The Great American Pin-Up (Midi)

Customer Reviews:

Loving it.......2007-01-30

I love this huge book. It gave me background on the artists that I wasn't expecting, and discovered new artists that I hadn't seen before. Covers a wide spectrum of styles too. It's my #1 coffee-table book.

Beautiful.......2005-01-20

An absolutely brilliant book. It bridges the gap between coffee table book and text book. An excellent overview of pinup art with glorious reproductions of the original pinup girls.

Great Pin-Up Art from a Bygone Era.......2004-12-23

This coffee table book is a good cross-section of sexy pin-up art of a bygone era that knew that showing less was more. These renderings are definitely more enticing than a lot of today's artists who don't leave anything to the imagination by showing a girl spread-eagle on the hood of a car.

Definitely a "must-buy" or at least a "must-peruse" the next time you see it at a bookstore or on someone's shelves.

An Excellent Collection of Art & Artists.......2003-06-02

This is one of the finest collections of pin-up art from the talented artists that brought these beautiful women to life. These were very risque for their time but they were a true celebration of women. This is the kind of open mindedness and genuine appreciation missing from today's society. Women are wonderful, intelligent, beautiful people and life would be a tragedy without them. There...I said it!

From The Garage To The Coffee Table.......2003-02-04

This is an excellent overview of the genre, on an artist-by-artist basis, from the classic era of the mid-twentieth century. All of the artists here are deserving of recognition, though only a handful of them are truly well-known and adequately documented in print elsewhere. All of the many artists here are well-represented; the reproduction is flawless, and the commentary is intelligent and well-researched. The original edition is my point of reference here, so I can't vouch for this one fully, but it appears to have maintained the integrity of the earlier printing and is a very handsome production as well.

Average customer rating:

OOP The Great American Pin - Up

The Great American Pin - Up
Charles G. Martignette
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0681891033

Product Description

This book tells the tale of a genre as utterly American as the paintings of Edward Hopper describing it's origins and development in detail and showcasing the most important artists. With over 900 illustrations, The Great American Pin - Up is one of the most comprehensive studies of the genre to appear anywhere.

Customer Reviews:

OOP The Great American Pin - Up.......2007-06-18

Taschen's now out-of-print homage to the great artists has been a godsend for sourcing artists and their styles. These lost masterpieces of calendar art have been admired but tossed aside for decades; Leave it to outstanding art book publisher Taschen to assemble a great, great collection in three languages.

A stellar collection of styles, nicely arranged by artist. I'll also recommend Collectors Books' ELVGREN for an in-depth look at the process of creating those timeless images, but for the buck, this is a honey!

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The Great American Pin-Up

Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0760785597

Product Description

They have excited generations of men, on calendars and covers, as centerfolds or even on playing cards: pin-ups. What started as an exercise in oils was soon taken up in various media --pin-up mascots graced the fuselages of American fighters, and became an essential feature of the male world of garages and barracks. The age of political correctness hasn't ended their appeal. This book tells the tale of a genre as utterly American as the paintings of Edward Hopper, describing its origins and development in detail and showcasing the most important artists. With over 900 illustrations (many full-page), The Great America Pin-Up is one of the first comprehensive studies of the genre to appear anywhere. We get work by Gillette A. (Gil) Elvgren, Edward Runci, Edward D'Ancona, Art Frahm, Zoe Mozert, Earl Mac Pherson, Joyce Ballantyne and many, many others --some you may know of and others you will be pleased to get to know.

The Great American Pin-Up (Postcardbooks)

Average customer rating:

Too good to mail.
Great look at an important part of US art history

The Great American Pin-Up (Postcardbooks)
Taschen Publishing
Manufacturer: Benedikt Taschen Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Stationery

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ASIN: 3822885134

Customer Reviews:

Too good to mail........2002-10-30

I think this is bit of an extravagance to use these as postcards, much better to cut them out and mount your favorites in a picture frame, which would (in the language of the time) "...make a swell addition to any den". Mine would be the eleven by Gil Elvgren, the master of this sort of art. The thirty paintings in this postcard book are all shown, with hundreds more, in the inexpensive 448 page 'The Great American Pin-up' by Charles Martignette and Louis Meisel and there is also a larger more comprehensive edition by the same authors.

Great look at an important part of US art history.......2001-07-24

A great addition for pin-up art enthusiasts. Very good quality as well.

The Great American Pin-Up: Posterbook (Posterbooks)

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The Great American Pin-Up: Posterbook (Posterbooks)
Taschen Publishing
Manufacturer: Benedikt Taschen Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Great American Pin-Up
Charles G., Louis K. Meisel Martignette
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N5X6GW

Book Description

More stars, more scarves, and more sales!
The follow-up to Celebrity Scarves offers knitters new designs to try and personal stories to enjoy. And they'll feel good knowing that a portion of the sales go to a great cause--the Avon Foundation, the foremost non-profit agency advocating a cure for breast cancer.

Twenty more celebrity knitters, such as David Arquette (the first male featured); Dakota Fanning (of Hide and Seek fame), and Desperate Housewife Felicity Huffman, dish about the scarf patterns they love most. And every one is in pink, as a salute to the fight against breast cancer. What makes this special, beyond the projects and the donated proceeds, are the stories the contributors share: Andrea Martin, star of TV and Broadway, reveals how she learned to knit at 10 years old at the side of her grandmother, who had fled Turkey after witnessing many tragedies. Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark) presents her Kilim Cross designs, and discusses how antique rugs provide inspiration for her stitching.
Never has a knitting book been so entertaining to read, and so important to buy.

Customer Reviews:

Good book for patterns, good book for the coffee table.......2007-03-14

This book has some pretty interesting paterns for scarves made by celebrities. This book also has some bio information on the people who made the scarves, and proceeds go to benefit a great cause. A lot of the yarns featured are not easily found locally, so substitutions may be required. All in all, I would recommend this book.

Hollywood Knits: Thirty Original Suss Designs

Average customer rating:

A Great Designer!
Error not corrected even on website
Pretty Yarn Good Book...(groan now for cheesy pun...)
UGH!
I really want to like this book...

Hollywood Knits: Thirty Original Suss Designs
Suss Cousins
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1584792264

Book Description

Knitting has made a thoroughly modern comeback, and Hollywood designer Suss Cousins is leading the way. Suss has invented a new vocabulary of an old art, and in the process developed a passionate following of young, hip knitters, including some of Hollywood's hottest stars: Rose McGowan, Julia Sweeney, Laurence Fishburne, and Bill Cosby among them.

Bringing her ideas to a book for the first time, Suss invites knitters new and accomplished to make offbeat and colorful projects that are both elegant and wearable. Thirty projects with complete step-by-step instructions and illustrations are featured in Hollywood Knits, happily modeled by icons of Hollywood chic, such as Julianne Moore and Chanel model Kirsty Hume. Hollywood Knits closes with a resource guide that lists where you can buy quality yarns and Suss designs nationwide.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Designer!.......2007-04-10

I love this book because the designs are simple and allow the new fabulous yarn to shine. You don't have to knit very complicated patterns to make very stylish garments and this is one of the best books I have seen to make this statement. I have also ordered some of her yarn and it is wonderful.

Error not corrected even on website.......2006-06-09

The patterns are all so simplistic that it seems to imply that Hollywood types are all ADD-afflicted. There is a difference between a simple, timeless pattern that lets the beauty of the yarn shine, and a crude, poorly written one. Unfortunately the patterns of this book falls into the latter category.

Too bad that I gave one of the patterns, the leather tie cardigan, the benefit of the doubt and started knitting it. The instructions omitted several rows at the top of the sleeve so that the finished piece measures 13" rather than the specified 17"! I looked for corrections on her website. Even on the corrections page, this glaring error was not corrected. How poorly written and edited can a book get?!

The copy I use is a library copy. Even then, it is not worth the investment of my time.

Pretty Yarn Good Book...(groan now for cheesy pun...).......2006-01-24

I initially bought Suss Cousin's "Hollywood Knits:Style" and then purchased this, her first book. I was attracted to both of the books patterns and color combinations. The patterns are organized by difficulty level and the 'Cinchy for Starters' patterns really are quite easy to finish while the 'Hot Knitters' patterns definitely require more experience. I think my one of my favorites in this particular book is the Knit Knitting Bag...It's very fun and funky. Okay...so the reasons I only rated it three stars...
I find the commentary and captions for the photos a bit self-aggrandizing for the author. After reading how she came up with this or that pattern for this or that actor or film got old after about the fifth reference. Also, the yarns she utilizes and recommends are, of course, ALL Suss yarns and there is no yarn weight indicated should you not want to use Suss yarns. Finally, there are fantastic knitting books coming out seemingly daily with similar patterns plus some really innovative patterns included that make a lot of the patterns in this book appear kind of commonplace. Overall, I gave it three stars...I like it alot but, the more I progress in my own knitting experience, the more I find myself searching for other sources of inspiration.

UGH!.......2005-11-12

Incessent name dropping and unoriginal patterns loaded with mistake after mistake that only be made using "suss" yarn -- give me a break...don't bother with this one and save your money.

I really want to like this book..........2005-06-21

After knitting several patterns from this book, I'm a bit frustrated. I purchased the book because I loved the designs and the majority of the patterns I would either make for myself or make as gifts. There are hip, mod and sometimes quirky patterns and very wearable and stylish. If you're big into designer clothing, these would appeal to you. Suss has a knack for picking great colors, stripe patterns and texture and incorporating them into her designs. Everything seems to be knit on big needles with either bulky yarn or double strands, so it's great for instant gratification (I can complete a sweater in under 2 weeks) or last-minute gifts.

Now, for the gripes and source of my frustration.

The mistakes are numerous in the patterns and the corrections are confusing. There were 4 pages of corrections I printed off the Suss website. Some of the corrections are redundant with the information already in the book- maybe I have a later edition?- but sometimes the corrections themselves were wrong or I couldn't figure out where they belonged in the pattern. I'm a fairly experienced knitter, so if I get stuck halfway through a pattern, I can usually work things out or adjust the pattern. Sometimes instructions are given just for the small size, so you have to stop and think and figure out what to do if you aren't making a small. So I find little things like this to be annoying and perhaps something that a beginner would not pick up on and have a tragic end result. I would really have liked this book more if time was spent on editing and correcting the patterns- it seems like it was rushed to publication with no time to check these things. I don't want to be stressed out when starting a pattern hoping that everything will turn out alright.

Another gripe I have would be the pictures. Yes, I find it interesting to know who she designed the piece for, and in which movie, but the incessant name dropping is annoying and pompous, while the photographs reflect this. The focus is not on the garments, but on the celebrity wearers of the garments. In some pictures, sweaters are downright blurry, while the focal point of the picture is a beautifully illuminated face of a highly-paid model or actor. Please. I am a knitter. I know I like the sweater when someone that beautiful is wearing it and posing artfully and unrealistically. I really like the Yarn Girl's Guide to Simple Knits because the sweaters and garments are all displayed on a mannequin. No distractions and you can figure out by looking at a garment if it would actually look good on you or if it would make you look like you're wearing a fat suit. We're not all waif-like Hollywood types, you know.

One last thing...Suss uses, in many patterns, her own brand of yarn in which you can order on her website. It can be a little daunting to find replacements if you don't want to use her yarn, but it can be done.

Overall, I have mixed feeling about this book. I would only recommend it if you are up for a challenge (even though the patterns themselves are all fairly easy) and don't mind comparing yourself to stick figure with perfect features.

Average customer rating:

Soo easy!
Many errors in this book
Hollywood Knits Style
Overly impressed with her fabulous customers--still!
be forewarned: sizes are unrealistic!

Hollywood Knits Style
Suss Cousins
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1584793457

Book Description

When J. Lo wears knit leg warmers in her "Flashdance" MTV special, it's official: knitting has gone Hollywood. But West Coast knitting diva Suss Cousins already knew that. In this highly anticipated sequel to Hollywood Knits, Cousins presents 30 chic, modern designs-along with just a little insider gossip about the stars who have made, bought, or worn them. In addition to Lopez's leg warmers, readers can create the ribbed cap donned by the sailors in the film Master and Commander; a funky purse with a big flower patch (très "Carrie Bradshaw"); even his-and-her sweaters for hipster pooches.

A passionate advocate of not only knitting but the good life in general, Cousins aims to share the love. She tells readers how to throw the best theme-based knitting parties, start a knitting circle, even fund-raise through knitting. To enhance the knitting experience, she includes some of the Swedish recipes she grew up with and now serves in her L.A. studio and at home. She describes her techniques for decorating a room with yarn, and even lists her preferred mix of CDs to knit by. Every page reflects her personal brand of joie de vivre. AUTHOR BIO: Swedish-born knitwear designer Suss Cousins is the owner of Suss Design, a studio, retail shop, and knitting school in West Hollywood. She designs extensively for television and film. Her fashion line is available nationwide. She is the author of Hollywood Knits.

Deborah Jaffe is a photographer based in New York and Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in The New Beauty Basics and numerous magazines.

Customer Reviews:

Soo easy!.......2007-06-17

Suss Cousins makes it soo easy to knit new projects. Her directions/patterns are very easy to follow! Highly recommended!

Many errors in this book.......2005-08-20

I would not recomment this book to beginners because of the frequency of mistakes. I'm an experienced knitter, and had a hard time with some of the patterns. For instance, the cast on and number of stitches weren't even mentioned in one of her hat patterns. I eventually figured it out by counting the stitches that were in the rounds.

Suss Counsins...Knitter to the Stars! Please. This book looks all shiny, pretty, and hip. Upon closer inspection, the patterns are a bunk. I've tried to make several items in this book, and just about every pattern has a correction to it. To find the corrections for the pattern one must visit Suss Cousins's website. I find this frustrating, because I was expecting a level of quality that wasn't there. I will, however, grudgingly admit that the book does make knitting seem glamourous with photography. In the end, save your money, and check this book out of your local library.

Hollywood Knits Style.......2005-08-02

This is a follow-up to Cousins' first book, "Hollywood Knits" I thought the 2nd book was actually better than the first. Not only does Cousins include patterns and helpful tips and hints - she also includes lots of anecdotes and stories about each item she has knit. She has lots of ideas for knitting get-togethers and even recipes. This book is great to actually read and not just use for patterns. Also, the patterns are for very different and unique items. The book is very different from the usual knitting book - I love it!

Overly impressed with her fabulous customers--still!.......2005-07-01

This book suffers from the same irritating weaknesses as the first book-- self-involvement of the author, the directions are frequently unclear, the sizing unrealistic and the name dropping PATHOLOGICAL. On an anecdotal level, I have been to Suss Cousins's store in L.A. twice and found her to be rude, dismissive and unpleasant--apparently she saves her friendly demeanor for her fabulous celebrity customers. I wonder how THEY feel about her advertising her connection with them in order to increase her own sales...

be forewarned: sizes are unrealistic!.......2005-05-11

I agree with the reviewer who said that anyone who thinks a 32 inch bust is a Large has been in Hollywood too long.

I bought this book after flipping through it quickly at the bookstore. I liked the designs. Some are quite cute, for example: the bamboo-handled purse, the heart-shaped pillow, and the fuzzy baby booties.
I'm now kicking myself. I should've read some of the patterns more carefully. A skirt that I thought I could make for myself goes up to a size Large - a whopping 33 inches (and remember - that's the size of the FO, not the person wearing it)! GET REAL, SUSS!

Don't make the same mistake as I did. Take a pass on this one.

Hollywood Knits Style: With 30 Original Suss Designs

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Hollywood Knits Style: With 30 Original Suss Designs
Suss Cousins , and Deborah Jaffe
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1584796065

Book Description

Knitting has made a thoroughly modern comeback, and Hollywood knitwear designer Suss Cousins has had no small part in its stylish renaissance. In Hollywood Knits and Hollywood Knits Style—now in affordable new paperback editions—Cousins shares the creativity and panache that have helped inspire a new generation of hip young knitters.

Hollywood Knits features 30 offbeat and colorful projects—from adorable hats and scarves to gorgeous sweaters, throws, and a cell phone holder—that are both elegant and wearable, modeled by Hollywood icons such as Julianne Moore and Chanel model Kirsty Hume. In Hollywood Knits Style, Cousins presents 30 more chic and modern designs—including a funky purse, a Valentine pillow, and even his-and-her dog sweaters for hipster pooches—along with just a little insider gossip about the stars who have made, bought, or worn them. She also shows knitters how to host knitting parties, start a knitting circle, decorate with yarn, and fund-raise through knitting.

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Hollywood Knits
Bill Gibbs
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345346610
Release Date: 1987-10-12

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Hollywood Knits
Bill Gibb
Manufacturer: United Kingdom: Pavilion Books,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QPBT90

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HOLLYWOOD KNITS
Bill Gibb
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVFD3O

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