaps more than you'd like to.

I came across this debut novel recently and on cracking open the cover I didn't look up until I had finished all 200 plus pages several hours later. McKinnon's style of writing is impressive and her ability to render the novel's characters into flesh and blood is mind-whirling. The examination of the complexity of friendships that form when self-absorbed people (and aren't we surrounded more and more by them) find each other is sobering...and, I hate to admit it (and so will you), familiar. I can't wait to read more of her writing.

Essential, amazing images, zooms, according texts.
If you are a figurative painter, you will need as milk for a baby.
He is part of the offspring coming from Goya, Velázquez, Rembrandt ...
EXCELENT

Amazing. One or probably the most impressive paintor's book I have. Not easy subjects sometimes, but anyway, always beautiful.

I came upon his name by accident when I was reading about some other painters.

Scoffed and rejected by the 'modern-art' world (which is just fine with me), Odd's work is beautiful to look at and become a part of. The stark landscapes that he places his figures in are peaceful yet convey an uneasiness. I can't wait to visit Iceland to see if it's really as beautiful as he paints it.

This is a comprehensive collection (and heavy!!!). Well worth the money.

Well, if so-called modern art makes you sick/laugh/sigh (or whatever), here's one artist you may like, as long as you appreciate sur-realism combined to the works of the Old Masters. Try this book that seems to be the best among the few, with clever lines that explains the approach of the painter and fine and numerous reproductions. Last but not least: go to see his exhibitions (big formats to fill up your eyes) and try his own book "On kitsch"

Odd Nerdrum is a painter who polarizes viewers and critics. This very beautifully designed and produced and written tome shows more than just an enormous amount of paintings by the Norwegian giant; this book contains one of the finest essays by Richard Vine about the artist and his place (or misplace!) in contemporary art. It is provocative, haughty, seductive, and honest and as such gives a realistic picture of one of the enigmatic artists of today.

Nerdrum decided early on that he wanted to paint in the fashion of the Renaissance painters and though he had formal training, he soon progressed to self-taught techniques to enter his world of artic terrains which harkens back to the beginning of man as the hunter, gatherer, and sexually obsessed monolith.

The book is generously graphic, giving not only full page and two page spreads of the large works, but accompanying pages of details from these massive canvases. Nerdrum's characters and scenes have changed little since his foray into the tundra landscapes populated by limbless warriors, infants, hermaphrodites, couples and choreographed folk who dance to Nerdrum earthy tunes. The most recent works shown and discussed reveal a loosening of his brush technique but little else changing in the works of the past 25 years.

The term 'kitsch' is usually used as a derogative adjective, but not so with Nerdrum. He feels that most paintings today have nothing to do with gut level reality and it that sort of representation is 'kitsch', then he proclaims himself the king of kitsch. Use that information as you will: critics are still debating the issue. But no matter the titles or the content or the repetition of the themes, there is no denying that Nerdrum has become a household word in the art salons, and this fine monograph certainly justifies much of the clan-like adoration he has gained.
Grady Harp, December 2004

I read this at my bookstore for the children's story time. It went over well with kids, and I even got an "ohh" of delight when I turned the page to reveal the empty bird cage with origami key on the table next to it. Very clever escape for the origami bird :) I predict that this will likely win a Caldecott or other award very soon. Simply done text adds to the feeling that this is a classic zen story. Would be a great addition to any child's library, especially if they have enjoyed books like "Zen Shorts (Collector's Edition) (Zen) (Zen)" Be ready for them to want to try Origami after reading this! There is instructions for an origami bird at the end of the book. It would have been better if they included instructions for all of the animals the Origami Master made in the book, but a good start!

In The Origami Master, it is truly Nathaniel Lachenmeyer who has mastered the art of creating a "new" ancient Japanese folktale. The language, tone and lessons are reminiscent of a beautiful old fable, with artwork that is perfectly matched to the serene, solitary, yet beautiful world the origami master and his new friend inhabit. Adults and children alike will delight in the ending and find warm joy in the gentle moral. A book to surely be enjoyed again and again.

This book will make a great addition to any child's library. It is captivating and carries a great message about importance of freedom in any friendship. Once your child is done reading the book he or she can enjoy practicing making their own origami bird.
Now I will make sure to check out all the other books written by this author which are as I heard also very good.

This is a delightful story about origami and freedom. I bought it to read to my young art students, but will treasure the book forever.

I harbored great resentment towards origami as a child. Essentially I was the kind of kid who'd harbor resentment against any trade, skill, or hobby in which I lacked basic essential skills. And for a kid who couldn't so much as fold a paper airplane without detailed instructions, origami seemed like some kind of cruel joke. Here's a piece a paper... foldity, foldity, foldity, foldity, voila! Instant paper monkey! Yet while I did not like the art itself, I would not have minded reading about origami had there been any picture books written about it. Maybe there were. Maybe my library shelves growing up were full of such stories, but if so they somehow eluded me. One book that hasn't eluded me in the present day, however, is Nathaniel Lachenmeyer's "The Origami Master". Surprisingly funny and visually arresting this book is nothing so much as a small present from a small publisher. Like an origami creation itself, Lachenmeyer and artist Aki Sogabe have produced something small, meticulous, and ultimately charming.

Shima the Origami Master keeps to himself on the side of a tall Japanese mountain . His days are spent peacefully enough, folding origami papers into little creatures of his own making. One day a warbler sitting in a tree happens to see what Shima is doing and that night it folds the papers in much the same manner. This might be cute except for the fact that the warbler is a much better origami artist than the man. Its elephants are "simpler and more beautiful". And when Shima switches to dragons, the next night he finds a far superior version on his table that "looked like it was about to come to life and fly back to its lair." Increasingly frustrated Shima spies on his table the next night only to see the warbler improving on his origami spider design. Determined to get its secrets for himself, Shima traps the bird in a cage and leaves it lots of paper. However the warbler refuses to do anything but pine for its tree. And when the man falls asleep, he awakes to find the warbler gone and an origami key sitting by the cage. Fearful that he has frightened the bird away, Shima goes outside to find it making a nest in his tree and in gratitude he creates an origami nest, "for the friend he had made and almost lost." Instructions for making your own origami bird follow at the end of the book.

I love being surprised by a picture book. If an author can write a story in a mere 32 pages that goes in an unexpected direction then I am floored. And when the man woke to find that the bird escaped its cage by making an origami key, that's when I tipped my hat. Artist Aki Sogabe was also clearly amused by the idea since the key in question is not a dark gray or blue but a bright and vibrant pink. A slightly brighter shade than the cherry blossoms where the warbler makes its home. Right off the bat I was also rather charmed by the cover and title of this book. Without reading the story, anyone in their right mind would take one glance at the illustration and words and think that the "Master" in question would have to be the old man folding a dragon on the table. You don't even notice the small warbler nesting nearby, though it is clear that the bird is the better artist.

It was important to me that the warbler not be some kind of cartoony anthropomorphized creature haunting the man's tree. Fortunately Aki Sogabe must have felt the same way since the pictures here are nothing if not realistic. The publication page says that the illustrations were created with "cut paper and watercolor", which I wouldn't have necessarily have guessed. Sogabe weaves the cut paper elements seamlessly within the pictures. Sometimes an illustrator will utilize mixed media, and the foreign elements will veritably leap off the page (for good or for ill) and draw attention to themselves. When Sogabe chooses to use cut paper, however, you don't even consciously notice. Is the pillow that the man kneels on made of cut paper? What about the little origami pages? Sogabe has made the conscious choice to create a smooth seamless transition between her watercolors and the outside elements, and it works like a charm.

Of course, I was a little surprised to hear that watercolor was Sogabe's preferred painting choice since this book looks like nothing so much as a series of colored woodcuts. The thick lines of the man's thatched home or the bold strokes that make up the warblers body; these all seem to indicate a woodcut or printmaking technique. At the same time, Sogabe's vistas and landscapes where she sets her scenes are remarkably beautiful paintings. She gets the maximum amount of use out of distant hills and overlapping trees. Second and third readings of the book also reveal how elegantly she uses shadows. There is the shadow cast by the table when the man falls asleep and the bird is given its first opportunity to escape. There is the shadow of the man when he hides to find out who has been besting him at his own game. Each shadow highlights an important moment in the story but it's not something you'd necessarily think to look for.

I am happy to say that "The Origami Master" joins my other favorite origami themed picture book "Lissy's Friends" by Grace Lin. Together the two would make for a fabulous storytime or readaloud program (particularly if you wanted to finish the program by making some origami critters of your own with the kids). Deftly told in a lovely format, "The Origami Master" is a great example of a simple story paired with pitch perfect illustrations. A wonderful read and a wonderful find. A must for any collection.

Excellent book with that real Paris feel, a feast of classic French cityscapes and architectural heritage, a visual source of art inspiration that is both easy on the eyes and stimulating, recommended .

... then you'll love this one. For the sketches of the Parisian scenes are wonderfully well-drawn. Sometimes you'll be amazed to find out the "spots" that you didn't pay much attention on while you were there. Also, It captured all different moods..... and you feel like you are visiting Paris AGAIN!

A grand book for travelers to Paris or those already in love with the "City of Lights"!

Fabrice Moireau's watercolors and sketches bring the City of Light to life, and vividly captures the atmospheric city with its teeming cafe life, historic buildings, and new constructions. The book is divided into several segments covering the historic center, Northern Paris, Eastern Paris, Southern Paris, Western Paris, and the Gazetteer provides additional information of some of the prominent buildings featured. Moireau's paintings and sketches are accompanied by Mary Kelly's impressions of Paris, and both perspectives provide a wonderfully warm portrait of the City of Light.

A "Paris Sketchbook," captures Paris superbly. Walk again down the streets of Paris, sit in a cafe, or in a paris garden, or wonder again at Paris buildings and architecture. It is all there and captured beautifully my Mary Kelly's precise and spiritual prose, with Fabrice Moireau's water colors of Paris. The pictures and prose combine to be more like a musical piece, one reads and then "hums" like a tune from time to time. If one is looking for that special gift or souvenir of Paris, this is it. Enjoy Paris again and again, or tanalize those who plan a visit to Paris.

I recently joined the National Caricaturist Network ([...]) and among the many many talented individuals who make up the membership, Joe Blum stands out as one of the absolute best. Joe combines awesome artistic ability with a twisted knack for nailing the individuals who sit for him.

A good caricature is well drawn combining a likeness with humor and sometimes warmth. A great caricature includes a spark that leaves a little bit of that individual and their life in the caricature.

The caricatures in Rejects are unmistakably art, not just "funny drawings". The monologue shares a lot of insight and advice about retail caricaturing as well as human nature and life.

A great coffee table book to enjoy over and over again.

I recommend this book to anyone who has ever laughed out loud and would like to do so again!

Joe Bluhm's new book entitled "Rejects - the extreme art of retail caricature" is a must have for anyone who loves caricature...every page a gem!!

Although a majority of these drawings were rejected by their subjects (sitters had absolutely no clue what they were walking away from) they are the finest examples of the best retail caricaturist working in the world today.

Give yourself a gift and make sure you pick up a copy, you certainly will not be disappointed!!!

I recently got in to caricature and had heard whispers of Joe Bluhm on a couple of forums. They were saying he was the guy who could push the envelope to the utmost extreme while staying within salable reason. And, as you will see in the book, he does just that... most of the time.

Joe pushes his drawings right to the tipping point. Think of it like a bucket of water. Most professional caricaturists are able to draw to about a quarter inch below the brim. Maybe even to the brim, but rarely ever do. Joe fills it to the point of no return -- so much so there's a slight arc of the water as it hangs in equilibrium, about to spill. If you were to add a drop more, it would collapse. No other artist that I've seen can get it to that point.

The expressions and likenesses are pushed just ever-so-slightly more than even the most extreme caricaturists would dare. The coloring bold and magnificent. Some of the pictures border on offensive, a couple too damn cute, yet pushed right to the edge of exaggeration, you don't know if you should laugh or wish the kid was your own.

Definitely buy this book. It's absolute hilarity and a bargain at it's price.

Rejects is all it is promised to be. These caricatures really capture the subjects personality and outstanding features whether they like it or not. Most people really don't like their bad features pointed out especially for the world to see, which is why they probably rejected the artist's rendition in the first place. If you are an artist you can appreciate these interpretations.

I worked with Joe for many years drawing caricatures at a theme park in Orlando, and have had the privilege of witnessing him draw first hand. I can honestly say that he has no fear when it comes to his craft. While many of us would back down from drawing that strange looking woman in our chair the way we truly wanted to (for fear of rejection, bodily harm, or perhaps both), Joe would create a grotesque masterpeice with every sketch and display it proudly.

His boldness has paid off. This collection of under-appreciated park sketches is almost as fun and inspiring as watching Joe draw in person.

Great for artists or anyone with a sense of humor!

Really great classic artwork..One of the finest illustrators for many years. If you enjoy this type of art, this will be a fine book for your art collection with an insight into the head of Mr Griffin. Two thumbs up! 5 Stars, and a big YEE HA for this book! mondocain

One of the Best in his field, and respected among his peers, Rick Griffin ruled. Great book and just a sample of the great work that came from this man.

This book was out of print for a while and ebay prices were not cheep. To get it for under $20 seems like a steal. It is exactly as I remember from the late 80's. Beutifully reproduced on nice paper.

This is a fabulous treat for the eyes.
Griffin perfected the late 60s San Fran poster art style in his work for the Dead and others (cover of Aoxomoxoa, for instance, or the immortal surfing eyeball poster for the GD with It's A Beautiful Day), and he was also a phenomenally gifted painter, spraybrush stylist, and pen and ink man. He takes the art deco influence of the SF school and melds it with a classicist's sensibility, creating a beautiful synthesis of mind and Mother Nature.
There is no doubt that Michelangelo or DaVinci would smile in appreciation at Rick's Omo Bob Rides South, a six-page black and white masterpiece where each page is an absolutely perfectly composed gem that stands on its own as a true work of art. He exhibits the total control of a master, and his eye for symmetry is astounding, as is the depth of his chiaroscuro. Griffin is also one of the great letterers of all time; it's a real joy to read words written in his inimitable script (but imitated ever since, including almost every decent graffiti artist).
To top it off, his writing is genius in Omo Bob, reflecting a deep understanding of life's many paradoxes. If you've never experienced this work, get good and ready in your favorite way (RG was an early fan of Dr. Hof, and that influence is clearly felt) and then spend at least ten minutes on each page, letting your eyes bathe in the serpentine brilliance; you will be endlessly rewarded. I still enjoy it at least once a year, decades after my first exposure to it, and never tire of its mellifluous lines and incredible detail.
The book also highlights some of his early surf work (a surfer through and through, Griffin's work embodies the grace and flow of a true waterman; no one has ever visually conveyed the joy of a wave like RG), his album covers, his paintings, and various pieces.
But it is Omo Bob and a couple other pen and ink pieces here that ensure his artistic immortality. Griffin was by all accounts a wonderful friend and a very spiritual man, and those qualities shine through in his art.
It is somehow very comforting and reassuring to gaze upon his work;
there is proof here that a deep and perfect form lies beyond the seeming chaos of the physical plane.
What more can you ask from art than that?

This is an excellent printing on heavy stock of some of the finest works from a master of poster and comic artist from the San Francisco Haight Ashbury era. I think it is a wonderful addition to any collection of psychedelic ephemera, and an admirable part of my own art library.