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Comment on Preschool Art: It’s the Process, Not the Product Reviews by Susie Jarvis "Susijar"

Susie Jarvis "Susijar" — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:21:10 +0000

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

Calling All Kids to Art, April 25, 2005

Susie Jarvis "Susijar" (Chicago, IL, USA) -

This review is from: Preschool Art: It's the Process, Not the Product (Paperback)

I was reading through the reviews on Preschool Art, and was VERY surprised to read a negative one. This book is like the basic manual for art all preschoolers [no wait, all KIDS] should do in their life times. If you also look at the variations and extensions, you will never run out of art for the rest of your child's life. BASIC? Well, certainly, some are basic -- but then, we've been around for years and years, and all these little kids are new to what we think of as basic. In fact, the first chapter is all about basic "must do" project ideas. Ok, if you're a fabulous successful artist, you don't need this book for YOU, but you might still need it for your kids. This book is very well organized, FUN, easy, and if you don't have the "extra materials" on hand (like ROCKS AND LEAVES, for goodness sake, go out with your kids and get them! That's the whole point of a book like this! Enjoy your children from the basic moments on up. Give them the gift of creative opportunities. Start basic and let them expland their imaginations and art expression from there. I vote 5 stars and then some.

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Comment on Preschool Art: It’s the Process, Not the Product Reviews by J. Gregory

J. Gregory — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:52:01 +0000

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

The best preschool art book that I have found, October 21, 2004

J. Gregory (North Carolina) -

This review is from: Preschool Art: It's the Process, Not the Product (Paperback)

I think I own most all of the preschool art/activity books on the market and this one is by far the best one. The main thing that sets this book apart is MaryAnn's Kohl's philosophy that it is the process not the product. The projects in this book focus on the experience that preschoolers get from doing the project, not creating a craft in the way that a grownup tells them to. Oftentimes, in the process of exploring the art materials the project takes a direction that is different from where the adult thought the project would go. The preschooler learns so much more from this type of art project than a pre determined craft project. All of the projects in this book are based on this philosophy and provide opportunites for open ended art exploration.

The book is very well laid out and is easy to use. She has a basic section with alot of "classic" projects and then projects organized by month. I found this organization to work very well because each month I would look at the projects for that month

Most of the projects use basic art materials and only a few projects require you to buy special items. Although a few of the projects are relatively basic, most of the projects listed take a different twist on a basic idea. For example, most parents/educators would have thought of fingerpainting, but most of us probably would not have thought of fingerpainting on a cookie sheet. Or most of us would think to give our kids crayons, but might not think to put a rubber band around a bundle of crayons and let them draw with the all of the crayons together.

If you are a parent with preschool children at home and are looking for fun art ideas, then this book is a must have on your bookshelf.

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Comment on Preschool Art: It’s the Process, Not the Product Reviews by audrey

audrey — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:25:14 +0000

82 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

fantastic resource, September 6, 2001

audrey (white mtns) -

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This review is from: Preschool Art: It's the Process, Not the Product (Paperback)

I am not an artsy-craftsy person, but I am not going to let that stop me from getting my son's little paws deep in paint or covered in glue. This book is great for a beginner like me, but to say that its usefulness is limited to beginners is to sell it short. There are lots of great ideas here and many variations listed.

Each of the almost 250 projects gets its own 8-1/2" by 11" page and has numerous line illustrations to clarify techniques and materials. The page is organized into a Materials list, a Process list, and Variations, and includes hints to make the project easier (such as cleanup tips or materials that can be reused). Icons on each page indicate the suggested age, how much time is needed to prepare ahead of time, whether or not extra assistance may be needed, whether or not caution is required (for sharp, hot or electrical materials), and whether it is one of the author's favorites, based on its being extra fun, extra fascinating, or extra easy and creative.

The book would be great if that was all there was to it, but value has been added by the wonderful organization and indexing. First, the Table of Contents is organized into basic projects (like chalk drawing and watercolors), followed by seasonal projects. And the indexes at the back are great: first, the Project Index lists projects alphabetically; next, a Materials Index lists them by -- materials (so if you want to do something with buttermilk, for example, you can find a project easily); finally, an Art Medium Index categorizes projects by medium -- drawing, painting, clay, sculpture, collage, craft or construction. These indexes make it terribly easy to find just the right project you're looking for!

In the Introduction the author discusses her philosophy of emphasizing process over product in children's art, and gives some advice on how to talk to your children about their projects. This book is an invaluable resource from cover to cover. I do not think you will ever regret purchasing this book. Very highly recommended.

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Comment on The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World by J. Piper

J. Piper — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:43:13 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

This book opened my heart to love, November 7, 2009

J. Piper -

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This review is from: The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World (Paperback)

I highly recommomend this book! I read it and felt transformed by its message. The power of this book is that it gives you very specfic ways to practice spiritualty in every moment of your life. And, although the book is about blessing others, I found that my life became blessed with a greater openeness to LOVE and non-judgment. It gave me practical ways to replace criticism with blessing in my own thought. As a result, relationships have been enriched. I have used the practice of blessing in my work, my family, my church, and even strangers on the street. It is WONDERFUL! Blessings will begin to flow to you and from you in the form of acceptance and love. It is proof that,.. that which you give out returns to you a hundredfold. BLESSING, -- it's a new way of life for me.

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Comment on The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World by Ann Longacre

Ann Longacre — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:10:48 +0000

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

A life changing way to view others, November 7, 2009

Ann Longacre (KS, USA) -

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This review is from: The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World (Paperback)

In our spiritual journeys, many of us have turned ourselves inside out/upside down with metaphysical gymnastics. The idea presented in this book - that consistent, unconditional well-wishing for others (and oneself)transforms situations and lives for the better - both simplifies and deepens the journey. The well-wishing Pierre Pradervand writes about is rooted in the idea that there is a universal unity of being and that blessing brings that to the fore. The book is rich with profound and modest examples of the power of blessing, and anyone who practices what it teaches will soon have examples of their own. One of the first friends I gave it to said that the night she finished the book she couldn't wait to wake up the next morning and greet life with the blessing practice. "I jumped out of bed, eager to begin!" she told me. The decision to bless brought joyous anticipation to every encounter. It stemmed judgment. Spawned patience. Inspired forgiveness. She bought copies for her daughters and several friends. Books are my favorite gifts - and I've given this one to about a dozen people from all walks of life. Like me, they had an urge to share it after reading it. I suspect that's because we all long for & need genuine well-wishing - and if enough people read this book, we're bound to have some of those transforming blessings come our way!

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Comment on The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World by Zardoz

Zardoz — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:17:07 +0000

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Spirituality and Manifestation Simplified, December 14, 2009

Zardoz (CA) -

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This review is from: The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World (Paperback)

I just finished reading this wonderful life changing book.
The author maintains that by blessing others and oneself from a place of geniune feeling is the key to transformation. He is right.

This practice has other powerful benefits as well. Blessing will raise one's "vibe" to a place where their intentions can be materialized easily. Blessing removes fear, resentment, ager and thoughts of vengence. As the bible says Faith works by love. Blessing is a form of loving. Loving opens the door to everything desirable.

This book is simple easy reading. It is not bound up with esoteric nomenclature or vauge fuzzy new age language. The blessing process is easy to do. Once you learn it in a few minutes, it yours for life. There are even simple, sample blessings for different types of people and situations. Imagine blessing your politicians and business leaders instead of constantly cursing them. What new realities would we create for ourselves?

The author exhorts us to operate with compassion and understanding with those who act in evil fashions. He would have us bless them into awakening rather than to bind them to evil by cursing them. It takes a higher perspective to pull that off, but the results of a reformed, enlightened humanity are worth the effort.The blessing you put forward comes back to you in the form of a more peaceful, abundant life.

The author provides us with real life examples of the power of blessing that are nothing short of inspirational.This makes a very nice gift for anyone open to change in your life. Read this book.

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Comment on Ancient Art: A Brief History by S. Warfield

S. Warfield — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 06:23:02 +0000

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

A very short history, July 4, 2011

S. Warfield (Maryland) -

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This review is from: Ancient Art: A Brief History (Kindle Edition)

This very concise history of ancient art is fine for readers who know absolutely nothing about art in the time periods covered in this brief book. For someone who wants an introduction that is basically a short outline then that is what they'll get.

The book is not meant to be in any way comprehensive or even a good look at the ancient art of
Sumer, Greece, Rome, or Egypt. However, if someone is interested enough and wants to learn a little about it, they will come away knowing that Roman architecture was very influenced by Greek architecture, and that the Colosseum was commissioned in A.D.70. It had Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles of columns. It will not define these, however. Ancient Mesopotamian and Persian art are included, as well as a small chapter on the pyramids at Giza.

I found several mistakes in reading this and editing could be better. If you are very interested in art history and want a comprehensive book on the subject, rather than this very short outline I'd suggest Janson's History of Art.

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Comment on Ancient Art: A Brief History by A. Feeney

A. Feeney — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 05:59:19 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Doesn't really fill any niche, June 19, 2011

A. Feeney (Chicago, IL) -

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This review is from: Ancient Art: A Brief History (Kindle Edition)

This book, written at what I'd guess is a middle school level, tries to cover an immense amount of ground in very little space. As a result, it's full of generalizations and skips tremendous amounts of material.

The choices of illustrations are truly odd. For example, there are several paragraphs devoted to the Willendorf Woman (aka the Willendorf Venus) but no photos.

For the same amount, I'd recommend getting a decent used copy of a more thorough book or simply pointing them to the many websites from major museums for free. The convenience of having this text on a Kindle doesn't offset the lack of color illustrations or enough content to be truly informative or good enough writing to capture the imagination.

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Comment on Ancient Art: A Brief History by Abby S.

Abby S. — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 05:19:56 +0000

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Beyond brief, more like misleading, June 12, 2011

Abby S. -

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This review is from: Ancient Art: A Brief History (Kindle Edition)

While I appreciate the limitations of space in an abridged format that is attempting to cover something ridiculously large as ancient art, this book dangerously misleading. The summaries are flawed in that they select a small portion of a civilization's visual record and assign a conclusion for the entirety based on it. Ex. Under Roman Art they discuss verisimilitude during the Republican period completely ignoring the idealism of the Imperial portraiture. Even more confusing is the choice of artworks used as examples. The Colossus of Rhodes (Greek case study) when there is no surviving image. Really? While the canon may need revising some of these are poor selections for underscoring the point being made.

The scope is too large and the text is too brief to provide an adequate and accurate understanding.

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Comment on The Art of Up (Pixar Animation) by AlreadyDead "WWII Military Buff"

AlreadyDead "WWII Military Buff" — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:42:11 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

A Fantastic and Different Book for a Fantastic and Different Movie!, June 10, 2009

AlreadyDead "WWII Military Buff" (US) -

This review is from: The Art of Up (Pixar Animation) (Hardcover)

Up is a different sort of movie than is commonly made by anyone much less Pixar. The themes addressed in the film are gut wrenching as well as inspiring, and to really gain insight into the methods used to bring them to the screen required a different approach than the average "Art of" book.

Though I have been a fan of Pixar since they came on the scene, I have never been compelled to buy any of their previous "Art of" books. With Up, I was so profoundly moved by this masterwork of a film that I had to find out everything I could about the process of making it! This book does that and more. Filled with carefully chosen preproduction art that shows the evolution of all the major characters and settings, this work also presents the evolution of the perspectives of the creators as they changed throughout the process.

The layout of the book takes inspiration from a prominent volume in the film, with similar colors, a "paste up" style and a very nice emboss hidden under the dust jacket. The paper quality is superb, as is the binding. This is a book that is meant to be looked at often and for a long time.

Even though I would love to have seen ALL the art from Up included, I came away feeling very satisfied in that I had seen more than expected, and all of the "most important" pieces. If you are like me and simply had to have more of Up, this book satisfies that urge and more. For everyone else, The Art of Up is a loving look at the masters of storytelling at work!

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