5 comments about Artist's Manual: A Complete Guide to Paintings and Drawing Materials and techniques.

1. I'm incredibly impressed with this book. Anyone with a twinkling of creativity could pick it up and begin almost anything. I found this in a bookstore and vowed I would own it. It's beautifully photographed and illustrated as one might expect, but often can't find in art guides. The text is right on the money. In my opinion it's the most comprehensive guide out there and it doesn't just cater to beginners, which is why I was so taken with it. I've been dabbling in the arts since I could walk and wanted something that might cover some of the mediums that I haven't experimented with yet.
   
   The chapters are divided into: Supports, Drawing Media, Painting Media, Color and Composition, Subjects and Themes, The Studio, Reference. I was especially impressed with the Reference section, as this was one of the first general art guides I'd found that carried health and safety info as well as a list of suppliers. The artwork examples in each of the sections are really well chosen. If I were an art teacher, I would make this text required reading material. It's intelligently written without being dry, boring, or patronizing. And never overly simplistic--a huge bonus if you're tired of pat-on-the-head guides.



2. I'm a true novice, a friend once said I like to "color". She may be right!

   I find this book informative (basic info for people like me who didn't go to art class in school) and inspirational. I love the art in it and the collage with art materials on the cover and throughout the book is stunning. A must even for us non-artists!

   I bought the book a few years back and still dig it out when I feel the urge to be creative. That to me is a sign of a good book! It is a book that I look at over and over again, and doesn't get "dated".




3. This is a good book to become familiar with a wide range of materials and basic techniques. Appearance wise, it is heads and shoulders above the competition.

   However, the text itself is more of a dummy's guide to art materials. Essentially, it gives enough information for someone to be able to communicate effectively with others on the subjects. It gives some basic instructions, which are perfect for someone with little background in the subjects.

   I would really give this text two scores, one on the body of content, and another on its helpfulness to amatures. The scores would probably be a 3 and a 5.




4. I received this book as a gift, but I have been eyeing it for a few months now. I have looked through this book a hundred times now in the few days that I've had it. It has all the information to answer all of your questions that you could EVER think to ask. With out this book I would barely know where to begin in my studies. It has information on supports and painting media covering oil painting and water colors and acrylic. It has information on drawing painting, everything you could think to draw with, there are techniques in this book for it! And even as wonderful as that sounds, it still gives information on how to go about choosing your subject, and where you should put your studio. I absolutely love this book. The pages are so crisp and clean now, but not for much longer.



5. This book gives good, basic descriptions of a wide variety of drawing and painting media and techniques. The photographs and illustrations are easy to follow. The organization is well thought out. However, if you are looking for a substitute for Ralph Mayer's ...... "The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques," this book will not have the technical depth you may want.

4 comments about Famous Painted Cats.

1. Cats with make-up! Such serious little pussen faces as they contemplate what we've done to them! A darling book & wonderful gift to make anyone smile, even people who don't like cats!!!



2. what a treat... surprising, amazing, great gift... great to get people talking and shareing.. absolutely delightful



3. I love cats, I love painted cats and I love the books by Burton Silver & Heather Busch.
   This is a collection of postcards which I wrote to my friends. They all loved them as well.



4. What a disappointment. When my "book" came I discovered it was actually a bunch of postcards bound together. It might make a good gift for a cat lover, but it was disappointing to me that it wasn't what I was expecting. Nowhere did I find any mention of postcards.

5 comments about Jack Vettriano.

1. What a very good book, it doesn't show every painting in the different series but you get to see most of them. Unfortunately it only covers his work up to 2004 and not to date, but still a brilliant book.



2. To any of you who have fallen under the spell of Jack Vettriano's beautiful work, this book is a must have! I started buying Jack's prints about 5 years ago for my wife and recently found that a work colleague is a collector too. I ordered two of these books, one for my wife and one for the co-worker, so that we could explore the full range of Jack's talent. It was a revelation to all of us to see how varied his subjects have turned out to be!



3. You may well have seen Vettriano's "The Singing Butler," or other of his elegant paintings - but that doesn't mean you've heard of him. This book takes care of that. It covers eighteen years of his career, 1987 to 2004. It shows what you missed, and probably a few images you saw but never connected to the others.
   
   Vettriano's images go beyond Hopper's. They have much of the same graphic quality but, where Hopper so often addressed solitude or loneliness, Vettriano frequently depicts depicts desperation under a cracking veneer of elegance. Many of these paintings capture some moment in a story of intimacy for sale, or of intimacy between the wrong people - the moment that culminates the story so far, and that sets the direction of the story to come. In those pictures, the underlying cheapness of motiviation contrasts sharply with the graciously dressed (or graciously undressed) actors moving their roles forward. The anachronism of ballroom grace and mid-twentieth-century fashion gives the modern viewer enough distance to see the glossy finish as well as tawdry underside. Without asking forgiveness, Vettriano explains how beauty and a moment of passion can lead people down paths that they'll later regret.
   
   Not all of the imagery carries that dark edge, though. Vettriano does equally well with sunny couples in happy, if adult kinds of love. In many cases, only the painting's title tells the viewer whether or not to approve - and somehow, that makes disapproval that much harder. Vettriano's work has been called "populist" and "undemanding." So be it. Holding wide appeal isn't such a bad thing, and neither is work that easily yields its meaning.
   
   -- wiredweird



4. The introduction and subsequent text is very brief, and provides a glimpse into the artist's background and rise to success. The text makes little if any critical comment about the artist's work, perhaps leaving the paintings to speak for themselves. The book concludes with a list of the artist's paintings and exhibitions. The book really is all about the pictures.
   
   There are about 160 full colour reproductions of Vettriano's paintings of which about half dozen are small images illustrating the text, there are over thirty full page bleed pictures many of which in fact amount to a page and a half and include one double page spread (the best in the book?). However the bulk of the illustrations range from almost full page images to those which occupy about half a page or occasionally less. The quality of the reproduction is excellent, and the varied and attractive layout suits the images well, bold yet without detracting from the work.
   
   For those of us who are perhaps used to seeing Vettriano's paintings merely as small reproductions adorning cards and the like, it is a revelation to see them produced so well and to a good size. Seeing them so it is easy to label his technique as commercial and slick; but there is no denying the immediate appeal and impact. Whether or not you are a fan of this Scottish artist this is a book worth having, it shows the range of his work, from the dark and sensual to some very appealing high key paintings. Altogether it is a most sumptuous volume.



5. I viewed this book personally in the UK where I live and since my daughter is a big fan of Vettriano, I purchased this book as a present for her. It shows the various aspects of Jack Vettriano's work, both the well known (printed on cards) and the not well known. It is very insightful of the different sides of a wonderful artist, and his work is well represented.

5 comments about Watercolor, You Can Do It!.

1. I can not believe that Amazon does not carry Tony Couch's books.
   He is an awesome teacher that gets his points across to the novice.
   His advise is easy to follow and he uses his colour in a pure and simple way



2. The early chapters on handling paint and the brush seems to really get to the point. The section on "moisture control" really is a must read for anyone still struggling with this aspect of watercolor painting. I recommend this book all the time to anyone who asks about good reading material. Too bad it is out of print. A must for the watercolorist library!



3. This is a great book that addresses problems that I haven't seen addressed in other books. He is also encouraging to the painter who may not feel they have a lot of talent but still want to paint. He feels that all people with the desire can do it. I got the book from the library, and loved it so much I purchased it. I've heard his videos are great too.



4. This is one of the best books teaching watercolor painting. I've bought many. He stresses that the journey (learning) is more important than the goal (being a great painter). He's an excellent teacher and his step by step illustrations are some of the best. A great help to me.



5. After reading at least 30 watercolor instructions books, this one goes to the top of my list. Couch covers everything from the basics (from equipment to how you actually get paint on to the paper) to the essential guidelines of design and composition. These (sometimes boring) subjects are covered in an easily-digestible, easily-usable manner, making it exciting to get to your next painting and apply what you have read. The book includes a really good description of how the painter is a "shape maker, symbol collector and entertainer" and numerous step-by-step examples of painting basic landscape components (trees, sky, rocks, water). The book is upbeat with a wonderful sense of play and humor running through it -- plus the reader is given dozens of examples of Tony Couch's own marvelous watercolor paintings, as well as examples from eight other superb watercolorists. The gallery of paintings alone is worth the price of the book (which, by the way, is about 30 pages longer than most watercolor instruction books -- so you really get your money's worth!)

No comments about Donna Dewberry's Essential One-Stroke Painting Reference.

3 comments about Discover Watercolor.

1. This book is a gem in the watercolor teaching books area. It is packed with information and outstanding projects and exercises, and is organized in an excellent easy to follow way with many wonderful illustrations and little boxes to highlight the main points to learn from each lesson.
   
   The book is divided into 3 long chapters. About half of the book is Chapter 3, which is devoted to hands-on painting projects--each unique with something new to teach you in a hands-on approach. Chapter 1 also has smaller painting exercises.
   
   
   Chapter 1 covers TECHNIQUES--
   Each of these techniques sections begins with a boxed area indicating which "key points" will be taught--Example: Painting glass buildings --key points are that "generally, light falling on glass makes it reflective, while shadows make it transparent. Images seen through glass are slightly blurred and reflections distorted, colors seen through glass are paler and bluer than in reality, panes of glass are darkest at the base, paint what you see, working from the general to the particular, etc.. The "Try this!" exercise shows how to "develop a painting of a glass structure by layering wet-in-wet washes, start by capturing the colors and forms reflected in the glass, and contrast these with brighter, more definite surroundings." There is a step-by-step 1-page exercise to show you how it's done. Similarly, the 1-page exercise on making a bird study is just as excellent.
   
   Other topics covered in Chapter 1 include:
   Planning washes, adding details, light fantastic, looking at shadows, painting night scenes, painting skies, painting water, painting reflections, painting seas, painting sparkling water, misty landscapes, painting rain, looking at rainbows, stormy seas, painting snowscapes, trees in summer, trees in winter, painting foliage, painting flowers, painting spring colors, painting autumn colors, painting stone and brick, painting glass buildings, painting birds, painting cats and dogs, painting fur.
   
   Chapter 2 is MIXING COLORS:
   Using blues--exploring blues, mixing blues--2-color mixtures, 3-color mixtures. Cerulean and its mixtures, Ultramarine and it's mixtures,
   Using reds--Exploring reds, mixing reds, alizarin crimson and its mixtures, cadmium red and its mixtures.
   Using yellows, etc.
   Using greens, exploring greens, oxide of chromium and its mixtures, viridian and its mixtures.
   Using violets, exploring violets, mixing violets, permanent mauve and its mixtures.
   Using oranges, etc.
   Using browns, etc.
   Using Black and white--exploring blacks, mixing blacks, Ivory black and its mixtures, Chinese white and its mixtures
   
   Chapter 3---PROJECTS
   Autumn fields, Old mill and stream, Harbor view, Country garden, Rocky coastline,
   Mountain hamlet, Beach at low tide Lakeside scene, Bustling harbor, Sheep in the snow, harbor wall, summer landscape, Grand museum, Coastal town, Leafy garden, Meandering river, Farmyard scene, Lakeside landscape Topiary garden, harbor steps at low tide, The Grand Canal, Indian Market.
   
   I love this book. It is definitely not one of those books where the artist shows off their work and tells you how they did it. Instead it is a teaching book that is packed with about 200 pages of exercises and projects to teach you how it's done by having you follow the well-designed illustrated instructions. It's one of the best teaching books for watercolor that I have in my collection."



2. I really didn't need another book on watercolor painting. Not being a novice but always looking for easier and quicker ways of doing things, I bought this book with some trepidation. But what a pleasant surprise - the book for a change did not waste valuable time/paper on repeat basic instructions but went immediately into techniques. I even found the section on color pigments interesting. Not any one book can give you all you are looking for but this one is nice to have in addition to. Its uncluttered, let's get to it, approach alone deserves 5 stars.



3. As an instructional publication, this book covers an incredible amount of information. The projects depicted are clear in their concept and the step-by-step demonstrations are easy to follow.
   The only withhold that I feel is in the recommendations of certain pigments such as chinese white,lamp black, and cadmiums. I would love to see this book revised using more updated color pigments. The palettes demonstrated are typically British.

3 comments about Drawing Made Easy: Lifelike Heads: Discover your "inner artist" as you learn to draw portraits in graphite (Drawing Made Easy).

1. I am just thrilled with this little book. First of all, because it's so small and light--this is one drawing book you can toss in your briefcase or purse so you can sketch away at lunch.
   
   But most of all because it's truly helpful. The pictures are clear, and I loved the way Richlin explains how to achieve them. He goes through what material to use, how to create different facial expressions and how to highlight your subject.
   
   Each individual feature is examined. For example, he shows how to light the nose from all different angles. Then he shows you how to pull it all together, in four basic stages, until you have finished the portrait.



2. I'm a decent artist who can't seem to get to that next level.Been searching for books that would inspire and push me. This has done it. In a meagre 64 pages I have been given all the tools to push my portrait drawing ability to that next level. There are exercises along with some positive words that have given me a goal to pursue. I own over 100 books on various aspects of art instruction and this is among the best. I bought a couple other of the made easy series and they seem to be just as good. This has undoubtedly been a very good investment. Highly recommended.



3. This is the best portrait drawing book on the market. It is the only instructional book on classical portraiture that covers both the basics of proportions, anatomy, rendering as well as more advanced tips and techniques. The step by step examples are easy to understand, and the writing is witty and sharp (actually, hilarious at times).
   
   As an art student, the instruction really clarified some of the confusion and frustration of trying to make a portrait look realistic without looking flat and stiff.
   
   Whether you're a beginner or an expert, this book is a must have!

5 comments about Orientalists: Western Artists in Arabia, the Sahara, Persia and.

1. This scholarly and highly readable book is of importance to art historians, historians, and anyone with a serious interest in orientalism as both an art movement and a western cultural phenomenom. The illustrations are superb,and the additional profile articles on key orientalists (such as Richard F. Burton) are an added bonus. This book is certainly worth more than its price and will be of lasting value to future readers.



2. An outstanding volume providing high quality images and interesting commentary. Too many art books commit the sin of spreading large images over two pages so the picture gets lost in the spine - not this one. Orientalist paintings are crammed with detail to show the erudition of the artists and their patrons: for once you can see plenty, and you're not sold short by the layout or the print quality. Not a book if you're looking for lush pictures of harem lovelies, one of the aspects of orientalism not given such high prominence here. Over all impression? The many different effects created by light in Middle Eastern landscapes, and the skill of these artists in capturing it



3. Brilliant book completely covering the subject, solid research, perfect rare illustrations. Lots of forgotten and difficult to find names. Very useful and highly recommended - worth every penny!



4. "coffee table" art books are usually just vehicles to display reproductions of the paintings. Not here - Davie's writing would make compelling reading if it was published in regular book format. He mainly focuses on orientalist painting itself - and shatters the critics - but he also has a fascinating section on four famous 'orientalists' which include Richard Burton and Lady Digby.
   
   The reproductions are are splendid very accurate ( i have the pleasure of having easy access to some of the original paintings) and capture the exquisite craft of "Orientalist" painters. often with close ups of parts of painting that allow the reader to see the elaborate detail.
   
   Worth every penny. I find myself reading it again and again.



5. Really I'd like to give this 5 stars but for the lack of women it's 4. I feel sort of silly doing so because the art is astonishing and the sheer beauty just magnifies how "art" has changed. I wonder if any artist alive today could come close to duplicating these masterpieces. I doubt it. And Mr Davies writing blends with the terrain and subject matter splendidly.

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 Drawing and Painting Plants.

1. The book consist of detailed botanical illustrations of flowers, plants, trees, vines, leaves and mushrooms. I bought this book so I could get an inspiration for my graphic design work and the book almost have it. It shows the details of tree barks and stems, cross section of flowers, roots and bulbs. If only it covered more fruits like berries and strawberries it could have been better. Since I prefer color illustrations, I wasn't so crazy about the pen & ink drawings. I really like the fern illustrations on page 115. Overall, this is a great book.