Instruction Books

I haven't found a Royo art book I didn't like, but this is one of the best ones. He depicts harsh future worlds: some with machines, some with fallen angels, others with a "Planet of the Apes" theme. One of my favorite types is the kind with a mostly abandoned world, complete with the skeletons of buildings and torn yet sexy clothing of the women who still inhabit that world.

His women certainly are sexy, but much more than that. The women suffer, but endure these future worlds, and often come out the stronger for it, making the illustrations more touching and powerful.

There are also a few cover arts for futuristic space novels by Julie E. Czerneda, which also have strong women as depicted in Royo art.

Being a long time fan of Luis Royo's art work, I expected some of the same poses, same features and same colors in III Millenium. To my wonderful suprise, he has taken a dip in the deep end of his talents and emerged with fantastic, horrific and touching artwork. He is, without a doubt, a master at his craft and transmits feelings to the viewer that are like a raw slap in face. For those of us who appreciate fine art, there is no comparison.

Wow! When I heard about Royo, I decided to look around for some of his work. When I bought this book I was delighted to see that my favourite picture, "The Announcement" was in it. The subtle blue in the eyes of the child are beautifully hypnotic. I personally enjoy drawing and I have to say Royo inspires me deeply. His blend of the female flesh with cold automatons is beautiful. What might seem like weird to individuals who look at this book, aesthetically, Royo has won my admiration because he is bold and different and that's what makes a unique artist.

Once again Luis Royo has created a world of wonder for his fans. Anyone who is a serious collector of his work should own this book. His imagination has created a world of the future that only pure talent could capture on canvas, and make us believe that Three Millenium may look just as he presents it. Incredible!

This book will lead you into the future, as Royo sees it. It's dark, ice-cold, scary. Barren landscape, ruined cities, machine making love to astonishingly beautiful women; monkeys control humans. Fallen angels turned to stone, yet capable to make love to each other. The colors are grey, brown, green, which make the light even more vivid. The details are painstakingly taken care of - just like everything Royo makes. You will find women in this book (too) which you wish you'd meet in real life - if you're a guy, like me :)

I am not yet all the way through this book because there is so much to absorb. It is really packed with great information on the reactions/interactions of common watercolor paints, both by brand and color groups and characteristics. I've been painting with watercolor for about 5 years and have read a lot of books on this same subject. This author has brought it all together for me. I'd highly recommend it. The pullout color wheel is on my easel for easy reference

This is a wonderful book! And an absolute must-read for all who are truly interested in turning out great watercolors. Before this book, some of watercolors would turn out so great, and others just dull, and I thought it was due to experience and practice. He revealed the secret. And now I have a lot more confidence in what colors to use on my paintings and control over its results.

Jim Kosvanec also has a great writing style that will keep you reading on. After each section, you will be aching to go out there and try it out.

This book is definitely staying in my library.

Kosvanec's book title may not capture your attention, but his book certainly caught mine. He is thorough, clear in his presentation and has a firm grasp on watercolour. His watercolour wheel could become a standard and the one issue I have with the book is that this wheel is not a perforated pull-out. This would have made the book better than 5 stars because you could have a wheel hung up for reference and keep the book intact.

Ohhh, so that's why that color mix only went to a gray scale instead of black! Kosvanec gives great tips on the juicy wash; now my $300 worth of paints actually have color. Well worth the price. Be sure to read this book; don't just look at the pretty pictures. I'm still laughing about the quote, "If tube greens were people, I'd beat them up."

For the watercolor artist, this is an excellent starting place for basic color properties and their application.

Though I've been mostly interested in writing for animation and comics, while playing video games I questioned who came up with it's stories. Many games have little to no stories and focus mostly on mindless entertainment...which isn't always a bad thing. But some video game stories really touch the viewer (Half Life 2, Final Fantasy, Bioshock, etc. come to mind.)

On a whim I bought this book and have enjoyed it immensely. Both the authors provided much more than I was hoping for. Both are seasoned game writers/designers who have worked on many games you know, and are still working on games. Stuff like UNCHARTED - DRAKE'S FORTUNE, CRIMSON SKIES, PROJECT ORIGIN, and FRANK MILLER'S SIN CITY - THE GAME. These guys know what they are doing.

The book breaks down not only how to write for games, but what that entails, hardships you will find along the way (both with writing and people), they provide sheets you can fill out to create your own game bible to pitch. And as an added bonus they occasionally have writing exercises to help you hone your craft or understnad a point better.

Leave no stone unturned and that's what these two have done. It has my highest regards! Buy it and truly educate yourself.

I am a Multimedia student in Community College.

This book has given me a ton of good ideas on how to create a top-notch game!

I reccomend it to anybody (Like Me.) who wants to design a hit videogame!

this book is chock-full of incredibly useful information about writing and game design. many of the classic traps in this area of game development can be avoided by following flint and john's advice here. everything is outlined in a very clean and (not surprisingly) fun and witty read.

as a game developer for 10 years now, i found information in this book that i'll be using in the future and i can't recommend this book enough. these guys get it, and so should you.

As a member of the student team who needed to produce video game in rather short amount of time, I have found this book extremely helpful. I did like one-sheet summary that allowed us to summarize everything. The content was very helpful. Thank you.

This book, is a no nonsense guide to the video game industry and more specifically to game design. It gives relevant realistic experience written in an upbeat humorous and succinct style.

There aren't any cons to it that I can think of.

The more crowded life gets the more I love to look at these beautiful pictures. Genuine grace at its best. It is one of my most favorite coffee table books. If you love the sea you must have this book.

Marvelous book, however, remove the outer protective cover and be sure the title on the hard cover is not on the back and upsidedown as mine was when I removed the cover 11 months after purchasing the book.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves dolphins, whales and other sea life. It has lots of beautiful artwork with thoughtful quotes beneath. There is also some interesting information on Wyland.

First, there is a section on whales, followed by one on dolphins, manatees and other sea life. Next, there are several collaboration pieces. Wyland worked with artists such as Jim Warren & James Coleman to create many stunning pieces.

I especially liked one with babies & dolphins he worked on with Janet Stewart. I also loved the section on the whaling wall murals. The walls are shown both in-progress & finished.

I found the information on each wall and about how the walls came to be fascinating. A detailed list on of all the walls & their specifications as well as a list of all the Wyland galleries are a nice bonuses.

This is absolutely a "MUST HAVE" book! The dust jacket alone is beautiful, but just wait until you see the artwork inside! "Breathtaking!" Wyland fans, you're really missing out if this book's not in your collection.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book (and continue to do so). It not only incorporated some of Wyland's finest works but the work of other artists that collaberated with Wyland on some of his murals (i.e. the landscape/sky portions). There is a fine display of diversity, beautiful color combinations, and wonderful surreal artistry. I have enjoyed Wyland's works for many years and I highly recommend this book! The quality of the color reprints of his work is excellent. I am a muralist and this book truely inspires me!

This is an absolutely wonderful book packed with lots of different techniques and ideas. It's much better with a hard cover though. Worth the money.

This book has a great variety of projects using many different techniques and media. Full color photographs and explanations for each project make them easy to duplicate. Also, there are many pictures of other projects done using similar techniques. As a homeschooling parent of elementary-age students, I found this book to be a great addition to our art curriculum. I can teach art concepts and then find projects from this book to reinforce those concepts. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great book for techniques for art for all ages projects can be tailored for a variety of age groups.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FULL OF GREAT ART IDEAS AND COMPLETE PROJECTS. VERY WELL ILLUSTRATED (ALL THE PAGES ARE IN FULL-COLOR) AND EASY TO READ. THE DIRECTIONS ARE CLEAR AND YOU CAN DESIGN YOUR OWN VERSION OF THE PROJECTS. MY DAUGHTER LOVES THIS BOOK AND I REALLY LOVE HER LITTLE "WOW!" FACE AFTER EACH PROJECT.

This is an excellent book. I first checked it out from the library & then HAD to buy my own copy. It has great techniques; many of which I've seen illustrated in adult painting/crafting books too. This book is leaps & bounds beyond most of the "same old, same old" kids art books out there.

This is a most outstanding work on the anatomic and physiologic concepts underlying visual perception. It is aimed at any interested layman and should be required reading for visual artists, neuro-physiologists and any vision science practitioners. It requires attentive reading initially, but the extent of its insights are breathtakingly rewarding for those efforts. It is a visually stunning book that is the product of an inquiring and perceptive mind who is a senior member of the neuro-physiology faculty at Harvard. As an ophthalmologist and vision scientist-educator, I have strongly recommended it to trainees and older colleagues alike. Try it - you'll like it. MAH

This is a book that every teacher of photography and serious photographer should read and study and re-read. Although the book contains no photographic examples, there are plenty of examples in famous paintings to support the visual research Dr. Livingtson so clearly writes about. The examples in paintings are easily transferable
to a number of familiar and famous photographs.
Ever wonder what Ansel Adams and Edward Weston were so successful with the black-and-white photographs but not with their color photographs? I have, and her book has provided me with insights into this and other photographic practices.

A very good book with great pictures that demonstrate key vision concepts. Near the end of the book, however, I started to skim the chapters because it became too tedious to read - very technical book overall.

I bought a used copy and noticed "student underling" in the first chapter, but an abrupt end to underlining in the second chapter. You know what that means: "This course is not what I expected; I'm dropping out!"
The student and I feel the same way, but I got a lot further.

Buy it, but I found Robert L. Solso's book The Psychology of Art and the Evolution of the Conscious Brain to be a far more exciting read. That one is a five star easily.

Another more engaging book covers many of the same things as Livingstone's but in a more readable style: Visual Intelligence by Donald D. Hoffman.

So, if your interested in vision, etc. I'd start with Solso, then move to Hoffman, and lastly to Livingstone.

Margaret Livingstone has produced a book so very useful to visual artists that it may, in its density of ideas, seem definitive rather than evocative. But evocative it is. As we learn from studying it, Livingstone's book offers implications that may be developed by any artist who reads it in almost any direction. One might take as an example the very rich Chapter 8, with its notions of luminance as a balance for the salience, or pushiness of certain colors - how Leonardo handled it, how Ingres handled it, and how today's painter or digital image maker might go even further. The size and shape of the book allow for illustrations that work on the eye at the right scale. And there is an overall visual loudness to the book that is jarring and satisfying.

The author gets to the structure of our visual systems, makes them very clear, and tells us things that are lasting and verifiable. Her spirit of personal experimentation shows in the book, and makes us think that looking inquisitively at the world will pay off.

After reading it, you'll want to keep it close to you. That way, you'll never forget how important art and science are in your life.

One of the best watercolor books I have used. Knowledgeable, well written. Great organization. Love the spiral bound format--you can keep it flat while you are working.

She is fun and excellant teacher. She always has something new to try and
very clear in her direction.

This is a wonderful book. I am so happy I bought it - one of the best. Maybe the best! The exercises are so exciting and the results are inspiring. A must for every water colorist's library.

I just got this book today and can't put it down! The pictures take your breath away. I can't wait to try some of the ideas I garnered from this book. I do wish there had been more information on the paints used, but this book is worth every penny.... What an inspirational book!

I enjoy any watercolour book that seeks to take the use of the medium further than traditional uses. This book does that and more, with clear explanations on how to use other materials in combination with watercolour without being prescriptive. Many ideas for art works have been sparked by this book. The only issue for me is the use of American brand names on products - makes the book less universal.

This is exactly what we need to think about as we prepare our high school senior for technology at college. In the laptop vs. desktop debate, this handy, informative books lays out the pros and cons. It's perfect for those of us who will either have to transport equipment a few thousand miles or decide to buy it on site. I heartily recommend this book for any parents preparing to buy technology for their collegiate children.

This book offers great tips and advice on technology all those going away to college will need. As one reads it, one will definitely learn something new whether it's about computers, laptops, desktops or handhelds.

Not all those going away to college can afford to buy a laptop or a desktop. Hence, this book suggests ways one could get best offers in technology. Did you know some colleges and universities rent computers? I didn't know until I read this book. Now that's a good catch for those who are not willing to buy a computer.

Wish I'd Known That is something I would recommend to everyone going off to college. It's a great book everyone will find helpful. I did. You will not know how useful it is until you buy it.

This new book makes technology decisions easy for students as they prepare for their adventure in college education. It provides knowlegeable help in selecting the correct hardware, software and add ons for a student's technology package.
The authors have a great feel for the questions and difficulties encountered by students and their parents as they begin the collegiate journey.
Parents will be reassured as they read the comments and suggestions presented to the students - good sound technology advice. In fact, as a school administrator, I plan to share many of the helpful ideas with my faculty and students.
This book will guide even inexperienced users on their way to success with technology in their college careers. I plan to give this book as a gift to several students embarking on their college journey in the fall.

"Wish I'd Known That" by Diane S. Kendall and Dr. Merle Marsh thoroughly covers all aspects of taking technology to college. Everything is covered from determining what systems a school platfrom will support, to choosing a computer, to providing advice on what to do when everything goes wrong, all in a well organized easy to find and use format. The authors have also done an excellent job providing advice and support for both MAC and PC users.
One of the best features of this book is the list of "Universal Truths of College Computing." This list can serve as a veritable Bible for computing anywhere but especially on the college campus. Whether the reader is an incoming college freshman or a newcomer to technology, this book provides a full range of tips and guidelines to assist in making a wise technology choice, that is hard to find anywhere else. This book is Highly recommended.

As an advanced user considering majoring in Computer Science, having just graduated from a high school where laptops are required for all students, I was initially doubtful that I needed any technology advice. As I read this book, however, I did indeed find myself taking note of many useful suggestions that I simply hadn't thought of. Even if you've been using computers at school for as long as you can remember, the college environment presents its own new set of challenges and obstacles to overcome and avoid. What better way to prepare yourself than with a guide based on input from current college students who are just like you except that they've "been there, done that." This book is so comprehensive that I would recommend it for absolutely anyone entering college: technophobes and technophiles, History majors and Computer Science majors alike.
Best of luck at college!

Great book. I'd recommend it to anyone who want to write interesting free flowing articles be it stories or anything. This book offers you with knowledge you'd need to write a good essay, story or book. I love this book it has really helped me improve my writing skills. Writing Creative Nonfiction

The book was well known before I ordered it. It is all I looked for and it is on my principal bookshelf.

This book may not be 100% comprehensive (a tad redundant, perhaps), but if there is any other one out there that has more to offer on addressing the varieties of style, structure, form and the creative nonfiction process, I haven't seen it. Being new to the business in 2003 when I began working on Waiting for Westmoreland in earnest, I found the instuctions and insights illuminating, inspiring and confusing all at once. How to choose?! I felt like Alice on her journey after the rabbit. Still, it gave me plenty of techniques to consider--that would not have been as readily discernible had I simply tried to read every book of actual creative nonfiction I could get my hands on.

Over the past several years there has been quite a controversy as to what exactly is creative nonfiction.
In fact, there are some who even go so far as denying its existence and claim there is no such animal!
If we are from the school that accepts that it is alive and kicking, we must then be able to describe what exactly is creative nonfiction.

Carolyn Fauché and Philip Gerard, editors of Writing Creative Nonficton, perhaps best sum up what it is all about when they state: "creative nonfiction has emerged in the last few years as the province of factual prose that is also literary-infused with the stylistic devices, tropes, and rhetorical flourishes of the best fiction and the most lyrical narrative poetry. It is fact based writing that remains compelling, undiminished by the passage of time, that has at heart an interest in enduring human values: foremost a fidelity to accuracy, to truthfulness."

In order to support their belief in creative nonfiction, Fauché and Gerard have presented more than thirty essays that examine all of above key ingredients inherent in writing creative nonfiction.
Divided into three sections, the reader will receive tips pertaining to such topics as researching ideas and structuring the story, reportage, personal reflection, developing powerful observation techniques, awareness of the filters that put you between yourself and the world, shaping the lyric essay, creating biography, war writing, using humor, and taking yourself out of the story.

What is quite noteworthy about the book is that the reader receives valuable advice from over thirty well- known writers such as: Terry Tempest Williams, Allan Cheuse, Phillip Lopate, Carolyn Forché, and Philip Gerard, all of whom contribute immensely in convincing us that, yes, creative nonfiction does exist.
It may be true that it has undergone many name changes over the years- nonfiction novel, narrative non-fiction, literary journalism, literary non-fiction, and new journalism, however, they all lead us to the conclusion that no matter how confusing it sounds, creative nonfiction is still distinguishable from daily journalism, academic criticism, and critical biography.

The book also offers a primer on the practical business of drafting a business proposal as presented by Stanley Colbert, and a section about what happens after publication.
Finally, as the editors most aptly state: "as a final gift to the reader, we've included the `Creative Non-Fiction' reader offering the companion pieces and other exemplary essays to inspire, delight, reach, and simply to enjoy."

This review first appeared on the reviewer's own site: Bookpleasures.com

whilst one can not expect every chapter to be directly relevant, i found each of them thought provoking. this book has enabled me to view the genre, and my writing attempts, in a new light.

an essential read for anyone interested in writing narrative non-fiction.

Aaron Frankel, who has directed more than 100 plays, loves the stage, especially musicals. He brings his genius to Writing the Broadway Musical by formulating an organized book, which is easy to use both as a reference and as a guide.

He fills the text with pertinent examples -- plenty of them --like chocolate chips in cookies. Frankel's book is full of encouragement for the dreamers, while it outlines the practical aspects of taking a musical play from a dream to a full-fledged production.

This book gives a good foundation for basic elements of a musical script. I bought this wanting to write a musical script but not necessarily the lyrics/musical score and am a complete novice - was a bit lost on the different musicals it quoted. However another book that is quite "meaty" in terms of how to write a compelling gripping story/script for theatre is "The Writers Journey" surname is Vogler. What Frankel says is that the book or story needs to be written first before appropriate lyrics/musical score can be created. So I would have gone straight to this book first. Good as reference but can borrow from library, not a must have.

Frankel's concise, clear volume on writing large-scale musicals is a welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone who wants to understand how this peculiar theatrical genre works-- when it does. By focusing on two artistically successful, well-known pieces in the canon-- "My Fair Lady" as a well-executed classic musical with linear plot, "Company" (my personal favorite) as a well-executed plotless musical whose songs move character forward--, Frankel can support his intelligent teaching points with concrete yet familiar examples. I'm very happy to see this book back in print.

Many of today's top talents in musicals on and off Broadway have studied with Aaron Frankel. Now anyone can learn the ropes from this honored director and instructor in a step-by-step guide that makes for good reading whether you are a writer, composer, or simply an avid theatergoer. I enjoyed the previous edition and found this revised and updated one an even more interesting read.

In only 192 pages, Frankel presents writing for the musical theatre from the perspective of the book writer, lyricist and composer -- and how each contributes to the whole. Enough specifics for each to gain a better appreciation of the others' unique contributions. The book would be an excellent introductory text for a musical theate workshop. Most examples from My Fair Lady are illustrative and excellent; other examples from Company were less helpful (as that show was less successful). Highly recommended for those working on musical to keep near at hand.