Encyclopedia Of Mosaic Techniques: A Step-by-step Visual Directory, With An Inspirational Gallery Of Finished Works (Encyclopedia of Art Techniques) Review

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(More customer reviews)Emma Biggs has used the "Encyclopedia of Mosaic Techniques" to share her wealth of knowledge and experience with us.
It doesn't fit the standard (and effective) format for beginner mosaic books (history, gallery, techniques/materials and projects). In fact there are no projects at all. Instead, the book is broken up into different topics. Here are a few selected at random to show how broad the scope of the book is: "Design Sources" (getting inspiration from tropical fish, fabrics, etc), "Colour in Mosaics", "Workshop Setup", "Cutting Techniques", "Borders", "Central Motifs", "Common Mistakes", "Indirect Method on Paper" (one of the many techniques covered), "Finishing and Fixing" (how to get a professional finish), "Gallery" (finished works with an analysis of what makes each one work, eg use of colour, contrast, light effects, realism).
Because there are no set projects, this is not the easiest book to start with. Unless you're really confident I would recommend Leslie Dierks' "Making Mosaics" instead. However, once you've tried a few of the step-by-step projects in that (or a similar book), this should be your next purchase. It will teach you to create your own projects instead of following someone else's.
The only think I really didn't like about this book is the way the topics were grouped alphabetically instead by theme. I imagine this is the standard for the "Encyclopaedia of..." series, but it doesn't work for me. If you're going through the book sequentially you go from "Double Reverse Method" to "Finishing and Fixing" to "Glass and Silicone" to "Grouting" to "Indirect Method on Paper".
I would have preferred to see all the methods grouped, all the material-related topics grouped, all the design-related topics grouped, etc. But this is a fairly minor niggle given the high quality of the book.
Highly recommended!

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A new edition to our Encyclopedia of Art Techniques series, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MOSAIC TECHNIQUES shares the ancient methods for creating decorative artwork with mosaic tiles. This visual directory helps you transform your pottery, furniture, walls, and floors with fabulous creative mosaics. Learn foolproof techniques for getting colors to work together to create dynamic designs. It needn't be expensive: find out how to work with improvised mosaic tiles, such as pebbles, colored glass, and other found materials.

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The Encyclopedia of Water Color Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)I was requested by my editors to write the introduction to the Brazilian edition of this book and immediately accepted, because, unlike o most books on art techniques, Hazel Harrison concentrates on demonstrating how to master all the resources and effects that watercolor offers, without implying that there is any preferable way in which to paint. The techniques are clearly explained and well illustrated and, in the second part of the book, she includes many examples of how different artists used the effects described in the first part to interpret various subjects. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to master the art of watercolor.

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Computer Animation: Algorithms and Techniques (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is not about how to accomplish animation using prepackaged software nor is it about art design for animation. Instead, it is aimed at computer science students who wish to write programs that perform animation and want to understand the algorithmic and mathematical issues behind that task.
Chapter one is a broad history of computer animation, and it would be misleading to think that this is a typical chapter in this book. Chapter 2 is a broad overview of computer graphics topics. It mentions quaternions, transformation matrices, the rendering pipeline, and I think it is meant to be a quick review more than an instructive chapter. If you are not already familiar with the material in chapter 2 this book will be over your head.
Chapters 3 through 6 are the meat of the book for those interested in computer animation algorithms. Chapter 3 presents low level details on interpolation and not only shows the math but also shows code fragments in C on how to accomplish some of the tasks mentioned. Chapter four presents more advanced algorithms such as camera control, kinematic modeling, rigid body simulation, flocking behavior, and collision detection. Again in this chapter mathematics of the algorithms is presented along side of C code to accomplish the tasks.
Chapter 5 changes topics from the discussion of object motion and the underlying physics to the topic of natural phenomena. The author does a good job of laying out clearly the basics of the mathematics behind these effects. However, he does seem to gloss over details more than he did in previous chapters. The same is true of Chapter 6 on the modeling and animation of articulated figures. The basics are all there, but there just wasn't enough detail to satisfy me.
As for the companion website, it is working at the time I am writing this review. However, the problem I have with books that have companion sites in place of an accompanying CD is that over time these websites are usually neglected and at worst, disconnected. However, an accompanying CD is always shipped with a new book.
Overall, this book is the best compromise I've found between accessible and comprehensive on this subject, and I would recommend it to anyone thinking about writing their own computer animation code.

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Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters Review

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(More customer reviews)Great book. Reads like the denouement of spell-binding mystery novel with the visual and textual evidence mounting piece by piece until the conclusion seems inevitable. As a working artist, Hockney teases out clues that may have eluded art historians. The book itself is a piece of artwork with excellent reproductions, skillful layout and beautiful typography.
There is one sore spot. Historical and scientific types will quickly notice that Hockney reached his conclusions BEFORE his two year search for evidence and that weaknesses in the argument and evidence are not fully considered. The examples appear selective and are possibly not representative. Looking at the sample artwork, you can see his point but would not be suprised to hear valid alternative explanations. Though not proof positive, the work is persuasive, enlightening and more than a little revolutionary.

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Folding Techniques for Designers: From Sheet to Form Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally, a good book that methodically explain tesselated folds with a clear visual language. It's not the first book that deals with folding tesselations, but the first one many people will feel confident to achieve succesfully all the examples shown. The final part dealing with simple curvature folds with pinches is a great plus.

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Many designers use folding techniques in their work to make three-dimensional forms from two-dimensional sheets of fabric, cardboard, plastic, metal, and many other materials. This unique book explains the key techniques of folding, such as pleated surfaces, curved folding and crumpling. An elegant, practical handbook, it covers over 70 techniques explained by clear step-by-step drawings, crease-pattern drawings, and specially commissioned photography.

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The Encyclopedia of Jewelry-Making Techniques: A Comprehensive Visual Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)Prior to my wife's intention to return to college as a mature student, I purchased several books for her on 'Silversmithing', and it is Jinks McGrath's book that she values most highly. In fact her lecturer reccomended it to all the students on the Jewllery Making & Design course. It is an invaluable guide to the beginner with its easy to follow instructions and information. It is well laid out with precise information and an easy reference source to fall back on. You won't be disappointed.

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Experienced artists and novices alike will relish the beautiful jewelry creations brought to life through this detailed, illustrated piece. From acrylics to etching, enlaying, enameling, polishing, repoussé, and more, each project is clearly described and photographed.
The Encyclopedia of Jewelry-Making Techniques is an all-encompassing guide for making beautiful jewelry at home. In a step-by-step approach, readers learn a plethora of techniques for creating intricate pieces of wearable art. The author provides simple instructions for all sorts of jewelry, and she shows readers an array of finished projects.

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"How to Draw Knights, Kings, Queens and Dragons" (How to Draw (Watson Guptill)) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am not probably the most better drawer you`ve seen but this book surely improved my drawing technics. It is not matter if you are an artist or a total beginner this hints from the real guru will certainly be a big help. A+ and a five star recommendation from me.

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King Arthur, Merlin, and all of Camelot's dashing, regal and romantic figures spring to life under the gifted hand of a master illustrator/cartoonist and inspiring teacher. Hart provides lucid instruction and rich examples for students to follow as they learn to draw the handsome men of medieval legend in shining armor, beautiful maidens in gorgeous gowns, funny and fierce dragons, and backgrounds of imposing castle settings. Step-by-step exercises present many versions of characters in a variety of poses. 170 illustrations.

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Fast Sketching Techniques: Capture the Fundamental Essence of Elusive Subjects Review

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(More customer reviews)With the exception of the old courtroom sketch artists, rarely do you see someone standing or sitting with just a pad and a few pencils trying for a likeness of something. Most people reach in their pocket, pull out an autofocus 35mm camera and snap a picture. Anyone can sketch with some degree of success. David Rankin shows you his techniques which rely on speed, basic shapes and dramatic shading. Whether your subject is a landmark building, your seven year old neice, or a peacock at the local zoo, this book will show you easily how to capture the image in a few brief strokes. The rewards are endless. If you are an accomplished artist, the sketches will be invaluable to you back in the studio for reference in creating full blown art pieces. If you are just looking for a way to record scenes for your own edification, you will have some dramatic fast renderings that reflect a mood, something a camera simply can not do. I love this book.

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Though trained to draw in a more leisurely academic style, the author found that working in the field required a different set of tools and techniques, which he shares here, with numerous examples of his own work. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

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Hi-Fi Color For Comics: Digital Techniques for Professional Results Review

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(More customer reviews)I've always been interested in coloring my art in Photoshop like the pros do; as a self-taught artist, I'm constantly looking for the best resources to teach me what I need to know. Suffice it to say, I've bought quite a few books discussing computer painting and coloring. I've picked things up from them here and there, but I can honestly say that I have not found a book more comprehensive, more considerate of its audience, and better conceived than Hi-Fi Color for Comics. Before reading any further, however, please note that to get the best results from this book, you need to have Photoshop on your computer.
Hi-Fi Color for Comics is actually the best resource you can have if you're trying to learn how to do computer coloring for either comics work or just coloring your own black-and-white artwork - whether the art is inked or still in pencils. In this book you'll learn:
1. How to best scan your work and even how to best stitch together artwork that is too large to fit into one scan
2. How to 'flat' artwork (lay down the base colors)
3. How to render over the flats (the actual painting)
4. How to create color holds (turning black and white lines into colored lines for dramatic effects)
5. Special effects (making glows, fire effects, etc.) and making 'Helpers' (special image files that you can use in your artwork as starters for skies, grass, gravel, etc.)
6. Color Separation (in other words, how to finish your artwork's file and make it ready for print, etc.)
While this book would be great if it only outlined these subjects, it does something even greater: it contains a DVD-ROM that includes a large number of files. Here are just a few:
1. Photoshop Pre-Sets (color settings, brushes, and even shortcut scripts [which you will use liberally in the book's lessons] that you can install directly into Photoshop)
2. Examples of colored artwork, Helpers, etc.
3. 'Homework' assignments for stitching scanned artwork, flatting, etc.
Basically, the DVD-ROM allows you to practice what you learn right along with the lessons taught. You can open the files provided and dig right into coloring them to really get your feet wet in the coloring process right away. This is probably the best feature of the book. And, as a bonus, the pencils that you will color over are done by professionals and, in some cases, provided by top artists like Terry Moore and John Byrne.
Now, certainly, this book is not perfect: there are a number of typos, a couple of accidents in some of the lesson steps, and I found several instances where some lesson steps were accidentally left out (fortunately, they're simple enough that you will figure it out even if you're a novice). Also, those of you wanting to color your penciled artwork should note that, before performing the color separation Step 3 script to finish your artwork, be sure to Apply your line art or else your pencils would be almost completely washed out (the book fails to mention this problematic issue, I discovered).
While it has its faults, Hi-Fi Color for Comics remains the very best resource out there for those interested in learning the comic book style of computer coloring. It is a tremendously well-thought-out book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. If this book is your speed, you may also want to consider another helpful volume, with has another approach to coloring, Digital Manga Workshop: An Artist's Guide to Creating Manga Illustrations on Your Computer. Enjoy!

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This is an exciting and complete instructional package starting with the basics and progressing through step-by-step demonstrations that take you from line art to full, awe-inspiring colour.It features instruction on equipment, scanning, setting up pages, colour theory, flatting, rendering, special effects, colour holds, colour separations, and even details on the business of becoming a professional colourist.The bonus CD-Rom, includes Photoshop tools and actions that pro colourists Brian and Kristy Miller use to streamline their colouring work, plus sample Photoshop files so that readers can work along with the demonstrations.

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Oil Painting Techniques and Materials Review

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(More customer reviews)The Speed's book was originally published in 1924. There is another excellent and modern book basically covering same topics: "Alla Prima, Everything I Know about Painting" by Schmid. In comparison, Speed's book is physically much smaller, (less than 2/3 of Schmid's), but it is distilled and very rich. It gives a concise yet in-depth discussion of the most fundamental things about painting: wholeness, unity & variety, and rhythm etc., under topics of tone value, color, edge, and design, while form and drawing are mainly discussed in his another book. While the Schmid's book is easier to understand for beginner, the two books target the same levels of readers.
When reading Speed's book, it's better to read carefully between the words. You can read Schmid's book faster, because Schmid's book uses more sentences or paragraphs to explain an idea. For example, on make decision about which edges you should paint or to blur, Schmid gives you several paragraphs of useful advice, while Speed has one-sentence summarization: "It is not the edges of the object but the edges of the tone masses that make up the visual impression, that you are painting". The sentence may be easily neglected and skipped by someone with first time reading, but if he carefully reads the context and understands the meaning, it becomes useful not only in edges selection, but also in picture design.
The book's analysis of paintings by old masters is practical and insightful. One example is its comment on an early portrait (plate 32) by Velasquez, that the edge going from the wing of the nostril to the outside of the mouth weaken the wholeness of the pictorial design. By this way, it helps you understand deeper not only the concept of wholeness and the function of edges, but also good design.

The book's most significant concentration is on the mental part of the painting process, mainly about what & how to see and to design, rather than on learning particular painting techniques and materials, therefore, I believe that the author's original title "The Science & Practice of Oil Painting" is a better one in telling you what is in the book.
The book used one chapter, 10% of the whole book, discussing `modern art', which I think is a bit too much. (Both Speed and Schmid basically hold same opinion on `modern art'. Schmid has the mentioning that what we called `Modern Art' is a different human activity from `Classical Art' except that `Modern' artists use, some times, the same tools as `Classical' artists.)
I highly recommend this book to everyone. For beginner, if you do not read carefully, you will only read the surface, so that you think the book is statically for beginner. But when you grow and you carefully read it again, you will find it is rich and it grows with you. For the very advanced, you can review its points for successful painting, which is concisely presented in the book.

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Stimulating, informative guide by noted teacher covers painting technique, painting from life, materials - paints, varnishes, oils and mediums, grounds, etc. - a painter's training, more. Speed also provides expert analysis of works by Velasquez, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Hals, Rembrandt, and others. 64 photos. 5 line drawings.

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Journal Spilling: Mixed-Media Techniques for Free Expression Review

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(More customer reviews)I came across this book just the other day and could not put it down...WOW! I have been art journaling for years and am always looking a new ways to express myself. This book is not only great for beginners just starting out, but also for the "seasoned" art jounalist. I enjoy the way the author writes as it seems like she is talking to you directly with great encouragement and humour. I like alot of the techniques and I have come up with my own jumping off point to take it where I want it to go, making whatever I create my own. I have alot of art technique books and this one ranks right at the top for me.

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At its core, Journal Spilling is about incorporating journaling and art making into daily life, all the while encouraging a carefree, non-judgmental approach. In addition to step-by-step instruction for getting started in 25 media techniques (watercolor, resist, ink, transfers and more!), you will be guided through exercises to help with writing. The exercises are broken down into accessible parts that can be undertaken in small bits of time and are open-ended, encouraging various paths for journaling. Let go of complete control and trust the journaling process!

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Fashion Illustration: Inspiration and Technique Review

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(More customer reviews)What a great way to learn rendering! Anna Kiper provides modern day techniques to make beginners learn fashion art with style. Her book is comprehensive and a work of art in itself! I would recommend this book to any one interested in learning about fashion illustration! Great buy!

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A complete fashion school for drawing and painting fashion figures, garments, and accessories for all aspiring fashion illustrators and designers. Designed for newcomers and improvers, this book shows you how to construct the head and figure, compose for impact, and use all available media. Practical, interactive and beautiful, instruction will be via step exercises, hardworking fashion sketches and beautiful fashion illustrations.

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Notes on the Underground: An Essay on Technology, Society, and the Imagination Review

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(More customer reviews)I tried to find a simple and concise description of what the book is about, but I cannot better Rosalind Williams own description at the start of Chapter One. "What are the consequences when human beings dwell in an environment that is predominantly built rather than given? This book seeks to answer that question. It explores the psychological, social and political implications of living in a technological world".
Rosalind Williams has delivered an insightful and extremely readable book. This book could easily have been a dry academic text that did little more than bring together a huge set of disconnected references from the last 150+ years. Instead of this, the author has contructed an engaging narrative that does justice to the extensive research and insightful analysis which flows through the book.
A must for anyone interested in technology and its impact of society and the individual.

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With a new afterword by the author The underground has always played a prominent role in human imaginings, both as a place of refuge and as a source of fear. The late nineteenth century saw a new fascination with the underground as Western societies tried to cope with the pervasive changes of a new social and technological order. In Notes on the Underground, Rosalind Williams takes us inside that critical historical moment, giving equal coverage to actual and imaginary undergrounds. She looks at the real-life invasions of the underground that occurred as modern urban infrastructures of sewers and subways were laid, and at the simultaneous archaeological excavations that were unearthing both human history and the planet's deep past. She also examines the subterranean stories of Verne, Wells, Forster, Hugo, Bulwer-Lytton, and other writers who proposed alternative visions of the coming technological civilization. Williams argues that these imagined and real underground environments provide models of human life in a world dominated by human presence and offer a prophetic look at today's technology-dominated society.In a new afterword written for this edition, Williams points out that her book traces the emergence in the nineteenth century of what we would now call an environmental consciousness--an awareness that there will be consequences when humans live in a sealed, finite environment. Today we are more aware than ever of our limited biosphere and how vulnerable it is. Notes on the Underground, now even more than when it first appeared, offers a guide to the human, cultural, and technical consequences of what Williams calls "the human empire on earth."

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Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World's Most Versatile Medium Review

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(More customer reviews)As a watercolor painter for 20 years and now trying to learn to paint with acrylics, I'd read every book I could find but they often contradicted each other or had out of date information or demonstrated really ugly painting. This book is THE acrylic bible, written by a master artist and teacher. It's full of helpful tips and specific detailed information about how to achieve any technique that can be done with oil or watercolor in acrylic, along with things that you can only do with acrylics.
My goal is to be able to use acrylics more like oils and this book explains how it's done. Each technique includes "recipes" for how much of what mediums or additives to use to achieve the goals. The sample art work is superb and the writing is better and more clear than any art how to book I've read (and I have a huge library of them). I just can't say enough about how happy I am with this book and how much I appreciate the author's generous sharing of detailed, specific information.

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"Acrylic Revolution" will show readers everything they need to know to be successful in their acrylic painting projects. With over 101 of the most popular, interesting, and indispensable tricks for working with acrylic - each with its own step-by-step demonstration - there is literally page after age of acrylic instruction and inspiration for readers to discover. A gallery of finished art at the back of the book will show readers how to combine different tricks to use in their artwork offering them real-life applications for acrylic techniques.

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Pencil Drawing Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)Hi all. I draw as a hobby and have been drawing since I was a about 10. I took drawing classes before, but when I look at my previous artwork, they really don't have the "realism" that I wanted, i.e. they look too much like cartoons. I wandered around and tried looking for some books to teach me how to obtained that photo-realistic quality with a pencil.
Flipping through this book, my jaw dropped in amazement at the examples in this book. Near the end, the illustrations of zoo animals (tigers, horses, etc) were so life-like! The artist really know how to shade. I instantly brought the book.
Let me tell you, this book is very complex and loaded with information. There are lots of text for an art book. First, the book goes over the basics of shapes and different shades of pencil lead (from hard 6H to very soft 8B, the "#2 pencil" is near the middle). Then we go over shading. The book is primarily focusing on different shading and strokes techniques in order to get that "life-like" realism in your drawing. In my personal experience, trying to obtain that level takes many hours and many practice. If you are the type who gives up easily, then this book isn't for you. Nobody said drawing is easy. Or, if you are only interested in drawing nice line-arts (and letting a computer do the rest), then this book is NOT for you as well. However, if you want to draw to the highest realism with just a pencil, then this book is worth considering.
I should also mention that a small chapter is devoted to color pencils (whereas the rest, or 90% of the book, is on graphite pencil), but I haven't bother with color yet.

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Here is a really good book for the artist who wants to develop his or her pencil drawing abilities, whether it's to improve your preliminary sketch work, or to create beautiful pencil drawings complete in their own right. Pencil Drawing Techniques brings together six of today's best artists, all of whom are incredibly fine instructors as well.The artists show you how to develop your skill and ability in handling pencil technique. Ferdinand Petrie shows you how to handle pencils and produce a controlled variety of lines, values, and textures. Then he shows you exactly how to use these techniques to draw landscapes in a range of styles and compositions.Rudy De Reyna explains pencil basics, and explores perspective, size relationships, form, and structure. Douglas grave teaches you how to begin drawing portraits by building a drawing step-by-step. Norman Dams and Joe Singer demonstrate how you can use the pencil to produce spectacular drawings of animals. John Blockley and Richard Bolton show you how pencil drawings can capture the essence of a subject and help you work out a plan for painting it. Finally, Bet Borgeson teaches you all the secrets of colored pencil work and demonstrates a whole new dimension. The book is divided into seven sections: how to handle a pencil, fundamentals of drawing, drawing landscapes, drawing portraits, drawing animals, drawing for watercolors, and handling color pencils. The copious illustrations show in detail how the artists use their techniques. For the artist who uses the pencil, Pencil Drawing Techniques is an an excellent instructional book of ideas for using the pencil creatively.

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Digital Painting Techniques: Practical Techniques of Digital Art Masters (Masters Collection) Review

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(More customer reviews)Digital Painting Techniques is a compilation of tutorials written by various talented digital artists. It is broken up into eight chapters with roughly five to seven tutorials apiece, and a gallery at the end. The physical book itself is well bound so that when open it lies flat for easy reference while you work.
The chapters are: Custom Brushes, Speed Painting, Matte Painting, Creatures, Humans, Environments, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and Complete Projects.
The tutorials, with the exception of a few, use Photoshop; the noted exceptions also use Painter. (In the final chapter, one artist also uses Artweaver and Gimp, while another uses Cinema 4D. But for sake of argument, assume this is a Photoshop digital painting book.) And some of the tutorials also come with assets available to download from the book's website.
As for the content, let's say that some tutorials were more thorough and useful than others. While the visuals that went alongside them were stunning, a few of the brush tutorials amounted to little more than how to save a new brush in Photoshop. But the remaining brush tutorials delved into the why and how of creating a custom brush for useful application and saving time, then illustrated its use.
Some of the subsequent tutorials were vague; one example step stating "use a textured brush"--with no indication or example of the texture, only a screenshot of the elapsed painting. Luckily that didn't happen too often.
Most of the tutorials provided screenshots of software settings, brushes used, and picture progress with clear explanations. Creature Concept 101 by Mike Corriero, Paint Luscious Lips by Anne Pogoda, The Human Face by Nykolai Aleksander, and The Environmental Series by Carlos Cabrera immediately spring to mind.
Finally, the book could have used another round of edits for consistency, especially in reference to software terminology. Also, some of the page layouts made it difficult to locate referenced figures throughout (i.e. see Fig 4, which would be an inset of another figure on a previous page). Nothing too egregious, but something to be aware of.
Overall, this is an excellent resource for digital artists looking for inspiration and to learn some new techniques. It comes with the caveat, however, that this is not a book for beginners; you won't find tutorials for preparing a digital canvas, mimicking paint consistencies, or color blending. So while this book won't replace a good foundational book on digital painting, it would make a great supplement.

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Discover the tips, tricks and techniques that really work for concept artists, matte painters and animators. Compiled by the team at 3dtotal.com, Digital Painting Techniques, Volume 1 offersdigital inspiration with hands-on insight and techniques from professional digital artists. More than just a gallery book - within Digital Painting Techniques each artist has written a breakdown overview, with supporting imagery of how they made their piece of work.Beginner and intermediate digital artists will be inspired by the gallery style collection of the finest examples of digital painting from world renowned digital artists. Start your mentorship into the world of digital painting today with some of the greatest digital artists in the world and delve into professional digital painting techiques, such as speed painting, custom brush creation and matte painting. Develop your digital painting skills beyond the variety of free online digital painting tutorials and apply the most up to date techniques to your digital canvas with Digital Painting Techniques for Animators.* Mentor with some of the greatest digital artists in the world and delve into professional digital painting techiques, such as speed painting, custom brush creation and matte painting. * Inspiration and technique in one digital painting book! Be inspired with a gallery style collection of the finest examples of digital painting from world renowned digital artists and explore the step by step tutorials that explain the digital painting techniques.* Develop your digital painting skills beyond free digital painting tutorials and apply the most up to date techniques to your digital canvas with this complete guide to digital painting.

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