How to Collect Museum Catalogues From the Netherlands

Collecting Crouwel, Sanberg and Wissing is not only valuable but fun too!

How to start your collection of (dutch) MUSEUM catalogues from the most important designers from last century.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

- focus on the great names in dutch typography and layout. Sandberg, Crouwel, Piet Zwart, Benno Wissing and Paul Schuitema are all worldwide known for their quality.
- always look at the quality of the item offered. Pristine items are practically non existent, but mint can be found. Better to pay a few dollars extra than to collect an item which is less perfect.
- Larger museums have always been in a position to commission their best catalogues to the best designers.
- The edition size is also important and makes a publication even more wanted than when the edition is small. Please note that many Museum publications are from edition sizes between 500 and 1700 which are small already. You can expect that many of these will be destroyed in the 50 years that they were shelved and only a small number survived.
- Early catalogues for startin, but now famous artists, are sought after and deserve a premium.
- signed copies are even more collectable and sometimes they are signed and numbered from a special edition which makes them more scarce and highly collectable.

- Then there is what I call "a secret ingredient" which in many cases is not recognised by others. These great designers included in their designs sometimes original art. Silkscreens were used as covers. Sometimes a special inlay with lithography, etching or silkscreen was inserted. In the best cases these were signed which makes them outright valuable, but can in most cases be had at a fraction of the price of an original work of art. (examples are Escher, Miro, Calder and Arp for their Stedelijk Museum catalogues and other publications).

As noted before the larger museums commissioned their best catalogues to the best designers.
First you must focus in these designers who worked with the largest museums in the Netherlands.

THE DESIGNERS:

Probably the most important and well known is Willem Sandberg. Director and designer for the Stedelijk Museum in the 50's and early 60's. Known for his bold use of lettering and recognisable lay out with thorn letters used as illustrations. Many of the designed Sandberg catalogues have become classics.

About 350 catalogues were designed for the Stedelijk Museum by Sandberg

Secondly there is Wim Crouwel, who was responsible for many catalogues from the sixties and seventies and later become director of the Museum Boymans van Beuningen. He designed some 300 catalogues for the Stedelijk Museum.

In Rotterdam there was also Benno Wissing who later started with Wim Crouwel Total Design. There are some similarities between Sandberg and early Wissing but both have a style of their own.

Piet Zwart and Paul Schuitema are known for their lay outs with photo collage and are highly collectable too.

THE MUSEUMS

The largest museum in the Netherlands are:

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, published ca. 1100 catalogues over 60 years. Designers were Sandberg, Piet Zwart and Wim Crouwel

Museum Boymans van Beuningen. Main designers were Benno Wissing and 3VO

Haags Gemeentemuseum. Published ca. 600 catalogues over 60 years. Designers were Foppe, Janssen, Lebbink ao.

Van Abbemuseum. Is the small museum with the great designers. Wim Crouwel worked for them in his early days, but do not forget Jan van Toorn who is also know for his seventies exhibition designs.

Photography Book Review - Understanding Exposure

Understanding Exposure has been written with the digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera novice in mind who will benefit from Bryan Petersen's easy style of prose, the simple non-technical explanations, and the wealth of associated photographs to illustrate the point. Intermediate or more experienced photographers will be able to hone their skills reading about special techniques for more difficult lighting conditions such as capturing snow or low level lighting or night scenes, and the use of polarizing and neutral density filters, multiple exposures and High Dynamic Range (HDR) shots. However, please note that the book is not particularly useful for point and shoot cameras.

In his introduction, Bryan Petersen makes note of the fact that the modern DSLR camera has so many controls and modes that even an experienced photographer can become confused. You could use the camera's auto settings and take perfectly good photographs but you will never be able to explain how you achieved that particular result. He suggests the only way to fully understand exposure on a modern DSLR camera is to use the Manual Mode and to take control of the settings yourself, or to "fly solo".

While he defines exposure traditionally and technically, I achieved a far greater understanding from his "Photographic Triangle" explanation of the basic concept of the interaction of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. This for me is the highlight of the book and cuts through most of the confusing technical jargon so often associated with books about photography. Additionally, His "Heart of the Triangle: The Light Meter" example of obtaining water through a kitchen faucet as it explains the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO, illustrates very simply the concept of exposure.

Not only does he provide simple explanations of terms and concepts, there are also exercises at the end of each chapter for you to help complete your understanding.

There have been three editions of this book written by Bryan Petersen: 1990, 2004 and more recently, 2010. While there have been marked advances in camera technology during the twenty years between editions, it is fair to say that the overwhelming message about the "Photographic Triangle" remains true. It is by far the simplest explanation of exposure that you will ever read and the easiest to understand. Once you embrace the concepts of the Manual Mode on your DSLR and apply Bryan's explanation of exposure in any situation, the "light bulb" moment will happen for you and remain forever more. I do recommend though that you revisit the book from time to time because each time I heave reread his book, I have gleaned yet another kernel of knowledge from it. I consider it to be one of the best books written about this subject and I recommend to anyone seeking to understand exposure and to produce perfect photos every time.

Barcelona Enshrined - Antoni Gaudi - The Complete Architectural Works by Rainer Zerbst

Rainer Zerbst's book, Antoni Gaudí - The Complete Architectural Works, is just what it says, the complete works. Treated chronologically and in turn, each of the architect's major projects is reviewed, described and analysed. Copious illustrations allow the reader to appreciate the often fascinating -and usually fantastic - detail that Gaudí used. The text, elaborate, itself florid in its description, conveys not only the colour and the shape of Gaudí's work, but also its intent and derivation.

Though it concentrates on the buildings, their features, their detail and their innovations, Rainer Zerbst's book does deal quite adequately with Gaudí's background and inspiration, though it does not attempt to be a biography. It may come as a surprise to many readers that it was England and English art that provided the young architect with his model. The theories of Ruskin advised a return to direct contact with nature. The Pre-Raphaelites resurrected both the Gothic and colour, and also employed minute detail throughout a work rather than invite total concentration on a single, artificially-lit central subject. And then William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement provided the social and industrial model that aspired to put art at the centre of everyday life. Finally, and not least, it was the English tradition of the ornamental garden that inspired Gaudí's treatment of broader settings.

All of these influenced the young Gaudí. And at the time he was seen as a something of a radical. Later, when, if anything, the architect's style became more fluid and less self-conscious, he had already shaved off his beard and cut his hair in order to aspire to membership of the local establishment. In England, the once revolutionary Pre-Raphs had largely done the same.

In presenting Gaudí's woks chronologically, Rainer Zerbst is able to chart the development of the artist's style, both personal and professional. The reader can follow the development of a style, see how ideas came to maturity and then were re-used and re-applied. The reader can also clearly understand how Gaudí's work anticipates both Dalí and Miró, both in its content and its use of colour. Placing minor works together in a final chapter, however, has the feel of afterthought and does detract from the overall experience.

For anyone who has visited Barcelona and has seen some of these buildings close up, this book is a must. It really does fill in the detail that a casual observation would surely miss. And for anyone who has not yet visited the Catalan capital, Rainer Zerbst's book, Antoni Gaudí, could conceivably provide the stimulus to make that visit at the first available opportunity. Gaudí's work is something that is thoroughly worth real-life experience. Only in the rather scant treatment of Sagrada Familia is the book rather wanting, but then an adequate description of such a project would be a book in itself. Sagrada Familia, like the man who conceived it, is unique.

Ebooks on Art Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions and Color Theory

With the passage of time, electronic books are gaining immense popularity among people of all age groups. The reason behind is their easy availability on eBook stores, which also offer discounts to regular customers. Be it science, sports, history, law, communication or media, electronic books are available on almost all topics. Today, ebooks on art collections, catalogs, exhibitions are highly demanded as these provide an insight into the work done by different artists and their impact on society. These books also contain information about finished works that have not been collected by art collectors.

Exhibition 36 is one of the popular ebooks on art collections, catalogs, exhibitions that is written by Susan Tuttle. This book showcases the altered and repurposed art of 36 mixed-media artists. Through this book, readers will get to know the thoughts of various artists and the articles written by them. Some other electronic books on art collections, catalogs, exhibitions are Civilizing Rituals; Aesthetic Journalism: How to Inform Without Informing; Heritage, Museums and Galleries and New Museum Theory and Practise.

Documents of the 1913 Armory Show: The Electrifying Moment of Modern Art's American Debut contains original publications from the Armory Show (1913). Published by Hol Art Books, this book states how Armory Show changes the perception of American people about art. It also contains "A Layman's Views of an Art Exhibition", a popular essay by Theodore Roosevelt. Readers will also find the entire content of "For and Against: Views on the Infamous 1913 Armory Show" in this book.

Art and Its Publics: Museum Studies at the Millennium is an admired book, which contains various essays by museum professionals as well as academics. This book presents contemporary concerns for art and addresses issues related to museum community. Art and Its Publics: Museum Studies at the Millennium is written in an interesting manner and can be easily downloaded on Mac, Android, Windows, iPad, iphone and various other operating systems.

Colors are always an important part of the art and therefore color theory ebooks are also in huge demand. These book are very useful for beginners as these have important information about proper use of colors and their importance. Paint Along with Jerry Yarnell Learning Composition is a famous electronic book, which contains simple instructions for creating impressive compositions. Through this book, Jerry describes three different composition types, appropriate utilization of negative space and principles of flawless design. Some other books written on color theory are The Complete Color Harmony; Colour and Humanism: Colour Expression over History and Colro Design Workbook.

Best Photography Books

Most people regard books as a good companion. Whether you're an adult or student, you can find interesting books to satisfy your needs. These informative books are able to fill your mind with ideas and at times completely transform your way of life. Whether it is adventure, action, romance, art or photography, you can find books with any topics.

Many people are passionate about photography. A few of the titles for the well-known photography books are How to Shoot Great Photographs; An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide; The Digital Photography Handbook, just to name a few.

In most cases simple digital photography books can offer you a myriad of information that will help you to master this art, such as lighting effects and also how you can improve your images using both genuine and artificial lighting. You can find a wide variety of these books on the market to select from, but you have to determine whether or not you should rent from a library or purchase them.

These days, you can easily download these books from reputable websites. But before doing this, you should check the reviews and forums to see what other photographers have to say about these books. Forums will help you to solve problems, find discussions about specific equipments and also learn about where and when events are taking place.

The best photography books will be the ones which addresses everything about digital photography. A good photography book must take you step-by-step and show how you can capture the best shots at different angles. These days, the digital photography industry is becoming extremely popular. As a result, you can find even more photography books written and published in recent times.

These types of books also provide the users with essential details that will help to make the best decision when shopping. By reading those books, it is possible to determine easily the type of camera that would suit your style and also what components you should know about while purchasing a camera. It's also possible to find several specialized subjects such as digital night photography; digital infra-red photography; digital portrait photography; digital black and white photography, and so on.

How-To Art Book by Sherri Carden Is Perfect for Beginners - Best Underwater Painting Book Ever!

I was extremely happy with the recent e-book I purchased from Kindle entitled, "How to paint an underwater scene" by Sherri Carden. I have always wanted to learn to paint, but have never had the time or money to actually take lessons.

This book was easy to follow and was nicely designed. I liked that it didn't have too many extraneous instructions or a huge amount of rules to follow. What I found to be most helpful was the ease of use of this book. I also liked that there was professionalism as well as creativity in it's approach.

I have always found the sea fascinating, my entire life. The ocean creatures, seaweed, shells and water have always been a challenge for me. So when I first purchased this book, it was with the hope that I would be able to create a painting. I was able to utilize the instructions and information in such a way that I could create my own versions of the underwater scene. I loved that there was instructions on painting a mermaid as well, as I have always had an affinity for these creatures of the sea.

I loved experimenting with acrylic paints, as I have never used them before. I had always been afraid to use them, and had only dabbled once or twice with watercolors. However, since the instructions were easy to follow, I had no problem grasping the concept of working with acrylic paints. It was so much fun, and I will use these techniques in the future to create other works of art.

This book enabled me to experience my own creativity, and explore my skills as an artist. It is an experience I would not have had if I hadn't purchased this book. I learned how to work with the medium, paint over my mistakes and play a little with the paint. It was a first for me.

Because of the easy to follow instructions, it was no problem to create my first canvas painting! I have even created several pieces to share with family and friends for the holidays. I am thrilled. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn how to create an amazing painting in a very short time.

Artist Francis Bacon's Lifetime Accumulated Mess Transported Intact to Irish Museum

Francis Bacon's Studio
By Margarita Cappock
Merrell Publishers Limited, 2005, 240 pages, hardbound, $59.95

Francis Bacon (1909-1992) was born in Ireland to British parents and today is recognized as one of the most significant post-war painters, his disturbing oil portraits acquired by major museum collections worldwide. Bacon is remembered primarily for his symbolic, macabre portrait of Pope Innocent X. London/New York publisher Merrell has produced a definitive, retrospective coffee-table volume on Bacon using the device of his unique (read unimaginably messy) studio as the springboard into his career and lifework.

Six years after his death in 1992 the contents of his rather cramped London studio were donated to the Dublin City Council in Ireland with the understanding that it would be recreated there with all its contents intact for public viewing. Easier said than done, because the studio, Bacon's home and workplace since 1961, contained 7,500 items - a treasure trove of precious artifacts to an art historian. There are two absorbing stories here: the challenge of cataloging, transporting and reassembling the contents of the studio (front door, paint-encrusted walls and all) across the Irish Sea to Dublin, and then the significance of each uncovered item as it related historically to Bacon's oeuvre.

"Maintaining the studio exactly as it stood was crucial to the experience," Dr. Cappock writes. So a team of photographers, archeologists, conservators and curators went to work, launching an indoor archeological dig to create a detailed diagram of exactly where each item lay/stood/hung so that the recreated space would be precisely accurate. Today the reconstructed studio is open to the public at Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane, Charlemont House, Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Ireland.

Needless to say, the piles and piles of clippings, photos, sketches, catalogs, books and even slashed canvases speak volumes to the historic arc of Bacon's work and Dr. Cappock finds in this detritus the inspiration for each phase of his artistic development. Some of the many graphic images Bacon collected over his lifetime reveal the macabre basis for much of his output: massacres, meat carcasses and the assassination of President Kennedy. Other photos show the subjects of his commissioned portraits including Mick Jagger. By the last page the reader has received a detailed, insider's view of the creative evolution of Francis Bacon.

Origami Book Reviews

There are a number of origami books available which provide beautiful pictures, easy to follow guides and design ideas for all your origami decoration occasions. Origami books range from beginner origami difficulty with simple creations to advanced and expert design books incorporating mathematics and intricate detail into origami decoration production. To decide which book is best for you, here are my recommendations for which origami book you should choose depending on your skill and experience level:

Beginner - For beginners, the best origami book to get you started is the Absolute Beginner's Origami book by Nick Robinson. If online articles or other books with complex diagrams and confusing fold lines have previously deterred you from making origami decorations, then this is definitely the book for you. Featuring colour photos and a simple three step system, Absolute Beginner's Origami teaches even the most amateur of origami decoration makers to make some fantastic sculptures and models. The book can be purchased from Amazon with 20% off it's retail price, and is a great start for origami beginners.

Absolute Beginners Book
Intermediate -If you have some experience with making origami decorations, or want to challenge yourself with some trickier designs, then Ornamental Origami: Exploring 3D Geometric Designs is the book for you. Featuring beautiful colour images on glossy high quality pages, Ornamental Origami: Exploring 3D Geometric Designs has 40 projects for origami enthusiasts to create, with structured advice making creation as easy as possible. This book is best purchased off Amazon, where it can be picked up with a saving of over 10% on it's original price.

Ornamental Book
Advanced - If you are experienced with making origami decorations, and want to make some designs that really will impress and dazzle your friends and family, then Advanced Origami: An Artist's Guide to Performances in Paper is the book for you. This book goes beyond basic "how-to" origami guides, and looks into advanced techniques in origami paper and visionary art needed to make truly spectacular origami decorations. There are ten unique origami designs in the book which cannot be found elsewhere, with complete instructions, photographs and advice on advanced techniques such as wet folding. This book can be purchased for cheap on Amazon, with a 33% saving on it's RRP.

Advanced book
Expert - If you are a master of origami or want to become an expert in the art to produce spectacular origami decorations, then Origami Design Secrets: Mathematical Methods for an Ancient Art is the book for you. Origami Design Secrets is written by Robert J. Lang, one of the world's leading origami artists, and in the book you will learn to make your own unique and expert origami designs and origami sculptures. Techniques are explained in great detail using some fantastic diagrams, and include expert origami methods such as combining uniaxial bases, the circle/river method and tree theory. This expert origami book can be purchased most cheaply from Amazon, with a saving of 16% on it's standard price.

Origami Design Secrets Book
So whatever your origami skill level there is a book for you, each of which will give you the information you need to make some impressive origami decorations for all occasions.

Creative Photo Book Ideas

Collecting and preserving photographs has been a favourite pastime with most people, young and old. Sometimes they get stuck with so many photos from various occasions and varying times in the past, they wonder how to put them all together coherently.

The most common and popular photo book themes include-

Baby Album - You could start your album with photos from various trimesters in your pregnancy and record your emotions. You could include ultrasounds and photos of the nursery too.

Family Holiday- Holiday pictures are best arranged chronologically, i.e. day-by-day. You could also theme them place- by-place, or you could simply put up your favourite pictures from your holidays and record what you liked most about them.

Graduation Day- You could make portrait portfolios of your friends and ask them to write something for you to give it the feel of a personalised slam book.

Wedding Album- A wedding is the most special and important day in a person's life. A picture tells a thousand words and your wedding album could tell your whole love story. You could start with the 'Proposal' and go on to add your engagement photos, bridal shower photos, wedding photos and honeymoon photos.

But here some not so common ideas that could also be fun and entertaining:

1. Pets and Animals- Pets are part of family too and deserve an album unto them. Your pet album could include the day you brought your pet home and how you decided on a name for him/her. You could also make a portfolio of your pet.

2. Sports and Hobbies- Sports never fails to thrill and exhilarate its fanatics. You could start with a 'Training Journal' and go on to add photos of your teams, your uniforms, your coaches and your favourite cheers.

3. Photo Cook Book- A way to a man's heart is his stomach, or so they say. So why not make an album to record that special dish you made for your loved one for the first time! You could also make an album of the first time your child was in the kitchen helping you or making something for you.

4. Family History Book- What better way to preserve your family heritage than a collection of photos creating your own family tree! You could go back as far as you would like and sometimes be amazed at how many people love you and care about you.

5. Road Trips- While on bikes, cars or hitchhiking on a truck, you will see many billboards, signboards and signals. Click them to create your own 'Highway' album.

Composing Great Photographs

I got my DSLR a few years back, and for a while was desperately looking for ways to improve my photography skills, particularly in composition. Photography is such an integral part of travelling. When I come home from a trip, sorting out my photographs and picking out good ones is one of the things I enjoy most. And so I went on the hunt for some of the best photography books on composition. While there are many factors involved in creating a great photograph, I believe that composition is as important as knowing all the dials on your camera and when or how to use them. After all, a great photograph that evokes strong emotions is most powerful, thus the image has to be something special that tells a story too.

Knowing how to compose a good photo is a priceless art and I have never been convinced it could really be taught. I strongly believed at one point that composition had more to do with the sheer talent and imagination of the person behind the lens. That is, until I read Bryan Peterson's book, 'Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography', which happened to be on a few professional photographers' reading lists. All the components that go into a well composed photograph is covered here, such as design, shapes, lines, colours and patterns. Subject placement and focus is one of the most important elements in designing a photograph. He invites readers to think critically when composing, so as when to realise that it is acceptable to 'break' basic compositional rules, such as the times when it is wise to place the subject in the centre of the photograph as opposed to following the common 'rule of thirds'. The bonus is that he includes many fabulous images from his portfolio.

Peterson further shows readers how to work with, and get the best out of different lighting conditions. He also writes on the various types of lenses and how to select the appropriate one to use on the field.

A highly regarded professional photographer, teacher and author, Peterson's writing style is engaging and his book is highly readable and easy to digest without being too wordy. While seemingly elementary, budding photographers and more advanced ones alike will likely find Peterson's book a great source of reference. I did find this book highly readable and a worthy investment in helping me improve my own photography skills. I do habitually try to visualise a powerful image in my mind's eye first before I release the shutter these days.

Spirit by: Q Wang - Book Review

Spirit: The Paintings of Q. Wang is a collection of contemporary paintings by Q. Wang, a current resident of Southern California. In this "Coffee table" style of high-quality art-book of 44 selected works of artist Q. Wang created during the period from 2006 through 2010, are displayed with only title and date of origin; leaving the viewer to "feel the art", or as stated in the Preface, "hear the music" without the distraction of a narrative.

Working with acrylic over conventional sized canvases, Q. Wang's work is easily categorized as being modern art, abstract, using color and lines in very unique and impressive ways. Although, admittedly Q. Wang openly discusses his attraction to the art of Maurice Utrillo, I sense some subliminal influence by other renowned artists. I feel the American legend Alexander Calder aligned with his floating shapes; along with aspects reminiscent of Andy Warhol in hisHillary Clinton portrait; Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gough with some cubism. This said, the originality of Q. Wang stands on his own merit with a fundamental Asian influence.

Just as it is obvious to a viewer if a picture on a wall is hung at an angle, not being straight, it is amazingly impressive how parallel, perpendicular, round and exact the geometric shapes are within Q. Wang's work. He definitely has a highly advanced mathematical spatial relation aspect to his art, resulting in hypnotizing introspection and, in my case, a highly emotional impact. His core talent brings simplicity in shape and form. One of, if not my true favorite, is titled, Woman. In it, Q. Wang takes a red circle, two red domes and a red triangle placed over horizontal colored backgrounds bringing to mind a "nude" like some Hermann Rorschach inkblot test revealing my own thoughts. Other favorites of mine are titled Kiss and Lovers, where two "stick figures" embrace each other, one yellow and one red, over a green background. Just as universal highway and building signage uses stick figures to represent men and women with respect to safety or even a restroom, these figures are international and global in its representation of the love within humanity.

I could go on and talk about Q. Wang's use of dimensional relations in his landscapes, or his obvious sense of passion for a lady he painted, or even the comedy within his work; but to understand his work you simply need to see it. This book is beyond excellent as a showcase for his talent. Next to having the opportunity to visit a gallery with his work, this book can be easily bought and will truly embellish the library of any art-loving collector. As the famous French film producer Jean-Luc Godard said, "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to." Q. Wang has taken me further into the appreciation of my surroundings, people, and love. That is what art is all about.

Book Review - Flashback: My Life and Times in Bollywood And Beyond by Niilesh A Raje

Author
Bob Christo (Foreword by Tom Alter)

Publisher
Penguin Books India

Pages
280

Price
Rs 399/-

ISBN
9780143414629

I distinctly remember that fight sequence from the movie Kaalia where everybody is standing in line while food is being distributed and Michael (actor Bob Christo) decides to spoil the decorum and breaks the queue. While one of his crippled inmates gathers courage and decides to retaliate against this brawny white guy Michael shouts back, "Hum jahaan khade hote hain line waheen se shuroo hotee hai"(The line always start behind me). Immediately after that all the other prisoners in the queue go and stand behind Michael.

The most I knew about Bob Christo then was he was an actor from Australia renowned within the Indian Film Industry as the "bad man" of Indian Cinema who played either the role of collaborator, hostile prisoner or British Officer.

The septuagenarian Robert John Christo whom the world popularly knew as Bob Christo died in Bangalore (20 March 2011) winning the affection of millions of Indian Movie Fans for over two decades which included over 230 films and 15 television serials.

The newly released book Flashback: My Life and Times in Bollywood and Beyond by Penguin Books India gives the readers wealth of information by sharing the best and bad times experienced in life by Bob Christo. The actor's biography was to be released by Akshay Kumar in June 2011 post which he was planning to return back to work in Hindi Cinema in an Akshay Kumar film.

The book gives an interesting insight about the many roles (Engineer, Adventurer, Lover, Mercenary and Bollywood villain) played by Bob Christo in real life apart from holding the credit for being one of the renowned villain of the Indian Film Industry in reel life.

The memorable autobiography traces the journey of this Civil Engineer from Sydney, Australia. Bob firmly believed in the discipline of reading and was also a prolific writer who held the recognition for achieving top marks and prizes for writing outstanding essays right from his school days.

Bob's wife was killed in 1974 in a car crash leaving him the responsibility to bring up his three children. In 1977 he decided to pursue his career in Civil Engineering and was deputed for his assignment at Muscat. But destiny had its own plans. No sooner he resumed his work in Muscat he was communicated that his friend American scriptwriter George Marzbetuni had a massive heart attack and was hospitalized in ICU in Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai.

Bob decided to come back to Mumbai for a couple of days to visit his friend in the hospital. George was not able to stay for long in India to shoot for the English version of the movie Abdullah as his family was on the way to India and had decided to take him back to L.A.

George wanted Bob to write reports and ensure that the crew sticks to the same script as written by him for Abdullah. Alternatively if Sanjay Khan wanted Bob to do some role in his movie George suggested that it was his (Bob's) call to go ahead with the same.

One big success wiped out all his previous failures and with passage of time Bob was kept busy and occupied with several opportunities coming up on his roads to achievements. Abdullah, Qurbani, Kaalia, Namak Halal, Mard, Mr. India and Agneepath were some of the opportunities that Bob got and also had the opportunity to share the screen with Marlon Brando, Amitabh Bachchan and Raj Kapoor to name a few. Bob also took special classes in Hindi by taking the help of Qadir Roomi who visited him every morning at 8 a.m., six days a week, to teach him the National Language.

In 2001, Bob decided to retire and left Mumbai for Bangalore to work in Sanjay Khan's hotel, The Golden Palms Hotel and Spa starting off as gymnasium manager and yoga master. Once the hotel was fully operational by 2002 Bob had become the Fitness Director. Spine Injury made Bob to quit his job from the hotel and in 2006 he started his work on his autobiography.

The book is divided into three parts giving the reader a detailed account of how experience enriched his life. His journey is covered in the book in the following manner (Part 1 - Hong Kong-Philippines, Part 2 - Africa to India, via the Middle East and Part 3 - Odyssey in India).

In Foreword by Tom Alter Bob questions, "Tom, why don't they give me romantic roles?". To which Tom replies, "The truth is, my friend, your own life was the most romantic role of all". Bob agrees that as he looks back on his life, he feels blessed.

Behind every success lies an untold pain in one's heart and the pain is usually revealed when the individual rises to the top. The key message the author (Bob Christo) wants to convey to all his readers is the great mixture of bliss and sorrow that he experienced in his life. It was life that he fully lived. And why not, as long as there is life there are bound to be struggles.

Alebrijes - Masterpieces by Mexican Sculptors and Painters - A Book About Mexican Folkart

Like other dedicated collectors Hartmut Zantke became an author because he wished to find out more about a certain subject, in his case the history and manufacture of Mexican alebrijes. Attending an exhibition of Mexican art in 1991 he first saw painted wooden sculptures by indigenous artists: a jaguar with human features, a cat painted with blue, red and yellow Zapotec ornaments on black background, a plump, extremely elongated pig painted with colorful flowers and white doves. He was fascinated by the combinations of vibrant colors in novel patterns on the eccentric sculptures. The seller called the sculptures "alebrijes". Since that day the author has developed an interest in these imaginative, mostly animal-like Mexican sculptures made from paper-mache or wood. He has read all available literature on the subject of Mexican art and its history, browsed internet-galleries for artistically demanding alebrijes and purchased the most interesting pieces they offered, objects he refers to as "genuine" alebrijes. He discovered that all woodcarvings from the Mexican state Oaxaca are called "alebrijes" for commercial reasons, even though most of them are cheap mass-produced souvenirs that only share their name with the true works of art called "alebrijes". Excellent woodcarvings may be found all over the world, mainly from china but also from Germany.

The "genuine" alebrijes by Mexican artists however are not only carvings of the highest quality but also represent a symbiosis between sculptures and fantastic paintings; the wooden sculpture, instead of canvas, is the background for three-dimensional paintings. Only the artist´s creative energy can bring a lifeless lump of wood to life, utilizing vibrant colors, indigenous ornaments, symbols and images to create a unique piece of art. The artists mostly employ the same shapes, color combinations, ornaments and symbols as their ancestors from a thousand-year-old civilization. The sculptures´ shape and ornamental painting represent a fascinating mixture of different elements of the artists´ cultural, physical and religious background and of their traditions; the myths and legends of their indigenous forebears, especially the Olmeks, Maya, Aztecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs as preserved in the sculptures and frescoes in the ruins of Monte Albàn or Mitla and displayed in the prehistoric archeological collections of museums of as well as the works of the Christian Spanish conquerors all contribute to making alebrijes a creative and unique art form.

The philosophy of the indigenous people of Middle-America is closely associated with nature and animals. Mesoamerican philosophy holds that every person has a creature from its environment as its spiritual counterpart. Every day in Aztec calendar is represented by a specific plant, animal or natural phenomenon. This explains why the Mexican artists who draw their inspiration from the spiritual and religious beliefs of their ancestors mainly depict the creatures of the Aztec calendar.

After Mexico´s occupation by the Spanish conquerors in the 16. century and the following destruction of nearly its entire indigenous culture the manufacture of carved and painted likenesses of the creatures of the calendar was all but forgotten. Around 1936 Pedro Lineares Lópes was the first to revive the age-old traditions of his indigenous ancestors. He began to fashion mythical creatures from painted papier-mâché which he dubbed "alebrijes". In 1980 Don Manuel Jimenez began creating alebrijes by first hewing the raw form from the wood of the copal-tree with a machete, then using a knife to carve the details and finally painting the sculptures with patterns and colors inherited from his forefathers. His mercantile talent enabled him as one of the first to sell his works in the USA and later to museums all over the world and to collectors of Mexican art.

Painted wooden alebrijes as an art form are a fairly recent development (about 30 years), far too young for the international art community to have become generally aware of them. The international art market has not yet recognized the historic importance, beauty and artistic quality of the alebrijes created by the Mexican carvers and painters. Millions of vacationers in Mexico have probably come across the painted woodcarvings generously called "alebrijes" and may even have purchased some cheap object as a souvenir without ever having known about its history or the "genuine" alebrijes created by renowned Mexican carvers and painters. This book is intended as a contribution to closing this knowledge gap and bringing the art form of alebrijes to world-wide attention.

This book is subdivided into two sections:

The text section describes the alebrijes' historic roots, their manufacture and economic relevance in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and the biographies of the most renowned Mexican artists creating alebrijes as works of art.

The image section with about 272 photographs offers an overview over the works art created over the last few years. The book has approximately 428 pages with a dimension of 27 by 31 cm (10,6 by 12,2 in). It may be purchased from Sozialkartei-Verlag in Leonberg/Stuttgart. The book will be published in January 2011.

The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II

World War II was a defining event in history, especially America. I had a grandfather who served in that war, earning two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. I've seen countless movies depicting events from World War II, and I've also read a number of books about those years as well. It was a different time, and the war helped shaped that generation's identity. It was a war that many refer to as the "last good war." Like my grandfather, many of the veterans from World War II are passing away each day. It is because of this, that I liked what Thomas Sanders and Veronica Kavass have put together. The book "The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II" is a beautifully done coffee table type book that pays homage to those who served our nation in war.

The book is filled with magnificent photographs of men and women who served, now much older, but often holding pictures of when they were younger. Many pictures are black and white, but there are also color photographs included too. These are men and women who are true heroes, that very few have ever heard about. They are heroes because they answered when their country called. They sacrificed and did what had to be done. They then returned home to become productive members of their communities and lead lives just like the rest of us.

Sanders dedicates the book to all American veterans and soldiers, especially to those who do not make it home. And while there really isn't anything good about war, just as Hampton Sides says in the introduction, there was a lot of "good" in the men and women who served, and this book helps us remember the selfless, determined, humble, and heroic veterans of that time. At the beginning of the book there is a quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower, General, U.S. Army. This was when he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during World War II and before he became President of the United States. He said, "The world must know what happened, and never forget." I think sometimes we do forget, and we shouldn't. Looking through the book, noticing the aged faces, I can't help but think what they went through during their time of service. And I can't help but feel a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for what they did. Reading their stories makes me ashamed at how some people today cry and moan about difficulties that are nowhere near what those men and women faced.

This is an important book, and I hope many will take the time to read it, and more than that, to realize the history that our older generation have not studied, but lived, and to take advantage of learning from these men and women, so we don't ever forget. Because, as the author says, one day they won't be here to tell their stories.

Some Innovative Ideas for Custom Frames

The custom frames can add a touch of individuality to even the very regular photos and portraits. You can display them on the wall, or your shelf or your desktop, the personalization gives a personal touch to them. A custom frame can be created in numerous ways and are suitable for office as well as home. They even make great gift as well.

One of the very easy ways of creating custom frame is to use your craft and scrapbook supplies. You may style using ornamental letters that are used to embellish scrapbook pages. These letters are readily available in any normal supply stores. By just gluing the embellished letters to the frame you can spell out a name or phrase to create that personalized look. The letters can express the sentiments attached with the photo or a simply title to the photo displayed. The embellishment letters are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors which allows you to get a custom look.

You can add dried flowers, ornate the clip frames, add ribbons to create a custom frame. You can decorate a wedding portrait frame with ribbons and baby's breath to get a unique and personal look. Again, you can decorate the baby photo frames by gluing small objects and stars around the clip frames. You can add a personalized look to them by letting your imagination lose.

You do not have to settle with simple one if you want a custom frames. You can buy shadow box frames and get the inside decorated suitably and ornate the matted part which surrounds your picture. You can use decorative paper and even embellishments to decorate the structure. You do not have to restrict the frames to only photos; you can also use them to frame certificates, degrees, memorable. You can also frame meaningful poems or music score. They make equally amazing art work.

No matter what you have in mind, make sure that you mix and match different articles inside as well as outside them to find out which way it looks good. You can experiment with a lot of different designs and before you add glue to it and make it final. This way you will be able to see what exact look you want. The custom one also makes excellent gift items as well as since they are great keepsake.

You can buy custom frames from a variety of sources and stores. The best way you can customize a frame is buy adding a touch of creativity. With the use of right glue for the right kind of a frame you can create magic. A different kind of glue is needed for wood and plastic. When you buy the frames to personalize, always have a rough idea about the designs. You can ornate the wider, flatter frames by adding embellishments around the edges. The nice rounded and narrow frames work very well with the decorative mat. Therefore, no matter what design you choose, you can create a custom frame in a fun way and expand the affection and creativity