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

1. 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.



2. 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.



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



4. Fantastic book. Beautifully presented and easy to follow information. Now I just need the time to experiment!



5. Great pictures showing the process of printing by hand....directions are easily understood.
   Overall the explaination of this whole process was really good. And what a great surprise to see the designs used throughout the book are included with the book.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. this is a great book with very cool stencils. I have only used a few so far, but can't wait to use more of them.



4. Stencil 101 is a must-have for anyone who wants to step away from cookie-cutter design. Ed's stencils will transform the look of anything from baby bib to bedroom wall into an urban-chic, piece of art! I love this book--it breaks traditional stencil stereotypes, is easy to use and acts as the perfect (craft) gateway drug for getting guys to show their creative side (my firefighter brother actually bought this book before I did)!
   
   If you've ever even considered crossing over to the crafty dark side, you should nab this book!



5. i made a stenciled tote bag with Ed's face on it! i love ED! and i love STENCILS! and everything just looks so cute and creative and personalized, it's alot cheaper and way more fun. especially if you wanna find something to bond with your kids, or a fun group project for a class of children, or a crafty pastime to share with some old lady at the Senior Citizen home who has no family or friends- GO volunteer to brighten up their day!
   ole!

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

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



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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. This book is chock full of great Victorian design. It has cartouches (ornamental borders), patterns, single filligree elements, and the best part is that they are all royalty free. You will need to scan the elements and clean them up a bit, but this book is a fantastic resource for the "flourish" trend that is going on in graphic design right now.
   
   Highly recommended.

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

1. 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.

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.

No comments about Fun with Egyptian Symbols Stencils (Dover Little Activity Books).

1 comments about Trout Flies for Rivers: Patterns from the West That Work Everywhere.

1. I own, and have worked from, most of the top books on fly tying ever written in this country. This new soon-to-be classic from Skip and Carol Morris is anything but your average fly tying book. The pictures of each fly are exceptional, taken from different angles, clear, beautiful. The steps are laid out clearly and intuitively. Skip has a knack for really teaching how to tie flies, and it shows in how this new book is laid out. There is even a companion DVD included that clearly shows how to perform some of the tougher maneuvers...again, another example of how he really gets how to TEACH the art of fly tying. Finally, Skip and Carol have chosen only the best flies to include in this book...the ones that really work (no "throw away" or "filler" flies in this book). Includes a great combination of the tried and true "must haves", plenty of the newer go-to flies from some of the top guides on western rivers that are on the way to becoming classics, and also some of the signature flies from the top tiers in the country. Now that the cold weather has hit us in the PNW and I have this great new book in my hands, I am inspired to settle back at my desk and start my winter tying.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



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



5. I thought the artwork in this book was stunning, and the reproduction quality and colors were lovely. I did have one major problem with the book, two of the main designs on the cover (topmost horizontal design and the center horizontal design) are NOT IN THE BOOK! These are two of the main patterns I planned to use from the book, and now if I want to, I need to get them from the cover, where they are covered by text. I found this to be unacceptable! Please keep this fact in mind if the cover is what won you over.

5 comments about Fun with Chinese Symbols Stencils.

1. good stencils, better if laminated for kids can use them and paint stencil with them



2. I don't own this, but if the cover is any indication, the Chinese characters will be completely mangled and wrong. I don't recommend attempting to show off to your Chinese friends using anything you make from the book, if you really intend to get it. Also, it'd probably be a bad idea to get an "exotic" Chinese character tattoo using one of the designs as basis.



3. The price charged for this little stencil book was more than twice the price printed on the back of the book itself. It was in good condition, but not worth inflated price plus postage.



4. These stencils have amused the kids longer than any high dollar gift ever. Thanks Amazon!!!!!!!



5. I like the size of these and they are perfect for making your own artwork.

2 comments about Art Nouveau Cut & Use Stencils.

1. This is a really great book if you are looking for art nouveau stencils. The paper that the images are printed on can actually be used as the stencil itself as long as you follow the treatment instructions in the beginning of the book. This is a great book with really great designs!



2. This book has some nice, simple patterns, including those with floral, animal, and geometric designs. They are printed on one side in black on a medium weight, cream colored cardstock. For actually use of these "stencil patterns," I would recommend copying or tracing onto a more durable plastic made for stenciling. Also, some of the stencils patterns are repeated in different sizes throughout the book (they range from 1 1/2 inches up to a full page). All in all, there are some nice designs, and there is a two-page introduction that details what you need to stencil. I think this is good book for a beginner, but too simple for an artist.