Book Description
Technology has sent shockwaves of change through the world of commercial art. Digital illustration and design, online portfolio sites, and the proliferation of stock art have radically changed the way that illustrators and graphic designers work. What has not changed, however, is the wealth of illustrators and graphic designers hoping to turn their talent into freelance success. More than ever, artists face questions such as how to get started, how to sell their work, how to promote themselves, and what to do once they are working. For those embarking on freelance careers in illustration or graphic design, the answers have arrived. A twenty-five year veteran in the field, Michael Fleishman, has detailed every business aspect of commercial art in Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer.
Customer Reviews:
essential.......2007-08-14
so you want to go freelance... you really, REALLY want to go freelance? Tired of working for a boss? Want your own hours? Sleep late? Get this book, read it and then decide. It'll give you a well-rounded education of what they don't tell you in art school because what your professors were really interested in at that time wasn't your education, but getting a piece of co-ed you-know-what while they collected their paycheck.
Best Book On Freelancing I've Ever Read.......2007-06-27
This is simply one of the best books for starting a freelance art career that I've ever read. This book gives you very practical information about almost every detail of freelance illustration and graphic design. You'll find information on creating business and financial plans, setting up and managing a studio, billing procedures, creating a portfolio and marketing yourself to potential clients. I find a lot of books of this nature don't talk about the raw mechanics of business so much as they offer token inspiration and motivation. If you're interested in a book that will actually give you useful information about the business side of freelancing this is the one to buy.
The only areas where it seemed to be a little on the thin side were dealing with taxes and the legal issues concerned with working for youself. Other than that it was wonderful.
Great reference book!.......2007-05-28
I love this book! It's great for those just starting up and has covered each aspect of becoming a freelancer. Each time something has come up, I referenced this book and found the answers! Highly recommended!
A great little guide for the wanta-be entrepreneur who doesn't have a mentor to help them go from W-2 worker to self-employed!.......2007-04-29
I really liked this book a lot. It was a very good first-hand book written by a small business owner about his experiences starting, managing, and prospering as a freelance illustrator and/or graphic designer. His writing style was not exactly stellar. But it certainly was clear. The 20 chapters included in the book fell into the following 4 topics:
1. STARTING THE FIRM
>>Where Do You Start?
>>Off on the Right Foot
>>Creating a Plan for Your Business
>>Developing Your Financial Plans
>>Forms, Charts & Templates
>>Pricing Your Work and Getting Paid
2. MANAGING THE FIRM
>>Why Should You Freelance?
>>Setting Up Shop
>>Managing Your New Studio
3. RAINMAKING FOR THE FIRM
>>Bring in Clients
>>How to Get Noticed
>>What Goes in the Portfolio
>>Marketing on the Web
4. POSSIBLE MARKETS
>>The Magazine Market
>>Selling to the Newspapers
>>Working with Advertising Agencies
>>Selling to Book Publishers
>>The Greeting Card Market
>>Working with Art and Design Studios
>>Selling to Small Business
Since I am not an illustrator or a graphic designer I did not have much use for the fourth topic. But it was interesting to read about. I regularly counsel wanta-be entrepreneurs about how to start a small business; I'm a volunteer SCORE counselor. And the material covered in the first three topics above are exactly what I talk about with my SCORE clients. I highly recommend this book to anybody wanting to start their own small consulting practice. It does a wonderful job discussing the topics.
My biggest complaint with the book is the tendency of the author to recommend outsourcing so many functions: accounting, taxes, and Web site design and construction. I think these things should be fully understood by the small business owner and probably done by the owner herself. When the business grows to have a few employees, then the employees can do those tasks if the owner wants to do that.
I would have written the section on choice of business structure differently. Keep in mind that LLCs can be either single member or multi member. An LLC can elect to be taxed as a sole proprietorship (single member), a partnership (multi member), or a C Corporation. Also, a multi member LLC will have to file a partnership tax return. A good book on the subject that I recommend you read to supplement this book is Structuring Your Business (ISBN: 1593371772). I highly recommend forming an LLC and electing to have it taxed as a C Corporation. Just give yourself a bonus at year-end so the corporation retains no earnings. If your business is a corporation it is less likely to be audited by the IRS. 5 stars!
Good book.......2006-11-11
At first, I had heard that this author talks "down" to the illustrator when he is explaining things, but this book I actually found very helpful, true to life and there weren't any sugar coatings. I enjoyed how he wrote and he put things into perspective, he didn't talk down.
Book Description
This new title offers comprehensive step-by-step instructions and in-depth explanations of the “how” and “why” behind the skills of Adobe Illustrator, CS2. Students will easily master each feature as they work through a wealth of information, including end-of-chapter learning projects and reviews and step-by-step tutorials. The full-color interior and user-friendly design create the ideal book for learning the latest features of this popular design application.
Customer Reviews:
Best Adobe Tutor.......2007-10-03
This is my textbook for a communtiy college class on Adobe Illustrator and it is a great book. I can go back and redo the lessons and get it!! I am a visual learner and this book is really a great tutorial. I am having fun in the class but missed two lessons and caught up on my own with the book.
Excellent Resource for Learning Illustrator.......2007-07-19
While it doesn't cover any of the new features in CS3, this is an excellent guide to get your feet wet in Illustrator. It includes step-by-step instructions and leads you gradually through all the basic features of the software.
Excellent tool for beginners.......2007-04-29
I bought this book for my husband to learn Illustrator (and also the companion book for photoshop). It is an excellent tool to teach the basics of illustrator, especially for someone who has never used the program before. It's not meant for people already familiar with the program but BEGINNERS, and it does a great job. I would highly recommend it to someone who wants to learn the basics. If you do the chapter work, you will learn Illustrator.
a great book for learning Illustrator.......2006-12-21
I have worked through every page and exercise in both this book and the official Adobe "Classroom in a Book" for Illustrator CS2. Chris Botello's book (this one) is far better in my opinion. Chris covers features, topics, and techniques that the official book completely ignores (gradient meshes, as one of many possible examples). I suppose the official book may have a couple of very minor things that this book doesn't, but no book like this is completely encompassing. This book certainly comes closer to giving a fuller picture of what you can do in Illustrator than the official book.
While I find that some of the comments in other reviews below to be exaggerated, I do agree that a very small amount of the instruction text in just a couple of the particular steps of only a few of the tons of exercises could be worded better, but it's far from incomprehensible. Just a tiny amount of thinking and experimentation reveals the "why" of any step you may find baffling. I might even suggest that if this simple book befuddles you, maybe Illustrator isn't right for you altogether. No one will be holding your hand when you are doing *real* work with Illustrator.
Think of my 4 start rating as more of a 4-and-a-half star rating. I would have given the book 5 stars if it had been in full-color and included a CD. A very small number of the examples refer to a color you should be seeing in the accompanying picture, but the whole book is in black-and-white. That isn't really a big deal, since it's always obvious what the text is referring to. About the CD: while I'm sure it was a smart, cost-efficient solution for the publisher, including a CD with the book's example files would have been nice. As it is, you must download the examples from the publisher's website. Still, that isn't really a problem.
So, for greater exposure to what Illustrator CS2 does and how to do it, I highly recommend this book. It covers many features, has lots of exercises, and it has better-than-what-some-people-would-have-you-believe explanations for everything. It is worth spending time with.
Easiest learning book I've ever used........2006-11-03
This text was bought for an art class for graphic design project production. At the time, I didn't know anything about Illustrator other than using the pen tool and some basic shapes and whatnot. While I haven't used many other references for Illustrator, this would have to be THE book I recommend for learning Illustrator. It goes through and systematically teaches you everything you need to know to be a mid to high level user of Illustrator CS2. If that's what you want to be, this book is for you.
Book Description
All year long, Chico's family moves up and down the state of California to pick fruits and vegetables. Every September, Chico starts at a new school. Often, the other kids pick on him — maybe because he's always new, or maybe because he speaks Spanish sometimes. But third grade promises to be different. He likes his teacher, and she recognizes his excellent abilities in math — he may even get to go to the math fair! When some fourth-grade bullies tease him, he surprises them with strengths of his own.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book and my kids do too.......2005-07-12
I received this book as a gift for my children who are in the primary grades. The story resonated with me because I remember tutoring little migrant boys like this when I was in high school, boys who are smart but have trouble in school because of constant moves. My children enjoy this story because they can empathize with his troubles and how he is ultimaately able to outsmart the bullies without using his fists. They enjoy seeing his victory at the end. I like the fact that it builds compassion in them for children who face adversity every day. I recommend it.
Less than perfect, sad to say.......2004-06-16
Oog. I always have a great deal of difficulty giving poor reviews to books that fill a need. And I especially find it hard to give a tough review to a book that not only tells a tale about a boy of Latin American descent, but also won a coveted Pura Belpre Honor. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I was unimpressed by author L. King Perez's foray into the world of children's picture books. Though a well-meaning tale about standing up for one's self, the story is an overly familiar one and its packaging is nothing to write home about.
Our hero is a boy named Chico. Chico moves with his family up and down California as they pick fruits and vegetables to support themselves. Now it is September when the grapes are ready to be picked and Chico is not particularly fond of the idea of going back to school. He moves around quite a lot and is familiar with bullies and kids that tease him because he is different. In this particular school, however, something changes. His teacher likes him, he does particularly well in math, and he finds a way to deal with the bullies that he meets. As the book flap says, "This story of personal triumph is a testament to the inner strength in all of us". Well...sort of.
The fact of the matter is, there's not a lot here that hasn't been hashed and rehashed in better books. Want to read a story about a child that deals with some prejudices that are less obvious than the ones dealt with in this story? Try finding A.F. Ada's, "My Name is Maria Isabel". Like the idea of a child of migrant workers that finds strength in standing up to people without relying on violence? Look at fellow Pura Belpre winner, "Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez" by Kathleen Krull. These books have a style and wit all of their own, and they're well worth seeking out. "First Day In Grapes"? Not so much.
Here were my problems with the book. First of all (and there's no getting around it) the book's boring. I'm sorry, but there it is. Moments of tension aren't properly built up. Accompanied by illustrator Robert Casilla's interesting but by and large mediocre pictures, the book has a kind of dragging feel. Then there's the method by which Chico defeats his bullies. I have little doubt that there are ways to outsmart such villains. You'll just have to forgive me if I don't think shaming them with math skills is one of them. The ending is a bit patchy, and more than a touch unbelievable. I can hear people claiming that such a thing could happen. And maybe in a better book I would have bought it. But L. King Perez, while having an interesting story on her hands, hasn't sold it to the reader properly.
My final call? Some kids will dig this book, but most won't. Its themes and ideas are so common in children's literature and picture books that I can say with almost absolute certainty that you will have minimal difficulty finding them in other better pieces of kiddie lit. While I agree with almost every Pura Belpre Honor book there is, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this one. That's all.
Creative Courage - A Great Read.......2002-09-11
I loved this book. It is a tribute to the human spirit. Children really understand the underlying theme. Beatifully written.
First Day in Grapes is First Rate!!!!!.......2002-09-11
The main character in this book, Chico, is Hispanic, but his story is universal and engaging. I was delighted when my third-grader, who is a reluctant reader, read this book without stopping. She loved how Chico stood up for himself and solved his problems with Math. The illustrations are wonderful and the story has a terrific moral without preaching.
Great book for any child who is starting at a new school!.......2002-09-04
I just loved this book, and my nephew who is starting a new school this year wants me to read it to him every time he comes over.
This book is beautifully illustrated and has something for all children, especially our growing hispanic population. The main character moves around a lot because his parents are migrant farm workers. What a wonderful story. A must read for 4 to 9 year olds
Average customer rating:
- Don't Buy This Book
- You Are Better Off Using the Dummies Series of Books
- There are Two versions BEWARE
- The WORST text book I have EVER had.
- Someone should have told the author it would print in b&w
|
Adobe InDesign CS2, Photoshop CS2, and Illustrator CS2, Revealed, Deluxe Education Edition
Chris Botello , and
Elizabeth Eisner Reding
Manufacturer: Course Technology
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Adobe Photoshop
| Digital Photography & Video
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Adobe Illustrator
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Adobe InDesign
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Software
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Web Design
| Web Development
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Looking Good in Print
-
Adobe Illustrator CS2, Revealed, Deluxe Education Edition
-
Adobe Photoshop CS2, Revealed, Deluxe Education Edition
-
Adobe InDesign CS2, Revealed, Deluxe Education Edition
-
The New Generation Write Source: A Book for Writing, Thinking, and Learning
ASIN: 1418839701 |
Book Description
This new title offers comprehensive step-by-step instructions and in-depth explanations of the "how" and "why" behind the skills of Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator CS2. Students will easily master each feature as they work through a wealth of information, including end-of-chapter learning projects and reviews and step-by-step tutorials. The full-color interior and user-friendly design create the ideal book for learning the latest features of this popular design suite.
Customer Reviews:
Don't Buy This Book.......2007-09-30
I bought this book for a Photoshop class and after wasting $40 We found out that there are several versions of this book and our class is on many different books all going different directions. I was stupid to assume that this book was a compilation of several of the Revealed books, that's somewhat true but when I got to chapter 6 of my assignments, surprise! NO CHAPTER 6 OR BEYOND. The books are eclectic and miss many steps along the way costing the reader loads of wasted time figuring out what you should have been instructed to do by the book. Isn't that what we pay for?? If you're an instructor who hates their students, or a student who likes to learn everything the hard way , I highly recommend this book.
You Are Better Off Using the Dummies Series of Books.......2007-06-27
This books was required for a primer glass in graphic design. In the class, we learned to use both Photoshop and Ilustrator, two of the most powerful raster and vector graphics packages available.
The problem with the book is its lack of description, it's lack of explication. Within three pages of the Photoshop section, I was completely lost. This meant a trip to the library to find another textbook that explained what these authors did not. That led me to the CS3 Dummies books, and a far better understanding of the material.
I suggest with all my heart that instructors not use this poorly written book in your classes. You are better off with either the "Dummies" or "Classroom in a Book" series.
You poorly serve your students with this garbage.
There are Two versions BEWARE.......2006-09-02
So I bought this book for a class, only to find out that I had purchased the black and white version, that does not come with a disk.
I guess thats why I only paid $ 20.00 for the book. Un benknownst to me the actual version that I needed was the deluxe Education edition. Who Knew?
As far as a text book...its really no different than any other written aide, which is why I do whatever I can to avoid text book.
If you really want to learn a software program use something like Total Traing DVD packages. I can say from exprience you will not be sorry. Its like being in an actual class and what they teach is not just how the software works but actual applications for the real world.
Its a digital age...dont read it, watch it.
The WORST text book I have EVER had........2006-04-14
This book is an absolute waste of paper. Filled with ugly "designs", it focuses on completely unnecessary details while skipping whole sections of useful information. it seems most concerned with making the student duplicate horrible "projects" exactly down to the pixel... rather than teaching the tools.
Avoid this book! It will drive you insane.
You are better off just using the help system in any of these products... you will learn more...faster...without brain damage.
Someone should have told the author it would print in b&w.......2005-11-07
Apparently no one told Chris Botello his book would be printed in black and white. In chapter 8 it says, "When this book was printed, the CMYK image was printed using all four process inks; the grayscale image was printed using only black ink." Sadly, both images were printed using only black. This isn't a huge problem except in illustrations where he refers to a certain color guide or box. I never had too much trouble figuring out what he was refering to because it's written in a very comprehendible way. The only other problem I had with the book may be related to the color/b&w issue as well. There is nothing differentiating tool names from the rest of the text in a sentence. Perhaps the tools were originally a different color from the rest of the text. We'll never know. This wasn't too much of problem except in sentences like, "Simply float the Type on a Path Tool pointer over the path until a plus sign appears beside the pointer, then click the path." I spent several minutes searching the menus for a Path Tool pointer to float my type over before I realized "Type on a Path Tool" is the full name of the tool. These issues haven't been too much of a problem. I still feel I'm learning the program sufficiently. It justs slows me down a little.
Average customer rating:
- A Wonderful Addition the School Library
- What's in a name? Letters, I s'pose.
- Great illiustrations, great message
- Young Immigrants Featured Review
- Mischievous and fun
|
My Name Is Yoon (Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award, 2004)
Helen Recorvits , and
Gabi Swiatkowska
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
New Experiences
| Family Life
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Asian & Asian American
| Multicultural Stories
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
New Experiences
| Social Issues
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Emotions & Feelings
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Picture Books
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
First Day of School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Children's Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Name Jar
-
Bee-bim Bop!
-
Korean Children's Favorite Stories
-
Yoon and the Christmas Mitten
-
Dear Juno (Picture Puffins)
ASIN: 0374351147 |
Book Description
Getting to feel at home in a new country
Yoon’s name means Shining Wisdom, and when she writes it in Korean, it looks happy, like dancing figures. But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English, all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn’t sure that she wants to be YOON. At her new school, she tries out different names – maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE!
Helen Recorvits’s spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country is given luminous pictures filled with surprising vistas and dreamscapes by Gabi Swiatkowska.
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Addition the School Library.......2005-09-20
This book is a great ice breaker for those first few days of school. The story is well written, and beautifully illustrated.
Young students can relate to the character, Yoon, on many levels.
What's in a name? Letters, I s'pose. .......2005-08-02
In 2001 a book came out entitled, "The Name Jar" about a girl from Korea who had moved to America and wanted an Americanized name. Then, in 2003, "My Name Is Yoon" came out with practically the same plot. Normally, I have little sympathy for children's books that mimic their predecessors. In this case, however, there can be little doubt as to which book is the better of the two. "My Name Is Yoon", is a complex tale of imagination, flights of fancy, and gradual acceptance. By contrast, "The Name Jar" was simply okay. You can find ho-hum picture books lining the shelves of most libraries and bookstores around the globe. It is far rarer to find books quite as remarkable as the stunning, "Yoon".
Yoon isn't exactly thrilled to be in America. Wherever she looks, she sees that life is different in this strange new land. In Korea, where Yoon was born, her name meant Shining Wisdom. Despite her father's assurances that it means the same thing here, Yoon isn't so sure. And then there's the fact that when she writes her name using English characters, it's just a series of sticks and circles, whereas in Korean, "The symbols dance together". She's right. They do. Yoon carries her unhappiness to school where each day she learns a new word and makes that her name. One day it's cat. Another it's bird. Still another (and most amusingly) it's cupcake. In the end, Yoon learns to like her new country, supposing perhaps that maybe that being different can be good too. And in the end, she embraces her real name. "It still means Shining Wisdom".
I hate summarizing picture books where the plot, when written down, sounds so much hokier than it feels on the page. What I've just written sounds nice but bland. The book is anything but bland. Yoon's a distinct and remarkable character. With each new name she adopts, she becomes that object in her dreams. For example, when she becomes BIRD she wishes she could fly back to Korea once again. The book also skips what I've come to feel is the obligatory foreign-child-gets-teased sequence. The kind of thing you tend to find in books like, "Molly's Pilgrim". I was grateful for the oversight. "My Name Is Yoon" is tackling more important problems here. The acceptance of one's own self in a foreign environment, for example. Becoming your own name. Becoming your own self. What could be greater than this?
The pictures, for their part, don't hurt. Artist Gabi Swiatkowska is perhaps best known for this book and the title, "Silk Umbrellas" by Carolyn Marsden. "My Name Is Yoon" is good as a story, yes. But the Yoon we see here is a complex original human being. A one-of-a-kind gal. When her imagination soars it takes off like nothing else, aided by Swiatkowska's realistic images. I especially liked looking at the pictures of her in her home. Here, the black and white tiles of the floor bend and twist in strangely surreal patterns. I'll be honest with you, though. The book could've been awful and I still would have loved it just so long as it continued to contain the picture of Yoon floating through her classroom window as a delicious fluffy cupcake.
Realism is what grounds "My Name Is Yoon". Surrealism sets it apart from the rabble. If you're stocking your personal library with only the most essential picture books out there, you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to include this truly delightful title.
Great illiustrations, great message.......2005-05-01
This is a wonderful story about a young Korean girl who has moved to America with her family. At school when she write her name Yoon in English for the first time, she decides that she likes her Korean characters more than the English version because, "My name looks happy in Korean. The symbols dance together."
She decides that she would like to go back to Korea because everything is different in America. Every day at school, her nice teacher asks her to write her name on a paper, and Yoon instead writes a different word that she has recently learned. The beautiful illustrations go along with these words, showing Yoon as a bird, cat, and cupcake. In the end Yoon realizes that perhaps America will be a good home, and that, "maybe different is good."
A great story for children to read, to aid in understanding and acceptance.
Young Immigrants Featured Review.......2004-12-06
Immigrant kids recognize that hesitation during roll call when a new teacher gets to their name. I used to dread it, but the experience depended on how a grownup handled these encounters with the unfamiliar. If only all teachers (and immigrant parents) were as wise as the ones in this book! Recorvits' poetic, spare text and Swiatkowska's imaginative paintings explore one aspect of feeling "foreign" -- an immigrant child's name. In a new language and a new alphabet, Yoon's beautiful Korean name seems foreign even to herself. Are you still "Yoon" when people outside the family pronounce your name differently? When they don't know that it means "shining wisdom?" For a child to feel at home in a new country, she needs a loving circle of teachers, parents, and classmates, as well as a good measure of her own courage. Reading My Name is Yoon might compensate somewhat if any of those crucial ingredients are missing.
Mischievous and fun.......2004-04-13
Mischievous, Korean-born Yoon deals with starting school and learning English. She likes her name in Korean. It means shining wisdom. She is not so sure she likes YOON, her name written in English. The illustrations are stark, rich, and playful. Karen Woodworth Roman, East Asian Children's Books
Average customer rating:
- Another Celebrity Book
- Lumbering
- badly rhymed+badly written+famous author=published!
- TRUE
- Whew, tough crowd!
|
The Brand New Kid
Katherine Couric , and
Marjorie Priceman (Illustrator)
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Fiction
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Other
| Fiction
| United States
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Prejudice & Racism
| Social Issues
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Blue Ribbon Day
-
The Recess Queen
-
Hey, Little Ant
-
My Secret Bully
-
King Of The Playground
ASIN: 0385500300 |
Amazon.com
On Ellie and Carrie's first day of second grade there's a brand new kid in the class. But when the teacher asks her students to welcome the ultrablond, blue-eyed, pink-lipped, loud-voiced, accent-sporting Lazlo S. Gasky to Brookhaven School, they all mock him instead: "Too different and strange to fit in they all feared." Lazlo grows unhappier by the minute, as he is ostracized and taunted by his classmates. One day, however, when Ellie sees his sad-looking mother walking forlornly toward her car ("Her son's having trouble, she might pull him out, / this school may be wrong for him, she's full of doubt"), things begin to look up for Lazlo. At that moment Ellie begins to wonder what it must be like to be a new kid, feeling so "different and strange," and she decides to take steps to get to know him, even at the risk of facing her friends' ridicule. ("At school the next day the kids stopped her and said, / 'You were walking with Lazlo, are you sick in the head?' / Ellie paused and replied, 'Now I know him, you see, / Lazlo isn't that different from you and from me.'"
NBC News' Today coanchor Katie Couric's rhyming book provides a healthy approach to treating people who may be perceived as different, and works well as a springboard to discussion. Though the suddenness of Ellie's turnaround in attitude seems a bit unnatural and the rhymes are often forced ("They arrived at his door greeted by his French poodle / and Mrs. Gasky was there with a plate of warm strudel!"), the message of The Brand New Kid will certainly not be lost on children. As Couric writes in her introduction, "It sometimes takes courage, but I hope this story will inspire all of us to reach out and make someone feel a little less scared and a little less lonely." Hear, hear. Caldecott Honor artist Marjorie Priceman's watercolor spreads are positively delightful, washing warmly over the pages in a free, buoyant style. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole were running and laughing-their first day of school was today! And they wondered just what was in store.
Would this be a good year?
Would school be a bore?
Everyone remembers feeling excited and nervous each fall on the first day of school. It's no different for Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole. But this year, there's not only a new teacher to meet, but a brand new kid as well. Lazlo S. Gasky doesn't look or speak quite like the other kids, and no one is sure what to make of him. In fact, they respond to his arrival at Brookhaven School by taunting and teasing him. But when Ellie realizes how tough it is for Lazlo, she reaches out, and after school one day they share an afternoon of soccer, strudel, and chess. Besides making a new friend, she and Lazlo teach their classmates an important lesson-one that isn't in their schoolbooks-about accepting people who are different...and in getting to know Lazlo, the kids learn that people aren't that different from each other after all.
From one of America's most respected journalists,
The Brand New Kid is a heartwarming story about tolerance and the need to give others a chance that will entertain and inspire children and adults alike.
Customer Reviews:
Another Celebrity Book.......2005-10-23
Katie Couric is a journalist, not a children's book writer. Writing children's books is a lot harder than most people think. Most publishers shy away from books that rhyme, and for good reason. Also, as adults, WE like kids to learn good morals, but children needn't be (figuratively speaking) bopped over the head with it, as in this book.
Lumbering.......2005-08-10
I am trying to remember why Couric went into the kids' book business. Wasn't the day job working out Katie?
As I picked up the book from a display of "back to school" books it was not displeasing to look at. Although the illustrations are working hard, they cannot rescue this book. The storyline was very predictable, heavy handed and pedantic. The rhyming verse just saws away and lumbers along in a forced and sing-song fashion.
"His name is a different one, Lazlo S. Gasky. He's new to our school and the town of Delasky."
Wow, how about that. The kid's last name happens to rhyme with the name of the town. Golly.
To go on any further would be cruel. Couric and other lesser lights are under the impression that a tale must be moralistic in order to appeal or impress children. I suppose it does impress unsuspecting parents and grandparents who will misguidedly but with the best of intentions, purchase this book.
If you are looking for a REALLY good book with this theme, go get "Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon" by Patty Lovell with divine illustrations by David Catrow.
badly rhymed+badly written+famous author=published!.......2004-03-07
This is an example of what happens when good people write bad books. I have nothing against Katie Couric herself, and I realize that she had good intentions, but this book is so badly written, the rhymes are so forced, and the moral so obvious that it just overrides any intent she may have had. Books should be published based on the merit of the writing, not on the celebrity of the author. At best, it is a sophomoric effort (and I'm being kind). There are better books for kids about acceptance/tolerance out there. Save your money - it is a waste of paper.
TRUE.......2003-03-13
A story about a boy, Lazlo, who is new in school. The kids in his class make fun of him. I think we can all relate to Lazlo in all different ways. People have made fun of you, and you have also made fun of other people. But in Lazlo's case, the students in his class mocked him constantly, and that can really hurt. But there is always one person at least who has a good heart, and in this case, it is Ellie. Ellie is the only one who gives Lazlo a chance, and finds out that he really is a great guy. This story teaches you that looks can be decieving. Don't judge someone by what they look like, they could be a really great person deep down. Kids can be really mean to a person, and people are afraid to say anything. Don't be.
Whew, tough crowd!.......2002-12-13
Despite the criticism, I thought that this book was very good. I'm very concerned with kids becoming outcast and becoming something we don't desire in our schools. We were terrible to new kids when I was young until my mother set me straight. This book is an excellent tool to have a discussion not only about an outsider, but also anyone who is different or even the same, but new!
Average customer rating:
- Useless
- Mixed feelings
- Essential for any illustration major
- Interesting and thought provoking
|
The Education of an Illustrator
Manufacturer: Allworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Education
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Illustration
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Typography
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Publishing & Books
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Inside the Business of Illustration
-
Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer
-
Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines (Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines)
-
The Illustrator's Bible: The Complete Sourcebook of Tips, Tricks and Time-Saving Techniques in Oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Gouache, Casein, Watercolor, Dyes, ... Pastel, Colored Pencil and Mixed Media
-
Teaching Illustration
ASIN: 158115075X |
Book Description
Part manifesto, part instruction manual, this volume's cutting-edge essays, interviews, and course syllabi provide the first-ever blueprint for teaching and practicing the dynamic art and craft of illustration. This revolutionary book fills a practical and an intellectual void for educators, students, and professionals in the field of illustration. Based on interviews with top illustrators and teachers, the book discusses how professionals acquired their illustration know-how and went on to apply it in their careers. Also explored are model illustration education curricula-for both undergraduate and graduate levels-created by leading illustration educators and practitioners. Offering a diverse range of attitudes, philosophies, and visions, this book is the first to address pressing issues confronting education in the illustration arts, including such concerns as authorship, new media, and the marriage of illustration and design.
Customer Reviews:
Useless.......2004-07-04
I am an illustrator and when I got this book I was hoping to learn from it. In my opinion this book is about a few has-beens giving their opinion on their own jobs. Boring!
There is a lot of artsy fartsy talk that only someone who doesnt live in the real world could understand. The kind of talk im talking about is like "The plastic bag flying in the wind is beautiful". pfft.
Mixed feelings.......2002-11-11
Heller and Arisman are two School of Visual Arts (NY) professors who have achieved much in their careers. The conversation/interview between them is the strongest, most educational and most inspiring part of the book.
Brad Holland writes a detailed (but dry) description of the history of stock houses, the direction they are moving in now and how that relates to working artists.
Educational.
A very large portion of the book is a collection of art excercises useful to teachers creating curriculum or artists without the ability to direct themselves in the production of work. I found this area to be mildly interesting, but quite useless to me as an illustrator.
Teachers often tend to create excercises they would do very well themselves, but don't necessarily draw out the uniqueness of the individuals they are teaching. Success as an artist is following your own values of what a successful peice of art or illustration is.
I would have liked to read the perspectives of a more varied cross section of artists in addition to the New York city old guard. There is so much innovation happening in this field. To bemoan the fact that things aren't what they were, shows a lack of awareness of what the younger generation of artists do. Jump fences.
"I design my students to destroy me."
John Maeda of MIT Media Lab
"You are the next Picassos."
Sheridan College Faculty addressing the class in my foundation year 5 years ago.
Essential for any illustration major.......2002-06-23
My first thought when I really got into this book was "finally. An outlook on the career of an illustrator neither negative nor overly optimistic, but realistic and helpful." Being an illustration major I have several misconceptions about the field of illustration that were cleared up pretty quickly. I found the interview with Thomas Woodruff particularly insightful in the case of the illustration as low art issue, and I laughed my head off at Brad Holland's satirical lesson on art terminology. My advice is to buy this book not to decide whether or not illustration is the path for you, but to make sure you have a grasp on what you're getting into.
Interesting and thought provoking.......2001-07-24
The entire book is made up of articles written by various established illustrators. I found the sections on art direction and education extremely interesting. Included are sample course syllabii which is helpful if you are teaching illustration courses.
The part that I had a problem (maybe that's too strong a word) with was the section on the state of the illustration market today. To me, it came off as old time illustrators whining and pining for the good old days, you know before the computer when one could make a decent living as an illustrator. It wasn't terribly encouraging to new comers which I think is too bad. I rather felt like they were telling me not to waste my time, that there was no room in the industry for me. In the end, it just made me more determined to succeed despite (or in spite) of their views. All in all, it is a thought provoking book, whether you agree with their view point or not, and it's guaranteed to start some interesting dialog with your illustrator friends.
Book Description
There is so much to see when Corduroy and his class go to the fire station. Children can peer under dozens of flaps in this interactive book to look at the equipment on pumper and ladder trucks and see the special suits that firefighters wear. And they can watch as Corduroy and his class learn how to stop, drop, and roll. Young readers will enjoy the cheerful artwork featuring hidden surprises as they learn about fire safety with their good friend Corduroy.
Illustrated by Lisa McCue.
Based on the character created by Don Freeman.
Customer Reviews:
Hudson's mommy.......2006-05-28
My 14 month old baby boy has loved this book for months without losing interest! It is one of the few books that he will sit and listen to for more than 3 pages! I highly recommend it and the other Corduroy lift the flap books. There are several flaps per page and it is also great language stimulation.
Based on the loveable bear character created by Don Freeman.......2003-07-27
Written by B.G. Hennessy and illustrated by Lisa McCue, Corduroy Goes To The Fire Station is a lift-the-flap interactive picture book which is based on the loveable bear character created by Don Freeman. Featuring an exciting tour of the resources used by emergency workers to protect and save lives, Corduroy Goes To The Fire Station is confidently recommended as informative and fun reading for curious young people.
Customer Reviews:
Recess Mess.......2006-06-10
The title and the cross-legged kid on the cover make the "mess" seem like an "accident". In reality, I think mess was chosen for the title just because it rhymed! The title confusion aside... nice book for very young, just learning, readers. The text is very simple and is matched by the basic illustrations, so children can learn words like "jumps" by relating the word to the picture - just like Sam!
During recess, Sam has to go and finds his way to the bathroom doors - side by side, with "Boys" and "Girls" written on them... only he can't read! He finds a solution to his problem and learns to spell his first couple of words.
One reviewer mentioned that the amount of text on the last few pages might be a little discouraging to young readers, and that may be but I think there's an up-side to that as well - the rhymes on a few pages are so far apart that young ones lose track of them! With more words on one page, the rhymes are more obvious. Well worth the price to get your preschooler hooked on reading!
First Grade Friends: Recess Mess.......2006-03-15
My grandson enjoyed this book because it went along with his first grade
reading lessons. It's exciting at 7 yrs to find a book that you can really read.
The illustrations were excellent.
Easy to read book about school events........2000-05-18
This is good book for emerging readers. A lot of the simple words are repeated, making it easier for kids who are learning to read. Rhyming text also helps early readers. Most of the pages have just one or two sentences, but the last few pages suddenly have more text. It can be a bit discouraging for kids who were doing great reading on their own to suddenly have more trouble on the last few pages, when they are so close to the end! Kids enjoy reading about common school dilemmas- in this case, all the kids are out on the playground when a boy has to use the restroom- but he isn't sure which is the boy's room. There is nice mix of races in the illustrations and one child in a wheel chair.
Product Description
Photorealism with Bert Monroy: Volume 1 will take you inside the creative mind of renowned artist Bert Monroy and show you how to produce ultra-realistic images using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. These movies showcase Bert Monroy's personal methods for getting realistic details into an image. He demonstrates his techniques for creating lighting, fire, smoke, grass, reflections and even mold. In these movies you will get up close and personal with Bert's paintings as well as learn to make your own photorealistic imagery. Though these movies were created using Photoshop CS and Illustrator CS, the principles and techniques apply to other versions of both programs in addition to other paint or vector-based drawing tools. lynda.com is very pleased to bring you Bert's work and we hope you will find it as exciting as we do!
Topics Include:
- Using layers & layer styles
- Creating your own artistic brushes
- How to use perspective
- Creating reflections, textures, and patterns
- Creating stunning 3D effects
- Using the displace filter
- Learn how to create fire, rain, lightning, and other amazing effects
Duration: 5.5 hoursOn 1 CD-ROM
Customer Reviews:
A MUST SEE for any photoshop User.......2006-01-12
Bert Monroy was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame and this Video Shows why. Ive been working w/ Photoshop for years professionally but thats no where near as long as Bert has been working w/ photoshop. I mean....HE CREATED the grass brush brush thats included in the newest versions of Photoshop...i cant say enough good things about this video...get it NOW!
Books:
- Surfs Up: Collecting the Longboard Era (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
- The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus (3 Complete Adventures in One Volume, Vol. 1)
- The Big Book of Breasts
- The Big Book of Drawing and Painting the Figure
- The Book on Vegas
- The Complete Taj Mahal
- The Digital Filmmaking Handbook (with CD-ROM) (Graphics Series)
- The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso (Everyman's Library)
- The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso (Everyman's Library)
- The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- My Woman His Wife
- History: Fiction or Science
- Eucalyptus: A Novel
- Hammered
- History: Fiction or Science
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Medical Miracle
- History: Fiction or Science
- Potential Images: Ambiguity and Indeterminacy in Modern Art
- Cryptosup
- Silently into the Midst of Things 177 Squadron Royal Air Force in Burma, 1943-1945: History and Pers
Artists & Graphic Designers Market 2007 (Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market)
Self-Promotion for the Creative Person: Get the Word Out About Who You Are and What You Do
Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers (3rd Edition)
