This is a compilation of the top five art book reviews that I wrote during 2010. Some of the books may not have actually been written in 2010, but the review was. The list begins with the most viewed review and moves down.
Strange Sisters
Strange Sisters is a compilation of many of these dime novels. It is a very interesting collection in the it steps outside the norm of what may considered an "art book" and focuses on a genre of literature that has been largely over-looked especially when one considers that these were dime novels and not considered to be in the same ranks as a popular fiction novel or storybook. Read the full review here.
Locals Only: California Skateboarding 1975-1978
When the 1970's hit, so did the next big skating boom. The way skateboards were made changed and skate-parks began popping up all over the continental United States. The boards themselves were being made wider, offering skaters more stability especially on vertical surfaces.
Photographer, Hugh Holland, though not a skater himself, began to document these skateboarders in Los Angeles, parts of the San Fernando Valley, Venice Beach, San Francisco and Baja California, Mexico. It was also during this time, that Southern California was experiencing a serious drought which left much of the areas pools emptied for rebellious skaters to break into and use to hone their skills. Read the full review here.
Legends: Women Who Have Changed the World
Beginning with an introduction by Angelica Huston, Legends: Women Who Have Changed the World Throughout the Eyes of Great Women Writers, is a collection of some of history's most influential women along with a brief biography of their lives written by well-known women writers. Read the full review here.
Biophilic Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban Design
In his book, Timothy Beatley argues for the greening of future cities, stating that renewable energy and better public transit are just one part of what a green city is. More importantly, urban planning needs to begin to focus around coexisting with the natural world instead of constantly impeding on it. A biophilic city, argues Beatley, plans in conjunction with nature. It incorporates the natural world into its buildings and planning. Read the full review here.
Game Art for Teens
Gone are the days where those who sought to become an artist, strapped a canvas to their back, rolled up their brushes and headed off into lush European cities like Paris to try and find a patron to support them and their art work. Today, as we exist in the modern, technological age, many would-be artists are finding a new medium outside of painting, photography or sculpture. Would-be artists are now largely looking towards the digital arts where they can learn to draw and animate, hopefully one day being able to work on television shows or on design teams that create the vibrant worlds that we see in video games. Read the full review here.
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