Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Artist (Serious Beginner)

Customer Reviews:

I guess it depends on what you mean by serious.......2007-04-08

When she says serious... in the last few pages she tells you about becoming a full time artist, pros and cons kind of thing and options. She gives suggestions of places you can look into to show your work, but does not tell you how, just where to go. She does however say to go to the library to find out more or the internet. I guess most people don't know that, to me it is obvious. But hey, now you know and you didn't have to buy the book!

The artwork in the book sucks. It lacks depth and looks flat. Sure there is color, but it all seems to have the same pressure to it. Some may be better than others, buy my eyes don't want to look at it long. So, a tip that I know in becoming a serious artist is that if you actually want people to buy your work, you will want to create something that captures the attention of the viewer and keeps them there. The more they look at your work or the longer, the more likely they will buy it. The only one in there that looked pretty cool was the monopoly picture.

It's odd, she shows some basic examples of creating the illusion of 3D using tonal values from light to dark as well as discussing form, volume and space... but does not fully carry it through in her own work.

I just think if your going to learn from an artist, you would want to learn from someone who can give a good example. Why not learn it the right way the first time? There are too many other books that could do it better for ya. Check out books by Ann Kullberg, Janie Gildow, Gary Greene, Vera Curnow, or even Bernard Poulin. These artists have books for beginners and advanced, check them out and find the level best for you. They are better examples to follow. And if you want to start selling find a book strickly for that. Though Ann Kullberg, in "colored pencil portraits step-by-step has a section where she explains how she sells her portraits.

Are you kidding?.......2007-03-30

How did this artist ever get this published? The artwork in this book is so amateurish I did not even want to read what he/she had to say. I don't want my pieces to look like theirs. It looked like junior high artwork. The proportions of animals were totally incorrect, color wasn't eye catching, pieces looked like crayon drawings. This must be self published. I returned the book I didn't even care that I lost my shipping costs, I would never look at it or read it again.

Not for beginners.......2007-02-06

I think this may be a fine book for more advanced artists. There was little help for true beginners,even"serious " ones. There was much philosophy and opionion, but little practical help.

THE book on Colored Pencil........2007-01-25

If you can only have one book on colored pencil, let it be this one. I had to buy another one when my professor saw it. It is another book that I read with pen and highlighter in hand. I couldn't just read it I had to study it.

The only book you need.......2006-10-29

If you can only buy one book on the art and craft of colored pencil, buy this one! If you have a hundered books on art, I'd still say: you need this one! Bet Borgeson is well known for her intelligence, wit, humor, and her refusal to "talk down" to the reader or student. Page for page, there is more useful information in this book than in any other art book on my shelves -- and most of it is invaluable for artists working in any medium. From the basics of "getting started," to the philosophy of an artist's life, this book is jam-packed with useful and thought provoking information. Its richness and quality call to mind Richard Schmid's _Alla Prima_ or Rex vicat Cole's _ The Artistic Anatomy of Trees_, two of my other personal favorites. I love this book!

Basic Colored Pencil Techniques (Basic Techniques)

Average customer rating:

Great Book
A Different Concept for Backgrounds
No idea where to start? pick this one.

Basic Colored Pencil Techniques (Basic Techniques)
Bet Borgeson
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0891347364

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-01-21

I would recommend this book for beginners and intermediates as well. Easy to follow and the techniques I learned are priceless.

A Different Concept for Backgrounds.......2005-08-30

I found Borgeson's handling of background very interesting and different from all the other colored pencil artists' books. Her use of spot layering and single layer color juxtaposition helps to make the large areas go quickly. She also presents other methods to speed up colored pencil application. Of course, she covers all the basics, too. A good book for any colored pencil artist.

No idea where to start? pick this one........2000-03-25

I always liked to draw using colored pencil. Nevertheless, I never found any interesting book that would deal with several approaches to the colored pencil medium. After reading about Mrs. Borgeson work, I decided to try and never got disapointed. Her books (all of them) give you several different points of view about the colored pencil and teaches you (step by step) how to apply the techiniques to solve apparently simple problems. Layering, lifting, color interactions, error corrections, light and much more. A nice book to have and enjoy.

Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil: Basic Techniques for Mastering Traditional and Watersoluble Colored Pencils

Average customer rating:

Great instruction and inspiring tips!
Drawing And Painting With Colored Pencil
A Waste of money and time
Stunning Examples
Be Advised it is much to do about Watersoluble Pencils....

Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil: Basic Techniques for Mastering Traditional and Watersoluble Colored Pencils
Kristy Kutch
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Pastel | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Colored Pencil | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0823015688

Customer Reviews:

Great instruction and inspiring tips!.......2007-03-22

This is one of the "keepers". Kristy has done an excellent job here in not only instruction, but in very informative tips and techniques. Saves the new artist allot of time in getting right to the point and avoiding common mistakes. Kristy's book is highly recommended and I'd have given it more than 5 stars if I could have!

Drawing And Painting With Colored Pencil.......2006-11-06

Drawing And Painting With Colored Pencilery good reference book, I was very happy

A Waste of money and time.......2006-08-24

There are many other books available on this subject and they are all better than this one. There is nothing to be gained from reading this book. Forget it!

Stunning Examples.......2006-06-29

The illustrations for the techniques are Kutch's own colored pencil artwork. Her flowers are stunning and if I ever achieve a drawing on the level of her poppies or the morning glories, I'll be very happy.
Unfortunately, I struggled with some of the directions, bogging down over the art terms and special tools that I don't yet have. I think I'd benefit from rereading this book after I experiment more and stock in some of the supplies (special papers, ball burnisher, citrus thinner, etc.).
The techniques are shown in 5 or 6 steps with the illustration progressing as she describes the colors used. Most of the examples are flowers or fruit, but a few landscapes round it out.
The first 49 pages deal with regular colored pencils, then the rest of the book goes on to watercolor pencils and the techniques for those.

Be Advised it is much to do about Watersoluble Pencils...........2006-03-23

This is a wonderful book, don't get me wrong, however I expected it to relate more to colored pencils by themselves. The first section does, then it goes on to a much larger section on watersoluble pencils and the final section is devoted to using them in tandem. If you are interested in using them in tandem then by all means, this book should be on your shelf! The text is precise and easy to follow, the artwork is wonderful, to say the least.

Colored Pencil Techniques: Basic Skills, Workbook 1 (North Light Graphic Workbooks)

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Colored Pencil Techniques: Basic Skills, Workbook 1 (North Light Graphic Workbooks)
Bernard Poulin
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 089134280X

Book Description

Los Angeles in the decades after the Depression was a smoldering powder keg of vice, corruption, violence, and some of the most sensational crimes in American history. The Black Dahlia slaying, the Onion Field murder, film star Thelma Todd's mysterious death, the killing of Kansas City gangsters "The Two Tonys" by Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratiano: these are but a few of the cases that once riveted the nation's attention and were captured in striking crime-scene and forensic photographs for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Long forgotten in a warehouse, these recently discovered photographs from the LAPD archive form a powerful visual history of the underbelly of Los Angeles from the 1930s to the 1960s. Although disquieting and often brutal, the images have an atmospheric, eerie beauty that belies their documentary purpose. They are accompanied here by captions from police logs and original newspaper accounts, along with an introduction by James Ellroy, the leading practitioner of the Los Angeles noir genre, and an essay by curator Tim B. Wride discussing the archive's importance to social history and the history of photography. AUTHOR BIO: William J. Bratton is the 55th chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and has also served as police commissioner for both the Boston and the New York City police departments. James Ellroy's books include the international best-sellers The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, White Jazz, and American Tabloid. Tim B. Wride is associate curator of photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Customer Reviews:

COOL.......2007-02-04

This book is a really fun source of dead people photos. Crime scene photography has a very creepy, eerie aspect to it, that I dont think the photographers themselves think about, but anone who buys the book definetly will. A really nice addition to my library.

Good, But Lacking In Comparison.......2006-12-04

Scene of the Crime is the latest in a recent influx of collections of crime scene photography, and it has added appeal in that some of the images are of famous cases, such as the Black Dahlia murder and the Manson Family slaughterhouse. The book is laid out in the same manner as most of these books, with black and white images presented in the first half of the book, and information for each photograph at the back. Unfortunately, many of the photographs piqued my curiosity, only to find a sad, unsatisfying, "case information unavailable" comment awaiting me in the back of the book. Still, many of the images are so well-composed and interesting that they could be seen in art museums rather than cold case files, so this is a minor quibble.

However, there are also quite a few lesser and uninteresting images as well, which left me feeling a bit cheated given my suspicion that the LAPD coffers are overflowing with many more graphic, historic, and fascinating images. Comparing this book to the classic LA crime gallery Death Scenes: A Homicide Detective's Scrapbook serves to further point out this collection's shortcomings. There is nothing in here as punch-in-the-gut brutal as the image of the decapitated baby on the cutting board or as surreal as the peaceful head sitting in the middle of a road after a traffic accident, both from Death Scenes. Taken on its own merits, I might have given the book a five skull rating, but in comparison with its more amazing brethren I'd have to rate it a four.

Excellent collection.......2005-01-16

I am sure everyone is aware that Scene of the Crime is not the first collection of police archive photos to be released. The past few years have seen the release of many collections of such photos; the most well known being New York Noir, Evidence and Death Scenes. New York Noir and Death Scenes have a common thread in their use of well-known writers in their introductions. Luc Sante the noted New York historian collected the photographs for Evidence and penned the introduction for New York Noir. Katherine Dunne, the author of Geek Love is responsible for the intro to Death Scenes. Scene of the Crime follows that tradition; drafting the modern master of Los Angeles noir, James Ellroy, to pen the introduction to this collection of archival Los Angeles crime photos. Much as Luc Sante was the ideal choice for New York Noir, Ellroy is perfect for this collection of photographs from the city that has been his muse.

Some may be inclined to compare collected archival crime scene and police photos to the work of Weegee, but to do so would be a mistake. In his time Weegee photographed to satisfy tabloid papers and their readers. Don't get me wrong, I love the photographs he took, but the police photographer is not in it for the same thing. The crime scene photographer is there for documentation. It's his job, no different than taking portrait shots of unruly and unkempt children in a corner alcove at the local mall. However, there is art to be found in crime scene photos, it is not just point and shoot. The angles, the shadows, the composition of the photos, why some have the faces of the victims shown and why some do not, these are all aspects of the art behind the documentation of the crime scene.

After the introductions and essays the photograph collection is shown with no documentation other than the notes of the photographer written on the image. This technique forces the viewer to look at the photos and imagine the stories behind them. How and why did all the subjects living and dead end up facing the lens of the Los Angeles Police Photographer? The two suited men shot over dinner. The man shot dead in an open doorway. An empty room with an open door. Bloodstains on the floor. Cheesecake photos pushpinned to a panel wall. Cigarrette cartons and bottles strewn across a wood floor. Heads resting in puddles of blood. Knife and razor cuts. Bodies laying in doorways, on steps, in cars, on streets, face down, on their backs, partially dressed, fully suited, naked and cut into pieces. Bodies lying in tubs, lying in shallow graves, shot, beaten. Dead and beaten women who would be beautiful if it were not for the blood that has run from their mouths, noses, and ears. Sharp dressed men, with their suits covered in their own blood. Ah, the good old days...

After the collection an index tells as much of the story behind each picture as possible. It is interesting to look at the index and see how close your imagination was to the reality. How close were you to deciphering the scenes? Did you nail the stories behind the SLA note, the suicides, the lovelorn, the rejected, the beaten, the famous, the unknown, the riots, the drunks, the mobsters, the stars, the starlets, the starry eyed, or the Manson family?

At first I did not appreciate the layout of the book, photos with no captions. Without the background you are forced to study the scene more intently than you would if all the details were given to you. What happened? What time did the crime take place? Why did the crime take place? Who would commit such a crime? Who's body are you looking at? In effect, you become a detective, arriving at the scene of a crime, knowing absolutely nothing other than what you are staring at. In the end, this is a perfect layout for a collection of crime scene photographs. A book that becomes more revealing and more interesting every time it is opened.

Good but not great.......2004-11-21

Scene of the Crime was a bit disapointing due to the fact that the readr must go back and forth from the photos, to the captions, which are compiled at the end. Quite a few of the cases have no information available at all, as the other reviewers have mentioned, and although the LAPD has done a great job maintaining paper on most of these cases, some details are bound to slip through the cracks.

A few of the cases depicted in "Scene of the Crime" are also depicted in Huddleston's "Death Scenes", though nowhere near as graphic. Many of the locations found in the book are still standing, as a matter of fact, I often pass by the building shown on pgs 52-53 (traffic collision at 1st and Boyle) though now its an apartment building but still featuring the unique parapet up top.

Overall a pretty good read.

LAPD Scene Of The Crime (captions).......2004-11-18

Just a note on other reviews in regard to the lack of captions. The LAPD negatives are not kept with the case files. There are very few case files even available, as they have been destroyed due to lack of space. There is a normal descruction process within the LAPD for paper files. The cases researched in this book were taken from old homicide log books. Also newspaper databases were used. If you would like more details on the LAPD Archive please visit fototeka.com

Crime Scene Photography (Criminal Investigation Series)

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Crime Scene Photography (Criminal Investigation Series)

Manufacturer: Law Tech Custom Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1889315273

Product Description

Corinthian College Inc. Law Tech Custom Publishing Inc.Criminal Investigation Series.

Police and crime photography (A Universal photo book)

Average customer rating:

Police and crime photography (A Universal photo book)
Burt Murphy
Manufacturer: Verlan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007E4UX2

Book Description

Wrongfully accused of helping a slave escape, Thorgal is imprisoned aboard a vessel called the Black Ship, where he must struggle to survive in the hands of the cruel and demented Captain Veronar.

Book Description

Here is a hilarious and acerbic send up of what Enron's 2001 annual report to stockholders really should have looked like. Complete with charts and graphs that perfectly illustrate the biggest corporate scam of our newborn millenium, The Enrob Annual Report 2001 skewers the self-anointed masters of the universe -- and heaps on extra helpings of scorn and humiliation for good measure. Including chapters such as “Opportunities in Hypothetical Technology,” “Boring Stuff About Oil, Gas, Etc.,” and “An Unexpected Need for New Management,” this satirical report is a dead-on parody that's sure to elicit peals of laughter from all non-Enron executives throughout the country.(As for the Enron execs, they'll just be groaning.) For anyone who's disgusted with this scandal and would like an opportunity to get in on the mudslinging and have a good laugh, The Enrob Annual Report 2001 is nothing short of required reading.

Customer Reviews:

The truth can be hilarious.......2002-06-24

Enrob Annual Report 2001

The Enrob Annual Report is hysterical. As painful as the situation is for the many employees that suffer from the real Enron collapse, even they might take comfort from the pointedly acidic portrayal of executives gone power-hungry mad. This doesn't let anyone off the hook.

Anyone who has read through an annual report and wondered what it actually meant and how truthful can it be, will enjoy this report, written with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Give it to your favorite CFO or congressman - might wake them up a little!

Very Funny!.......2002-06-11

Very funny and beautifully designed! Sprinkled with hand written, politically incorrect comments to give it the look of a real Annual Report that has been given the "once-over" buy the clueless corporate muckety mucks. The photo illustrations are hilarious and the dialogue is classic corporate double talk. If you're sick of corporate greed (or just want to learn how to get in on all of the action) buy this book!

Corporate Greed in the 21st Century.......2002-05-11

With the Enrob Annual Report 2001 Platt and Narita have humorously captured the essence of corporate greed in the 21st century, from that money hungry guy on the cover, through the myriad of outrageously immoral financial schemes presented in this clever parody. I have read many of Mr. Platt's science and technical articles in Wired magazine and his expertise in this area has resulted here in a great collection of techno-babble schemes replete with "we're in the money" charts and graphs. Off planet accounting, government bribery, retirement fund theft, investor fraud, environmental destruction, and commodity manipulation; all areas are completely covered in Enrob's misguided quest for profits.

This is the lighter side of the Enron mess. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Let's have some fun for a change.......2002-05-08

It's so nice that someone finally gave us something to laugh about with this whole Enron mess. Platt and Narita's spoof is hilarious. The book is just long enough to get a good jab at every aspect of greedy corporate America at it's best (worst). I would love to watch an Enron executive read this material. Everyone in Congress should get a copy. Very well done with interesting photos and layout.

Average customer rating:

Enrob Annual Report 2001
Charles; Narita, Erico Platt
Manufacturer: Regan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEEJZO

Book Description

Over the years, Eric Maisel has worked with thousands of creative people, including writers, musicians, artists, dancers, and actors. He knows firsthand the struggles they must face, and through his many books and professional practice he’s helped them find balance in their lives while pursuing their artistic endeavors. Firmly grounded in psychology, Creativity for Life explores all the challenges confronting an artist: deciding if you have talent (or if that’s even important); determining your level of commitment; pursuing stardom; honing your craft; overcoming blocks; taking care of the business end of your artistic life; finding your place in culture; coming out as an artist; finding love and friendship inside and out of your artistic community; and using your art to explore your inner life. A comprehensive approach to the much-misunderstood artist's life, this book, contains both nuts-and-bolts ideas and exercises and inspiration to nurture growth as an artist and a person. It includes update and expanded material from Maisel's Life in the Arts.

Customer Reviews:

Midwest Book Review, May 2007 Issue.......2007-05-02

The latest from Eric Maisel is an amazing and wonderful book that any writer, musician, artist, or performer would benefit from reading. In CREATIVITY FOR LIFE, Maisel brings together concepts and ideas he's discussed in previous books, but here every part is synthesized and complete. It's a smorgasbord of examples and tactics. He breaks new ground in detailing the artist's personality in ways that that the non-psychologist reader will instantly understand, and the book is highly accessible to anyone from beginner to master.

In the introduction he distinguishes between the "artful life," which is the way many people wish to live; the "art-filled life," which includes the joy that art brings; and an "art-committed life," the process of actively choosing to be creative. It's this latter that's the focus of the book.

"As soon as you decide to be creative in a particular domain and that you mean to live as a novelist, biochemist, actor, or sculptor, you introduce a set of profound challenges that you would not have confronted if you had `settled' for artful living and an art-filled life" (p. xii). In four major sections, Maisel thoroughly examines the challenges faced in seeking an art-committed life: The Challenge of the Artistic Personality, The Challenge of the Work, The Challenge of Relationships, and Strategies & Tactics. Each section is brilliantly detailed and will make sense to anyone at any stage of invention, innovation, or imagination.

Because creative folks face major obstacles that non-artists do not, Maisel spends a great deal of time giving hints, ideas, and suggestions. Just a few include ways to silence negative self-talk, using visualization, focusing, and practicing one's craft while bringing to it skills such as regularity, honesty, self-direction, intensity, joy, discipline, and more. He tells us, "Creativity is the act of making one choice after another" (p. 120). Living an art-committed life is the same. As Maisel says late in the book, "Lifelong creativity isn't given to you. You must earn it and attend to it every day... You will have to dig deep to find the requisite honesty, courage, and resilience to live an artful, art-filled, art-committed life... You must really want it and really commit to it in order to have it... to crack through everyday resistance and create for a lifetime" (p. 319-320).

I approach every new nonfiction book by Maisel with giddy excitement, wondering what fresh aspect of the creative process he'll unearth, dust off, and show around. Sometimes I feel like the man must personally know me and the challenges I face in writing - but we have, of course, never met. Maisel is just an amazing creativity coach and counselor who knows the secrets and insecurities, triumphs and tribulations of those who seek the creative life. This book is the next best thing to personally experiencing Maisel's creativity coaching, and I highly recommend it. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review

Comprehensive and Enlightening, .......2007-04-11

As a trainer of creativity coaches, I felt like this book was a delightful feast. The information is both exceptionally intuitive and timelessly helpful to both those who work with creative people and the creative individual themself. If you are a creative person all you need to do is open this book to feel validated, understood and inspired. It is a motivating reality.

Success in the Arts: What It Takes to Make It in Creative Fields

Average customer rating:

A Shortcut to Success
nice guy - but not helpful at all !!!
If you don't have a mentor, get this book
First volume of, hopefully, two
Insightful Advice for a Challenging Career Field

Success in the Arts: What It Takes to Make It in Creative Fields
A Michael Shumate
Manufacturer: Elfstone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Business of Art | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0973933356

Book Description

Talent is not enough, sometimes it's not even the most important quality to promote success in the arts, says author A. Michael Shumate. His new book, Success in the Arts encourages straight thinking and professional attitudes in aspiring artists. He means artists in the broadest sense: musicians, visual artists, actors, dancers, filmmakers and writers. Each page contains an essential tip, entertaining illustration or pointed quote to guide any would-be artist. Shumate shoots from the hip with real-world advice plus realistic counsel and encouragement.

Customer Reviews:

A Shortcut to Success .......2007-07-08

This is a witty, easy-to-read book, with practical advice for those trying to break into the arts. It's well worth the investment.

nice guy - but not helpful at all !!!.......2007-05-17

I ordered this book, through an art email that offered bonuses if i bought the book - turns out, i got to listen to the authour on the radio talk on some website and repeating everything i had already heard in the book! I also got to download an ebook with a few helpful bits of advice on GRAPHIC DESIGN, which of course is what the author teaches. tough luck if you are a budding actress or a singer - how is that going to help you in your auditions!!

although i get the impression that the author is probably a really nice guy, i have to say i dont buy books just to LIKE SOMEBODY, i buy them to feed me KNOWLEDGE and to further myself in my profession! which this book does NOT deliver.

The book was basically written using other famous people's QUOTES that the author obviously has found over the years. as facinating as it is to re-read lots of OTHER PEOPLES quotes on how to be motivated and stay positive, i found that the author uses quotes from others, in nearly every paragraph! Im sure you will agree that a quote from Thomas Edison is always nice and learning 'HOW TO CATCH A MONKEY' is a very enlightening story BUT!!! - THAT IS NOT GOING TO GET YOUR ART SOLD , OR GET YOUR NAME IN SHINEY LIGHTS ON BROADWAY, is it?? this books title is SUCCESS IN THE ARTS - Written by someone i have never heard of ! (however i guess if you are a GRAPHIC DESIGNER and have spent years in the advertising industry, you COULD fool alot of people to buy your book, by giving it a GREAT TITLE and a nice ATTRACTIVE cover, SO theoritically you could eventually be SUCCESSFUL IN THE ARTS - dont you think??? )

if you are the type of person who has drive, ambition, heart and soul (oh and dont forget that little thing called TALENT btw) in your craft you will be successful, without even reading this book - and if you are the type of person who DID NOT KNOW THAT, - then maybe you might not make it anyway, regardless of buying this book!

This book would have been far better value for money if it actually listed a network of people to contact in the arts - (as he indeed tells you to have one, yet does not offer any kind of direction or contact list to help you begin your 'success in the arts'!!!)

Although im sure the author of this book is a 'very nice man and teacher' and now 'author' - i would like to offer some practical advice back - less of the philisophical and more of the PRACTICAL, maybe the way to go with the NEXT book!

i have never felt more MOTIVATED to write a review on my book until today! sorry its not a good one ! (oh and the 2 stars are because i think the author sounds like a very nice guy! otherwise i would give it 1 star)

If you don't have a mentor, get this book.......2007-03-24

What a great mentor Michael Shumate would be for anyone planning a career in the arts! It is quite clear that he has good advice developed over a long and successful career. I especially liked the part about "the Grand Poo-Bah": a bit whimsical, but it gets the point across with humor. If he can't be your mentor in person, then his book is next best. He is always clear, down-to-earth, and honest. You can read the book in an afternoon. It's a great investment for anyone in the target audience.

First volume of, hopefully, two.......2007-03-13

This short and very readable book is drawn from the author's experiences teaching art in college. Although mildly motivational, it lacks the pretense of many motivational books. It concentrates mainly on the ideas and attitudes will help an aspiring artist actually to become an artist and includes a few excellent quotes. Shumate addresses all practitioners of the arts, including visual artists, actors, writers, and musicians. There is a lot of good common sense in this book, which is necessary these days because common sense is in such short supply. Shumate urges people to work hard at their art, and to practice virtue and eschew the tendency to feel sorry for oneself, or to focus too heavily on oneself. In this day and age, this is sound advice because in many places, schools train prima donnas, not achievers. The one thing I missed, and a major reason I bought the book, was information on how to locate people who are in a position to advance the artist's career, and how to find resources likely to lead to such people. Obviously, Shumate has been successful in accomplishing this, and I hoped he would share his secrets. Though I had pretty much learned many of the things he discusses by the time I read the book, I did get some valuable ideas from it just the same. One should never be too proud to learn from experienced people. But the question for which I sought an answer was, where does the artist go from here? I sincerely hope that Shumate will write a "sequel" that includes this information.

Insightful Advice for a Challenging Career Field.......2007-02-09

Michael Shumate gives extremely insightful and relevant advice in a sometimes confusing career path. Unfortunately, being successful in the arts isn't as straightforward as some other professions (go to the right school, maintain a good GPA, get a solid internship). He suggests that if you have two of these three traits, you MIGHT make it:
-talent
-smarts
-passion
I've personally seen the road to a successful career in the arts littered with people lacking a few of these traits (yes, even very talented people). Definitely worth a read if you or someone you know is considering a career in the arts.

Average customer rating:

cool writing bad book
Profiles numerous alternative career choices

Creative Careers in Music
Josquin des Pres , and Mark Landsman
Manufacturer: Allworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Business | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Vocational Guidance | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1581153821

Book Description

Talented people of all levels can find profitable careers in today's thriving music industry with the help of this definitive guide. From song writers to producers, solo artists to band members, a wide variety of careers in the music business are fully described, outlining the skills and training required for each and how to target the right markets and income sources. Other professional advice includes an in-depth discussion on the pros and cons of starting a record label versus working with an established one.

Josquin des Pres, a songwriter, musician, author, and record producer, and Mark Landsman, a musician and songwriter, live in San Diego.

Customer Reviews:

cool writing bad book.......2006-05-27

this book is one of the most boring and repetitive books i have seen. chekc out ty cohens book if you really want a good jhob in the music industry "The Music Business: How You Can Make $500,000.00 (or More) a Year in the Music Industry by Doing It Yourself! Volume II "

Profiles numerous alternative career choices.......2001-02-21

Aspiring musicians often fail to realize how many careers exist beyond that of band member or performer: enter this title, which profiles numerous alternative career choices within the music business. From studio musician to working for a record label, Creative Careers in Music outlines all the possibilities.

Creative Secrets to a Successful Band: A Step-By-Step Guide for Bands to Survive and Come Out on Top in the Music Industry

Average customer rating:

Creative Secrets to a Successful Band: A Step-By-Step Guide for Bands to Survive and Come Out on Top in the Music Industry
Brian Hamm , and Jamie Warren Borden
Manufacturer: Artists R & D Intl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Production & Operations | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Business | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0963790005

Average customer rating:

Righting A Musical

Writing a Musical
Richard Andrews
Manufacturer: Robert Hale Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Rhetoric | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Play & Scriptwriting | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0709059132

Book Description

Richard Andrews has produced an easy-to-read guide to writing a successful musical, written in an informal style, which covers the entire process from the initial idea to the first night—all backed up with personal experience in West End theater. Every topic is covered, and a wealth of reference information is included in the resources section.

Customer Reviews:

Righting A Musical.......1999-12-17

This book is not the best one for starting on. There are certain truths about theatre and productions which are left out. The book is an excellent resource if you are writing a musical, although I think you may find some of the example a bit pityful! I think they should label that section How NOT To Write A Musical! But, as I said, this book is good for using if you wish to shape your musical on the final drafts. There's also a very good resource page, which gives addresses and websites for resources and publishers, producers etc. Before you buy this think whether you are almost happy with a peice you've already started writing, if not then you will need another book. But some sections are very good.

Book Description

In this book, the author analyses why it has become natural to regard rock and pop music as cultural practice today and what were the reasons for the parallel evolution of youth cultures as 'the' typical rock audience. In the first part of the book, structures and functions of popular music are examined as well as theoretical approaches to popular culture in general or the mass media system. The line of argumentation in the book's second part follows the chronological order of rock music's history from 1955 until the end of the sixties. This period is regarded as most crucial for rock and pop music by the author, because here basic structures, genres and styles evolved. Its relevance can still be recognised today in a variety of modern rock styles as well as in contemporary Techno culture or the postmodern character of music videos.

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