Themes Books

I love this book! Great as a gift or just to feast your eyes on celebrities. Top Quality Book - and I know what's sexy! - Kristy Welsh, Author of "Good Credit is Sexy"

though some of the featured celebrities weren't on my "sexy" list, they were presented very well and the photography was high quality. entertaining and creative shots, worth the price if not just for the alice in wonderland shot of drew barrymore on the first page. also includes some random text; very intelligent, provocative and fun. i keep this book out for frequent viewing.

Actually, I have two favorite celebrity photography books: this one and Rolling Stone: Photographers. I am an avid autograph collector; so, I use these books whenever I hear about a celebrity being in the area. At the moment, I have this book signed by Denis Leary and Stephen Dorf..with more to come, I hope. About the only photograph I didn't like was the two-pager of Alicia Silverstone. It doesn't really look like her. This is definitely a great book to have on the coffee table for company while you're still getting ready. :)

I cannot remember ever seeing a book of photography as filled with fun as this collection of images from Us Magazine. The humor is solid and clean, something that comedians have a hard time duplicating. The book is greatly enhanced by the special genius of Mark Seliger for this type of work.

Before going further, let me caution you that some images are of partially undressed women that would earn this material an R rating (on the soft side) if it were contained in a motion picture.

The photographs are reproduced in both color and black-and-white. The reproduction quality is very high, and the editors have chosen well where to use two-page spreads and where not to. Although not every image displays good-humored fun, about two-thirds of them do. The book probably would have worked even better if every image had followed that theme. In most cases, the image itself is a happy one that also contains a joke about the celebrity involved . . . creating two ways to have a fun with the image.

Here are my favorite images in the book:

Drew Barrymore (cover shot) holding boxing globes up as a visual bra as she stands in a sparring pose in a boxing ring by Mark Seliger;

Elizabeth Shue nude holding a dog by Mark Seliger;

Patrick Swayze in a slip by Mary Ellen Mark;

Emma Thompson undressed but covered by the bottom of a stage curtain wrapped around her by Neil Davenport;

A puckish looking Hugh Grant by Jon Ragel;

Kato Kaelin in a swimming pool that magnifies the size of his torso by Mary Ellen Mark;

Jodie Foster laughing by Mark Seliger;

Ashley Judd as Marilyn Monroe wrapped in a sheet in bed by Mark Seliger;

Jason Priestley as an urban cowboy tough guy by Lance Staedler;

Whoopi Goldberg looking alarmed by Mark Seliger;

Helen Hunt half-wearing a man's white shirt with a wistful smile by Mark Seliger;

Sharon Stone looking like a 40's pinup or a 50's Playboy model with lots of fluff by Andrew MacPherson;

Julie Louis-Dreyfus spitting water like a fountain statue by Jon Ragel;

Garry Shandling seriously sitting in business attire in front of a burning desk he cannot see behind him by Mark Seliger;

Leonardo DiCaprio thinking in mismatched, outrageous clothing by Mark Seliger;

Kennedy wearing a veil, and using an arm and a hand to create modesty over an otherwise nude body in a take-off on the classic ways to pose nude women without being too revealing by Mark Seliger;

Smiling Rosie Perez by Dewey Nicks;

Sting in a bathtub with rubber duckies by Max Vadukul;

Siegfried and Roy doing an illusion by Mark Seliger;

Juliette Lewis featuring her face and the soles of her feet by Peggy Sirota;

Smiling Lisa Kudrow by Davis Factor;

Matthew Perry by Andrew D. Berstein;

Gamine-like Sandra Bullock by Kate Garner;

a funny, foreshortened Paul Hartman by Mark Seliger; and

David Schwimmer curtseying in a t-shirt and khakis.

"You are a vision of nowness" is the description of this book written inside. I personally found the images more timeless than that. You get a sense of what is universally appealing at all times and to almost all people.

After looking at these happy images, think about the ways that fun appeals to your better nature. How can you experience that kind of fun more often? How can you surround yourself with an environment that teems with such fun? How can you extend and share that fun with others?

Have a great giggle . . . as often as possible!

In this book, there are lots of pictures of celebrities. There is also a selection of quotes from celebrities. It is worth the money.

I have just recieved Cathy Johnson's new book, "Creating Nature in Watercolor, an Artists Guide." I sat down and read it through, and found it felt like an beautifully illustrated letter from a good friend, who is encouraging me to join her in her love of nature and creating. The art work is superb of course, as I expected, since I already own several of her books, and recently took one of her wonderful Online Classes...and she has been drawing and painting for her whole life...but I also found much more in it than artwork. She not only shares many, many, many valuable techniques and tips...but they seem unique to her charming way of helping us out with some of the little things that become big things when you dont know how to deal with them. And she adds so many details and makes them all so interesting!
Her 'personal relationship' with nature pulls the reader and artist into a close connection with creation and creating.
It is a book for everyone...beginning and professional artists as well as all who appreciate nature.
For me this is her best book....so far...:)

I found this newest Cathy Johnson book to be every bit as informative and entertaining as her many previous books. The artist's love of nature shines gloriously within these pages. Not only does she give clear and easily understood instructions to 'capture nature', she also inspires you! This book is both working text and entertainment.

Having used 2 of Ms. Johnson's books before ("Creating
Textures in Watercolor" and "Watercolor Pencil Magic-sadly
out of print") I had great hopes for this new volume, and it
does not disappoint. More than a collection of pretty
watercolor studies to be admired -though it is full of
them! - this book breaks down the process and tells you
how to get the result you're looking for. Ms. Johnson even
gives tips on the practicalities of capturing the
uncooperative moving creatures of nature on paper! I have found something valuable on every page.

Cathy Johnson's newest book, Creating Nature in Watercolor, is a most delightful read and it's filled with tips and techniques on appreciating nature and capturing your interpretation of that observation in watercolor. Whether you want to learn how to document botanical samples in a journal or compose an extensive landscape on a full sheet of watercolor paper, this book is a must have! Cathy has a teaching style that encourages everyone to jump right in and have fun learning. This book contains short exercises as well as step-by-step lessons for painting landscapes. A beginner will find this book to be a tremendous start off point and a professional will find many useful tips and notes to help them progress in their treatment of nature and landscapes.

Cathy Johnson's newest book is a work of art in itself. The inside page design is simply beautiful. The illustrations by Ms. Johnson are very inspiring. And her tone is one of gentle encouragement ("yes, you can do this too"). I just received my copy recently and have already spent hours savoring it. Many of Ms. Johnson's books seem deceptively simple. One could quickly glance over her notes and paintings and then set the book on the shelf. The real value comes from taking her books, page by page, and actually DOING the exercises she provides. Pay attention to her teaching, follow her examples, and wonderful things will happen with your artwork. Creating Nature in Watercolor is a wonderful book and I am thankful that the artist took the time to create it.

I preordered this off her website so I got a print of her beautiful cover as well as the book.

I've always been a fan of her work, and just started doing watercolor so this book is perfect for me. It's given me a lot ideas of things I want to try out in the medium.

Wow, this is my favourite mermaid illustrating book.
Love, that the illustrations are explained with full example and easy to repeat tips.
This book is all you need to create stunningly beautiful female fantasy art.

Having been privileged to introduce and feature the Art of Stephanie Pui-Mun Law in my own books nothing gives me more pleasure than to see this wonderful volume 'Dreamscapes' that has just been published. From my own experience I can appreciate the huge amount of work and detail that will have gone into producing the most stunning 175 page book of 'Creative How to Draw' magical Angels Faeries and Mermaids.
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law is one of the foremost Fantasy Artists of the New Millennium her work and detail enchants. Time again one has to return to her images to see and understand her creative inspiration and thought process, yet here in this book she tell us her secrets and shows us how to hone the skills needed to be a success. This book is a must have for any aspiring artist of any age, it educates and enthralls with creative energy and artistic inspiration, welcoming readers to enter and join the enchanted faeries world. It instructs clearly and precisely allowing the reader of any age to easily follow and study techniques. For libraries, education, hobby shops and stores, art colleges, children, students this book will be an all time reference and best seller.
This book teaches conservation and understanding of the beauty of Mother Earth and the importance of protecting the environment, there is no better way to educate than encouraging through instructive art books like this.

I have been a fan of Stephanie's work as a fellow artist. I like her watercolor technique and use of color in her artwork. I purchased the book, not to learn how to create art, but to better understand Stephanie's process as an artist.

Upon reviewing the book, I was very impressed with the presentation of the material and Stephanie's instructional style. It was very clear, and extremely thorough. And all of it is presented in a high quality package. The pages are heavy weight and packed with illustrations and side bars of info. What Stephanie has done here is to give a wonderful gift to anyone who is interested in learning about watercolor illustration. The kind of information here is akin to the type of knowledge a student once might have learned as an apprentice to a master artist. Now that tradition has regretfully passed us by, Stephanie has offered a very viable substitute.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fantasy illustration, or to someone who just would like to experiment with watercolor techniques. The only thing disapointing about the book is that it ends.

This is an excellent watercolor instruction book - regardless of your subject. I've been following this artist's work for a while and have tried some of her techniques, but I fail miserably. Her book, Dreamscapes, is exactly what I've been looking for.

i had seen this book before I purchased it so I knew it was a good product...The book was in excelent condition and arrived quickly with no problems

but the templates are off.

i've only tried two of the designs so far, but the templates for even simplest one are so far off that i would have been better off making my own and not tracing the ones from the book.

the second set of templates was not as skewed, but still not accurate.

this is a massive shame, since the designs are absolutely inspirational. sudo has no fear of curves, or y-seams, or teeny tiny pieces. and her results are fabulous.

but you may end up having to draft the patterns yourself in order to get accurate templates.

I just purchased and read this book today. Kumiko Sudo's use of color and form is phenomenal. Her designs are kaleidoscopic, and may be challenging to create, but even if I never make one of her quilt block designs I will be affected by her choices of color, focus on the use of fabric and its design, and stories of how each design came about.

I really recommend this book; it will definitely encourage you to think more about color and form as you choose fabrics for quilts.

The author uses simple design elements from traditional Western quilt traditions in a new and very fresh way. Her designs are intriguing and suitable for thousands of different interpretations. This lady is a real artist.

Sudo's use of repeated curves and straight lines is amazing! The quilts and blocks all look so balanced and even, but in an unusual way. There's a wonderful, off-center sort of flair to the patterns- a sort of creation of harmony from disharmony. I haven't quilted much with curved forms (they have always sounded daunting) and this book contains the first pattern that even makes me want to try. And the wonder of the book is that I would really like to try most of the patterns... What a great, creative compilation!

This book is one I've come back to several times as it gives me pictures of various types of men in different stages/sonditions of their life. The photographs show male sexuality in a very honest, sincere and touching way. Seeing men with real bodies is the most refreshing as their is no pretense, no relentless striving to be the "super male" found within the pages of this book.

I have this book in my stack of books on the coffee table in my living room, where my guests wait while I'm putting the finishing touches on dinner. It always ends up at the top of the pile somehow, and it's usually the guys who check it out first. The photos are simply gorgeous, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. But my straight male friends tell me how rare and cool it is to find a thoughtful piece on what it's like to be a man in our world, or to see things that reflect their experiences, and I think that's why people I know have liked the book. It's unusual. It's beautiful in a way that is comfortable and thought-provoking at once, in my opinion. Anyway, I love it, and some of the men in my life will be getting it for Xmas this year.

I liked this book a lot. It has real portraits of real people. The men in it looked so happy and normal -- like people we all know. The personality of each subject showed through in a way that made these portraits very appealing.

I like these photos very much. I believe this is the first set of male nudes that I can say that of. They're really not eroticized, and they're not mythologized either. These are pictures of guys who are pretty comfortable in their bodies.

And they're very fine pictures. I'm picky, especially about people pictures (which I've been trying to take myself for 30 years), and these work excellently for me. They're about the subjects, not primarily about the photographer. And they're all different.

The fine *technical* quality of the photos and the printing of the book don't hurt a thing either.

You should give these photos a try.

Familiar Men takes on unfamiliar subject matter: nude males. In Western visual art, women have long gotten the nude treatment, thoroughly and repeatedly. In recent times female nudes are even becoming slightly more diverse in their appearance (Edison contributed greatly to this diversification in her other book of photo portraits, Women en Large). But men are less frequent subjects of photography, and nude men even less so. Mostly what's out there from a photo-visual perspective are chiseled youth with disaffected eyes modeling underwear--almost nudes who are barely there.

This paucity of portraiture is rightly addressed in Familiar Men. Not only do the men represent a wide range of ages, races, sizes, and abilities, but their gazes show you clearly that these men are not objects, but subjects. They know what they are doing. They thought about revealing themselves for the camera, with all of its inherent risks, and went for it.

This book is a proud, strong presentation of male vulnerability, and the black-and-white photography is beautiful itself. I'm a big fan of art as a medium for social change, and this is a wonderful addition to discussions around masculinity, beauty, and the human form.

Real men pose nude.

Sam does his usual excellent job to inform the reader of vital concerns regarding fellowship. He of course takes a bibical approach and will challenge the thinking of all.

This book will change your view of what being a disciple of Christ is all about. Will also be helpful for us who are searching for the anwsers to life. Use it in conjuction with your bible study to learn how to study, properly study both and Old and New Testaments, the teachings of Christ and many other bible subjects. I have read and reread the book and use it extensively in my bible study. I have recommended to many friends and they all agree.

This is the best book on the market aside from the Bible itself on the subject of fellowship. Dawson covers both fellowship with God and with fellow believers.

Dawson's definition and diagrams of the way the NT uses the word "church" are worth the purchase price alone! But there's more! Dawson also goes on to give Scriptural guidelines for when we can work with believers with whom we disagree and when we cannot.

If everyone who called himself/herself a "Christian" would grasp and follow the simple NT teaching of fellowship, we would have more unity, more diversity, and more power.

Buy the book. After you've read it, I'm confident you'll buy a few more copies for others.

This book is a must-read for any truth-seeking Christian who resolves to better understand his or her relationship with God and the expectations he has, as well as how to interact in a way that pleases God with any fellow Christian with whom he or she disagrees. I personally have experienced significant difficulties in my relationship with a particular local church and have found what I learned from reading Dawson's book to be a very helpful guide in determining how best to express my concerns to those involved. This book helped me feel confident as I remembered that I am only responsible to control my own words and actions. Please read it!

After having studied the subject of Fellowship among Christians for most of my adult life, I always felt that there were inconsistencies between what the Bible taught and how many of us were applying it to our lives. Mr. Dawson's book has cleared up many areas of confusion and serves as a wonderful guide in correctly applying what God has taught on this very important topic. As with so many other subjects, man has deviated from the original intent due to his own agenda. Mr. Dawson's book helps us re-focus on where we should have our direction.

One of nature's most diverse and artistic creations are the flowers. This is amply documented by the spectacular photography of Christopher Beane as compiled in a coffee table photography book that rises to the timeless level of great art. Each full-page, captioned and visually stunning photograph comprising this remarkable volume showcases an particular flower bloom and could well be framed separately and be mounted upon the wall of an elegant home, a prestigious art gallery, or a premier museum. Enhanced with an informative introductory essay by Anthony Janson, "Flower" is a technical masterpiece of the photographer's art and a memorable homage to the architectural diversity and spectacular wonder of the blooming and colored petals of flowers. "Flower" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library world-class photography collections.

Christopher Beane's new book, Flower, is a floral autobiography.

Beginning with traditional, abstract, black & white compositions in the 1990s, Beane's early works make reference to a number of noted photographers but also reveal how he developed his own eye for presenting unusual floral shapes and textures.

In the late 1990s, Beane left the b&w world behind and dove head-first into vibrant colour. In the words of Anthony Janson, who narrates the book: "Fortunately, in 1997 Beane began to experiment with color photography."

"Fortunately" is an understatement: right from the first few photographs in Beane's aptly titled "orgy" series, we see a whole new world of color within his macro subjects, and Beane's explorations quickly depart from whatever preconceptions you may have of floral macro photography. Beane's colour work is truly his own: creative and evocative in a manner not as obvious as one usually finds in the sensual photography of pistils and stamens and pretty petals. In his representations you will find more abstract emotion, perhaps evoking flames and mysterious sea creatures... as well as gasp-worthy ultramacro depictions of familiar subjects.

The cover of the Flower is itself a flamelike depiction of tulips; fortunately, an unadorned version can be found inside (plate 40). The book continues through the evolution of his macro photography, with each subject a new step forward for Beane. After mastering a particular motif, Beane deconstructs and reinvents his approach and summons up entirely new perspectives, new ways to infuse form with colour.

While it is impossible not to marvel at the intricacies of his macro subjects, from the Coral Charm Peony (plate 51) to the sensual Bearded Iris Blue (plate 42), his latter work moves forward ever more progressively and ultimately departs the ultramacro realm in the direction of abstract art. Particularly striking to my eye are the Fritillaria (plates 127 and 128) which play with a reduced colour palette in an entirely new way, departing from the natural colours of the flowers themselves but somehow remaining true to them in abstract impression.

In addition to plate after plate of masterful 4x5 colour photography, the reader will find details of Beane's battle with stage-4 lymphoma, how this affected his mood and vision, and how he returned, triumphantly, to his craft. Beane's adventure is inspiring and not only in the visual sense.

I very highly recommend this book. It is truly inspirational and provocative.

A disclaimer up front - Christopher Beane is our son!

For over 40 years we have watched Christopher grow and develop - both as an extraordinary human being and as an exceptionally talented artist. His creativity has always been evident - whether in the things young kids make in school; in his water colored paintings; as he advised his mother how to decorate our home; in his landscaping of our yard; through his intriguing work during freshman year in the Rhode Island School of Design's challenging one, two and three dimention design studios; and finally, as his photographic career has evolved the past fifteen years.

But, as parents, perhaps we are most proud of how he battled near fatal cancer, diagnosed just three years ago, including the eight months Christopher spent in New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital. He never lost his will to live. And with his engaging personality he brought out love and support from all those around him.

Perhaps the greatest fear Christopher had during his long illness was that his talent might somehow desert him. As all can see this concern has been fully relieved and his newest work exibits both continued artistic growth and his amazing creativity.

Some thoughts from Christopher's proud parents Rosemary & Frank Beane

Not simply a book of beautiful images, this is a book about the development, growth and courage of an artist.

We just finished our first reading and viewing of Christopher Beane's "Flower". What a beautiful prose and photography volume this is.

The essay reads with warmth, knowledge, and critical praise for the photographic plates that adorn the book, not to mention the affection communicated for the photographer and his professional development. The author's grasp of the essence of art history including photography builds a firm foundation for the complex interpretations and lucid explanations he provides.

The crowning elements of the book are, of course, the photographic plates. Grouped by Christopher's evolving periods and changing forms of expression, many of the plates will evoke a gasp, a sigh, a tear, or a smile upon turning the page. One in particular caught my eye, Plate 112, Bloomed Clemantis, as appearing almost human in the blossoms struggle against the wind. The author, we later found, also saw that strength and aligned that with Christopher's own strength in dealing with his health issues over the past two years.

We highly recommend the book to anyone interested in art, photography, or life, since the essay and the plates create a valuable life story of strength and beauty.

This book is just plain fun. For anyone who admires Galliano, you should enjoy this book. Galliano is quite an imaginative designer, and this book contains lots of photos of his creations, along with a bit of personal information about the designer and behind-the-scenes photos as well. From outrageous to beautiful clothing.

a great provider of information, artistic direction, and visual stimulation. i can't put it down

Thank you Colin McDowell! John Galliano to me is the most talented designer in the world, and I have always been waiting for books to be published. This is very completely story of who he is, how he works, and how he gets inspired which will in turn inspires many other creative people of the same wavelength. The book is very detailed and incredibly beautiful and intricate.

If one wants an insight into the mind of the most creative force in fashion, this is the book to get! The escentric John Galliano has been praised as the greatest fashion stylist and designer of our time (all of this praise was given at such a young time in his career).This beautiful book proves why Galliano is the fashion force that he is. A "work in progress" is the term the author uses to describes this book about Galliano. It is not a biography,though it briefly cronicles his childhood and days in St. Martin's School,nor is it a retrospective. What this book does, though, is disect a master at the verge of stardom, from his graduation show at St. Martin's to his stint at Givenchy to his sucess at Christian Dior,as well as his independant line.Beautiful photography shows the reader Galliano's process of creating a collecton from start to finish.Pages from his concept book is shown, giving readers a gimpse into how Galliano thinks and creates.Above all else,the best part is Galliano's creations, and that is the best part about the book.In it,one can see how the master's work evolves from different points in his young career.I highly recommend this book about a master's "work in progress" .

GALLIANO IS THE MOST AMAZING COUTURIER ALIVE IN TODAY'S HAUTE COUTURE. HIS CLOTHES BOTH FOR DIOR AND HIS LABEL ARE WONDERFUL CREATIONS. THIS BOOK IS FILL WITH BREATHTAKING CLOTHES MODELED BY TRUE SUPERMODELS . HE IS AN ARTIST AND EACH OF HIS DESIGNS IS A MASTERPIECE

This book has certainly become a treasure to my girlfriends and I. Our dear friend Loretta had to leave us, she died of cancer. Her story is in this book on page 20. Lauren Cowen and Jayne Wexler have done such a supurb job recapturing her spirit on paper. This tribute alone indicates the tenderness and compassion shown in their artistic talent for conveying the everlasting bond of girlfriends. Many of the stories contained in this book remind us of our soul's thirst for love of our female friends. Famous or not, rich or poor our needs are the same.Each story will touch your heart. Take my advice and cherish your girlfriends while they are here.

I recently purchased the book "Girlfriends" by Jayne Wexler and Lauren Cowen for my girlfriend. She had recently lost her best friend from childhood to cancer, so I thought the book would be theraputic for her. I couldn't have been more right! She treasures this book. The images captured by Jayne Wexler are poignant and Lauren Cowen's words will certainly strike a chord with any woman who has ever had or has a very special friend. I had purchased their earlier book, "Daughters and Mothers" as a Mothers Day gift for my Mom and know how much it meant to her. Wexler and Cowen seem to have a keen insight into what matters to women--and express it beautifully in both pictures and words. Either of these books would make a great gift for any woman.

It is refreshing to see a coffee table book that has not only wonderful pictures, but inspiring stories. Lauren Cowen has captured the essence of the female spirit across the ages. It exemplifies the many different sides and interests of women. All share the common bond of female camaraderie. These stories depict real women who in their daily lives support each other. I was truly inspired by the group of women who courageously took care of their dying friend. Their bond with each other appears so strong that it transcends death. This would be an exceptional human interest story to pursue. These women are not famous, but truly rich in their caring and compassion for each other.

From the moment I saw the cover I knew that "Girlfriends" would be a beautiful book to hold, peruse, read, and give as gifts to the women in my life whom I call my bosom buddies. The photography is stunning and evocative, the words reflective of what it means to be a female. Simple and solid, "Girlfriends" reminds us of how little it takes to anchor us in a commercialized world that suggests we need more.

this is a great book to give to your best friends for the holidays- the stories are unique and the photos are spectacular- you can read one story every day for inspiration.

a perfect coffee table book or present.

This is a delightfully written book filled with poignant reflections of love betweem grandparents and grandchildren. In just a page or two, Carol Abrams captures the essence of these relationships and the photography illuminates the stories. As a recent grandmother, I readily identify with the unconditional love these grandparents share with the reader and only hope that my grandaughter will bond with me in a similar fashion.

I was moved by this book. I happen to be one of the grandaughters featured in this book, and I hate to admit this, but I really wouldn't have picked it up, but since I was given a free copy, I read, and it made me appreciate the relationship between my grandfather and me. Now everyone that has picked it up, wants a copy. It really is touching.

This wonderful book is not just another coffee table photography book. The stories behind the photographs explore the special relationships many grandparents share with their grandchildren. Some have made incredible sacrifices in stepping into the role of parent, when their own children failed to fill that role. The devotion is so heartwarming. Reading these stories makes one stop and cherish their own special relationships with family. It is a book I know I will look at over and over again.

I was so touched by "Grandparents & Grandchildren, Shared Memories" that I began sending a copy to each of my family members--then to friends who are grandparents. The recipients are all so delighted with this "treasure" that I thought I might share my idea with others. It's a beautifully presented book, blending warmth and nostalgia through engaging vignettes. Each charming chapter reassures us that what seems ordinary is potentially profound. Kudos to Carol Abrams & Ferne Margulies for a gem of a book!