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Best Art Study & Teaching

Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking: 1
For all practical purposes making art can be examined in great detail without ever getting entangled in the very remote problems of genius." The book's co-authors, David Bayles and Ted Orland, are themselves both working artists, grappling daily with the problems of making art in the real world. Their insights and observations, drawn from personal experience, provide an incisive view into the world of art as it is expeienced by artmakers themselves. Art & Fear has attracted a remarkably diverse audience, ranging from beginning to accomplished artists in every medium, and including an exceptional concentration among students and teachers. David Bayles is an accomplished photographer, author, workshop leader, and conservationist.
Reviews
"It will challenge you to reevaluate your expectations and reframe your artistic pursuits in a manner that will allow for perpetual growth and minimize potential for burn out or "losing it"."
"This book is amazing."
"An excellent insight into the thought processes and predicaments of art."
"A neatly written nice little book on just what the title suggests."
"I know of many full time Arts Faculty (specifically Performing Arts) that still create and share their artistry outside of the classroom."
"This was recommended by a writer friend, but the wisdom in the book applies to any art form or issues of creativity."
"Art & Fear should be in every artist's bookshelf."
"Art philosophy and psychology making for a noteworthy read."
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Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
In chapters such as You Don’t Have to Be a Genius ; Share Something Small Every Day ; and Stick Around , Kleon creates a user’s manual for embracing the communal nature of creativity— what he calls the “ecology of talent.” From broader life lessons about work (you can’t find your voice if you don’t use it) to the etiquette of sharing—and the dangers of oversharing—to the practicalities of Internet life (build a good domain name; give credit when credit is due), it’s an inspiring manifesto for succeeding as any kind of artist or entrepreneur in the digital age. His 10-step journey in this beginner’s guide to self-promotion emphasizes audience building and explains the how and why of such approaches as thinking about process rather than product, sharing something each day, teaching what you know, learning to take a punch, and developing staying power. Kleon’s use of artists’ quotes, photographs, and organizational diagrams enhances the text as he reminds readers of how interested people are in the creative process. --Whitney Scott "[Show Your Work is] timeless; readers can return to it repeatedly throughout life and still glean useful ideas and tips... In this creatively designed pocket-sized book, Kleon offers the latter group effective strategies that allow them to share their work without leaving their comfort zone . Fast Company Kleon addresses with equal parts humility, honesty, and humor one of the quintessential questions of the creative life: How do you get discovered ? In some ways, the book is the mirror-image of Kleon s debut rather than encouraging you to steal from others it offers a blueprint to making your work influential enough to be theft-worthy.
Reviews
"Here is some of the advice you'll receive: - Put your work out there, share it with others regularly. - Meet up with people in real life, not just on the Internet. - Don't be afraid to make money off your creative work. - Keep going. - Maintain an e-mail list. - Give proper credit when you refer to other people's work. I won't spoil the rest--if you do read the book, you'll see that I'm not simplifying anything in that list. I will probably still buy his next book, but I hope I won't have to return it like this one."
"Full of logic and wisdom: not much we don't already instinctively "know" but the information organized in a fun, easy to understand way which makes us think about how we manage our creativity and our lives."
"The reasons for this are many: you gain followers, you build a portfolio of sorts, you find like-minded artists, and you establish a presence. Even if you aren’t planning on becoming a writer, there is enough good advice in here to help any sort of career — musicians, content creators, photographers, journalists, all, I believe, will find something helpful in these pages."
"Austin is exploring the issue of showing your work through internet, and particularly social media. Some examples to the uniqueness of the book: It’s giving good advice about the need to compromise between perfectionism and neglecting quality or over-sharing. Mostly, I don’t think this chapter belongs in this book, because mostly it’s not about “SHOW your work” but about DO your work. It gives fantastic advice, but I think it belongs in a separate book."
"The book is artistic in every way, has the friendly and easy style of passing a load of information lightly, and has the humour that brings a smile on your face!"
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Colorist's Special Effects - color interior: Step by step guides to making your adult coloring pages POP!
60 STEP BY STEP guides/techniques to items commonly found Items commonly found in ADULT COLORING BOOKS... such as: Various gems, clouds, fairy wings, spotted mushrooms, skintone, eyes, waterdrops, gem bugs, flowers, hearts, dazzling mermaid scales, glinting crystals, glowing lanterns, soap bubbles, gold crown, chrome e. PLEASE NOTE: This book is the KINDLE VERSION of the COLOR interior paperback.. therefore you cannot color on the pages themselves...
Reviews
"She has applied many of her art techniques in coloring book form. Water droplets on leaves, gems, balloons, wood grain, sparkly fairy dust, chrome, gold, silver, so many more than I can name."
"I am absolutely amazed as I flip through this book."
"It arrived yesterday, and I spent my usual 2 hours of coloring time after dinner, just devouring the pages of information inside!"
"This book was gifted to me and as a person who designs coloring books I can honestly say that I have discovered that I am coloring challenged ."
"Having said that, I would still buy a book 2."
"I have done quite a lot of colouring, and you never stop learning, but I started the exercises from the beginning and am having so much fun."
"This book is fantastic!"
"good detail information on uses of light and shading."
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Best Figure Drawing

How to Draw What You See
Today, generations of artists have learned to draw what they see, to truly capture the world around them, using de Reyna’s methods. Rudy de Reyna is the author of many Watson-Guptill classics, including Magic Realist Drawing Techniques .
Reviews
"It was brought to my attention originally by a member of my class and that is why I ordered it."
"the recipient of this loved it."
"Shipped by stated date and good instruction."
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Best Art Collecting

Confessions Of an Art Addict
Here is a book that captures a valuable chapter in the history of modern art, as well as the spirit of one of its greatest advocates.
Reviews
"Well written and honest account of a singular woman who lived fully a life of purpose."
"I bought this book because it was cheap and because we were just about to visit the Guggenheim Bilbao."
"She lead an interesting life in an interesting time for the development of American art."
"Well told about the people she knew, places she lived and all she did to support artists."
"Her flamboyant lifestyle and harsh business ways in collecting art depicted by other writers makes for exotic reading."
"I was interested in the artists and Ms. Guggenheims relationships with them."
"First-person account of an unconventional life."
"Certainly a more interesting character then an author, Guggenheim details the art world when it was a more genuine and quirky place."
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Best Art Reference

Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking: 1
For all practical purposes making art can be examined in great detail without ever getting entangled in the very remote problems of genius." The book's co-authors, David Bayles and Ted Orland, are themselves both working artists, grappling daily with the problems of making art in the real world. Their insights and observations, drawn from personal experience, provide an incisive view into the world of art as it is expeienced by artmakers themselves. Art & Fear has attracted a remarkably diverse audience, ranging from beginning to accomplished artists in every medium, and including an exceptional concentration among students and teachers. David Bayles is an accomplished photographer, author, workshop leader, and conservationist.
Reviews
"It will challenge you to reevaluate your expectations and reframe your artistic pursuits in a manner that will allow for perpetual growth and minimize potential for burn out or "losing it"."
"This book is amazing."
"An excellent insight into the thought processes and predicaments of art."
"A neatly written nice little book on just what the title suggests."
"I know of many full time Arts Faculty (specifically Performing Arts) that still create and share their artistry outside of the classroom."
"This was recommended by a writer friend, but the wisdom in the book applies to any art form or issues of creativity."
"Art & Fear should be in every artist's bookshelf."
"Art philosophy and psychology making for a noteworthy read."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Color in Art

Colored Pencil Painting Bible: Techniques for Achieving Luminous Color and Ultrarealistic Effects
Take colored pencils beyond the ordinary with Colored Pencil Painting Bible ! ALYONA NICKELSEN is an award-winning artist whose work has been featured in numerous national and international exhibitions as well as in most of the country’s major art magazines, including American Artist, American Artist Drawing, The Artist’s Magazine, International Artist, American Art Collector, and Art Business News.
Reviews
"I also liked the fact that it said Colored Pencil PAINTING, because I have always thought the style and technique I favor - a heavy, opaque coloring, rather than a soft sketchy style - was more akin to painting than the drawing/sketching that most people think of when they think of colored pencils. I knew that when I was last heavily involved in this medium, a good 25 or so years ago, this style or approach, and the colored pencil medium in general was still considered a relatively new medium (in the general scheme of artist's media through the ages) and that people had been experimenting and pushing the techinique envelope, and new products had been developing as well. Not only does this book cover the ultrarealistic effects and luminous colors that are the author's forte, it also gives a good overview of principles of design, composition, color theory, fundamentals of light, shading and shadows, and other topics that are applicable to just about all visual art media, not just colored pencil. The focus of the book, as promised by the title, is on colored pencil drawing (painting), specifically with "dry" wax or oil based pencils (not watercolor pencils) So naturally a lot of pages are devoted to materials, media, supplies and tools. It covers the difference and similarities between wax and oil based pencils and specific brands thereof - including hardness, blendability, color range, and the "feel" of the pencil on the page plus an appendix with charts of all the major manufacturers' colored pencils and their ratings for lightfastness. This book is an essential in the library of anyone who is interested in making art with colored pencils."
"(Hopefully you can see that without my help) also I included a sample of a crystal candle stick, a leaf with a water droplet or two, pears, an apple, a brass pitcher, we'll you can tell what they all are except maybe red , yellow and blue peppermill."
"May I suggest additionally using the same techniques with water and watercolor pencils too, if you don't feel like getting fancy."
"cherry, orange-peeled and unpeeled, red pepper--cut and uncut, peach--cut and uncut, strawberry, indian corn in husk, dandelion, mortar and pestle, brass pitcher, crumpled paper, white eggs, glass of water, multicolored glass shaker, swirled marbles, and decorative perfume bottle."
"If you're an intermediate or advanced artist with colored pencil experience this is a good book. If you're new to colored pencils like I am this is not the right book for you. And it shows one small photo of the drawing. You need a lot of experience drawing and working with colors and so much else to create drawings that look ultra realistic."
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Best Business of Art

Art Money & Success: A complete and easy-to-follow system for the artist who wasn't born with a business mind.
• Connect with your right buyers. • Increase your $$$ income today. • Sell art easily and negotiate nicely. • License your art and get paid multiple times for one artwork. • Implement powerful money and business practices. • Trust your own creative intuition. If you are interested in generating more money and success from your art, then ART, MONEY & SUCCESS is for you!
Reviews
"I get so excited whenever I pick up this book!"
"So this most Californian of how-to books that focusses on how the author went about selling her surf-loving husband's art should have rubbed me – a cynical Old World Brit who merely dabbles in water colours when he's had too much to drink – up the wrong way. And yet, despite the odd mix of woo-woo spiritualism and crass Yankee commercialism (you have to emanate true love for other people before you can close the deal) I found myself, dare I say it, agreeing with her."
"Some of her advice I was already practicing before I read the book, but I also picked up a lot of great ideas from her book. What I really like about her book though, is that it’s full of great advice, without the condescending tone of some other art business books I’ve read."
"One of my friends let me read some of this book on her Kindle. Before I finished the first page I ordered the paperback, as this is one of those rare books that you need to read and re-read Filled with ideas, real life examples and information that is amazing to have in one book."
"Maria Brophy is unique in her field of art consulting in that she is actively managing the career of her artist husband in real time and, in that capacity, works firsthand with buyers."
"Most of what we read/hear about marketing and growing a business deals with the big picture mindset stuff, which, while definitely important in its own right, doesn't really allow us to take that next step with concrete ideas."
"I am an older artist finally following through on that dream I had when I was a teenager. "Before life got in the way"."
"Art Money & Success is the book I have been looking for over 20 years - one based on the business of being an artist."
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