5 comments about Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens.

1. I would be doing all projects written in this book. Picture references are helpful and descriptions are written well.



2. I wanted to do fast and dirty printing on fabric and this book has the easiest ways to do that (other than having someone else do it for you). There are several methods to get paint onto fabric and the designer walks you through them. I think the supplies are easy enough to find and use and the pictures are good to help you visualize the processes. It's a good book if you want to create some unique table linens, totes, or home accents without breaking the bank. Very do-able project options and good directions. And you don't have to use your potatoes to print with.



3. I waited untill I actually used this book to write a review.
   
   I like it a lot. She explains what type of ink you should use on what type of fabric and which technique to use, all on a handy chart. This is very handy and helpful when deciding on what to do with a project at hand. I decided to do some stenciling on canvas. I found the book to be helpful on what materials to buy (she even explains why you use it) and the technique. The only problem for me is that she uses fogged mylar and I cannot find that anywhere. I found clear ones but I wish she would have listed where (the references on the back were not of much help) but everything else I could find at an art store or Hobby Lobby/Michaels.
   
   The projects included in the book are really cute too. I'm going to try and make a baby blanket for my cousin.



4. I have been wanting to enter in the world of printing fabric, but had no idea where to start (what fabric, what paint).
   This book not only clearly describes how to do a handful of painting techniques, it does it in such a clear/helpful way. There is no guessing involved, the author has put down all the information you need to know.
   
   I highly suggest this book if you are interested in learning how to print (fabrics, papers, etc). This is a truly great book.



5. Saw this one at an art museum gift shop -couldn't wait to get on Amazon and buy it! So useful!

5 comments about 2,286 Traditional Stencil Designs (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. More designs than you could ever imagine. They are wonderful inspiration for my art and portrait work. For under ten bucks, this is a great value if you are seeking designs like this for inspiration.



2. Excellent book for patterns! They are detailed enough without overburdening small designs. We'll be using this book for years!



3. I know that people have been complaining about how some of the stencils are too small and become unclear when blown up. They have a few other issues, too.
   Here's the thing: the book has over 2,000 great stencils that are perfectly legible. I'm an illustrator, woodworker, and paper crafter. I am simply delighted at the various choices of stencil. Plus, the book is very inspiring in terms of providing a jumping off point to make up my own. I simply love it.



4. This is a wonderful resource for design ideas! I use elements of these stencils as patterns for guitar inlays. The copyright info on the inside cover is generous allowing use of the patterns, "free and without special permission." in certain circumstances.



5. If you are a craftperson, do not buy this book, though pictoral, it is more historical and you need a magnifying glass to see some of the stencils.

5 comments about Stencil 101: Make Your Mark with 25 Reusable Stencils and Step-by-Step Instructions.

1. I have made so many projects that I LOVE using the stencils from this book. I used the stilettos stencil to print red, black and aqua stilettos running across the front of a light gray tshirt, going in different directions (like a Warhol print). I spray painted a dark grey tshirt using silver the stencil of the 70's-girl-with-the-afro . On a bright yellow tshirt I stenciled the swallows in light blue. I also made a white screen divider using the swallows stencil.
   
   You will not be disappointed with this book. The stencils are durable, and easy to use. The designs are very modern, edgy. I also like that the directions are kept simple and don't go on and on and on, like many craft books. You learn by doing, after all. He gives you enough info on the basics, techniques, materials and supplies needed,... I have dozens of craft books lining my shelves but this is the only one I've used again and again.



2. My whole family loves this book. We've used the designs when we silk screened tshirts. I appreciate the storage pocket on the back cover for used stencils.



3. If you are looking for a place to start using stencils in your art you should check out this book. The great part is it is full of actual stencils you can tear out and use day one!



4. My wife picked this up recently and we've been having a blast added a little Oaktown vibe to our world. The stencils are quite creative and very un-Martha Stewart-like, which is refreshing.
   
   Be careful when you wash off the stencils after use or, even better, don't bother to wash the paint off them. We got the first one we cleaned off a little too wet and it didn't fair too well. It would seem there's little reason to clean them off after use. Just let the paint dry before you use it again.



5. Stencil 101 by Ed Roth is one of those books that encourages you to tear out its pages. It contains 25 reusable stencils on glossy cardstock. And the very day it came in the mail my son was already pulling out the stencils and using them on a wooden case that was just screaming out for customization. And, hey, if something passes the teen boy test for coolness it must be pretty special. And he must be somebody special, too, because I let him use the book before I did.
   
   I know it's been said so many times that it's ridiculous but really... these aren't your granny's stencils. You won't find any English ivy or country geese here. We're talking muscle cars and luchadores.
   
   At the beginning is a brief history of stenciling and then a nice chapter on the basic stuff needed to get started. Then the author shows several projects using the stencils in the book. I wanted the book just for my journal pages but now I'm thinking my kitchen cabinets need an edgier look to them.
   
   The book has a nice expandable pocket in the back to keep your used stencils in. As I mentioned earlier the stencils are on cardstock, glossy on both sides so you can flip them either way. They should hold up to many many sprays. Even after you pull out the stencil there is a page left in the book that shows the design so you can still flip through the book to know what designs you have without digging them all out of the pocket. Or if it came down to it and you lost your stencil and were too cheap to buy another you could scan the image and cut another.
   
   Speaking of buying stencils, Ed has lots of them available at his website, Stencil [...] He also has his own line of spray inks. And don't forget to check out the awesome how-to videos while you're there.

2 comments about Fun with Egyptian Symbols Stencils (Dover Little Activity Books).

1. Lightweight stencils, made from a laminated cardstock. A nice variety of designs to choose from. Will stand up to tracing with pen/pencil/marker for a long time, will stand up to wet media/painting many times with careful handling. Not detailed, allowing you to easily stencil the shape - then add your own details. Works well for fabric painting, which is why I bought several of these little stencil books. (Native American Masks, Southwest Indian, Egyptian Symbols, & African Design.)
   
   Good to use with kids - the lack of fine details keeps younger kids from getting frustrated. Will last much longer if kept dry - but you can definitely get multiple uses with paint, etc. (By multiple, depending on how wet you get the stencils, I would guess at least 20 uses.) A good buy - but don't expect the "normal" plastic stencils, realize these are laminated cardstock. Knowing that should relieve any disappointment. :)



2. Very nice stencils, you get quite a few with the book. I used them with spray fabric paint to decorate t-shirts, and they did very well - they were easy to wipe off after each use.

4 comments about Stencil Me In.

1. This book has a great selection of easy to use stencils that can literally go on everything. After owning this book for only a few weeks, I've already customized my guitar, and painted a full size mural on my wall. Great purchase!



2. With over two dozen ready to use laser-cut stencils, a half dozen pages of additional designs to enlarge and photocopy so you can cut your own, and its myriad of projects, Stencil Me In provides a LOT of bang for your buck. Beginners learn basics, from which paints and inks work best for a particular application, to elements of design layout. For artists with some experience, the what-to-do-when-things-go-awry section is eye-opening. Projects include things to wear, things to use, and things with which to decorate. The stenciled butterfly chair is an easy project that elicits immediate gratification!



3. Stenciling is fun and as the author advocates in this project filled book, anyone can do it. Besides being fun and easy, it is a great way to bring old objects back to life in a new way. After an introduction that gives you the basics of what you need to know such as the types of tools you need, different surfaces and what they will need, along with different ways to stencil, and numerous other helpful nuggets of information, it is on to the projects.
   
   The first project is the "Sliver Mist Skirt" (Page 29) that consists of a lily pattern painted on a black skirt originally purchased at a thrift store. Various designs for chairs, tables, dressers, walls and more clothing as well as many other items follow. I especially liked the Mayan designs on glass storage containers (Page 48), the "Serpent Stone" (Page 81) and the "Sea Bath" stencil project for bathroom accessories found on page 96. Color and versatility are important throughout the book as well as creating your own personal design and image.
   
   The book includes seven pages of stencil motifs so that you can photocopy them and transfer the designs, two pages of short biographies on the various designers, a one page index and twenty ready to use stencils in the attached sealed bag.
   
   Designed for fun, this book is sure to be a hit for all ages. With a hardback binding encasing a spiral notebook format, the books lays open flat for ease of use which is also a nice touch. Colorful and bright it provides plenty of textual information and large pictures to help you have fun stenciling.
   
   
   Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2009



4. I bought this book on a whim. After going through the book and looking at all the great stencils, this is a great buy for the price. I am a mixed media artist. I've used several of the stencils on my altered books and they look amazing. I love the dragon stencil. Several of my friends have bought this book after seeing mine.

3 comments about Stencil 101 Décor: Customize Walls, Floors, and Furniture with Oversized Stencil Art.

1. I was really excited to get this book. I have not used it yet but I browsed through it and looked at the stencils. The only reason I gave it 4/5 was because I feel it should have come with more idea pages in it. Very informative on what medium you were going to stencil on and the tools that were needed. I went to [...] and there were more ideas and a video on how to stencil a wall and it really helped so since there is that reference I give it really 4.59/5. Very cool stencils. Can't wait to do a wall in them. Hope this helped. This will probably way easier than trying to do wallpaper and you can reuse the stencils over and over again.



2. I was hoping for more of an idea book - with pictures of possibilities / color combinations / other stencil ideas you can cut yourself. Instead it's a lovely presentation of a few basic stencils and limited instruction. I'm not disappointed with what IS included, just with a title of "Stencil 101 Decor" I thought it would be a more comprehensive introduction to large pattern stenciling.



3. I just received my stencils and I can't wait to use them. Before buying the book I tried to find a list of all the stencils included, but couldn't...so here's the list:
   
   1- houndstooth
   2- butterflies
   3- polka dots
   4- honeycomb hexagons
   5- chain links (interlocking ovals)
   6- birds on a wire
   7- lattice (interlocking squares)
   8- 3-d effect "stair steps"
   9- moroccan petals
   10- quatrefoil
   
   The only complaint I have is that the "book" is really just a few pages stuck onto the box that holds the stencils, and the box flaps all interlock over them to close. Neat looking to be sure, but its a little awkward to use. I wish they had just included a separate little book.

5 comments about Big Book of Beaded Ornaments (Leisure Arts #1973).

1. I bought this particular book, while researching how to do a certain beaded ornament project. I had thought it might include more details about the craft. Although this book is not a total dissappointment, It does not reach my expectations. I was hoping for more sources for purchasing needed supplies, it did not. It does have some very beautiful projects and is worth having. I would not recommend it's purchase to others with my beginners level of expertize.



2. 60 pages of wonderful designs. Instructions are in diagram form and easy to understand. Beading tips are also given. A lovely book of Christmas ornaments. Have fun, enjoy and happy beading.



3. Love this book from the get-go. I had already had a brainstorm of an idea for my ornaments this year. But the angel in this book gave me the head and hair for my ornaments. I love that the book has a wide variety of projects from simply and whimsey to ornate and elegant. I recommend this book to ANYONE. I have had so much fun with the beading, I am a newby and love it.



4. I thought this was a book on beaded ornaments(like the victorian style using the netting technique) while this book had a couple basic ones, most of the book was making totally a lot of different types of ornaments using beads in various ways.



5. I was very pleased with the book. If you love beaded ornaments this book is for you.

5 comments about Art Nouveau Floral Patterns and Stencil Designs in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. This book includes beautiful designs, I love Art Nouveau and I chosed this book because I am doing a ceramic course, I found in it great ideas to make plates and vases. The pictures are in color, and there is also a whole set of stencil designs. I am thinking to buy the Art nouveau animal patterns which belongs to the same book serie. Beautiful book.



2. This book has great designs and some very pretty artwork, however I would not really call it a stencil book. There are only a few stencils in the back of the book and they are all in full color with printing on both sides of the page so there would be no way to use the stencils out of the book. You could photocopy them for use but there are only about 10 pages of real stencil designs the rest are front and back fairly intricate artwork that would be not good for stenciling, but they make great little pictures for frames, etc.



3. I have about two dozen books specifically purporting to be Art Nouveau 'collections', and NOT ONE, or even THREE COMBINED, come close to capturing what THIS book offers, albeit in the "floral" patterns category... To artists looking for a definitive 'starter' source, in the art of the period, for repurposing in art, crafts and decor (ie: wallpaper, fabric, pottery, woodcarving, etc.), pick up a copy of this book and forget the rest! I was able to find not only what I needed for several initial projects, but was inspired to START more new projects based on the sparkling ideas inspired by this plethora of lush color images. Only wished a CD-ROM was available to accompany this book with hi-res digital images, as it would have made importing images to my computer (for re-sizing, tiling, color changes, etc.) much easier than hand-scanning... Only my collection of (specifically) Alphonse Mucha art books surpasses the value of "Art Nouveau Floral Patterns & Stencil Designs", and that is only because I have not YET found a like compilation of M. P. Verneuil 'figure' designs.



4. This book exceeded my hopes. It had many more images in full color than I expected for such a cheap book. I have seen other books by Verneuil and they were half as nice and mostly black and white. I think anyone into decorating, drawing, and painting will like this book. It will inspire you to create art nouveau lines and flowers on your own work.



5. If you are into art nouveau, you will enjoy this Dover book. Again many variations on floral themes.

4 comments about 99 Snowflakes (Leisure Arts #3013).

1. I'm very happy with this book. It has a wide variety of patterns for various sizes of snowflakes, including several dimensional patterns which I haven't seen in other crochet snowflake books. I found the instruction very clear and easy to understand. I would recommend this book.



2. I've ordered this book twice, and both times it was misprinted. Pages were repeated, while others were missing. With my first order, I returned it and told Amazon the problem, but the second time I got it back exactly the same. The book itself is good, but it was a hassle with the misprinted pages. I ended up getting it at my local craft store.



3. This is THE gotta have book for everyone addicted to crocheting snowflakes. I have many of these patterns in other books, but I could have saved a lot of money by finding this book first. It is a delightful sampler of the best designers' patterns. You won't like them all, but there will be some of the represented designers whom you will love.



4. This book is excellent! The patterns for the snowflakes are step by step and easy to follow. Pictures of each snowflake are printed with the directions below so the person can see what he/she is working on which, to me, is very helpful. The front of the book has general instructions, materials needed, and a basic stitch guide. The last three pages of the pattern book has finishing instructions as well as several blocking pattern guides. This is very helpful as well. Also included are app. 12 three-dimensional snowflakes. I haven't tried these patterns, but may do this later. If you are looking for something "special" to put on your Christmas tree, give as small Thank You gift, add on to boxes of home made cookies or candy, etc., this would be the book for you!

No comments about Fun with Horseback Riding Stencils (Dover Little Activity Books).