Customer Reviews

500 Figures in Clay: Ceramic Artists Celebrate the Human Form (500 Series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I recently checked this book out from the library and will now be purchasing my own copy.

I'm a bit shocked at the negative review for this book. Maybe she only flipped through and caught (and just remembered) the "disturbing, creepy figures"? There's a wide range of styles from classical to conceptual shown in the book.

I think it's worth noting that the whole book doesn't focus on the full-length figure. It is divided into the following chapters: Heads and Busts, Torsos, Body Details (arms, legs, etc), Figurines & Statues, Couples & Multiples, Caricature, Metamorphosis, and Two-Dimensional Works.

Also, all the figures are from contemporary artists. I was expecting some historical examples, but overall it think it's better to be able to show the diversity of what's out there right now. I wouldn't mind seeing a separate book of historical examples.

I felt like I needed to write a review to counter the last (and only) one. Not that the author is wrong, just that art is a matter of personal taste.

Not all art is about beauty -- a lot of it is about expressing other things and provoking other emotions besides enjoyment of beauty. The images in this book are sophisticated and have a very wide range of expression. I was in awe of this great selection of artworks. I would say gorgeous, amazing stuff.

I liked this book enough to buy a second copy, and everyone I have showed it to has found it breathtaking.

The human form is so tightly bound to the human psyche that looking in the mirror every morning is an exercise in psychology. Do I have a fish in my gut today? Are these the hips of a woman who who will ride a tiger to work? These works of art are not passive images of the human body. They are deeply realized images of the human mind... not always a pretty place to go. If you are willing to take this journey, there are many paths provided by this intensly beautiful book.

This is a well put-together book. Pictures and text are sharp, relevant and pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, some talented artists were omitted due to space limitations.

If you are looking for examples of very traditional figurative sculpture (although there are some)this is not the book for you. But if you are open to exploring beyond the conventional this book has a wonderful selection of diverse styles and interpretations of the human form.

This is one of the Lark Books on ceramics that I will return to over and over. The book covers such a wide range of possibilities. The selections are fresh and evocative. The photography is artful. I guess, since I am a human being, one of my favorite subjects is the human body. I am endlessly fascinated with how expressive and analytic these figure studies are.

I've been wanting to get into ceramics for a while and this book was just the thing to get my creative juices flowing. It has many (500 actually) beautiful pieces to admire, with such a wide selection of styles. I love that it has a both beautiful and grotesque figures revealing so many artistic view points. It's definitely not a "how to" book, with just enough info to get a basic idea of how each piece was created but the beautiful photographs and wide variety of sculptures makes it well worth purchasing.

I am thrilled to own this book. I review it regularly for inspiration and ideas for glazes and forms.

A superb book, with 500 pictures of fabulous ceramic sculpture,
and no text. I first took this book out of the library,several times.I finally bought it ! I realized I'd need months, maybe years, to study and be inspired by the artwork.

I really liked this book for what it is - 500 pictures of really interesting sculpture. It's a great compilation book for ideas, and to see what other sculpture artists are doing with clay. It's not a How-To-Book, but you can read about how the artists fired and glazed most pieces. I am always very satisfied with Lark publications.