Illustration Books

The Spectrum series is a collection of contemporary and fantastic art illustrations. I recommend it to anyone looking for discovering interesting work and contemporary artists. The work ranges from cover illustrations, paintings, sculptures to some toys, action figures and graphic novel work. The selection is usually very well done. I think the sculpture section is not as good as the graphic and painting area.

It is interesting to notice in the volume 9 the diversity of techniques presented there. There are some pure digital art, but most of it is made of traditional media, or a mix with digital tools and some other technique.

I recently purchased Spectrum 9, 10, and 11. These books are absolutely wonderful, and I would recommend them to any artist or fan of fantasy/sci fi art. They are extremely well put together, of high quality (reproduction wise), have a large number and variety of artists, and contain some of the most beautiful works of art I have seen. Some of the subject matter can be disturbing or somewhat sexual in nature (certainly nothing explicit, but not exactly innocent either), so I wouldn't recomend them for the very young (12 or under?) if you are a parent. These books are worth every penny and highly recommended.

This book is like a kick-ass mobile art gallery. Anyone interested in some cool artists with real talent that you can't find in museums or galleries should have this edition on their coffee tables or on their mantles. A visual cornicopia of excellently presented ideas compiled in a book that will have you closely staring at the pages. Really cool.

Not unlike the other titles in the Spectrum series, Spectrum 9 provides a great overview of contemporary fantastic art, the best emerging artists, new trends, and samples of the forever-loved art. The artwork is much better documented with sources listed for further study of fantastic art.

If you've ever admired a cover on a sci-fi book, cool credits in a fantasy movie, or even action figures of your favorite super heroes, this book might be for you. The nice thing about the Spectrum series is that you do not need to reach for a specific volume to look at specific form of art. Each volume offers a pretty even and ,personally I think, good cross section of the current fantastic art and design.

I have been patiently waiting (OK, maybe not so patiently) since November for Spectrum 9 to be released. Even though I had to wait an extra month and a half, it was well worth the wait. Once again, the Spectrum series provides us with the best in contemporary and fantastic art, and it IS fantastic. Entries range from weird, to gory, to funny, to beautiful. I began this series with Spectrum 8, then bought 7. Unfortunately, the other 6 are out of print (and cost a pretty penny), but these 3 will do. If you like sci-fi/fantasy art, this is the book for you. There's something for everyone, and in my opinion, there is not one bad painting in the whole book. Buy this today - you will get more than your money's worth.

This is the best cross-stitch book I own. It has many familiar characters from children's literature, like Madeline, Spot and Winnie-the-Pooh. I've used the designs to make center squares for baby quilts! I hate to give them up. I hope Ms. Souter does another--how about Curious George, Arthur and the Richard Scarry bunch?

A great resource for anyone who stitches for children. With hard to find cross stitch patterns for many beloved characters, such as: classic Pooh, Angelina Ballerina, Madeline, Apple Tree Farm, Spot, and others. Easy to follow charts and beautiful pictures of finished pieces. A must have for any cross stitcher!

These designs are adorable, like others have said, but I had to add--this is not just a same ol' Peter Rabbit / Pooh Bear book. As a new mom, I was a bit tired of finding baby designs for the nursery in nothing but Peter and Pooh. Nothing against these characters, mind you, but I wanted something a little . . . different. Well, I've had great success with this book! I had heard of Duck, but really wasn't too familiar with him--but he and his pals are adorable. Ditto for the "Apple Tree Farm" section (which you can do as a sampler or separate designs). Very Britishy, and perfect for an anglophile like me! Made me a big fan of the illustrator (Stephen Cartwright). Also, this book has a section on Miffy! Wow! You don't find that just anywhere. I, too, wish Gillian Souter would do a sequel to this great book! I'd like to see Little Critter, Wild Things, Lilly (of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse), and some Rosemary Wells characters. One last note. The designs here are very well done--the transfer of an illustration to the cross-stitch format is very smooth, and my completed designs were very much like the actual illustrations! A nice addition is the alphabet patterns in the back for you to personalize your designs. They're a good couple of fonts which I've used repeatedly.

I have selected 12 of the exceptional designs from Gillian Souter's book to creat a quilt for my granddaughter. Among the choices (hard to make) were: Babar/Celeste, Madeline, Paddington, Pooh, Angelina, Spot and Duck. Her designs are easy to follow. I am using an 18-count afghan type (washable) fabric and DMC floss. I would recommend this book to "Grammies" everywhere. Many good projects; I just happen to be making a quilt at present.

I bought this book especially for the Classic Pooh patterns I couldn't seem to find anywhere. However, every pattern in here is adorable and the ones I completed charm me still every time I look at them. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys children's patterns, or wants to give an adorable gift to someone.

Ergenbright strikes again in this slender volume of gorgeous photography. He and Pastor John Piper both write wonderful introductions about their purpose in creating the book and their hope that it will draw the reader closer to God.
The theme, as the title suggests, is to focus on the Scripture that tells us to think of all praiseworthy things in the world that are God-inspired. Fulfilling this Scripture, the book offers not only striking pictures of landscapes and oceans, but also pictures of magnificent man-made structures, reminding us of our God-given desire to create great things, and wonderful pictures of people, namely children whose sweet smiles and shining innocence remind us of the nature that God wishes us to have when we approach Him. Accompanied with all this is more wonderful Scripture.

From fairytale castles to a gorgeous storm cloud roiling over a lonely road, this book offers a variety of beauty. Several of the nature photographs will either have you in awe or set your heart at rest, and the priceless children will make you smile until your face hurts. I highly recommend this gem for any soul to remind us of all the beauty in God's world!

I have been very pleased with my purchase. The book was in great condition. Our family has enjoyed reflecting on God's greatness as He has revealed Himself in His marvolous creation.

At the recent Christian Booksellers Convention in Atlanta, 'THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS' was awarded the Gold Medallion as the Best Christian Gift Book of 2004.

A beautiful combination of art and biblical thought. To be read and re-read many times.

Once again, after 'THE ART OF GOD' and 'THE IMAGE OF GOD,' Ric Ergenbright shows his mastery of the art of photography and his dedication to the word of the Bible. You may open any page, from those depicting the rocky coasts of New England and Italy to the far reaches of India and South America, and find inspiration. THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS can be read over and over and never will you arrive at the same thought. Things that are going to last take a long time to build, and Ric Ergenbright has reminded us, with an enchanted eloquence, from whence came the cornerstones.

Wyeth, Pyle and the others captivate my imagination and this book captures their mastery. Strongly recommended!

This book covers very well some of the most important people in American History. N.C. Wyeth,Howard Pyle, Dean Cornwell,Harvey Dunn, Frank Schoonover and Philip Goodwin have illustrated the turn of the 1800's to 1900's with the same spirited passion that bred our great country. It's this great passion that is given to the pictures that they created that seperates their work from photographs which are just taken. Looking at the Illustrations shows you that Pyle was successful in creating an American art which will always be a foundation for Illustrators to follow.

Visions Of Adventure surveys the arts of N.C. Wyeth and the Brandywine artists, providing a lavish display packed with color plates and paintings by Pyle, Wyeth, Dunn, and others. Histories and backgrounds of each featured work accompany the fold-out and full-page illustrations and make for an excellent review. Highly recommended.

Incredible collection of paintings and the stories that go along with them. Colorful with spectacular detail of the famous paintings of a time gone by. Amazing how the author was able to put together a collection of this magnitude. A must have for anyone who appreciates art. It is perfect as a gift to that special person you care about.

i m french so i say it with my word : c'est trés beau !

If you're interested in writing, you have to get this book. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. Just getting the general idea of the book will make you want to pick up a pen or paintbrush!

My mother bought this book when I was nine and made myself and my two sisters create books. She really did have to make us do it in the beginning (we were less than enamoured) but by the end I loved it.

Since then I have made three more; the last of which I did in three days while on summer break from college. Even a decade later it was still a great deal of fun.

I'm teaching this as a volunteer in elementary school. Very step by step, cookbook way to do it. Very easy to follow, you don't have to be a great writer or artist to teach this to kids. Easy to follow, materials are inexpensive, and kids who don't like to read or write will make huge improvements. Also very good for special ed students. They can make great strides with the two brain approach. You might learn something too.

I'm buying a second copy of this book, my first copy has fallen to pieces I've used it so often.The book is very step-by-step. Any interested adult can use this book to help children write the most amazing books:they're both amazing and books children are truly proud of and keep for years after.

I have used this text/guideline in my multi-grade classrooms for 7 years and love it. It works well with gifted students as well as typical kids. Highly suggest it as an alternative from the same old routine in language arts and graphic art.

In a landscape where the bravado and bluster of busty cartoon pin-ups was the norm, Jay Ryan's work seems downright radical in its understated, yet evocative approach. Jay's talents somehow make me want to see a concert and buy a Caldecott Medal winner in equal measure. A+

The first collection of poster artist Jay Ryan is both a biography and an art celebration: it gathers his works from rock clubs to galleries and arrives not alone but supplemented by essays from other involved in the music, design and poster worlds. Full-color reproductions of his works supplement these insights to create an excellent catalog of screenprint poster genius: a must for any collecting underground poster art.

This book is absolutely essential for all fans of illustration, poster art, and contemporary design. One of the best books you will find on an american poster artist, the layout is top-notch with original drawings for some of Jay's posters next to the finished pieces. Having watched Jay make his work for Ten years, it is great to see such a powerful survey packed into such a beautiful book.

Maybe Narducy of Evanston is kidding, but just to clarify for the kids in New York, Los Angeles, and Berlin--this IS the Jay Ryan based in Chicago, dude. And this book of his posters should grace the collection of any art student or indie music fan...

ps. it would be great if Amazon would fix the typo in the title--it's "Decade," not "Secade."

This book is a great all around resource for anyone who wants to learn more about writing and illustrating children's books. The answers to your questions are here.

I knew that there was a lot to learn when trying to get my first children's book published and I couldn't have found a more complete source in one book. There are pointers and advice given by many published authors. There is a market section where all the publishing houses are listed along with their contact information, what types of books they publish, web addresses, submission requirements and any other relevant information for each specific company. This is an invaluable book for any aspiring children's author.

The ultimate guide to getting your manuscripts and illustrations for the children's market published is back with over 1,000 editors, agents and art directors. Contract terms, tips for breaking in, current needs for both fiction and nonfiction and contact info for writers and illustrators give you the edge in actively pursue your career in the industry.

Everyone can benefit from the articles jam-packed into this year's edition. All aspects of the business are covered, with topics such as:

* The Business of Writing & Illustrating
* Can an Unagented, Unknown Writer Get Published? Editors Sound Off
* Get Noticed: An Illustrator's Guide to Self-promotion
* Writing Through Rejection
* Money Matters: Payment for Authors and Illustrators

Writers and illustrators new to the publishing world will not only enjoy the articles but also the in-depth interviews with newcomers to children's publishing. And no matter what your experience, there are over 200 pages of market listings to help you seek out the right opportunity for you. Writer's Digest Books updates this guide every year to bring you the very latest information every children's writer and illustrator needs to stay ahead of the publishing game.

No more excuses! This is your one and only resource for seeking out markets for your work. Everything you need to get published, including publishing house listings, magazines, greeting cards, contests and more, is right at your fingertips.

I'm a children's book editor, and run a web site called "The Purple Crayon," where I review this book in detail. Here are some excerpts from that review:

Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market has established itself as an inexpensive "yellow pages" of children's publishing for authors and illustrators in the United States.... This year's edition seems to me to be at least as good as its predecessors.

As usual, the core of CWIM is the Markets section, which includes listings of publishers of books, magazines, greeting cards/puzzles/games, and plays, with a special sub-category for young writers and illustrators. The Book Publishers part is just over 100 pages long, as it was last year, with short profiles of 9 "insiders" (writers, illustrators, editors) interspersed throughout. This year, a sub-section of Canadian and International book publishers has been added.... The magazine section is also quite sizable.

Before the Markets section come 19 articles, of which the first four--"Just Getting Started?", "How to Use This Book...," "Before Your First Sale," and "The Business of Writing and Illustrating"--appear every year. The remaining articles cover a wide variety of subjects, such as writing query letters, how to deal with rejection, whether unknown and unagented authors can get published, and self-promotion for illustrators. Two I particularly enjoyed--though everyone will have their own favorites--were "Writing Through Rejections: Advice from Jane Yolen & Vivian Van Velde," and "When Size Matters: The Synopsis...."

After the Markets section come a variety of materials in the Resources: listings of agents and art reps; organizations, conferences, and workshops; book, magazine, and web resources; a glossary; and a useful index to the publisher listings, which enables you to find publishers by age level or subject.

Comments: As I have said before about CWIM (this quotation actually appeared on the cover of their 2003 edition): "You need a market guide with detailed information you can't find elsewhere. This book is the best available." CWIM remains the leading market guide for children's writers and illustrators with the 2004 edition. All active US children's writers and illustrators should get this guide, and should strongly consider buying a new edition every year. Yes, you could gather much of the information you'll find in it on your own, through diligent searches online, phone calls, and guideline and catalog requests to publishers. But the time spent doing that is time lost from your real work.

Cannot go wrong with the art book about Chinese art. It's an excellent one, used a lot as a textbook both by university art teachers as well as teachers of Chinese culture and history.

It is difficult to write "Short History of Chinese Arts". Suppose that an honest scholar start preparing his lecture note of " Chinese Arts", he shall struggle with selecting subjects and plates. Moreover, for example, he feels that he be an expert on ancient bronzes, and a beginner of export wares in 17th century. Leaving the purgatory, he would want help to a standard textbook.

Among English books, this noted book may have used in many college courses. 1st edition(1967) and The revised edition(1973) were welcomed by many students and scholars. Even a japanese translation had been popular for many years. In this 4th edition, 84 old respectable scholar still attracts me with lucid style.

For beginners, this should be a good introduction. Appreciating artifacts in Museum, finding something in antique shop, or reading books/papers/articles about a particular subject, it needs some elementary background knowledge for chinese arts and history. This offers such COMMON SENSE.

For experienced scholars, this is an interesting reading. This might look a mean textbook for them. Before reading, I minded I become tired for many facts already learned, but I enjoy this book even in commute train, although this edition format is too large. Because not only this is Readable for a japanese, but also gives many (sometimes implicit) skeptical suggestions. At 258p, about Wan Hui (1632-1677, painter), "The Palace Museum collection also contains a number of clever pastiches of tenth-century and Northen Song landscapes that are almost certainly his work"; keen insight!.

I should regretfully notice that some illustrations/items might be inadequate, blurred, or damaged. I hope that they will be changed at next chance.

The colour illustrations in this book are lovely to behold. Many show restored artifacts from China's long history. Vases, stoneware, flasks, paintings, handscrolls and much more. From the paintings, you can see where the traditional misty style of Chinese landscape paintings arose. There are even genres, like bamboo painting. Just like the Europeans developed portraits of horses and landed gentry.

Naturally, there is also extensive coverage of porcelain plates and containers. Beautifully decorated. The items that the Europeans would call "china"; so close was the identification of the objects with China itself.

But more than just objects, the narrative also gives insight into the various Chinese dynasties from which these arose. And also the provinces, like Jiangsu and Anhui, that were artistic centers.

The book, The Arts of China, was book I needed to purchase for a college level Asian Art History class focused on China. Each chapter was divided into dynasties and within each chapter sections were written on: background history, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, and other various topics. There are lovely color pictures with high resolution, which are an essential to any student or scholar studying this art. The writing is clear and even enjoyable. I'd highly reccommend this book!

Fantastic, amazing, incredible. I did miss a couple of campaigns, but overall it's a great advertising book, bringing a lot of campaigns from different years together.

I was interested for this book because of a friend. It is excellent, I recommends for everybody that likes advertising and needs references.

This book has a nice review of the best ads of 2005/2006. I would recommend it for collectors. Very nice quality also on the cover.

I find this to be a very useful, thorough advertising design / marketing student's resource. As with most printed ads in award books or publications, you wish the images were a little larger but the ideas are there as well as the layouts. I'm still going through it with a fine tooth comb and am very happy with my investment.

Another massive collection of colorful magazine advertisements from Taschen. This is the same format as the first book in this series,'All-American Ads 50s', hundresd and hundreds of whole page consumer magazine ads (there are a few pages with two or four) beautifull printed.

As this edition covers the war years, 111 pages carry ads by American companies explaining how they are doing their bit for victory. On page 618 there is a 1941 Greyhound bus ad that features a map of the US showing all the main military camps and the copy tells how Greyhound runs a bus past most of them. In the chapter on 'Industry' I found sixteen 1945 ads from a metal producing company called Bohn, they show futuristic designs for various forms of transport and a wonderful streamline combine harvester.

Most of the ads in the book use illustration rather than photography, so much easier to stretch reality.

This is an ideal gift book for anyone who lived through the forties and if you are just curious about middle-class life back then these thousand ads will give you plenty to think about. A book bargain at the price.

This is one of a series of amazing books published by Taschen.
I have been purchasing them through Amazon (as some are difficult to locate through stores). The series so far covers the 1910s through to the 1980s, a volume per decade. Over 500 pages of quality reproductions of ads from consumer goods to movies of those decades. You could spend hours looking through these books - and still find something you missed last time around. Congratulations to the editor/s.

Baby boomers take note of this wonderful book! As one born in the late 1940's I can't recommend this book highly enough. Here are ads from the magazines when we were born. The ads are printed somewhat smaller for the full page ads and a lot smaller for quarter page ones. However the printing quality is good enough that you can read ads in their entirety even if you occasionally have to use a magnifying glass to read the smaller ones. (Yes, our eyes are beginning to show our age!)You people with good eyes won't have that problem. The ads will awaken a nostalgia for things you don't remember. The Zenith TV with the Giant CIRCLE screen! (It's probably 10 inches!) How about an ad for Rice Krispies with Snap, Crackle and Pop riding American fighter planes! The Greyhound Bus ad asking people to "Help a fighting man enjoy his precious leave or furlough" by giving up travel. It all 'ads' up to a wonderful trip back in time!

Off course I was born in the 40's so this adds is part of the world I lived, so I enjoyed it very very much. I used to collect old Reader's Digests specialy for the adds, it reflect the world of those days and most of it are true art works.
The selection is very wise and complete, the section I liked the most is the car section and the pictures quality is terrific I d'ont undestand how they got so good picture quality if it suppossed they take it material from old magazines.
I'm sure any body will enjoy it a lot.
I'd rate it 6 stars or more if posible.