Arts and Crafts Books

Very well detailed book, easy to follow, easy on the eyes, just a joy to read and paint. For all levels of painters, Highly recomended.

Certainly a great book. Well designed. I am a hobby painter. Self taught and this book has certainly inspired me into painting some of the pictures in the book. If you love nature and painting this is simple step by step book has a wealth of information. Would certainly recommend it.

The author provides step by step instructions and photos for painting a variety of birds with oils. This is a great book for the beginner decorative oil painter.

I've enjoyed having this book as a reference. The step by step instructions work just as well with other mediums instead of the recommended oils, so far I've painted the Wren in watercolors and the Cardinals in Acrylics.

This is an absolutely wonderful book that any beginning artist must have. Ms. Nelson's instructions are so clear and easy to follow that anyone can produce beautiful paintings. Not only does Ms. Nelson tell you what colors to use, but what direction to make your painting strokes, how to hold the brush, what brushes to use..how much easier can you get?! I am currently working on my first bird from the book. My family can't get over how life-like my painting is. I am even surprised at the results! I am definately going to purchase more of her books and I have no doubts that eventually I'll be able to do paintings on my own once I've mastered the techniques in the book.

Painting Pets on Rocks is a fabulous step by step instructional book. My students (1st through 7th grade) created fabulous rock paintings following these easy-to-follow instructions.

I couldn't help it, it sounded so fascinating when I was invited to a "rock party". A friend held it, and all of us got together at her place. She had a bunch of field rock, (though I've heard smooth river rock is good also) and she had cleaned them all up and they sat, waiting on her front step. We took turns choosing the rock that "spoke to us" and brought it into the house for some good old fashioned gossip and a fun project with friends. Oh, yes, we had doubts! Halfway through those rocks were UGLY, and we took a few chip and salsa breaks so we could look at them from a distance (they looked better that way- Laugh!). But- amazingly enough- when we finished the last step, perfectly outlined in the book- our rocks looked GREAT!! I actually DISPLAY mine in my little rock garden, and get so many comments on their "uniqueness". What a fun idea! And takes almost no $ to get started, if you're like me, you already have the simple materials lying around from previous projects!! Great book, simple instructions, great tips and pointers- even for the novice.

It has beautiful painted rocks in it and shows just how easy it is to paint rocks. I am not a real good painter but, I do plan to give it a try. Instructions and ideas in this book are great even for a beginner like me.

Super, these books by Ms. Wellford are illustrated so beautifully that ANYONE could paint animals and such on rocks. Her directions are not only the written word, but also demonstrated by showing the drawing from the stones to use, preparing the stones, sketching from "square one" on thru the completed reproduction. These books are a MUST for any rock painter enthusiast.

A new meaning to the words "Pet Rock":

Lin Wellford has out-done herself again! I just can't get enough of her books! For those of you who have not read any of Lin Wellford's books, let me tell you, IT'S TIME TO START! In "Painting Pets on Rocks" you learn how to paint your dog, cat, fish, and even your pet bird! The book doesn't just show you one type of dog, or only one cat. Lin gives you instructions on how to create many different rock pets. From Dalmations to bulldogs, tabby cat to siamese...this book has it all.

Even if you have never painted before, you can do these projects. The book has full color, nearly step by step photos with the step by step instructions. As with all Lin Wellford books, her instructions are written for the beginner and it is amazing how well your pet rocks come out.

Step-by-step, detailed instructions with outstanding photos that demonstrate each step. By using this method, a beginner could produce results formerly achieved only by an experienced quilter.

The most informative and inspirational book for a long time.
Very good detailed pictures and wonderful instructions. Pure drool
material looking at what Sharon has made. She is a master!
If you want to make an amazing quilt buy this book!!!

The instructions are great, step by step color photos, catering for the beginner up to the advanced quilter, there are good tips and ideas, and the quilt on the front is the pattern inside.

Loved the ideas, and will try this technique as soon as I can gather my supplies. However, I fell in love with the quilt, and she doesn't discuss her unusual corded border. The quilt is wonderful, but the border makes it stunning.

This is everything the reviews said it was, I bought 2 and gave one to a friend.She has not done applique at this point, now she is excited,I am a needle turn person and this is the first time I have seen machine applique that I will try.Sharon is a great talent and this will make you want to seek out her work and if you are very lucky take a class from her.
This is a must have to anyone who loves quilting!

Great book for anyone wanting to learn to cast as well as those who already know how to but want a reference book.

Love this book. Lots of ideas and very detailed drawings of how to's. What else would you expect from McCreight?

Like all of Tim's book this is a keeper. What a great reference to have on hand. I had no prior background in casting and this covers it all from the very basic to the more advanced. A great buy.

Very good information put in easy to understand language and tips to cast on a budget.

Don't let the sub title Studio Reference throw a scare in you. With its lay flat binding and clear and concise steps, you will be using it in the studio as a ready reference book. As somebody who owns and have read over 25 books on casting and foundry work. This book was a light read compared to some it doesn't get bogged down in to much tech for tech sake. If you just want to find out about what it takes to do a little casting or jump in and go all the way this is the one book for you. I own it.

I saw this book and just had to have my own copy. A wonderful way to demonstrate to young people the real power of America: The peaceful transfer of power.

LOVE YOUR BOOK...... BUT MY QUILT WILL NOT BE COMPLETE UNTIL I HAVE GEORGE W.BUSH (BUSHY AS LAURA CALLS HIM) PLEASE DRAW HIM SO I CAN PUT HIM IN MY QUILT.

I LOVE THIS QUILT AND IT LOOKS EVEN BETTER WHEN STITCHED, BUT WHERE IS GEORGE W.??????? WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM ADDED INTO MY QUILT.

LOVE IT, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DRAW GEORGE W. BUSH AND SEND IT OUT TO QUILT SHOPS OR MAKE IT AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET.

LOVE YOUR BOOK... AND LOVE THE QUILT..... ALTHOUGH I CANNOT COMPLETE IT WITHOUT GEORGE W. BUSH( BUSHY AS LAURA CALLS HIM)

PLEASE DRAW HIM SO I CAN FINISH MY QUILT......I NEED IT YESTERDAY.

I began quilling to learn a new craft for scrapbooking. I wasn't planing to do anymore than that. This book inspired me into getting into this craft more indepth. There's a beautiful fan in here that I started working on to hang up in my home. There's a lot of new techniques and ideas in this book that other quilling books don't get into. If your a quiller and don't have this book, I think your missing out on some intervative ideas. There's also good ideas for embelishments for scrapbooking too. Beware- This is not an easy book. Some of the techniques are more complicated than in the "beginers" books. But if your willing to practice I don't think you would regret it.

As a beginner, this book will ensure I'm not a beginner for long! What wonderful illustrations and instructions! I had no idea there were this many techniques and styles. It's nice to know there really is no limit to what one can create with a little knowledge and a lot of imagination. Highly recommended.

This ios the best book I have seen for beginning quilling and advancing. It has a lot of techniques and great illustrations. I would reccomend

Quilling, by Jane Jenkins, gives a lot of information in a small space. The instructions are easy to follow, and the illustrations are clear. It is a book that both beginners (like me) and advanced quilling artists will enjoy.

This book definitely illustrates quilling skills that will guide you beyond the basics. Photos in the book demonstrate various tools which could enable you to create more precise shapes. The projects in this book are broken down into each essential paper shape and element with numbered steps. Specific tips and techniques are provided for each of the basic shapes. Ultimately you are able to manipulate the paper with far greater control. Once assembled you will discover beautiful art pieces with a delicate filigree appearance. The projects in this book are more sophisticated and offer you designs that yield heirloom-quality results.

If you ever thought you knew all about wood, guess again.
This book has more history, knowledge and facts than any we
have ever had. We have a copy and have given copies to approx.
6 people in the wood working business.

We own a saw mill, but my husband was so delighted with little
known facts and trivia, we just had to share it with others.

A MUST buy!!!!

Eric Sloane has written several books, filled with his wonderful drawings, looking back at times in our early American past. This is the first of his I've read, and I want to read them all. I can't say if he is accurate in his depictions, nor whether his viewpoint has full historical merit, but he shows us the value of what we've lost.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it in a sitting. I'm not even all that interested in wood or building anything else that may have made me a likely fan. The writing was fantastically engaging, and the tidbits and anecdotes just kept coming. I say it's Cliff Claven writes a book because that's how I've been describing it for 10 years now - Sloane's enthusiasm and honest passion are to writing what the charm of a pure young laugh is to happiness. I've given this book away I don't know how many times, and have never heard of somebody not loving it too.

This is Sloane's best book in my opinion, but then I've been a woodworker for many years and already have "a reverence for wood". There is much to learn here, a lot of information compressed into easily understood drawings and text and a joy to study. Highly recommended for both the woodworker and anyone interested in wood and its properties and uses.

This is an easy read that yet conveys quite a bit of information. An important part are the drawings, which say more than a thousand words. It is an atmosphere book, which lets the reader understand something of the relationship between the early Americans and their material (wood). It also shows that wood allows more uses than what passes for woodworking these days.

I am a little dubious about the inclusions of trees in the back. The author appears somewhat out of his depth here (he is no Peattie, not by a long way).

I wish I had these two books Square rigging and fore and aft rigging fifty years ago when I got involved in building and rigging all types of sailing ships from cat boats to clipper ships and other multi masted sailing ships.The detail makes a lot of thing easier to duplicate and enhance ship model building highly recommended and essential to the novice and intermediate model, may even help some of us older folks

Lennarth Petersson's "Rigging Period Ship Models" is pure gold for the modeller.
Even an unfortunate illiterate can follow along to produce accurate rigging.

The only text in the volume is a Table of Contents, a one page Introduction by the author (explaining why he chose the late 18th century British frigate 'Melampus' for his illustrations) and an Index in the rear of the book. The remainder of the volume consists solely of three dimensional illustrations annotated with call-outs.

Unlike other books on rigging, each page illustrates with clear line drawings one part of the ships rigging. As there is no text, there is no need to page hop between text and illustration. These illustrations make it easy for the reader to understand how each part of the rigging was to function and how it was rigged.

I would recommend the modeller use a copier on the particular page showing the rigging he is trying to model. In such fashion, he would have the illustration always handy on or near his workbench.

This book represents money well spent by the modeller. I highly recommend it.

Fred Weinzweig,
New York

Well here we go again, another book putting me closer and closer to discarding the instructions that came with my kit. For a model builder, life would be difficult without this book. Every rigging line is right there in front of your eyes. Just for clarification, there are no step by step instructions just complete drawings of rigging sequences. All lines are labeled for you on there perspective drawings and there is a set of excellent belaying plans for you near the end of the book. No reading is necessary, just looking. I wondered about its price tag for a book with only drawings but soon realized that all this info in one source was available no where else. Well designed and an informative resource.
Michael

What I REALLY liked about this book, to get right to it, is that I understood every direction immediately. Now, you need to know that there are hardly any words in this book!!! That's right, it's basically just a picture book of one specific line or line set. The drawings show you where the line runs, where it's tied off, how it's tied off, and that's all!! It's great! No complicated wordy instructions to translate, just the lines, clear and easy.

The ship that Mr. Petersson uses for his example is the HMS Melampus, an English frigate (36 guns, 18 pounder). By using his drawings, you'll get to know the finer points for that period, but take care here. If you are building a "Mayflower" (as I am now) or a "Victory", "Wasa", or "San Felipe" you'll need to make a few adjustments in your building from the drawings. Just don't copy the picture, match the lines purpose to your particular vessel, if that vessel even had that line.

Great reference, and you should have one. Thanks Mr. Petersson, who by the way lives in Sweden!!

Boy, I wish I'd got this first, instead of some other books - this is just brilliant.
This book does just what its title says, teaches you in oh-so-easy steps how to rig a period ship. It makes no pretence at describing the different sizes of rigging and blocks (other books provide that info), but it does tell you exactly where each line is attached, which blocks it runs through, and, most importantly, where it is belayed ... in full-page, easy-to-understand line drawings, with all extraneous detail removed, and call-outs showing which is what. As one browses through, it all becomes clear ... rigging is not arbitrary, there are rules, and they make real sense when presented in this accessible manner.
The body of the book has ONE page of text - the rest is ALL graphics - brilliant!
In another review, I complained about that book's lack of clarity on belaying-points; this book tackles that problem in spades!
Anyone requiring a book on accurate routing of running and standing rigging need look no further - gets my 5 stars!

This book is very interesting, we took it on our last vacation and will probably take it with us again. Playing in the sand is fun for everyone. We learned a lot, but a weeks vacation is not enough to learn everything, so we'll be using it for years to come :)

I finded this book very usefull to persons (like me) who really want to start in a seriously way the construction of sandcastles: ggod and usefull tips, instructions that take you step by step in to this hobby.

Try "Beach Lover's Guide to the Perfect Sandwich" This book would go great with Sandcastles Made Simple. After all you'll be working up quite an appetite making all those sandcastles.

This is a great book if you are a budding sand castle enthusiast. It tells you what kind of sands are best, even for a backyard sand box. Detailed and well photographed so you really grasp what they are telling you. Even includes sand creations you can make with children.

This book is so fun I can't stop reading it. The descriptions of techniques are excellent, and the illustrative photos are even better. I'd say it's the next best thing to taking a live lesson in sand sculpture! It's really going to enrich my weekends this summer. I recommend this book to anyone who is going to be spending any amount of time on any beach in the near future.

I've been reviewing art books this week, and had a look at an old favorite of mine: Scribble Art. Remember when it was called "Scribble Cookies"? Yes, I'm that old!! This updated version now called "Scribble Art" (I guess the word cookies was cute but probably confusing to bookstores) is one of those books that is just perfect for parents with all ages of kids. Each project can be taken to any level, even with middle school or high school kids, all the way down to about age two or even younger with supervision. If you only own one art book, own this one.

Easy discovery art for everyone, no matter what age. This book has been around for awhile, but the ideas are still classics.

This is a great book. Own your own and use it all the time to give your kids found memories of creating things with you. The ideas are fun, well explained, and creative.

This is a great book for parents and educators alike. The projects well-detailed in this book are very comparable to techniques educators are taught to use with children in elementary and younger classrooms to promote creativity and self esteem.

This is a must have book for both parents and teachers. I keep it handy for those days when I feel like doing a project with my daugher, but I need a little help coming up with a creative idea. This book always gets us started. There's something here for everyone and it can be used with a huge variety of ages. It is truly one of the best art books we own.