Skulls

As an artist myself I can truly appreciate these beautiful works of art in here. It is both inspiring and educational to see how so many simple things were used in the creation of so many of these works of art.

Whether you are a casual reader or fervent fan of Skulladay.com, this book is a much needed addition to anyone's coffee table. The book's many pictures are beautifully laid out, documenting many of Mr. Scalin's original work from the first half of his year-long project. Included in this book is Mr. Scalin's thoughtful introduction to the project, as well as "Do It Yourself" skulls that allow the reader to experience Skull-A-Day at home. What impressed me most about this book was Mr. Scalin's inclusion of projects his readers completed after being inspired by his work. This gesture illustrates Mr. Scalin's reverence for his readers and shows the development of his project into a communal movement in which he was inspired by others as much as he inspired them.

Noah Scalin's artistic mission may at first seem trivial--to create a skull image each day for a year, but the results are anything but trivial. Scalin is a tremendously talented artist and the challenge he set for himself gave him the creative push to try new mediums and find new ways of looking at everyday objects. Particular favorites include the carved squash and the Vegemite painting (the most apt word for his method). Strange, perhaps, but also clever and very impressive.

Noah Scalin has done what few people in the world can do. He took a simple idea, complicated it a great deal and delivered in a big big way. If you haven't been to his Skulladay site you should head over there right after ordering this book. 366 amazing skulls taking anywhere from minutes to nearly a full day to create and post. This book contains about half of what's on there and it doesn't disappoint. Noah makes art that's fun to look at, and there's something in here for everyone, layperson and critic alike. I only hope that I don't have to wait for next Halloween for Skulls volume two.

This book is a series of examples from the author's blog where he creates a skull a day out of various materials. He's incredibly creative using such items as computer keys, bubble wrap, petroleum jelly, army guys and more to create skulls. I bought the book two days ago and I've already gone through it three times, and it's inspired me to start a daily art project of my own.