Customer Reviews

Forensic Art and Illustration

5 star:		(108)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety's Special Crimes Service, I have seen firsthand how a competent, professional, forensic artist can make the difference between success or failure in an investigation. Karen Taylor, in particular, has been instrumental in putting countless violent criminals behind bars. Numerous police agenices, communities, investigators and crime victims owe Karen Taylor a tremendous debt of gratitude for her contributions to law enforcement; many other individuals as well, because swift apprehension of predators meant they never had to experience the pain of becoming a crime victim. Unfortunately, I have also seen the wasted time and effort and the counterproductive confusion that accompanies substandard or marginal forensic art attempts. Forensic Art & Illustration should be "the reference" that sets the standard for forensic artists. It is also imperative that investigators, police administrators and prosecutors read and digest every word of this book. These professionals need to be able to evaluate the credibility of individual police artists and the techniques they employ to ensure that serious criminal investigations are not compromised. Thank you Karen for giving them the means to understanding. The intense labor and meticulous research that went into writing this book is apparent from start to finish. Karen Taylor has handed down to us a career's worth of precious and priceless knowledge. Her next project should be an anthology of case studies!!

Forensic Art and Illustration is completely indispensible to anyone serious about learning any aspect of forensic art, and also to the merely curious. I bought it because I had long been interested in facial reconstruction, and wanted to try it on my own. This book made the process remarkably easy, detailing how to build a stand to mount the skull on, lengths and locations of the tissue depth markers, and proper application of the clay, all accompanied by clear and easy-to-follow photos of Betty Pat. Gatliff's excellent work. There is also a very comprehensive section on two-dimensional facial reconstruction (largely Ms. Taylor's own innovation) that is worth the price of admission in itself.

The book is highly approachable, and accessible to anyone with even the vaguest interest in the subject. Every facet of forensic art (including its history) is covered in brilliant detail, so that the book serves as a truly practical manual as well as a fascinating read. Forensic Art and Illustration really is the gold standard in the field. Don't be caught without a copy in your forensic library.

I have been a forensic artist for the Michigan State Police for over ten years, and this is the BEST book I have ever read in the field of forensic art and illustration!!! This is the only current, detailed, hands-on, training guide I know of in the field of police art, and I guarantee no one will find a book like it at this time. It is obvious the author, Ms. Karen Taylor, took great pains to compile the various methods and examples shared throughout the book. It's the only attempt I've seen to standardize the various methods used today and to explain the methods in such an easy-to-read, yet detailed, exploratory fashion. It should be noted how difficult it must have been for the author to obtain legal permission to print the photographs and pictures in the book, thus showing her own very selfless and genuine regard for identifying victims and unknown people. Forensic art is still a very new and multifaceted profession in the world of police identification. The book addresses so many of the unexpected challenges a police artist may incur, that I STRONGLY recommend anyone working in the field, new or veteran, to purchase the book. This would also be an excellent tool or reference for those interested in pursuing such a challenging, but rewarding, profession. The book is
EXCELLENT!!!

I had thought that this book deserve a look... and I was right!!

The information is practical and essential to anyone dealing with forensics, especially dealing with skulls and reconstructing a close approximate illustration of the dead. It gives very useful, clear explanation with essential illustrations to bring the ideas to the reader.

I have bought the book and find it useful and interesting. ALL the other reviewers before me gave it a rating of 5 stars. Yes, it is truly a top-notch book and I have no doubt that it deserve such a rating.

If you want to get a good book on Forensic Art and Illustration, this book is a good one.

9Nov2000 Really exceptional, textbook quality but novel read! This book was used during a recent class by Betty Pat. Gatliff the famous Forensic Sculptor (chapters 11 and 13). Details of forensic portrait art and illustration from history to actual instruction with emphasis on identification of missing persons in drawing , sculpture, or composite from artifact facial bones or by other postmortem methods to reproduce the likeness including aging and other image modification. There are multiple case histories outlined and discussed. Karen T. Taylor has made a wonderful contribution for all future Forensic Investigation. I predict this text will be a "must-read" for lawyers/law enforcement, all artists, writers and also physicians such as myself in Forensic Pathology.

I recently completed a research paper regarding facial reconstruction. This book by Karen Taylor was by far the best and most helpful resource I found when doing research. The book contains excellent pictures detailing the work of Karen Taylor and of Betty Pat Gatliff. The pictures demonstrated a step-by-step illustration of the process of facial reconstruction. The book covered every aspect of forensic art and facial reconstruction including the history as well as a discussion of ethical considerations. The book was also understandable to a non-science major. I highly recommend this comprehensive book for anyone researching forensic art whether for academic, work, or personal reasons. By far the most detailed and interesting book on the subject matter.

I have been a freelance sculptor for over 16 years with a majority of my work being in special prosthetic make-up effects for the Hollywood film industry. I am now currently working as an Anaplastolgist. I am always looking for new things to learn to better my skills. I purchased Karen's book about two years ago and was immediately hooked. Being a sculptor, I first tried to do a reconstruction on my own using the book as a guideline. I had the opportunity to show my attempt to Betty Pat. Gatliff when I attended her two week course in Oklahoma. Although I had a few errors in my process, the book had guided me very well. I then had the great opportunity to learn forensic drawing techniques from Karen herself in Arizona this year. Her techniques which are clearly layed out in the book transformed this sculptor's drawing abilities. The book is very easy to read, contains loads of photos and examples, and lots of step by step instruction that will have you surprising yourself with your results. My book is so worn out, and covered with clay and graphite, that I may have to get another one to keep front and center on my shelf with all my favourite books. You better buy two!

If you ever had a question concerning forensic art, you answer is in this book. There simply is nothing out there like it. It is THE textbook on the subject. So, if you can't get to the limited classes, you can actually teach yourself step by step with this book. And when you do take the classes, it is indispensable! Whoever said it was the Bible of forensic art really said it all.

I have been a police officer for about twenty years. During the past twenty years, I have read and studied a plethora of material relating to my duties and I can honestly say that I have never had the pleasure of reading a text book that can compare to "Forensic Art and Illustration.

I have always had a passion for art and about two years ago, I was given the opportunity to become a Forensic Artist. I was fortunate to have been mentored by Sergeant Will Beechinor of the Austin Police Department.

Sergeant Beechinor's advice was to purchase "Forensic Art and Illustration," by Karen T. Taylor. I purchased the book and once I began reading it, I found it near impossible to put down.
"Forensic Art and Illustration," is without a doubt an essential tool for the Forensic Artist.

Karen T. Taylor is not only an amazing artist, but an amazing person. Karen's book reflects her passion for forensic art as well as her undying dedication to the forensic art field.
"Forensic Art and Illustration" is not an ordinary text. This book is the only book of it's kind. Karen T. Taylor's tenacity for detail is unequivocal. Karen T. Taylor included instruction for the many different aspects of forensic art and relayed it in such a way that anyone, whether artist or not, can understand and apply the techinques. I believe that Karen T. Taylor is truly one of the great masters of forensic Art.

For the Forensic Artist, this book (tool)is without question a indispensable. I feel that being without "Forensic Art and Illustration," would be like walking through an unfamiliar building in the dark!

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AS A PRACTICING ORTHODONTIST, THIS BOOK IS AN ABSOLUTE FIND! ESPECIALLY THE CHAPTERS ON GROWTH, AGING, AND TISSUE DEPTH. THIS WILL ALLOW ORTHODONTISTS, ORAL SURGEONS AND PLASTIC SURGEONS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSIPS OF HARD AND SOFT TISSUES IN SURGICAL CASES. A MUST READ FOR FACIAL RECONSTRUCTIVE WORK.