Product Description

Express yourself on a digital canvas

Imagine flying through an inky night sky tethered to a red, heart-shaped balloon. Now imagine expressing that dream artistically. With Digital Expressions you can take ordinary photos and, with the help of Adobe Photoshop Elements, voice your flights of fancy.

Digital Expressions guides you through 25 digital art projects created with Adobe Photoshop Elements. With this easy-to-follow guide, you’ll get inspired to tackle all kinds of digital mixed-media techniques using stock photography, custom brushes, textured backgrounds and your own digital photos.

Use your digital palette to:

· Manipulate single images by adding texture layers, color fills and text

· Re-create the look of traditional art like drawings and abstract paintings

· Build collages using transparent layers and photo filters

· Blend seamless montages with various effects

· Incorporate your own traditional art into digital works

**Bonus CD includes assorted brushes, photos and textures you can use to create on your own digital canvas.**

Mixed-media artists, art journalers and scrapbookers alike can turn the ordinary into extraordinary! Express yourself in digital form as you learn to master creative digital art techniques.

Customer Reviews (37)

A must have
Anyone interested in going beyond just printing an image from a photograph must have this book.The author presents techniques I had never used.This is not for a beginner.You must have some basic knowledge of Elements to understand how to produce the images the author discusses.I will keep this book handy for inspiration.

Truly splendiferous.
This is truly a masterwork. In very clear, beautifully illustrated steps, Susan Tuttle brings you through the basics of creating sophisticated, beautiful digital art with Photoshop Elements (or Photoshop).

It is amazing that someone can provide a feeling of such supportive encouragement through the written page. Ms. Tuttle is very much in touch with herself, her tools and techniques. She explains how to do things that seem very complex - and, in fact, are complex. But she explains in clear language how to do it. And above all, encourage the reader to live free and experiment. There is no such thing as failure: every experience is a learning experience.

The book itself is beautiful, the layout truly impressive, but still unpretentious.

I've always thought that what Susan Tuttle describes as "digital art" was beyond my modest abilities.

After perusing Susan's book, I can hardly wait to start proving myself wrong.

If you have any desire at all to create extraordinary art, get this book.

Jerry

Absolutely exceeds expectations!
This book came up in one of my recommendations.WOW!Perfect fit.If you've wanted to know how to do things like textures and brushes and collages and montages in PhotoShop, this is the book for you.Simply and logically written, it provides great instructions while whetting your creativity with superb examples.

An artfully helpful guidebook
I'd been wanting to get into digital collage for awhile, but I had no idea where to start - particularly with Photoshop (Elements.) I knew some basics like crop, resize, and contrast adjustment, but felt overwhelmed about learning the trickier things. Well, this book was exactly what I needed to get started!

Each section of the book has a beautiful artwork, and then the complete step-by-step instructions for recreating it, using Photoshop Elements. This method may not work for everyone, but I've found it to be a great starting point and a springboard for inspiration. I refer to it often. Susan Tuttle also includes a disc of resources, and links to online sources for free and premium stock photos, brushes, and other useful tools.

The book does assume that you have some basic knowledge of digital photo editing, so don't buy it if you are expecting to learn the program from scratch. But if you have played around with Photoshop and you're looking to build on your digital collage skills, this book is for you.

Also worth noting - though the book specifically refers to Adobe Photoshop Elements, I've also found that the instructions can easily be translated for use with Gimp, a free open source photo editor that's similarly powerful.

A beautiful book that unlocks the mysteries of digital art
Susan Tuttle's latest book is a treasure trove of inspiration and instruction. The book is beautifully designed - it is a joy just browsing through the pages - and there are clear, easy to understand lessons in unlocking and de-mystifying the secrets of digital art.

The artist/author imparts her wealth of knowledge of the field, sharing the many techniques involved in creating works of art using digital media. The inclusion of other artists' works enhances the book, and the learning process. Tuttle is a great teacher: if you have not yet had the opportunity to learn from her in her Visual Poetry workshops, I highly recommend it.

This book will be a wonderful addition to your art library, enabling ongoing learning of the many amazing ways to be creative using Photoshop, irrespective of your level of experience. ... Read more

Product Description
There’s no question that applications like Photoshop have changed the art world forever. Master digital artists already use these tools to create masterpieces that stretch the limits of the imagination—but you don’t have to be a master to create your own digital art.

Whether you’re a beginner who’s never picked up a pen or paintbrush, or a traditional artist who wants to explore everything a digital canvas might inspire, digital artist and arts educator Scott Ligon guides you and inspires you with clear instructions and exercises that explore all the visual and technical possibilities.

Featuring the work of 40 of the finest digital artists working today, Digital Art Revolution is your primary resource for creating amazing artwork using your computer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Excellent - with some reservations.
This is an excellent primer on creating digital fine art, but it has some shortcomings. On a purely personal level, I found the author's preening irritating. By the same token, he is describing, in many instances, his own artwork or his own teaching style. Minor issue and while it was irritating enough to warrant mention, it does not detract from the usefulness of the book.

What does detract is the superficiality of the instruction. Apparently Ligon intends or hopes his book will be used as school text. By my count, Ligon attempts to discuss 71 separate topics, most involving the use of Photoshop, in 247 pages, about two-thirds or so of which are primarily text. That's not a lot of space and it does not permit extensive discussion of any single topic. As a result, an 11 page section ostensibly on masking very briefly covers only a few masking techniques and tries to include five other subjects as well, including sharpening. Very large books have been devoted to the subject of sharpening. In short, Ligon is providing a whirlwind tour of Photoshop. This may work for a paint-by-numbers environment, but for the student who is engaged in solo learning, it may be troublesome.

Another critical skill given short shrift is the pen tool. Ligon devotes a bit more than two text shy pages to this topic.The pen tool is essential any serious Photoshop user and is notoriously difficult to master for many, perhaps most, Photoshop users. It is crucial to compositing and nearly all of Ligon's examples involve selection and compositing to one extent or another.

Finally, Ligon shows dozens of samples of digital art without a word of guidance as to how they were created. Readers, I think, would be better served had Ligon focused on providing more detailed "how-to" instructions.

In the end though, this is a pretty good introduction to creating digital art with Photoshop. At the moment, the subject is still a pretty narrow field and this is a solid entry. I would also suggest Susan Tuttle's "Digital Expressions: Creating Digital Art with Adobe Photoshop Elements". Same basic topic, but a very different authorial style.

Jerry

Window into the future of art
Scott Ligon's book is an inspired and remarkable reflexion on the changes announce by new tchnologies. It heralds a new era in Art and presents a number of fine artists that are riding this new wave of creative work. He had a considerable influence on a group of artists that followed the principles of the manifesto da arte informatizada issued in Brasilia in 1984. He is being praised and a tribute will be paid to him in an important show in 2010 of Murat's EXPO in Rio de Janeiro. This book is a must for the open minded art lover and is window to the future of art.

More than your everyday revolution
I found Scott Ligon's creation by accident at my local library while searching for Adobe Photoshop CS5E supplemental help.My lucky find has finally put my 50 years of photographic creations into not only a revolution but also a revelation.

All the B/W and Color darkroom techniques I've learned and taught over the last 50 years have come to the surface after reading between the lines of "Digital Art Revolution".But this has little to do with Ligon's "DAR", and I would never have realized that what has been kept separated between my film and digital work presents itself time and again on Ligon's plethora of beautifully printed art-filled exampled sample pages that bring new ideas that combine more than just someone "trying" to make their digital photo art look like canvas art (in general) hanging in the gallery on its way to a loving wall and "oohs" and "awes" from onlookers, admirers, and proud new owners.

Art is largely creativity for the artist or admiration from the owner.If you are truly creative you will hear the bells ringing from what Scott Ligon has to say both textually and texturally.Otherwise, get back into the darkroom and just stand in the darkness for awhile remembering all the creative things you do (or did) that you thought couldn't be done digitally.What I came to realize, while practicing what I preach, is that what I can replace, starting digital software, can also be applied to what I once thought was the big riff between the two artful mediums... there is no riff if you stand there in the memorable dark long enough.I'm talking about the true image creator who created a single, signed piece of chemical art now looking for all those techniques of old once again applied to an image that is captured on digital permanence instead of the 25-years or so of life from my deteriorating film-for-masterpieces (which I still produce).

Scott's mental invasions will help some photographers become better at their chemical/digital craft, but, like me, some will see that, with a creative and builder's mind, all the creativity from gouache-on-a-brush is still there in its beginning stages as it comes peeling out of your professional-grade printer ready to be worked to amazement on some bizarre surface before your next champagne showing.

Thanks, Scott.Your book has truly made a difference in both my life and what more I can teach my students.I'm having to write down (okay... type on my keyboard) all my new-found creative thoughts before my age slips them away.

Tom TPC Jenkins

If you appreciate art and have a camera, buy this book.
If ever there was a case for art meeting technology - this is it. Mr Ligon has put together an impressive tome, with real-life examples on how to take the ordinary and make it beautiful. Obviously one cannot be taught to be artistic per se, but even if you have a cheap $100 digital camera or scanner & Photoshop plus just an ounce of creativity the author puts you on the right path. Like Photoshop itself, 'Digital Art Revolution' is an amazing tool.

Digital Art Revolution
I'm finding that the Author has a tremendous capacity for addressing the needs for beginners
through people with an existing understanding of Photoshop.
As a beginner, I have scoured the bookshelves looking for a "how-to" book that understands
my lack of experience and creates step-by-step methods of getting me acquainted with the
program.
Most of the books that I've seen seem to take for granted that you will immediately understand
the technical jargon which loses me right off the bat.
It's about time a book like this came out to help the beginner! I am both enjoying the style
in which it was written as well as my "Eureka" moments gained from successful excercises. ... Read more

Product Description
Utilizing the combined experience of three traditional artists turned digital imaging pioneers, Digital Art Studio champions combining traditional art techniques with digital media. From their unique position as artists, educators, and technology consultants, the authors provide a wide range of ways to integrate digital processes, using them in unusual and challenging ways to reinvent traditional art techniques. The computer is profiled as the ultimate mixed-media machine, allowing the artist to readily combine an unbelievable array of media. The book covers the basic processes for preparing commercially available surfaces (canvas and watercolor and printmaking papers) and custom surfaces (handmade papers, wood, leather, and antique fabrics). More advanced methods are covered, including transferring digital images to absorbent surfaces and transferring digital images to three-dimensional surfaces. A showcase of the work of artists who have combined digital and traditional materials to produce outstanding work will inspire all artists, new and seasoned alike, to explore the new world of mixing traditional art with digital media. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Truly inspiring book for this interesting art technique
I have a few books on the subject of combining inkjet printing with traditional art materials (there aren't many) most of which are very disappointing.This is a diamond in a sea of sand and stands head and shoulder above the nearest rival.

The book is printed on good paper with decent sized examples of the three authors work.It's very logically laid out starting with the basics and progressing in complexity, without being at all condescending.It covers substrates (printing surfaces) you can buy and then moves on to preparing your own surfaces for your art work.The progression from chapter to chapter is logical and adds another level of (easy to understand) complexity to this interesting and varied art technique.As you can `look inside' the book on Amazon, I won't go into the content of each chapter, suffice to say they are all very interesting.Each chapter has great commentary and instructions with step by step illustrations and a list of materials used.They also have a `Tips' section, a `Creative Explorations' section (ideas of variations and what you can explore next) as well as a `Trouble Shooting' where appropriate.

The level of detail described with each technique is fantastic and never leaves you confused.I have been truly inspired by this book and cannot recommend it enough.A clear five star rating!

Perfect for including your photos in your artworks
Digital Art Studio is so rich in useful content that any artist wanting to apply his or her photography to great effect will benefit from study of the authors' many techniques for transferring images to virtually any ground: paper, metal, ceramics, plastic, and glass.They provide detailed instructions for preparing the grounds to accept the images, instructions which they had to develop themselves during many years of experimentation and consultation with professionals in associated activities. Many artists of distinction would find it difficult to be as generous as Krause, Schminke, and Lhotka are with the techniques behind their fascinating and rapidly developing artworks.(I found Krause at [...], Schminke at [...], and Lhotka at [...].)

Their techniques are useful for applying digital photos to most types of artwork out there today and any one with a digital camera and desktop printer can make use of many of these techniques. But ambitious artists will find techniques and applications that have the potential to make terrific artworks using simple or extraordinary photos. I've just begun to use a few of these techniques and already I am tremendously excited.Many thanks to the authors for their generosity in revealing the fruits of their research and experience.

Inspiring new techniques
Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials provides a wide range of interesting and creative techniques for digital imaging that I anticipate will help me to move beyond making simple digital prints that all look exactly alike to creating unique, one of a kind originals.Be warned that some of them require some very specialized materials that aren't cheap or easy to locate, but I anticipate that, for me personally, the results will be worth the effort and I hope will take my work to a new level.

digital art studio
excellent book delivery was prompt actually did not expect it as soon as I got it

very useful
This is a manual that is very clear for image transferring. It also gives many inspirations for any artist to just "do it." ... Read more

Product Description
*The classic reference, with over 25,000 copies in print, has been massively expanded and thoroughly updated to include state-of-the-art methods and 400+ all-new full color images!

At ILM, compositing is one of the most important tools we use. If you want to learn more, this excellent 2nd-edition is detailed with hundreds of secrets that will help make your comps seamless. For beginners or experts, Ron walks you through the processes of analysis and workflows - linear thinking which will help you become deft and successfully tackle any shot.
- Dennis Muren ASC, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic

Ron Brinkman's book is the definitive work on digital compositing and we have depended on this book as a critical part of our in-house training program at Imageworks since the 1999 Edition. We use this book as a daily textbook and reference for our lighters, compositors and anyone working with digital imagery.It is wonderful to see a new edition being released and it will certainly be required reading for all our digital artists here at Imageworks.
- Sande Scoredos, Executive Director of Training & Artist Development, Sony Pictures Imageworks

The Art and Science of Digital Compositing is the only complete overview of the technical and artistic nature of digital compositing.It covers a wide range of topics from basic image creation, representation and manipulation, to a look at the visual cues that are necessary to create a believable composite.Designed as an introduction to the field, as well as an authoritative technical reference, this book provides essential information for novices and professionals alike.

*17 new case-studies provide in-depth looks at the compositing work done on films such as Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Golden Compass, The Incredibles, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King, Sin City, Spider-Man 2, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith.

*The accompanying DVD-ROM features bonus resources, including example footage from hit films and projects that give readers hands-on experience withreal industry materials.

*Includes new sections on 3D compositing, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, Rotoscoping, and much more!

*17 new case-studies provide in-depth looks at the compositing work done on films such as Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Golden Compass, The Incredibles, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King, Sin City, Spider-Man 2, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith.

*The accompanying DVD-ROM features bonus resources, including example footage from hit films and projects that give readers hands-on experience withreal industry materials.

*Includes new sections on 3D compositing, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, Rotoscoping, and much more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Amazing Value
The book is perfect but I also want to mention that the DVD (double layer) that cames with it is also fantastic. It actualy has compositing scenes from feature films like Star Wars !!! Must buy !

Buy this book if you want to lose your sleep and loved ones.
I read this book front to back in 7 days. Not that I'm an avid reader or I can read 1000s of words a minute. The content is so exceptionally good that I just could not stop letting go off the book. I think I finally found something that can replace sex. There are many masters in compositing but very few are good teachers. Ron is one of those rare Zen master's who not only realized nirvana but can also teach the ways to achieve it. Try explaining light to a blind man and you will know how difficult it becomes with words.

The patience and accuracy with which Ron has laid out the nuts and bolts of the whole process of digital compositing is rare and for loss of a better word I will call it "Excellent". I also think that amazon should incorporate another rating system that calls "SuperHero stuff" or something. There are lots of books that say push this button and select that option and fall in love with the resulting image. But when the next version of the software is released those buttons are either gone or the options have been changed completely and what not.

Anyway, if you want to go underneath the hood, and I think you should, of any modern compositing software be it nuke or after effects or fusion or katana (i heard that nuke will incorporate some of katana into their software) please look no further. Real world compositing problems are not as simple as pushing this button or that. There will be no button in any software for that matter that says "Ladies! push this button if you have an uneven greenscreen with a flickering foreground element that is heavy in motion blur". Wallah, the problem is solved, your boss is ecstatic that you won an academy award for visual effects just because of that single lovable, darling, push me again and again - button.

There is a particular way in which I use this book. Courtesy Ron again. He made a software resistant book. What I mean by that is that he will not talk about nuke or after effects in particular. Anyway, I read the book, Ron sets out to put a concept in place. Then I dig out the option or options that would lend themselves to solve that Ron's concept from the particular software Im using and give the options a good spanking, punishing or a good squeeze to; you know "Bruce Lee's Fist Of Fury" style squeeze and make them give me the codes to the zion's mainframe. And even before you know it, everything falls in place like a Brian De Palma's movie.

Goodness God I already am feeling tired writing this simple review and wondering how Ron must have squeezed the juice of digital compositing with such elegance. I need a vacation(Terminator 2).

In short "BUY THIS BOOK YOU FOOL!!!!!!".

Rajneesh.

A bible for Digital compositing
This book is a bible for digital compositing that starts from the basics to advanced techniques used. I love examples of compositing from many popular movies and I wish more of the book was about case studies from different films and showed more detailed steps of the techniques used rather than spending the first chapters explaining the basics of visual graphics and etc. But overall this is a must have book for those who want to learn all the basics of CGI and compositing. Users of compositing programs like Adobe after effects can benefit from the the included DVD that has videos/pictures and use those in the program to practice the techniques explained in the book.

The definitive book on compositing.
I've heard this book referred to as being "the bible" for digital compositing and I see why. It's incredibly complete, well written, easy to read and the case studies section of the book is fantastic. Along with the included DVD, the book walks you through actual composites from major motion pictures. Great book.

great book for beginners and for the one's who wants to review the basics and learn more
I have already started to read this huge book and I really like it. I've been working with post-production for almost 10 years and there are some things that you do even if you don't know exactly how you did that. This book brings to you a hole knowledge about Digital Compositing in great level. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (25)

Inspirational and Incredibly Useful
This book is fantastic. I've worked through five of the lessons so far and have learned so much!This is definitely a learn by doing and dive right in kind of book, there are only a few pages explaining the program and the brushes, etc...Marilyn does lay everything out step by step, but I must admit there were times I'd get confused or mess something up, or something wouldn't work like I thought it should, but I always figured it out eventually.If you work through the lessons, you'll learn a lot.

I didn't get hung up about whether or not I had specific plug ins Marilyn uses;I just did my own thing with the plug ins I own for Photoshop.I am not trying to recreate Marilyns art exactly, I am trying to learn the principles behind creating a digital painting with a photograph and Painter.

Anyway, this is a beautifully illustrated book, and each chapter is followed by a gallery featuring an amazing artist, complete with links to their website.Highly recommended.

A great place to start...
This is a very helpful tool to learn more about Painter and how you can bypass the hard work that drawing or painting a subject from blank canvas to finished creation can take by using a photograph. I have watched in amazement how over time the technology has gotten better to do this. Recently at an art show, a painter who took traditional photographs, produced them as Sepia and then placed just a smidgen of paint on them, was selling the originals for thousands.

However he could have (or did) use the techniques here in this book and was charging thousand for something that you could do in a few hours after spending time with Marilyn's book. The lessons are mostly clear, though on occasion trying to recreate exactly what she did had different results. Also some additional time of her instruction in basic Painter program techniques might have been helpful.

I felt like I learned a great deal following the lessons, but the examples of artists sections at the end of each chapter was lacking in that they did not really explore the steps they took to recreate their photos to art. A second minor complaint, and why I can't give this five stars, is the use of secondary programs that you have access to as demos for a few days, then would want to charge you $100's to purchase so that you could have them always. The software of Painter already is pricey, as well as a tablet. Let's try to learn Painterly technique without the added cost of additional software. Or let us try to find free filters that will work completely in Painter and not be so prohibitive.

At the end of the book I came to realize that a final gallery for quick reference was missing. How to show side by side the starting photo, and what it became. With a few key steps reprinted so that you can go to the effect you want. That possibly would be a great way to go onto Mastering the Art. Since Painter has so many hundreds of variations based on what Marilyn shows, a reference could save you countless hours of your experimentation, but that may be where creativity is born.

BEST TUTORIAL BOOK EVER!
Over the last three years, I have been learning photoshop, wordpress, and Painter in my limited spare time.Being a beginner at all of the above I have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of manuals and tutorial books on the three subjects.Most of them were over my head and not much help until after I had struggled for months to figure it out on my own.After familiarizing myself with the basics, they have been somewhat useful as a reference source. I just wish all of them had been written like Marilyn's book. It is great for the beginner - her detailed step by step instructions - including brush category, variants, size, etc. were like following a recipe.If not for her book It would have been like trying to build a spaceship from an alien blueprint.

Thanks Marilyn for an awesome book!

Too Much "Advertising"
I found the number of lessons requiring a downloadable free trial of various plug-ins annoying...little more than free advertising. This detracts from an otherwise good, usefull book.

the art of Digital Photo painting
This book was developed for use with Coral Painter 11. This is the only true natural media painting software program that I am aware of.

Overall the book the Art of Digital Photo Painting is very good for beginners and people that don't want to use the program to the achieve their own masterpiece.

The book demonstrates some very good filter (if you have them $350.00) and techniques for achieving a look of a oil painting using a photograph.

However this program does so much more than just a photo touch up. If you do not have a photo, the book does not go into the actual usage of the various oil paintbrushes and what they do, so you can develop your own work of art.

If you want to learn more about using the watercolor brushes this book does not focus on that part very much at all.

GC ... Read more

Product Description
Experience the highly visual format of the Art of Photoshop: Digital Photography Workshop and learn how to take good source photos and transform them into display-quality digital works of art with visual effects used in Adobe Photoshop. Using the beauty of the Tuscan region of Italy as a backdrop, author and artist/photographer Daniel Giordan, will take you through the steps of how to capture good source materials, how to explore the artistic effect of those images, and how to turn those explorations into richly layered and visually complex artwork using the tools available in Photoshop. This is your chance to look over the author's shoulder as he guides you through a process of creative exploration through which he creates 10 artistic montages.  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

digital photographers
Interesting book in that it begins at the bottom and builds up to some fairly advanced photoshop work.I keep it as a reference and read it before i head out on any important shoot.Ironic that i'm going back to Italy soon - he's given me a lot of ideas on what and how to approach the project.

Photoshop as an artistic tool
This book is a labor of love by the author.A lot of time and effort went into producing this, for the obvious reason that Mr. Giordan loves his subject matter.

I should be clear in saying that this isn't a book about photography.It's a book about taking photographs and Photoshop to produce art (in the traditional way of thinking of art).

It's well written and the reader really needs to do the exercises to get the most out of it.

If producing "art" from your photography is your goal, this is a great book to have as a reference.

I was waiting more PhotoShop
55% of the book is about how to take a good digital photography. And the rest is about PhotoShop, is not enough. I'm disappointed

Shows photographers how to be better artists
This book is dedicated to the purpose of taking raw digital photographs and turning them into art and using Photoshop to help with this task. The book is broken down into three parts. In the first part, the author has dedicated his instruction to basic photographic principles, as well as the specific, actionable techniques for taking better digital photos. The chapters cover the basics of exposure, composition, depth of field, and general technical skills that will enhance the quality of your images. The final chapter in this section, on composition, just might be the most important chapter in this book. The fact is, if you don't have solid composition skills, you have little chance of making artistic images that have impact. Exposure and focus are important technical skills, but composition frames reality and structures the viewing experience. Without effective composition, you're left with a detached and soulless view of the world, even if it is clearly exposed and presented.

The second part of the book is about how to use Photoshop on your photographs once you have them. The author laments that although digital photography is notorious for generating tons of raw material, that most people never move past the "My Photos" folders that act like digital shoeboxes, crammed full of snapshots that are stored out of sight. The chapters in this part provide ample ammunition for what to do next. Chapter 5, "Photo Explorations," considers ways to manipulate photos while maintaining a final result that still looks like a photo. Darkroom and optimization explorations maintain a look that is still photographic while adding a more expressive element. Chapter 6, "Artistic Explorations," gets even more expressive as it delves into drawing and painting. You'll need a digital tablet for many of these effects, but the results are well worth the effort it may take to get one.

Part 3 of the book, "Gallery", represents the author's own personal explorations, based on his Tuscan experiences and photographs. He uses some of the same techniques described in Part 2, "Photoshop Explorations," and full image-capture information is provided for all source photos. Each image includes a brief introduction and a complete description of how it was created. Screen shots of Photoshop are shown as they are needed in showing how each image was created.

I highly recommend this book to those photographers who want to learn more about the artistic side of their craft starting with their skills as photographers and including inspiration, vision, and the technical knowledge of Photoshop needed to put it all together. Plus, the author has put together a truly stunning collection of photographs from Tuscany. The table of contents is as follows:

Part: 1 DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES
Chapter 1. Digital Camera Basics
Digital Photography Pros and Cons
Five Habits to Optimize Image Quality
Previewing Tips: Critical Evaluation
Preview Exposure with Histograms and Clipping
Capturing the Elusive Shot
Elements of Photographic Quality
File Format Pros and Cons
Using a Flash Effectively
Chapter 2. Digital Exposure
Exposure = Amount of Light and Speed of Shutter
The Tones and the Zones
Adjusting Exposure
Metering Light
Overcoming TTL Meter Limitations
Non-manual Exposure Settings
Using a Handheld Meter
Measuring Tonal Range with Histograms
Chapter 3. Focus and Depth of Field
Types of Autofocus
Focus and Camera Stability
What Is Depth of Field?
Artistic Application
Chapter 4. Composition
Compositional Building Blocks
Documenting a Moment
Controlling Compositions with Multiple Exposures

Part: 2 PHOTOSHOP EXPLORATIONS
Chapter 5. Photo Explorations
Dramatic Shadows
Custom Black and White Conversions
Shift Depth of Field
Image Panoramas
Daguerreotype Effects
Infrared Effects
Simulate Twilight
Hand Coloring
Cyanotypes
Chapter 6. Artistic Explorations
Printmaking Effects
Painterly Illustration
Line Engraving
Painted Canvas
Conté Crayon Drawing
Graphic Effects With Blending Modes

Part: 3 GALLERY
Chapter 7. Abbazia: Finding Transcendent Spirit
Source Images
Building the Image
Abbazia Image Design Log
Chapter 8. Passagio Scuro: Revealing Shadowed Vitality
Source Images
Building the Image
Passagio Scuro Image Design Log
Chapter 9. Punto: Exploring Relative Fundamentalism
Source Photos
Building the Image
Variations on Punto
Punto Image Design Log
Chapter 10. Santissima Addolorata: Experiencing Blind Faith
Source Photos
Building the Image
Santissima Addolorata Image Design Log
Chapter 11. Porta Rossa: Discovering Evocative Doorways
Source Photo
Building the Image
Porta Rossa Image Design Log
Chapter 12. Molecola Sogni: Toward a Weightless History
Source Photos
Building the Image
Molecola Sogni Image Design Log
Chapter 13. Una Passione Perfetta: Creating Dynamic Precision
Source Photos
Building the Image
Una Passione Perfetta Image Design Log
Chapter 14. Parte Interna: Building Visual Tension
Source Photos
Building the Image
Parte Interna Image Design Log

Split Personality
I was really excited when I first looked at this book.I regularly complain that many ostensible photography manuals are really picture books that have had some language added to make them look like photography instruction books.Here was a book that had plenty of beautiful pictures of Tuscany that were really used as a framework for instruction.Then I discovered the book's split personality.

The first part of the book is aimed at beginning to intermediate serious photographers.Using the author's own digital pictures, Giordan explained the basics of photography, including exposure, focus and composition.The pictures were not only lovely, but they were tied to the text so that they illuminated the teaching points.Giordan has a tendency to photograph details rather than the big picture, but perhaps that's also a useful lesson to learn.He also seems willing to tolerate over-exposed skies to get shadow details.But he passed my litmus test for any book maintaining it's about digital photography by explaining the use of the histogram, blinkies and even the zone system.

Unfortunately, he also put out some wrong information.For example, he states that digital cameras achieve exposure compensation by adjusting ISO ratings and so one should shoot in manual mode if one expected to compensate exposure.But that's certainly not true of the Nikon D2H, which Giordan used for the pictures in this book, or any other digital camera I know.Most digital cameras compensate with the aperture when you are in shutter mode and the shutter speed when you are in aperture mode.Moreover, while the author acknowledges that an important role of lenses of different focal lengths is to adjust perspective, he also preserves the old myth that depth of field is a function of focal length.

Still, even with inaccuracies like that, this book looked like a four-star book.Then the second section came along.It deals with the use of Photoshop and is aimed at very experienced users of the software rather than the beginning to intermediate audience of the first section.Here was an ideal opportunity to use the photographs of Tuscany to show how to control exposure, lighting and color with the basics of Photoshop.Instead he chose to use some very advanced techniques to create pictures that were far removed from the basics of digital processing.For example, in a chapter telling how to use Photoshop while preserving the photographic nature of the image, he shows how to simulate twilight or do the equivalent of hand coloring of photographs.

In the following chapter he explains how to modify images so they look like paintings or drawings.He finishes up with detailed descriptions of how he manipulated certain photographs to make them look like they weren't photographs.

I tried to put aside the philosophy that one should capitalize on the nature of photography when using Photoshop.I downloaded images from the companion website and tried to follow along with the author's description of how he was manipulating the pictures.I consider myself an experienced Photoshop user, but often the instructions were too sketchy or ambiguous for me to follow on a first try, and sometimes after several tries, I still couldn't follow Giordan's instructions.

This book had the potential to be really effective by taking a different approach to photography instruction.Unfortunately, the first part is filled with a few landmines and the second part is only for the most experienced Photoshop users for whom the first part might prove too simplistic. ... Read more

Product Description
"A terrific summary of the intertwined history of art and technology."—ARTnews. "Infused with the spirit of innovation."—Publishers Weekly.Digital technology has revolutionized the way we produce and experience art today. Not only have traditional forms of art such as printing, painting, photography, and sculpture been transformed by digital techniques and media, but entirely new forms such as net art, software art, digital installation, and virtual reality have emerged as recognized artistic practices, collected by major museums, institutions, and private collectors the world over.

This book surveys the developments in digital art from its appearance in the 1980s up to the present day, and looks ahead to what the future may hold. It explores themes addressed and raised by the art, such as viewer interaction, artificial life and intelligence, political and social activism, networks and telepresence, as well as issues such as the collection, presentation, and preservation of digital art. 323 illustrations, 253 in color ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Accessible writing supported by generous examples
This book provides a comprehensive overview of digital art, from the manipulation of 2-D imagery to interactive new media installation. As well, it contextualizes contemporary digital practice within the history of technological and conceptual art. It provides the newcomer with clear examples of the range of cultural practices in the digital age, and clarifies the sometimes blurred differences between 'technology as tool,' and 'technology as medium.' ... Read more

Product Description
Winner, 2008 Lewis Mumford Award for Outstanding Scholarship in the Ecology of Technics given by the Media Ecology Association (MEA). and Winner, Music and the Performing Arts category, 2007 Professional/Scholarly Publishing Awards for Excellence Competition presented by the Association of American Publishers, Inc.

The past decade has seen an extraordinarily intense period of experimentation with computer technology within the performing arts. Digital media has been increasingly incorporated into live theater and dance, and new forms of interactive performance have emerged in participatory installations, on CD-ROM, and on the Web. In Digital Performance, Steve Dixon traces the evolution of these practices, presents detailed accounts of key practitioners and performances, and analyzes the theoretical, artistic, and technological contexts of this form of new media art.

Dixon finds precursors to today's digital performances in past forms of theatrical technology that range from the deus ex machina of classical Greek drama to Wagner's Gesamtkunstwerk (concept of the total artwork), and draws parallels between contemporary work and the theories and practices of Constructivism, Dada, Surrealism, Expressionism, Futurism, and multimedia pioneers of the twentieth century. For a theoretical perspective on digital performance, Dixon draws on the work of Walter Benjamin, Roland Barthes, Jean Baudrillard, and others.

To document and analyze contemporary digital performance practice, Dixon considers changes in the representation of the body, space, and time. He considers virtual bodies, avatars, and digital doubles, as well as performances by artists including Stelarc, Robert Lepage, Merce Cunningham, Laurie Anderson, Blast Theory, and Eduardo Kac. He investigates new media’s novel approaches to creating theatrical spectacle, including virtual reality and robot performance work, telematic performances in which remote locations are linked in real time, Webcams, and online drama communities, and considers the "extratemporal" illusion created by some technological theater works. Finally, he defines categories of interactivity, from navigational to participatory and collaborative. Dixon challenges dominant theoretical approaches to digital performance—including what he calls postmodernism’s denial of the new—and offers a series of boldly original arguments in their place. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good research tool
This detailed book goes through the history of digital performance until about the 1990's. It has been very useful for my thesis research which focused in dance and digital media. Sometimes I found the organization a bit difficult for my area of focus, but I liked the way the chapters were grouped regardless. The tissue-thin pages were filled with well-documented and organized data. A good book to have in your library if you research this particular field. Not for light reading (unless you are Hermione Granger). ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Super Inspiring and Educational
Digital Photo Art: Transform Your Images with Traditional & Contemporary Art Techniques
I loved this book, and although I am not a traditional or professional photographer, it gave me a ton of ideas of how to improve my photography skills as well as what to do with the photos as far as effects and printing methods.
I would say that one thing to know about this book is that it is really geared toward serious photographers as far as equipment goes. The author talks about filters and lenses and if you are like me and have a cheap point and shoot digital camera, and don't plan on camera equipment upgrades, it is meaningless.
Don't let that discourage you however, the images were inspiring, the printmaking techniques intriguing and the software manipulation ideas really fun! I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Photo Art.

Inspiration
I have been a photographer for 50 years, and a Photoshop user for 15. I read several reviews before purchasing this book. I noted negative some opinion that claimed this book was inferior because it was not a great Photoshop book. I have to take exception to this. reading this book inspired me to push myself beyond the confines of "Photoshopping" images.
There is so much more to photography as an artistic medium, than simply cleaning and perfecting an image, and then printing it on white paper.

A How-To-Make-Fine-Art Book
This is a great book. I have used this book for a couple of years now and was surprised at a few of the comments of other reviewers.

For the reviewer that said there was some Photoshop in it, but was disappointed that it wasn't an in-depth how-to Photoshop book:Yes, it is fine art oriented, not a Photoshop class. Some Photoshop techniques related to fine art are explained well and clearly so you can use them without difficulty. The book uses Photoshop tools well, but it isn't a Photoshop book.

For the reviewer that said it was dated:In spite of it being published a few years ago, almost everything in the book is still up-to-date, with the exception of some references to Studio Artist. If you want completely up-to-date, get Airey's Beginner's Guide to Digital Photo Art. Don't be fooled if you are not a beginner -- this book is still for you. The techniques are clearly explained, so a beginner can follow it well -- but the techniques explained are wonderful things that an experienced fine art photographer will enjoy thoroughly. I believe it works well WITH this book, but if I had to get only one, it would be Beginner's Guide.

Fantastic!
This is a fabulous, creative treasure chest!!!!She gives step by step instruction for each of her works.Each one turns out uniquely different from the original photos.They become one of a kind art pieces.She lists all of the products she uses, the vendors & what each product does in detail.Artwork by other digital artists are sprinkled through as well.It's a great resource that generates inspiration & creativity!

Not bad, but you'll need more books then this one
This form of book concept has a high potential for today's amateur artist. I'm glad I bought it because it does contain a lot of useful information. However, I will buy a few more books to complete my "schooling" in marrying digital to traditional art. I found this book offers only a small amount to that concept. Here's what I found.

Cons...
i. [deleted, now listed as a pro, as point #5 - see update below]
ii. The book lacks step by step details on how to do certain things. If you don't know how to do it, your left guessing or going on the internet to figure it out.
iii. Way, way too much filler (repetition, photo fillers, white space etc...)
iv. The author spends way too much time on things that really do not matter and are not helpful.
v. The overall format of the book is good, but it does get disorganized here & there.
vi. Not enough follow through on why facts are presented: you get a simple "data dump" in some cases.

Pros...
i. The author has an exceptional knowledge of paper variety. Before reading this book, I knew business grade white Xerox paper & bond...
ii. The author does present some very good ideas of converging digital to traditional art.
iii. The price for the book is cheap for the info you get from it. If it saves you an hour or teaches you a technique that you use, the book has more then paid for itself.
iv. It is a high quality book (paperback, but nicely printed).
v. [update 6/7/2010 - I recently tried some of the software the author writes about (downloaded via trial versions on the web). Nik software is actually superb and I would now list the author's recommendations as a plus. This was once listed as a con point #1]. ... Read more

Product Description
An essential guide for everyone interested in culture and creativity in the digital world.

The impact of digital technology has radically transformed traditional activities such as painting and sculpture, while entirely new forms, such as net art, digital installation, and virtual reality, have emerged as recognized artistic practices. Digital artists themselves are often pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and exploring some of the most urgent social and political issues facing humankind today.

The first major illustrated survey of the field, Art of the Digital Age presents the work of over one hundred artists from around the world. Following an introduction that traces the history of digital art, the book goes on to consider its diverse genres, from digital imaging, installation, and animation to software and net art. Each chapter illustrates key works by both established and emerging figures, while personal statements from the artists offer revealing insights into their inspirations and methods.

A comprehensive reference section that includes a year-by-year timeline of breakthroughs in digital art, an extensive bibliography, a list of artists' websites and online projects, and a glossary of digital terms complete this indispensable assessment of art in the new millennium. 232 illustrations, 218 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Digital age
Shipping service was great!

Excellent book!Great layout and some interesting artists.I used it to find and write short articles about artists for a class I was taking.I kept the book and use it as a sort of coffee table book.You just pick it up and no matter what page you open to there is something interesting.

Great Book !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I loved it from the moment that i put my hands on it...very revational about what digital art negotiates...Maybe its cover is paperback but the quality of its pages and its illustrated pictures are Great! great choice...i loved it!

great book, well done
THis book is very well done, very nicely printed, everything - well worth the money. - the only thing I didn't like was the fact that it didn't share anything about how the artist created the specific piece (i.e. what programming language or software was used, etc)

the pieces enclosed were just fantastic, and I'm glad I bought the book.

Wands Greatest Work Yet
After reading this book and experiencing the incredibly well produced and expertly printed visual images it is clear that this book is one for the times.It is one that can be opened and opened again and again never losing its constant appeal.Very well worth the price and I highly recommend it to everyone.

A recommended pick for any art library.
ART OF THE DIGITAL AGE represents the first major illustrated survey of digital art and gathers works by over a hundred artists from around the world. Introduced by a history of the genre and discussion of how it differs from conventional art, chapters provide key works by established and emerging digital artists and pairs discussions of virtual reality and digital effect with critical insights on the featured artists. Color photos abound in this fine comprehensive survey, a recommended pick for any art library.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
So you’ve made the jump to digital photography and you’re having a ball with your new camera, right? Now, you’re wondering just what it would take to make your photos a little more than just snapshots. Well, Digital Art Photography For Dummies is a great place to find out!

You’ll not only discover great new ideas, you’ll see the effects in full color. This book will help you

• Get fabulous, well-exposed photos, no matter what your shooting conditions may be
• Tweak, edit, and enhance your images to create something a lot better than what you started with, or maybe something entirely new
• Produce gallery-worthy art prints that people are willing to pay for
• Find out if it’s time to upgrade your computer to handle graphics work

Sound like fun? This plain-English guide makes it easy, too! You’ll find out just what makes a picture artistic, how to plan and set up a good photo shoot, what kinds of tools are available in Photoshop to help you enhance or even completely revamp an image, and how to be sure that what comes out of your printer meets all your expectations.   Best of all, this book is jam-packed with full-color images that show you just what you can produce. You’ll find out how to

• Select the right digital equipment
• Shoot in color, black-and-white, and at night
• Choose subject matter that fits your style
• Understand and use your camera’s settings to get the best shots
• Photograph landscapes, people, action, and just about anything else
• Create special effects in Photoshop
• Improve the quality of your photos or turn them into true works of art
• Mat and frame your work for maximum effect

If you’re comfortable with your digital camera but want to find out more about creating cool effects in Photoshop, you can jump directly to Part III and discover tips and techniques that turn ordinary pictures into extraordinary art. Or maybe you’ve been trying to get better nighttime photos. Part II is all about setting up your equipment and getting the perfect shot. Like all For Dummies books, Digital Art Photography For Dummies is designed so you can go directly to the part that most interests you.

Whether you’ve been thinking of selling your work or you just want to create a knock-their-socks-off family gallery that your relatives can view online, this book shows you how to take your photography hobby to the next level. Even if you just want to look at the pictures for inspiration, you can’t go wrong! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

great book to help learn composition
this is a great book to help a person learn about composition, and how the artists also did it. it is a great book to help you to understand what makes and art photo and what does not.

Excellent Work
Matt Bamberg's book Digital Art Photography for Dummies is an excellent resource for both the beginner and the advanced student of Digital Photography. I have read the book and of especial interest to me were the numerous overt and subtle suggestions about technique and execution. Suggestions which I have used to great effect to dramatically improve my own compositions and to better concentrate and focus my shots.

In addition I really benefited from the suggestions regarding how to process and enhance your work, post shooting. One of the more important foci of the book regards how to transform your work from more simple photographic imagery into more complex renditions which can be considered artistic. Matt explains these techniques for image modification easily and logically and it was not difficult with the right equipment and software for me to begin experimenting with altering my works to produce far more spectacular work. Work which others have expressed interest in. I have even become my church photographer and have recently had other people ask me to undertake photographic assignments on their behalf. In addition I have started the process of taking previous shots and altering them for inclusion into my written works, as graphic enhancements to my writings.

However the book also contains a myriad of techniques which are useful and helpful for the amateur and for the individual who uses photography as a part of their other work. I am often involved in investigations and through some experimentation and adaptation I have used techniques suggested and explained by Matt in order to clarify, focus, and render my investigative photographs far sharper, clearer, and more relevant for my clients. So the book has indirectly benefited me professionally as well.

I have enjoyed Matt's book, have visited his blog and site, and found him to be an accessible and helpful author. Additionally he obviously knows his subject matter and is therefore professionally well-qualified. He seems very experienced and yet eagerly experimental, two traits I like in any individual who is trying to teach me something new.

I have Matt's book and consider it a valuable addition to my personal library on the subjects of both art and photography.

I recommend the book.

Jack.

Digital Art Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
This is a great book for anyone using digital photography -- whether
you are just starting out or have some experience.There is something
for everyone!I found it to be a great source of information when it comes
to Photoshop.Of all my Photoshop books, I find I reach for this one the
most.It is permanently planted by my computer for quick reference when
I need it. It has GREAT editing tips and is easy to read and comprehend.

Going digital...making art...this book shows you how!
I know Matt Bamberg's writing and love his blog (digitalartphotographyfordummies.com).If you're new to photography and confused by all the terms, Matt takes you through the basics (although he says the book assumes you know the principles of photography, he patiently explains the technical stuff).If you're a seasoned pro, skip the refresher course and just enjoy the fabulous photos--which, by the way, everyone will appreciate.

I'm the outgoing vice president of NLAPW Palm Springs--we were honored to be among Matt's first speaking engagements--and have seen our members create beautiful digital art photography.Thanks to Matt's book, I now know how it was done!Artists seeking to sell and exhibit their work will find great career guidance.For other shutterbugs, the book will eliminate some of those photos that you cringe at later (I know I have a few!)

The image manipulation tips in Photoshop are extremely valuable.This is a terrific book, even if you've only toyed with the idea of doing digital photography.Matt's vivid, lively prose makes this a pleasurable read.

You must get "Digital Art Photography for Dummies" if you shoot digital.
If you are a digital photographer that is starting out or trying to get into the "art" side, then this book is for you.This book is well written, easy to understand, and full of excellent images and great walk throughs.I can tell that Matt is very comfortable with this topic and is an expert in his field.It touches on many easy ways for new shutterbugs to expand their knowledge without taking the fun out of photography.His Adobe Photoshop knowledge is also very useful when post processing scans of film, slides, or negatives as well as existing digital images.
Matt, thanks for your time and energy in writing this book.I will recommend it to both family and friends. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Good for absolute beginer to digital photo programs
I flipped through the book at a camera store before I puchased from Amazon. At the store, it looked like a great book. The projects looked interesting and I thought it would be fun.Didn't have time to read any of it at the store though.

After getting the book from Amazon, I realized that the instructions were extremely simple. Most of the instructions are how to do something (like resize, etc) in Photoshop - not what I expected. If it was just the instructions for the projects themselves, the book would probably be about 50 pages and I would only have wanted to pay $10 for it.

For someone that doesn't know photoshop and wants to do some interesting digital art - this book would be great. For me, it was great to get some new ideas and techniques for the craft projects - I just wish so much wasn't focused on editing in photoshop.

Great book for Experienced Artists as well
This is a fantastic book. I bought one of the author's books, then another, but avoided the "Beginner's Guide" (I didn't consider myself a beginner) until my sister, an experienced art photographer told me it was great. It is so well written and explained that a beginner would have no trouble following it, but it opens new doors and explores new avenues for experienced digital photographers who are making fine art. It inspires you to try new creative ways to present your vision. ... Read more

Product Description
Voice has returned to both theoretical and artistic agendas. In the digital era, techniques and technologies of voice have provoked insistent questioning of the distinction between the human voice and the voice of the machine, between genuine and synthetic affect, between the uniqueness of an individual voice and the social and cultural forces that shape it. This volume offers interdisciplinary perspectives on these topics from history, philosophy, cultural theory, film, dance, poetry, media arts, and computer games. Many chapters demonstrate Lewis Mumford's idea of the "cultural preparation" that precedes technological innovation—that socially important new technologies are foreshadowed in philosophy, the arts, and everyday pastimes.

Chapters cover such technologies as voice mail, podcasting, and digital approximations of the human voice. A number of authors explore the performance, performativity, and authenticity (or 'authenticity effect') of voice in dance, poetry, film, and media arts; while others examine more immaterial concerns—the voice's often-invoked magical powers, the ghostliness of disembodied voices, and posthuman vocalization. The chapters evoke an often paradoxical reassertion of the human in the use of voice in mainstream media including recorded music, films, and computer games.

Contributors: Mark Amerika, Isabelle Arvers, Giselle Beiguelman, Philip Brophy, Ross Gibson, Brandon LaBelle, Thomas Levin, Helen Macallan, Virginia Madsen, Meredith Morse, Norie Neumark, Andrew Plain, John Potts, Theresa M. Senft, Nermin Saybasili, Amanda Stewart, Axel Stockburger, Michael Taussig, Martin Thomas, Theo Van Leeuwen, Mark Ward ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the rapidly expanding area of digital painting features beautifully displayed finished works of art alongside practical demonstrations. Artists will learn to create a wide range of subject matter from futuristic spacescapes and revolutionary vehicles to medieval landscapes and beautiful maidens. An in-depth materials section introduces all the equipment you are likely to need, from computer hardware and software to more traditional art media. A detailed basic techniques section caters to both newcomers to the digital medium and those who wish to brush up on their skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Digital Painting
Very enlightening reading. If you like a very diverse gallery of digital art to broaden your horizon, or perhaps just for inspiration, this is the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed the landscapes and fantasy concepts displayed in this book.

Best Book to start Digital Painting
I have found digital painting as a new hobby. After looking through all the books I could find on the subject this one is by far the best.

There are others that have more step by step instructions. But this book has a great foundation that allows you to grasp the idea of digital painting and how it works.

Plus it has wonderful art within its pages that can be used for inspiration on how to do your own work.

Really looking forward to more books by the author on digital painting or maybe on specific topics in digital painting like speed painting or matte painting.

Awesome and inspiring
I bought this book hoping it would have some far out imagery to inspire me.I was not disappointed.Gary Tonge is a talented digital artist and his creative streak really shows through.This is not, however, much of a how to book.The examples are brief step by steps.If you're looking for a PhotoShop how too book, this is not the book for you.But if you love SciFi art and like to have desk top references handy of some fascinating art, this is a great book.

Good book for beginners
Great book for beginners/intermediate artists and enthusiasts. What I like about this book is that it goes straight to the point, with the artist showing examples and explaining his process. It's not a how-to book, so basic painting knowledge is advised.

Not a "bible"
While the book and art are gorgeous, I wouldn't call it a "bible".There are simply no details in how he does his work.The back of the book even states "step by step demonstrations show you how to work with color, light, texture, and special effects in Photoshop and awe inspiring..." but his "step by step" consists of "step 1: do a sketch, step 2: refine it, step 3: refine it more", etc., until the image is done.There are no technical details such as "Here is how I draw straight lines" or "these are my brush settings" or "here is how I achieve this effect".

If you are wanting to see snapshots of how he works, this book is for you.If you are wanting to learn HOW to digitally paint, then I would look elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description
• Documentary-style wedding photography is the hottest sector of an always-hot market
• Covers art and business, from taking pictures to telling the story to making the sale

Every photographer—and every bride—needs The Art of Digital Wedding Photography! With this book, pros and aspiring pros can get in on the perennially hot wedding market, using the newest digital technology to get compelling, cutting-edge results. And for today’s sophisticated bride-to-be, this is the perfect idea book, packed with great images that will inspire beautiful, unforgettable photos of that special day. Authors Bambi Cantrell and Skip Cohen show how to create traditional formal, photojournalistic, and magazine-style pictures and tell the story of each couple in a unique, romantic way. Their cutting-edge style appeals to big-spending first-timers as well as to the lucrative love-is-lovelier-the-second-time-around crowd. The Art of Digital Wedding Photography is the best book out there for love and money! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

One of the best out there
This book is by far one of the best I've seen in a long time.It came to me highly recommended and I can not agree more. Every detail covered and lots of style...Good work

More of a sales brochure than a how-to book
This book covers some basics of wedding photography, although there isn't much here that can't be found in any other relatively recent how-to book on the subject. Many of the photo examples in the book show technical problems (out of focus probably the most common one), along with a lot of hokey post-processing like colored flowers on a desaturated background. Lots of filter use, lots of infrared, lots of (maybe even excessive) camera tilt, cross processing - all of these "techniques" were already in use before digital, so there's nothing new here, really. The main problem, however, is that this book doesn't go into much detail of how to actually do most of these effects digitally. It just shows you what a certain piece of commercial software can do. In short, this book is really just a thinly veiled sales brochure for certain brands of gear and software, and not an impressive one at that.

exposure information included
This book sets itself apart by providing the exposure information of every photo, and when relevant, the lighting information too (think the cake shots). This alone makes it a keeper because it allows you to better visualize yourself as the photographer. For instance, the focal length tells you where you would have been standing.

Another notable strength of this book is the coverage of a wide variety of techniques. For example, those who have come to rely on auto-focus cameras may struggle on the dance floor. Not if you know the "zone focusing" technique highlighted in this book.

In general, I find the coverage adequate and the photos inspiring. Some reviewers fault the postprocessing part of the book but really it is just a gallery demonstration of what can be done easily with photoshop filters. The subjects of postprocessing and retouching are better covered in other books.

I highly recommend this book and its pre-digital predecessor for those who are already familiar with photography but want to get started at weddings.

Stunning..!
Stunning images and inspiration here! Get this book! And get Glen Johnson's too. The only thing you will find that is a bit odd (but it also makes me feel good in a way, shows pros like Bambi have the same struggles as me!) is that quite a few of the sample images have problems - too dark, blurry or both dark and fuzzy. This is the same problem I have in dark, church settings.

This may not be the place for it, but can anyone recommend a good book on ON CAMERA flash photography (using hot shoe, on and off camera external flashes)? I love 'Understanding Exposure; Revised Edition', every photography needs to read that! But when you add a speedlite (Canon, Nikon or other) the rules change and everything tends to be way too dark, or way over exposed.Anyone found a book that helps with that? For now, it is just trial and error for me, even with the super, ETTL powers that come with our super modern flashes. I don't want to but a Quantum light when I struggle with even mastering the manufactures flash.

Great Wedding Photography Book!
This book has excellent recommendations and techniques for capturing the most beautiful wedding photos. The pictures published in this book alone are worth the cost of the book, IMO. They are beautiful and give great ideas. She tells you exactly how she captured the photo although I would've liked some more technical info on some of the photos. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Digital cameras and software have revolutionized the world of photography. With seemingly endless products available, photographers are challenged to find what will work best for their individual needs. Renowned photographer Tony Sweet guides readers through numerous lessons, from performing camera "swipes" and creating abstract images to applying filters and transforming infrared images--all illustrated with his stunning nature photographs. Readers will learn how to use a variety of plug-ins, filters, exposure elements, adjustment layers, film emulation software and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

I wish it were 200 pages
I use software to complete my photos, so I'm very interested in learning as much as I can about the subject. This book is right on target. If you are a photographer who "previsualizes software intervention when making an image (per Sweet)" you'll appreciate this book. Don't be persuaded otherwise by some negative reviews. I gave it 4 stars because it was too short! It has 5-star quality, and I would buy it again.

Note: Evaluating customer comments either on Amazon or Newegg is more of an art than a science. I look at % total of 4 and 5 star reviews, and then read the the other reviews for content to see whether they are emotionally based, factually inaccurate, biased, or include hard facts to support their opinion.
Photographers seem to fall into two distinct camps: The "I never Photoshop my images...this is straight out of the camera" camp or the "I use software to make my images look like I want them to look" camp. The first camp, a fast disappearing crowd (usually not computer literate) will hate this book. The other camp will use it to improve their photography.

Fine Art Digital Nature Photography
Tony Sweet provides good detailed information on how he achieves his results, starting with a good digital image and ending with a piece of artwork. He gives details of filters used to achieve different effects. It has helped me change some of my images into artworks. Very easy to follow. Well presented.

A Great Resource for Filter Effects
Tony outlines all of the filters he uses and the exact settings and the reasons why for all of these images.... This book should come with every purchase of the Nik Color Effects plug-in!

Terrific Creativity-Inspiring Book
I read the previous reviews and understand why some folks said the author didn't explain camera techniques...but I found he actually did explain the techniques. Because the methods Tony Sweet used are so simple (e.g., rotating the camera during slow shutter speed to get a 'painterly' effect) it would be easy to think they aren't valuable or not explained in enough detail.

I am impressed with Sweet's ability to come up with so many terrific ideas on how to easily shoot things in a slightly different-than-usual way to completely change your photographs (e.g., shoot a flower with your camera on a tripod, then rotate the lens by a couple of degrees via the lens ring and shoot again.Repeat 9 times and combine all 10 photos in Photoshop to get a beautiful and highly unusual single photo, then add a Photoshop Plug-In...he explains which plug-in... to make the resulting picture truly unique).

I would characterize myself as an advanced amateur...I know my way around my Canon Mark III's, but my photos are pretty much plain. I bought this book because I wanted to learn how to make my photos more interesting, and I was pleased beyond all of my expectations. I shoot mostly aviation (airshows, air races, etc) and I can see how I can use Sweet's ideas to really make an entire series of spectacularly different photos.

I will definitely buy more of Tony Sweet's books. (In fact I just received the follow-up to this book.) Most of the techniques he discusses in a single paragraph, but the power of that single paragraph is immense. Normally I want a book that guides me, step-by-step, through the process of setting my camera up for the shot and then step-by-step on processing the image. I would not have purchased this book if I was told it did not do this, but I am so happy I ordered it before the reviews came out. It really has shown me a simple way to make my photographs unique.

Okay for what it is...
Maybe I'm in an unusual place...I know how to use my equipment, I'm good with Photoshop (etc), I think I even have a little bit of artistic talent. What I lack is some missing ingredient that pushes me to the next level. The subtle difference that makes people go "wow" instead of "oh, what a nice photograph" when they see one of my prints.

I've given up hope that I can get this extra dimension from any one source. I don't think anyone can. Instead, I'm constantly on the look for small nuggests of technique, in the hope that if I'm patient and work hard enough, I'll eventualy earn the status I seek.

With this in mind, I bought Tony's book, hoping to find even one or two small of these small nuggets. I'd be willing to overlook all sorts of useless information, if only I came away feeling inspired and energized to try something a new way, especially if it's something that opens up whole new paths for me, technique so different from what I do today that it wouldn't have ever occurred to me.

So does the book deliver? Yes and no.

Yes, there were a few small nuggets that got me thinking about why I do things a certain way. And yes, seeing Tony plug all the software and tools, I found myself mentally replaying and defending the various choices I've made. So I suppose there were a few positive take-aways for me. But I wouldn't say that I feel like a better artist as a result. Still, at the same time, I don't know that any book can give you that. Maybe there's also value in simply reassuring yourself that you know more than you might think you do.

In the end, I gave the book four stars. It's clean, well edited, easy to follow, and mostly reveals a high level of mastery over the subject matter. In my book, that's worth four stars, even if it might not be a blueprint for getting on the next cover of National Geographic.
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Product Description
Provides direct access to the skills, insights and techniques of some of the postproduction industry's most prominent digital video colorists, delivering practical skills to the postproduction pro seeking to improve their color grading craft. The author interviews and observes 8 professional colorists as they grade a series of real world video images, describing the methods and techniques each artist uses to reach their finalized image. These video images are included on a DVD that allows you to work lockstep with each artist as they grade their images.

Though some tools provided may differ from one product to the next, the basic process of video color correction (grading) remains the same. Application agnostic and sure to inspire, The Art of Digital Video Color Correction will further your artistic skills, whether you're an editor, compositor, or colorist, and allow you to apply those skills to the grading process, making your finished image sharper, crisper and more aesthetically pleasing in general.


* Digital video color correction tips and techniques from the pros grading the films, shows and commercials we all see everyday, thus advancing theartistic coloring skills of the reader
* Is non-software specific, with lessons that are applicable to any postproduction workflow
* DVD includes samples of the same video images that the colorists featured in the book were working on, providing direct access to the techniques and process of professional grading
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Customer Reviews (13)

Excellent book
This is one of the best book for digital color correcting, nice tool for people who want and like to be a color correct professional. The book is a tool, how I mention before, the rest is up to you.

great book!
this books is easy and fun to read. examples include many different color correcting software. i learned a great deal.

Get into it!
You will find your self reading and re-reading sections. Excellent for understanding the technical aspects. As well as excellent interviews with top colorists Bob Festa, and Randy Starnes. I highly recommend this to add to your library.

YOU NEED TO BUY THIS BOOK NOW!
Whoa.You need to buy this book now.

Before I read this book I knew ZERO about color grading.Now I know a HECK of a lot more and this book is ALSO for very advanced color graders as well because he has tips from a very wide range of color graders in the big leagues.

I needed to learn a lot in a hurry and this book is a bible for me.I return to it again and again.

Making a great film is one thing but without the best color grading you diminish your chances of winning awards for your very hard work. At the absolute minimum this book will teach you how to prepare your film for digital color correction by at least getting your luma in order. This will greatly decrease your cost in post and, more importantly, having done this essential preliminary work with your blacks, gammas and highlights will provide the digital color grader with product that will have much of the heavy lifting already completed.

Additionally, this book will help you specify to your digital color corrector exactly what you want, which will save time and expense in post also.

AND this book also contains enough incredibly well presented information so that you can do a pretty damn good job grading it yourself if you have the desire and force of will to pull it off, which I do.

This book is an absolutely indispensable resource and you need to buy it if you are serious about what people think of your hard work in film and video.

I have ZERO financial interest in this book and have never had the pleasure of meeting the author.I'm just speaking from both the head and heart.Questions?Email me at mdubuque@yahoo.com

Excellent
I read Steve's previous book, `Color Correction for Digital Video' several years ago and had found it to be a very good starting point for my color correction education. I came across `The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction' by accident while looking for a text on Apple Color. The two books work well together in providing a very thorough, easy to understand, survey course on modern color correction techniques.

There were several elements of the book I found excellent. First, Steve's writing is very conversational and understandable and demystifies the science of color and light. His clear methodical approach to balancing color in primary corrections and solving problems with secondary corrections made immediate logical sense to me. Steve explains things in a way any novice or seasoned pro can understand.

Another wonderful feature of this book is that it applies the techniques to and provides screen shots from Avid Xpress Pro, Avid Symphony, Final Cut Pro, Color, Color Finesse, and After Effects and approaches color-correction in a modern cosmopolitan way... understanding that there are multiple tools ands approaches to any problem. This gives the reader a very universal over-view of color correction as an artform.

An improvement over the previous book is the addition of explanations and glossary of terms in the margins; which any good student of color correction will find useful. Both books come with a DVD of video materials that can be used in conjunction with the examples in the book to provide a hands-on tutorial experience for the reader.

I read the two books on the subway on my way to and from work as an editor and was up to speed quickly. I already knew Final Cut, Avid, and After Effects and now am completely comfortable with the color correction tools in all of them as well as Apple Color. I highly recommend this book to anyone serious about modern video editing and color correction.

George Missor; Editor; Hollywood, California

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Product Description
If you already know your way around Photoshop and Painter and want to use these amazing programs to take your skills further, this book is for you! Much more than a simple "how-to" guide, Susan Ruddick Bloom takes you on a full-fledged journey of the imagination and shows you how to create incredible works of fine art. Supplemented by the work of 20+ world renowned artists in addition to Sue's own masterpieces, you'll learn how to create watercolors, black and white pencil sketches, texture collages, stunning realistic and fantastical collages, and so much more, all from your original photographs. If you are eager to dive into the world of digital art but need a refresher on the basics, flip to Sue's essential techniques chapter to brush up on your Photoshop and Painter skills, and you'll be on your way in no time. Whether you're a novice or an established digital artist, you'll find more creative ideas in this book than you could ever imagine. Fully updated for new versions of Painter and Photoshop and including brand new work from contemporary artists, Digital Collage and Painting provides all the inspiration you need to bring your artistic vision to light.

* Packed with original, stunning imagery by some of the industry's leading artists to inspire creativity in your own work
* Learn how to create fantastic panoramas without breaking the bank on pricey equipment
* Includes step-by-step projects and links to downloadable images so you can start practicing immediately

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Product Description

Customer Reviews (25)

Beautiful and Inspiring
Not only a first-read joy, but, even more important, it is a book to savor frequently--especially during those quiet times for rejuvenation. Kost's beautiful pictures and text are inspiring, and will trigger every photographer's creative juices so as to free their vision from their camera's digital capture. Well done!

The Appendix hit the mark
I bought this book with two goals in mind: 1) learn how to develop an eye for pleasing photographs, and 2) learn how to shoot pictures through dirty, scratched airline windows. (How does she do that, anyway?)
Goal #1 was not met. The author has dozens of great photos taken from the window seat of an airplane, but no words at all to go along with them.I thought she would discuss why she thinks her pictures are appealing, but she doesn't say a word about that. I was able to analyze her shots for myself and it helped me understand a little bit about lines and color. However, having someone else help me see concepts is why I buy books.
But the most important part of the book (for me) was the Appendix.It contains the details of how she fixed photos taken through dirty, scratched windows...and how I can use this concept to improve any poor photo (incorrect exposure, low-contrast, etc.) by the specific techniques she discusses, along with "before" and "after" photos illustrating how well the technique works. It also gives specific instructions in how to use Photoshop to correct other problems in photos, too.
Mission #2 (shoot through airline windows) was brilliantly accomplished. The appendix is a terrific "Photoshop" book and gets to the point quickly and concisely.

Wrong book for me.
I love aviation and photography yet lack any professional training in either field.I had hoped this book would be at a level I could gain something from--I was wrong.

very helpful
I have learned a new consepts in showing what is important in the picture. Great book and learning tool.

I love this book!
I absolutely love this book!
I found every image, every page to be filled with breathtaking beauty.
Even the most simple photos of clouds, Julieanne Kost has managed to create images the likes I have never seen before.
She has managed to take something that I had always taken for granted, the view from a plane window, and created a whole new vision for me to enjoy. Maybe that is the best way to describe it, her work is the difference between simply seeing and true vision.
I flip through this book whenever I am in need of inspiration.
I have bought 5 copies now and given 4 as gifts.
Everyone whom I gave these to, genuinely loved them as much as I do.
I suggest you buy your 5 now ;-) ... Read more

Product Description
"Literary Art in Digital Performance" examines a dozen works of digital literature, a category comprising creative works that are principally (but not exclusively) textual in character, and which includes interactive poetry, narrative computer games, projective digital art, among other creative classifications specific to digital media. Electronic art in all its forms has presented a need for approaching its mechanism as new aesthetic. The historical change in digital literature centers on the fact that part of the creative content and the conditions for its reception are now produced by machine structures rather than exclusively through manual means and materials. With this new factor, in which the creative impetus is embedded in algorithmic decisions, the aesthetic practices and strategies of digital literature are not approachable in the same way that literature is understood. However, the rise of highly commercialized and popular fascination with media has not incorporated significant discussion about the degree to which art and literature remain as before, or are altered by this kind of widespread mediation. ... Read more