Customer Reviews:
Spirit of Nature translated into the Art of the Abstract.......2004-10-27
If you are looking for a watercolor tutorial in botanical painting, wildlife or landscape, walk away. This isn't the focus of "Painting the Spirit of Nature." Author Maxine Masterfield is, instead, taking the artist on a tour of an interior landscape, using the metaphors, symbols and shapes and colors of nature to create abstract or abstracted imagery. Look at the cover picture; the painting could represent boulders or broken rock face, but is in fact an abstract. This is the lesson of "Painting in the Spirit of Nature."
There is a lot about texture, unconventional techniques using things like salt and other methods, how to find imagery in everyday scenes and objects and how to compose a painting. The real value, however, in this book, is in the selection of paintings. You may or may not like them, but if you have been trying to find an "abstract voice"--I'd say this book would be great for you. If you liked "Watercolor Bold and Free", this is along the same vein.
This is not the spirit of nature!.......2002-08-23
I bought this book since the reviews were quite enthusiastic about it. I have more than 50 watercolor books as well as many other art books, and this is just and justly the worst of them all.
It is about experimental painting, that is true, but it is not about "the spirit of nature". Experimental or abstract painting is simply no excuse. The abstract patterns made through various techniques aren't exciting or beautiful and the techniques themselves can be found in various books where they belong - as a small sidenote. The techniques shown aren't useful at all for a watercolor artist wanting to capture nature.
The enthusiastic reviews gave me a diametrically opposite view of this book than what it was. As a "nature" book it belongs in the trashcan.
What I thought about was some loose techniques for creating texture for nature paintings, but that was not the case, it is all about totally abstractism which was not what I was after.
If you are looking for ways of creating abstact patterns, okey buy it, otherwise don't!
Awesome.......2002-04-22
If you are looking for ideas and techniques this is a wonderful book. Very well done.
Fabulous Teacher, Fabulous Art.......2001-05-06
I was lucky enough to have this artist-author as a teacher almost 2 decades ago. I no longer work in this style or medium but when I was working in it, her methods were the most marvelously freeing ones. If you feel constricted with your present results in water color, as if you must "break free" from such rigid control, Maxine is the teacher for you. The art works are totally glorious as well. Many are hers and she uses other artists' work as well. The book has art work on virtually every page. Back when I took her course, I know that her work was also selling for a lot of money to big commercial clients to put in their buildings and to some private homes as well. Thus, she had cracked the commercial barrier too. I applied her techniques in later years to acyrlics and liquid dyes as well and they worked fine there too.
A perennial favorite in my reference library.......2000-04-05
I also frequently recommend this book to other artists, beginning or advanced. I've had this book for years, and am awed everytime I open it up. It's perfect for jumpstarting the creative juices because almost every page contains an inspiring thought, image or technique. Her photos of natural elements, together with paintings by herself and other artists shows everyone how to use nature as a springboard for creativity. You will LOVE this book!
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful book for beginners through accomplished artists........1999-08-29
This is one of the best books on the subject. Masterfield's work is inspiring. The photography of her (and other included artists) work is top notch. She generously shares her techniques and instructs gently and ably.
Best book on subject (experimental painting).......1998-05-17
Absolutely the best book of them all if your intereted in experimental painting. Informative and inspirational
Customer Reviews:
Not for non-watercolor painters.......2006-03-26
Chinese brush painting is difficult if you lack enough experience with watercolor painting (I have painted with acrylics mainly). The pictures in the book are beautiful and the book is good as just a coffee table book to look at if you are a curious person and wonder how Chinese (or Japanese)painting is done.
Capturing the Spirit of Chinese Brush Painting.......2004-03-27
What a delightful treat for painters of all stages!!! Nan Rae's book is a very lively and spiritual work that draws you to her obvious passion for her art. I'm a beginning painter and have bought several brush painting books. The Ch'i of the Brush is a very dedicated book with beautiful illustrations that are easy to follow-her directions and explanations make you feel that she were giving you the lessons right in your own home!! This book gives you an exciting confidence and enthusiasm for the art that makes you want to learn all that you can do. The histories and works included are very appreciating and thorough--very interesting to read. Plus, the most beautiful part--Nan Rae's wonderful illustrations and paintings are displayed page after page and her happy spirit lifts right off of those pages!! If you could pick only one book on Chinese Brush painting, this is definitely the one to have.
Lacks the True Spirit of Chinese Painting & Culture.......2003-12-09
Being a collector of traditional and contemporary Chinese paintings for over 25 years, I am also very interested in the variety of techniques different Chinese painters use. This book covers the basics of Chinese brush painting, ideas and concepts taught for hundreds of years so there nothing new in this book. Not seeing Nan Rae's work prior to purchasing this book, I was very surprised by the mediocre level of her paintings. Her paintings have a western influence but her ability to merge the two cultures just doesn't work. For myself and other fellow collectors, her paintings in no way capture the essence of what true Chinese culture and its painting is all about. Another disappointment about her work (from this book and website) is that many of her paintings are copied (and not very well at that) from older Chinese paintings and famous artists works. If your really interested in Chinese painting techniques, find books by true Chinese painting masters such as the Chinese painting series by the Asian based publisher Art Book Co. (with English text) and not someone who paints as if it were a casual hobby. Buy this book if you're interested in "reading" about simple Chinese brush techniques but once your actually begin painting, find some reference paintings created by actual Chinese artists who capture the true spirit of Chinese painting and the culture.
A Must Have Book! A Real Treasure!.......2003-11-04
This is a book filled with beautiful art. From the helpful detailed instructions for the beginner to the inspirational techniques and compositions for the experienced artist, this is the one book you must have on oriental brush painting. I teach brush painting and every student lights up when they look through this book. This book goes to every class I teach and every student wants a copy to take home. I have many books on brush painting but this is one I will always treasure.
Exquisite Eloquence: The Art of Explaining Art.......2003-09-22
The first thing that struck me as I thumbed through this graceful publication was how visually beautiful it was. I thought perhaps I had purchased a lovely coffee table book! Ms. Rae's work is beautifully reproduced on its pages and alone is reason enough to buy this book. As I dug deeper, I have discovered the author writes as eloquently as she paints. Her explanations are clear and concise and the illustations are very helpful. But more importantly, perhaps, woven throughout the book is an underlying sense of encouragement. This author doesn't just want to show you "how-to," she wants to inspire you. And I must say, she succeeds. I also suggest checking out her website. She is a prolific and exuberant artist!
Average customer rating:
- Another Miyazaki masterpeice
- great book
- Great book
- Spirited Away
- Amazing Movie, good book
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Miyazaki's Spirited Away Picture Book
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Kiki's Delivery Service Picture Book, Volume 1 (Kiki's Delivery Service Film Comics)
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The Art of Spirited Away
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Spirited Away, Vol. 1
ASIN: 1569317968 |
Book Description
This illustrated book tells the story of the hit animated feature film Spirited Away. Mom, Dad, and their daughter Chihiro are driving to their new home when Dad takes a wrong turn and they get lost in a forest, eventually finding themselves in a strange abandoned amusement park. While Chihiro wanders away, her parents turn into pigs and she must make her way alone in a world inhabited by ghosts, demons, and strange gods. The film version·will be released in U.S. theaters by Disney in September 2002.
Customer Reviews:
Another Miyazaki masterpeice.......2004-01-03
Our heroine Chihiro, an ordinary little girl struggles in a world of spirits and magic. This story will surely take you away! With great artwork, and story telling, it's a joy for people of all ages.
great book.......2003-05-18
this book is as good as the movie and the movie was over wonderful.this book has also helped me lots in drawing!!!
Great book.......2003-05-18
i've loved the movie and the book is like the same just with still pictures,this book has help me lots in drawing too!!!
Spirited Away.......2003-04-25
This amazing movie should be shared with all friends and family. I was truly "Spirited Away" by the outstanding characters and wonderful setting. A touching story that you will want to watch over and over again.
Amazing Movie, good book.......2003-04-07
We saw this movie a couple of times in the theater, and plan on buying the DVD when it comes out this month. In the meantime, we came across this book at the bookstore, and got it for our daughter. As is typical of books that are put together from children's films, the writing is a bit simple and assumes that you know the story from the film. If you haven't seen the film, the book is a bit choppy. That having been said, it was worth the price of the book to have the beautiful pictures in a book, so that we could look at them whenever we want to. It is very nice to have this book to enjoy.
Average customer rating:
- Wandjina art - aboriginal culture
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Yorro Yorro: Aboriginal Creation and the Renewal of Nature : Rock Paintings and Stories from the Australian Kimberley
David Mowaljarlai , and
Jutta Malnic
Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0892814608 |
Customer Reviews:
Wandjina art - aboriginal culture.......2000-06-14
This book gives an absorbing view of the life and culture of some of the Aboriginal peoples of northern Western Australia. It describes a journey, physical and spiritual, of collaboration between a senior elder and law man of the ngarinyin people and a white Australian photographer. Photographs by Jutta Malnic show the vast country of the Kimberley and the magnificent rock art sites. These pictures are complemented by elegant black and white photographs taken 50 years earlier of the young David Mowaljarlai growing up in his country. The text is clearly written and contains some amusing accounts of bush travel as well as the story of David Mowaljarlai's life and quite complex accounts of the ngarinyin view of the world. The Kimberley region contains some of the most magnificent rock art in the world and for a visitor some of the most memorable images are of the wandjina figures. These are human-like figures with large eyes and a halo-like appearance around their head. It is an intensely powerful experience to see a huge rock gallery of these figures. For the ngarinyin, they are powerful religious images connected with the rain-bearing monsoon clouds and must be approached with great respect. This book gives a privileged view of a world in which land, people and culture are intimately linked. If you are interested in Aboriginal art and culture, this is an important work.
Average customer rating:
- An excellent introduction to the "Canyon de Chelly School."
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Canyon De Chelly: 100 Years of Painting and Photography (Places of Spirit Series)
Donald J. Hagerty
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 087905705X |
Customer Reviews:
An excellent introduction to the "Canyon de Chelly School.".......2002-07-25
Every cowboy story has a canyon . . . . . or so it seems. Yet, only one is a world famous tourist attraction -- the Grand Canyon; one is a World Cultural Heritage site due to its religious significance -- Chaco Canyon; one, deservedly, inspires great art -- Canyon de Chelly. None, perhaps significantly, has much association with cowboys. Cowboys may need canyons, great canyons deserve original artists more than they need cowboys.
Like the "Taos Artists" who created some of the best original American art, Canyon de Chelly has inspired its own "school" of painting and photography. Hagerty has done a masterful job of summarizing the "Canyon de Chelly School" (my label, but it should become official) of art for the past century. It's unfortunate he mostly ignores Native American art from pre-historic to modern times if the Canyon -- but that topic may well deserve a separate analysis of its own.
First of all, Canyon de Chelly is far more believable than the Grand Canyon, which is so huge and so deep that it defies belief. It's possible to stand on the rim and see people and buildings at the bottom of Canyon de Chelly, where the greatest depth is about 1,000 feet. The Grand Canyon is a mile deep, its vistas simply melt into infinity.
The almost 100 illustrations range from the sublime (Ansel Adams 1941 photo of White House Ruin) to the silly (Woody Gwyn's 1994 painting of the parking lot next to Antelope House ruin). If the most beautiful thing we can experience is the sense of the mysterious, as Albert Einstein once described the true source of all art and science, then these artists did capture the essence of Canyon de Chelly (the name is adapted from the Navajo "tse" -- meaning rock, which is pronounced "shay").
One great advantage is the inclusion of recent artwork, showing how the non-Navajo perception of the Canyon has changed. Art a century ago featured Navajos in the Canyon -- just as Taos artists emphasized people; today, Canyon paintings are mostly empty landscapes, as though today's Navajos are an oddity . Navajo artists, of course, still include people -- but then, the Canyon is their home and not a distant mystery.
Many artists, in Hagerty's words, see "Canyon de Chelly as solid and eternal, a place of solace and escape from pressures of modern American culture." Personally, I think of it as a place of living people, and the beauty which surrounds their lives. Chaco Canyon is the vast empty ruined cathedral from people who have vanished into the mists of time; the Grand Canyon is the window into eternity.
Each locale generates a unique artistic depiction, which really hinges on living in the place, or it fades from artistic consciousness. Be that as it may, and Hagerty doesn't delve into such esoteric speculation; he does offer an informed, relevant, intelligent and ongoing look at a truly original element of American art.
The Taos school seems frozen in time even though gigantic in its own legends, the "Canyon de Chelly School" is continually evolving and experimenting with new forms. Taos artist Barbara Zaring is interesting but unreal in her 1980s paintings; Phoenix artist Ed Mell, despite his overlooking the Navajo inhabitants of the Canyon, offers a fresh 1990s view.
There is no "best" portrayal of the Canyon -- though my favorite is Adams 1941 photo -- and Hagerty doesn't imply that one exists. He simply and eloquently offers an excellent overview, giving artists, patrons, collectors and viewers alike an intelligent insight into a very original and significant element of the American art scene.
Suffice to say, no serious collection of American art should be without a portrait of Canyon de Chelly. Hagerty provides a wonderful introductory service, which makes his book perfect for all artists, viewers and people with an interest in the beauty of America.
Average customer rating:
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Healing Landscapes of Texas : A Journey from the Big Thicket to Big Bend (Joe and Betty Moore Texas Art Series, 11)
Jeanne Norsworthy
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1585441406 |
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant.......2005-02-27
Jeanne Norsworthy can really capture things in her paintings! This book is beautiful and fascinating!
Average customer rating:
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Spirit of Nature: The Berkshire Landscapes of Jim Schantz
Jim Schantz , and
Richard Nunley
Manufacturer: Pucker Art Publications
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1879985071 |
Average customer rating:
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Nature and spirit
Zhiyuan Cong
Manufacturer: Elizabeth Wang Gallery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006QL5K2 |
Average customer rating:
- Nice and well explained, very enjoyable
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Realistic Wildlife Painting For Decorative Artists
Heather Dakota
Manufacturer: FANDW PUBNS INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1581800134 |
Customer Reviews:
Nice and well explained, very enjoyable.......2007-09-23
Very good book. I enjoyed very much to work according to the clear instructions and beautiful designs. I recommand this book.
Book Description
A popular history of 20th-century visual culture, Kodachrome: The American Invention of Our World 1939-1959 shows how the American point of view in full-color became an international standard.
The book opens with a selection of rarely reproduced color images from the Depression through the early days of World War II. The bright, cosmopolitan atmosphere of the 1939 World's Fair in New York contrasts with a foreboding glimpse of Hitler's pre-war Berlin. Early photographs of the devastation in Warsaw and London are presented together with pictures of sharecroppers and homesteaders in the United States.
Fashion plates and candid portraits of Satchmo, Frida Kahlo and Helena Rubenstein share the pages that follow with coverage of the War through the liberation of Buchenwald, the conference at Yalta, and the wreckage of Berlin and Hiroshima.
The book continues through the late 40s and into the 50s with a wide-ranging assortment of images from the worlds of fashion, politics, sports, and popular culture. Among the personalities, places, and events pictured are Marilyn Monroe, Joe Di Maggio, Gene Autry, Elvis, Pablo Picasso, Eero Saarinen's studio, shop windows in Manhattan, the Korean War, and the A-bomb tests at the Marshall Islands and Bikini Atoll.
Customer Reviews:
Why did they take it away?.......2006-03-20
This is a glorious volume that reproduces, beautifully, some of the most stunning images of the mid-twentieth century, captured on what is probably the finest colour medium ever produced. Look on these works, ye digital photographers, and despair!
Kodachrome, along with Technicolor, passed into the language as a byword for quality; sadly, it's now passed into history. I am grateful to the publishers of this book for producing a worthy epitaph.
Great book Great bargain.
This was reel life.......2004-10-24
An intriguing look at the recent past that most of us have only seen in black and white. Intriguing in that most of the exterior shots, especially the news photos still sort of look black and white, the overall colors that come across are grey and beige. This only makes the remaining photos, mostly interior studio work, seem dazzling. The cost of producing, in print media, regular color images was too expensive so color was basically left to advertising until the mid-fifties. It wasn't until the late seventies that color art photography was finally accepted.
The book certainly has some fascinating photos, not so much the political figures and celebrities of the time but images of everyday life. It is here that I thought the book was rather disappointing, of the 207 photos about a quarter are studio portraits of celebrities, just the sort of photos that were printed in color on magazine covers to be found on any newsstand. I would have preferred to have far fewer of these portraits.
If you are interested in color photos from the past have a look at Bound for Glory: America in Color 1939-43 with 175 images of daily life in America (and fortunately no celebrities). A book that covers Britain in color, from 1945 to 1952, is The S&J;Silver Lining Cross R by Robin Cross. Like 'Kodachrome' these two books offer a new look at the past.
***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.
Full color history in a time of black and white.......2004-02-25
I have to say that this book is AMAZING! My wife wanted it and telling me the title all I thought about was that Paul Simon song.
Upon getting the book, I could understand why she wanted it so badly. It is amazing to see images of Hitler and WWII from my history book except in full blown color.
This is a great book for anyone out there who is interested in history, photography, or if you are interested in seeing history in a whole new light.
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