Paint Books

I found this book to be very informative, especially in the details that you can't get in conversations with experts. something about writing them down. Thank you very much. I just successfully painted my old truck
Bill T.

Good book filled with current info on correct painting procedures. This book is very useful for all levels of body shop personnel or just a backyard painter.

This book showed me the entire process of car painting, from beginning to end. I successfully painted my commuter car that just won't die, two years ago, and the paint job is still looking good!

Painting a car, as a novice painter, is a VERY large undertaking (the worse shape the car, the more time it will take). This book does a good job of warning of that, but after doing it myself, I can reiterate how time consuming it can be.

The thing that this book is lacking is more talk about paint chemistry, what to look for in a paint, and how to mix the paint. I was able to piece the mixing together by talking to the people at the local PPG store (who seemed to know less than I did, after reading this book).

If you're considering painting your car yourself, I would recommend this book - it will give you good insight about how to do it, and gives a realistic picture of how difficult it can be. Just be sure that you're serious about the job, before you take it on.... it's time consuming, detail intensive, and you don't want to be the primer/bondo monstrosities that you see on the street, sometimes.

When I first started reading this book my first reaction was, "I better leave this to the professionals." As I got further in, I became more comfortable and decided to go for it. The step-by-step instructions and the illustrations made the job easy. I was very pleased with the results. I would recommend this book to anyone serious about attempting to paint their own car and getting the job done right.

Typical over load on words pertaining to auto body shop repairs and prep for painting,"but lacks in information on painting a car. Out of 159 pages of print there is only 6 pages that actually decscribes anything that ressembles painting. I wish i had known this before i wasted my money. I would not recommend this book.

Ms. Brackmann's years of experience as a working artist and teacher provide a bounty of tips for even the most seasoned surface designer. Clear, concise instruction for those trying a new technique. Insights from years of experimentation for those wishing to push boundaries in their own work. The wire bound handbook makes a great studio companion. The extensive photographs are informative and inspiring. Nice to see the work for lesser known but important northern California artists like Lolli Jacobsen included here. It's a great book.

Just could not imagine a more comprehensive handbook - I learned so much and developed a great appreciation for our fabric artists and a strong desire to try many of these techniques myself.

While this book is technically excellent, I found the majority of the visuals so-so leaving me wondering why to bother learning this!

I would like to say that this book posted to me to the correct address has never arrived and I cant find anywhere else to tell you this important fact. Lillian Smith

Others have already related the key points about this book. I just want to further confirm for everyone looking to buy it that this author really did an EXCELLENT job. She obviously is a art and TECHNICAL expert in this field. She could've taken less time and put out a book that would've gotten her a solid 4.5-star rating. Instead she obviously put in twice the time and ended up with a 10-star book. She gives you all the details that people serious about trying complicated crafts look for but rarely find without studying in the studio of a professional. I just picked this up from the NEW BOOKS rack at the library because I am generally interested in the subjected. Like the one person so far who has given her a lower rating, it did make me think that this is probably too difficult for me. But on the other hand, she has many photos showing the possibilities of what I might be able to accomplish if I did try and it's very seductive. Nothing very special worth accomplishing comes easily and that seems to also apply to fabric art. I also appreciate the thoughtfulness of her making the binding a spiral so the pages lay perfectly flat for easy reference while you follow the directions. If I decide to seriously try this craft, it will be this book that I buy and I doubt I'd even need to buy another one ever.

The series seems to have run out of steam. I loved the first books in the series, but I think the momentum is now gone. I hope if there is a next novel that it is as refreshing as the first.

As a die-hard Miss Julia fan, I eagerly await each new release. As usual, this one was loads of fun. The previous release, "Miss Julia strikes back" was so very enjoyable to me, that I knew the next book would have a tough act to follow. I was right. I love Miss Julia, but feel that this book suffered a bit from a little too much variance in action. Perhaps a little too much interplay between too many of the town's eccentric characters made it a little more confusing to me. Also, I missed the interplay between Miss Julia and Lloyd. There was definitely a lot less of it in this book. That said, it is still a fun read and one I recommend for lighthearded summer reading. When you need to laugh, there is no better place to turn to than a Miss Julia book.

Miss Julia is always fun to read and I pass them along to others to enjoy. I hope there will be more of this series.

Miss Julia is at it again. In a town where gossips abounds, characters are true to form and as moral indignation flows some funny things begin to happen. What a fun ride.

The "Miss Julia" series books are the most delightful books you will every read in your life!

This book is a must for those interested in the creative process. It is clear, inspiring and very worthwhile for artists of all mediums even though the focus is on painting.

I've never been drawn to the concept of "process painting" before. It just seemed too simplistic as ordinarily presented.

But Michele Cassou's ideas - based on decades of hard-won experience - about what encourages the creative flow and what constricts it are profoundly illuminating, detailed and sophisticated. And her sparkling observations are presented in the most enjoyably simple and down-to-earth way imaginable, to boot!

For the most part, each chapter begins with an observation about what creates a block to creativity and what releases it. It then continues on with a vignette from an interaction Michele has had with a student during one of her workshops in which she helps the student release the sort of block just discussed.

Her solutions always involve having students ask themselves a question specific to the block they're encountering. For instance, if a student feels all dried up and as if she simply has no inspiration for a painting, and then bursts out, "It's so childish!," Michele will ask her to question herself: "What would I paint if it didn't matter how childish it was?"

Quite simple and direct. And Michele's questions work with the precision of a scalpel in releasing constricted creative energy.

Through these vignettes, Michele reveals numerous presuppositions, both conscious and unconscious, that we hold about what we're allowed to feel and to do, and how they strangle our creative flow. Even more important, she reveals the way out of each of these strangleholds.

This is not just for painters; it's for anyone who feels they've encountered significant creative blocking or who would like to encounter their own creative core.

This book is simple but far from simplistic, and altogether delightful!

Painting, although the medium meant to be the subject for this book, is only a catalyst for inspiring creative thought in any venue. As a writer, I found it easy to replace writing for painting in many portions of the book. One part in particular, many creative people of all genres can relate to where it states: "If you find yourself overwhelmed by your emotions, make your brush move faster then you thoughts. It will help you disengage from the drama." "Brush" can easily be replaced by "pen" and work as effectively.

If technique and structure are what you are looking for, keep looking. This book is for those that want to create freely and be released from the guilt, judgment, and conditioning of traditionalists.

The title says it all. I would recommend this book to those of us that call ourselves artists, aspiring artists, or anyone of any age.
Great Book!!!!

This is an inspiring book on letting go and letting art come from you without your internal critic or judgements on meaning or technique. It is about Learning from Art; and letting art take you where it will. It is about discovery and play -- ultimately it is about how to get into the Process of Creating.... and stop worrying about the "product"

This is one of those books that I read and instantly thought of five friends I wanted to share it with. And it also helped jump start me to believe in making what I make; not to worry if it is too dark, too silly, too profane, too honest and vulnerable; and not to try to direct it to what I think it is supposed to be.

The book contains short chapters about challenges and personal accounts. It can be just as beneficial to open the book to any page and read what is there as a jumping-off spot. It does not tell you "how" to create your work -- but it shares why, and it also shares methods for loosening the restrictions and the blocks. "What" you create will come from you.

Sometimes living in the world is a challenge with all the other concerns and critiques of other people...but if we keep growing and learning and making/creating -- it can keep us going! Art is a respite for me; it is what gives me meaning and value in my life, it is what gives me energy. This book puts these ideas in an inspiring perspective with some humor, some philosophy, and some common sense. Don't let anyone keep you down -- and don't keep yourself down!

Artists, writers, educators, and anyone who loves any of the arts would benefit from the viewpoint of this book. No experience is necessary, just the desire to create for the fun of it -- for the play and joy and experience.

This book is very good and is directed toward the more professional person. I found the information very helpful and would recommend it to people learning to use watercolor pencils.

Fabulous painting book.Have yet to try the lessons but the instructions are set out clearly and will be easily followed.The quality of the paper in the book make it a must for art students.

I had never used watercolor before picking up this book, and now I used the techniques in the book almost exclusively. It's wonderful to be able to combine my favorite mediums and now I'm able to get the look that I was going for in my paintings. The instructions are very thorough and there are also some really nice palette suggestions.

I have admired Sueellen Ross's beautiful cat paintings for some time, and was delighted when this book was published. I am a cat artist myself, and good instruction books on how to paint cats are almost impossible to come by. Sueellen Ross has a very unique style which combines layers of ink, watercolour and coloured crayon, and builds a realistic and dramatic finished painting. The book shows step by step, not only how to paint cats, but also other animals, plants and furnishings. I tried using her techniques for a painting of my ginger cat in the washing basket, and was very pleased with the result. However, I feel that it was not quite as easy as Ms Ross claimed, and is most definitely not for beginners! This book will probably inspire you to give her techniques a go, and will therefore help to develop your art skills and knowledge. For those who are not painters, but enjoy good animal and feline art, this book will also serve as a good introduction to the work of Sueellen Ross and is a delight to look at.

The artwork is amazing. The best part for most I'm sure is her step by step instructions to create this work. She gives you instruction on her techniques that you could use on not just the work in the book but for your own work, based on your own reference material. It is realism at its best.

It is not for the beginner, you should be confident in your drawing skills, not just tracing or linework. You should know tonal value and be able to create the illusion of 3D...the better your drawings the better chance you have at succeeding with the techniques in the book.

PSP should hire Ms. Davis. This is the sort of manual that should come with any and all complicated software. Actually, their program manual was better than most, but it can't compare to Paint Shop Pro 6 Power.

Very thorough, easy to understand instructions and explanations.

However, I've heard the claim that Paint Shop Pro is an "easier" substitute for Photoshop. This claim is ridiculous. Paint Shop Pro is an excellent program, probably the best in its class. But it's not in the same class as Photoshop.

If you work at or aspire to a professional level in photography or graphic arts, bite the bullet and learn Photoshop. There is no substitute.

If you need only simple to intermediate tools, Paint Shop Pro is excellent, and this is a great book for learning it.

PSP6 is a well written informative book on the software PaintShop Pro 6. It is not only easy to understand for the novice user but also the advanced user of the program.No stone is left unturned to help you discover the the joy of using this program. I am looking forward to the announcement that Lori Davis will be doing another for the new version PSP 7.

Before I received Ms. Davis' book as a gift, I was under using my Paint Shop Pro program. After reading this excellent, informative and easy to understand book, it is easy to understand why I only use PSP 6 for all my graphics and photo refinishing. Thanks to Ms. Davis' book, my graphic designing business has increased sales! This book is on my desk beside my computer, as I use it for reference quite often. I hope Ms. Davis will also write a book on PSP 7, as I will be first in line to purchase it!

As a rank beginner I chose this book and just received my copy yesterday. It is very well written with easy to follow instructions. The color examples are invaluable and there are tips in abundance. I will be going cover to cover and I expect that in no time at all it will take me from my 'chicken scratches' to being able to make graphics with the best of them. If you can only get one book to start with, this is the one!

This is a great book to just venture through and marvel at all the wall coverings that are potential art projects. It is not for the amateur with little talent but for one who truly wants to venture into making a wall a spectatucular work of art. I read it with the anticipation of changing my house walls but one has to have money to buy the necessary supplies and also have some sense of an artistic outcome. There are so many possibilities and I recommend this book to open up your horizons.

This is a good book for us novices on how to do all those special effect finishes.

Even an idiot like me managed to produce flawless faux finishes thanks to the step-by-step guides for the various types of surfaces. Never redecorate your home without consulting this book first.

Definately a useful book, but it missed some of the subleties of doing faux techniques, such as how to soften some of the looks by going over the glaze by rubbing out a second time with a paint soaked rag (rubbing out technique). I completely remodeled a room and finished it with the rubbing out technique and I really enjoy the look.

I also would suggest getting the Behr Faux Techniques dual CD-rom set. I picked one up at my local Home Depot, and it was amazing the differences in techniques, but by using both resources, I found a method and a look that suited me.

There isn't much to dislike about this book. It certainly offers a myriad of faux finishes...good step by step photos & quite honestly...the details are some of the best out there. I like the photographs included for each method demonstrated ...they were REALISTIC...which you don't always find in books like these. Although not formally rated...it was obvious if one read each explanation whether the application would be difficult or not...some were apparent just by studying the photos. This is most helpful for faux finishers of all skill levels...as well as those more adventurous who are wanting to break new ground. I have often been disappointed by Sunset books in other segments...but they really put a feather in their cap on this book...highly recommend it!

This is a terrific book, and I own many many instructional art books. It is worth buying for the illustrations of his pictures alone. There is much to be learned from this book, I recommend it highly.

The editorial review is right in stating this is more of an inspirational book than anything. There are a few sections of the book where Buechner gets into enough detail that it can be put to use by the reader, but they are in the minority.

Look at the table of contents, then realize that nearly all the discussion in the book carries minimal technical depth. It is NOT an instruction book or tip book - it's a few interesting paintings accompanied by the meanderings of a talented painter.

If you like Buechner or his work and want the book for that reason, it's a great book with a handful of insights as a plus. If you want the book because you're an aspiring artist and it's been recommended to you - everything here is covered elsewhere again and again, but in far more depth.

This is the best art book I've bought. I love it. Inspiring and informative, it goes through many techniques such as glazing and scumbling in a helpful and achievable way. For the serious art student, I can't recommend it enough. The author presents his material in a clear and easy to understand manner and his writing is encouraging and helpful.
I always put off portrait painting because it seemed so difficult but this book changed my whole perspective. I would recommend it to any struggling or hesitant portrait painter. It's gotten me a lot more serious about my art.
I also have to say that I found the writing style clear and easy the follow. The author doesn't pontificate or put himself on a pedestle and for such a good artist to want to share his learning after a life time of painting, is one of the things that makes this book so good.
Some books you read and give away and others you keep and continue going back too. This is a keeper. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

I had been referred to this book by a female artist friend of mine a week before I wrote this review when she left to attend a workshop by the author in New York. I got my hand on this book a few days later and finished it (not in one sitting) in about two days.

This is more of an inspiration than techniques book. A very enjoyable book, indeed!

Although the author does cover the WHAT's and HOW's (along with the WHY he paints) in his book, his techniques are presented in a way that, perhaps, is more appreciated by professional artists than starters. Specifically, the author briefly presents his techniques in just one page/painting in average. Several technique demos are presented, and they are very good. If one needs to be spoonfed on every technique in oil painting, this is NOT the book to look for them. A lot of techniques he mentioned in the book can be found elsewhere. The author does provide a (long) reference citation for further reading.

What is so good about this book, instead, is the inspiration and humbleness that I feel when reading his book. Born in 1926, only began painting full time in 1987 (at 61 years of age) even though having done most "art-related" jobs since 1945, and still painting, his book is simply a natural outcome of this lifelong artist.

Thomas Buechner has written a fine book. The Sunday Painter in the subtitle might make you think this artist is an amateur who paints only occasionally. Actually, he is very professional and now a full time painter after retiring from his career as director of several museums. He conveys to his readers the secrets of layered painting in oils as opposed to alla prima, all-in-one-session painting. He really opened my eyes to the beauty of glazes and scumbling, letting previous layers show through to mix their effects in the eye of the viewer. His insights into atmospheric perspective are unique in all the books I have read and are themselves worth several times the price of this book. This book has expanded my understanding and helped me paint much more vibrant paintings than before. Thank you Thomas Buechner.

I generally prefer books about women detectives, but I am hooked on the Louis Kincaid Mysteries. He's become like an old friend !!!!

I have read three previous Louis Kincaid novels and have found them to be cutting edge. This one lacks that quality. After his ordeal in Michigan, Louis is asked to come to Florida by a friend to investigate the murder of an African American man. As he investigates, more murders in like fashion occur. As Louis searches for the murderer, he is joined by a rookie F.B.I. forensic psychologist. Territory disputes and the requisite tension between investigators ensue. The ending is a ho-hum conclusion to a ho-hum novel.

In Paint it Black, we once again catch up with Louis Kincaid, this time he's in Florida hunting a vicious serial killer who murders black men in a violent, ritualistic fashion. Louis must overcome the demons in his past, as well as those in his police chief's in order to hunt the killer down.

Slow moving at first but graduallypicks up speed, If you don't putit down, it will flow smoothlyuntil you can't put it down!Louis Kincaid is a black ex-cophired by wife of man found brutally stabbed to death, facebeaten to a pulp with traces ofblack spray paint. The scene is one of the Florida Keys; if you'vebeen there you know the beauty ofthem. Police chief Dan Wainwrightcalls for help from the FBI butfeels insulted when a profilershows up. Several more cases turnup before they finally decide thekiller is a light colored biracialperson and try to find out hisreason for the killings. A bit ofpsychology involves the problemsfaced by some biracial people.Interesting theories and smartdetective work.

In "Paint It Black" Florida author P.J. Parrish brings protagonist Louis Kincaid to Soreno Key in the Sunshine State.

Louis Kincaid's former cop boss has hooked Louis up with a local lawyer for some investigative work.

His attempt to clear his client of murder leads to a search for a serial killer.

Louis and the Soreno Key PD work well together and are joined by a feisty, rookie FBI profiler. This alliance is further strengthened as they attempt to prevent an incompetent county sheriff from botching the investigation.

This is an efficient police procedural filled with nifty twists and turns. I bit on enough of the subtle red herrings to remain in doubt until the conclusion.

"Paint It Black" is nominated for this year's Anthony Award in the Paper Back Original category. Well deserved!

This is a smart series with a strong lead character; solid secondary characters and now set in Southwest Florida.

I look forward to the further adventures of Louis Kincaid.

I am an above average beginner and I saw this book advertised on her web site and decided I had to have it. It was only available used and at a very high price but I put it on my wish list and soon one came up in my price range and I snapped it up. It is really a nice book with useful information but a little complex. I wish that there were more steps shown in the projects. But still my end results are not too shabby so I still highly recommend this book.

Susan is an excellent artist. Her method of painting is a bit more time consuming but if you don't want to crank out paintings like a production line, this is the way to paint watercolor flowers. They will be worth the extra effort, believe me! My florals have improved dramatically and are worth framing now,so thank you,thank you, Susan. I also have her DVD and the combination book/DVD is wonderful. She isn't afraid to share her many tips and techniques that other artists don't. I have many art books but I rate Susan's a definite 10.

This wonderful, beautiful book by Susan Harrison-Tustain was anticipated with great expectations. It did not disappoint. I have gone back and read, and re-read it all and passages that were of the most interest to me. Having begun a journey of painting watercolor florals, I attempted to get all the newest books about that. This one is one of the best I've ever seen. It seemed to surpass many of the older books that I have collected by far.

Cecilia Price

Although the artist produces beautiful paintings, her techniques seem tedious and laborious. She admits "...my paintings take several weeks to complete ..." p.14. She glazes many washes of watercolor over double-wetted ("priming")drawings: "The quintessence of my style is the gentle buildup of fine wash upon wash." p. 30. She says, "even the delicate, light shades in my paintings require several washes." p.36 In essence, you would be painting over your painting several times; it's like painting the same picture over and over. I wish someone would write a book on alla prima watercolor painting.

I first came across this book at our monthly flower painters class, and was so impressed with it I ordered it from Amazon straight away.It has become my Flower Painters Bible with good informative instruction on painting in stages and design. I often open the book for inspiration, and members of the class dive into it.