4 comments about The Oil Painter's Pocket Palette.

1. This little book would be invaluable except for the fact that the colors are from the Daler-Rowney range of oil paints, which is a student grade brand. Many of the colors are not even offered by the better paint manufacturers, or if they are it is under different names, and the author does not address this issue. I want to buy paints of much better quality, which makes using the book much less straight forward. Also, the author discusses color only, but not such important issues as the type of binder, concentration of pigment, etc. I feel that the book was written at least partly to push Daler-Rowney paints, and is meant to be used mainly by students and not professional artists.



2. I started in oil paints a couple years ago and found this book a great help. There are so many different color paints on the market this helped narrow down to the essentials. The mixes recommended for skin tones has been a nice springboard to jump from. Definately worth the money.



3. I do not own the book as yet but My Instructor at the College I attend loaned it to me as I was having a difficult time trying to mix the right colors of sand for my seascape painting. I was very pleased to experiment with the colors used in the book and was able to get the final results I was looking for.



4. I like the book. One (typical) page of this book shows color swatches of raw sienna mixed with 12 other colors. Each color mixture is tinted and tinted more. One would think that a skilled artist should have mastery of his/her colors --so that this book really isn't needed. Maybe so. On the other hand, it might be nice to buy two copies and mount the pages for easier reference.

2 comments about Watercolor Simplified.

1. I would give this book more than 5 stars, if I could. This is my first review of anything, but I am so excited about this book that I just had to write about it. I've been painting for about 6 months now, so I'd consider myself still very much a beginner. I'm currently taking my second 6 week course and have completed two workshops. Even though I'm only half-way through this book I feel I've learned more than my courses and workshops combined. Pat Weaver has some simple, but necessary exercises that really explain how to get the most out of painting with watercolor. It's not an easy medium and out of the 4 instructors (courses and workshops) only one clinician ever helped me learn about mixing colors (she only used 3 colors in her workshop) and showed me the beauty of glazing. Unfortunately, that wasn't until the end of the 6 hour workshop. I just finished one of the exercises in Pat's book and had I done this first I would have gotten way more out of my course and both workshops. Though my current instructor loaned me this book I'm ordering one for my own library. I highly recommend this book.



2. I checked this book out of the library, and like it a great deal. However, for my purposes (I am only a self-taught "baby watercolorist"), it is a bit too advanced for me. After I have developed some confidence and experience in watercolor painting, I will buy this book.

1 comments about Color Your Own Renoir Paintings (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. I am an adult colorer and have done dozens of coloring books, most of them published by Dover.
   
   I am currently coloring this one, and absolutely loving it.
   
   The pictures are quite well rendered by Marty Noble, an illustration of a Renoir painting fills each page. I am finding them easy to do with markers or chalk. I think an older child could also do these pictures, age 10 & up.
   
   The subjects are interesting, showing men, women and children in various everyday situations and activities from the time period in which these paintings were done--a mother & her children in their parlor, a man & woman dancing in a cafe, young girls in their pretty dresses, a husband & wife in the garden of their home, and others.
   
   Furthermore, a small image of each painting is shown on the inside front & inside back covers of the coloring book for those who wish to make it like the original.
   
   The title of each painting is given underneath the drawing inside the coloring book, together with information on the size of Renoir's painting and the year in which the painting was done, and a brief history of Renoir is also given just inside the front of the book.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Living Well Is the Best Revenge (Modern Library).

1. Too bad the score for this book is skewed down by a couple of idiots. The Murphys were much more than "gracious hosts". They were catalysts. They were the Stein and Toklas of the Riviera, and probably lots more fun. And Gerald Murphy's paintings were as fine an achievement as Stein's scribblings. His works would fetch a fortune on the market, if they were ever available.
   
   Tomkins writes a moving and, in the end, melancholy biography. The title is apt. The tragedy in the Murphy's life is almost unbearable to read about. Interesting how their life parallels that of their friend Cole Porter -- brilliant fortune met with sudden misfortune.
   
   This book is about the arc of tragedy and one couple's effort to live through it. Anyone whose life has been touched by misfortune should read it.



2. As an avid and diehard Fitzgerald fan, I seek out any material that covers him, his circle, or the "Lost Generation" in general.
   Though the book occupies less than two hundred pages, Tomkins does a fine job of making it feel warm and intimate. What's more, you get the privilege of learning about the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Cole Porter, Picasso and others. Gerald and Sara Murphy were a class act and lived life for no one but themselves. They seemed wonderfully down to earth and sympathetic to the situations of their friends and family. It seems they did indeed "write the book" on how to live right--The Fitzgeralds were said to have lived poorly on massive amounts of money while Gerald and Sara Murphy lived grandly on far less income; with them, it was not about appearances and pleasing society, but about family and togetherness.
   This wonderful little biography spans the 1910's to the 1960's in a relatively short breath and perhaps my only complaint is that there is not more. I certainly turned the last page wanting for more. If you are interested at all in "The Lost Generation" or the modernist movement, you will adore this book. Theirs was an evanescent time, one worth reading about and dreaming about.



3. This book had the subject matter worthy of a good book and I came away from this book feeling cheated. The author's research was very sketchy about Sara and Gerald Murphy -- I wanted to know so much more. I'm sure there is a better book out there on this interesting couple.



4. This book truly proves that living well is really the best revenge.



5. It's been nearly 30 years since I read this book and I remember it with delight. Sara and Gerald Murphy made living an art form. Sure, it's fun that they knew the famous writers and artist of the age, but it is their love for each other, their children, and their homes that make them the interesting people we would all like to know. Heck, that we would all like to be. Tomkins, too, is an excellent writer who lent much insight and charm to the story.

1 comments about The Year with Grandma Moses.

1. Grandma Moses, who died at the age of 101 in 1961, was one of the most beloved folk artists in the United States. "The Year with Grandma Moses," by W. Nikola-Lisa, brings together 13 of her classic paintings, along with brief excerpts from the artist's own autobiographical writings. The result is a beautiful tribute to a remarkable artist.

   The book opens with a great full-color photographic portrait of Grandma Moses at work at her painting table in 1952. A brief but informative biography sets the stage for the treasures that follow.

   Grandma Moses was a rural New York farm wife for most of her long life, and her paintings reflect this world. Colorful, lively, and rich in detail, these paintings record and celebrate the daily lives of farm communities. We see classic farmhouses, a horse-drawn carriage, children climbing a tree, cows grazing, people engaging in chores, and other sights.

   Because the book focuses on a year in Grandma's world, the paintings reflect all of the seasons. We see the green fields of springtime, the brilliant foliage of autumn, and the snowy landscapes of winter. "The Year with Grandma Moses" is a wonderful book that captures the spirit of an American creative legend.

5 comments about Chuck Close: Work.

1. I enjoy this book very much and keep it open in the studio to study a painting for a while. It is remarkable to see so many paintings that come forward out of pure color shapes. It is full of well written commentary too.



2. Excellent reproductions and very informative text. A good resource book for artists and students. Worth the cost to have this one in your collection.



3. This really does not need to be that long. I am a huge fan of Chuck Close and have been so for years now. My personal library reflects this, with four other books and catalogs spanning his career. These books get brought out on a semi-consistent basis, as they all have something important to say about this mans art.
   
   "Chuck Close: WORK" is a definitive piece that fills in any small holes about the story of this artist that might be obscured in some out of print catalog, as well as talking heavily about his process. If you are in the market for a book that gives the full Chuck Close biography while supplementing itself with beautiful illustrations and plenty of dialog about his process, do not hesitate to purchase this book.



4. Christopher Finch has done a wonderful job of revealing both Chuck Close the man and the artist. This one of the best art retrospectives I have ever actually 'read' and enjoyed.
   
   I too had a chance to hear both artist and author speak this week. While Chuck did say this is the definitive book on his work one can hope that he still has many productive years left to continue to awe and amaze his many admirers.



5. This book is large! And it has excellent reproductions and bio of the life of this magical man. Chuck Close has made a career,while battling disabilities that would have stopped lesser men.Christopher Finch noted art writer,assists Close in making this book autobiographical and personal,like the unpretentious Mr. Close.
   The author and the artist together guide you through the evolution of Chuck Close noted modern portrait artist. You follow from air brush, to finger painting,collage disc painting, to the new color geometric masterpieces.
   Chuck personally supervised color choices in the lay-out and it is truly impressive. 95 percent of his major work is here. Self portraits,friends , his wife etc. are all vividly executed. Seeing Chuck in action shows the scale of the major works!The works are huge,and the pictures show the studio environment he works in.
   I was fortunate to attend his lecture,with both men ,and it Chuck says this is the definitive book!

4 comments about All That Is Glorious Around Us: Paintings from the Hudson River School.

1. If you are a fan of the Hudson River school, you will not be disappointed with this book. The illustrations are large and clear, and the overview is precise. However, as noted by a previous reviewer, this is not a very detailed book. It is only a coffee table book after all.



2. Arrived in excellent condition, fabulous book,prompt service, couldn't ask for any better value!



3. This book is a reprint of a 1978 exhibition catalogue of one person's private collection. There is a short (7 page) essay at the beginning which gives an overview of the Hudson River School. The rest of the book consists of illustrations of around 60 paintings, each by a different artist. Most of the artists are obscure, while the well-known painters (Bierstadt, Church, Cole) are not represented by their best works.

   If you want an in-depth study of the Hudson River School with illustrations of its best paintings, this is not the book for you.




4. I was more than pleased when I received this book. I teach American Literature classes at a university. I have been searching for an art book which represents adequate examples of the Hudson River School. I plan to use this book to show students samples of this type of early American art including artist Thomas Cole's paintings in connection with this time period in literature. I feel I could not have ordered a book which could have suited my purposes any better!

3 comments about Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Oil Painting.

1. Being new to painting (only about a year) I felt this book gave some good ground work but lacked indepth information for someone just starting out. Don't get me wrong its a great book, packed full of info accross lots of topics, and there is its weakness, too many topics, not enough depth on any one.



2. This book is not for anyone at an advanced level- whilst there is a whole lot of information, each technique is described in one page, with very little depth. Some of the examples chosen to highlight a particular technique are odd indeed - why for example, if one was showing how to paint "dappled sunlight", would the subject matter be a building? I may be odd myself (who knows), but the term 'dappled sunlight' brings a rural/country scene to mind....



3. I am a serious painter and I refer to this book often. It is a collection of advice and demos from many contemporary artists. Landscape, portrait, and still life are all represented. The artists' works are quite varied, so the result is interesting and fresh. I enjoy this book and think other artists will too.

1 comments about Marc Chagall: What Colour Is Paradise? (Adventures in Art).

1. Marc Chagall's paintings are beautiful and intricate, and this book attempts to deliver both reproductions of his paintings and an abbreviated biography. There are a few photographs scattered throughout as well, mostly of Chagall's family. I would warn readers, however, that even though the book is listed as suitable for children ages 4-8, a 4-year-old is not likely to enjoy this book, except perhaps as a free-form discussion tool. The narrative is too dense (short as it is) to hold such a young child's attention. My daughter, 4, is very bright and social, but she still couldn't look at the book with me in a conventional way. Instead we talked about what we saw in the pictures and how the colors blended together and created a mood, sometimes sad, sometimes happy. The book is worth purchasing for an older child, however, and I would recommend it for children at least age 6 and up. It is rather thin, but is filled with wonderful things.

1 comments about Beatrix Potter's Art: A Selection of Paintings and Drawings.

1. This is an outstanding book and a must-have for those who love Beatrix Potter's work. While most people think of Potter as the author of those delightful children's books, this book shows the full range of her work. Anne Stevenson Hobbs did an outstanding job in presenting the art in a very enjoyable manner - a real plus for those lucky enough to own this book.