Used Books Coming Back to Life.

September 4, 2010 – 6:00 pm

Today many individuals have ways to bring old used books to create new forms of art in appreciation to the books themselves by using them instead of simply tossing them away. Some new art forms that individuals have learned to bring these used books to life again are by alteration, while another is by building lasting literary objects with them.

One such builder that has been using old disregarded books to life again is a carpenter, who himself has a love for literature. He is a Berkley carpenter and craftsman by trade that can create beautiful lasting bookshelves with old volumes and novels that no longer have a resale value. By doing this he is adding value back into these old used books and the same time creating a new place for more books to rest. Instead of using costly lumber to build his bookshelves, he selects certain used books that he feels will be appropriate and withstand the weight caused by what ever the owner decides to place upon its shelves.

He selects used books that he feels in combination with other books will be sturdy and add a unique look to the bookshelf. The majority of the used books that he uses are books that for some reason or another never really cut it as premier novels. He judges the books that he selects strictly from the covers for what they say on them and the design that the cover may have. These used books must also have bindings that are sturdy enough and strong enough to stand up to the pressure that generations of use that these bookshelves are created for. The books that are currently being published today are not sturdy enough to with stand the pressure that these bookshelves are being created for, which is why he selects older used books instead.

These bookshelves have only gotten positive reactions from the public, which has encouraged him to create wall shelves and display shelves as well. He creates bookshelves that are often times special ordered, such as one he created for a lady that collected antique cream pitchers. This bookcase was designed with used books that contained titles about dairies and farms, which only added to her collection that much more. The one thing that is not scarce is not the variety of used books that he has to choose from and these bookshelves are sure to create a beautiful art form to anyones home.

Another form of art using used books is alteration, which is the technique of using collage or paper art to create unique ideas in used books. The idea is to simply take a used book and then individuals may simply paint samples on different pages at a variety of levels to create a kind of layered effect. The paint samples can be anything from crayons to markers to colored stripes to actual paint. Next there are times when the Cut the actual people on the ground after their Some version of this page or cover of the formula, each message in their own personal cover page itself can create

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged | Comments (0)

Birth of Art and Shodo – Japanese Zen Calligraphy and fight.

September 3, 2010 – 12:29 am

One often sees Karate and Zen Japanese calligraphy hanging in traditional dojo in Japan and the West. Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) has been practiced by some of the most famous martial artists that have ever lived and is an art to be appreciated, and contemplated. Many books relate budo (the martial arts) to shodo as complementary arts and a first rate example includes “The sword of No-Sword” which documents the life of the sword and zen master Tesshu (book authored by John Stevens; ISBN 0-87773-284-1). This book documents Tesshu’s study of martial arts, Zen & calligraphy in his journey to enlightenment. Miyamoto Musashi is another famous martial artist who also practiced calligraphy.

Japanese calligraphy is more than simply writing as the Chinese characters are derived from pictographs of what they represent (images for this article on http://www.DownloadKarate.com). In the Japanese language these characters are called “Kanji”. Many of the requirements for their production mirror that of “zen” as it is expressed in fighting: e.g. fluid movement, empty mind, the creation of strength in what is created, and the movements are often related to those of a sword in motion.

The 4 primary tools used in Shodo for the creation of the Japanese artwork include:

Shikishi: The traditional medium is rice paper, or thicker rice paper boards called (Shikishi).

Fude: The brush.

Suzuri: a Black Stone Container, Pat Sumi is mixed with water.

Sumi: Ink instead of modern "Sumi black pigments used in hard soil Suzuri black ink makes writing

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Book Review of Art – Art, Art Everywhere from east to west.

August 30, 2010 – 4:53 pm

Contemporary art is perhaps one of the purest art forms, some say it is what art is, and that all other art is mimicking or an abstraction from contemporary art. The art of any particular era or period is indeed unique all to its own. Often, you can note the place and time of a work of art by its tell tale signs, of course it takes a connoisseur of that period to do it.

Some may not agree but the contemporary art of the late 80s was indeed, some of the best art ever produced. Many will point to artisans of Italy back in the day, and yet there was something about the 80s that brought out a new age of art, that has never been seen. Perhaps to best illustrate this observation and to see for yourself, perhaps even become lost in the art of that past period, I would like to recommend a very good art book to you:

“ARTCOAST – Contemporary Art West and East” by Robert D. Cruthers, edited by Kay Larson; Art West Publishers, Santa Monica, CA; 1989. ISBN: 1042-8178.

This book has art from Asia and America, some from Europe too, and it is a mix of all that was available. The Japanese art is finely depicted and the American artists a style all their own. There is something different about the 1980s that allowed artists to create with this style, a style that seemed to become global. Although the <b > Art in the book arts fair, you'll see a clear interest as well as any books, you definitely need to understand that art to buy.

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Newspaper Software for the car you want to publish.

August 30, 2010 – 4:40 pm

You wrote the book all on your own, so why not publish your book by yourself? Purchases are available for book printing software that you can put on your home computer. You will be able to do all your self publishing needs from home. There are many types of software available on the market. You just need to make sure you purchase book printing software that is compatible with your computer.

Often times with any computer program you will encounter problems and difficulties. You can address your issues to the customer support department. It is very important that you find a company that offers customer support 24 hours a day all 7 days a week. Find a company that is determined to make you succeed.

When you are all ready to get your work of art into print you will want to keep these few things in mind. People really do judge a book by its cover. If the cover looks like its going to be a boring read, it will most likely be overlooked and put back on the shelf. By using book printing software companies to help you with printing your book, you will find a wide variety of options to increase the chances of your book becoming a success. Some options you will have to think about are what type of cover do you want your book to have? Hardcover and paperback are available. Also, you can have different types of finish for your cover. Did you want to put a jacket over your hard cover? You will need to think of eye catching art to be on the cover as well. The cover needs to cater to the target audience. If you are intending to capture an audience mainly of children, you will want a flashy look on the cover. Put something that children are interested in on the front of the book. Also, you want to artwork to be able to be incorporated with the story line.

Have you ever thought about using two covers? By doing this, you can create a cut out look on the cover. Perhaps the main character of the book can be seen from the second cover through the front. This technique is known as die cutting. Embossing letters and pictures is also a neat technique used by book printing software companies. Using foils and metallic ink will be a sure way to embrace your reading audience.

The best way to find book printing software or a printing company that is reputable and does a good job is to join a writers group. You will find out loads of information on every topic related to writing. If you live in a heavily populated area you will be able to easily find writers groups around that you can join. If you live in a small town you might just be able to find classes at the local university or you can always join groups online. These groups were created for people like you and by people who have been where you are right now. You will find people who are willing to help you and who have knowledge in the area that you’re ค่ะ please answer questions. Writers Group for writers at all levels.

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Art Books slippery Review.

August 29, 2010 – 9:35 am

Books about the art of book reviewing are few and far between. THE SLIPPERY ART OF BOOK REVIEWING attempts to fill the void. As a reviewer myself I was curious to see what insight was offered to me as well as those just getting started. It was with a great deal of anticipation that I opened my copy.

Most people are anxious to express their opinions; readers are no exception. The internet has made it easier than ever. But it’s not easy to communicate those opinions in an organized credible manner. Criticism should be backed up with fact and examples. Thoughts should be presented in a way that’s informative and entertaining at the same time. The authors address all that and more.

Anne K. Edwards is a writer and editor of “Voice in the Dark,” a free monthly ezine. Mayra Calvani is a writer, reviewer and co-editor of “Voice in the Dark.” Both women rely on their own personal experience and that of other reviewers. They cover all aspects of book reviewing from “What is a book review?” right through to “How to Start Your Own Book Review Site.”

Along the way you’ll learn how to read critically, what to do if the book is terrible and what to avoid so you’re not singled out as an amateur. There are numerous examples of reviews, long and short, positive and not so positive.

Want to get started? There’s an extensive list of publications at the end; a treasure trove of print media and online sites that provide reviews. Everything is presented in clear concise language and organized in an easy to use format. I found the book to be a valuable resource for the professional as well as the novice. Authors, publishers and readers will find it interesting as well.

This reviewer learned a lot along the way – two thumbs up ladies.

Twilight Times Books

ISBN: 978-1-933353-22-7

186 pages

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders

August 27, 2010 – 11:02 pm

Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders

$34.92

Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders Feature

Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders Overview

The definitive reference for design and construction-in an updated edition!

Entering its seventh decade as the industry leader, Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders remains the reference of choice for designers and constructors. This new Tenth Edition is thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the latest practices in the design of structures.

Long considered a standard in the field, this bestseller provides a clear, accessible presentation of the engineering information that is essential for architects and builders. Offering a concise, highly readable introduction to the investigation and design of ordinary structures for buildings-including information on structural analysis, materials, and systems-this thoroughly updated Tenth Edition includes:
* A new focus on Load and Resistance Factor Design Method (LRFD) for steel and concrete structures
* The latest building and material codes
* A wealth of exercise problems and illustrative examples
* Essential formulas for the solution of structural problems
* More than 200 descriptive illustrations
* Simple solutions to everyday problems architects and builders encounter
* Coverage of wood, steel, concrete, and masonry structures
* A new companion Web site packed with learning resources

An unparalleled resource for students and professionals in architecture, construction, and civil engineering, Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders, Tenth Edition boils structural engineering down to its essentials and provides the simple design solutions that are used for the vast majority of buildings.

Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders Specifications

Where to buy cheap prices?

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

0471676071

By prempcc | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

First book and why I decided to write

August 26, 2010 – 4:22 pm

I am often asked why I started writing my first series of books, and although the answer is actually fairly simple, it spans a period of about 12 years.

Ever since I started my martial arts training back in the early 80’s, I bought any and every book that I could get my hands on concerning every martial art that I could find. Even if it had nothing to do with the ones I had actually started studying. I had books of all kinds from Aikido to Zen and everything in between. Some of those books I still have to this day.

Several of the books that I bought were ones devoted to the art of kicking. Now it didn’t matter to me how good these books were, because at the time I had no idea if they were good or not. I just bought them because they were on the martial arts and because someone had written them. So they had to be good, didn’t they? Which brings up a topic for another article, can you learn from a book? Well, if it is accurate and written well, then yes you can. If it is inaccurate and written poorly then your ability to learn from it is sorely limited.

A quote that I have at the beginning of all of my books on kicking is from the late Bruce Lee, and it goes something like this.

“When I first started training in the martial arts, a kick was just a kick and a punch was just a punch. As I started to learn the martial arts, I realized that a kick was no longer just a kick, and a punch was no longer just a punch. After I had learned the martial arts, I realized that a kick was just a kick and a punch was just a punch.”

As I progressed in my own training, I began to realize that all of the books, and I mean ALL of the books that I owned on kicking, were lacking in two major areas. First was the lack of detail in explaining all of the finer points of each kick, and the second was the attempt at putting too many different kicks in one book and spending too little time on each one. This seemed to be a common occurrence in a lot of books devoted to the martial arts, and not just the ones devoted to kicking.

Eventually, after going through my collection of about 2,000 martial arts books, I whittled it down to about 200 that I felt were truly worth owning. Although I had gotten rid of a lot of these books, there were still a lot of books that were very good, but were on martial arts that I had little or no knowledge of.

Several years later, I actually sat down and decided to start writing a series of books on kicking after engaging in a discussion with my instructor concerning an article that I had read in one of the many martial arts magazines back in the early 90’s entitled, “The No Look Back Kick.” The basic premise of the article was the authors attempt to teach you that you could execute a back kick effectively without looking at where you were kicking. I remember wondering at the time if the author had ever heard the expression, “Look before you leap.”

I remember telling my instructor that I was more than just a little bit annoyed at the context of this article. I even remember lecturing my students about the absurdity of such a thing and admonished them to never even attempt such a foolish stunt. As a matter of fact, I would compare the act of kicking while intentionally not looking about as intelligent as letting Stevie Wonder behind the wheel of a fully functional and moving automobile.

My instructor listed patiently to my tirade and when I had finished, he gave me this advise, “If you don’t do something about it, you’ve got no right to complain.” Wow! Talk about words of wisdom. And this time I listened.

I began writing the rough draft of my first manuscript on an old non-electric typewriter and erasable typing paper. Talk about a chore compared to today’s modern computers and writing and photography programs such as Adobe PageMaker® and Adobe Photoshop®. I had been doing this for a couple of years when an associate of mine at the time convinced me to buy a computer and do my book writing on that instead of the typewriter. At first I was skeptical until I actually typed one page and then hit spell-check. After that I was hooked and as they say, the rest is history.

After I had finished the first draft of my first manuscript, which was to be, and is, entitled, “Achieving Kicking Excellence; Vol. #1: Back Kick, I contacted four different publishers who primarily published books pertaining to the martial arts. Now I will not mention who those publishers were, but I will tell you their responses. One publishing company agreed to publish my books, but wanted me to combine them into two large hard back volumes, rather than the current ten volumes. Another publisher liked my book ideas, but didn’t want to publish them because I didn’t have enough students to justify publishing them. Because in her words, “Who is going to buy your books except for your students.” My response to this was that my books were universal in nature and were of great value to anyone who wanted to learn how to kick properly. The other two publishers never even bothered to return my correspondence.

So to summarize, here are the reasons why I decided to write this series of books.

1. To provide the reader with quality information on the subject of kicking.

2. To reach a larger audience with the aforementioned information.

3. To create a higher standard of writing in the martial arts field.

As you read this article, my first two books have already been published and are in print, and have received outstanding reviews from various professionals throughout the martial arts community. The Only 8 pounds in the first row will be written back in 2007. Machine with the last think I want to go with you. "If your life according to me it lemon.

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged | Comments (0)

Book report Peter Doig.

August 13, 2010 – 8:52 pm

There are quite a few reasons why I like the paintings of Peter Doig. I discovered him about five years ago at my favorite book store in Seattle, Washington, Elliot Bay Books on First Avenue. I would go to their art department and browse for hours. One particular time I looked down, about knee level, and saw a name I had recognized from a book put out by Saatchi, called, “”The Triumph of Painting”. I opened it and was immediately transported to memories of camping trips with the family of my childhood.

He grew up in Canada and did a stint of fairly cartoony paintings, while in school in London. I can honestly say, I didn’t care for them much. It was when he went back to visit his dad in Canada, watching the horror film, “Friday the 13th” one evening, saw a particular haunting scene with a body in a canoe floating on a lake. He went into his father’s garage and painted his first canoe painting. Thereafter, he painted a few more, one of which is his now famous, “White Canoe”.

What really attracted me to the work was the way in which a dreamlike fantasy drew me in. It was soothing and haunting at the same time. The horror scene now became inviting. His imaginative use of color, brushstrokes, and dots seemed somewhat familiar…like the Impressionists, yet bolder and more seductive.

Needless to say, I bought that book that day, and have loved looking at the photos of his paintings. He captures memories of his boyhood so well that he has inspired me to try to create images of my childhood.

Everyone has a history, a personal story to tell. The challenge for the artist, or this artist in particular, is to tell my story in paint and to make it come alive for the viewer. The journey continues.

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged | Comments (0)

Martial Arts Book Review: Palgue 1-2-3: Soo Kim Pyung.

August 12, 2010 – 11:11 am

I just finished rereading “Palgue 1-2-3″ by Kim Pyung Soo for the first time in quite a few years and was reminded of the firs time I had purchased this and the other two books in the series when I was first starting out upon my martial arts journey whose primary focus in those early days was Karate and Tae Kwon Do. These books were some of the first ones I owned concerning the martial arts and kata or forms in particular.

After the customary introduction, the author includes a very brief section on the history of Korea and Tae Kwon Do in particular. Since the primary focus of this book is to be on the katas or forms, I was too bothered by the briefness of most of the fringe subjects that the author discusses throughout the book. Subjects such as; target areas, various hand and foot positions used when striking, basic warm-up and stretching exercises, stances and blocks, etc.

I was however surprised to find no real references to kicks with the exception of the three foot positions shown, surprisingly the instep and the back of the heel weren’t even mentioned, and the Front Kicks shown in Palgue #2. In addition to that, there were only two strikes shown, those being the Out-to-In Knifehand Strike to the temple and the midsection Lunge Punch. I really don’t know why the author included these and the other brief sections in this book other than perhaps as reference material since it doesn’t really add to the focus of the book.

Now this is just my personal and professional opinion, but I feel that any book dealing with katas or forms, should focus solely on the movements in the particular kata being discussed and the applications of each movement. There truly is no need to go into striking surfaces, hand and foot positions, stretching, etc., since these techniques should all be learned prior to learning katas anyhow. It is redundant and a waste of the authors talent and the readers time. Now having said that, this book, and the other two in the series, are still cherished and close to my heart as they were instrumental in helping me learn this particular series of katas.

Next comes the “meat and potatoes” section of this book, the demonstrations of Palgue #1, #2, and #3.

The layout is very basic and is the same for all three katas. All of the photographs are taken from the “top of the shaft” position, although there are a couple side views shown for a few on the different techniques. The photographs are all of the starting and finishing positions for each of the techniques. There are no photographs to show body position as you move from one technique to another. A definite drawback! What little explanation there is for each move is very basic and quite brief. Not nearly as detailed as it should be. The foot position diagrams are pretty good and they do help somewhat with how your feet should move when moving from one technique to another. However, it could have been done a lot better.

You can tell that this book was written in the early 70’s as the author refers to the ruling body of Tae Kwon Do as the Korea Taekwondo Association, which as you may or may not know, was the predecessor of today’s World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).

The author also includes some obviously dated rules concerning free-style sparring in Tae Kwon Do and a few photographs of non-kata related applications of a few various techniques. This volume finishes up with some common Tae Kwon Do terms in both English and Korean.

If you are just starting out and want some really basic reference material for the Palgue series of forms, then this would be a fairly good book to own on this particular series of katas. However, there are some better ones out there. Two of which are Richard Chung’s, “Tae Kwon Do” and “Advancing in Tae Kwon Do.”

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Martial Arts Book Review: Mega Krav by David Kahn.

August 11, 2010 – 2:05 am

Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it’s definitely worth owning. One such book is David Kahn’s, “Krav Maga.”

After a brief introduction, David gives you a good basic overview of Krav Maga including some of its history. From here he goes right into a section on philosophy, which is very good, and one in which I would have to agree with about 90% of what he has to say.

The next section in the book gives a good overview on the proper mindset needed in order for you to prepare yourself for combat. Something a lot of books fail to do, but not this one. David also gives you a basic understanding of the vital/vulnerable points on the human body.

David’s next section is rather brief to my liking, but still a good overview on the basic principles involved in striking correctly for maximum effect. This section covers such strikes as; punches, palm heel strikes, elbow strikes, and eye gouges. There is also a small section on blocks and parrying as it is called in boxing.

The following section covers various lower body strikes and kicks along with kick defenses, which include deflections, blocks and grabs. This next section was particularly interesting in that it discussed close combat fighting and techniques essential to this section. Such as; falling, crawling, clinching, takedowns, defenses against tackles, etc.

The escape section was very enlightening as David covered the basic principles of escape from basic grabs, chokes while standing, chokes while lying down, head locks, hair grabs, and bear hugs.

Like most books that try to cover too much in one volume, I feel that the sections themselves although very well done, tend to be too brief on the proper execution of each individual technique. However, having said that, this is to be expected as the scope of this book is intended as a basic overview of the complete system, not a single volume devoted to one particular technique.

The only fault that I have with this book is the fact that I would have preferred actual photographs for demonstrating the techniques, rather than illustrations. I felt that a lot of what David was trying to explain got lost with the use of illustrations compared to if he would have used actual photographs.

The book continues with a brief section on basic strategies, which I found to be very solid. It then finishes with a basic training section which covers stretching, training programs, a 12 week training routine, and sparring.

Overall, this is a very good basic overview on the art of Krav Maga, and one you definitely want to acquire, especially if you decide to join a Krav Maga class. And that is not a bad idea at all.

By prempcc | Posted in ArtBooks | Tagged , | Comments (0)