Book Description
Discover the fascinating stories behind hundreds of commonly used words and phrases.
Customer Reviews:
Pitts-Malone: Back on the sauce.......2007-03-09
Clearly Pitts-Malone has been hitting the bottle. This was the most tedious read I've ever encountered on the porcelain God.
Common Phrases and Where They Come From.......2007-02-06
I was very disappointed in this book. Most of the phrases he choose to research were either uninteresting and obvious, or so obscure, I didn't really care about their origins.
Common Phrases: And Where They Come From .......2007-01-31
I found this book interesting but believe that in some cases the given derivation of, especially phrases, is either incomplete - there could be another one or two derivations - or inaccurate. A case in point is the phrase "Mind your Ps and Qs". Many a historian of handset print have said that it also refers to not confusing the lower case letters P and Q when setting type as they are backwards when viewed front on. I find the book "What We Say" by Webb Garrison to be more accurate in my opinion.
A hobbyist's speculation about origins.......2006-11-24
This is a non-scholarly, non-academic collection of word origins compiled in the 1940s by a lawyer. Many of the expressions are out of date ("go to the dickens," "catch a tarter"). Explanations for many of the origins are simply speculative, with dubious support. Probably the greatest value for this book is as material for small talk or trivia questions. Save your money and check it out from a library.
Not as good as reviewers say - poorly written, many errors.......2006-08-14
I have always been fascinated by the origen of phrases and sayings, and my interest was piqued when I moved to a rural area and became a "gentleman farmer," and I discovered how many common phrases (like nest egg and bellwhether)have interesting rural origens.
In reading other reviewers' rave reviews, I was very excited to get this book. When I read it, however, I was very disappointed.
On the plus side, yes, the author does cover a lot of common phrases, and if you are reading purely for entertainment and don't expect to rely on the book as being factually accurate, you'll probably enjoy this book.
On the down side, it is, frankly, poorly written and edited. If I didn't have personal experience raising chickens and thus already understood what a nest egg really is, I probably wouldn't have really understood the author's explanation. The same goes for "dead as a doornail"--if I hadn't spoken with a carpenter, I would not have understood this author's explanation. It's clear to me that, for many of the entries, the author was repeating something he had heard without really understanding it himself, so the explanations are just not very good.
In addition, many (perhaps half) of the "common" phrases he lists are not common. In fact, there are many that I have never heard of at all, and checking with friends and relatives, none of them had ever heard of these phrases either. So the title of the book is misleading, in that many of the phrases are not only NOT common, but completely unheard-of.
Another very major problem I had with this book is that some explanations are just downright wrong, and you don't even have to know anything about the phrase to realize that the author is wrong. For example, he claims "flying off the handle" is when an axe slips out of one's hands and goes flying dangerously off. You don't need to have used an axe to realize that he has described "losing your grip," not "flying off the handle."
Flying off the handle is when the metal axeHEAD comes loose from the wooden handle and flies off. This can happen at any time in the up- or down- swing; it is thrown off at high speed due to being at the end of a stick; the person wielding the axe is not harmed by his actions; but the axehead is both highly dangerous and completely unpredictable in its direction, making any nearby innocent bystander a potential target. Hence, a person who suddenly and violently attacks someone else (verbally or otherwise), with no warning, is exactly analogous to an axehead that is "flying off the handle."
Again, I'm sure that many if not most of the people who read this book will find it enjoyable and interesting. Just be warned that the book is incomplete, of questionable writing quality, and contains a number of significant errors.
Book Description
COMMON PHRASES: And Where They Come From, Second Edition (Lyons)
Myron Korach and John Mordock
A new package for the reference best seller
In the tradition of Eats Shoots and Leaves and Anguished English, COMMON PHRASES is a fascinating guide to the origins of our language. Wonderful stories reveal the real meaning of Adam’s apple, nick of time, stool pigeon, armed to the teeth, raining cats and dogs, at sixes and sevens, dog days of summer, and scores of others. With nearly 35,000 sold, this classic begins a new life with a fresh package and a new audience for entertaining reference books.
John Mordock is a psychologist and writer who lives in Poughkeepsie, New York. The late Myron Korach was an attorney.
Book Description
This book introduces you to an exciting approach to figure drawing. It was especially created by a group of America's most eminent artists who have demonstrated the methods they have used in their distinguished careers.You, too, will find that figure drawing is one of the areas of art that can bring you much fun and excitement. Not only will you gain rich satisfaction from drawing or painting, but you'll discover that people admire creative talent-- and you'll experience the pride of achievement that comes from developing a valuable skill that most others lack.Also, if you have sufficient desire and dedication, your talent in drawing could even lead you into an exciting and challenging career as a professional artist. But, whether or not you have the ambition to be a professional, you'll find that art will be a wonderfully satisfying pursuit.In this book you'll find fresh approaches to the following features:* THE HUMAN FORM* DRAWING MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES* MODELS-- WHERE TO FIND THEM* GESTURE DRAWING* DRAWING-- STEP-BY-STEP* THE BASIC FORM FIGURE* ARTISTIC ANATOMY* LIGHTING THE FIGURE* THE FIGURE IN MOTIONAnd don't forget-- as a buyer of this book you are entitled to receive a FREE ART LESSON from a professional artist/instructor of the Famous Artists School.
Customer Reviews:
NOT A BEGINNING.......2007-06-13
THIS IS A VERY GOOD BOOK BUT NOT ONE FOR THE "AVERAGE" BASIC BEGINNER. WAS HOPING FOR A STEP BY STEP.
Good Book for Figure Drawing.......2007-03-17
Lots of good excercises for those new to drawing the human figure.
One of the Top 5 figure drawing books in the Classical Tradition.......2004-04-27
When I review DRAWING books, the first question I ask is, "Is this for BEGINNERS?" Because I feel an obligation to the book buyer to provide good information, and also to prevent a beginning student from being discouraged, and feeling that they are defective, or ....just cannot get it.
It does not seem to occur to the buyer that many authors just cannot teach. Instinct seems to suggest that that if book gets published, it must contain credible instruction by someone who knows how to teach, and everyone seems to desire to cash in on the Big Bucks market of HOW-TO-DRAW. It may seem surprising that this is just not so. Perhaps as many as half of all drawing books are not very good for beginners. I know. I've gotten familiar with most of the books on the market, and I know what I'm looking for in good instruction.
I've purchased over 25 drawing books, and own the most popular titles of the HOW-TO-DRAW genre. I rate Famous Artists School's "How To Draw The Human Figure" as one of the top 5 books on figure drawing. At this price it's a bargain anyway. Using the classical method of representing the body as cylinders in basic outline, this book covers not just static models, but representation of the human figure in dynamic motion. I consider this a "must have" book that cuts through all nonsense with no wasted pages.
Why do I consider this book so successful, at only 98 pages, when I call other books of the same size or 20 pages larger a failure as a drawing book? Famous Artist's school focuses only on basic figure drawing, whereas most other drawing books move on to cover other material such as composition, perspective, color etc., which shortchanges the buyer on Basic Figure Drawing. By keeping focus, this book is very useful to any beginner. At this price, it's a bargain also!
Very usefull book for begginers.......2000-11-21
With easy, steb by step method, this book guide you through fascinating skills of drawing a human figure. It also contains basic anatomy, proportions... This book realy offers more value for your money.
Book Description
This book introduces you to an exciting approach to animal drawing. It was especially created by a group of America's most eminent artists who have demonstrated the methods they have used on their distinguished careers.You, too, will find that animal drawing is one of the areas of art that can bring you much fun and excitement. Not only will you gain rich satisfaction from drawing or painting, but you'll discover that people admire creative talent-- and you'll experience the pride of achievement that comes from developing a valuable skill that most others lack.Also, if you have sufficient desire and dedication, your talent in drawing could even lead you to an exciting and challenging career as a professional artist. But, whether or not you have the ambition to be a professional, you'll find that art will be a wonderfully satisfying pursuit.In this book you'll find fresh approaches to the following features:* Capturing spirit and motion* Drawing materials and techniques* Four basic animal groups* Constructing the head* Basic forms of the body* The horse in motion* Dogs and cats-- step-by-step* Basic forms of unusual animals* Birds at rest and in flightAnd don't forget-- As a buyer of this book you are entitled to receive a FREE ART LESSON from a professional artist/instructor of the FAMOUS ARTISTS SCHOOL:SPECIAL FREE OFFER TO THE BUYER OF THIS BOOK!Here's a special opportunity for you....because you love to draw.Famous Artists School, the foremost institution of home study instruction in art would like you to receive a free art lesson from one of our professional artist-instructors. Therefore, you have this unusual opportunity.This is your chance to actually experience the helpful suggestions and advice of a professional instructor-- right in your own home! Famous Artists School is making this offer to demonstrate to those who are interested in drawing and painting how easy and pleasant it is to learn with the time-tested successful method the School has developed. Just complete the Lesson Project inside and mail it to Famous Schools. One of our professional instructors will personally evaluate your drawing and return it to you with helpful suggestions. This special offer is absolutely free, and there is no obligation. Explore your hidden talents-- don't miss this special opportunity.
Customer Reviews:
Never Out of Style Tried and True.......2006-09-07
Even though the Famous Artists School was found in many publications when I was a child growing up, it still is hard to beat their tried and true processes from step by step methods to the finished product. If you want simple, comprehensible and easily learned methodology of creating animal form.....this is a must have book. You learn the basic form here and add the individual spirit and media to your subject. I am glad I was able to find the Famous Artist School Step-By-Step Method Books....and for the price it is hard to be without.
How to Draw Animals from the Famous Artist's School Collecti.......2003-04-13
There are many approaches that artists working in the 'furry' or anthromorphic field can take to their characters. Some place animal-like heads on top of what are essentially human bodies (the egyptian god approach) some twist quadrapeds into a bipedal position (and leave it to suspension of disbelief rather than anatomy to keep them walking!) and of course there are the 'taurs.And finally those weirdos that draw realistic animals......
The Famous Artist school's book 'How to Draw Animals' has something for every type of furry artist no matter what their style. I discusses the basics of animal anatomy, deals with many of the mistakes beginners make,does a very good job of showing how the various types of animal families differ and how to repepresent these differences well.The books has hundreds of sketches showing how the various artists approached the issues dealt with in the text,as well as diagrams of actaul muscular and skeltal structures of some common types.. Are you primarily interested in animal faces? There is also a section on how various animal heads are put together and again a good demonstration of how to differentiate them (an importan point, amatuer furry artists can have problems keeping their cats from looking like dogs and vice versa.) as well as how to use proportion to differentiate the members of a common family (emily the greyhound versus jack the bulldog) Finally it discusses how to analyze an unfamiliar animal and place it in a familiar animal family.
Pretty much all the commonly illustrated groups are dealt with, equines canines,felines,birds as well as how to us proportion to say use the same contstruction for a gazelle as for a clydesdale.
All in all I find this book to be an informative and useful one for the furry artist, I think all but the most advanced will finds something of use in it. This and the other famous artist books are commonly available used and can be acquired at cheaply at amazon.com. It is worth adding to the library of any furry artist.
Book Description
Help kids learn to follow directions and build fine-motor skills with 35 reproducible draw & write activities that they can complete independently! Each activity features step-by-step directions for drawing adorable pictures, plus creative writing prompts that motivate kids to write about their drawings. Great for instant homework or centers!
Book Description
Part of the 1-2-3 Draw Series--Ideal for children 6-10 years old! The world of fairy tales comes to life with the step-by-step instruction of talented art instructor Freddie Levin. With this installment in the 1-2-3 Draw series, Levin encourages children to create charming, whimsical drawings of their favorite storybook characters and settings. Levin's fun, lively drawings fuel children's imaginations while giving instructions that are easy to follow. Brief written directions accompany the steps, and arrows point out tricky spots that may require extra attention from a young artist. For added inspiration, final drawings are in full color.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for Older People.......2006-07-02
I bought this book for my daughter who is 4. This book is great but would recommend for a 7 or 8 year old instead. For younger kids I would recommend the I Can Draw series.
Great introduction to drawing people and more.......2004-07-07
This book is a great start to teach young artists-- 1 grader and higher-- to draw people. It teaches kids to sketch, i.e. draw lightly first. The step-by-step instruction is very clear.
Not only is it a great book for introducing drawing of knights and castles, the author apparent is also fluent in the vocabulary of this yester-year theme. My first grader and I get to know the names of different weapons, name of different parts of the castles and the names of "things" people wear. A double treat!
Average customer rating:
|
Step-by-Step Art School: Drawing
Jenny Rodwell
Manufacturer: Hamlyn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Study & Teaching
| Reference
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0600604454 |
Book Description
Everything around you is a subject for drawing--a potted plant, a sneaker, a beach, a bowl of vegetables, people. Almost as varied as what you can draw is the way you can draw. No two artists approach their work in the same way, and there are many different techniques and materials that you can use. Before experimenting with different materials, examine the fundamental principles of drawing, including outline and contour, shading and texture, planes and proportions, mass and volume, and perspective. As you progress through these exercises and examples, you will work with a variety of drawing media and find out about the marks and effects that can be achieved with charcoal and chalk, color sticks, pens, brush and ink, pastels, pencils and graphite, colored pencils, and markers.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for young budding artists.......2006-08-25
I got this for my sons 9th Birthday - it give the basics of 3D drawing in a way that children of his age can understand. I would recommend this book to people with children who enjoy drawing and would like to improve the results
Good book to learn how to draw.......2005-09-26
I'm trying to learn how to draw now because I was afraid to take art classes in high school. This book has made it fun. I really liked the "how to draw cars" by the same author. This book was not as helpful but it is still a good book.
Thank Heavens for Dubosque.......2005-09-13
With 8 grandchildren under 10 years of age, this book has delighted all of them. We have 3 budding artists and now the others are becoming more creative. The Dubosque books are an answer to parents who are not artistic or don't have the time to answer all their questions. With our schools eliminating many arts programs it will be up to parents to interest their children in the finer things, which begin with the basics.
Thank you for a delightful, useful book.
Rosemary McDowell
Ideal for Pre-Teen and Beginning Artists.......2003-01-21
"DRAW 3-D" by Doug DuBosque is a friendly and painless introduction to the ABCs of perspective drawing. The text has a conversational feel and is easy to understand, using short words and simple explanations aided by 2-5 very clear illustrations (and an occasional photograph) on every single page.
I went through the whole book, practice-drawing as I read, in about a week, since it's only 63 pages and I was already familiar with some of the principles discussed thanks to the most excellent "How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way" by John Buscema & Stan Lee.
I think "DRAW 3-D" is easy enough for a kid of about 9 or older to understand most of it, and all of it if he or she has an older artist handy to explain and demonstrate (or to console and encourage, because it sure is exasperating when you forget which of those 20 straight lines goes where). It will not teach you to draw a perspective view from an object plan, or to draw a perfect square in perspective, but if you are completely new to perspective drawing and want a good introduction to the subject, this is the book for you.
Try it! If you reach the point where you don't need it anymore, and haven't become sentimentally attached to it in the meantime, it will make a great gift for anyone else interested in drawing.
Splendid!.......1999-09-24
I bought three beginning drawing books for my 9 year old, and this one was his favorite (one on how to draw cartoons was a close second). The first exercise, which is to spell out your name using 3-D letters, caught his interest right away, and he's been back to the book several times on his own initiative.
Average customer rating:
|
Step-by-Step Art School: Still Life (Step by Step Art School)
Jack Buchan , and
Jonathan Baker
Manufacturer: Hamlyn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Landscape Painting
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Painting
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Still Life
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0600614093 |
Book Description
“It’s rare to find a series of basic instructional books that are well executed, comprehensive, and attractively priced. The quality of this series is consistent....Purchase as many of these as your budget allows.”—Library Journal. “Explores the various techniques and materials to create a still life painting with ink, pencils and paints.”—Art Materials Retailer.
Average customer rating:
|
Pastels: Art School : Step-By-Step Teaching Through Inspirational Projects (Art School Series)
Hazel Harrison
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Study & Teaching
| Reference
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Pastel
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Pastel
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1859678254 |
Book Description
Each book in the Art School series explains all the materials, techniques , methods and contains inspirational and practical projects, expert ideas and approaches, clear instructions and examples and at-a-glance, step-by-step images that every artist will value. This book is divided into two practical sections, and starts with a full catalogue of materials and equipment, and includes a comprehensive techniques section which covers such areas as mixing pastels, using charcoal, layering a textured ground, sgraffito and much more. It shows clearly how to do all the basic setting up and preparation, and takes the reader through all the primary techniques, with step-by-step practical projects. Throughout, lively and inspirational works by contemporary artists illustrate the skills in action, and provide a constant source of inspiration. The book contains 175 color images including an inspirational gallery, and the book is filled with practical guidance on how to treat classical subjects such as Landscapes, Flowers, Faces and Figures.
Average customer rating:
|
Step-By-Step Art School-Ceramics
Geraldine Christy , and
Sara Peach
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Pastel
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Pastel
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home & Garden
| Bargain Books
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1555217028 |
Customer Reviews:
Ceramics.......2004-08-08
Ceramics is perfect for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of the craft. Whether you work solely from the book or use it to supplement a course you are already taking, your skills and techniques will improve dramatically.
The 9 projects vary in degrees of complexity and guide you carefully through each stage with clear instructions and superb photography. Challenging pieces such as the cheese bell and the raku teapot inspire the imagination and really stretch your skill and artistry, making this a thorougly readable and instructive book.
Customer Reviews:
My Critique on the Human Figure........2000-04-11
I believe this book is both interesting and very good. Since it helps teach the individual the various aspects and techniques used to draw the human figure. Such as the different points-of-view an artist needs to consider when drawing the human figure and "short-cuts" used by other artists. It also describes the origin of figure drawing and a brief background to its development. In short, I feel that this book helps both the beginner and the intermediate artist develop his/her techniques and styles of drawing.
Books:
- Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction
- Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum (7th Edition)
- Contracts in a Nutshell (In a Nutshell (West Publishing))
- Conversational Brazilian Portuguese: Learn to Speak and Understand Portuguese with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur)
- Conversational Spanish for Hospitality Managers and Supervisors: Basic Language Skills for Daily Operations
- Creole Made Easy Pronunciation Guide
- Developmental Exercises to Accompany A Writer's Reference
- Do You Speak American?
- Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn
- E Writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life
- History: Fiction or Science
- American Films of the 70s: Conflicting Visions
- Becoming Almost Famous: My Back Pages in Music, Writing and Life
- Created Equal, Brief Edition, Single Volume Edition
- History: Fiction or Science
- Guide to Colorado Wildflowers: Mountains
- EDGAR: The Investor's Guide to Better Investments
- Clearing and Settlement of Derivatives
- The Foundation Pit
Why Do We Say It: The Stories Behind the Words, Expressions and Cliches We Use
Dictionary of Cliches
Loose Cannons, Red Herrings, and Other Lost Metaphors
Why You Say It : The Fascinating Stories Behind Over 600 Everyday Words and Phrases
Red Herrings and White Elephants: The Origins of the Phrases We Use Every Day
