Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors

Color by Betty Edwards: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors Review

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Millions of people have learned to draw using the methods of Dr. Betty Edwards's bestseller The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Now, much as artists progress from drawing to painting, Edwards moves from black-and-white into color. This much-awaited new guide distills the enormous existing knowledge about color theory into a practical method of working with color to produce harmonious combinations.

Using techniques tested and honed in her five-day intensive color workshops, Edwards provides a basic understanding of how to see color, how to use it, and-for those involved in art, painting, or design-how to mix and combine hues. Including more than 125 color images and exercises that move from simple to challenging, this volume explains how to:

see what is really there rather than what you "know" in your mind about colored objects
perceive how light affects color, and how colors affect one another
manipulate hue, value, and intensity of color and transform colors into their opposites
balance color in still-life, landscape, figure, and portrait painting
understand the psychology of color
harmonize color in your surroundings

While we recognize and treasure the beautiful use of color, reproducing what we see can be a challenge. Accessibly unweaving color's complexity, this must-have primer is destined to be an instant classic.

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Palette: Webster's Timeline History, 3500 - 3001 BC - 2007

Palette: Webster's Timeline History, 3500 - 3001 BC - 2007 Review

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Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Palette," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Palette in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Palette when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Palette, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain.

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Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting

Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting Review

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The whys and hows of the various aspects of landscape painting: angles and consequent values, aerial and linear perspective, painting of trees, emotional properties of line and mass in composition, light, unity of tone, plus information on canvas, palette, brushes, more. 34 black-and-white reproductions of paintings by Carlson. 58 explanatory diagrams.

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Color Saves the Day: The Power of the Perfect Color Palette (Home Decorating) (English and English Edition)

Color Saves the Day: The Power of the Perfect Color Palette (Home Decorating) (English and English Edition) Review

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Some people have a natural affinity for color—everybody else has to be “led into the light.” COLOR Saves the Day is for both the color adventurous and the color shy, offering inspiration for trying new ways with color and for learning how to use it as an effective cost-saving solution. Like its sister book, PAINT Saves the Day, this book presents and solves a series of  problems and perplexing design situations along with the latest color choices as offered by a number of  leading paint manufacturers.

 

View author Lucianna Samu discussing her design ideas and the book here:

http://www.thebalancingact.com/story/?id=2001

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Excel 2010 All-in-One For Dummies

Excel 2010 All-in-One For Dummies Review

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A comprehensive, up-to-date, user-friendly guide to Excel 2010

Excel is the standard for spreadsheet applications and is used worldwide, but it's not always user-friendly. That makes it a perfect For Dummies topic, and this handy all-in-one guide covers all the essentials, the new features, how to analyze data with Excel, and much more.

Eight minibooks address Excel basics, worksheet design, formulas and functions, worksheet collaboration and review, charts and graphics, data management, data analysis, and Excel and VBA.

• Excel is the leading spreadsheet/data analysis software and is used throughout the world; the newest revision includes upgraded tools and a redesigned interface
• For Dummies books are the bestselling guides to Excel, with more than three million copies sold
• Excel 2010 All-in-One For Dummies covers the changes in the newest version as well as familiar tasks, such as creating and editing worksheets, setting up formulas, and performing statistical functions
• Eight self-contained minibooks cover the basics, worksheet design, formulas and functions, worksheet collaboration, presenting data in charts and graphics, data management, data analysis, and creating macros with VBA.

Newcomers to Excel as well as veterans who just want to learn the latest version will find Excel 2010 All-in-One For Dummies has everything they need to know.

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AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013 Bible

AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013 Bible Review

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The bestselling guide to AutoCAD, fully updated for the 2013 version

AutoCAD, the number one architectural drawing software, can be challenging to learn. This comprehensive guide has sold more than 160,000 copies in previous editions and is the go-to resource for architects, engineers, drafters, interior designers, and space planners who need to learn and use AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT. From the basics of creating drawings and using commands to 2D and 3D drawing techniques, using layers, rendering, and customizing the program, this book covers it all. A Quick Start guide allows even newcomers to create an actual drawing on their very first day.

Expert AutoCAD author Ellen Finkelstein presents more than 150 tutorials illustrated with real-world drawings from AutoCAD pros. The companion DVD includes bonus appendices, freeware and shareware programs, and a 30-day trial version of AutoCAD.

• The comprehensive, soup-to-nuts reference that even some Autodesk employees keep on their desks
• Covers AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT in complete detail, from using the interface and commands to customizing and programming AutoCAD with AutoLISP and VBA
• Begins with a Quick Start guide to help novices create a real drawing on their first day with the program
• Covers creating drawings, using commands, and specifying coordinates; working with complex 2D and 3D drawing techniques; using layers; and creating dimensions, 3D coordinates, solids, and rendering
• Discusses customizing commands and toolbars and programming AutoCAD with AutoLISP and VBA
• Includes a DVD with bonus appendices, freeware and shareware programs, and a 30-day trial version of AutoCAD

AutoCAD 2013 and AutoCAD LT 2013 Bible is the comprehensive, one-stop AutoCAD resource for newcomers and veterans alike.

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Lust for Life

Lust for Life Review

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The book captures the atmosphere of the Paris of the Post-Impressionists and reconstructs the development of Van Gogh's art.

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Watercolor Artist's Guide to Exceptional Color

Watercolor Artist's Guide to Exceptional Color Review

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There are hundreds of watercolor paints on the market, with widely varying characteristics, appearances, and names. This easy-to-use book cuts through the confusion. In this informative, 128-page book, author Jan Hart covers pigment properties while providing helpful information on combining colors on the palette for optimal effect. The full-color book features an array of step-by-step painting demonstrations and a must-have glossary of pigment equivalencies for the most popular paint manufacturers.

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Oil Painting with a Basic Palette

Oil Painting with a Basic Palette Review

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Price teaches how a simplified palette can be used to create strong, vibrant paintings. Six painting demonstrations show all the lessons applied.

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Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 Essentials

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 Essentials Review

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Get quickly up to speed on Revit Architecture's core features and functions

This unique new Autodesk Official Training Guide thoroughly covers the fundamentals of Revit Architecture. The fast, focused guide teaches you everything you need to become quickly productive with the software, including how to best use the interface, create floor plans, add content, prepare documentation, annotate, and more. Each chapter features compelling, full-color screenshots to illustrate tutorial steps and concludes with a related and more open-ended project to further reinforce the lessons.

Beginners can start anywhere in the book and compare their results with the pros, using downloadable datasets.

• Contains an introduction to Revit's architectural interface and powerful tools
• Includes a wealth of hands-on exercises that help to hone your Revit skills
• Features detailed information on how to visualize, present, and document your design
• Provides hands-on instruction for working with families, groups, and phasing
• Includes information to help users prepare for the Revit Associate and Professional Exams

The book uses a workflow-based approach that mirrors how projects progress in the real world and features tips and tricks drawn from the authors' extensive professional experience.

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LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT

LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Review

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With the new LabVIEW toolkit release, more sophisticated MINDSTORMS NXT users, including hobbyists, students, and educators, can program the NXT using the LabVIEW graphical programming environment. LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT by Michael Gasperi, the first official treatment of the subject, illustrates through many detailed examples how to write programs in LabVIEW that execute entirely on the NXT and that directly control the NXT using programs that run on a computer. LabVIEW for MINDSTORMS was written by an expert in LEGO MINDSTORMS with the cooperation of National Instruments to create the definitive guide to programming the NXT using LabVIEW. Using the robotic construction projects included with the retail LEGO Mindstorms NXT product the author shows how advanced tools from the LabVIEW Toolkit can be used to build more versatile and sophisticated projects. These include both typical robotics applications and several of a more laboratory or industrial nature to show computer control with the NXT as a data acquisition and control device. Advanced NXT topics like Data Files, Bluetooth, and I2C communications are also treated as well as how to connect the NXT to the internet with a web server. The book is further set apart by its packaging. A CD is enclosed with each new book containing the LabVIEW evaluation, the LabVIEW Toolkit for LEGO MINSTORMS NXT, and all the programming examples from the book. Everything you need to enhance and extend your robotic design.

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Photoshop for 3D Artists, Vol. 1

Photoshop for 3D Artists, Vol. 1 Review

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Whatever 3D software artists use, Photoshop remains a key tool throughout the production pipeline. The techniques presented in Photoshop for 3D Artists: Volume 1 are intended to show how 2D techniques can be seamlessly blended into the 3D production pipeline, resulting in a high quality image and a versatile and streamlined workflow. The book offers artists the chance to learn from a variety of top professionals, such as Andrzej Sykut, Fabio M. Ragonha, and Zoltan Korcsok, who willingly share the tips and tricks that they have developed over years of working in the 3D industry.

The tutorials in Photoshop for 3D Artists: Volume 1 cover a variety of different subjects, from the initial concept stage through to post-production. Previz and concepts are explored, showing the advantages of using Photoshop to plan and visualize projects. Combining library images in Photoshop to create custom textures is also featured, as well as how Photoshop can be used as an efficient alternative to lengthy render tests by focusing on compositing passes, adding particle effects, and improving light and color adjustments. These post-production techniques are becoming increasingly popular within the industry as Photoshop becomes a more powerful and time-saving tool, enabling almost every 3D artist to enhance their final renders.

With the expertise of individual contributors, the clearly written tutorials, and work-in-progress images, Photoshop for 3D Artists: Volume 1 is a timeless resource for veteran and beginner artists alike.

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ZBrush Character Creation: Advanced Digital Sculpting

ZBrush Character Creation: Advanced Digital Sculpting Review

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A stunning, content-rich update to this top-selling ZBrush guide!

This second edition of ZBrush Character Creation has been fully updated for ZBrush 4, the newest version of this fascinating and popular 3D sculpting software. ZBrush enables users to create detailed organic models using a brush-based toolset and tablet. The startling results look as though they've been painted with real brushes and oils, and ZBrush is increasingly popular for use in film, game, and broadcast pipelines.

Author Scott Spencer is embedded in the ZBrush community and his movie credits include Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix and the upcoming The Hobbit. Learn Spencer's invaluable techniques for texturing, chiseling, posing, costuming, and more with his newest ZBrush guide.

• Explains ZBrush 4, the newest version of the revolutionary software tool for creating 3D organic models in a way that appears to be traditionally painted or sculpted
• Shows you how get the most out of ZBrush, from the fundamentals to new tools for texturing, chiseling, and costuming
• Offers plenty of insights and professional techniques for creating characters for films and games, drawing from the author's own experience on such films as Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix and The Hobbit
• Demonstrates the author's own techniques of using traditional sculpting and painting concepts and applying them to digital art for greater artistry

Discover the beauty of ZBrush with this colorful, in-depth guide.

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The Non-Designer's Design and Type Books, Deluxe Edition

The Non-Designer's Design and Type Books, Deluxe Edition Review

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Design and typographic insights from the author of The Non-Designer’s book series (over 700,000 copies in print!)

This book offers decades of experience from one of the greatest computer book authors. Here in one volume, Robin Williams has joined together a new edition of her classic The Non-Designer’s Design Book—in glorious full color for the first time—and her best-selling TheNon-Designer’s Type Book. Robin uses her straightforward and lighthearted style to define the principles that govern good design and type as well as the logic behind those principles. Using numerous examples, you’ll learn what looks best and why on your way to designing beautiful and effective projects. Whether you are a Mac user or a Windows user, a type novice or an experienced graphic designer, you will find inspiration and direction for the design quandaries and conundrums you are sure to encounter!

These essential guides to design and type will teach you about:

• The four principles of design that underlie every design project
• Categories of type
• Working with color
• How to combine typefaces for maximum effect
• Readability and legibility
• The proper typographic treatment of punctuation
• Letter spacing, line spacing, and paragraph spacing
• Special characters and accent marks
  

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Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d'Art

Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d'Art Review

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A rollicking tale that features special printed map endpapers and more than two dozen masterpieces of art throughout the book, SacrÉ Bleu is better than a day at the museum!

It is the color of the Virgin Mary's cloak, a dazzling pigment desired by artists, an exquisite hue infused with danger, adventure, and perhaps even the supernatural. It is . . .

SacrÉ Bleu

In July 1890, Vincent van Gogh went into a cornfield and shot himself. Or did he? Why would an artist at the height of his creative powers attempt to take his own life . . . and then walk a mile to a doctor's house for help? Who was the crooked little "color man" Vincent had claimed was stalking him across France? And why had the painter recently become deathly afraid of a certain shade of blue?

These are just a few of the questions confronting Vincent's friends—baker-turned-painter Lucien Lessard and bon vivant Henri Toulouse-Lautrec—who vow to discover the truth about van Gogh's untimely death. Their quest will lead them on a surreal odyssey and brothel-crawl deep into the art world of late nineteenth-century Paris.

Oh lÀ lÀ, quelle surprise, and zut alors! A delectable confection of intrigue, passion, and art history—with cancan girls, baguettes, and fine French cognac thrown in for good measure—SacrÉ Bleu is another masterpiece of wit and wonder from the one, the only, Christopher Moore.

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