Paint Books

David Oliver explains his inspirations for colors and how he believes they should be used. Some of this "educational" text was jaw-droppingly basic like his explaining of the basic color wheel. Some of the images he used were beautiful, but most were not transferable to a normal home. A lot of sales-pitching for his products, but even then I would have loved to have seen some papers (they were only talked about in text, never shown). Most useful were his detailed outlines of how he uses color in a specific interior (i.e. Georgian style or modern) which is the last, and not very long, chapter. Three stars might be generous, but I think he did convince me of some color principles that I would have strayed foolishly from on my own.

"Paint the Town Red" is the second in the Wilcox series, but feels like the earliest. Set in 1929, it takes place just before the Great Crash. An old flame from Carl's past, Eleanor, is staying at the Wilcox hotel. Carl has to run it because his parents were in a bad car accident, and are still recovering. Soon, everyone from G-Men, to Chicago gangsters think Carl knows where some missing money is. It is up to Carl to find the missing money before he gets killed. Good story, with enough for most mystery fans. It really does feel like 1929 South Dakota.

I was somewhat disappointed in this book. Some of the featured projects are very nice, others I didn't like at all. That's to be expected, so okay. But the material on tools and techniques I didn't find very helpful. It's a bit outdated as to materials, too. It's good as a third or fourth book on this subject, perhaps. Much better, in my opinion, is "Elegant Porcelain and Glass Painting Projects" by Carin Heiden Atkins.

I've always been pleased by In Detail publications and own a few of their titles in English - books I often refer to while designing my work. I was intrigued by this one while researching stucco techniques for a new project - my first such.

For the first time - and in a bad way, since expectations were high - In Detail has let me down. Every case study presented in this book is for plaster applied over concrete substrates. Not a single example of plaster applied to wood frame construction! To add insult to injury, all the window/door head and jamb details are way too similar to really be worth including for "variety". The entire book could be reduced to an article in their magazine!

I wish I had an alternative title to recommend to you. For now all I can tell you is: if you're looking for a good range of information regarding finishing walls with stucco, this isn't it. If you just want to complete your collection of In Detail issues, try checking it out in person to see if you still think it's worth the shelf space and its price.

The book begins with a list of definitions of painting terms such as focal point and detail. It continues by explaining how to paint scumble, sky and clouds. There is a color chart of how colors change when glazing is done.

Next is instructions on painting breakers, foam bursts, sparkles, ripples foam trails and scud. By now you have mastered all the techniques you need to paint seascapes and clouds so it is time to start painting real pictures.

There are five different pictures to paint. Full sized templates are included. The instructions for each painting include the surface, paints needed and color assignments and mixtures. The final item is preparation instructions.

I noticed that all the ocean waves looked pretty much alike in that the waves broke at the same height and had the same amount of foam and curl. The rest of the scenes in the various pictures were different so you get a variety of mountains, different clouds, waterfalls and flowers.

I would not list this as a true beginner's book but rather a book for someone with some painting experience who wishes to branch out to acrylics.

there is not a lot of information on formulation in terms of percentages of components typically used in water-born coatings. Most of the information deals with principles of waterborn coatings. Things like what types of polymers are used. differences between watersoluable polymers, emmulsions and colloidal dispersions. what types of additives are used for specific problems like fungus growth, corrosion control, collescing agents etc. The Author uses the phrase "to be sure" so much that it gets anoying

Michael Bossom has produced a reference publication for the new and experienced encaustic painter.
Although a book covereing only a few facets of encaustic paining techniques, they are clearly explained for everyone to follow. From the beginning the reader can feel the passion for encaustics that Michael has in his chosen art form. Not afraid to share the little facts that help a new person to encaustics prepare for the exploration of the encaustic journey, he walks you through the various forms of working with wax.
He combines his own exquisite encaustic paintings and then explains in easy to follow detail how to achieve the same sort of result.
His almost exclusive use of the encaustic iron and the stylus to produce the magical artwork makes this ancient artform,(some 2,500 years old)mystical and childlike, especially the fantasy elements.
The book is a 'must have' for the beginner and a 'I've got it in my art library' for the experienced encaustic painter.

If you are looking for ancient encaustic techniques or instruction on becoming a Museum caliber encaustic artist, this is not your book. But, if you want to learn wax painting for pure fun and enjoyment, you are Michael Bossom's target. The instructions will get you started, and from there it's up to your imagination. I have no artistic background, had never heard the word "encaustic", and have never had a lesson in my 65 years. But following the book and video got me on my way to recently receiving a Fine Art Show First Place. Use the book as it's written, have fun, and good luck.

Well, it's my own fault. I read the other reviews here and still bought the book. I was disappointed with the content (which wasn't very helpful for a novice) the artwork in the book, as well as the SIZE of the book. If you want to learn how to do Encaustic painting - you won't learn it here. All the author tells you is that you melt some wax on an iron and spread it around. He doesn't even touch on the other forms of Encaustic painting, such as using a "crock pot" and a brush - just as one example.

Just a fun way to get used to using melted pigment with an iron. Obviously not the ONLY way one can use Encaustics, and perhaps not for everyone. (Especially not for those who don't believe fun and art should be used in the same sentence.) Well, Jasper Johns numbers didn't look like serious Art to me. In fact, I dare to say that anyone looking at them back when he melted them onto those canvases (maybe used an iron??)....wouldn't have known if he made those for an Altered book cover (Craft?) or if their teenager did them one rainy Saturday for their school fair. But then again, art is and has been hype for decades in this part of the world, and I just have a problem with these self appointed critics who like to think they can judge whatever they don't consider to be "art" to be "craft." Gee, I wonder why the chinese don't separate their Art into "Fine Art" and "Decorative Art." Obviously there is something in their culture which doesn't require them to be separatists or snobs, Art is just the whole process.

If you want to learn a CRAFT to wow your friends, neighbors and the folks at the local crafts fair, this is the book for you. If, however, you're looking to create fine art through encaustic painting, save your money.

I opened the book and never put it down. Excellent, I felt I was in a class-room. The downloads were perfect for using with the lessons. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick course in PSS-Pro X.
The book opens a world of creative thinking. .
Paulie

This book is more of ideas book. I picked this up from the other reviews I read, so I wasnt dissappointed. I purchased Paint shop for photographers as well, which gives the how to. This book is light on for advice on how to, but has lots of projects to inspire. Good value overall.

If you are looking to make "trick photos" and are new to PSP then this might be for you. If you are looking to use PSP to tweak and fine-tune, or even make drastic changes to improve pictures, this is not the book. It is more gimmicky than practical. There are much better books if you are serious about learning how to work with PSP. I was very disappointed with this book.

I am really disappointed in the book and the publishers. Suppose to download sample photos to do projects which are nowhere to be found on their website. They do not even bother to attend to any correspondence send to them. Needless to say, I'll never buy a book from Sams Publishing again. I was your client.

I am a newbie at photoediting and was looking to learn how to use my new program. I liked the book's format, which is to learn by doing projects. However the author must assume the reader already knows the basics. He left out vital instructions and I was unable to complete most of the projects.

This book gives you great ideas. But quilters are a busy bunch of people. It would have been a much better book if the author would have included some patterns. Majority of the ladies in my quilting club look for a pattern and have a terrible time making their own patterns. If I would have known it didn't contain patterns I wouldn't have purchased it. But I did so thru a book club. I design and make personable quilts and have been in the business for quite some time.

The layout of this book is not standard to other quilt books- pattern and instructions together. It does have some good ideas and cute patterns; however, directions are given at the very beginning, then followed by the patterns leaving the reader to guess what category it falls under. ie: The paper-piecing patterns are shown 3 to a page (small); but the reader must return to the beginning to discover they must enlarge the piece to achieve a particular block size and how to construct it. I reviewed the book first from the library, and I am contemplating purchasing a used book if the price is right from Amazon. I would not recommend this for a beginning quilter.

I purchased this book, sight unseen, because I am a collector of quilt block books. I love reviewing the books and planning my next project, this book, claiming to have '336' quilt blocks seemed to be ideal. Well, I was wrong. Dead Wrong.

The layout of this book is TERRIBLE. It features six eye-poppingly colorful blocks per page which most of which are not pieced, but are merely DRAWN. There are illustrations which claim to be patterns but there are no actual measurements included. Sure, this looks good....But...The reader is left wondering how to put it all together.

I think it is disingenuous NOT to show completed pieced blocks in a quilt block book or measurements. I probably will try to put a couple of the "Tree" blocks together, but I think it will be challenging.

Recommended: No. A good 'idea' book, but not for careful piecers, and certainly NOT easy to complete in 10 minutes!

Though, I agree with Eileen's review on some points, I disagree that this is an essentially worthless book. If for nothing else it gets beginners and/or other "blocked" artists painting at least Something! I enjoyed this book and going through the exercises as Practice when I started taking up painting again. At the price this book is going for now on amazon, you can't beat it.

Such a shame - very seldom do I end up buying a book as poor as this one! Besides having awful art work to go by, the instructiveness is not very good. I suppose if you like quick, childlike sketches, this would be interesting, but it didn't do it for me. If I hadn't waited so long, I would return it.

I had really looked forward to getting this book in the mail. But I have just finished reading the book and I am very disappointed. The author shows you how she painted 10 different paintings. And while that sounds good, it somehow didn't work to help to teach you how to paint on your own. To begin, most of the paintings are explained in about 6 short steps. I appreciate that the author wanted to keep the copy part brief, but it is of course impossible to really understand and paint a picture in 6 brief steps. And the author never really outlines strong principles behind what is happening, so you end up feeling that MAYBE you could paint the picture in that she demonstrated, but you are not really given enough to walk away and paint your own painting. In addition, I am assuming that the book expects you to learn by actually painting the examples and "following along". And yet the book does not provide a photograph of the scene to be painted; so that you could look and make choices for yourself. Instead you must follow just what the author did, which feels very juvenile. I would prefer to learn by making some of my own choices, instead of doing an exact copy of someone else's painting. And in fact before the author even starts the book's lessons, she provides a big fat copyright warning that states that if you choose to "follow along" and paint any of the paintings in the book, that you are not allowed to sign the painting or show the painting anywhere. Which seems a bit cheeky, given that this is the only thing you get out of this book...

If you really want to learn how to paint with oils, my suggestion would be to buy the book Painting the Impressionist Landscape by Lois Griffel. When I finished that book, I was so inspired, and my painting ability dramatically improved from that day forward.