The decorative arts of the Middle Ages mdash; richly ornate; filled with religious and mythic symbolism mdash; were especially remarkable for the complexities of their design and their inspired craftsmanship. This fascinating volume presents nearly 1;000 illustrations of medieval ornament; consisting mostly of architectural elements from German Romanesque and Gothic churches and other buildings.Originally compiled by the German architect; painter; and engraver Karl Alexander von Heldeloff (1788ndash;1865) as a source of study and inspiration for practicing artists and architects; this grand pictorial archive has been exactingly reproduced from a rare original edition; complete with new English translations of the German captions.The book is filled with precisely detailed engravings of doors; windows; decorative stonework; columns; pedestals; and more. It remains a richly varied resource of authentic images of medieval ornament; ideal for students of architecture and the decorative arts and essential for graphic artists and designers in search of royalty-free illustrations.
#1532498 in eBooks 2012-12-03 2012-12-03File Name: B00A44QVGE
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good in print; but Kindle version is unreadableBy CustomerThis review is only for the Kindle edition of Chris Westons "Nature Photography: Insider Secrets..." book. It does not apply in any way to the print edition.I like the print version of this book enough that I decided to buy a Kindle edition to carry with me and read on my Android phone. Mistake!I dont know if its inherent in the Kindle edition itself or if its only a problem with the Kindle reader application on my phone (which is generally very good); but I found the Kindle edition to be entirely unreadable.The main problem is that each section becomes a closed loop when you read it. When you reach the end of a section (generally a few pages); the reader goes back to the sections beginning and starts over again. The only way out is to go back to the Table of Contents again; select the next section; etc. I tried half a dozen sections of the book before I finally gave up.In re-checking the Kindle book as I write this; I realize that none of the example photographs are getting displayed. Im beginning to suspect that the "loop" effect may be happening whenever an example photo is supposed to appear. Maybe the application (or the Kindle book) is choking when it hits the photo image?Whatever the reason; the result makes this book useless in electronic form on my reader.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good but a little inconsistentBy Bass CadetThis book seemed to be just what I was looking for: tips from top photographers from around the world with a focus on nature photography. It started out strong. The first habit (chapter) entitled "Plan for the Perfect Picture" provides nice tips on preparation and pre-shoot activities. As a relative novice; this was good and useful information for me. From there; though; it seemed to regress into a basic photography book. Weston spends the next few habits discussing the mechanics of photography: "Know Your Camera"; "See What Your Camera Sees"; "Take Control of Your Camera". He has some good information in these sections; but really nothing that isnt covered in any good basic photography book. He has a strong bent towards Nikon and Canon.Things do pick up towards the end. The habit entitled "Learn the Rules (And When Not To Apply Them)" is quite good. He talks about composition and how to design a photographic image. The habit "Capture the Moment (Putting Everything Into Practice)" is worthwhile to read. The last section of habit 6 covers 15 of his best-selling images and how he captured them--background; settings; and technique. The last habit; "Practice (Makes Perfect)"; consists of exercises intended to develop and hone your photography skills. Some of these appear interesting and worthwhile. I intend to try at least a few of them.I thought this was a compilation of tips from world class nature photographers; but it is mostly Chris Weston with occasional quotes and images from the other photographers. I had hoped for more photographs by the other professionals; but for the most part; the photographs in the book are well done. There are some stunning images; and pictures used to demonstrate concepts are generally effective. One issue; however; is that often the images are not on the same page as the description. This isnt an absolute requirement; but with better editing; much page flipping could be avoided. Also; I prefer pictures used for comparison side by side for maximum effectiveness. They are often on different pages in this book. The retail price is a little high. In the end; it a good book and I like it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. For beginners - its great!By Tracy - Author; Travel; Photography; RunningThis would make a nice gift for those moving from point and shoot cameras to their first SLR camera. I am thinking of teenagers who show a true interest in photography and just received or purchased their first slr camera or someone who suddenly decided one day to begin exploring photography. There is a good mix of information from knowing your camera to choosing/setting the shot. If you have experience and are looking for the secrets (tips and tricks) to a good shot; you may be a little disappointed. Overall; the book is very basic but that is what beginners need and the photographs are very inspiring (even if you do not know all the specifics of how they were taken). Recommend - for beginners; the first/second year photographer.