Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own

Book Description

How to build, step by step, an adobe and ceramic architecture that is affordable and self-help. How to build arches, vaults, domes, and utilize the natural energy of wind, sun-and-shade to help save forests and create a sustainable architecture. How to fire and glaze an entire building after it is constructed from clay-earth on site. A NEW UPDATE CHAPTER introducing the Superadobe technology, building with almost any on-site soil using sandbags and barbed wire.

Customer Reviews:

Great book by a great architect.......2007-06-01

This is a great book. I haven't read it page for page yet, but in it goes with my favourites. It concentrates on Khalili's monolithic fired ceramic houses and has a lot of detail. It leaves no stones unturned if you want a building of this type.

Sadly, the book was published before Khalili invented Superadobe or Earth Bag building. For a good book on Earthbag, I recommend "Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques"
by Kaki Hunter. Another book - which is more general is "Alternative Construction; Contemporary Natural Building Methods" by Lynne Elisabeth and Cassandra Adams.

Excellent Book!.......2006-11-10

awesome resource and "how-to" book for those interested in this earth friendly type of architecture

Work in Progress.......2004-03-31

The author is obviously a person of great vision and enormous generosity of spirit. The book is very good, and I hope that a rating of three stars isn't some insult where no insult is deserved. I was very disappointed because I expected a serious discussion of superadobe techniques, which I regard as possibly more practical than the ceramic constructions. The book has only seven pages treating superadobe. Those are pasted as an afterthought, right at the end. They don't constitute a detailed and serious discussion. As much information can be found on the calearth.org web site. So, I felt that the advertisements of the book were a little misleading.

The book itself is an education on classical earth construction and the improvement produced by firing it. As a person unfamiliar with architecture and construction, I had hoped to find something like a cookbook. Just tell me how to build a nice house easily, and I'd be happy to do it. Part of the education is to realize that things aren't quite so simple. Many issues arise, and, at the time of its writing, not all of them are well understood or totally settled. In particular, the details of firing a house into its ceramic status is not only explained in a partial way, but clearly more work is required to get a full understanding. The author could successfully fire houses himself, but the process was not reduced, at this writing, to entirely simple formulas for the use of lay persons. In that sense, each person working from the book would need to take on some considerable personal responsibility. It might not all work correctly. Consequently, I don't consider this book to be an especially good guide for a novice or amateur builder. That doesn't mean it isn't worth reading. However, I wouldn't read it, put up my own dome adobe house, and then sit down for tea underneath my own dome. The thing would probably fall in.

Rebuilding safely in Iran and elsewhere, after earthquakes.......2003-12-31

If ever a book was inspired by compassion for earthquake victims, this is it. Aware of the bitter experience of Middle East peoples with seismic disasters, architect Nader Khalili pulls together what works in those same cultures to show how we can build affordable housing that will survive major earthquakes.

Key principles: Use the earth (clay) underfoot as your building material. Spare the forests and watersheds.

Use simple human-scale building elements, like bricks or sandbags that ordinary people can stack by hand.

Use the arch, dome, and vault. These architectural forms work where post and beam timbers are not available. They are seismically stable. They are not subject to the gravitational loads that make flat roofs cave in over time. They make climatically comfortable spaces with sun and shade surfaces that circulate hot and cool air appropriately.

Fire the clay structure to make it a strong unitary enclosure, like an inverted teacup. It will slide safely over seismically moving earth.

Ceramic Houses - and Khalili's work generally - offers a timely recipe for new development and rebuilding in seismically active areas like the Middle East, and, take note, California. It's no accident that Khalili's prototype structures have been built and approved by local authorities in Hesperia, CA.

Nader Khalili brings together the clay and earth underfoot, the architectural vocabulary of arch, dome, and vault, and simple building technques that ordinary people can use to build seismically safe, comfortable, inexpensive, and beautiful houses.

Carry Adobe, rammed earth, and Cob to the next level........2002-12-17

This book will teach you how to make your adobe, rammed earth or cob building a permanent structure that can stand up to the elements. I wish it had more photo's, colour ones to give us an idea how this type of architecture looks in colour. It would be nice if a new edition came out since I am left with quite a few questions.

Average customer rating:

Ceramic Houses: How to Build Your Own
Nader Khalili
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0062504460

Painting from Life: Explorations in Watercolor
Average customer rating:

Lush colors

figure painting with live models & limited time

A beautiful book!

Painting from Life: Explorations in Watercolor
Douglas Law
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

The Natural Way to Paint: Rendering the Figure in Watercolor Simply and Beautifully

The Figure in Watercolor: Simple, Fast, and Focused (Simple Fast & Focused)

Painting People in Watercolor: A Design Approach (Practical Art Books)

Painting What You Want to See

Light and Mood in Watercolour

ASIN: 0823036332

Book Description

Painting from Life: Explorations in Watercolor chronicles the progression of artist Douglas Lew as he takes on the most eternal and challenging of themes: the nude. Working side-by-side with other artists in the context of life-drawing sessions, Lew struck out on his own heightened pace of exploration as he grappled with the ultimate problem: How to draw and paint a nude model accurately and expressively within the time limits of single pose, which were sometimes as short as five or ten minutes. Having started with single line drawings, Lew soon realized he could use watercolor to render volume more quickly. He then began to build paintings, sorting out composition, light, shapes, and color as he worked. Once he mastered the nude, Lew sought to be freed from it: In a delightful game of hide-and-seek he created seductive abstractions, leaving parts of the figure visible. At the heart of the book are Lew's remarkable figure drawings and paintings.

Customer Reviews:

Lush colors.......2007-09-04

For the artist who loves painting the figure in a loose style, this book is tops. You can almost imagine the loose watercolors running off the page. The colors are lush. Nothing "tight" about this artist. This is a good contrast to the usually detailed painting style of many artists.

figure painting with live models & limited time.......2005-05-12

This watercolor book is tightly focused on one aspect of art technique. The author presents his experiences over several years in an art consortium, which specializes in providing artists short poses of live models. The poses ranged from 1 minute to 45 minutes, with many around 20 minutes. This book presents the history of sketches Mr. Lew made at such sessions. Each sketch is accompanied by commentary on what the artist was trying to achieve. There are a few longer discussions on topics throughout, at the start of each chapter. The book progresses from use of dry medium (e.g., pencil) for sketching, into greyscale watercolor, to watercolor using all colors, into semi-abstractionism.

The comments and pictures have useful information, and show quite clearly the value of practicing from live models in short poses. Also, this book has a few valuable lessons; like, if you are getting borred, try something new, and the importance of backgrounds. After reading this book, I found myself trying some of these ideas on 15 to 60 minute poses with a live model. So, while my first impression was 3 stars, this earned "Painting from Life" a forth star. Advice on paiting that I can actually use is quite worthwhile!

It seems to me that the technique and approach displayed is entirely dissimilar from that of Charles Reid, though his books as well use sketches rather than finnished drawings for most illuminations.

A beautiful book!.......2004-12-22

For students or admirers of life drawing, this book is an inspiration! The style is loose, fresh and spontaneous. The beautiful art works on each page take us from drawings to watercolors, from portraits to abstraction. Lew explores a wide variety of approaches to color, light and shape.

The book is pure pleasure to look at, and offers advice and inspiration for those trying to capture on paper or canvass the challenging, exhilarating subject of the human form.

Like Charles Reid's figure paintings and Mel Stabin's The Figure in Watercolor, this book belongs on the bookshelf of artists who eschew photorealism and prefer the fast, fresh approach.

Collecting and Using Classic Cameras
Average customer rating:

THE book about collecting classic cameras

A useful but not authoritative text

Matanle's camera writings encourage reading over and over

catnip for the classic camera user

Enthusiastic, opinionated, but lean on substance.

Collecting and Using Classic Cameras
Ivor Matanle
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

Selecting and Using Classic Cameras: A User's Guide to Evaluating Features, Condition & Usability of Classic Cameras

Collecting and Using Classic SLRs

Restoring Classic & Collectable Cameras

Photographica: The Fascination With Classic Cameras (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

Care and Repair of Classic Cameras for Photographers and Collectors

ASIN: 0500276560

Customer Reviews:

THE book about collecting classic cameras.......2004-06-20

If you are interested in collecting 120mm or 35mm classic cameras then you need this book. Mr. Matanle has owned and/or used most of the cameras in this book and the text is loaded with the kind of user information that can't be found anywhere else. I only wish this book were longer. I have read the book several times and I use it often to refresh my memory about a particular camera or manufacturer. It is well written and the black and white photographs of the cameras are excellent. Mr. Matanle even shows actual photos he took using the cameras discussed in the text. My copy is printed on heavy, high quality, clay paper that allows the high contrast, detailed photos to look their best. Highly recommended.

A useful but not authoritative text.......2004-06-15

Ivor Matanle may be the first writer on classic cameras to write of them not merely as baubles but working photographic equipment for contemporary use, and for that alone he deserves a certain kudos.

However, I have several problems with this book, especially in this edition. From the other works he has done it's evident he's a good black-and-white photographer, but this printing doesn't reveal this: the quality of photoreproduction is not excellent.

Matanle is British, and the American reader will note that there are differences in nomenclature, in the cameras and lenses that are readily available (many items common in Britain would never be seen here), and in practices and attitudes regarding using cameras and lenses. While it's good to be exposed to foreign viewpoints, we are two nations separated by an almost-common language sometimes.

As a prime example, how could one cover "classic cameras" and not discuss Graflex? Simply put, although technically "large format" (at least in the most common 4x5 size, although there are smaller Graphics),no photographer's experience is complete without having used a Speed or Crown Graphic-handheld, with sheet film or a rollfilm back.

Although most of the cameras available today would seem like alien implements to photographers of fifty years ago, the principles of photography have not changed, and in fact many of the best cameras-M Leica, Hasselblad, Rollei TLR (yes, still in production)-are substantially similar today as when Frank, Dean and Sammy were on the charts, Marilyn was still the hottest movie star, and John Glenn getting ready to orbit the Earth. Others are very different from anything made now, yet sometimes capable of very good work with a little knowledge, and more conducive to doing so than today's popular microprocesssor-controlled polycarbonate affairs which often simply get in the way of, rather than facilitate, good photography. In addition, a camera that's still working-or easily made so-after fifty years stands a good chance of working fifty years from now, which is almost certainly not true of some modern cameras.

Matanle's camera writings encourage reading over and over.......2001-07-24

Ivor Matanle knows cameras as well as we know our own faces in the mirror, and his love and understanding of their strengths and weaknesses makes for informative and fascinating reading.

This is a wonderful book for browsing and/or serious study. The writing is first rate. The illustrations are fine photos and are inserted close to the accompanying text.

If you are a collector or merely want to learn more about these mechanical and optical marvels, you owe yourself the treat of reading this book.You will be richly rewarded.

His other book, "Classic SLR's" is equally rewarding. I refer to both books regularly. What a writer!

catnip for the classic camera user.......2000-11-16

if you are interested in using classic cameras (defined by the author for the purpose of this book as 20's to 60's 35mm and rollfilm cameras), this is as nice a volume as i've come across. there's some truth to the comments about the author's personal photographs being a bit unpolished, but 1) the quality is standard for most camera-oriented books and 2) they do add a personal touch to what is, after all, a personal treatise. i also appreciate the author's contention that using the classic camera is a sort of fetish (NOT his words) that's difficult to articulate or justify on purely technical grounds.

the only other books that i've encountered that may better matanle's book are jason schneider's excellent collection of 80's Modern Photography columns "Camera Collecting" volumes I-III, which unfortunately out of print and cost hundreds of dollars.

Enthusiastic, opinionated, but lean on substance........2000-02-24

Mr. Matanle makes his opinions known, and he frequently can put forth a compelling case for a favorite marque. For the novice collector or photographer interested in using classic cameras, he provides an accessible start. Beyond that introduction, less general texts will likely yeild more substantive information.

Book Description

It is one thing to collect single-lens reflex cameras, but quite another to use them to take first-rate photographs. Now, with this authoritative guide to SLRs, experienced photographers and beginners alike can confidently do both. Ivor Matanle brings some forty years of experience to this exhaustive and practical book, which includes: descriptions and evaluations of the principal makes and models from the late nineteenth century to the 1980s; instructions on testing and checking for faults; pictures of classic cameras, lenses, and equipment; information on repairers and dealers; and listings of collectors' clubs and groups. Virtually all the book's photographs were taken with classic SLRs, and each picture is fully captioned with information about the camera and lens used to take the shot, together with details of the film, processing, and printing. Collecting and Using Classic SLRs will help expert and novice, collector and user, to learn more about the cameras they admire--and to enjoy them with greater understanding.

Customer Reviews:

A good intro to SLR history........2004-06-03

This is a very well organized and thorough book on the history of SLRs. It traces the design threads of SLR manufacturers from around the world. The hundreds of B&W photos of the cameras are very helpful identification aids. It is not an encyclopedia with exhaustive technical specs or a price guide with accurate dollar values. Instead, it is filled with the author's practical experiences in handling and using almost all of the cameras covered in the book through his decades as a professional photographer and used camera dealer.

Unfortunately, this book is really too short to be a true user's guide. Even the Nikon F is covered in only a few pages. There is very little info about lenses beyond the author's personal opinions (all Leica lenses are superb, don't buy non-manufacturer lenses, etc) and none at all about other accessories such as flashes or motor drives. The camera descriptions themselves assume you already know how each one is supposed to work and concentrates on pitfalls and repair (or nonrepair) weaknesses.

The book also suffers from the opinion of the author that any electronic automation is bad. His coverage of each company always ends abruptly when it begins to add electronics beyond a light meter - circa 1975 for most. Autodiaphram lenses are OK, but programmed autoexposure is not.

Lastly, the author has included a lot of his personal photos taken with many of the covered cameras. They make nice eye candy, but book quality reproduction does not give any real indication of lens quality.

A Magnificent Book on Cameras and Lenses.......2002-04-26

When I first read Ivor Matanle a few years ago I had never heard of this Englishman who writes so beautifully about cameras and lenses.
This book covers single lens cameras in several formats,rather than just 35mm. He has used the equipment he describes, and writes as well as a fine novelist. He gives the history of SLR's and tells about the rise of Asian cameras as Europe abandons innovation in design. But he plays no favorites.All cameras are treated fairly.
This is a book you will marvel at, if you are a user or a collector. Read it once; refer to it often. But above all, enjoy it and marvel at how well he writes.
With nearly 400 fine photos of equipment and pictures taken with these cameras, the book is a smorgasbord of information.
If I lost this book, I would drive 500 miles to replace it!

Excellent reference book - definitely worth having.......2000-12-25

Praise; I found the book very useful in identifying camera model and can highly recommend it. I liked the way the author discussed the camera and enjoyed his opinions.

The photographs of the cameras taken with the old cameras was, to me, an excellent idea and really showed what these cameras are still capable of.

I personally did not mind the authors personal photography and actually found them useful in comparing the variosu qualities of the cameras discussed. I think it is extremely unfair to be judgemental about someones photograph it all eye of the beholder really isn't it!

If you like using or collecting old SLR's then you can't really NOT have this book.

My only complaint; The softcover copy book that I bought the spine started to split and the cover has almost fallen off after a few days of intensive reading.

Matanle's Classic SLRs Captures the Tools.......2000-07-16

Matanle's "Collecting and Using Classic SLRs" is amust own for every SLR camera collector. His camera close ups, as wellas specs, prove he knows his material. He provides abundant information on cameras A to Z. His shots of cameras are crystal clear; however, photos from his personal collection are somewhat hazy and appear out of place. Book is still worth the money...

A companion to "Collecting and Using Classic Cameras".......2000-03-02

This book is a companion edition to Mantale's earlier "Collecting and Using Classic Cameras." As such it duplicates many of the strengths and weaknesses of the earlier volume.

The equipment discussed covers a wide range of European and Japanese cameras. As with its companion edition, it is sadly lacking in information concerning American made equipment.

Mantale offers a lot of opinion, but the opinion tends to be of superficial nature. The book is profusely illustrated with "enthusiastic amateur" quality photographs.

In summary: useful in breadth to a begining camera collector, disappointing in depth to the more serious collector. Caveat reader.

Collecting and Using Classic Cameras
Average customer rating:
Collecting and Using Classic Cameras
Ivor Matanle
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBUJIK

Cadillacs & Dinosaurs: The Roleplaying Game
Average customer rating:

Very Cool Role Playing game

Cadillacs & Dinosaurs: The Roleplaying Game
Frank A. Chadwick
Manufacturer: Plenum Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 1558780734

Customer Reviews:

Very Cool Role Playing game.......2000-04-02

This is the first RPG(Role Playing Game) that I have seen for Cadillacs @ Dinosaurs. It is well written and well illustrated with art from Mark Schultz. This RPG is an in depth look at the people like "Jack Tenrec", Animals like the "Shivat"(Tyrannosaurus Rex), and the lands that this story was created on. Also there are pages that have maps and character data sheets that can be copied. Soon I should have my own game set up. I would recommend it to anyone who really likes RPG, Dinosaurs, cars, and just about anything else in this great book.

The Official Rocket Science Guide to Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

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The Official Rocket Science Guide to Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
Jason Rich
Manufacturer: Mcgraw-Hill Osborne Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0078821347

Time in Overdrive (Cadillacs & Dinosaurs Saga, No 3)

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Time in Overdrive (Cadillacs & Dinosaurs Saga, No 3)
Mark Schultz
Manufacturer: Kitchen Sink Pr (Nrt)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

ASIN: 0878162135

Average customer rating:

An excellent comic. Better than pajama-clad superheroes.
Great Story, Great Art

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
Mark Schultz
Manufacturer: Kitchen Sink Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Time in Overdrive (Cadillacs & Dinosaurs Sage, Vol 3)

ASIN: 087816071X

Amazon.com

From the pages of Mark Schultz's comic book Dinosaur Shaman: Nine Tales from the Xenozoic Age comes this story of a post-apocalyptic world in which dinosaurs return to earth. You may be familiar with the animated television show that was created from this comics; but whether you liked that show or haven't even heard of it, take my word that the comic book is much better. It's sort of like a science fiction version of Tarzan.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent comic. Better than pajama-clad superheroes........1997-08-14

Mix Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and a little Mad Max and what do you get? Probably this excellent series of comics. Mark Schultz has dreamed up a truly original fantasy world. Set 600 years in the future, in the mythical "Xenozoic Age," mankind no longer dominates the earth. The ecosystems represent all ages of earth. T-rexes and mammoths walk side-by-side. Sure, this isn't very likely, but it is a lot of fun. Unlike most comic artists, Schultz can not only draw but he can tell a good story (Steve Stiles does a good job also). Schultz's landscapes are extremely detailed and extremely beautiful. My only problem with the comic is that the dinosaurs are a little primtive-looking (stand upright, drag tails). However, the reader will notice that in later issues Schultz's dinosaurs become more scientifically correct. Still, this is an excellent comic. Take it from someone who dosen't usually read comics

Great Story, Great Art.......1997-03-22

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs contains superb art and a solid story full of action and adventure

Average customer rating:

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Manufacturer: Kitchen Sink Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HY4J9C

Average customer rating:

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs
Mark Schulz
Manufacturer: Princeton, WI Kitchen Sink Press 1989.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J5L0DC

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs #1 of 3 Vol. 2 February 1994

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Cadillacs and Dinosaurs #1 of 3 Vol. 2 February 1994
Roy Thomas
Manufacturer: Topps Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000SVRVI0

Product Description

"Blood and Bones"

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs #2 of 3 March 1994

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Cadillacs and Dinosaurs #2 of 3 March 1994
Roy Thomas
Manufacturer: Topps Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000TBBJF0

Product Description

"Blood and Bones" Part 2

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Tasseled Bookmark)

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Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (Tasseled Bookmark)

Manufacturer: Antioch Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Cards
ASIN: 0782410537

Product Description

Tasseled Bookmark

Average customer rating:

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs 3
Mark Schultz , and Roy Thomas
Manufacturer: Topps Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000VUBL2U

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