- Table View
- List View
Beautiful Fighting Girl
by Saito TamakiFrom Cutie Honey and Sailor Moon to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the worlds of Japanese anime and manga teem with prepubescent girls toting deadly weapons. Sometimes overtly sexual, always intensely cute, the beautiful fighting girl has been both hailed as a feminist icon and condemned as a symptom of the objectification of young women in Japanese society. In Beautiful Fighting Girl, Saitō Tamaki offers a far more sophisticated and convincing interpretation of this alluring and capable figure. For Saitō, the beautiful fighting girl is a complex sexual fantasy that paradoxically lends reality to the fictional spaces she inhabits. As an object of desire for male otaku (obsessive fans of anime and manga), she saturates these worlds with meaning even as her fictional status demands her ceaseless proliferation and reproduction. Rejecting simplistic moralizing, Saitō understands the otaku&’s ability to eroticize and even fall in love with the beautiful fighting girl not as a sign of immaturity or maladaptation but as a result of a heightened sensitivity to the multiple layers of mediation and fictional context that constitute life in our hypermediated world—a logical outcome of the media they consume. Featuring extensive interviews with Japanese and American otaku, a comprehensive genealogy of the beautiful fighting girl, and an analysis of the American outsider artist Henry Darger, whose baroque imagination Saitō sees as an important antecedent of otaku culture, Beautiful Fighting Girl was hugely influential when first published in Japan, and it remains a key text in the study of manga, anime, and otaku culture. Now available in English for the first time, this book will spark new debates about the role played by desire in the production and consumption of popular culture.
Beautiful LEGO
by Mike DoyleMix hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks with dozens of artists, and what do you get? Beautiful LEGO, a compendium of LEGO artwork that showcases a stunning array of pieces ranging from incredibly lifelike replicas of everyday objects and famous monuments to imaginative renderings of spaceships, mansions, and mythical creatures.You’ll also meet the minds behind the art. Interviews with the artists take you inside the creative process that turns simple, plastic bricks into remarkable LEGO masterpieces.
Beautiful LEGO 2: Dark
by Mike DoyleBeautiful LEGO 2: Dark showcases dark LEGO masterpieces from artists around the world. From realistic sculptures of creepy crawlers to impressionist works of shadowy nightmares, this collection will leave you marveling at every turn. But dark has its lighter side, too—with sculptures of dark chocolate as well as plenty of black humor on display.Gothic fantasies and sci-fi horrors come to life in scenes created entirely with the simple LEGO brick. Step into a world of pure imagination in Beautiful LEGO 2: Dark.
Beautiful LEGO 3: Wild!
by Mike DoyleScenes from nature spring to life in Mike Doyle's latest curated collection of LEGO art, Beautiful LEGO: Wild! From botanical marvels to adorable critters—such as a sea otter family made from 3,500 LEGO pieces—every page is sure to delight the artist and naturalist in all of us.Interviews with LEGO masters from around the world give you a glimpse into the inspiration behind these incredible works of art. Discover amazing landscapes, insects, mythical creatures, and more, all within the enchanting pages of Beautiful LEGO: Wild!
Beautiful Landscape Quilts: Simple Steps to Successful Fabric Collage—50+ Tips for Professional Results
by Joyce R. BeckerAnyone can quilt stunning scenery—from brand new art quilters to veteran artists looking to learn new tricks and techniques! Explore methods for transferring photographs to fabric, utilizing panels, free-motion quilting, and binding or framing your wall quilts like a pro. The book includes a gallery of landscape quilts and 50 tips for success from Joyce Becker and other featured designers—from avoiding pitfalls to professional secrets. How-to photos and complete instructions will guide you along the way, along with a half-dozen projects to get you started.
Beautiful Leaves (Stained Glass Patterns)
by Sandy AllisonA great selection of 25 patterns for making beautiful stained glass panels of leaf shapes.
Beautiful Light: An Insider’s Guide to LED Lighting in Homes and Gardens
by Randall Whitehead Clifton Stanley LemonBeautiful Light by internationally acclaimed lighting designer Randall Whitehead and lighting industry expert and educator Clifton Stanley Lemon is a combination of idea book, design resource, and product guide. It explores the transition in residential lighting from incandescent light sources to LEDs, and how to apply LED lighting with great success. It begins with the fundamental characteristics of light, including color temperature, color rendering, and spectral power distribution, and how LEDs differ from older light sources. Combining innovative graphics with the enduring design principles of good lighting, the book explains how to design with light layers, light people, and balance daylight and electric light. Every room of the house, as well as exterior and garden spaces, is addressed in 33 case studies of residential lighting with LEDs, with a wide variety of lighting projects in different styles. Showcasing over 200 color photographs of dramatic interiors beautifully lit with LEDs, and clear, concise descriptions of design strategies and product specifications, Beautiful Light helps both professionals and non-professionals successfully navigate the new era of LEDs in residential lighting.
Beautiful Light: Religious Meaning in Film
by Roy M. AnkerThough "religious" films usually don't get much respect in Hollywood, religion still regularly finds its way into the movies. In Beautiful Light Roy Anker seeks out the often unnoticed connections between film and religion and shows how even films that aren't overtly religious or Christian in their content can be filled with deep religious insights and spiritual meaning. Closely examining nine critically acclaimed films, including Magnolia, The Apostle, American Gigolo, and M. Night Shyamalan's Wide Awake, Anker analyzes the ways in which these movies explore what it means to be human—and what it means, as human beings, to wrestle with a sometimes unwieldy divine presence. Addressing questions of doubt and belief, despair and elation, hatred and love, Anker's work sheds "beautiful light" on some of Hollywood's most profound and memorable films.
Beautiful Light: Religious Meaning in Film
by Roy M. AnkerThough "religious" films usually don't get much respect in Hollywood, religion still regularly finds its way into the movies. In Beautiful Light Roy Anker seeks out the often unnoticed connections between film and religion and shows how even films that aren't overtly religious or Christian in their content can be filled with deep religious insights and spiritual meaning. Closely examining nine critically acclaimed films, including Magnolia, The Apostle, American Gigolo, and M. Night Shyamalan's Wide Awake, Anker analyzes the ways in which these movies explore what it means to be human—and what it means, as human beings, to wrestle with a sometimes unwieldy divine presence. Addressing questions of doubt and belief, despair and elation, hatred and love, Anker's work sheds "beautiful light" on some of Hollywood's most profound and memorable films.
Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong
by Stephen Unwin'This book is both heart-rending and gorgeous. It crosses the line many times but ultimately, it's about love. He teaches us humanity.' MIRIAM MARGOLYES'Thank you, Joey, for getting your dad off his arse to write this book.' HUGH BONNEVILLE'A beautiful book - powerful, persuasive, illuminating, moving.' GYLES BRANDRETH'This is a wonderful and important book. Beautifully written, of course; but full of pain and joy, concern and celebration.' SIMON RUSSELL BEALE 'A powerful, multi-faceted, myth-busting account of the most marginalised and belittled out-group in modern society.' SIMON JARRETT, author of Those They Called IdiotsFor much of history, people with learning disabilities have been regarded as unworthy of interest - often seen as a threat to the social order and sometimes dismissed as barely human. While recent years have seen an improvement, learning-disabled people are still treated as fundamentally different.Beautiful Lives is a personal and pragmatic account, told through the eyes of a father whose son has severe learning disabilities. From early civilisation to the chilling realities of twentieth-century eugenics, this powerful book uncovers a startling and rarely told history - one deeply embedded in the challenges still faced today.Unwin shapes this history into a powerful story of love, lived experience and the long struggle for a better future.
Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong
by Stephen Unwin'This book is both heart-rending and gorgeous. It crosses the line many times but ultimately, it's about love. He teaches us humanity.' MIRIAM MARGOLYES'Thank you, Joey, for getting your dad off his arse to write this book.' HUGH BONNEVILLE'A beautiful book - powerful, persuasive, illuminating, moving.' GYLES BRANDRETH'This is a wonderful and important book. Beautifully written, of course; but full of pain and joy, concern and celebration.' SIMON RUSSELL BEALE 'A powerful, multi-faceted, myth-busting account of the most marginalised and belittled out-group in modern society.' SIMON JARRETT, author of Those They Called IdiotsFor much of history, people with learning disabilities have been regarded as unworthy of interest - often seen as a threat to the social order and sometimes dismissed as barely human. While recent years have seen an improvement, learning-disabled people are still treated as fundamentally different.Beautiful Lives is a personal and pragmatic account, told through the eyes of a father whose son has severe learning disabilities. From early civilisation to the chilling realities of twentieth-century eugenics, this powerful book uncovers a startling and rarely told history - one deeply embedded in the challenges still faced today.Unwin shapes this history into a powerful story of love, lived experience and the long struggle for a better future.
Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong
by Stephen Unwin'This book is both heart-rending and gorgeous. It crosses the line many times but ultimately, it's about love. He teaches us humanity.' MIRIAM MARGOLYES'Thank you, Joey, for getting your dad off his arse to write this book.' HUGH BONNEVILLE'A beautiful book - powerful, persuasive, illuminating, moving.' GYLES BRANDRETH'This is a wonderful and important book. Beautifully written, of course; but full of pain and joy, concern and celebration.' SIMON RUSSELL BEALE 'A powerful, multi-faceted, myth-busting account of the most marginalised and belittled out-group in modern society.' SIMON JARRETT, author of Those They Called IdiotsFor much of history, people with learning disabilities have been regarded as unworthy of interest - often seen as a threat to the social order and sometimes dismissed as barely human. While recent years have seen an improvement, learning-disabled people are still treated as fundamentally different.Beautiful Lives is a personal and pragmatic account, told through the eyes of a father whose son has severe learning disabilities. From early civilisation to the chilling realities of twentieth-century eugenics, this powerful book uncovers a startling and rarely told history - one deeply embedded in the challenges still faced today.Unwin shapes this history into a powerful story of love, lived experience and the long struggle for a better future.
Beautiful Mine: Women Prospectors Of The Old West
by Chris EnssDuring the gold rush, women worked alongside men panning and digging for gold and silver in the mountains of Colorado, California, and all the way up to Alaska. While many books have been written about the frontier women who ran brothels and boarding houses in mining towns, none have told the true stories of ladies who labored as hard as men out in the mines. A wonderful collection of true Americana, this book includes archival photographs of lady miners as well as the mines and boomtowns.
Beautiful Minecraft
by James DelaneyWith a bit of imagination and a heavy dose of artistic talent, Minecraft blocks can be used to build almost anything. But as you’ll see, some artists are taking Minecraft building to a whole new level.Beautiful Minecraft is a compendium of stunning artwork built in Minecraft. Using millions of blocks and spending hundreds of hours, these artists have created floating steampunk cities, alien worlds, detailed classical sculptures, fantastical landscapes, architectural marvels, and more.The results are simply beautiful.
Beautiful Monsters: Imagining the Classic in Musical Media (California Studies in 20th-Century Music #10)
by Michael LongBeautiful Monsters explores the ways in which "classical" music made its way into late twentieth-century American mainstream culture—in pop songs, movie scores, and print media. Beginning in the 1960s, Michael Long's entertaining and illuminating book surveys a complex cultural field and draws connections between "classical music" (as the phrase is understood in the United States) and selected "monster hits" of popular music. Addressing such wide-ranging subjects as surf music, Yiddish theater, Hollywood film scores, Freddie Mercury, Alfred Hitchcock, psychedelia, rap, disco, and video games, Long proposes a holistic musicology in which disparate musical elements might be brought together in dynamic and humane conversation. Beautiful Monsters brilliantly considers the ways in which critical commonplaces like nostalgia, sentiment, triviality, and excess might be applied with greater nuance to musical media and media reception. It takes into account twentieth-century media's capacity to suggest visual and acoustical depth and the redemptive possibilities that lie beyond the surface elements of filmic narrative or musical style, showing us what a truly global view of late twentieth-century music in its manifold cultural and social contexts might be like.
Beautiful Portrait Painting in Oils: Keys to Mastering Diverse Skin Tones and More
by Chris SaperHow to paint oil portraits like the Old Masters Mona Lisa. Girl with a Pearl Earring. Madame X. The infinite variety and beauty of humankind--like the mysteries behind sparkling eyes, a sly smile or an averted gaze--has captivated artists since the beginning of time. This expanded edition of Chris Saper's best-selling guide, Classic Portrait Painting in Oils, reveals keys for mastering how to paint beautiful portraits in oil to create soulful works of art. Through easy-to-follow lessons and expert oil painting tips and techniques, you'll find secrets for working from life, using reference photos and more to create rich, realistic portraits imbued with timeless character.14 step-by-step demonstrations teach how to paint 7 diverse subjects of varying skin tones from life and from photographic referenceAdditional exercises reveal expert oil painting techniques for defining facial details, like eyes, mouths, wrinkles, facial hair and eyeglassesProfessional tips for working from life, including ideal session times, posing, seeing and mixing color and even how to work with childrenThe basics of using natural, artificial, creative and "Rembrandt" lighting to light your subject and convey a moodExpanded key concepts of "perfect practice," the importance of regularly painting subjects in real time and an insistence on excellent photographic reference material, including a checklist for how to take--and self-edit--your own quality photosNew material on how to approach and execute paid commissions, including step-by-step demonstrations for painting both corporate and family subjectsThrough Saper's universal techniques, painters of all skill levels will learn to render more realistic portraits of every subject they paint, with predictable and joyful results.
Beautiful TV: The Art and Argument of Ally McBeal
by Greg M. SmithDuring its five-year run from 1997 to 2002, the popular TV show Ally McBeal engaged viewers in debates over what it means to be a woman or a man in the modern workplace; how romance factors into the therapeutic understanding of relationships; what value eccentricity has and how much oddity society should tolerate; and what utility fantasy has in the pragmatic world. In addition to these social concerns, however, Ally McBeal stood out for being well-constructed, narratively complex, and stylistically rich--in short, beautiful TV. Starting from the premise that much of television today is "drop-dead gorgeous" and that TV should be studied for its formal qualities as well as its social impact, Greg M. Smith analyzes Ally McBeal in terms of its aesthetic principles and narrative construction. He explores how Ally's innovative use of music, special effects, fantasy sequences, voiceovers, and flashbacks structures a distinctive fictional universe, while it also opens up new possibilities for televisual expression. Smith also discusses the complex narrative strategies that Ally's creator David E. Kelley used to develop a long-running storyline and shows how these serial narrative practices can help us understand a wide range of prime-time TV serials. By taking seriously the art and argument of Ally McBeal, Beautiful TV conclusively demonstrates that aesthetic and narrative analysis is an indispensable key for unlocking the richness of contemporary television.
Beautiful Terrible Ruins
by Dora ApelOnce the manufacturing powerhouse of the nation, Detroit has become emblematic of failing cities everywhere--the paradigmatic city of ruins--and the epicenter of an explosive growth in images of urban decay. In Beautiful Terrible Ruins, art historian Dora Apel explores a wide array of these images, ranging from photography, advertising, and television, to documentaries, video games, and zombie and disaster films. Apel shows how Detroit has become pivotal to an expanding network of ruin imagery, imagery ultimately driven by a pervasive and growing cultural pessimism, a loss of faith in progress, and a deepening fear that worse times are coming. The images of Detroit's decay speak to the overarching anxieties of our era: increasing poverty, declining wages and social services, inadequate health care, unemployment, homelessness, and ecological disaster--in short, the failure of capitalism. Apel reveals how, through the aesthetic distancing of representation, the haunted beauty and fascination of ruin imagery, embodied by Detroit's abandoned downtown skyscrapers, empty urban spaces, decaying factories, and derelict neighborhoods help us to cope with our fears. But Apel warns that these images, while pleasurable, have little explanatory power, lulling us into seeing Detroit's deterioration as either inevitable or the city's own fault, and absolving the real agents of decline--corporate disinvestment and globalization. Beautiful Terrible Ruins helps us understand the ways that the pleasure and the horror of urban decay hold us in thrall.
Beautiful Users: Designing for People
by Ellen LuptonIn the mid-twentieth century, Henry Dreyfuss--widely considered the father of industrial design--pioneered a user-centered approach to design that focuses on studying people's behaviors and attitudes as a key first step in developing successful products. In the intervening years, user-centered design has expanded to undertake the needs of differently abled users and global populations as well as the design of complex systems and services. Beautiful Users explores the changing relationship between designers and users and considers a range of design methodologies and practices, from user research to hacking, open source, and the maker culture.
Beautiful Visualization: Looking at Data through the Eyes of Experts
by Noah Iliinsky Julie SteeleVisualization is the graphic presentation of data -- portrayals meant to reveal complex information at a glance. Think of the familiar map of the New York City subway system, or a diagram of the human brain. Successful visualizations are beautiful not only for their aesthetic design, but also for elegant layers of detail that efficiently generate insight and new understanding.This book examines the methods of two dozen visualization experts who approach their projects from a variety of perspectives -- as artists, designers, commentators, scientists, analysts, statisticians, and more. Together they demonstrate how visualization can help us make sense of the world.Explore the importance of storytelling with a simple visualization exerciseLearn how color conveys information that our brains recognize before we're fully aware of itDiscover how the books we buy and the people we associate with reveal clues to our deeper selvesRecognize a method to the madness of air travel with a visualization of civilian air trafficFind out how researchers investigate unknown phenomena, from initial sketches to published papers Contributors include:Nick Bilton,Michael E. Driscoll,Jonathan Feinberg,Danyel Fisher,Jessica Hagy,Gregor Hochmuth,Todd Holloway,Noah Iliinsky,Eddie Jabbour,Valdean Klump,Aaron Koblin,Robert Kosara,Valdis Krebs,JoAnn Kuchera-Morin et al.,Andrew Odewahn,Adam Perer,Anders Persson,Maximilian Schich,Matthias Shapiro,Julie Steele,Moritz Stefaner,Jer Thorp,Fernanda Viegas,Martin Wattenberg,and Michael Young.
Beautiful Wooden Projects for Outdoor Living
by John MarckworthCreate Your Own Outdoor Living SpaceBuild your own Garden of Eden and have the sanctuary you've always wanted! Be the master of your own domain and retreat from the pressures of the world.Make a peaceful walkway that leads you to an archway permitting entrance into your own personal private place.Build a small storage shed to protect your gardening tools and keep them within easy reach.Make a small fence that's a snap to layout and assemble.Create an outdoor cooking area that is second to none for convenience and comfort.You'll be taught by a master carpenter and learn how easy it is to create your very own wonderful outdoor world.
Beautiful Wounds: A Search For Solace And Light In Washington's Channeled Scablands
by Timothy ConnorA lush, photographic journey through the origins and cataclysms of one of America’s most enigmatic natural treasures. Carved and scoured by catastrophic floods at the end of the most recent ice age, the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington State dazzle with their harsh beauty and the diversity of their natural features, including great waterfalls, sprawling canyons, and cinematic palisades. In this pictorial love letter to the region, writer and photographer Timothy Connor expertly combines stunning images, engaging field notes, historical narrative, and a touching personal sojourn. His photography captures the sweeping horizons, braided wetlands, and vibrant wildlife, while his words examine the once-mystifying landmarks of the area through the story of J Harlen Bretz, the geologist who, in the 1920s, first suggested that massive floods formed the Scablands’ epic cataracts and inexplicably deep lakes. Incorporating the poignant story of Connor’s own journey of grief, Beautiful Wounds offers a moving, visual tribute to the enduring power of nature and the healing power of time.
Beautiful Wreaths: 40 Handmade Creations throughout the Year
by Melissa SkidmoreCreate your own spring, summer, fall, or winter wreaths to welcome guests all year round. Why wait for Christmas to purchase and hang a wreath on your front door? Beckon family and friends into your home with your very own handmade, statement-making wreath centerpiece—all year round! In Melissa Skidmore’s childhood home, her front door was never without a gorgeous wreath to welcome a guest. Now, she hopes to bring the same creativity, warmth, and comfort into every family home. In the style of a rustic, modern farmhouse, Beautiful Wreaths provides forty wreath tutorials for every season. Choose from spring flowers, summer greenery, fall branches, and winter evergreens to craft your own stunning art piece: Fresh Succulent, Magnolia Garland, and Grapevine Bunny Wreaths for SpringFern and Moss, Artificial Floral, and Fourth of July Wreaths for SummerCornucopia, Corn Husk, and Pumpkin Wreaths for FallGreenery and Cinnamon Stick, Grapevine Snowman, and Toy Wreaths for WinterAnd more! Including non-traditional wreaths that use old rakes, vintage picture frames, chalkboard, and burlap bags, Beautiful Wreaths also features basic supplies and tips for wreath making, wreath form basics, and bow-tying tutorials. Full of beautiful photographs and whimsical illustrations, this is the perfect guide that belongs to any crafter’s and home decorator’s shelf.
Beautiful: The Life of Hedy Lamarr
by Stephen Michael Shearer“A fascinating biography that re-creates Hollywood’s Golden Age of Glamour” as it recounts the life of the star and inventor (Publishers Weekly).Hedy Lamarr’s exotic beauty was heralded across Europe in the early 1930s. Yet she became infamous for her nude scenes in the scandalous movie Ecstasy. Trapped in a marriage to one of Austria’s munitions barons, a friend of Mussolini’s who hid his Jewish heritage to become an “honorary Aryan” at the onset of World War II, Lamarr fled Europe for Hollywood, where she was transformed into one of cinema’s most glamorous stars, appearing opposite such actors as Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and James Stewart. As her career faded, she went from one husband to the next, her personal troubles and legal woes casting a shadow over her phenomenal intelligence and former image.Stephen Michael Shearer separates the truth from the rumors regarding the life of Hedy Lamarr, and highlights her astonishing role as inventor of a technology that has become an essential part of everything from military weaponry to today’s cell phones.Praise for Beautiful“In Beautiful, Mr. Shearer writes with humor and has fun with some of the glorious nonsense of Lamarr’s movies.” —Jeanine Basinger, The Wall Street Journal“Much more than a standard Hollywood biography.” —Edge Magazine
Beautifully Embellished Landscapes: 125 Tips & Techniques to Create Stunning Quilts
by Joyce R. BeckerNew Ideas to Bring Your Landscape Quilts to Life! • You won't believe the realistic effects you can achieve in your next landscape quilt! • Amazing variety of techniques includes paints, markers, stamps, photo printing and artwork, threadwork and lace, sheer overlays and Angelina fibers, and so much more • Create realistic special effects for water, reflections, skies, snow, gardens, and buildings • Great ideas for landscape-inspired gifts including greeting cards, photo transfers, and small quilts Spectacular results are within your reach, when you try the techniques developed by landscape expert Joyce Becker. Play like a kid in kindergarten: special paints, fibers, and tools are easy to find and fun to use. Over 200 photos and illustrations for inspiration, plus 8 complete projects. *Important Note about PRINT ON DEMAND Editions: This title will be printed after purchase and will arrive separately from any in-stock items. Please allow approximately 2 weeks for USA delivery, with an additional 2 weeks for international shipments. Expedited shipping is not available on POD Editions. The printing quality in this copy will vary from the original offset printing edition and may look more saturated due to printing on demand by a high-quality printer on uncoated (non-glossy) paper. The information presented in this version is the same as the most recent printed edition. Any pattern pullouts have been separated and presented as single pages.