Bergers Book Reviews

Growing More Beautiful


Author: Jennifer Robin
Publisher: Arteful Press
Genre: Fashion / Art
ISBN: 978-0-9817322-0-6
Pages: 224
Price: $29.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

What makes a woman’s outfit look stylish? Is it the way the fabric flows or hugs her figure? Do the colors match her complexion and hair? Or maybe it’s the way her makeup and accessories complement her outfit? Jennifer Robin suggests all of these and more add up to the perfect look.

Using an artful approach to building a wardrobe, Robin gives us her own perspective as a fashion consultant. She encourages us to analyze our lifestyle and make sure we always have the right clothes for the situations we find ourselves in. There’s nothing more frustrating than staring at a full closet and feeling like we have nothing to wear. Robin explains why we feel that way, and what we can do to fit the problem.

My first thought on reading a book written by a fashion consultant is that she must think we have unlimited budgets for clothes. But this assumption proved false when she brought up the subject herself, suggesting that we need to carefully choose where we plan to shop so we can maximize our clothing dollars.

Art and fashion blend so nicely together in Growing More Beautiful, as photos of beautifully decorated store windows, mannequins, and the author’s own paintings grace the pages. After reading this unique book, I’m sure you’ll be inspired to pick up your own arts and crafts project and go out and buy something new. It’s no fun to go through life drab and dowdy when all it takes is a little artful play to jazz up your own wardrobe.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

March 23, 2011 Posted by | art, fashion | Leave a Comment

Color Is Everything

color
Author: Dan Bartges
Publisher: The Oaklea Press
Genre: Art: Techniques / Painting
ISBN: 978-1-892538-36-9
Pages: 96
Price: $14.99

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Sometimes the biggest difference between a mediocre painting and a truly spectacular one is the artist’s choice of color. In Color Is Everything, Dan Bartges demystifies this important technique, and shows us how to choose a color scheme for our paintings.

Working with a basic color wheel, he shows us how to use it to maximum advantage. Whether we decide on an analogous, split complementary, tetrad, or another specified combination, we can be sure we’ve chosen the right colors if we follow his simple directions.

Once Bartges explains these combinations, he then shows us how master painters used them in their own creations. We’re then encouraged to try to replicate their results, so we can develop this color sense for ourselves.

If you’re interested in creating master works of art, and you’ve never explored the use of color, you will find this book a valuable tool. I’d also highly recommend it for anyone who wants to be sure they choose the most appealing colors for anything from painting the living room to crafting a bedroom quilt. These techniques will ensure your color scheme is the best it can be.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

October 21, 2009 Posted by | art | Leave a Comment

   

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