5 comments about Watercolor Painter's Pocket Palette.

1. Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced artist, this little book is an essential part of any watercolorist's library.



2. This is a lovely practical guide. Most books on color or on watercolor color never quite get to the point of what you want out of it, which is plain information and palettes of color.

   The Pocket Palette sets up a palette and clearly shows how each color looks when mixed or glazed (painted over another). There honestly isn't another book of this size and practicality out there. This is not necessarily a book on color theory. It is covered but is not the aim of this at-a-glance, application kind of book.

   As this book is concise, this review will be concise! This book, plus a color wheel and a short book on color theory (a Walter Foster book will even do) should fill out your arsenal for dealing with watercolor color. (That might seem like a lot, but for a lifetime of using watercolors it is the least you can do for yourself.) This book is an excellent value, even if it is short, and it IS portable, perfect to bring along with your sketchbook and notes.




3. I purchased this little book with high hopes that it would be a timesaver, but I was disappointed enough to return it. There are several types of problems. First, although I could find no statement of this, all the paints used are Winsor & Newton; if you use even similarly named paints from another company, the printed results of mixing and overpainting will be irrelevant. Second, only the Winsor & Newton names for the colors are given, and no pigment information is supplied. This is inexcusable, since formulations change even with a single manufacturer, and "Bright Red," fpr example, means one set of pigment ingredients and properties for Winsor and Newton, but completely different ones for paints from other companies. Third, a statement is made that all paints depicted are durable. This is untrue and potentially disastrous for anyone who trusts this statement. For example, it is well known that alizarin crimson and genuine rose madder (both in the primary palette oin this book) are easily damaged by light; permanent alternatives must be used if a painting is to be hung in a normally lit room. Finally, results will vary depending on the paper you use, and -- this one is not the fault of the book -- color reproduction in printing can never truly match what really happens on the paper. It's a pretty little book, well put together physically, but it is often misleading and is in no way a valid substitute for making your own notebook of color mixes and relevant information. This is essential both for understanding the properties of your pigments and paper in the first place but also for recording the compositions and behaviors of mixes used in your paintings.



4. If you want to learn how to mix watercolor without getting "mud" then this is for you. It is not a substitute for the real experience of mixing colors for yourself and watching what happens (such as any blue with cadmium red. Did you get a purple? Hmmm! Interesting!)

   The section on mixing flesh tones is especially helpful. It's fun just to browse this book and enjoy the tonal variety. A really nice book, in a small, portable format. One of my favorites.




5. Being new to watercolor painting, this book has been extremely helpful to me in determining the mixtures to use to create the colors I need. I've just sent one to a friend who is just beginning classes in watercolor and I'm sure she'll enjoy it as much as I have.

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.

5 comments about Shaman: The Paintings of Susan Seddon Boulet.

1. I'm a big fan of Susuan Boulet and was very pleased to see her calendar
   avilable this year, her work just embodies the Indian spirit and beliefs and I'll be glad to have her work on my wall for the year.



2. This is the 6 year I've had a calendar containing the artwork by Susan Seddon Boulet. Although the artist is deceased, her artwork speaks of another world, ancient archtypes, legends and myths. There is always something new in each page of the calendar. Pictures within pictures. Along with each month is a small poem or quote which is appropriate to the picture and very meaningful. If you enjoy shamanism, native american legends, classical mythology, this is a product you should buy.



3. We always did want to see the spirit of a tree. Susan Seddon Boulet did & brings us every detail, enchanting our eyes & entrancing our minds. This artist has a host of calendars & greeting cards to touch the heart, uncurl our modern neutered spirits & fill our eyes with affection, calm & starlight. Lovely & profound.



4. There is very little I don't own of Susan Seddon Boulet's work in calendar, card or book form. Shaman is an exemplary achievement and work of love done by a woman of profound talent.

   I met Susan at a workshop in Rhinebeck, N.Y and was instantly struck by her inner glow. The radiance of a woman who is grounded and knows the path of a Shaman. How better to portray her inner beliefs than through her art work?

   The Shaman's Paintings are a testament not only to a spiritual path but also to one of our finest American women artists.

   The path of a Shaman is best expressed by someone like Susan Seddon Boulet as she weaves ancient myth and folklore into beautiful tales on canvas.

   A must have.




5. There is very little I don't own of Susan Seddon Boulet's work in calendar, card or book form. Shaman is an exemplary achievement and work of love done by a woman of profound talent.

   I met Susan at a workshop in Rhinebeck, N.Y and was instantly struck by her inner glow. The radiance of a woman who is grounded and knows the path of a Shaman. How better to portray her inner beliefs than through her art work?

   The Shaman's Paintings are a testament not only to a spiritual path but also to one of our finest American women artists.

   The path of a Shaman is best expressed by someone like Susan Seddon Boulet as she weaves ancient myth and folklore into beautiful tales on canvas.

   A must have.

5 comments about Saints in Art (Guide to Imagery Series).

1. This beautiful book contains a collection of biographies of saints together with Old Master's paintings. There are usually several paintings depicting each saint.
   They include bullets of artistic information about most of the pictures. I do not recommend it for children
   because of the sometimes grahic depictions of martyrdom.



2. I believe there can be intrinsic value in Art, and for whatever reason, I relate better to Art in which I can recognize 'true' expressions of 'the Human Condition.' IOW, I may have a limited breadth of soul, but I see much Modern Art as Absurd (or Disturbing). To cut to the chase, regardless of your Religious orientation or preference, there is much sense to the range of human expression found in this book, and best of all for my money, the wonder of it all.
   
   However, the book title is literal, it is a book of Saints represented in Art. If you're at all put off by the ubiquitous nature of bygone Catholic days, 'got enough dogma,' you may not care for this book. If you are able to look past this, you may very readily see a wide and true spectrum of views of our common Humanity.
   
   In all Art books, I prefer the narrative not going overboard, this book does it fairly nicely. The narrative includes bio info on the Saint depicted, but it also includes helpful Art criticism that is pragmatic and avoids esoteric verbiage best kept in Graduate Studies. It's a nice quality book, but the only fault I find with it is, I wish it'd been a larger format by several inches, I prefer the Big Picture. A pretty good value.
   
   Hope this review helps.



3. Books with stories that you can leaf through, without reading linearly from cover to cover, are always fun, and for lovers of medieval art, Saints is one of the best. Lushly illustrated, and formatted somewhat like a travel guide, the mini-biographies summarize what is known about each saint. Representative art works are provided, accompanied by sidebars and annotations with arrows that point out key features. Saints in Art is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to decipher the symbology and iconography contained in the religious works, great and small.



4. this book is awesome! it has info on over 100 saints commonly found in art. stuff like name, time and place of earthly life,what they did, patronage,special devotions, connections to other saints, when they became saints and their feast days are easily found on the sidebar. there is a little biography and then a collection of maybe three paintings and an explanation of who is in the painting and what they are doing as well as the meanings of the objects they are pictured with. for instance, if i ever see a painting of a woman with her hair down pictured with a container of oil or ointment i will know it is mary magdalene. a t-shaped cane is an emblem of St. Anthony Abbot, etc. super useful saint painting decoder.



5. This title originally comes from the popular Dizionari dell'Arte series by Italian publishers Electa and we should be thankful that the Getty has taken on the task of translating these fabulous reference books into English. Saints in Art is an important source not only for the iconography and hagiography of the principal saints in art but on the great visual history of European painting (with an emphasis on Italian). Lavishly illustrated. I highly recommend it!

No comments about Dynamic Color Painting For The Beginner.

1 comments about The Complete Watercolor Pencil Set: Techniques, Step-by-Step Projects, Materials.

1. First off - it is a Reader's Digest product which means it is top quality- a beautiful set, comes with some pencils, eraser and 2 books one on techique and the other on exersises. All in one package which closes by having magnets in the binding that locks and closes the bundle. The books are easy to understand with plenty of examples from the skech to the finished art work. A perfect first set for someone just intrested or someone more advanced, has information and exersises for both. A perfect item to get as a gift!

No comments about Robots and Donuts.

5 comments about Nature Illuminated: Flora and Fauna from the Court of Emperor Rudolf II.

1. Years ago, when I was primary school (1960)2nd class student our teacher made us a special note -book: Everybody wrote an alphabet and every friend painted them whith natural ornament. I remember that years. This book is illuminated us with conservative knowledge. It's a pattern for humans and for our child. Ewerything in the world can place in same frame. Thank you Emperor Rudolf II and AMAZON.



2. I have never seen such an amazing compilation of manuscripts and calligraphic examples. I was blown away. The only problem is that the dang pages are so small!! It seems like some detail is lost. This is a big problem for anyone who wants to master some the writing techniques. The Mira calligraphea is the same dang size so no help there either. If anyone knows where I can find larger views please let me know!!!! vinson.gracia@gmail.com



3. This is a great book for those who appreciate beauty in nature. I find that just paging through the gorgeous artwork of natural objects and flowing calligraphy is very soothing. The book is smaller than I expected but its content does not disappoint. Makes a wonderful gift for special friends. I bought my copy for myself but I might buy others in future as gifts for friends.



4. If you want to see colorful manuscipts that show a varity of medieval insects, plants, flowers, fruit, sea shells, initials, designs, and even a few animals, then this is the book for you. There are 41 full color manuscripts to choose from. At the end of the book, are discriptions of each manuscript, listing the medieval name for each. Example: The identifications of specimens proceed from top to bottom and from left to right. Common names have been provided whenever possible. In the case of the insect identifications, British English common names have been used, since most of the specimens represented do not exist in the United States. Where a different American common name is known, it has been included following the British Name, seperated by a slash. The names of higher taxonomic groups (families and orders) have been printed in roman type, while genus and spicies names appear in italics.Folio 1 Rotunda script in "trace letters"Vinca minor L,: Common periwinkleMalus domestica Borkh,:Common appleLacerta(?):LizardFolio 5 Antiqua scriptMatthiola incana (L.) R. Br.: GillyflowerEphemeroptera: MayflyDiptera Cyclorrhapha Heleomyzidae (?):FlyPulmonata Helicidae Cepaea sp.: Garde SnailEnd Example.A great sorce of Medieval Nature.



5. "Nature Illuminated" is wonderful collection of illuminated manuscripts from the Getty's extensive holdings. Perusing these pages shows that the chasm between (representative) art and science is really not so great.

No comments about Painting Peaceful Country Landscapes: 10 Step-by-step Scenes in Oil and Acrylic.

5 comments about Color Mixing the Van Wyk Way: A Manual for Oil Painters.

1. This book is an excellent book. I have just started art lessons and need a little help in knowing how to mix colors.
   Helen Van Wyk books have all been excellent book. Easy to understand with great information and instructions.



2. This is a great book specially for beginner. Excellent reference book. I'll certainly read it several times.



3. All the theory in this book is dead wrong. There is little by way of practical advice. The book is mainly a collection of amateurish paintings by Ms. Van Wyk that are supposed to illustrate how to use various tubed colors. You should aspire to paint much better than Van Wyk ever did.
   
   To date, there appears to be no good book on mixing color. Instead, see www.handprint.com. It's about watercolor, but the color theory and mixing sections apply equally to oil paint. Also give a look to www.wetcanvas.com



4. I just received this book for Christmas 2002 and I have read it and re-read it! It has a wealth of information and is even a good reminder for those who might not have painted in a while. It helps you attain effects that you want and gives some step-by-step descriptions to help you understand what the author is talking about. I find that the information on casting shadows and the information on focal points most helpful. Helen Van Wyk also helps you to dimensionalize your art. Once you have read this book you will not look at colors in the same way. "The 4 Questions" will have you looking at art completely different. Don't paint without it!



5. This is a great manual for beginning and intermediate painters. It is arranged in a rather unusual way: by paint color. Within each chapter there are step-by-step paintings showing the color's usage. While I found the the organization odd at first, I quickly grew to appreciate it. There are colors I never would have thought to put in my palate, but seeing them in action was very valuable. Likewise, having a blended value scale for each paint was wonderful!

   What I found most valuable as an beginner/ interm. painter was being able to see a variety of paintings in stages. And not just "one, two, three, boom its done" like many books, but really layer by layer. She touches on a couple of different styles, discussing glazing as well as her painterly approach.

   This book also has valuable reference pages discussing (and displaying) color scales, color temperatures, earth tones, blending tricks, etc. It touches on portraits, backgrounds, and a variety of other related topics. I have read a number of other basic painting books, and this is my favorite. I have also seen (and own) other of Helen van Wyk's books, and while they are nice, this is by far the most valuable (and it includes some paintings and sections repeated in other books, i.e. portrait painting and color mixing bits).