The Traveler's Key to Medieval France: A Guide to the Sacred Architecture of Medieval France

Customer Reviews:

old and crappy.......2006-07-03

This book is a bit outdated now.
The author of this book currently has a brand of his own paints and materials. He's so caught up on materials and your hands, that he doesnt teach to use your brain or eyes. He's one of those types that's obsessed with finding out the "secret" Maroger medium, the ratio of oil:pigment in old masters paintings, etc.
I dont know how anyone can think that using Raphaels' paints will make you paint like Raphael. It's like putting on Jerome Bettis' football pads and thinking you'll weigh 265 and run faster than a cheetah. It's not going to happen.

He's also big on slavishly copying photographs. I guess that's how a lot of illustrators think, though.

Compare this to books by the golden age illustrators; like Loomis, Rockwell, Leyendecker. . . even guys like Hogarth. They focus little on materials and "techniques," and teach more about learning to think and see.

In the end, you have to realize that Michelangelo could have painted the Sistine ceiling with a mop and a bucket of mud, and it would have been just as well done. Learn the basics of materials (which you can just find online), and find someone who will teach you to think.

Adequate for non-users of listed materials:.......2006-03-16

I was primarly interested in the book for teaching students the finer points of using Gouache in Illustration. Although, there was nothing particularly new in the text about the material, it was all new to my students who found the material helpful.

Good information.......2006-03-15

This is a good book with a lot of tips , but I belive that works good for beginners. Essential for beginners! But for advanced ilustrators a good book to fix some tips.

Very Good Book, excellente for artists.......2006-02-21

the knowledge and in-depth shared in this book is excellent, helps you to go further in the techs, and with tips and trick for the materials and equipment.The only "but" that i find is that it's not a step by step teaching for beginners. Excellente book!!!

True to it's title.......2004-01-21

So many self education books for artists claim to be definitive, comprehensive, or the only book you'll ever need. I don't know if this is the only book you'll need, but it is a cheaper alternative to paying tuition at an art college. And, unlike many how-to books (and some art colleges), Rob Howard gives very specific and detailed instructions. He's light on the motivational inspiration and heavy on technique. Afterall, a working illustrator (the book's target) doesn't need to get in touch with the inner artist, but rather needs tools to get the inner art out onto the client's desk.

Additionally, Rob Howard is quite talented. Often times people with Howard's gifts are so busy with paying customers that they don't have time to put together such a quality book. Every illustration is professional quality and an inspiration in itself!
The book is packed with photos and illustrations. He lists by name and sometimes manufacturer exactly what materials you need. Covers topics from Prismacolor pencils on Denril to Friskets and masking to pastels, acrylics and airbrushing....etc.

It's only weakness is that it's due for an update. First published in '92 before the internet explosion and before Adobe Photoshop and Synthetik Studio Artist became powerful enough computer based tools, this book focuses entirely on natural media. Just the same, an illustrator looking to set him or herself appart from the pack might want to set aside the software and use the proven techniques in this book!

Average customer rating:

Excellent!

Very good book

Self Promotion

If you are a painter

Sound technical advice, and not just for illustrators.

Gouache for Illustration
Rob Howard
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Illustration | Commercial | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Illustrator's Bible: The Complete Sourcebook of Tips, Tricks and Time-Saving Techniques in Oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Gouache, Casein, Watercolor, Dyes, ... Pastel, Colored Pencil and Mixed Media

John Singer Sargent : The Early Portraits (Volume One)

ASIN: 0823021653

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2006-11-29

This is almost the only book you'll need to get started with gouache. As the medium of such outstanding artists as the late Bob Peak and industrial design master Syd Mead, gouache has so many possibilities IF you can learn how to use it and this book will tell you exactly how to get started! Be sure to do the exercises, get some decent sable brushes, and use one of the quality gouaches listed. Winsor Newton is pricey but Holbein's Acryla gouache is incredible once you figure out their color names (not standard like W&N or Holbeins standard gouache). His basic color palletes are a great start & his recommendation of the Quiller color wheel is right on. There is a new Quiller wheel out but the one in the book will not lead you astray. Study(!) the sections on color and color mixing and you will soon have a leg up on every other "beginner" and start seeing "what" makes some art professional as opposed to "straight out of the tube" amateur attempts. This book is great and I recommend it highly to anyone who wants to paint in gouache.

Very good book.......2005-01-10

This is one of the beswt books i have in my collection. I have studied arts in Holland. I like gouache very much. (www.loekweijts.nl) It's a pitty however Holbein gouache is not available in the Netherlands. Falling in love on the mighty gouache. Amazed myself with the results. A MUST to have.

Self Promotion.......2004-05-13

The "Blank Star" review at the bottom is actually just a snipet of self promotion from the book's author Rob Howard. It's strange that he does this because it drags down the average rating which could affect sales. I suppose that since this book is out of print it doesn't matter, but anyway, great book, one complaint: Some of the tools that Howard recommends are no longer manufactured and it would be nice to get some existing alternatives.

If you are a painter.......2004-01-21

This book is jam packed with valuable information for not just painters who work in gouache, but all painters. If you only have room or money for just a few more books, make sure that this is one of them. It is excellent, I have worked in illustration and and have painted in watercolors for 24 years. Many gouache techniques and properties, for some reason, are not commonly taught. Some of the working knowledge in here is the type that one only learns either on the job, or as an assistant/apprentice. The author has been very generous to be so informative while writing this book. Definitely not your average "how to" book!!

Sound technical advice, and not just for illustrators........1999-09-05

This book is an excellent introduction to the best techniques for painting in gouache, also known as opaque watercolor. Gouache has been a standard medium for illustrators for generations, yet it is not often taught in American art schools. It also has been used by fine artists for centuries. Gouache is remarkably easy to use, has low toxicity and is easy to clean up. Considering all that, it is amzing how little information about is available for professional artists.

Howard's book goes a long way toward correcting the problem. He explains how to select the right type of paint for your project, reviews several different brands of paint, and gives sound advice on color mixing. Even if you don't want to use opaque watercolor, the book is worth buying just for Howard's chapter on "Color Theories That Don't Work."

Average customer rating:
Water Color, Gouache, and Casein Painting
Adolf Dehn
Manufacturer: The Viking Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CJCFH

Average customer rating:
Gouache for Illustration
Rob Howard
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q65L3E

Average customer rating:
KEITH VAUGHAN: 1912-1977: A SELECTION OF WORK - I: OIL, GOUACHE, WATERCOLOUR AND DRAWINGS; II: PRINTS, MONOPRINTS, LINOCUTS, AND BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS.
No author.
Manufacturer: Austin/Desmond Fine Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MQBX94

Average customer rating:
Photographing Works of Art: Techniques for Photographing Your Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture, and Crafts
William H. Titus
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N66JGK

Average customer rating:
Photographing Works of Art Techniques for photographing your Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture, and Crafts
Titus William H.
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDR104

Average customer rating:
Popeye Postcard Book
E.C. Segar
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1556705824

Amazon.com

Popeye is a character best known as the spinach-eating sailor man from the Max Fleischer animated shorts. Yet he originally appeared in comic strips of E. C. Segar as early as 1929. Publisher Stewart Tabori & Chang has put together a series of 30 postcards featuring art from Popeye's long history. Some of the shots seem made for postcards, like the one of Popeye and Olive Oyl kissing. But some are interestingly obscure shots that are testaments to the quirkiness of the original strip. Example: Olive Oyl telling Popeye "I want to be loved like the lumberjacks love." My only disappointment in this beautiful package is the lack of dates indicating when the illustrations first appeared.

Book Description

"...a clarion call to society for the need to balance human demands with the needs of our world's rivers, the arterial system of life on this planet. The authors describe the vanguard movement to restore rivers and to reconnect rivers with their flood plains, portraying the under-appreciated life support services our rivers perform, their ecological function, and the threats to riverine ecosystems." -MIKE DOMBECK, CHIEF EMERITUS OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND PIONEER PROFESSOR OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STEVENS POINT

"Finally! A book that pays attention to flow, not just pollutants, as central to river restoration. Blending science and readability, Rivers for Life offers refreshing insights into allocating limited water to meet the needs of humans and rivers." -JAMES R. KARR, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE

The conventional approach to river protection has focused on water quality and maintaining some "minimum" flow that was thought necessary to ensure the viability of a river. In recent years, however, scientific research has underscored the idea that the ecological health of a river system depends not on a minimum amount of water at any one time but on the naturally variable quantity and timing of flows throughout the year.

In Rivers for Life, leading water experts Sandra Postel and Brian Richter explain why restoring and preserving more natural river flows are key to sustaining freshwater biodiversity and healthy river systems, and describe innovative policies, scientific approaches, and management reforms for achieving those goals. Sandra Postel and Brian Richter: explain the value of healthy rivers to human and ecosystem health; describe the ecological processes that support river ecosystems and how they have been disrupted by dams, diversions, and other alterations; consider the scientific basis for determining how much water a river needs; examine new management paradigms focused on restoring flow patterns and sustaining ecological health; assess the policy options available for managing rivers and other freshwater systems; explore building blocks for better river governance

Sandra Postel and Brian Richter offer case studies of river management from the United States (the San Pedro, Green, and Missouri), Australia (the Brisbane), and South Africa (the Sabie), along with numerous examples of new and innovative policy approaches that are being implemented in those and other countries.

Rivers for Life presents a global perspective on the challenges of managing water for people and nature, with a concise yet comprehensive overview of the relevant science, policy, and management issues. It presents exciting and inspirational information for anyone concerned with water policy, planning and management, river conservation, freshwater biodiversity, or related topics.

Customer Reviews:

A Gentle Warrior.......2005-10-26

Sandra Postel writes in a clear and lyrical style which is entertaining to read. Her content is not overly technical nor is it patronisingly simplistic. Postel has a pleasing habit of rejecting jargon and buzz phrases.

I found her assertions, research and conclusions to be creditable. I enjoyed the breadth of the discussion.
She is not strident nor angry in her criticism of individuals or corporations, rather she lets good science do her talking.

Postel enjoys a wide audience and is often represented in university reading lists. She is one of the more enjoyable reads to be found there.

a wisdom runs through it.......2004-03-13

This book, like previous works by Sandra Postel, is a clarion warning call about the dangers in how we have been managing our waters. The message from this book that is of particular importance, is that truly successful, and therefore sustainable, environmental management is really just as much about managing people as it is about managing natural systems. For this reason, I have placed this important book on the reading list for my watershed management course at Harvard. And also, I am grateful that Sandra Postel agreed to write a front-end blurb for my recently published (by Green Frigate Books) book entitled Deep Immersion: The Experience of Water.

Rivers for Life: Managing water for people and nature [A book review from: Ecological Economics]

Average customer rating:

Rivers for Life: Managing water for people and nature [A book review from: Ecological Economics]
E. Schlager
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RR6GZE

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Ecological Economics, published by Elsevier in . The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:

Book Description

The Food Connection will show you:

How to balance your hormonal system to positively affect weight, motivation, sleep patterns and cognitive abilities
How to jump start your health with the seven-day "World's Best Diet"
The 17 bioenergetic foods to eat daily
How food affects your mood at breakfast, lunch and dinner
Why men and women must take different approaches to ensure their hormonal health
How to assess your Biological Age — and take quick steps to improve your health.

Customer Reviews:

simply amazing.......2005-01-16

This book is a must read. It is easy to read, and even easier to implement the lifestyle changes. This book has changed my life, if you only read one health book this one is it! Bravo Sam

Mind Blowingly Informative.......2002-02-18

This is the first nutrition book that tells me why. Why do I need to fight free radicals, why do I need to drink water, why do starchy or highly processed foods make me feel the way they do, why are blueberries and other foods so good for me. The information is a bit scientific yet easy to assimilate and I feel I can incorporate his principles into the way I fuel my body. I highly recommend it for those who are looking to increase energy, get a sleep better at night and just plain old take care of your body. I know it's my bible.

Book Description

By 1781 Britain's struggle to contain the rebels in her American colonies had reached an inglorious stalemate. Six years on from the British defeat by the New England militia at Boston, George Washington's rebuilt Continental Army - with support from the French - now systematically began to seek out and destroy British forces even if protected by seemingly impregnable defences. Yorktown would be a salutary lesson to the British Crown about the odds she now faced in holding on to her colonies.

Customer Reviews:

A lot of information and nice maps.......2005-10-19

The reader of Osprey's excellent Campaign series will not be disappointed by this book which has all the usual merits: detailed orders of battle, color 2-D and 3-D maps, nice photos and a text full of information and good analysis of the Yorktown campaign. The author is right to use some pages to explain the strategic scope of the battle and its rather complicated background, without which it would be difficult for a novice to follow the action. He also pays attention to the naval side of the campaign which was the really decisive factor. This is a very good book for the layman and will also satisfy the more demanding reader.

Highly detailed and well illustrated account of the battle........1999-06-01

As usual, the Osprey Campaign Series sets high standards for detailed histories of key battles. Yorktown 1781 certainly meets these standards and explains the battle and events leading up to it. The illustrations are commendable and relevant including excellent 3-D diagrams of the battle field at various times. The only problem I had with this book was the somewhat dry wording by the author. The narrative is presented with a stuffy tone that sounds to the reader more like a college lecture than an account of a life or death struggle. This may be too critical however when considering the typical reader of Osprey Military books and military history in general. Aside from the dry writing style, this book is an excellent addition to the series and gives more than enough detail surrounding the battle of Yorktown and the events leading up to it. This book only gets 3 stars because the other Osprey titles are so darn good they are hard to measure up to.

The World Turned Upside Down: George Washington and the Battle of Yorktown

Average customer rating:

Awesome overview of war for independence
Exciting, well researched, approachable, highly recommend

The World Turned Upside Down: George Washington and the Battle of Yorktown
Richard Ferrie
Manufacturer: Holiday house
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Reference & Nonfiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Leonardo da Vinci

ASIN: 0823414027

Customer Reviews:

Awesome overview of war for independence.......2006-04-05

As the headmaster of and a former history teacher at a private prep school I have studied numerous accounts of early American history and Richard Ferrie's work is by far one of the best I have read. I particularly liked the fact that he started out with a quick introduction (note, the facsimilie of the 1781 broadside before the intro. ends with the Latin phrase "Laus Deo!" The aluminum cap on top of the Washington Monument has the same phrase which means, "Praise Be To God"), followed by a picture of the "Key Players" with a cameo on each (which was divided into sections containing the American, French, and then British forces). Mr. Ferrie followed this up with a timeline of the major events before Yorktown and then the Yorktown campaign itself. The first chapter did an excellent job of setting the stage by giving a quick overview of the war and the events immediately before Yorktown. I also appreciated the appendices which gave more background material for those so interested. This overview was an excellent way to introduce the whole war and its glorious end to new students of this time period.

Most history books hold you hostage to their chronology by not letting you know where they are going with their narrative as well as drive all but the most serious reader away with exhaustive detail. History text books are usually worse and dry as dust (no wonder many students don't like history). Not so with this little gem. Right from the get-go you are gripped with a quick moving story that is hard to put down! Even though you know the ending, like all good story tellers, he keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to now HOW Washington and the French pulled it off.

I only wish the author had gone into more background on the significance of the battle of Cowpens and how afterwards the patriots were able to harrass Cornwallis and drive him to the sea at Yorktown (instead of getting wiped out). Clinton, the commander-in-chief acknowledged (when Cornwallis was chasing the patriot army), "...here the royal army was again stopped by a sudden rise of the waters, which had only just fallen (almost miraculously) to let the enemy over, who could not else have eluded Lord Cornwallis' grasp, so close was he upon their rear..."

Although this book was written for children, I HIGHLY recommend it to adults as well. This is a must read for junior or senior high school students. It will give you a great overview of the war, the character of the major individuals, and a sense of excitement that textbooks, unfortunately, fail to deliver.

Well done Mr. Ferrie!

PS I completely disagree with the criticism by another reviewer who did not like the antiquated maps (not enough detail for him)...frankly, I thought they added character to the book. If you want detail, you can always use an atlas or go to Mapquest.com! :)

Exciting, well researched, approachable, highly recommend.......1999-08-10

Ferrie creates a refreshing, approachable, and exciting vehicle for examining the events and issues around the Battle of Yorktown. Unencumbered by patriotic propoganda, extremely well researched - reveals the issues and life as it truly was for those involved (on both sides and at all levels) in the struggle for American freedom. Highly recommended for elementary school and up!

Classic Battles, Yorktown 1781, the World Turned Upside Down

Average customer rating:

Classic Battles, Yorktown 1781, the World Turned Upside Down
Brendan; Chandler, Daavid G.-consutant editor Morrissey
Manufacturer: Osprey Pub., Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H5D3MU

Average customer rating:

YORKTOWN 1781 The World Turned Upside Down

Manufacturer: Osprey Military - Military Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H0WRMC

Average customer rating:

Yorktown 1781: The World Turned Upside Down
Brendan Morrissey
Manufacturer: Osprey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000X6BC4E

Yorktown 1781: The World Turned Upside Down (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

Average customer rating:

Yorktown 1781: The World Turned Upside Down (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
Brendan Morrissey
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORFFQS

Book Description

This is a first-hand account of life as a Japanese prisoner during the Second World War. It reveals how R. Keith Mitchell was taken to Japan as part of an overseas force and set to work levelling agricultural land for an airfield, before being moved to work at the furnaces of a foundry, and then to a coal mine. This remarkable account, based on diaries hidden from the Japanese, portrays day-to-day life in astonishing detail and is a truly compelling story.

Book Description

This Audio CD is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to recognize bird songs. It features the sounds of 189 different bird species found in the Midwest and Northeast States.

Each bird song recording is followed by a short description of the sound along with a common mnemonic used to remember it. Many well-known song mnemonics such as "Who cooks for you?" for the Barred Owl and "Poor Sam Peabody" for the White-throated Sparrow are included. Following the song and mnemonic, the source of the sound is revealed. By naming the bird at the end of each track, the listener is allowed to wonder and guess at the nature of the sound. Active listening, similar to what one experiences in the field while searching for an unknown bird song, is a key to engaging the memory process.

One way to use this CD is to enable the "Random Play" or "Shuffle" option on a home CD player, portable stereo, or personal computer. Although it may be frustrating at first, repetition of this "quiz" game will quickly improve recognition skills. Gaining familiarity with these songs will greatly increase any bird watcher's enjoyment and awareness of birds in their natural habitat.

Features:

- 189 bird species found in the Midwest and Northeast states
- Digital bird song recordings made in Wisconsin
- Brief narration after each song includes descriptive, memorable and often funny mnemonics
- Can be used as a field guide to learn and identify songs or as a recognition quiz game
- Easy to use alphabetical track listing of all birds and their mnemonics
- It is a great gift for any birdwatcher, beginner or advanced.
- Total running time: 60 minutes

Customer Reviews:

Very good CD.......2007-08-21

After many years of bird watching I decided it was high time I learned to bird by ear.

I'm pretty familiar with the limited species that show up in my Southern California yard (House Finches, House Sparrows, Mourning Doves and Western Scrub Jays mostly).

I've purchased a few different CD's on birding by ear (including the Stokes CD's), but this is the one I like the best. I keep it in my CD player in the car so I can learn/study the bird songs while going to and from work each day.

I have noticed a slight regional accent in some of the birds that I'm familiar with, but it's not so significant that I don't recognise the House Sparrow or the House Finch when I hear it.

I highly recommend this CD to anyone who is trying to learn to bird by ear.

Great for newbies.......2007-06-07

I've lived on a farm or outside the city for most of my life, but never really bothered to figure out the different bird calls. After listening to this CD a couple of times, my wife and I can now pick out some of the different birds. The more calls we learn, the more fun it is to learn more.

Overly Short Songs Presented at Shotgun Speed.......2007-05-25

While the coverage of songs is thorough, the acoustic quality is not nearly as good as four other bird song CDs that I also recently purchased (Stokes - Eastern Region, Peterson Field Guide sets - Eastern, Songbirds Bible by Proctor, Common Bird Songs by Borror). Moreover, the songs are very short, with minimal repetition or variation. It is nice to have narration that follows the songs, so the listener has a chance to guess what type of bird sings each song. However, given that the songs are so short, and the pauses after the songs and before narration are even shorter, there is no time for an advanced beginner birder such as myself to reflect, or even spit out the answer instantaneously. Furthermore, the next song often starts virtually "on top" of the narration (which is little more than just the name of the bird), making it easy to associate the bird name with the wrong song (ie, the song that follows narration rather than the song that precedes).

excellent for beginning and intermediate birders.......2006-08-01

The alphabetical indexing is excellent for those who have not mastered the taxanomic order as found in most lists and books. The presentation of the song before the identification is useful in honing ones ears. Would like it to be longer than the ~110 species presented.

By far the best bird song training & review guide.......2006-07-10

This is an outstanding CD for learning bird songs. Each song starts with the bird song and then the narrator describes the song and provides a short phrase or description that aids you with identifying it, followed again with the essence of the song. This format allows you to quiz yourself. I bought my first copy two years ago and have bought 5 more to give to friends since then. Everyone has commented that its a great guide. I own several other guides including Birding by Ear and More Birding by Ear and this is by far my favorite.

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