5 comments about More of the Joy of Painting.

1. Bob Ross lives through his paintings. You can't beat the price of this many paintings in one book! Both professional & non-professional use his techniques & patterns to continue Bob's legacy in oil!



2. don't buy any bob ross products, he's a crook and a bandit



3. I just wanted to say that I started watching Bob Ross on tv and got interested in the wet-on-wet technique around 1990 or 91. I sent for paints and some of his books. How anyone can ever say anything against this man , is beyond me. I even miss his little squirrel! I haven't painted for about seven years now. I'am retired and have the time now. I live in West Virginia, moved from Ohio. This is beautiful country here. I'am sure getting the urge to start back in painting. I need to get new supplies. Please send me a catalog. Paul Sensabaugh P.O. Box 6, Wva. 25123.



4. I found this book a little bland compared to the other ones...some of the work was lacking details or seemed flat in comparison,but I think they all have the basic details to help anyone on the way to produce a little gem.Simple and yet the end results can be worked toyour satisfaction.



5. I have started painting after seeing bob ross pbs episodes. All the books are good for learning and improving.
   
   Very happy.

5 comments about Marvelous Murals You Can Paint.

1. I purchased this book in the hope that it would provide instruction to create the murals illustrated on the first few pages. Unfortunately, although there are very beautiful murals pictured,instructions are included for only a few. Perhaps my tastes differ from the authors but it seems that most garish and ugly murals were the ones that included "how to" instructions. It leads one to wonder if perhaps they do not want any competition in producing the more tasteful murals pictured! I also purchased the companion video and was disappointed for the same reasons- the instructions were only for projects I would not want to do.



2. This book has alot of good information that both novice and pro alike will love. There are alot of techniques covered in this book and the authors cover them extensively. If you're thinking of making a carreer as a muralist, or just want to spruce of your own home, this is the book to start with.



3. Although this book was visually nice to look at I found it lacked in teaching me how to paint murals. I have stumbled across a great site that has free tutorials on it. The site is [...] I hope you find this helpful.



4. I think Gary Lord does wonderful work and these murals are amazing. However, unless you are an artist or have invested in some equipment, this isn't for you. It has great ideas that one might hire done.



5. this is an older book and the work simplistic I prefer his latest 3 books:The House That Faux Built,Its Faux Easy With Gary Lord and his latest mural book just coming out

1 comments about Beautiful Brushstrokes Step by Step.

1. I found the book to be a wonderful asset. Maureen McNaughton is a wonderful artist and a good teacher. Her skills carry through this book in both areas. It is a totally different type of decorative painting.

1 comments about Fantastic Floorcloths You Can Paint in a Day.

1. I bought this book and another book because I wanted to paint a floor cloth rather than pay $1000 for one from a gallery.
   Instuctions were great...told me the correct materials to buy and I painted a beautiful floor cloth...that I designed
   I would have given it five stars but I don't think one can paint a quality floor cloth in a day and why would you want to.

1 comments about Painting Heartwarming Holidays: 4 Seasons of Painting with Jamie Mills-Price.

1. Bought as a gift for a friend, she loved it-it was sooooooo nice, I really wanted to keep it for myself.

4 comments about Painting Water (Watercolour Tips and Techniques).

1. As a watercolorist specializing in seascapes/waterscapes, I've read dozens of how-to books. "Painting Water" is the best of the genre and a joy to use. Joe Francis Dowden does an excellent job of presenting techniques and tips in an easy-to-understand, concise style. Where many other authors seem to omit key painting steps, Mr. Dowden is thorough and precise. His color demostrations rank among the best I've ever seen. In a mere 96 pages the author has given us an outstanding guide to the painting water all watercolorists should find invaluable.



2. I bought this book based on the cover illustration and the one existing review at the time I purchased the book. While evaluation of art and technique is subjective, my sense is that the author is considerably more skilled in painting still water than moving water, such as a seascape. His seacape watercolors seems to have been accomplished in a way that conveys mood but not competency in terms of technique to portray a realistic seacape (the fluidity and rolling of water). My suggestion is that one would be MUCH better served by getting a copy of "The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook- Landscapes" by Gordon MacKenzie (the best watercolor book I have) and looking at the section "Landscape Elements- Water,Sky and Land" beginning on page 59. Now THAT is how to paint water!



3. it is good beginning book to start painting water, I am still trying the demos, however the demo about water in motion (like waves etc.) is too weak, it is mostly informative for puddles and still water. The demo of the pic at the cover page is the most I liked.



4. I think it is a good book, but not really for a beginner...although it has lots of step by step demonstrations they are quite elaborate, I am sure I will enjoy it more when I become more proficient.
   I actually ordered it because I was wanting to learn how to do waterfalls, but he does not include that in this book.

5 comments about Rock Painting Fun for Everyone!.

1. Rock painting is fun and most of the time rocks are free..
   Lin Wellford and her talents makes this craft available to everyone with easy, fun instructions for all ages to learn how to paint almost anything on rocks..
   Thank you



2. This book is great. You must have experience in painting and talent also. It provides with ideas in how to decorate your garden. I think that if you folow the instructions your landscape will look very original.



3. I thought it was a good book but too expensive for what you get in it. She has another book, Painting Rocks for Kids, that is a lot less expensive and has many fun projects for starting out.



4. Yes, it is fun for everyone, as the details are well written and easy to follow.



5. This book has really awaken more creativity within me. Up until now, I never would have considered painting on rocks, but the book has changed my perspective. It taught me that art can be displayed on pretty much any medium. The author really breaks down each stroke for you in the book, which is a must for me since I've never taken up painting as a hobby. The materials needed will not break your budget, which is a bonus. I loved the book so much, that I purchased more of Lin's books. I've even just recently read her book about painting houses, cottages, and towns on rocks. Imagine that! I would encourage anyone with even just a small interest in painting to buy this book. The projects are charming and inspiring.

1 comments about Airbrushing Basics.

1. At eight chapters in nineteen pages, this is a very slim little volume. That turns out to be a virtue in this booklet intended for the absolute beginner in airbrushing. Having purchased but never actually used an airbrush, I had a number of concerns about proper handling and, especially, cleaning. This book systematically and with no wasted words addressed all my initial questions. The chapters include choosing, cleaning and handling an airbrush; recognizing common paint problems and how to correct them, the varieties of paint and the proper thinners for each, and solvent safety issues--including some solid advice on proper installation of your spray booth. The final few pages illustrate the airbrushing of a Liberty ship model, with some very useful tips on dealing with small parts. Overall, an excellent and efficient introduction to the subject and an entirely worthwhile purchase.

5 comments about First Steps Painting Acrylics (First Step Series).

1. Not a lot of information in this book (i.e. 'tiny lines must be drawn with an inky or soupy like substance'. However the book does not tells you how to get this substance. Water, a medium or what and how much?).
   
   Much book space has been spent on showing paintings.



2. I purchased three books about acrylic painting and find this book to have the best instruction and information of the three. I would reccommend this book.



3. I love this book. It is very good for the beginner-----and I mean for someone who has never picked up a brush. I have really enjoyed it.



4. This book like so many so-called beginner's acrylics books follows the usual pattern: a chapter on materials (this book's section is rather sketchy) and then an immediate huge jump into technique. Right after the sketchy materials section the author devotes a chapter on composition before getting into technique. The technique chapter is not very helpful; it shows you a catalog of the results of various techniques but provides no real help in how to achieve them. On the plus side the paintings shown (and there are lots of them) are appealing to me; however, I after reading the book I wouldn't have the slightest chance of even making a faint resemblance of them.
   
   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.



5. I like this instructional book very much. It has a lot of information about the products needed to paint with acrylics and good ideas too. I just wish I had more time to use the book! I'm soon starting a new art class, Life Drawing. Perhaps I will be able to use some of my new knowledge to create a masterpiece!

5 comments about Acrylic Painting Techniques.

1. I found this book to be very helpful in experimenting with new ideas for my paintings. However, it is not for the beginning artist. This book shows various techniques but it won't show you how to paint a picture step by step



2. I should have read the reviews more carefully. The author does mostly introduce its own style. Yes, the colorwheel is useful. But most of the techniques are kind of special and in my opinion it is a matter of taste if you like to use them. As much as you might like the authors paintings - or not. What I found very nice about the book is the introduction and the thorough coverage of the media and all its 'helpers'.
   
   Anyhow, if you are looking for an introduction to acrylic painting with some step-by-step examples and useful hints, this is most likely not the right book for you.



3. This is a great book by Stephen Quiller who is a master artist in acrylic. His books explains all about how he accomplishes that with ease. For me, the impressionistic paintings are a beauty to behold and I've admired Quiller's work for years and now I know how he does it.



4. This book is a must for all acrylic painters who want to explore different techniques. It contains many different ideas that can be used with acrylic paints together with other mediums. I highly recommend it.



5. Acrylic Painting Techniques
   This book is an excellent source of ideas and inspiration for artists looking to expand their understanding of acrylics and mixed media. It is thoughtfully and thoroughly written by someone with great reverence for the nature from which he takes his inspiration.