Customer Reviews:
not for an advanced artist.......2006-01-23
While Leslie writes beautifully, the only real information I learned from this book was which pastels held the best lightfastness rating and one technique of scratching I hadn't yet considered. Other than that, this book is geared very much towards beginners of oil pastel. All of the beautifully colored pieces he has pictures tend to lean towards abstract and illustrative ideas and expressions vs. more realistic interpretations of things. Additionally as a result there's really no other meathod to learn from in this book. He brushes against the ability to make realistic pictures via one artist, but goes into no detail as to how she accomplishes this task. The other great disappointment to me was Leslie's work itself. All of his works shown throughout could have been created by a High school student. He shows no real ability or understanding of how this medium can be worked. I would not recommend this book at it's original price of $32 and especially would not recommend spending double that for a used out of print copy. Save your money and check it out at the library or look for more informationon the internet.
Oil Pastel: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist.......2000-03-28
This is an unusually thorough book. If you can get your hands on a copy, you should do so. Unfortunately, it is out of print. The publisher is Watson-Guptill and the book was originally published in 1990. The ISBN No. is 0-8230-3310-4. Here's why the book wins my vote:
It has a ton of pictures of finished art works done in oil pastel and in mixed media, using oil pastel and other media. There is a section which tells of the lightfastness of different brands of oil pastel currently on the market so readers can see actual pictures of brands exposed to sunlight for 3 months and how the sunlight does/doesn't alter the colors. There is also a "nitty-gritty" section describing the characteristics of each major brand available on the market currently, as of 1990 when the book was written, but these are the same brands available today (creaminess, hardness and what you can do with each). There are detailed diagrams of different methods of using oil pastels, broken down into steps, so readers have step by step directions of how to use oil pastels in a variety of ways. There are many ideas for composition using oil pastels. The author, Kenneth Leslie, makes it a point to tell readers exactly how each of the many works shown were developed in oil pastel (e.g., by direct observation of objects such as in a still-life, or by using photographs or collage, etc.) and on what kind of supports (e.g. which grounds to use on paper, museum board, masonite, wood, etc.) There are just lots and lots of pointers about using the medium of oil pastel. Many ideas of using oil pastels in concert with other media serve as a springboard for individual ideas. For example, I read a section of explanation and then, quite easily, I could mentally figure out how to apply the techniques shown to my own work. This will be my bible for doing oil pastel painting.
Book Description
Mixing colors accurately may be an art unto itself. In fact, many artists are discouraged by the time and expense it takes to mix and match colors, and achieve the right results. Even more frustrating is the vast range of colors available. Now there's a ready-to-use visual directory that takes all the guesswork out of mixing and matching colors . . . making every artist an expert! Color Mixing Bible provides a basic color palette for each art medium, demonstrating an array of two-, three-, and four-color mixes, as well as offering full explanations of various paints and pigments. This invaluable guide features scores of tips and techniques for color mixing with oils, acrylics, watercolors, inks, pastels, and virtually every other art medium. It also includes in-depth information on how to determine the opacity and strength of a color, choose a color palette, mix whites, arrange and organize colors prior to mixing, use optical and physical mixing techniques, and much more! Plus, hundreds of color illustrations make everything simple. Whether one is an aspiring artist or working professional, Color Mixing Bible is an essential addition to every bookshelf.
Customer Reviews:
Color Mixing.......2007-02-12
Very good for all types of artists. It even has inks for us printmakers!!!
Enjoyable.......2004-03-12
I enjoyed this book very much. It was simple to understand and quite interesting. I'm sure it's not the end all in color mixing books, but it is not a bad one at all.
A great book to start with.......2004-02-16
I've just started oil painting, and this book proved invaluable in helping me sort out the many, many different kinds of paint with their exotic names out there. I generally like to jump in and just experiment, but when I discovered the high price of good oil paints, I decided I needed a little book knowledge first. This book costs about the same as a good tube of paint, and saved me from buying many colors that, before reading the book, I didn't realize I wouldn't really need (at least to start with). It's one of clearest, most concise books I've read (on any subject). Every word is one of wisdom. If you're new to mixing paint, or having trouble figuring it out, get this book (it doesn't really cover HOW to paint though).
A True Labor Saving Book.......2003-06-02
The first thing I always did with a new set of paints was create color swatches and mixes. Now that my paint sets are more expensive I hate to waste paint on swatches that I'll probably put in some "safe" location in the studio...never to be seen again. Here I can reference swatches of commonly used colors, opaque and transparent in a range of media. Sidaway also includes the best history of pigments that I've read to date - answering a question about phthalo blue that's been bugging me for years (when was it introduced? 1936.) This book is no substitute for learning about your palette, but does provide information on how to select an appropriate palette.
Very Informative.......2003-01-03
It covered the basics of color and technical terms "hue, shade, tint" It has a section about the history of pigments and dies and what they used to be made of that is interesting. One brown paint used to be made of ground up mummies.It discusses the mixing of color in many different media.
Book Description
"Everything was alive, pulsing with light and color."
--Susan Sarback
This is more than a how-to-paint book. It's a how-to-see book ... specifically, how to tune in to nature's glorious subtleties of light and color.
Forget complex theories. "Full-Color Seeing" is based on direct observation. It's about overcoming preconceptions and perceiving true color based on the colors that surround it, the way light hits it, time of day, season, weather conditions, and too many other factors for a mere formula to incorporate. You'll learn to see your subject--any subject--just as life truly presents it to you. This is the secret to capturing the living, breathing sense of atmosphere so celebrated in the works of the Impressionist painters.
A revision of Susan Sarbacks' illuminating Capturing Radiant Color in Oils, this book offers twelve more years of fresh insights, new paintings and expanded coverage on soft pastels. The concepts explored here have been handed down through generations of artists: Sarback was taught "Full-Color Seeing" by master painter Henry Hensche, who learned it from Charles Hawthorne, a contemporary of Claude Monet. This step-by-step approach will add greater vitality to your artwork and forever change the way you see.
Customer Reviews:
Capturing Radiant Light & Color in Oils and Soft Pastels.......2007-04-10
This book is excellent and very helpful. There are many tips and stages presented in a carefully thought out way. I have Susan Sarback's earlier book and this is a stellar update! She shares much of her immensely improved talent and knowledge. Although I am a beginner, I believe this to be helpful to artists of all experience. I highly recommend it.
A serious book.......2007-03-05
In my opinion this book must be compared with "Painting the impressionist landscape", from Lois Griffel; the focus of both books is the same: explaining a simple step-by-step method to paint with full-spectrum color.
In Sarback's:
-The "block studies" (painting colored wood blocks) are not so well explained. Griffel gives a lot more insight in the selection of colors, and the cloudy day example is completely missing in Sarback's.
-There are more step-by-step "real landscape" demonstrations, but they are not so well explained as in Griffel's. Just 4 pictures of preliminary states of the painting. Nevertheless the final pictures of these demonstrations are much better in Sarback's.
-There is a comparison of different color approaches to painting that is interesting: expressionist, abstract, local, etc.
-She does not explain how to select colors (which warm? which cool?) or how to compare their values. There is nothing similar to Griffel's idea of a chart for comparing values.
-She gives tips about brushstrokes or using different types of edges. These subjects are not included in Griffel's.
-Portrait and figure paintings are not covered at all. Griffel's at least shows some beautiful paintings of this kind.
-The pages are almost full of text and beautiful paintings. There are no quasi-empty pages.
-The soft pastels coverage is minimal, but oils coverage is also lacking. The book talks about general principles: do not expect low-level (paint layering, I mean) advice.
A "must have" book? I am not sure, but I think that if you follow Sarback's tips, you will paint beautiful "masterpieces". If you are a beginner consider buying Sarback's DVD "The difference a day makes". The DVD is too short (30 min or so) and a bit dissapointing, but if you want to observe the way she paints wet-on-wet, may be it is cheaper than a trip to California to attend Sarback's workshops.
A Must Have.......2007-02-27
Detailed teachings from a master painter -- can it get better? This is the absolutely best how-to book on painting in the Hensche/Hawthorne tradition that is out there right now. It is a bit surprising that it is called a revised edition, as, IMHO, it is a new and even better book. The method is explained clearly and logically, easy to follow. Many step-by-step demonstrations with clear explanations teach how one can see and paint one's own still-life or landscape.
Although, in honesty, a book can't beat studying with a master in person, I'm convinced that Sarback's new book is so clearly written that a beginner in this method can learn as much of it as is possible. For those who already paint with the light-and-colour method, it is invaluable, and can take you steps and leaps further on seeing and painting light.
My impression is that master painter Sarback does gives it all, and does not "keep secrets". The very best teachers encourage students to become even better than they are, and does not hold back on advice and teaching. This book is a cornucopia of principles, method, and practical advice. I will wear it out, as I progress as a painter of light-and-colour.
Book Description
Unlike many art instruction books that focus on capturing realistic images, this unusual title offers inspiration and instruction on using pastels to translate landscapes into evocative abstractions. Putting emphasis on the pure-pigment aspect of pastels, award-winning artist Mark Leach offers exciting insights into the powerful connection between color and feeling. Designed for artists of all abilities, it covers everything from making composition sketches to displaying the finished work, and includes chapters on light, form, and texture; understanding the color wheel; and painting from sketchbooks and photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Great for learning abstraction.......2007-01-11
One of the best books in my art library. Mark Leach describes clearly his process in developing luminous color with pastels, while abstracting subject matter to the simplest of shapes. I love this book and use it constantly, and I am an oil painter. Valuable, in my opinion, regardless of your medium.
That person is SO wrong!.......2007-01-07
The first person who commented on Raw Colour evidently was under the impression that this wonderful book was merely a how-to title. Having read Raw Colour from cover at least twice, I can truly say that the person who wrote that negative comment was totally wrong in interpreting this book as a how-to for abstraction! That could not be more mistaken! It's definitely not a how-to book. It's a wonderfully exciting book covering one artist's way of exploring his feelings about his subject and how he is able to express them through his use of color. I found it a very freeing book and one that reignites my desire to paint every time I open it, which is often. It is an exciting new addition to my very large library on art and pastel in particular. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in color, pastel and art expression in general. Mikki Root Dillon, PSA
Not enough substance.......2007-01-03
There are so many better books on abstraction. I would give this one a pass.
Book Description
For many artists, evoking emotion and feeling is the ultimate goal of their work. Popular wildlife artist Lesley Harrison shows readers how to do just that in Painting Animals that Touch the Heart.
She covers everything from specific pastel painting techniques to choosing papers, reference materials and lighting. Another key component of the book is Harrison's strategy for identifying emotion in animals--the first critical step for a dramatic painting.
Readers will find a chapter dedicated to each of these popular animals:
-Big cats -Wolves -Horses -Dogs and cats -Baby animals (including a lion cub, gosling, bunny and otter pup)
Customer Reviews:
THOROUGHLY MEZMORISING.......2007-06-08
THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING I HAD HOPED FOR AND MORE. AS THE TITLE SUGGESTS, ONE CANNOT FAIL TO BE TOUCHED BY THE BEAUTIFUL ARTWORKS DISPLAYED IN THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK IS AN INSPIRATION TO ME. I CAN NEVER HOPE TO HAVE THE TALENT THAT LESLEY HARRISON HAS BEEN GIFTED WITH. HOWEVER, I INTEND TO TRY SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES DISCUSSED IN THIS BOOK AND MAYBE I WILL ACHIEVE SOME BEAUTIFUL EFFECTS WHEN NEXT PAINTING ANIMALS
Wildllife artist.......2007-05-13
I purchased this book not knowing that it was all in pastel medium. However the paintings are so beautiful that I have got lots of ideas for expanding my own painting medium which is in oils.
This books would be treasured by any pastel artist.
painting animals that touch the heart.......2007-04-13
Beautiful pictures, I really enjoyed reading about the emotional content for painting the pictures and how she picked the photos to use.
Was hoping for more guidance on the technical aspects of using pastels on velour.
Fun to Read and Useful for Learning.......2007-04-03
This book opened my eyes to the possiblities with pastels. Who knew someone could create fantastic, realistic paintings using pastel chalk? Mrs. Harrison gives enough information in her demonstrations that you can copy what she tells you to do, and come up with a creative picture of your own. It's a good springboard to learning how to use pastels. The book assumes that you have some working knowledge of drawing and basic art techniques, but you don't have to have experience with pastels. She doesn't cover how to store or frame your finished art, but there is plenty of instruction for recreating the realistic fur, stunning eyes and the life she puts into her paintings. I enjoyed this book so much that I read every page rather than just skimming it. It's worth buying.
Achieving New Depth.......2007-03-27
After reading the library copy, I couldn't resist buying a copy of the book for my library. I've read many books about drawing and painting wildlife art. None of these writers and artists have achieved Lesley Harrison's depth of expression and ease of teaching. A gifted artist and writer, Harrison inspires a new depth of expression and creativity in my work and my love of animals. I recommend it for: 1) artists, especially those with an interest in pastel and 2) general readers, especially those with no previous interest in wildlife art.
Book Description
Known for his use of luminous color, Albert Handell, whose lush landscapes light up these pages, provides lucid instructions to help first-time pastelists achieve impressive results as soon as they begin working with the medium.
After reviewing pastel supplies, the author discusses landscape composition and how to establish large shapes first, abstract certain areas, develop a focal point, work from dark to light, and capture the illusion of reality through color. Stepped demonstrations isolate specific landscape aspects, showing how the pastelist depicts skies, trees, buildings, water, rocks, woods, snow, and light.
Customer Reviews:
New to Pastel and in awe!.......2007-09-04
Though I paint in other mediums, I am new to pastels. This book is the only one I will ever need. The pictures are beautiful and lush. The instructions and explanations are simple to understand. Would heartily recommend this book to new or experienced artists.
Nice read, but not what I expected.......2006-11-10
When I purchased the book, I thought I would find more "step by step" examples for learning to paint landscapes in pastel. The book is nicely written, but not what I expected.
Visual Delight.......2006-11-09
I have been painting in oils for a few years and want to explore pastels. I am familiar with Handell's work and always believe you should buy a book by someone whose art takes your breath away. In that aspect, this book will not disappoint. However, for a beginner in the medium of pastels, you may want to explore a book with more demos. Am I going to keep this book in my library...you bet! Thank you Albert Handell and Anita Louise West!
Academic painting........2005-10-24
Far too academic. Fails to consider the sponteneity this media evokes and the inherent emtionality of each individual.
Handell has the best ever pastels.......2005-01-16
I bought Albert Handell's book because for someone painting in pastels his works have reached a level that ordinary pastel artists might think impossible. They are so rich in texture and color blend and capturing the essance of the painting. From buying the book I did not really get a handle on how he did the paintings- he probably reveals that in his workshops- but the book is a visual delight and worth it just for that- Jason Alster - publisher- Creative Painting For The Young Artist
Book Description
This second edition of "The Best of Pastel " continues to honor the best artists from around the world working in pastels. Selected from hundreds of entries, the 130 images presented in these pages represent the most talented artists and their works in a wide array of styles, techniques, and subjects, including landscapes, portraits, still-lifes, and abstracts.
Displays one per page, each work is reproduced in color and features artist, title, materials, dimensions, and the inspiration for the work in the artist's own words. Includes an essay by Alden Baker on how to critique your own work.
Customer Reviews:
Recommended.......2002-02-18
This is an incredibly beautiful book, with improvements over the first Best of Pastel: one large picture per page, and two captions for each--an artist's statement about the painting, and a few words about technique and style. The works chosen for the book are diverse, and show the artists' range and considerable skill. The only downer, in my view, is the "Critiquing Your Own Work" section at the end. Though it contains valuable information for beginning and perhaps advanced pastellists, it is written in such a snobby and condescending manner it puts a sour ending to an otherwise very sweet book.
A Must-have for Pastel Artists and Lovers.......2002-01-22
This volume has a good range of works, including figures (which the first volume did not), and includes explanations and background on the works. Good for ideas, techniques, and just appreciating "painting without a brush".
The Best of Pastel 2.......2000-03-29
Wow! What an inspiring book for pastel and all art lovers. Makes you realize the amazing amount of talent in this country with our artists. This book really gets you excited about working in pastels. You will be running to your drawing tables, with book in hand. The reproductions are beautiful full page color drawings representing countless styles all beautifully executed. Can't wait to see, "The Best of Pastel 3".
Customer Reviews:
Mysteries revealed........2000-08-10
Paul Leveille is truly a master of Pastel Portraiture. The book reveals many of the mysteries of properly building up a pastel painting to achieve a lifelike, realistic looking portrait. The book takes you through eight detailed portraits, start to finish. One drawback for me was, Paul does not give us a starting photograph of the subject, so during the stages it is difficult to know why the lights and darks, colors and shadows are placed where they are until you see the finished portrait. More a tutorial of techniques than a means of following along and copying his works step-by-step. Still, an excellent source of learning that will leave you able to create realistic portraits in pastel.
An ice--breaking resource........2000-05-24
This great oversized book gives good illustrated step by step projects on portraiture pastel painting. It takes out the complications of starting a painting of someone. Though on a few projects some more steps could have been included, but this does not diminish the overall guidance the book provides. It has superb color and a well explanation of tools and materials, and how to take care of them. Composition, perspective and light is also explained for the rendition of your project.
Customer Reviews:
Great help with choosing pastels, hard or soft, brand etc........2007-07-27
When I became interested in pastels, I took a dozen books out from the library including Mowry's THE PASTELIST'S YEAR, all of Paul Taggert's books, THE PASTEL BOOK, etc.
I found Mowry's books helpful regarding her use of color in this book to change the season of a scene - it's amazing. I learned a lot looking at her different views of the same scene painted to represent the different seasons. Very illuminating to say the least.
I thought thee pictures were small and could have been made larger for the serious student to see the illustrations better.
PRINT QUALITY IS FINE. THOSE ARE PHOTOS OF CONSTRUCTION.......2004-02-13
There doesn't appear to be any print quality issues with the photos in the book. There are several step-by-step photos that don't have some of the colors added yet because they are showing how the pastel sketches were made! See pg 81 for an example. There are also some extreme close ups which show the natural grain of the strokes to show how the larger image was created. These type of photos are exactly what any reader (beginner or expert) wants in an art technique book. The previous reviewers that didn't bother to read the captions of the photos should be a little ashamed if this is what they were describing. The book also has photos of the finished pastels. In general, the book and is filled with quality photos of pastel landscapes and appears to have good instruction throughout.
A Traditional Pastellist with a Modern Flair.......2003-11-13
Elizabeth Mowry has taken the time to establish a palate for the colors appearing in the four seasons; however, they were difficult to study since they were on different colored backgrounds. I especially liked the way she heightened the color temperature on some of her paintings. I wish she had used a greater variety of strokes. I recall that she favors the feather stroke, which was effective. She seemed to work more saliently with contrast, composition, color temperature, texture using traditional landscape themes. It would have been helpful to have a couple of paintings actual size so that I could have seen the "actual" painting. The cover has two flaps which could be used as bookmarks, which is a thought!
One of the very best !!.......2003-07-23
I have read this book twice and some portions three times. I find Elizabeth Mowry to be very sharing and knowledgeable and willing to show you how she achieves certain passages in her paintings. I had been going through a dry period, and this book opened up new worlds for me. I especially liked that she tells you to make small sketches, color sketches and use photographs. All these things were beneficial to me and I wish I could thank her personally for her very inspirational book. I have also given her book to friends and they all love it.
Poor printing quality detracts from a great book, won't buy.......2002-05-28
I bought this book and ws really disappointed when I leafed through more thoroughly and found MANY of the illustrations were out of focus, and one had a HUGH printer error where the image was blocked on one of the printer's colors.
I returned this book and have repeatedly looked at it at the book stores to see if a re-issued copy comes out that corrects these problems. My estimate is that there are 7-8 plates that are defective.
Customer Reviews:
Quite a good book.......2007-01-04
This is a quite good book to paint different types of landscapes, even I find it is difficult for a person without experience drawing landscapes. I usually draw other kind of things and I'm not bad at all, but with this book it isn't very easier, even it has a lot of drawings and projects, I think it should have more step by step explanations in some of them.
Alright for beginners.......2006-10-05
This book was adequate for a beginner learning to paint with pastels.
Realistic Artists Beware.......2004-10-26
This book was obviously meant for Impressionists. Being a realistic artist, I realized this mistake too late. The pictures and demonstrations had little to no detail, and colors seemed to be often used incorrectly. It was not quite abstract, but it definentaly did not look real. On the other hand, I must admit this is a great book for Impressionists. There are a ton of demonstrations and examples, and it really is, like the title says, a "big book." It covered materials and other basics relatively well. Overall, I am not saying that this is a bad book, this review is simply a warning to realistic artists.
Pretty But I Didn't "Get" The Organization.......2000-08-09
If you are willing to just float along, Zen-like, with the way the material is presented, you'll be just fine. However, there appear to be no thematic groupings or progression of information in this book. There's working with white, then using a limited value range, then emphasising texture, then monochrome, then a focal point.
It would have been better if it started with how to handle to materials, then how to compose the work, then how to edit the image (simplifying the composition), then form, then color.
If you already know what you are doing, it's a nice book to flip through. If you feel discouraged because you think "it can't be done" when you are looking at some complex pattern in nature or a photo, just look at the illustrations. The artist can handle some pretty dicey things like complex foliage.
The desert scenes, I'd like to say, are yummy. Wonderful. I think that desert scenes are the illustrator's forte. If he or she did a book just on desert painting, I'd get it.
Great reference book, 72 lessons, excellent instruction.......2000-05-02
This is a great reference book for anyone interested in pastel painting. It has really helped me improve my pastel skills. It covers materials, color and techniques for every kind of nature subject.
Included are 72 different lessons. Each lesson covers a different topic. Some include handling a detail close up, painting all kinds of water, choosing a focal point, describing diverse textures, & underpainting.
Each lesson contains a color photograph & the artwork in various stages along with written step by step instructions. Some of the artwork subjects include clouds, sunsets, frozen landscapes, desert vistas, & autumn scenes.
Many animals covered include an elk, a swan, a monarch butterfly, & a robin's nest. Moreover, some plants studied include sunflowers, junipers, many trees, & cactus. Mountains, fields, rocks, & a cabin are covered as well.
Books:
- Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, Book 4)
- Painting Four Seasons Of Fabulous Flowers
- Paintings in the Musee d'Orsay
- Picasso's Weeping Woman: The Life and Art of Dora Maar
- Problem Solving for Oil Painters: Recognizing What's Gone Wrong and How to Make It Right
- Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology
- Rackham's Fairy Tale Illustrations in Full Color
- Rene Magritte: Catalogue Raisonne - Supplement, Bibliography, Indexes
- Report of Joint Fighter Conference: Nas Patuxent River, MD 16-23 October 1944 (Schiffer Military History)
- Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome (Novels of Ancient Rome)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- The Same and Not the Same
- A Box of Treats: Five Little Picture Books about Lilly and Her Friends
- Artists of Utah
- Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders
- Axel Vervoordt: The Story of a Style
- Hans Haacke: Viewing Matters
- Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit With Andy Warhol
- In search of wild flowers: A preliminary to the systematic study of botany
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Oil Pastel for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter (Serious Beginner)
The Pastel Book
The Encyclopedia of Pastel Techniques
All About Techniques in Pastel (All About Techniques Art Series)
The Art of Pastel Painting
