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150 Books The book abounds in black and white illustrations of works by wellknown artists and also samples ofstudent work. which unfortunately do not name the students. since they are often as good or better than the works belonging to established artists. The illustrations, curiously, are not restricted to drawings. but include past and present paintings, sculptures. ceramics and mixed media works. sometimes making their point. but more often prone to confuse the naive beginner who is so rigorously instructed in the 'problems'. Perhaps the best way to use this book for beginners is to suffer the 73 problems in step-by-step obedience, throw the book away. then plunge into the rich and diverse medium of drawing, and let spontaneity and self-expression have their say. The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques. 4th Ed. Ralph Mayer. Viking. New York. 1981. 733 pp.. illus. $19.95. ISBN: 0-67013666 -2. Reviewed by George A. Agoston* The Handbook ISwell known to artists throughout the world. This. the fourth edition, incorporates new and up-dated information accumulated by the author before his death in 1979 and assembled by his widow and colleagues. The convenient format is retained along with the list of suppliers (U.S.A.) of materials. the excellent bibliography and the exhaustive index. New information may be found throughout the book. For example, alkyd resins are discussed more extensively in the chapter Oil Painting. and new lining adhesives are considered in Conservation of Pictures. More information I S given on safety hazards. In particular, the dangers of certain solvents are discussed more fully than in previous issues. I believe. however. that artists and art students should not use benzene (benzol) and carbon tetrachloride. The expert Michael McCann has elsewhere pointed out that they are "SO highly toxic that it is extremelv difficult for most artists to work safely with these materials'' [Health Hazards Manual.forArti.rr.5 (New York: Foundation for the Community of Artists. 1975)]. Mayer's encyclopedic Handbook is indispensible for professional artists, art students and art libraries. and the price is reasonable. The Professional Artist's Manual. Richard Hyman. Van Nostrand Reinhold. London, 1980. 240 pp., illus. €12.70. ISBN: 0-442-22603-9. Reviewed bv Peter Lipman-Wulf** The author sees the life of an artist as ajourney with many pitfalls along the way. And, indeed. it is. But with this manual in hand. some of the worst pitfalls can be avoided. The book treats mainly the business and materials aspects confronting visual artists who prepare artworks principally for architects for public buildings and other projects. (Art collectors. galleries and museums are not here considered as likely customers.) A need for this kind of limited manual has existed for a long time. In his first six chapters the author presents very helpful discussions of marketing, materials, pricing, contracts and scheduling. These are followed in the next chapters with business and organizational operations that professional artists often lack, such as a wellfunctioning office, bookkeeping, legal advice, banking and insurance. There are also chapterson technical subjects such as photography,paint and picture frames, but I found these discussions rather sketchy in contrast to the high detail in the preceding chapters. As a sculptor, I have had to deal with mold-makers. plaster-casters, bronze foundries and lumber yards: I have had to maintain relations with galleries and museums; and I have had to participate in the promotional activities needed to subsist. The author describes these kinds of necessary tasks. Such descriptions should be of interest to art lovers, too. They can be given an idea how closely related some of the activities of visual artists are to those experienced in commerce generally: namely. the activities of merchandising, insurance, packing, shipping and installing. The list of sources of supply and the bibliography are ample and helpful. Color Science for Lighting the Stage. William B. Warfel and Walter R. Klappert. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1981. 158 pp., illus. Paper, f17.50. ISBN: 0-300-02554-8. Reviewed by George A. Agoston* Artists concerned with electric-light art and light shows will be interested in this book. It tells how, with stage lighting lamps (incandescent) and with commercially...

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