Product Description
What is color? From Aristotle and Plato through Newton and Goethe to Wittgenstein, philosophers and scientists have worked to understand and categorize color, while artists have made their own efforts to demonstrate its enigmatic logics. This is a book about color, and a book about color and art. Across eight essays and more than 150 works of art drawn from the collections of the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Merzbacher Collection, this book aims to define color as a phenomenon that manifests across many different lines of thought and areas of life: the history of art, the history of ideas, psychology, psychiatry and cognitive science, architecture, marketing, literature and music. The essayists for the volume are John Gage, Erich H. Buxbaum, Jacob Wamberg, Klaus Stromer, Morten Kringelbach with Kristine R0mer Thomsen, Gertrud Olsson, Lars Handesten, Steen Chr. Steensen, Helle Crenzien and Stephanie Rachum. ... Read more

Product Description
The first coloring book in the Northwest Native Arts Series. Learn about some of the real and legendary creatures revered by the natives of the west coast by using these templates to create spectacular pictures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Native Arts Coloring book
Designed and written as a child's coloring book, this gives a good overview of the symbology and importance to the Pacific North West Indians of each of the animals selected to "color" in. The legend in the front of the book explains the color scheme(s) and provides an outline of each animal on the following pages for a child to color. It gives wonderful examples of the artwork for a child to learn a bit about these symbols. However; if you are looking for an in-depth analysis of the symbology of the Northwest Indian arts or a "how-to" book, this would not be a good book for you. I wish I had known this was a "coloring book" before I bought it as I would have passed it over for something more detailed! ... Read more

Product Description
The second colouring book in the "Northwest Native Arts" Series. Learn about some of the real and legendary creatures revered by the natives of the west coast by using these templates to create spectacular pictures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Kid's Coloring Book
Like the companion book "Northwest Native Arts: Creative Colors 1" this book is designed and written as a child's coloring book, this too gives a good overview of the symbology and importance to the Pacific North West Indians of each of the animals selected to "color" in. The legend in the front of the book explains the color scheme(s) and provides an outline of each animal on the following pages for a child to color. It gives wonderful examples of the artwork for a child to learn a bit about these symbols. However; if you are looking for an in-depth analysis of the symbology of the Northwest Indian arts or a "how-to" book, this would not be a good book for you. I wish I had known this was a "coloring book" before I bought it as I would have passed it over for something more detailed! ... Read more

Product Description
These bright, compact hardcovers introduce young readers and their parents to six visual building blocks--Lines, Shapes, Colors, People, Places and Stories--via an assortment of the great masterpieces of twentieth century art. Author Philip Yenawine, the longtime Director of Education at The Museum of Modern Art, is currently co-director of Visual Understanding in Education, a developmentally based education research organization. He has also been affiliated with education programs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. In Shapes Yenawine asks questions like, "Can you find buildings? And roofs?" while looking at a Picasso study. Other Shapes artists include Seurat, Gauguin, Malevich, Mondrian, Arp, Klee, Smith and Dali. Colors looks at Monet, de Kooning, Kandinsky, Albers, Stella and Johns, among others. Places includes 21 artworks by artists such as Hopper, Munch, Klimt, and Bonnard, while People highlights works by Balthus, Degas, Freud, Cezanne, Neel and Rivera. Lines features 16 works by van Gogh, Matisse, Pollock, Morandi, O'Keeffe and others. And Stories includes Chagall, Wyeth, Lichtenstein, Dubuffet, Shahn, Moore and Magritte. Each volume comes with an illustrated summary of artworks. ... Read more

Product Description
Artists constantly tell us that they need guidance for rendering skin tones in their portraiture. This book helps them overcome this elusive challenge by providing a clear set of easy-to-follow principles for painting a variety of skin tones in three major mediums--oil, pastel and watercolor. The first chapter is rooted in the basics, showing artists how to recognize and use the five major elements of painting: drawing, value, color, composition and edges. From there, artists learn how to work with light, shadow and color to effectively capture the beautiful skin tones of various ethnic groups, including Caucasian, Asian, African-American and Hispanic. Next, artists discover how to execute the principles learned, using detailed instruction for color selection, mixing and application. Four mini-demos, three long demos and many examples illustrate the lessons.Artists will benefit from advice on shooting and choosing photographs to paint, how to edit their compositions and work past their limitations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

A MUST HAVE FOR THE PORTRAIT PAINTER
This book was my number one resource when learning to paint portraits in color. Although the demonstration paintings are done in either pastel or oils, it doesn't matter what medium you are using - you will still gain an in-depth understanding of color theory that will aid in creating beautiful skin tones. Step-by-step photos, clear explanations of the progress of the painting, and sample palettes give a complete guide to the creation of each portrait. In addition, the author provides one of the most comprehensive and comprehensible explanations of color theory that I have found anywhere. It's a real must have for any artist, but especially the portrait artist looking to either begin or improve the use of color in their work.

WOW for those who need to shape up their color mixing skills!
I was attempting a portrait of my stepdaughter when I first encountered this problem. I am an artist and pride myself in portraits but I have a hard time seeing color, like, I see it ofcourse but it doesn't translate to my canvas very well as I've seen some of my friends able to do. I see shapes and figure more in their light and shaddow and shadding and before this book, I pretty much ignored color all together and made up my own, which worked out ok until...

I'm doing this portrait of Aly, my step daughter, and in the picture I was using most of her face was in shaddow. So my brain automatically says, make it darker, right? No, deffinantly not. Her pretty little face turned every color from red to greet to black and still, I couldn't get this shaddowed skin tone right. It looked like she had some sort of nausty, skin destroying disease. I couldn't just "make up" a color this time cos it just wasnt working and I had no idea what so ever on how to darken colors without changing them all together or turning them poopy grey. So I'm about to shoot myself, I hid the painting, and throw a huge temper tantrum to my husband who laughes at my. Basically, I was extreemly frusterated.

Long story short, I had to pick up a new tub of white paint because I had literally used all of mine trying to mix this damn color, was walking through an art store I go to when I don't have time to order my stuff, and I passed this book. "..beautiful shintones in color and light." A few minutes too late but

I rushed home and ordered this book and it basically saved my life and the lives of those around me, haha. It was great to learn from a technical stand point how light interacts with color and how to make your colors lighter or darker with out just using white and black. The author really knew what they were doing and did a fantastic job explaining it to the some of us who it isnt already obvious. I've noticed I'm able to give much more life to my portraits and knowing more about color, it takes a lot of strees off so I can focus on capturing the personality of my subjects, rather than just a pretty copy/past image.

You will NOT waste your money on this book. There was a lot more info in here on composition and what not but I took most from her color advice. Thank you, Chris Saper, THANKYOU.

Stunning Portraits
Cris Saper rises to a new level in portrait painting by clearly describing easily-learned techniques based upon light
temperature. The effects are bright and moving. The reader is first instructed on the basics of painting, then how to
properly photograph a subject to produce pleasing warm and cool planes of the face. Seven toning demonstrations detail
the steps required to render the color of light for the major ethnic groups. Studies of color harmony, center of interest,
and the importance of edges are repeatedly stressed. The author employs the physics of light in a revealing way and I
found the book fulfilling in its concepts.

I keep going back to it!
This was one of the first books I bought specifically on the topic of color in portraits. It's wonderful!! I keep it in my studio and refer to it again and again. The color charts in the appendix are well worth the price of the book, just in themselves. As an artist on a budget, I would tell anyone that this book is a must!

Painting Beautiful Skin Tones with Color & Light
Great book.I had taken it of the library twice and then decided I must own my own. ... Read more

Product Description
The approach to color theory in Confident Color makes selecting colors easy and efficient. Readers will learn the importance of color schemes and color contrasts and how to use them effectively when painting. They will learn how to create a color scheme or palette for their paintings, as well as how to use similar colors, contrasting colors, neutrals and complements to take their compositions to new heights. A lively illustrated color glossary provides a refresher on color basics so that the reader can focus on more complex theories.

Alleviates the struggle artists have when determining color combinations by providing 7 step-by-step demonstrations that show how to select and make color schemes, color contrasts, compatible colors and more.

Includes an assortment of work from 52 contributing artists using a variety of mediums. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Excellent resource
As I study drawing and move into painting I came to realize that I was very lacking in understanding color and how it works.The Leland book has been most helpful and will continue to be helpful as I work more and more with color.

Best Color Book out There!
This book changed the way I think about color! It has several templates to help you select color combinations that might be new to you.This book helped me to get out of my color rut!I create mosaic art, and I was easily able to transfer the information about painting to my glass and tile color selection.The information about color in this book can be applied to glass art, beading, tiling, collage, paper art etc...

Confident Color
Another great book from Nothern Lights. So much information in one place, helps to decipher the mystery and science of color. A wonderful reference source and the spiral binding allows the book to lie flat for ease of use.

Confident Color
So far, what I have read and observed has helped me in mixing my colors to get the effect I want in my water color pictures.

Confident Colour: An artist's Guide to Harmony, Contrast and Unity
Confident Color provides an indepth look at colour theory and application. It is a valuable tool for artists and art teachers who wish to establish a sound understanding of how to use colour effectively in paintings. The author provides a series of activities to learn about colour application in painting and encourages readers to create their on colour reference charts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An awesome book
I found this book an excellent visual guide to color on the printed page. Search Google on "Jean Bourges" and look for the "Bourges Color Wheel" to get a sense of the depth this book offers. Chapter 3 opened my eyes to the power of adding black in 10% increments. This book is a CMYK labor of love.

THATS MY GRANDMA
People obviously dont know their stuff because Jean Bourges is an amazing woman who knows a lot more about color then most people ever will. oh and SHE'S MY GRANDMOTHER!

What a disappointment!
This thin, self-published book purports to help the graphic artist choose the right computer colors through a complex formula that is ridiculously impractical. Much of the information in the book is trite, out-of-date and not very helpful.

You'll want to keep this book handy!
This is a wonderfully interesting, easy to read book that is educational, informative and an invaluable reference. I am a graphic designer, and I keep "Color Bytes" close by my computer so I can refer to itoften. I especially enjoyed learning more about the psychological effectsof color use, and their applications in advertising and design. I heartilyrecommend this book!

An outstanding Color Reference.
This is one of the most wonderful color references I've ever found. It isso easy to read, yet packed full of information and history. I can't waitfor Ms. Bourges next book! ... Read more

Product Description
An oversized hardcover with dust jacket, a cookbook from the Culinary Arts Institute. An encyclopedia of over 4400 recipes with more than 500 color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

culinary arts
this book gives me a lot of great ideasa and insite on cooking and techinges its a great book. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides more than fifty hands-on projects for original artwork, while teaching a variety of techniques and concepts in sculpture, prints, design, textiles, and texture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great Kids Craft Idea Book
I regularly teach 4th trough 6th grade kids on Sundays where they expect to have some kind of craft to do each week, which is not easy to come up with every week.I have used several of the level 3 crafts from this book, which were well received by the kids.I think that I will get a few more good crafts out of this book.The level 1 and 2 level craft are too simple for this age group, but I am sure would be fine K through 3rd grade kids.

Excellent for all ages
I love this book for art projects for my homeschooled K & 2nd grade girls.The activities have levels and you can look in the back of the book for projects grouped by level or medium.I have taken some of the activities and changed them to work for everything from K-3rd grade.The projects use basic supplies and have instructions and then further ideas on how to use the ideas presented.

Useable Art Lessons
This is the most useable kids art lesson book I've ever seen!I like the creative ideas that use things I have on hand or are inexpensive to buy!

Art with great results!
Teachers and parents, don't miss this art resource for your kids!The author has done a wonderful job of compiling a variety of activities using a variety of materials, at a range of skill levels.I have completed a few of these projects with students aged 6-16, and they have turned out great.The materials are easily obtained, the projects generally uncomplicated, and the instructions clearly illustrated and easy to follow.

Projects include designs and pictures made with paint, glue, string, sand, cut-out paper shapes, markers, foil, beans, macaroni, glitter, plants, fabric.Techniques include drawing, experimenting with shape, line, texture and color, contrasting shapes and colors, stamping, splatter and spin, weaving, shadowboxes, 3-D sculptures of various materials, crayon resist, sponge painting.Not only can all these projects keep your kids being creative, they really turn out attractive.I have several art books for children by this same publisher and they are all excellent.

Kids Art Works
Fabulous and fantastic!!!I teach K-8 at a Catholic school and this book is an invaluable resource.The projects are incredibly fun and easy to understand ( with step-by-step instructions and illustrations also rated with a level for different ages and abilites) and at the same time very educational in teaching color, design, and texture. ... Read more

Product Description
An engaging and often amusing account of the little known use of artists, designers, and architects as army, navy, and civilian camouflage experts (called "camoufleurs") during World Wars I and II. Described and illustrated are documented attempts--some ingenious, others bizarre--at "fooling the eye" by such prominent artists (from France, England, the US, and Germany) as Abbott H. Thayer, Jean-Louis Forain, Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac, Jacques Villon, Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, Norman Wilkinson, Everett Warner, Sherry Fry, Barry Faulkner, Homer Saint-Gaudens, John Singer Sargent, Frederic Waugh, Edward Seago, Blair Hughes-Stanton, Charles Burchfield, Oskar Schlemmer, Franz Marc, Edward Wadsworth, William Stanley Hayter, Roland Penrose, Julian Trevelyan, Eric Sloane, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Gyorgy Kepes, Jon Gnagy, Arshile Gorky, Victor Papenek, and Ellsworth Kelly.

Illustrated by 120 vintage photographs, diagrams, and artworks, the text explains how the strategies used to conceal objects in nature and warfare are based on the very same "unit-forming factors" that artists, designers, and architects use every day in the creation of paintings, prints, fonts, logos, page layouts, web sites, furniture, buildings, and so on.

Throughout the book, the author makes shrewd observations about the connections of art, design, and camouflage to such seemingly wide-ranging topics as Gestalt psychology, esthetics, Cubism, Dada, Surrealism, psychoanalysis, kindergarten, creativity, the Bauhaus, Frank Lloyd Wright, humor, dream analysis, Rockwell Kent, poetry, pickpockets, and sleight of hand.

Of additional interest are a camouflage timeline, an account of the etymology of the word camouflage, and a 10-page bibliography, the largest ever compiled on the subject of art and camouflage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

False Colors Review
Excited about this book.It is only black & white, but since it is more historical and filled with theoretical information, I think that it's alright to not be in color.It took a little time to arrive, but was within the time range of the assigned delivery date.

A somewhat strange book
As a serious Naval Historian I purchased this book for the information it contains about USN and Allied Naval Camouflage Theories, and Applications....And I was not disappointed as this book does proved an excellent insight into the operations of the camouflage bureaus in both WW1 and WWII.....As well a look at the visual and artistic theories used in the design and evaluation of camouflage patterns............Unfortunately it is written in an 'artsy style', with loads of what I felt were 'off the subject' text, illustrations, cartoons and such....I would however recommend it to the serious Naval Historian for information not published elsewhere....Wayne Scarpaci ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

written
I teach art and am a professional artist.When I brought a copy of this book, from the library, to class, every student (adults, many prof. artists) asked me to please order one for them.Excellent, readable, a must-have.

Inspiring and informative
This book is a wonderful overview of color that I'd highly recommend to children as well as adults. Artists will find the historical information on color of special interest. As with all DK books, the photos and graphicsare fun and illuminating. ... Read more

Product Description
Striking reproductions from a rare French portfolio of plants, animals, birds, insects, florals, abstracts, women, landscape and other subjects—all depicted in the sensuous, curvilinear Art Nouveau style. Designs shown in a wide array of usable formats: borders, repeating patterns, mortised cuts, corners, frames, and other configurations. Imaginative copyright-free art for use in textile and wallpaper design, book and magazine illustration, poster art, and a host of other graphic projects.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not a 'ready-to-use' book, but beautiful ideas...
I purchased this book along with one by M. P. Verneuil, and, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give THIS one a firm "5". The idea starters are here, in some lovely period (although somewhat mono to duochromatic) colors, but most are small and will need much manipulation and skilled handwork to transfer to a project. Because of their small printed size, a scan into digital format can only help so far: I was able to scan a chosen 1.5" X 3" image in at 300dpi, re-interpolating the image at 200% size. THEN I was able to "re-draw" the image by tracing it using Adobe Illustrator, producing my own vector (infinitely scaleable) digital image. It took me (a professional graphic artist) about 3 hours total to produce ONE of the 7 borders I need for several urns I am working on.

When every minute counts, I cannot afford to do this every time I need an image to "accent" a project I've already spent hours on, so, for me, it would be far easier to dream up a design (or use one of the illo's in this book as a 'starter') on my own without going through all of the scanning, re-drawing, image manipulations, tweaking, re-sizing, etc.

For those who KNOW there's no such thing as a "free lunch" (or thick volume of totally usable art for tracing or stencilling), this is still a nice book for referencing, especially if you're having a creative block and need some sparks to get the artistic fire going. But do expect to work at turning out a scaleable, tileable piece.

My only other disappointment was that this was a relatively THIN book (let?), and might've been a little nicer (and heftier!) if they'd NOT tried to squeeze so many illo's onto each page (hence, making most almost too small to work with)...


On the other hand, the "other" book I purchased, "Art Nouveau Floral Patterns and Stencil Designs" by M. P. Verneuil, was WONDERFUL (read my review of it there): the illo sizes are comfortable, the colors are bewitching (true color, not mono or duo tints!), and I am eager to use 4 out of every 5 designs (159 total crisp, detailed color plates)in the book!

-- Shea

Absolutely Gorgeous!!
This book is fantastic. Beautiful images and tons of borders, full-color - breath taking!

poor colour
Being a lover of Art Nouveau style, I liked the designs which will be very useful in my artistic endeavours. However, I was quite disappointed with the presentation of colours and sometimes print quality ... Read more

Product Description
The Color Compendium is the first comprehensive, illustrated encyclopedia entirely devoted to color.This extraordinary reference covers the full range of color-related subjects, including their scientific, technical, artistic, and historical aspects.

The Color Compendium features:
- An A to Z encyclopedia, extensively cross-referenced for easy access to all information
- A section of color systems, explaining their development and use
- Sections on color communication and symbolism
- Biographies of leading historical and contemporary color theorists, and commentaries on their ideas
- A fully illustrated section of historic and twentieth centurypalettes and their source artifacts
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

color reference manual
I purchased this book based on a recommendation from an art teacher that I took a class from.It is different than I thought it would be but a very useful reference guide.The contents includes a color section and essays,And the categories with definitions range from A to Z.So the A section has descriptions for Aalto, Alvar, Abberation, Absinthe, Abstraction of color, acacia etc. etc.And, each of these has a commentary on what or who it is and a description.It is a great reference book for any artist or someone taking art classes.I like it and refer to it many times.

The Color Compendium
This is one of the most straightforward resources on color symbolism and usage that I have found.I did my thesis on symbolism and had to use MANY resources, this was one of most "user friendly".It would be the perfect desktop resource for a designer. ... Read more

Product Description
Traditional color-by-number is a bore once you see the light shine through these 20 different projects. Use the included double-nibbed markers to create your art directly on the see-through vellum pages using our suggested color pairings, or create your own. Make a window hanging, a Japanese banner or a mobile – a shining example of Klutz at it’s finest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great kit for all ages
My 5 year old loves it and sits for ages.Ditto for my 7 year old. They have to compete with me though.All the windows in our house and papered with them and they look so pretty.Ever since I got this kit for Xmas I have purchased 3 more for kids birthdays. A great buy.

Fun!
This is a great way to pass a rainy day!I'm a big fan of the Klutz products and continue to try out there many different books.I have never been disappointed.I have bought more of these to give as gifts.

Adorable
I bought this for my 12 year old daughter and she abosolutely loved it.So did my 19 year old!We even bought one for the neighbors 13 year old daughter for her birthday because she loved it as well.It's a great gift for someone at that in betweeen age.

We love Klutz
Great for a rainy day project.Keeps the kids busy as they create beautiful masterpieces!!

no batteries !!
my 10 year old grand-daughter has spent probably 100 hours coloring in this book and requested a second copy for her b'day so she could choose the alternate pictures to color !!

wow.... ... Read more

Product Description
Meticulously rendered black-and-white versions of 29 great abstract art masterpieces of the 20th century. Frank Stella’s Lac Laronge III, Ad Reinhardt’s Number 30, Helen Frankenthaler’s Indian Summer,many more. Color to match originals, or let your imagination run free to create brand new variants of these classic pieces. 29 b/w illus.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

cool... but not the best I've seen
I was looking forward to using this with my art students, and it is a really interesting way to introduce them to art pieces. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I've seen other books provide a brief intro before each piece that talks about the artist... not this one.

Abstracts
I thought this book of abstract arts are full of lines and shapes similar to the cover but I was wrong. I forgot that different artist has different views of their abstract art. There are some pieces of abstract inside that contains only very simple shapes like circles or triangles, but it's a masterpiece already! I wonder why? but it's great to have this book... :-)

A Plethora Of Modern Art
This amazing book by Muncie Hendler is great in many ways. The primary use is obviously exposing children to some of the greatest abstract art in the history of the world in a fun and interactive way. It succeeds brilliantly in that goal, but it is actually a good way for adults (especially young adults or people new to modern art) to learn about and appreciate abstract art as well.

The book is nicely printed, and features nice (but relatively small) color images of the original works of art as well as the actual pages to be colored in black and white.

This is a great way to expose people to the joys of abstract art. I think it is a brilliant little book, and is the best of the series by Muncie Hendler.

Great for adults, too
There are 30 different abstract art masterpieces represented here, so it is definitely worth the price.All pieces are shown in color on the front and back covers, and each individual page has the name of the artist (years of their birth-death), title of the work, date created and type of medium used.So, it's educational and fun.I recommend it for all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
Explains how to make use of colour in oil, acrylic and watercolour painting. Colour theories are outlined, but the main emphasis is on the way contemporary artists actually use colour. The book's thesis is that once artists have become acquainted with fundamental colour principles, they can begin to have fun with colour and play with it spontaneously. A number of approaches to colour are set forth as a guide, including building a picture with colour blocks, enriching colour with shadows, heightening colour intensity, achieving freshness with broken colour, painting with sunlight, experimenting with abstract colour systems, fantasizing with colour and creating space with colour. Each of the sections of this book are illustrated by the work of artists of historical importance as well as by the work of contemporary artists. There are also a number of development studies of the author's own work. Each section closes with a group of suggested exercises. Charles LeClair is the author of "The Art of Watercolour: Techniques and New Directions". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

What good is it for practicing artists?
As a painter, inventing painting as I paint, what can I learn from other painters, in reality? After the student period, which means that period of conceptualization and intuition just before you paint a new picture, the color in a work is that artist's color grammar in a language of that artist, and not of any other painter's language -- not even a 'dialect', when it comes down to it, because we're seeing our world and color directly and not looking over our shoulder at another artist's work.

What then, can this book 'do' for me for the discussion of color and painting that any looking at paintings might not do?

one of the best books on artmaking I've ever read
I read this book cover to cover, finding it both engaging and inspiring. I've studied plenty of other books on color, and this one doesn't take the place of detailed works on various color wheels and apporaches to mixing color. But! If, as an artist, I could own only one book on color, this is the one I'd choose -- because I know I can come back to it any time for more inspiration.

This book seemed to turn on a "color ideas" section of my brain, so I'd go to bed imagining colors to try the next morning, and dream in more colors too.

I'm especially impressed that the author presents a full range of approaches to color and painting. His own work is interesting but nothing I'd want to do myself, but he's confident and humble enough to include the work of many other artists as well.

Don't miss this one!

excellent
I feel I have a greatly increased understanding of the uses of color.This book doesn't make good/bad assertions, it just explains what is done, why, with examples.I make better color decisions now.

useless!
A book not good enough for beginners ...really more of a how-to-paint magazine lacking actual info on how to paint...better to study masters and take classes

My favorite edit
I edited this book many years ago and STILL consult it about color questions. (Yeah, I'm an editor, but I used to be an artist--one who, while I was still painting, desperately needed a book like this. And after that, needed it even more when I chose art history as my muse.)

Am I prejudiced toward this book? Yes, of course. For instance, I love Diebenkorn's work and helped choose the painting that graces the cover. And Charles Le Clair, the author, taught me so much, even though we sometimes did battle over his writing quirks (and my editing ones).

I see now, more than a decade after Color in Contemporary Painting was first published, that even though the paintings Charles used to explicate various uses of color are still valid in that context, perhaps a 21st-century update of some kind may be called for. BUT: Really, how much does color use change in major ways that differ from what Charles has presented?

SO: Here is a plea: Suggest some newer examples. I will forward appropriate ones to the publisher. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

How do They Do that?
This book is adorable!The black & white drawings actually change to colors right before your eyes (when you pull the flap).It took us (the parents) a while to figure out how they do it.The kids should be "duped" for a long time to come.I can't believe how inexpensive this great book is considering how nicely made it is.It would make a wonderful gift for a creative kid, especially if you paired it with some paints of her/his own.

Magic art class
This has been a wonderful book for my 2 year old.We started reading it when she was 18 months and now she laughs so loud when she sees the different color animals and can tell me the colors.

Magical Book Teaches Creativity
This short board book is truly magical - it will have parents looking to see "how did they do that??" as you pull out tabs that magically change a black & white children's drawing to vivid color.The storyline is simple and not very memorable, but the illustrations are wonderful and the story can help inspire children to think "out of the box".If they want to draw an orange pig, go ahead!The girl in the story is attending art class and chooses to paint her subjects whatever color she feels like. The only drawback is the same as with most pull out tabs - they can get worn and difficult to use with repeated use. And these will get used!My 3 year old loves it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

great coloring book
Bought this for my 7 year old son.He loves coloring the pictures and it is amusing to see the Mona Lisa with big red lips and blue hair.I also like that the pages rip out easily so I can give him one picture at a time.Good deal!

Art Therapy
This is such an educational coloring book.Who knew learning about Art could be so much FUN!

coloring book
I was disapointed when I looked at this book. The paper is nice but it has alot of weird pictures. I give it one because of the paper quality. It cost to much for what you get.

One of the best adult coloring books
I have several of the adult coloring books, from sealife to flowers to several of the famous artist series, including Van Gogh, the Impressionists, Monet, etc. I just recieved this book and am impressed that it is two or three times the size of all of the other books, making it a good value. Each page has a picture on one side and is blank on the other side, which means that one can make good use of each picture, without impressions from coloring one side going through to the other side. There were a few pictures that were duplicates from some of my other coloring books, but only a very few.

Recommend for all ages - increases appreciation for the classics
This is a great color book. It took me awhile to get started on it because I was a bit overwhelmed by the "classicness" of the pictures. How could I ever do justice to these great artist? But then I started just having fun with it. Sometimes I try to stay with the artists color patterns but sometimes I do my own; I kind of dolled up the Mona Lisa.
It's a high quality book, I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Focuses on Japanese wood block prints of the Edo period (1600-1868) by explaining the subject matter as well as the technique used in making them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful, even for middle school students
I agree with Ms. Applebaum: this book is a little gem.It has 23 well-replicated 18th/19th century woodblock prints, and background commentary on the culture and people of Japan.Well worth it!

A Real Treasure
I was astonished to find this wonderful little volume when I went browsing through Amazon a few years ago looking for children's art books. I was surprised because my son, then 11, was complaining about the amount of Japanese art in our house, and he didn't understand what it was all about. Then I found this wonderful book! You can only imagine my surprise.

What's been neat about this small little treasure has been how it's spoken to all 3 of my children as they've grown up, and made this art so much more personal for them. Public schools these days have such tiny art/music budgets, that as parents, we have to be able to "bring art home" because they will only see it from a distance behind crowds of people at a museum. I wish there were more books like this; parents need them today.

Every now and then I take out this book, and it's like a new treasure, once again, for my younger girls (7 and 10), who always look at art books in different ways as they grow; as picture books when they're young and then as real books as they can read themselves.

This is something we'll always treasure.

A Real Treasure
I was astonished to find this wonderful little volume when I went browsing through Amazon.com a few years ago looking for children's art books. I was surprised because my son, then 11, was complaining about the amount of Japanese art in our house, and he didn't understand what it was all about. Then I found this wonderful book! You can only imagine my surprise.

What's been neat about this small little treasure has been how it's spoken to all 3 of my children as they've grown up, and made this art so much more personal for them. Public schools these days have such tiny art/music budgets, that as parents, we have to be able to "bring art home" because they will only see it from a distance behind crowds of people at a museum. I wish there were more books like this; parents need them today.

Every now and then I take out this book, and it's like a new treasure, once again, for my younger girls (7 and 10), who always look at art books in different ways as they grow; as picture books when they're young and then as real books as they can read themselves.

This is something we'll always treasure. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

A lovely book for children.
Art for all ages of children is essential. This is a wonderful "first book" of art that helps children understand color in their world.

A Thoughtful Overture to Art for Thoughtful Parents
Lucy Micklethwait will hopefully add more books to this concept.A whole series of subjects that introduce young eyes to the art world is much needed and Micklethwait seems to be the one to prepare it.

In this small but stunning book the child's eyes are trained to look for color, learn to identify color related to natural forms as depicted by artists, both from the school of the masters to contemporary practitioners, and react!The results are not only beneficial to the child: reading and viewing this book is bound to sharpen the eye and the knowledge of the parent or friend sharing the experience.

If there is to be a future for art, artists, and museums, in this era of cutbacks in art teaching from the school curriculum, then books such as this sensitive one will help save the day.Recommended for eyes of every age!Grady Harp, December 05 ... Read more