2 comments about Decorative Furniture with Donna Dewberry.

1. Donna Dewberry is an amazing artist who shows you step by step how to create beautiful decorations on furniture in your home. Decorative Furniture was written with the beginner painter in mind. Everything is made simple, and it starts from square one.

   Decorative Furniture starts out by showing you what materials you will need to complete every project in the book. Amazingly, it isn't a huge list of materials. Donna Dewberry strives for simple, yet extraordinary projects. She also shows you what brushes are needed and how to load them with paint.

   This book also covers basic one-stroke painting techniques, such as how to make a vine, leaf, or flower. Even if you already know the one-stroke painting techniques, this serves as a very useful reminder of how things should look.

   My favorite part of this book is how it teaches you how to do special effects such as giving a piece a textured look, such as the project on page 32. I plan to start this one soon!

   As with all Donna Dewberry's books, don't feel that the projects are only for furniture. You really can use the same techniques, and patterns on nearly anything you wish to paint!




2. Great book for anyone who thinks they can't paint freehand! Donna Dewberry is the master of instructional simplicity when it comes to showing just how easy it is for anyone to do decorative painting. A+

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

1. 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!



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.

5 comments about Paint People in Acrylic with Lee Hammond.

1. Having learned to draw from Lee Hammond's books and enjoying her first acrylic book I was on tenterhooks waiting for the publication of this one! I wasn't disappointed. Ms.Hammond's style is straightforward and enables you to tackle the exercises with confidence in order to build skills. This is an important part of Ms. Hammond's technique - the progression and she makes the process enjoyable. I truly believe anyone can learn to draw and paint via Ms. Hammond's techniques and be encouraged by their steady progress. Buy this book you won't be disappointed!



2. I love Lee's instructional art books...she is so down to earth and her easy to follow suggestions make learning fun. I have been drawing portraits for a few years and people can't believe that I never went to art school, this new book has helped me go on to painting portraits in acrylics. I did a baby's portrait in acrylic for the first time and when I presented it to my client she cried. She said it was so beautiful and lifelike. This was due to Lee Hammond's wonderful insight into the world of acyrlic.



3. Lee Hammond really does a good job with her books. I have perused many and this is the best I've found so far. I like the individual facial feature tips and the examples she uses. As a sidenote, perhaps if someone wanted to sell a lot of books and make a lot of money they could develop a book like this but with a particular slant regarding caricature/comic illustration using Photoshop.



4. good book showing basic portraits
   good starting point
   only fault I can find is a big gap in awkward stage to finished product



5. I found this book easy to understand with lots of good information. I would recommend this for anyone learning to paint portraits.

2 comments about Painting With Children.

1. This wonderful book is fundamentally academic (presents research and writings from Rudolf Steiner and Goethe; recommends poetry by Shakespeare and Wordsworth) yet warm and practical.
   
   Brunhild Muller explains first the effect each color has on a child. This is because children experience color in a more vivid and emotional way than many of us. Most adults have lost what they knew about color as children, having been taught that what there is to know about a color is its name and nothing more. The seemingly simple task of preparing to paint is divided into five steps which are discussed in detail; tips for materials are also included. Later chapters give ideas for setting the stage for a painting experience -- such as stories, poetry, seasons, or the moods of nature. Innovative ways to introduce color mixing are also presented.
   
   The entire theory of how children perceive color, and its ramifications for introducing painting, is well expressed. I found this book inspirational and would especially recommend it to any homeschooling parent.



2. a great resource for parents and art teachers.
   inspiring paintings by young children. a must for anyone who wishes to start their children on a lifelong exploration of color. i'm an artist and father who found this book very helpful!

5 comments about Best of the Joy of Painting.

1. I actually purchased this book as a gift. The comments I received were: Good book but, not much variety in details of paintings.



2. Good old Bob Ross! I used to watch his series in high school and his shows were great. This book conveys their tone and has the added bonus of giving us his finished landscapes to look at as long as we want. I got this book so I could see the paintings, but under his step by step instruction I've also tried my hand at creating my own---and making art this nice isn't as easy as Bob makes it look! Whether you want to use this as a how-to guide for your own time in front of a canvas, or you simply like Bob Ross' artwork, this is a friendly visit with everyone's favorite PBS guru of oil painting.



3. Even if you never picked up a brush. Or didn't know how to read. Anyone could get an idea from this book. Maybe it's boring to others. Maybe because he does everthing step by step. So that you can make your own creations. I have never used oils in my life. But I wanted to learn. My Grandmother was a great artist. But when she could teach me, I was to young. When I was old enough, she passed away. I hope she can look down and see. I really did enjoy what she made. Now, I can make something beautiful too. I bought this and the red cover book. Super



4. The idea behind Ross' concept of wet painting may be intriguing, but, as this book shows, the results cannot match any seriously crafted oil painting. The paintings all look the same and have the same faded 80ies style. I would not even recommend this book (or style of painting) to novices as it would spoil your technique and hinder you in developing your own style. This is not instant art. It`s instant trash. Sorry. And yes I have bought this book and am allowed to review it.



5. I was so looking forward to this book. I wanted to follow the step by step instructions and to hopefully improve my technique.
   
   These Joy of Painting books are ridiculous. The idea is fantastic, follow step-by-step instructions.
   
   All the instructions are in black and white!!! You can't even figure out what they're trying to show because the photos are tiny and a bit blurry.
   
   Whomever decided to print these in black and white wasn't too bright.
   
   It's a waste of money. Instead invest in "Oils: Step by Step Art School" by Patricia Seligman.
   It gives really good, important, clear and concise information and instruction for beginners.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



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. 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



5. 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.

5 comments about How to Use an Airbrush.

1. This book helped me alot with my airbrushing skill. I wish he had written more of the general info as well as some beginner lessons. The projects are ok, I would do a coulpe mabey, but they don't help as much as beginner stroke, and shadowing lessons would have. More info on how to(try) do artwork with a single action brush. All in all a great resource.



2. 
   Actually, this book was precisely what I was looking for. I had purchased
   and read several of the other airbrush instructional texts and, while they
   were great in their own right, they were too generalized for my needs.
   Most of them start out with how to choose an airbrush, air supply options,
   etc., but then get a little too generalized as I said. They tend to talk
   about airbrush techniques as applied to automotive painting, tattoo art,
   and what-have-you.
   
   The bottom line is if you are interested in learning airbrushing skills
   as they apply to the detailing of plastic model kits, THIS IS THE BOOK
   YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. Not only does the author cover the usual subjects
   such as airbrush/air source choices, he goes on to ventilation concerns
   and solutions, choices of paints and protective coatings, and other
   areas.
   
   He also presents several project examples as instructions on conceptual
   areas such as modeling vinyl figures, weathering (i.e., making something
   look like it's been through real-life wear and tear), as well as all those
   little details that transform your kit from an overly detailed toy into a
   miniature representation of the real item. I was particularly impressed
   by the chapter "Adding Dirt and Rust to a '63 Chevy Impala". Here he
   describes some very simple yet convincing method of taking a respectable
   model kit and making it look like something that belongs in a junkyard,
   right down to the grimy whitewalls and windshield wiper streaks.
   
   For myself and others looking to make such transformations, this book
   is gold. For others, it's definitely a bit too specialized and will
   definitely disappoint, hence my suggestion for the title change.



3. if you want to learn how to use a an airbrush this book can help you, but need more samples



4. Wonderful jobs in painting plastic kits; but if you want a book to learn how to paint with an airbrush, get another book.



5. I would recommend this book to anybody new to air brushing. While some content may be redundant to an experienced user, there's still a lot of good info there. You can't go wrong for the price!

5 comments about Acrylic Painting With Lee Hammond.

1. I picked this up hoping to learn something. There are a few things that are okay, but I was not really impressed by Hammond's paintings in this book. Perhaps they aren't her best works, or maybe they are 'dumbed down' to make this a beginner's book. I think this book is better suited for a beginner. I might also recommend skipping this book, and trying out Hammond's Paint People in Acrylic With Lee Hammond. The work in it is much more fine tuned, and a lot of the same techniques are conveyed in both books.
   
   Lastly, I think Hammond might be a little conceited. Even her simple painting examples for the book have her giant signature stamped right onto the work. Its as though she's worried that someone might think its not her work in her own guidebook.



2. I am really enjoying this book. It illustrates some of the different techniques used by Lee Hammond. I am taking some local art classes, and this book gives me some interesting projects to work on at home. Even the simple example of making a round ball or shere look three-dimensional is helpful to a new painter and is not as easy as it looks. She stresses that there is an "Awkward Stage" in any painting, and she points this stage out in each of the projects in the book. This has helped and encouraged me to give my paintings the final details needed to make my paintings more realistic.



3. I have thoroughly enjoyed using this book on acrylic painting. It shows step by step how to produce fantastic paintings using all kinds of techniques and ideas. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone wishing to know how to make your paintings look professional and have a great time doing it.



4. This is a good book for anyone interested in acrylic painting. It covers various techniques and subjects. Very good !



5. This book is good for a beginner
   I have 3 of her books and they are all the same basic techniques
   can be a bit boring but I see where she comes from in her work
   these books can definitely help a new artist venturing into these areas

5 comments about Painted Paper: Techniques & Projects for Handmade Books & Cards.

1. Painted Paper if full of exciting and fun ideas. I teach handmade books to children. This book has page after page of decoration meathods and also instructions to make small books. I am also a book artist and use these ideas for my own books. Alisa Golden gives acurate instructions. When my friends saw this book they wanted it too. It is VERY useful.



2. I enjoyed Golden's first books, but found little of value in this one. The examples are haphazard and messy...and their is little attention paid to content of books.



3. The unique ideas for creating handmade papers as well as a full section of thoroughly explained book structures have been a true inspiration. The writing style is fun and easy to read, while the photos and illustrations make the concepts easy to grasp. All crafters should have this one in their library for the next time they need a little inspiration. There is much within!



4. Really enjoyed this book. Lots of ways to paint paper and they are all beautiful.



5. Excellent book full of great sample photos and easy, illustrated directions. Covers a wide variety of book styles and painting techniques. Great inspirational source for motivating one into action, creating one's own artwork.Painted Paper: Techniques & Projects for Handmade Books & Cards

5 comments about The Zen of Creative Painting: An Elegant Design for Revealing Your Muse (Practical Art Books).

1. The book was very logical yet had many creative aspects. I would recommend it for a mid-range painter.



2. I like Carbonetti's art and this book is full of it. For that reason it is worth buying. She also succeeds in showing the mental aspects of creative art. However, her seeing of Zen is not so successful. She also wrote books like "The Tao of Watercolor" and "The Yoga of Drawing". I would prefer if she simply explained her own position without packaging it into so many commercialy attractive titles.



3. A must to read to start your own ideas on Watercolor painting, using the Zen method.



4. I have recently started doing watercolor paintings since I retired and was lent this book by my teacher. I had to buy it as soon as I opened it. The paintings are absolutely splendid. I think that they are what watercolors should be. And the text sets a mind frame that will enhance any budding artist down the path to great work.



5. Jeanne Carbonetti has produced awonderful book to unleash one's creativity--whether you understand Zen or not---It is not easy to get into Zen, but the illustrations help us to learn something at a deeper level--not just intellectual or academic.I like the play of light and color---in a sense that is what art is all about ---to convey your feelings or even passing moods...Books like these go beyond the 'right brain-left brain' theories that have filled the academic discussion on art training....May be ,one should work out his/her own Zen approach--this book can only point the way---not to imitate but to emulate Jeanne.