Product Description
Each card in this inspiring deck offers an idea to stretch your approach to observing and chronicling the daily events around you. You'll learn how to harness the power of words (what to write about, and what to write with), explore extreme photography techniques without having any previous photography experience, focus on the little things (like a two-inch section of a painted mural you drive by every day), and discover unusual ways to create a self-portrait (from plastic wrap and tree lights, to close-ups of your hands).Includes 50 cards and a creativity notebook to record your own art-journal explorations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

CONFUSING KIT
When I ordered this item, I was very impatient to receive it, thinking I would certainly learn something quite new and very different.
When I received it, what a disappointment, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with these cards and this little book.
It remained like that for a while, on my shelf, and finally I decided to give it a second chance, so I carefully read every single card and watched the work on each of them, and also read the few comments in the booklet.
So here is my conclusion : some ideas on the cards and advices are interesting, and probably I will try a few, just by curiosity, but honestly, I can't say I am dazzled by such an originality ! It is turned a lot towards photography, but a few advices are for those who don't take pictures. The author is very interested in the TV news, her neighbors, the nature, meaning of life, how boring things can be, but it is rather hard to actually know a little about herself, we almost learn more about her husband ! What is surprising since she doesn't stop saying that a journal must be the reflection of ourselves, but where is she ? I don't know. Her techniques, way of drawing, gluing, stamping, tracing circles (a lot of circles) reminds me a lot of different well-known artists/writers, and according to what she says, she seems to look a lot at other artists works, what probably influences her, but once again, if she hadn't felt the need to please the readers' eyes, what would she do on her own ? I don't know.
A lot of cliches, and it is a pity because she seems to have something to say and some personality.
The only thing we guess is boredom, sadness, insecurity, fear of not drawing well (she says it herself), and it is ridiculous since her drawings are quite correct.
I have a little more sympathy for the author after having gone into details, even if I still don't manage to get her, but I remain disappointed by the lack of originality.
Another thing : I also don't see the point of the whole concept of cards and small book. I thought we had to read the book and decorate the cards, in fact, it is the contrary : we must read the cards (not very convenient) and fill the book, which is, by the way, very small and thin, and already full of the authors' printed layouts, with a few more comments. It doesn't let a lot of space for us, we feel a little invaded... For someone who is frightened by a blank page, it can be perfect, but if you are already a confident artist yourself, you are going to feel a little tight in this background, with no real freedom to express yourself.
I would say it is a "politically correct" book/kit for beginners, with a few elaborate advices about photography. The author is more "intellectual" than practical, it is nice without being amazing, it is interesting sometimes, without being original. I felt the whole thing a little sad.
I just hope the author won't stop here and will try to be herself the next time, and not to work for the others' expectations.
We, (experienced readers), crave to learn more, differently, new things, and we are waiting for sincerity.

Wow, what a novelty - A fresh approach! Loved this kit
In order to jump start more artistic creativity in my journal I switched to unlined pages. Did a drawing or two.Then I bought this kit. I'll admit to being cynical when I saw the journal that came with it. It's a printed version of the author's collages in blank book form for you to write in and embellish.I enjoyed reading the author's comments while paging through it - even if I probably will never write in it.But the cards!I love that this ISN'T one of those "copy my journal, this is how - and yours will be a carbon copy" books.Instead, she gives you TECHNIQUES using simple materials - the creativity comes in trying the techniques and seeing where they can take you. It's admittedly heavy on the photography end - and I love to write and draw.Still, I didn't find the concepts to be strangers to each other.In fact, I used some of the photography as take off points for drawings - which the author also encourages.I haven't read all of the cards yet - I'm savoring them.I don't write a lot of reviews - but I had to tell everyone about this book and rave about it - I heartily recommend it (as if you haven't gathered that by now!) In fact, I'm going to buy a couple more to give as gifts.

Maybe this is for you, maybe not!
As a mixed media artist, I was curious as to what else could possibly be written or shown about journaling that hasn't already been published. I found the box on the shelf of a Half Price store so I bought it at the bargain price. If anything, I thought thepackaging was well designed and I could alter the box myself and use it for my own deck. The enclosed journal is a handy compact booklet that can be used to hold notes and ideas as well. As far as the cards, themselves, some ideas are better than others depending on where you are starting from and if you want to be "edgy". I'm open to all kind of things but I'm not into using my body as a journaling tool ~ something about wrapping yourself in plastic wrap and packing tape. She mentions that journaling is best done in a book instead of loose pages and yet all the cards are reprints of her journal pages and they come as "loose pages".Her words exactly: "Loose pages can be shuffled, tossed, crumbled...it's hard for them to represent some thing substantial."Most of this stuff could have been written about and shared if the artist chose to blog about it but then again there's no profit to be made from that. I don't want to sound totally negative because I am totally in favor of self expression and journaling. So if it gets people to start something and move on with it, fine. Me, I've been journaling all along and nothing in this book will change what I already do. The best book anyone one of us can find about Art Journaling is the one we create ourselves.

Fun for everyone
I bought this on a recommendation and have used the cards to inspire my entire family to be more artistic. We have used some of the suggestions - such as the saran wrap models - and done them as family projects. It has really been a great experience for the kids and I. Highly recommend this product.

A good choice if you're seeking creative inspiration...
If what you want is a guide to walk you, step-by-step, through the process of creating an art journal, something which will provide you with in-depth instruction on specific media techniques, this is not going to be your best choice...but if what you're after is something to kick-start you creatively, you may find "Wide Open" exactly wht you've been looking for. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Love this book!!
Excellent book for inspiration and some tutorials. I use this one for my sculpture classesand my students think the work and images are just amazing!

Tin Cans are amazing.
There is no other book on the market like "The Fine Art of the Tin Can." It offers artists, makers and craftspeople excellent examples of art and craft made from tin cans.

Some people may appreciate the fabrication examples in the book so that you can learn some "insider tips" for working with very difficult and challenging materials - recycled tin cans. Bobby Hansson, the author offers a number of simple projects that would be easy to replicate with some basic tools and rudimentary skills.

The book offers a wide spectrum of examples from a simple pendant to complex and elaborate work. Bobby Hansson is a real "character" that loves tin cans. You can sense his passion for the material in the book. The photos are all excellent and the printing is top quality.

In the effort for full disclosure, my art work is on the cover and inside the book. It is an honor to be included in this wonderful and delightful book.

[...]

Fabulous
Bobby Hansson's book is the best. So many fine examples of creative and clever work using a common throw away, all are the embodiment of trash to treasure. I fell in love with tin cans after seeing the first edition of this book. Bobby Hansson travels around the country giving workshops and is a funny and inspiring teacher, too.

fine art of the tin can
has great photos, and ideas. it's a great inspirational book.

Pure pleasure and inspiration
Just received this book and only reluctantly put it down. If your creative urges lean towards the unusual you'll not be disappointed in Hansson's tin can art. He shares his techniques and his own 'personal art history' with a style that's both conversational and folksy. You won't be able to look at a tin can the same way after reading this book! ... Read more

Product Description
The people most worth listening to about the craft of writing are those who do it best, the writers themselves--a fact strangely neglected by many aspiring writers and teachers of writing today. This new anthology gathers together what writers from Aristotle to the present day have written, in prose and poetry, about the problems and techniques, the frustrations and fulfillment of their craft. A serious study tool for those who wish to refine and polish their own writing, Writers on Writing is also a fascinating bedside companion for casual reading. It explores a wide range of topics from the metaphysics of language to the daily grind of getting words on paper. From Geoffrey Chaucer to T.S. Eliot, from Francis Bacon to Doris Lessing, from Jane Austen to George Orwell, the works in this anthology offer the advice and insights of major writers from the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. ... Read more

Product Description
Discussing the importance of shapes and edges, this work identifies and explains the different types and demonstrates how to paint them by using examples from famous painters. Advice is provided on capturing the three-dimensional effect and each concept is illustrated with a course of projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

painterly
I find hazel harrison delightful. good examples, great instruction, lots of easy solutions that leave you with a new approach to avoid old habits ... Read more

Product Description
Written for the professional designer, this book teaches advanced Adobe Photoshop techniques that can be applied to a variety of artistic mediums such as photography, line drawings, graphics, and Web design. Guided by a true appreciation for artistic design, 18 unique images are dissected to demonstrate how to apply editing techniques such as etching, color manipulation, and shadowing. This book also shows the artist how to create specialty images with different 2D and 3D graphics tools. A two-page enlarged view of each work breaks down the steps of the image creation process, making even complicated tasks seem easy and clearly stating the directions for replicating images and techniques. The result is a stunning collection of artistic methods that can be utilized extensively in other projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Mastering Book Store Squandering - Primer Course
In this course we will learn how to look at a book quickly, evaluating its content for intriguing tutorials, and continuing to purchase the book at a bookstore for $50 to improve one's photoshop skills.

Then we will proceed to take one evening of pizza and Photoshop to realize what a waste of $50 said book was.

For our final, we will sell book only to find out it is worth four dollars everywhere, and end up giving book philathropically to local library.

Worthless
I found this book at a local used book store and at first it looked like a great deal.I found the first exercise difficult to follow because some steps have been left out.The second one wasn't much better and I became frustated.At first I thought it was me, but when I looked it up on Amazon.com I discovered that everybody was having trouble with the book.That's when I threw my book into the garbage can.
Next time I'll read the reviews at Amazon.com before buying a Photoshop book!

Interesting and Frustrating: NOT FOR BEGINNERS
I ran across this book recently and picked it up to see if it would be worthwhile to use in my intro to Photoshop class. While there are some interesting techniques, and I've picked up a few new things, it is so frustrating to figure out in parts that there is no way I can use this for my students. Some of the techniques they have outlined are incorrect, and I've ended up having to do things in my own way to achieve the desired results.

One one hand, I can say this is a good thing because it makes me challenge myself in utilizing Photoshop's many features, which is why I gave it three stars. On the other hand, as an instructional text it fails... I can't even say I'd recommend it for an intermediate user.

Not for beginners, but excellent work!
This book is definitely not for Photoshop beginners; it assumes fairly extensive knowledge of Photoshop 7 and does not waste time going over application how-tos.Instead it is a fine series of challenging projects to expand the range and capability of serious graphic designers and Photoshop-users.

disappointing
This book caught my eye at the bookstore but when I sat down to work with it I was disappointed. The instructions skip steps and sometimes dont go into much detail. The projects are very creative but the book is hard to follow sometimes. ... Read more

Product Description
Egypt's two-thousand-year Coptic Christian heritage is a unique and
enduring contribution to world civilization. Showcasing that heritage,
Treasures of Coptic Art Wall Calendar 2007 features highlights of the
beautiful artwork and artifacts housed in Cairo's Coptic Museum. The
collection includes icons, frescoes, textiles, and wood, metal, and stone
objects dating from the early Christian era to the nineteenth century.
This gorgeous 12-month calendar indicates both US and Egyptian
holidays, and includes ample room for writing personal reminders. For
anyone interested in Egypt's Coptic traditions, this calendar is a beautiful
and practical addition to home or office. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Clip Art
OLD FASHIONED SILHOUETTESis a nice little book that explains how to cut silhouettes.
It is a fun craft and the book is a great help. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is suitable for ages 7 to 13 years. Sandi Henry introduces children to the seven basic elements of design that will help them to take a piece of art from 'That's Nice' to 'Wow!'. These elements - line, shape, form, colour, value, texture, and space - are the building blocks that all artists use to create works from drawings and paintings to weaving and sculpture. Readers will see examples of how children of their own age use elements of design in their work. And they will meet classic masters and contemporary artists whose individual works are based upon these same design techniques. This title features: Grid Drawing - using a grid to divide images into smaller parts to reproduce a photograph or painting; Cut-out Collage - using free-form shapes cut from construction paper to create a colourful collage; Texture Rubbing - using the bumps, grooves, lines and other patterns to add interesting visual texture to artwork; Complementary Colour Puzzle - cutting and gluing shapes of complementary colours to create a striking abstract design; and, Supersize It! - using a papier-mache to create an enlarged version of a common object. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

elements of art and MORE!
Making Amazing Art by Henry is a great asset to have on your shelf if you are new to creating art with kids or want some great ideas that go beyond the everyday!

This resource introduces the 7 design elements and names artists for introducing the concept.I have taught 30 years and use this book in an after school art program with K-2 students.It is most appropriate for K-6 range.This book really gives students an opportunity to use art vocabulary and begin to recognize themselves as artists!I can't wait to teach more of the art in this book!

Wonderful Resource for Art Teachers
These projects are dynamic, interesting and easy to understand.Directions are clear and have wonderul colorful pictures and childrens art work to demonstrate.All of this while learning the elements of art and art history too!!

Good
Its not what I expected. Other creative activities should have been included. Still its good reference to have.

Kids Art
This is a wonderful book that shows a variety of ways to excite young children in art projects.

Great for that beginning art teacher
This book is great for that new art teacher. It is one of many ways to set up a yearly plan basic on the design elements. The pojects are not dull and should prove challenging for the appropriate age/grade. ... Read more

Product Description

Draw your favorite athletes in easy-to-follow steps!

Now everyone can learn to draw! Follow the simple, step-by-step instructions and turn basic shapes such as circles and squares into exciting, action-packed drawings of athletes and sports familiar and unfamiliar. ... Read more

Product Description
Made in Rome around A.D. 400, the Vatican Vergil is the most famous and the most attractive illustrated book surviving from classical antiquity. David H. Wright introduces this masterpiece of late antique art and shows why it is such an impressive example of the new form of book, the codex, that replaced the traditional papyrus roll and permitted more elaborate illustrations.Here are thirty-two of the most interesting illustrations from the Vatican Vergil, reprinted in full color from the 1980 facsimile published in Graz, Austria, in collaboration with the Vatican Library.Facing each reproduction is the appropriate text from Vergil, in Latin and in English, together with explanatory comments.Wright discusses how the manuscript was made, describing the style of the capital script and of the illustrations as well as their sources in older classical traditions. He examines the Vatican Vergil as an example of the revival of classical culture in pagan circles in Rome at a time when Christian authority was systematically suppressing pagan religion. Finally, he surveys the "afterlife" of the codex, tracing how the work was studied and copied first in the Carolingian era and then in the Italian Renaissance. All the illustrations not reproduced in color are given at full size in black and white in a concluding list of the illustrations that have survived in this unique masterpiece. ... Read more

Product Description
The Aobo tu, the `Illustrated Boiling of Sea Water', was completed andpublished by Chen Chun in 1334. It is the world's earliest extant workexclusively dealing with salt production and salt production techniques. Thefirst part of this book focuses on the technical, fiscal, administrative,social and economic background of the Aobo tu. It also provides thereader with information on the various editions and related material. This isfollowed by a complete annotated translation and the reproduction of twodifferent sets of illustrations. By combining research on various aspects ofthe salt industry during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) periods, abetter understanding of the fiscal and economic importance of this crucialsector can be gained. ... Read more

Product Description

In the second of four volumes that will catalog these holdings at the Walters, the curator of the collection describes in detail 113 manuscripts produced in France from the 1420s to 1540.

Product Description
The aim of this book is to make a close and objective study of Jonson's dramatic theory and practice related to his comedies with a view to showing that Jonson is essentially a dramatic artist. ... Read more

Product Description
As far as is known, Theophilus's was the only treatise on almost all of the major arts that was produced during the thousand years of the Middle Ages.His exceptional 12th-century treatise expresses the knowledge of both a scholar and craftsman of wall paintings, manuscript paintings, stained glass windows, ivory carvings, and metalwork.First published in 1961 and for many years out of print, Dodwell's definitive reconstruction of Theophilus's text includes an English translation on facing pages and full introductory and textual commentary. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of 44 prose meditations inspired by the transitory and bird-rich environment of the Klamath marshes on the Oregon/California border.

"In order to accept the enormous responsibility that comes of being in the world, we must first conceive, in spite of all the obstacles, the state of actually being the world." It is for this reason that John R. Campbell came to the Klamath marshes, a wetland in southern Oregon formed by three ancient, shallow lakes, a vast emptiness that is paradoxically home to an amazing diversity of life, of untold thousands of birds both migratory and resident, of all the interconnected life forms that make up one of North America's richest natural environments.

Absence and Light is Campbell's account of his exploration of the marshes and a meditation on the world he found there, on his growing understanding of the physical, emotional, moral, and aesthetic meaning of that world, on his own growth as a man. Through Campbell's eyes, we observe the stirring and astonishing beauty of the marshes and their creatures, and the utter poignancy of their fragility before the heedless ambitions of humankind.

This is nature writing at its most profound and moving, writing that in examining and defining the world of nature helps us to understand the very complicated and contradictory realities of being human. Campbell's luminous descriptions and mystical insights will long linger in the reader's memory. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

what the professional critics said
My goodness, what mean-spirited reviews have been posted here. Absence and Light received many very positive reviews from professional reviewers and literary critics nationwide. A few samples:

Douglas Carlson in The Georgia Review, Winter, 2005: "The prose is careful, beautifully descriptive, and thoroughly engaging....The book moves easily within the possibilities Campbell has set for himself, always aware of presenting his landscape as a process to his audience--sharing, showing, and enabling. Campbell's awareness of the natural world as process allows him to abandon the usually stationary eye of the speaker so as to observe the unseen, to capture nuance, to enter and exit at will."


Sarah Gianelli, in The Sunday Oregonian (Portland): "Absence and Light is at once a heartfelt, poetic work of nature writing and an eloquent discourse about how humankind must rethink certain beliefs in order to slow Earth's destruction.... For Campbell, the beauty of the marshes is a vehicle that takes him deep within. Not only does he delve fearlessly into issues of an `incomprehensible scope,' but he never loses sight of the reader, from the first glimpse of the heron. . .through the complex annals of thought the image inspires."


Lori D. Kranz, in The Bloomsbury Review: "In the best tradition of natural history writing, his powers of description are marvelous. . . Campbell sees in the American West a `poignant ground for unfathomable pockets of life, whether they be desert marshes, itinerant birds, or frail and terrible human bodies.' His Absence and Light is a book of great spirit, both poignant and full of life."



Scott Slovic (University of Nevada, Reno), the noted expert on Literature and the Environment, described Absence and Lightas "offering a rare mixture of lyricism and philosophical vigor" and "exploring an extraordinary range of topics, from the concept of borders to the meaning of animals in the lives of human beings, working with short, exploratory essays . . . like musical riffs. This is a gem of a manuscript."

Mediocre
Some of the insights seemed interesting, but the author seems to have difficulty focusing on what it is, he's actually doing/ writing about.
Book goes back and forth and never seems to develop a solid purpose. Plus it needed to be proofread and seriously edited.

Pretty Sad
I read this book and it was extremely boring.The author enjoys talking about himself, most of which is uninteresting.He enjoys talking about his swimming in the waters naked.Yuck!

Absolutely Dreadful!
This "work" done by Campbell is the poorest excuse for ecological literature, I have ever read.His idea of confronting real environmental issues concerning the Klamath Marshes amounts to his own unthoughtful, unpractical, and inane ramblings which he so inaccurately calls "meditations".I hope that this publication was funded by himself, because if it was financed by a publishing company they were greatly robbed.
Instead of producing a coherent work, the reader is forced to endure hearing about his (the author's) past. (This guy has a "Christ" complex.)I'd compare reading this book with the job of a pyschiatrist listening to their patient.Of course, the reader isn't being paid to hear this personal diatribe.
After I finished forcing myself to read this book, I felt that my time had been completely and utterly wasted.There was very little if anything valuable to extract from the "meditations".In actuality this book is a compilation of the thoughts from a no-body who has delusions of grandeur.I say this because he actually tries to credit himself with birthing some type of mystical and magical experience which has been done much better by other authors before him, and as future authors will far exceed.The only portions of this book worth reading were the quotations taken from other writers who actually are WORTH reading!Please don't waste your time on this dull, pseudo-religious "book".As for the author, I think time would be better-spent seeking psychiatric help or admitting himself into a mental institution.Too many skeletons in this guys closet!In the end this is just another European-Extract (with an identity crisis) who ignorantly & arrogantly believes that he can understand the spirituality behind lands that were stolen!
As I've seen in other critical reviews I'd ask amazon to include a scale that has degrees of positive AND negative stars.This would definately deserve a -5 rating.This book is sort of an attempt at an inept poet who's trying to wax theosophical and be poetic.Real poetry of this genre is found in the wonderous work of Whitman.The only practical use for this text?I'd recommend shredding it and using it in envelope padding, or the bottoms of hamster cages.
... Read more

Product Description
As part of a large oral history project of the Research Center for Arts and Culture of Columbia University aimed at compiling information on the training, career choices, and patterns of development of artists, twelve insightful narrative interviews were edited and collected for this volume. The painters were selected to provide demographic, ethnic, and gender balance and to represent three broad career stages: emerging, established, and mature. In vivid strokes, they discuss their family backgrounds, education, "gatekeepers," experiences, and personal and artistic development. Each interview is prefaced by brief career data and followed by honors and exhibit sources, and a representative painting is illustrated in color. The volume introduction offers a capsule history of art in America, and a bibliography is included. ... Read more