Painting-the

Great history in six small volumes on very high-quality, glossy paper so the repros really look good. Great way to learn about many of the important paintings in Western art, although there is one volume covering Chinese and Japanese painters, so artists like Hokusai get covered. I loved these books because each painting has its own page with the article on it opposite, so you can just flip through the book and read what you want, or go through it step by step. The volume with G.C. Argan's comments, on the early and high Renaissance period, is especially good. These little gems were $1.45 each when I bought them 25 years ago. I have the entire set and it's been extremely useful in gaining a quick understanding of many different paintings and artists.

This book is an excellent reference for a beginner or experienced art facilitator. (The introduction explains how to be an art "facilitator" rather than teacher, by providing the materials and opportunity for children to discover art hands-on, though practice and experience.) It is wonderful guide to the basic methods of collage, drawing, painting, clay and construction techniques, as well as more specialized projects, such as paper mache puppets, making "molas" or weaving. The author learned to perfect these projects through many years of experience with her Summertime Arts and Crafts Workshop. Many black and white illustrations and some line drawings help illuminate the techniques and reveal the end products of childrens' art. I like the page spread of photos showing childrens' many variations on the paper mache puppet. This is one of my favorite art reference books.

This is a great resource book for mixing colors for the beginner in acrylic painting. I wish it was still in print. Perhaps the publishers will se fit to republish for those who missed out the first time.

Professionals tend to use no more than a dozen of the ACRYLIC PAINTING colors. Watercolor paper's slightly rough texture brings out the precisely fluid color of drybrushing a green pepper and the scrubby back-and-forth strokes of scumbling a peach. An Old Master technique monochromes lights and shadows before color glazing a kettle. The trick to painting glass or water is using the same mixtures as the background for patches of light and dark, but with more white for lights and middle tones. These are some of the tips that Wendon Blake shares as he follows artist Rudy De Reyna's demonstration paintings through covering shapes with flat tones, modeling lights and darks, and adding highlights, textures and details. The author also covers special techniques, such as cloth dabbing; correcting by darkening, lightening or repainting; impasto; paper crumpling; scratching; spattering; and sponging. He says good painting means working with cleanly stored supplies; chemically stable colors on acrylic gesso-coated hardboard, chemically pure 100% rag stock watercolor paper, or real artist's canvas; and museum-quality mat boards for taping with glue-coated cloths or homemade drawing paper strips with white water soluble paste. He has covered just about everything needed for going on to Earl Grenville Killeen's THE NORTH LIGHT BOOK OF ACRYLIC PAINTING TECHNIQUES, Barclay Sheaks' THE ACRYLICS BOOK, and Rachel Rubin Wolfe's THE ACRYLIC PAINTER'S BOOK OF STYLES AND TECHNIQUES.

I actually got this book as a Christmas present. At the time I knew very little about acrylic painting, but once I started reading it I became very interested in the subject.

Blake begins by discussing the pros and cons of acrylic painting as well as a brief history. The chapters that follow go over the basic tools and several basic techniques ranging from easy to complicated.

It is a very comprehensive guide to arcylic painting, complete with 32 plates in full color and 125 black-and-white illustrations.

I was amazed! Norma uses her brushes and paints like a writer uses pen and ink.

Ruby Underwood, Editor, "Our World Newsletter"

This book is a great work on acrylics in a small package and an easy read to boot! Great color drawings and diagrams throughout!

Some readers may be surprised at the flexibility and experimentation that can be used with acrylics. Until this book, I was not sure that most all traditional techniques for oil, casein, and watercolor can also be used with acrylics, and that with the addition of gels, modeling paste and varnishes, acrylics can even extend into works of collage and assemblage.

Includes chapters on these topics: The Colors, The Brushes, The Palette, Technical Tips, The Stippling Technique, Wet-Into-Wet Method, The Cutting Technique, The Scratch Stroke, Creating Textures, Friskets, seven Lessons, Four Sketches to Try on Your Own, Embellishments, The Finish Coat.

Award winning authors, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan introduce a whole new generation to the brillance of painter, Jackson Pollock as they focus on just two months in the artist's life, and the creation of one of his most famous paintings, No. 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist). Based on firsthand accounts from friends and family, and often using the painter's own words and quotes, this well researched and enlightening picture book biography lets the reader get into Pollock's head, hear his thoughts, feel his energy and joy as he works, and actually peek over his shoulder as he paints. "An athlete with a paintbrush, he uses his whole body to make the painting. Layers build with each gesture, new colors emerging, blending, and disappearing into the wet surface. He swoops and leaps like a dancer, paint trailing from a brush that doesn't touch the canvas..." Their eloquent and lyrical prose is engaging and complemented by Robert Andrew Parker's bold, bright, and busy watercolors. Together word and art paint a dazzling and evocative portrait of the artist, his work, and his times. "Some people will be shocked when they see what he has created. Some Angry. Some confused. Some excited. Some filled with a happiness they can hardly explain. But everyone will agree- Jackson Pollock is doing something original, painting in a way that no one has ever seen before..." Perfect for youngsters 7-11, Action Jackson includes a short biographical sketch at the end to augment the story and fascinating notes and sources about his life and paintings. This is non-fiction at its very best. Kudos to Greenberg, Jordan, and Parker

The advanced airbrush book has many excellent examples as well as in depth step by step shots of how the artwork was done, using the more realistic styles of airbrush work with professional artists such as Hajime sorayama, an excellent book.

I bought this book as a present for my parents after they took a safari to Kenya. They love this book! It sits on their coffee table and they encourage all who stop by to view it. The story of the author/artists life is remarkable. The beautiful artwork which accompanies the tales of living in Kenya are so life like it's amazing.