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I have to admit I was not a big fan of Marc Silvestri's art when he first started working for Marvel Comics. It seemed too sketchy to me. But after a few issues of reading the Uncanny X-Men it started to grow on me. His art started to mature and tighten up and by the time he left Marvel to form help Image Comics I became one of his biggest fans. With Image Comics Marc let loose and his artwork never looked so good-especially on his creator-owned properties like Cyberforce and The Darkness. As the years passed so too did Marc's art continue to improve. Soon he was setting the standard by which other Top Cow Productions artists gauged their art. In Top Cow Productions, Inc.'s book, The Art Of Marc Silvestri, fans of Marc's work get to see his art blossom from his early years as a comic book artist to his more mature work as a master artist, studio head and business man. From pencils to inks to full color illustrations-Marc does it all. Fellow artists who got their start at Top Cow reflect on their time with Marc and the influence he has had on their art and career. It's a beautifully illustrated hardbound book that comic book fans are sure drool over.
What is it about old abandoned buildings, decrepit, broken down amusement parks, warehouse, airfields and other neglected and forgotten manmade structures that fascinates us so? Is it the feeling of nostalgia? Is it the urge to recapture the past, to see what was or relive some long lost moment? What is it about them that prompts us to explore them, maneuvering through desecrated halls and rooms and sifting through dilapidated furniture and cast aside documents and belongings? Troy Palva knows and he shares his adventures with readers in his new soft cover book from Chronicle Books called, Night Vision: The Art Of Urban Exploration. Join Troy as he explores an old hotel, train station, airfield and other lost and forgotten vestiges of human habitation. Pages burst with full-color photographs, mostly taken at night of each
local that are spot lit by eerie color lights. Each photo borders on the surreal. Explore what was and watch as the past comes to life for just a
brief moment. The Village
Files Still considered by many to be the most innovative and thought-provoking television series ever created, even after 40 years, The Prisoner had a short but memorable run. Titan Books and author Tim Palgut present The Prisoner: The Village Files that examines the series from a unique perspective. Filled with statistics, schematics, blueprints, designs and drawings of The Village's buildings, grounds, regalia, clothing and various other objects, the book lays out a complete dossier of the mysterious complex and its residents. Should you awake one morning and find yourself an unwillingly guest at The
Village, this book is the perfect reference manual on how to get around, what
to expect and ultimately how to escape.
Author Louise Simonson (and comic book writer) with a foreword by 'good girl' artist Adam Hughes (whose work is displayed predominantly in the book) and Universe Publishing present DC Comics Covergirls. DC comics has always had strong female characters (more so over the last three decades) and most have been knockouts. Celebrate the power of women in a very comprehensive examination and historical account of women in the DC Universe. Ms. Simonson breaks chapters down by subject starting with Wonder Woman and continuing with Lois Lane, Supergirl, Gotham Girls, Vertigo vixens and a whole New Generation of femme fatales. Jam-packed with full color illustrations of comic book covers spotlighting female characters (super powered or otherwise), the book is complemented with excerpts, quotes and historical text. It's a visual treat that fanboys are sure to love and women will
appreciate for its complexity and insightfulness. Oh yeah, and it's got some great art of beautiful women. What's not to love?
I still have fond memories of watching monster movies starting with the original Frankenstein through the 1970s. Some were good, some were pure schlock. But, I loved 'em. I was a big fan of Famous Monsters Of Filmland and the seemingly innumerable rip-offs of the magazine and the plethora of monster, black and white magazines from Marvel, DC and other comic book and magazine publishers printed during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Robert Michael "Bobb" Cotter has compiled a critical study of black and white publications during this period. Each and every issue is given close scrutiny with full magazine synopsis
and credits. If you love monster
magazines it's time to pick up The Great Monster Magazines and relieve the
horror.
There are only a handful of movie directors that have reached the status of superstar. One of the first was Alfred Hitchcock. Brilliant, innovative, evasive, temperamental and an enigma wrapped up in a mystery all describe the fat little man with the telltale profile known all over the world. Known for his inventive camera work, constant re-invention of scene setups and passion for professionalism from both himself and those that worked with him, Alfred Hitchcock still has a huge influence on directors today. Ken Mogg, in his new book from Titan Books has compiled an exhaustive study and history of Hitchcock, his life, his work and his lasting legacy. The book follows his career from his early life as the third child of a couple living in England. Shown are photos from his first silent film projects to his classic English sound films during the late 1930s. It was during this period that his own unique style began to show and when his notoriety began to blossom as well. Always a ladies man, Alfred Hitchcock surrounded himself with beautiful women and yet always managed to keep himself detached. In the 1940s Hitchcock caught the notice of Hollywood studios and before long he was making films here in the U.S. He also began dabbling in radio. The 1950s and 1960s were the high points of his career and many of the films associated with the director were filmed during that period. Dial M For Murder, The Birds, Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo and other well known film classics starred such Hollywood superstars as Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart who saw their careers ignite in his films. The book goes on to explore his years in television and later film projects and examines unfinished works that never made it to movie screens. The book is a huge undertaking, painstakingly researched and filled with
archive photos, some never seen before.
It's an exhilarating collection of little known facts, eye-opening
exposes and an in-depth and insightful examination of Hitchcock's life.
CS3 For
Photography Recently I took and online refresher course in Photoshop CS3. Earlier this year the school that I work at installed in my classroom. Typically when new software is installed at any large institution it’s difficult to obtain training materials or manuals. Such was the case at my school. Nevertheless using Adobe’s online help, tutorials and being familiar with earlier CS3 programs I managed to cobble through and instruct m students. I decided to take the online course which brings me to now. Peachpit Press and author Jack David have created a new book in Peachpit’s How To Wow series. This one is entitled Photoshop CS3 For Photography. It is amazing! My online course touched upon photography manipulation and enhancement. In this new book readers are taken to the next phase with step-by-step instructions, accompanied by photographs and screen captures, that literally teach you ‘How To Wow.” Learn all about Raw workflow, exposure, working with digital cameras, editing, using presets, working with Smart Filters, layer styles, refining, making, erasing, using curves, tonal adjustments, dodging, burning, special effects, editing and preparing for pre-press. This book has it all and it makes it looks so easy!
Yesterday I went to movies and watched The Dark Knight: the latest Batman film starring Christopher Bale and featuring the stellar performance of the late Heath Ledger as the maniacal Joker. It was a great movie. Besides the top tier acting, the production values and visual effects were stunning. I'm a sucker on how films are made-especially when it comes to pre-production, production and post production. There's something fascinating about how artists can take an idea, expand upon it and make such a spectacular film. Surfing the 'net I spotted the new 'The Dark Knight' book written by Craig Byrne and published by Universe Publishing/Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. It contains production art and a full shooting script from the movie. Needless to say I was intrigued and I immediately requested a review copy. It arrived today. Wow! The first 60 pages or so contains storyboard illustrations, set, costume and character designs, equipment and transportation blueprints and schematics and lots of text explaining how the designs were conceptualized and finalized. The bulk of the book contains the entire shooting script complemented by side illustrations and photos for pre-production and the film. It's an impressive piece of work and it's obvious by the selection of art
and photos that the writer and publisher are extremely proud of their
accomplishment...and rightly so.
of Drawing Techniques I love to draw. I teach drawing at a local high school and I'm constantly on the lookout for new techniques, projects and interesting art by other artists. That's why I'm so thrilled that Running Press sent me their new 'The Encyclopedia Of Drawing Techniques' book by Hazel Harrison. It has everything I need to demonstrate to my students the many different ways to draw using various types of media. I plan on keeping this book by my desk as it will prove to be an invaluable resource for selecting different types of projects. Inside artists can find lessons on how to use pastels, pencils, inks, conte crayon and a wide selection of drawing media. There's also sections on landscape drawing, drawing the human figure and head, still-life and other subject matter. It's difficult to find a good drawing book and with 'The Encyclopedia Of
Drawing Techniques' I've found one.
Movies Never Made Join Titan Books, along with writer David Hughes, with foreword by H.R. Giger and afterword by Harry Knowles, as they examine sci-fi movies that never made it past the planning stage. Regardless of being connected to such big names as Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Tim Burton and other big name directors and actors, they never managed to make it to celluloid-despite good intentions. Ever hear of Spielberg's Night Skies, Kevin Smith's Six Million Dollar Man, James Cameron's Spider-Man or Terry Gilliam's Watchmen.? If you haven't, then you're in for a treat as they, along with a long list of other projects, are discussed, diagnosed and delegated to development Hell. Join in the celebration of discovering unmade classic and near miss
blockbusters.
And Their Universe Universe Publishing/Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. has re-released and updated their HUGE X-Men: The Characters And Their Universe book by Michael Mallory. X-Men fans are sure to want to pick up this voluminous work that covers everything X-Men. From the characters introduction in the Silver Age to their crossover into movies, toys, TV and other mass media pop culture collectibles. Oversize pages are packed with lots of historical and insider information and color art and photos. Don't miss your chance to pick up this book before it disappears from shelves. It's time to 'X'Cited about the X-Men before their book 'X'its and your chances of finding it are 'X'tinquished. If you've not had the chance to see this book, be prepared to be blown
away by its sheer size, awesome die cut and metallic trim and text cover with
a special slipcase that keeps it protected.
'X'ceptional!
Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor Get ready for a different kind of Mummy from Universal Pictures as Brendan Fraser tackles and Chinese Emperor brought back to life with his dead army. Newmarket Press presents a Pictorial Moviebook that contains production art, character and costume designs, set layouts and photos from the film, including special effect secrets. Artists and movie production hopefuls will want to lose themselves in the fascinating text and lush photos and art. Get the inside scoop on the new movie that features ground-breaking
special effects, spectacular sets along with familiar faces and new
characters. Be sure to dig up this
Mummy book, it's a real treasure! How To Draw Stupid
Kyle's advice includes learning to draw then forgetting what you learned, how to exaggerate images for full comic effect, simplifying to clarify, drawing pictures first, writing words later, conveying motion and weight and getting inside your characters' head to better understand and draw them. If you think you have the talent to be a cartoonist and want to pursue it as a career then you really need to pick up this book filled with lots of practical and common sense advice, loads of examples and other essentials of cartooning. Blood Lite
A collection of nerve-jangling tales with a humorous bite comes from many of today's stand-out horror writing stars. Inside you'll discover the horror of going green, that there is no time off for a wizard detective, an MBA turns into a demon fighting seraph, a ghost is none too happy with the a celebrity necromancer and other equally funny/horrific tales. If you prefer the chill running down your spin to be from fits of laughter instead of being scared half to death, then Blood Lite is just the sip of scary you need. Kevin J. Anderson is the editor and he does a great job of mixing things up as the Horror Writers Association presents some 'Lite' entertainment of the horror variety.
Long before he wrote this best-sellers 'Understanding Comics' and 'Making Comics', author/artist Scott McCloud practiced what he preached. In Harper's Zot! The Complete Black and White Collection: 1987-1991, Scott's breakout comic book series Zot! is reprinted in its entirety. Scott was only 23 when he started Zot! and before long he challenged traditional comic book story-telling and pushed the boundaries of what makes a comic book. The series was innovative, fresh and influenced numerous artists of its time and continues to inspire current creators. Scott provides a commentary and some additional unseen art. Zot! proved that comic books had untapped potential and proved it with every issue.
Babies To Teens As an artist and art teacher I can tell you with certainty
that drawing baby and teenager faces is a real challenge. Because of the young nature of their faces
there are virtually no wrinkles or predominant facial features to draw. Simply put, their faces are simple and it takes
a great deal of work to recreate their features without overworking
them. Fact: drawing is hard work. In Facial Expressions Babies To Teens: A Visual Reference
For Artists, author mark Simon follows up his earlier Facial Expression book
published by Watson-Guptill. Inside you'll discover galleries of baby and teen faces of
all nationalities shown from all angles, demonstrating every range of emotion
and wearing hats, scarves, glasses and a variety of head accessories. Short hair, long hair, age progression sequences and
close-ups of alphabet letter pronunciations photos are also included. It is an invaluable source of reference
that I plan on using at home and in the classroom.
Who would ever have thought that a bundle of circuits,
gears and bits of metal and plastic could be so lovable? But that's just what you get with
Disney/Pixar's new computer animated robotic star: Wall-E. Chronicle Books and author Tim Haliser (with foreword by
Andrew Stanton) present The Art Of Wall-E. The book delves into the genesis of the little robot with
a heart. Pages are filled with
concept sketches and art, sequence studies, production notes, digital tests
of texture and environments and much more. It contains a fascinating examination of the incredible
amount of work that went into creating, populating and actualizing what some
are calling the best film Pixar has ever created. No doubt, it's a sure fire hit. People can not get enough of Wall-E and neither will you after
seeing the film and looking through The Art of Wall-E |
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Smart
cartoonists draw stupid.
Vampires,
ghosts and ghouls aren't exactly subjects that one would associate with
humor.
