Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. What Rough Beast? is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Jefferson Highe is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Jefferson Highe then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Capture the charm of children in a fresh and lively manner.

Discover the secrets to painting portraits that radiate the magical spark of childhood. Inside, you'll learn how to use the fresh, direct medium of pastel to capture realistic likenesses, as well as the unique spirits of your young subjects - from little ballerinas and flower pixies, to cowboys and explorers.

• 15 mini-demonstrations illustrate basic techniques, from creating a color wheel to painting expressive hands, facial features and clothing.
• 9 complete step-by-step demonstrations explore a range of poses, skin tones, hair types and fabric textures.
• Friendly instruction covers lighting, poses, color, composition, background and other elements of successful portraits.

Customer Reviews (12)

Worth the price
I've worked professionally in different mediums, but haven't worked in pastel in quite a long time.So it was almost like starting over.I am interested in doing portraits of adults,and children too and I admire Bev Lee's pastel style.The things i found helpful that were included in this book. Handling of skin tones,a good selection of types of papers anddrawing properties of various pastels by company.Ms. Lee has a spontaneous quality in her pastels work which breaths life into her portraits of children. A very good book.

Exceptional
Bev Lee is an artist of exceptional talent. She takes the time to describe materials, tools, and techniques thoroughly.Her many demos are very well illustrated and described.Her pastel techniques are considerably different than the acrylic techniques that I'm used to, but I can't argue with the results.They are excellent.

Painting Children
THis is a excellant book. I got the book first and then took a pastel class. It is so detailed telling you how to paint the lips, eyes, ears etc. For years I have done watercolor and this book has helped with it, but now that I took a pastel class it is so much fun the book will also help me along with that. I highly recommend it.

Book arrived on time in perfect condition
This book arrived in brand new conditionas promised andon time. I was very pleased and will think first of Amazon in the future. Thank you.

All I ever wanted to know about painting children
Painting Children is an excellent book and gives many helpful hints on working from photos as well as life. ... Read more

Product Description
Clues to the meaning of many of the masterpieces of art history lie in a rich system of symbols, themes, and motifs that often eludes modern museum-goers. The intimate knowledge of Christian theology, Greek and Roman mythology, and folklore that was so vivid in the minds of viewers during the Renaissance is rarely part of the preparation the contemporary viewer brings to a painting. This insightful, anecdotal, portable book-with 1,000 gorgeous color illustrations-helps to fill in those gaps by decoding the imagery of more than 150 of the most influential and admired artworks of all time.

Covering the works of the Italian, Netherlandish, German, and Spanish Old Masters, from 1450 to 1750-paintings by artists such as Giotto, Botticelli, El Greco, Bruegel, Holbein, Rubens, and Vermeer, all held in public collections-How to Read a Painting not only helps the viewer to understand the significant details of a picture but also explains the relationship with similar imagery in other works. The guide to Old Master paintings that every art lover has always wanted, this indispensable museum companion will open the reader to a whole new experience of Western art's most praised and visited paintings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Whets the appetite
A great little book if you're looking for basic lessons on art symbolism. Definitely leaves the reader wanting more details, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, if you have time to do more in-depth research when needed.The illustrations and highlights are well thought out. But overall, was hoping to get a lot more from this book.

Misleading Title
Let me start by saying that the book is very nice. The overall quality is good, all the images, albeit a little small, are in color (as a book on art should be) with 'zoomed in' sections to support the author's comments. There are over 170 works of art featured on good quality paper bound properly and is, all in all, a great value for your money.

A similar title to this is Mary Acton's 'Learning to Look at Paintings'. Though in comparison, de Rynck's book is like a Deluxe Suite in the Ritz next to Acton's book, more like a Standard Room at the Holiday Inn. But whilst Acton's book is full of MEAT, an overload of information broken down to the various aspects of a painting, De Rynck's is more like GARNISH -- a brief summary of the artist and the work itself, each spread over 2 pages of several images and commentary typically no more than 300 words.

Here's an example of how disappointing some of the entries can be:
In da Vinci's The Virgin and Child with St Anne, this is the introduction -- "The Virgin Mary sits on the lap of Anne, her mother, while taking hold of Jesus' waist. The child is playing with a lamb. The three of them sit in a mountainous landscape. Leonardo received the commission for this altarpiece from the Florentine monastery of Santissima Annunziata. He did not, however, finish it: along with the Mona Lisa, the painter kept hold of this panel until his death."

Along with the painting shown, there were 3 'zoomed in' sections of the painting that de Rynck used to support a short paragraph on the symbolic depiction of the lamb with Jesus and 2 references to the Mona Lisa. Additionally, there was also a paragraph on the two main 'ways' the Holy Family had been painted.

Frankly, I did not need a book to tell me that.

And unless you were blind, have never seen the Mona Lisa and completely ignorant to even the most basic Christian symbols, you don't either. Sure, the background information on the commission, etc, were welcomed nuggets but they do not contribute in any way to helping the reader to 'Read a Painting' through the 'Lessons from the Old Masters'.

Another case in point. Acton used Vermeer's Young Woman in Blue Reading a Letter to illustrate her point on Harmony & Balance in the section on Composition. She dedicated 7 pages to this -- relating visual points like horizontal and vertical lines, tonal contrast, colors, etc, and other in-depth notes on influences from predecessor painters and comparisons with his peers and artists from a later period. For good measure, Acton even threw in a couple of pages on David Hockney's using a camera obscura contraption, that Vermeer likely used for compositional assistance, to sketch a Portrait of Brad Bontems.

In contrast, De Rynck used 2 pages on a precis on The Kitchen Maid. Less than 300 words in all. That said, his points were supported by 6 'zoomed in' images that showed more details on colors, shadow and, to some extent, a glimpse of the reason why Vermeer was such a master at using light in his paintings.

Which is better? Both. Or none. I learnt a lot more from Acton but enjoyed myself more with de Rynck.

If you were looking for a quickie guide to some of the masterpiece works, this and its sibling book 'How to Read a Modern Painting: Lessons from the Modern Masters' would do very nicely. If you want more information or details, consider also getting Mary Acton's 'Learning to Look at Paintings' and 'Learning to Look at Modern Art'.

not just another nice painting to look at
i am not an art major by any stretch, but i enjoy visiting museums and marvelling in these detailed and complex creations.i purchased this book after several visits to the art museum.now, after reading - actually devouring every page - i have a much greater and deeper appreciation and understanding for these masterpieces. true, as it is not a substitute for an in-depth examination and education into the whole of the painting, it does highlight various areas of the work and also relates some history of the time, why it is located/depicted in that manner, and of the master.it also has given me the desire to linger longer over many other masterpieces to see where i might look for significances and meanings to the placements of persons or objects gaining another perspective of the work - instead of 'just looking at a nice painting'.

not very helpful if you need a formal analysis
i bought this book to help me write my art paper. i am in college and am the furthest thing from an art major. this book really did not help me at all. they just have many images and tell you some hidden symbolism in each painting. it's a very good book if you are interested in just gaining some insight into the painting that you may have missed but, otherwise it's not the best book.

excellent reference
This book was hard to put down. Each painting was a new story that revealed information I would have never known. I started it as I was planning a trip to Rome and Florence and it opened up a world for me that I would otherwise have been ignorant of while visiting the museums where some of these paintings hung. My only critisism would be that it didn't go into much depth-just mostly basic symbolism.
Good for reference and also entertaining. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Easy Art Book
Everythig about this book is easy to understand and the author make instructions very clear about how to go about the projects and to awake ones imagination to create! Thanks! ... Read more

Product Description
A captivating, colorful examination of the ways in which Proust incorporated artists and the visual arts in his work.À la recherche du temps perduby Marcel Proust is one of the most profoundly visual works in Westernliterature. Not only are there frequent references to specific works ofart, notably during the narrator's visits to Venice and in hisevaluations of the style of the imaginary painter Elstir, but certaincharacters are also evoked by comparison to particular paintings. Bloch'sappearance as a boy is likened to the portrait of Mohammed II byGentile Bellini; Odette de Crécy strikes Swann by her resemblance to afigure in a Botticelli fresco. Even the lesser figure of a certain Mme.Blattin becomes the subject of Proustian mischief by being described as"exactly the portrait of Savonarola by Fra Bartolomeo." EricKarpeles has identified and located the many paintings to which Proustmakes reference; in other cases, where only a painter's name ismentioned to indicate a certain style or appearance, Karpeles has chosena representative work to illustrate the impression that Proust soughtto evoke.

With some 200 paintings beautifully reproduced in fullcolor and texts drawn from the Moncrieff/Kilmartin/Enright translation,as well as concise commentaries on the novel's evolving story, this bookis an essential addition to the libraries of Proustians everywhere. Thebook also includes an authoritative introduction examining the variousways in which Proust used paintings and the arts to extend hisdescriptive vocabulary, and a comprehensive index of artists andpaintings mentioned in the novel. 200 full-color paintings ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

more than a guide
I bought a guide to reading Proust and decided only to read its essays on the Dreyfus Affair and the Belle Epoque leaving unread the summerizations of plot and character synopsis because I felt relying on a guide to the novel would subtract from my reading experience, but when I saw this book I thought it might add to my reading pleasure. And it did.
Paintings in Proust illustrates Proust's at times esoteric allusions to obscure artists and their works whose reputations crested in Proust's lifetime and now are remembered only by devotees to art history, as well as showing revered and lesser known works of painters of the pantheon as they are alluded to in the fecund groves of Proust's paralleslisms.Paintings in Proust synthesizes so coherently with Proust's epic it surpasses its own subtitle declaring itself to be a visual companion to In Search of Lost Time becoming for me an integral addendum to the novel.
in addition a sharp concise introduction(the longer an introduction no matter how well it begins becomes blunted as it lengthens) elucidates the intertwining of Proust's thoughts with artistic theories and his famous work with the paintings his memory.

Paintings in Proust
Great guide to the paintings in Proust - thus the name. Highly recommended for readers of the Master.

Quality of Reproductions
To the general praise for this wonderful book, I want only to add that the illustrations are of unusually high quality.They almost glow, so careful the author was.To take just one instance, the "little patch of yellow wall" that Elstir remembers as he is dying, from Vermeer's View of Delft, is vibrant, far more so than in many Vermeer reproductions.

Wonderful companion to Proust
I am halfway through reading the In Search for the Lost Time books, and am using this book as a side reference. It'ts a wonderful work, that brings life to the works of art referenced in Proust's books.

The chapters are divided according to the books, and you advance in this book as your reading of the "Search" progresses. Everytime Proust writes about a painting (or sculpture), the quote is transcribed and a nice full page reproduction is presented.

A gem, indispensible for Proust lovers and for first-time readers like me.

Lost no more
Karpeles incisive work makes this classic come alive and more meaningful than one could imagine. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the author’s successful courses and workshops, Painting for the Absolute and Utter Beginner really does start at the beginning, helping new painters find "what works" while providing information on all the necessary tools, tips, and techniques they’ll need to create a representational painting.

The chapters follow a progressive sequence that teaches basic skills through practical, accessible exercises–how to handle a brush, achieve the right paint consistency, mix color, and create dimension–building a solid foundation that readers can rely on as painting projects grow more challenging.

A special feature is the artwork and commentary of real students, which helps beginners set realistic goals and shows them how other artists at the same level of experience have worked through inevitable setbacks to achieve success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Stuff I missed in school
Even if this reinforces stuff I already know I was glad to read that I had thought of that idea.I like a teacher who teaches, learn the rules and then feel free to break the ones you choose.Helped me get into the bigger round brush which was a missing element in my brush cup.

Extremely basic
It's always hard to tell how useful art books will be. I have an art degree but it's from over 30 yrs. ago and I have considered myself a beginner starting again as a painting student, so I felt this would be helpful to me. Although, as the title says, it is truly for the absolute and utter beginner. If you've never held a brush or even thought about painting an object, this would probably be a book for you. I found it utterly and absolutely too basic. I also didn't think the quality of the work presented was very good, not something I'd want to emulate.

Buy This Book
I stumbled on "Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner," which opened a whole new world to me.Now there is "Painting for the Absolute and Utter Beginner."Claire Watson Garcia has created two books that are perfect for a novice (like me).

Her method -- well-explained, gently encouraging step-by-step instruction -- makes learning the basics easy and relatively painless.Seeing other beginners' artwork and comments helps, too.

Even if you are insecure about your ability, you'll find that you suddenly are quite amazingly drawing and painting!There couldn't be a better introduction to making art.

Dawn D.

The Best Book for the Absolute and Utter Beginner
I have had the good fortune to have taken several art classes with Claire.She makes drawing and painting fun!Her instructional techniques in class are always very clear and well organized.

This book is almost as good as her classes.The information is presented very systematically, from how to use the book itself to how handle the brushes and to mix the paint. The chapters answer the many questions beginners often have since it is based on her many years of teaching experience with novice painters.The only thing missing is her wonderful presence which is ever so helpful and reinforcing, no matter what your painting level.

A much needed addition to instructional books on painting. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Good study of Cape Cod Artist
For the artist must study; this book brings out the ideas of color in the right shape and place to draw the painting.It's an interesting comcept and a diffrent approach that should be considered.A great example of a student surpassing his teacher and refining the instruction process.Best way to learn... teach.
A good read for the artist looking to refine his thinking on color a bit more....
hy

If you're a serious oil painter, you need this book
I hesitated to buy this book for two years based on the lack of reviews here on Amazon.Someone I trust recommended it so I finally purchased it.I am so glad I did.It may be short, but it is one of the finest oil painting instruction books I own. Buy this book, read it and then read it again and again.

A great and interesting book
This book is about Hensche's thoughts and insights to painting the landscape and about the Portrait and figure. Alot of valuble information in such a little book. Well worth the price. It could be used as reference book, to be reread over and over.There was a chapter on Seeing that I liked very well.Though I am a pastel painter and he focuses on oil, the information is well suited for any medium.

An Excellent Read
Very informative.I agree with his feelings about professors telling you to go get 'm tiger without providing enough basic information and that we need to get back to drawing as a basis for painting.

Some useful painting pointers and a few historical insights but...
I found this book far less useful for practical painting pointers than those based on the teachings of Hawthorne, William Morris Hunt, Henri and Sloan. Granted, those are tough acts to follow, but there it is. What I did find fascinating was Hensche's perspective. Clearly, he greatly admired Charles Hawthorne, as he should. He even went as far as to suggest that Hawthorne in some ways eclipsed Monet and bridged the gap to the abstract expressionists ... maybe in some ways. What I found absurd was Hensche's suggestion that he had gone beyond Hawthorne (and therefore beyond Monet!). Hey, I've heard from some of his students that Hensce was a great teacher and a nice guy ... and I don't doubt that, but in my opinion, as an artist, he never painted anything of tremendous merit. On another topic, the book shed some fascinating, although brief, insight on a rivalry between Henri and Hawthorne that I had never heard of before. Also, there are some refreshingly blunt statements that Hensce made summing up a couple dozen artists from Rubens to Andy Warhol at the end of the book. So, the book is worth a quick read if this sort of thing interests you. I'm glad I bought and read the book (it is brief and inexpensive) even though I don't think it was outstanding. ... Read more

Product Description

The quick-start guide to great results!

Oil painting doesn’t have to be rocket science, although some books on the subject make it seem that way. Filled with encouraging, easy-to-follow instruction, Oil Painting for the Absolute Beginner is a no-fear, no-experience-required guide to enjoyable painting andhappy results. Focusing on the needs of the first-time painter, this book covers everything from selecting brushes and setting up your palette to key principles of color and composition, presented in a way that moves you confidently from first strokes to finished paintings.

· Mini demonstrations break down fundamental painting techniques in a clear, common sense way

· 12 step-by-step painting projects progress from simple landscapes, still life and flower paintings to more challenging subjects, such as animals, seascapes and portraits

· The bonus DVD-workshop features the author creating two paintings from start to finish

You’ll learn tricks for keeping the greens in your landscapes looking fresh, advantages to working with water-soluble oil paints, simple tips for dynamic compositions and other expert advice to make your introduction to oil painting the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Customer Reviews (1)

Simply the Best!
Three years ago I reviewed Mark and Mary Willenbrink's "Drawing for the Absolute Beginner" and was highly enthusiastic in my praise.The book was true to its title, more so than the majority of introductory drawing books out there, and gave me a wonderful introduction to the complex world of visual art.

In May of last year, the Willenbrink's 2nd volume - "Watercolor for the Absolute Beginner" - was reissued by North Light Books.And now comes the 3rd and possibly best installment in the series - "Oil Painting for the Absolute Beginner".

Being a beginner at anything is often uncomfortable, confusing and frustrating, and art is certainly no exception.I once attended a "beginner's" art class and was almost immediately subjected to lengthy discussions about intensity, composition, symmetry, negative space and a dozen other terms I had never heard before.When it came time to put brush to canvas, the things I really needed to know seemed so basic that I was too embarrassed to ask...How much paint should I use?Do I start with a pencil sketch?How should I hold the brush?How high should I set my easel?How do I use all these tools and materials? Etc.Because of the instructor's assumptions and my lack of a proper foundation, the class was, for me, discouraging and largely unproductive.

And this is what makes the "Absolute Beginner" series so wonderful.The authors, while clearly very serious and very talented artists, are completely aware of what it means to be a beginner.They understand the importance of those first baby steps in getting their students on the correct path, while not confusing them with concepts they may not yet be ready for.As such, the layout of this book is an example of perfect simplicity.Chapter one presents a fine overview of oil painting materials; chapter two looks at basic art principles, each one clearly explained in terms any student can comprehend; chapter three takes the student through the basic techniques of oil painting - paint mixing, brushstrokes, applying and lifting paint, cleaning brushes, and more; and finally, chapter four guides the student through more than fifteen painting exercises, covering still lifes, landscapes, figures and portraits.As with their two previous books, the Willenbrinks have succeeded magnificently in their presentation.

Since pencils and watercolors are easier to work with than oils, you would do yourself a huge favor by picking up the drawing and watercolor volumes of the "Absolute Beginner" series and working through those books before proceeding to this wonderful volume.You will be well on your way to great success in the incredible world of art.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (15)

Interesting.....
A good book, author could have left out some of the background info and added more instruction on technique.

An excellent guide for the beginning Sumi-e student.
As someone who has had a life long love affair with the Japanese Martial arts as well as Asian calligraphy and painting, I found this book highly informative and interesting.This book covers the basic introduction to Japanese ink painting.This text begins with the background of ink painting, and moves into the brush used, the type of ink and the paper and/or silk used in this art.Painting techniques are also explained as well as how to practice the brush strokes.In conclusion, this is a beautiful book that will be of value for anyone interested in Japanese ink painting.Rating:4 stars.Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Season of the Warrior: a poetic tribute to warriors, Martial art and self-defense myths, Never Trust a Politician, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques).

Fast and functional
This came so fast I couldn't believe it.It was just what we were looking for and just in the right amount of time.The book is perfect for a beginner looking to learn the right way.It's easy to follow and is a great teaching tool.

Japanese Sumie Brush Painting
This is one of the best of my 4 sumi-e books. Okamoto creatively covers the basics of ink, brush, and paper. She beautifully describes the primary strokes, how to utilize color and even illustrates the application of sumi-e painting to masterpiece artwork and scenes from every day life. This is an excellent book for a budding sumi-e artist.

Not just eye appealing
This book is almost like having a personal instructor.Understandable descriptions of technique throughout. ... Read more

Product Description
It's one-stop shopping for all things one-stroke! Presented in reference-book format, more than 60 complete step-by-step demonstrations plus 10 gorgeous examples of great composition and design offer readers the fastest and best way to learn One-Stroke painting. With 400+ color photos, all of Donna Dewberry's most popular subjects are covered in step-by-step detail, including flowers, trees, fruit, berries, birds, insects, leaves, borders, garlands and more. Readers can start at the beginning to learn the basics, or they can flip through the pages to locate what they want right away, making this the perfect title for decorative painters of any skill level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great book!
The book I ordered was in prefect shape and it came in a timely manner. I have no complaints whatsoever!

Donna's Best Book Yet!
This is Donna's best book yet.It's a good book for beginner painters. The instructions are very visual and easy to follow. There's no question as to what color or brush to use. I am an intermediate painter and this book inspires me with its pages of bright colors, flowing composition and helpful hints.

Great and not great
This book isn't for the very beginner in Donna's one-stroke - not as much info as I've seen in her videos and a couple of her early books on how to actually perform the strokes. But if you know her basics, this is a great book to get a lot of ideas for a variety of subjects. I've decided I'm going to work through one project a week for practice and for the fun of it, as they look like most will only take one evening. I figure by the end of it, I'll be pretty well practiced with her techniques and have a lot of good reference material to boot.

painter of flowers
Donna Dewberry is often on TV selling this book. As an artist myself, I was looking for a book that offered a variety of approaches to painting flowers. Donna's books offer the same approach to painting, where everything looks the same. She is hightly successful and the work produced always looks beautiful, but it was not what I wanted.

Terrific new book!!
A very nice selection from Donna with some new twists.Highly recommend to add to your collection of OneStroke Books--the price was great too! ... Read more

Product Description
Add life, color, texture and individuality to your work!

What?s next? If you?re ready to go beyond the basics, and see what watercolor can really do, this is the book for you! Inside, a wealth of ?creative departures? will take you out of your comfort zone, making the difference between pigment on paper and original, expressive works of art.

Updated and better than ever, this edition of Watercolor Tricks & Techniques features:

• New watercolor materials and applications along with fresh insights on many tried-and-true techniques
• 15 step-by-step demonstrations showing techniques in action for beautiful finished paintings
• 3 possibility-packed sections - Liquid Aids, Dry Helpers and Indispensable Tools - exploring the possibilities of powdered pigments, granulating mediums, liquid mask, Yupo paper and much more
• A handy, self-standing easel binding that keeps your hands free, so you can try the techniques as you read along with the instruction
Whether you?re an advanced beginner ready to add a little zing to your repertoire or a seasoned painter looking to push your watercolor boundaries, this book will make the journey as exciting as the final destination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good but limited
I notice that most of the 5 star raves for this book are from people who have written only one review - the one for this book. Friends of the author? In any event I overcame my doubts and got the book. But was disappointed. The book is a collection of mostly one page descriptions of various materials that can be used in combination with watercolours for various effects - aluminum, turpentine, gesso, etc.Excellent descriptions and somewhat useful and nice to have in one place. However the demos and step by step were few, and the quality of the exampled work not that inspiring. So I am giving it three stars for the usefulness of the lists it gives of really interesting materials that can be used with watercolours, but I feel a lot more of the book was filler, and much better examples of demos, step by steps, and wonderful watercolor work can be found elsewhere.

Another Winner

Whenever I find a book that I love and will use again and again, I can't help thinking of it as the perfect gift for another watercolorist--some just getting started, others with experience who will find innovative ideas and techniques in Cathy Johnson's book.It is exciting to share favorites, so I am ordering another copy.I have other Cathy Johnson books, and I've learned from each one.

Great Painting and. Musings
This book wax brought to a workshop I was teaching. When I saw it Iknew I had to have a copy. Amazon Marketplace came through again. The used copy I received is in near perfect condition. This is a happy addition to my refference library.

Wow!
What a great book! Love the spiral bound format and the illustrations great for instruction and are extremely lovely as well.I am so glad I discovered her on the Nature Sketch blog. She is my kind of painter. I know I will enjoy this book for many years to come. I can hardly wait to get started.

A Reference Book for Anyone Interested in Watercolors
This is an amazing book. There are many techniques and types of products that are reviewed and for every one there are original watercolor paintings prepared by Cathy to demonstrate what is in the text.The first section is perfect for someone just buying their first set of artist grade watercolor paints.The remaining sections carefully review many, many ways to create more advanced effects.It is written clearly and is both a basic and reference book for beginning and advanced painters.I read it through completely and now I'm ready to go back and try some of the methods that are new to me. ... Read more

Product Description
It's Bob Ross. The man with the gentle voice who can paint a landscape in thirty minutes right before your very eyes in your own living room.

Reaching millions of homes every day, Bob Ross is unquestionably America's favorite art instructor. Now avaiable in paperback, The Best of the Joy of Painting -- Bob Ross's first book -- contains sixty of his favorite paintings, all of them originally created during the Joy of Painting show.

Each painting comes complete with a full-color photo and a series of black-and-white instructional photos, accompanied by step-by-step instructions that guide you through the painting process. With this book in hand, you will be amazed at the ease and skill with which youcan create your own Bob Ross original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Best of Joy of Painting
The book instructions are very easy to follow, and even I as artistically impaired as I am did a pretty good job on my first go through.One comment though, a personal preference- I did not think these were the "best" compared to the TV show, but certainly enough to get started.

i like the video better but the pictures are great to remember him
I think the video would be nice to have and dovetail with explanations in the book if you really wanted to paint.

Another great reading material for learning painting
It became my little daughter's most favorite book to read now and a wonderful guide to follow for painting. Nice step to step instruction too. Highly recommended.

Best of joy of painting
A nice guide with lots of examples of Bob Ross'sstyle,if you like this type of paintings.

BEAUTIFUL BOOK
This book has the most beautiful paintings in it that I have ever seen.

I am a beginner painter (painting for 4 months) and there are enough instructions for me to follow to complete a painting. I just completed one of the paintings in this book and it came out beautiful.

This book gives me inspiration to also create my own paintings. I have really appreciated the information in the intoduction. There were some things, as a begining painter, that I did not know.

I use all of the Bob Ross brushes and palate knives and in his instructions he tells you which one he used to create the effect he is painting.

I plan on purchasing more of the Bob Ross books in the future. Right now, I have enough inspiration to create many many more lovely paintings.

We have a local County Fair and Peach Days Celebrations here in So. Utah. I plan on entering my paintings is our local competition.
... Read more

Product Description
Classic Still Life Painting shows artists how to create paintings of sparkling brilliance and jewel-like color that look like they have been lit from within-just like the exquisite paintings of the Renaissance masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. Artists learn techniques similar to those used by Rembrandt, Raphael, Rubens, and other master painters of the past, including using glazing with colors over a subtle underpainting of tones to achieve the effect of sunlight passing through stained glass. Through the advent of fast drying mediums artists learn that they will be able to achieve the same richness and luminosity found in the works of the old masters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

outstanding.
Excellent book. But I made a mistake and ordered it from two different sellers so I returned this book, but as yet I have not been refunded.

Great book
Don't listen to anyone dissapointed with this book. It's a great book for both beginners and more advanced artists. it has lots of demos and explanations. You just need to have patience to read those! I'm a more advanced artist ([...]) but I still find this book to be a high priority in my library of art books. I recommend it to my students because there is a wealth of useful information there. The artist focuses on painting still life only. there are no landscapes or people in here BUT still life is the easiest subject to paint and it's also infinite. You can rearrange the same things tons of time and paint those again. Jane gives you steps to follow to make a very realistic painting but it's up to you to have the patience to follow her advice.

Disappointing
The author's failure in discussing standard pigment index codes when it comes to choosing oil colors is striking.The book completely bypasses any discussion of pigment index codes and simply refers to colors assigned to them by their manufacturers (example: "Winsor Red", "Bright Red", "Bordeaux", etc.).Standard pigment codes are the universal codes that appear on artist's oil paint tubes identifying the actual pigment(s) used to make the paint.For example, the standard pigment index code for Cadmium Red is PR108, or PY43 for Yellow Ochre.Although the most common standard oil colors are easily identifable their pigment names (the Cadmium or the Cobalt colors are good examples), different brands sometimes have different color naming conventions, especially for "mixed" colors (Olive Green, Brilliant Yellow or Flesh Tint are good examples) which contain different pigments depending on what brand you buy.Disappointingly, the author's 2-page color chart relies instead on manufacturer assigned color names like "Bordeaux", "Bright Red" or "Rembrandt Brownish Madder".Unfortunately, these color names become meaningless because a "Bright Red" or a"Permanent Rose" in one brand might actually be composed of a different pigment(s) in another.Buying a tube of Winsor Yellow hoping it was an opaque yellow would be a mistake since Winsor Yellow's actual pigment is PY74 (a transparent hansa pigment).A few paragraphs on how to read standard pigment codes and a discussion of these pigments' qualities would have gone a long way in helping the beginning artist to become a better consumer (considering the vast diversity of oil paints out there!).It is confusing enough to try and select tubes of paint from so many colors and so many brands! This book missed the opportunity to teach readers how to intelligently buy their art materials, to see beyond product labels, and to actually be able to tell exactly what colors they are buying.The author's neglect of this critical subject, especially since her methods rely heavily on the understanding and application of oil color, is the book's biggest flaw.

An interesting book, be prepared to work hard.
There are many exercises to do in this book and sometimes I just want to get on with it. But if you have patience this book will help you a lot.

This late-bloomer-gifted-starter learnt a lot from this book
The information in this book showed another interesting way to paint.I have adopted some of this author's methods for CERTAIN areas of my paintings... with great results. Good photographs, coherent explanations. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Rock painting book
The author explains (in easy to follow detail) how to paint your pet(s) on a rock.It focuses on dogs, cats, birds, hamsters & fish.The book is filled with step by step pictures to make the instructions clear, even to a beginner.There are recommendations on the type and color of paint to buy for each project.

Great tips for painting rocks.A Necessity!
Very helpful.I used it to create the cutest animals ever.The rocks make great gifts for friends.I even sold a few!

wonderful book
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.

ANYONE UP FOR A ROCK PARTY!??
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.

Excellent student tool
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. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn to capture vivid colours and delicate intricacies of all kinds of flowers with easy to follow painting techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good reference book.
Many types of flowers are shown. The painting method tends toward the tole painting style.

Wonderful Book
I first checked Painting Flowers A to Z out from the public library. After having reviewed the book, I wanted my very on copy as a reference because I found it to be very useful.I love how the author, Sherry C. Nelson, illustrated her techniques with simple step instructions and with good photo illustrations. I use this book as a reference tool because of it ease of use.I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning to paint flowers.

painting flowers
This book is a good book for people with little imagination who just want to copy/paste a flower. There is a strong lack of imagination and personality. Poor colours. Was disappointed.Would not buy it again.

Painting Flowers A to Z
A wonderful painting book, great step by step instructions, easy to follow, a book I would constantly refer to for instruction.I have Four books from this lady and each one is a tresure I highly reccomend all of her painting books they are very detailed easy to follow books with lots of pictures as that is what I need.

Lovely Book
I love this book, it is very clear with lots of details too!
... Read more

Product Description
New board books in the best-selling Mini Masters series feature beautiful paintings from Cassatt and Picasso and rhyming text introducing budding artists to these famous masters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great introduction to art
My daughter is 2 and a half and has been enjoying this book for a long time. I highly recommend this book and the series.

Great educational books for babies & toddlers
I LOVE these books!!!!I've purchased all that are offered and will purchase any new titles in the future. My daughter is 16 months & loves them!!!!!I would definetely recomend them and will purchase as gifts in the future.

This is a great addition to a home library
Little ones like this book alot and it's great to have in our home school library.We look for things that will expand on our rather small world at our organic dairy farm.Not much time to visit museums, etc, so these are great.

Love this series!
This is a great book.I have a newborn and am hoping to expose him to different forms of art and science.This whole series is brilliant.

Not what I expected
The paintings they chose to use in this book are wide ranging in terms of style. The good thing is the paintings are not at all like the super abstract "Demoiselles d'Avignon." They include very realistic works of a boy on a donkey and a boy on a chair. There is even a self portrait at the end.
I don't really care for the writing in this one. There really is no story and many of the paintings' descriptions are just boring. It seemed randomly put together and as if the author didn't know what to say. Even a couple of the paintings themselves are boring, which is not a word that usually comes to mind when I think of Picasso.
Overall, I think it's a good book but it's not going to be for every kid. I think it's a great intro to Picasso, even if they just leaf through it and look at the pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
While most holiday books only get pulled off the shelf once a year, Painting Heartwarming Holidays gives decorative painters adorable designs for every season and occasion. Celebrations become more memorable with:

-12 charming, step-by-step acrylic projects in a whimsical style that’s too cute for words

-Endearing scenes and characters that readers can paint on any surface

-A step-by-step look at how the author creates original designs full of whimsy and personality

-Clear and concise instructions on painting basics to get beginners off to a quick start

These irresistible designs are the perfect way for decorative painters to create projects that are sure to become holiday treasures! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Painting Heartwarming Holidays
I received this book timely and in good condition.It is all I had hoped it would be.I'm going to have fun painting and decorating for the holidays with the patterns and ideas in this book.

Cutest Designs!
Jamie creates adorable designs that make you want to paint all of them!
You will find her designs detailed and desirable ; using them on many items.

Great book for a beginner.
I was pleasently surprised when I reveived my book.It was everything I hoped it would be.This is a new art form for me as I have always done watercolors before.I hoped that the instructions would be of benefit to me and also hoped that I could understand and follow them.The projects are, probably, more geared to a slightly more experienced painter but at the same time, challenging.You will like the book!

Holiday Season painting
Painting Heartwarming Holidays gives decorative painters adorable designs for every season and occasion. There are 12 step-by-step acrylic projects in a charming style that readers can paint on any surface. It is a great value

Painting Heartwarming Holidays:4 Seasons of Painting
This is a great decorative painting book. Has lots of cute patterns to paint for the different holidays. Good instructions and easy to follow. ... Read more

Product Description
Gruppé On Painting: Direct Techniques In Oilby Emile A. GruppéPaperbackThis acclaimed book, originally published in 1977 has been re-printed in limited quantity, featuring 168 pages, 139 black and white illustrations and 29 full color plates. "Vibrant, fresh, immediate! The direct oil painting technique is an intense reaction to nature, a race with time to capture the color, the light and shadow, the design and the spirit of a subject in a few short hours. And now, Emile Gruppe - master of the direct oil painting technique - shows how you can use the broad strokes and lively colors of this spontaneous approach to infuse your own paintings with vitality, vigor, and on-the-spot freshness."Available exclusively through the Rockport Art Association. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Great Gruppe
Light blue cloth with maroon details over boards; 167 pp. B&w images throughout with some color pages, mostly full-page images.

"Vibrant, fresh, immediate! The direct oil painting technique is an intense creation to nature, a race with time to capture the color, the light and shadow, the design and the spriti of a subject in a few short hours. And now, Emile Gruppe -- master of the direct oil painting technique -- shows how you can use the broad strokes and lively colors of this spontaneous approach to infuse your own paintings with vitality, vigor, and on-the-spot freshness."

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Materals and Equipment
Drawing and Values

Color
- Palette
- Color in Nature
- Color and Light

Harbor Scenes
Landscapes
Design and Composition

Lay-in and Development
- Harbor Scene Demonstration
- Landscape Demonstration

Conclusion
Bibliography
Index

The Great Gruppe
Light blue cloth with maroon details over boards; 167 pp. B&w images throughout with some color pages, mostly full-page images.

"Vibrant, fresh, immediate! The direct oil painting technique is an intense creation to nature, a race with time to capture the color, the light and shadow, the design and the spriti of a subject in a few short hours. And now, Emile Gruppe -- master of the direct oil painting technique -- shows how you can use the broad strokes and lively colors of this spontaneous approach to infuse your own paintings with vitality, vigor, and on-the-spot freshness."

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Materals and Equipment
Drawing and Values

Color
- Palette
- Color in Nature
- Color and Light

Harbor Scenes
Landscapes
Design and Composition

Lay-in and Development
- Harbor Scene Demonstration
- Landscape Demonstration

Conclusion
Bibliography
Index

Gruppe on Painting
The condition of book and the timeliness of the shipment was better than expected.The discription of the condition was conservative.Better than expected.

More than Satisfied
This book was out of print and I was unable to afford a high priced used product. The information was valuable even though limited on color plates that are printed now in black and white.

This supplier was very good to work with.

Classic Book Reissued
This book is a reissue of one of Gruppe's classics.Like the original, the beauty is in the words not the pictures.Almost all which are black and white.There are about 20 color plates which only make you wish there was more.The book is laid out into the following 7 Chapters:
Materials and Equipment
Drawing and Values
Color
Design and Composition
Lay-in and Development
Harbor Scenes
Landscapes
I really enjoyed the Harbor Scene chapter as it contains a wealth of information about how to make sense of a busy harbor into its logical parts including techniques for many harbor objects such as; workmen, pilings, rigging, gulls and water. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A must have
This book is a great reference and introduction to Chinese Brush painting. It is easy to find information and it is presented in an understandable manner. This is a book that I have in my studio.

Not for learning traditional Chinese painting
There are definite do's and don'ts when learning Chinese painting method. This book does not cover traditional method in my opinion. Obviously, the experienced painter strays from traditional method to find their own style, but is founded in the method. If you are looking to learn Chinese painting techniques, i would not recommend this book, simply because it does not explain do's and don'ts. For example, showing common mistakes or unacceptable examples of a brush stroke.

However, it does contain a very comprehensive collection of flowers, plants, bugs, people, fish, etc., and the exact brush strokes used to create that image, which i'd have to say is hard to find in a book. So if you're looking for some simple exercises with a brush for creating almost anything you can think of, this is your book.

chinese brush stroke instruction book
Very good and easy to use instruction book
for those learning how to use the Chinese
Sum E brush strokes.

Examples galore of Chinese watercolor painting motifs to add to your work
I have a few Chinese painting books, but I believe this will be my favorite.It's a small format, but has 256 little pages full of nice images and good directions.In the early pages, there is some history, some discussion of materials and technique, with direction for making various strokes.The bulk of the book is full of examples of many Chinese motifs.It is not 'how to paint a Chinese painting', but more on how to paint small motifs including animals, flowers, insects, trees, berries and more.

This book is for beginners
This book is for the beginning art student and not much use for anyone who has a basic knowledge of Asian brush painting. The word "Bible" in the title is misleading as most other books on the subject are far superior. ... Read more