4 comments about Fast & Fun Landscape Painting with Donna Dewberry.

1. donna dewberry should stick with flowers!!! i think her landscapes are pretty awful in comparison to her flower paintings. there are some good tips on acrylic painting with sponges (although i think terrence tse's books MUCH surpass donna dewberry in this category), but to be honest, i only bought this book for the painting on multiple canvas information...good information but i could have gotten that somewhere else. there are much better books out there on acrylic landscape painting. if you are hooked on the donna dewberry techniques and her beautiful flower paintings, you might be disappointed here.



2. I am a NEW painter, I attended 5 Donna Dewberry classes at the local High School. Once the classes ended I knew I had to find a way to continue painting. I ordered two Donna Dewberry books from Amazon. I received this book on a Friday. I was so excited when I received it that I immediately grabbed a canvas, brushes and paints and painted the Sunset Silhouette. The painting is awesome and the step by step in the book are fantastic. I recommend this book to everyone.



3. I have purchased and used this book and I think it is a great value for the money. My students are also enjoying this new book.



4. Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent book to teach you simple landscapes. I had to dock it one star due to the fact that there are no worksheets provided in this book to practice with, as can be found in her other books, nor are the instructions layed out, literally, step by step. The upside is that the illustrations are vibrant and color matched so that you can follow along easy enough to understand when and where to place color.
   
   You won't be disappointed with this book if you are Donna Dewberry fan. This book represents a new and exciting change over her traditional one stroke method. Have fun decorating your home with your new paintings!

5 comments about Paint Along with Jerry Yarnell Volume One - Painting Basics (Paint Along With Jerry Yarnell, 1).

1. Jerry Yarnell is a versatile and talented painter who has written a number of excellent "how to" books and this one is as good as the rest. Just looking at his beautiful work is enough to provide motivation and inspiration.
   
   The book is divided into several interesting projects / paintings, each of which is supplemented with step-by-step instructions that show how to develop the painting.
   
   A beginning painter will find the insight offered by the the instructions to be invaluable in deciding how to choose a brush, mix paints, apply paint to the brush, execute a brush stroke for a specific purpose, and countless other fundamentals.
   
   It is not expected that the student's painting will be a replica of the master's. But the vast knowledge imparted here by Mr. Yarnell will help any interested and properly motivated person peer into the mind of a great painter and benefit from the wisdom of his life of devoted and passionate artistry.



2. I was terribly disappointed in this book. I can't believe he sells this stuff. Every sky is lurid orange and purple, every landscape is palpably phoney and is created by using every color in the paint box. I never saw him on TV. I wish I had. I would not have wasted my money. Cassie



3. I have already worked through half of the projects in this book and am amazed at the detail and finished quality I have achieved.
   One thing I would highly recommend is to get hold of at least one of Jerry's instructional DVDs as well. I found that once I had watched him using the techniques he describes in the book, a light clicked on in my head and the books became an even more valuable resource.
   If you want to learn acrylic painting or improve your skills by discovering some of the tricks or secrets experienced artists use, then this book is an essential addition to your library.



4. This book like so many so-called beginner's acrylics books follows the usual pattern: a chapter on materials and then an immediate huge jump into technique. It is interesting to note that the author's suggested palette contains eleven colors, three of which are not particularly light fast. After this chapter he dives into the first of ten demonstration paintings. These painting are all extremely complex and large undertakings on 16x20" canvases. I predict that most beginners are going to get lost early on in the first painting a flick it in. Maybe after I find some way to get the basics down, I'll come back to some of the Yarnell books, though I find his style rather garish.
   
   As my growing collection of unsatisfactory "beginner's" acrylics shows (the nearest big bookstore is almost three hours away) there is a huge difference between a gifted artist and a gifted art teacher, though in fairness what is probably lacking are gifted art instruction authors. When writing these books they apparently don't have any reader feedback (why not?) who could slow them down by asking questions like how do I thin the paint, how thing should it be, what's the best way to mix colors, how do I clean the brushes, how do I keep the paint from drying out on my palette or my painting, etc., etc., etc.
   
   The only painting book I've found so far which can truly claim to be a beginner's book is Jack Reid's "Watercolor Basics: Let's Get Started". That book is full of exercise paintings that let the reader learn a technique on a simple painting; the paintings are simple enough so that the beginner doesn't get lost in the detail yet have some artistic character. There are also beginner's drawing books that really do start from zero and build up the reader's technique.



5. This book is great for the beginning acrylic painter. I have been acrylic painting for 10 years now and this book helped me out with a lot of things I didn't know.

5 comments about Drawing & Painting Fantasy Beasts: Bring to Life the Creatures and Monsters of Other Realms.

1. This is an very good book if you need reference material to draw upon. I would not recommend it for a beginner. Someone who has some drawing experience it is an excellent addition for his or her fantasy reference Libary.
   
   I found it interesting reading and gave very good tips on how to increase creativity but not the best how to draw book for the novice. The more advance artist will find it more helpful.



2. This is a good book for basic ideas. Great for the beginning artist, but not recommended for someone a bit more advanced.



3. Unlike other books I bought this one is not only showing you finish artwork, but it shows you how to do it with clear instructions. There's a lot of creatures also to get inspiration. The techniques demonstrated goes from traditional to digital.



4. I really enjoy this book for its more professional, polished, artwork. (For some reason there is a stigma among booksellers and teachers that all dragon and fairy how to books have to be for children and young adults. This is definitely not the case.) Not all the creatures are perfect and not all the creatures are favorites of mine but overall this is a nice book for the more advanced artist, or even a nice coffe table book for those just intrested in the subject.



5. Really Kool! I loved the art work. It was a little beyond my immature status for drawing pics but if I continue to practice I'll get better.
   Whoever created these drawings has a gift for fantasy.

5 comments about Daring Color: Mix and Mingle Watercolor on Your Paper.

1. This book has some good ideas and great use of color. Pretty instructional for a veteran "hobby" watercolorist.



2. I think "Daring Colors" by Anne Abgott is a fantastic book! It gives me those shortcuts I've always been thinking about. Instead of painting tons of layers, you can mingle your paints on the paper and get the same or even better results! Awesome book! I am drooling all over it! Very well written. It guides you how to achieve very vibrant and realistic paintings without investing many hours, so you can enjoy your finished product much sooner. One of my favorite books on watercolors.



3. As a watercolor instructor, I am always on the lookout for new approaches to color. This book meets all of the criteria and more. Information is clear and simple with great illustrations. This is a great book for beginners and up.



4. Just a fun book to read if you want glow in your paintings.....good ideas to try, and techniques for creating interest in watercolor paintings, and for getting good mixes without ever getting mud.



5. Just to set the record straight....Firstly, I don't work for Holbein, but I do know something about color, and specifically about transparent color. M. Eliowitz review was way off base! Not only about Hobine, but also about Anne's use of the Hobine colors. It has been stated that the color Opera by Holbein is a fugitive and not permanent. Ten years ago I put swatches of this vibrant color on two pieces of watercolor paper, I taped one swatch on the window of my studio in the direct sun the other swatch in a drawer away from the light. To this day the swatches are identical in color the only difference being that the watercolor paper in the window has yellowed from the sun. The rumor also persists to this day that this incorrect evaluation of the color was started by a competitor in the art world. The color Opera was such a success that it has been copied by other manufacturers.
   The color Verditer blue is not opaque, when applied over other pigments it does not cover them but is transparent. The company Holbein is re-assessing the pigment and about to change the color evaluation. Anne is quite correct in her book in the way she uses this wonderful color.
   As an artist we must experiment with the paints and pigments not take the label evaluation as fact, I have been disappointed too many times by pigments, finding to my dismay many characteristics that don't match the manufactures description.
   This book should be celebrated as one of the very few that actually teaches. It is wonderfully written and illustrated. I have tried to get into an Anne Abgott Workshop...but they are "sold out" within minutes! I will keep trying so I can see her work in person! Congratulations on a wonderful book.

1 comments about Painter's Quick Reference - Landscapes (Painter's Quick Reference).

1. I bought this book to help me learn how to paint clouds. The book advertised that it would help me turn my fluffy cotton balls into clouds. It didn't. I was very dissapointed with the quality of the paintings done by the demonstrators. I wanted a classical look, not something that looked like a graphic.

5 comments about Georges Seurat: The Drawings.

1. Parisian painter Georges Seurat (1859-1891) is perhaps best known as the founder of Neo-impressionism (Pointillism). His most famous painting, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, altered the direction of modern art and is considered an icon of 19th century painting. For two years (1881-82) before working with colors, he devoted himself to mastering the art of black and white drawing in his small, Left Bank studio. I recently attended an exhibition of Seurat's conté drawings at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Published by MOMA, this volume of approximately 130 works is the result of that exhibition, and includes some of "the most beautiful painter's drawings in existence." Seurat's drawings of nineteenth-century Parisian subjects are mysterious and mesmerizing in their relationship between light and shadow.
   
   G. Merritt



2. Recently when in NYC I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. They were exhibiting drawings and sketches of Seurat. The effects he could get of illumination and movement with just a conti crayon or pencil were unbeliveable. I wanted to get the book that day, but it was heavy to carry around the City and airport. I was delighted to find it on Amazon - and for less money! I am thoroughly enjoying the book. The narrative is especially appreciated.



3. I saw the show at MoMA on November 16, and could not wait to buy this book on Amazon. That was until I looked through the book at the musuem shop. Almost without exception, the reproductions of the drawings do not come close to capturing the wonderful drawings that I just saw. The same is true of the 15 or so painting in the show. Huge disappointment.
   
   The book that does capture the greatness of the drawings and paintings is the catalogue from the 1991 exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum titled
   GEORGE SEURAT 1859-1891 by Robert L. Herbert (available on this site).
   Most of the drawings in the book under review were also in the huge Met
   show.



4. Seurat's drawings are amazing. If you don't know them you need this book. If you do know them, you need this book. Seurat's short life makes reading about him and seeing these images a charmed experience. Best to get to MoMA to see the show -- but give yourself a treat and buy this book. Right now.



5. This is a wonderful book, published to accompany the current exhibition at the MOMA in New York. High-quality illustrations with some close-ups of details (the texture of the paper even gives the reader the impression of holding an actual drawing because it resembles the grainy Michallet paper Seurat used) show how Seurat considered drawing an art form in its own right: some drawings are studies for paintings (The Bathers, The Models, The Grande Jatte...) and others are completely independent works of art. A sensible text helps the reader understand the artist's technique and style and an interesting chapter written by British contemporary artist Bridget Riley explains how her own art was influenced by Seurat's drawings. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Helen Van Wyks Favorite Color Recipes.

1. My wife and I lived in Rockport when Miss Van Wyk was still painting. We have the first version of her color recipes book in its original three ring binder form. Her book offers the beginning painter great suggestions and solutions on many typical color mixing problems. Thanks Helen.



2. I love this book. It's been very helpful for times when I just can't seem to mix the color I'm looking for. I look in this book and it always has good information.
   
   Even though I have a BFA many things that would have been helpful in the real world, just weren't taught. This book fills in a lot of blanks.



3. Helen is a great teacher. I have taken art classes and learned 1/10th of what I learned by reading her book. I am colorblind and people argue with me about it because of my ability to use the right colors. I only wish she was still here so she could produce even more information etc.



4. An excellent book that covered many subjects of painting, and how to use particular colours successfully for that area, I found this very helpful and informative.



5. I have not had enough time to give a very detailed review on this book 'however from what I have read I am very impressed with the clarity in her descriptions on mixing colors and their use.

5 comments about Drawing and Painting Animals: How to Capture the Essence of Wildlife in Your Art.

1. THIS BOOK IS MORE TO THE POINT. THE COLOR PLATES AND EXAMPLES ARE EXCEPTIONAL. THE EXAMPLES OF DRAWING AND PAINTING TECHNIQUES ARE VARIED AND WELL DONE. THE LAYOUT IS WELL PLANNED AND EXPLANATIONS ARE CLEAR AND CONCISE. THE AUTHER TALKS TO ME AS IF TO A FRIEND. I LIKE THAT. THE USE OF
   SEVERAL ARTISTS TEACHING THEIR METHODS IS EXACTLY WHAT I LOOK FOR. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE STEPS IN THE DEVELOPEMENT OF A PAINTING HOWEVER.
   WHAT WE NEED AS ARTISTS IS CLOSER SCRUTINY OF THE EXAMPLES AND REALLY DIGGING INTO THE ARTWORK BY THE ART INSTRUCTORS. WE NEED EXAMPLES OF WHAT NOT TO DO. HOW DO THE ARTISTS TREAT WORK THAT DOESN'T GO THE WAY THEY PLANNED? SHARE SOME OF YOUR FAILURES AS WELL AS YOUR SUCCESSES. THE FEATURED ARTIST IN THIS BOOK IS RIGHT UP THERE WITH ISAACS, BRENDERS AND BATEMAN. MOVE OVER GUYS. OVERALL, BUY THIS BOOK AND LEARN GOOD ART.



2. THis has excellant instruction on drawing or painting animals .
   Unique color combinations.
   This book would be good for anyone wanting to learn how
   to improve their skills with animal art.
   Wonderful color intensity in book.
   thank you DB



3. There's a lot of 'how to paint animals' books out there, but after looking through a bunch of them, this one rates at the top for me so far. The author is really generous with his knowledge and shares his whole process very clearly from start to finish. Comprehensive and helpful and page after page of great tips, insights and examples.
   For someone this good to be willing to commit it all to paper like this, - this book is a real find. Even new painters not really interested in painting animals would benefit from this one. This book is a real keeper.



4. I CAN ONLY ASPIRE TO HAVE A SMIDGEON OF THE TALENT DISPLAYED IN THIS BOOK.



5. I found this book good for painting backgrounds for wild animals and settings to place the wildlife in, something I have not always found easy.
   It also gives examples of different lighting effects which I found useful.
   It covers all types of mediums.

5 comments about Oil Painting For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt as though I learned something the minute I opened this book. It is easy to understand and I am very happy with the my results. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is new to oil painting because everything makes sense. It is written so that even a novice like me can come up with a finished project. Love the book. Well worth the money.



2. I am currently working through this book and it is wonderful... a step-by-step guide that is simple, yet advanced.



3. Excellent book; I'd give it 4 stars for traditional oil painting. I'm knocking one star off because there is very little about water soluble oil painting, which is an important topic these days.
   I wish they had included more about water mixable oil painting facts and techniques. One example would be to warn people that you have to settle on one brand since they are not compatible as they are with traditional oil paints. Also, what about explaining about mediums to use? It's not the same as with traditional oil paints. So I have to go through this book ignoring the talk about how to mix with mediums and thus I have to find that information elsewhere, which interrupts the flow of working through this book.
   
   A couple of minor suggestions also:
   Include a checklist of the projects for readers to track their progress.
   The painting on page 15 showing the various stages of the painting process - explain more in detail, pointing out examples on the painting itself, maybe with arrows and circles on the painting explaining the different parts.
   
   I sure wish they would come out with a "Soluble Oil Painting for Dummies" book or incorporate it into this book, especially about how to use water soluble mediums.
   
   But otherwise this is an admirable book. I'm glad they wrote it.



4. I have read through half of the book and, even though I have some experience with oils, am learning something new or different in each section. It is easy reading and is designed to allow you to read each section independently in any order. However, reading it straight through exposes some redundancy - not necessarily a bad thing. The color mixing study, in the end, helps you to understand how to mix colors to create highlighting and shading. But the mixing proportions are not defined clearly enough - so the exercise does not yield accurate results. The author does not explain that the same color in different brands are not truly the same and produce different results. But you get the idea.



5. This is a great book for all us self-taught artists. It teaches us what all those terms and things are that we never understood, and how to acomplish them. I've been painting for 45 years and this book helped me a lot...."Back to the drawing board!"

5 comments about Painting More Animals on Rocks.

1. I purchased this book along with the first one, "Painting Animals on Rocks" as a gift for my father who loves to paint. He really has enjoyed them. The details and the "how to" descriptions are great for learners and those who enjoy a challenge.



2. I stumbled upon this hobby by accident. I was an art minor in college and have done a lot of oil paintings. When a friend told me about painting animals on rocks, I had no idea what she was talking about. I have painted my first animal (a leopard) and it turned out great. I gave it to my cousin and she raved about it. The author is wonderful in her ability to inspire and direct "the student." My only disagreement is with having to draw the outline on the rock starting out. I think that may add a certain difficulty. I just go ahead and paint, making slight adjustments when needed. I find doing it that way to be much easier. I am really loving my new found hobby and hope to possibly sell some animals on rocks in a craft fair held annually here where I live. I am 67 and retired.



3. This book has so many ideas for a craft person. The instructions are very easy and the rocks are fun to make. My 5 year old grandson found it easy too. He made a Lady Bug. This book is worth having if you are loooking for a project that doesn't cost much money, and is really fun to do. You can take the whole family out on a hike looking for rocks, this was a nice outing too. Have fun and enjoy.



4. This book has so many ideas for a craft person. The instructions are very easy and the rocks are fun to make. My 5 year old grandson found it easy too. He made a Lady Bug. This book is worth having if you are loooking for a project that doen't cost much money.



5. I had been interested in Lin Wellford's books for a long time, but never really painted an animal rock. I bought this book, ready to try it. First I did a frog, which was very simple.
   The furry animals use a script liner, and that is not my favorite paint brush, so I was a little nervous that I couldn't achieve the fur strokes.
   I went ahead and tried a squirrel, and I was so surprised at how easy the fur turned out to be. I've painted a few more animals since then, and they are very easy to do. Very watery paint and a #1 script liner (the shorter one) makes it very easy.
   If you are looking to start painting rocks, don't hesitate...this is the perfect book! I would recommend it to everyone who is interest in painting!