Book Description
A master of metamorphosis, Sicilian duke-turned-jewelry-designer Fulco di Verdura (1898-1978) studded seashells with precious gems, transformed sailor's knots into pearl-encrusted necklaces, and wrapped blazing ruby hearts with braided gold rope. Since the mid-20th century, his ultrasophisticated neo-Baroque pieces have been the status symbols of a near-secret society of European blue bloods, Hollywood royalty, and Park Avenue patricians. Verdura's by-appointment-only patrons included Wallis Simpson, Marlene Dietrich, and Diana Vreeland, who considered his Maltese Cross cuffs an essential part of her daily uniform.
In this lavish book, featuring fresh color photographs as well as vintage images, Patricia Corbett presents a deft evaluation of Verdura's work and a glimpse inside his impossibly glamorous world.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing.......2006-03-29
This book has not only wonderful pictures but also incredible biography of Verdura -- highly recommend it.
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
The face is the most important feature of a doll -- it is also the most challenging. So it is surprising that there is so little instruction available on creating doll faces. This book fills that void.
Author Patti Medaris Culea began her career in art as a portrait painter and she puts that experience to work when creating her doll faces. In this book, she shows readers a simple technique for easily creating faces using her step-by-step approach. She gives her tips for how to divide the face into quadrants, graft features together, and much more.
Every aspect of doll making is covered -- from the basics to detailed techniques for making the various faces to instructions for putting a pattern together. Readers will learn how to use watercolor pencils, acrylics, and fabric paints to color a face, how to create a face using collage techniques as well as stamping and beading, and tips for working with stretchy fabrics to create indented eyes, separate eyelids, and sculpted lips.
Customer Reviews:
Another New Interest.......2007-07-19
The book is very well written, has great diagrams & some good example to get a newcomer to doll making started. Recommend it highly. A good purchase.
Creative cloth doll faces........2007-06-10
Although I haven't had time to read and study the book fully as yet, I can see that is going to be a great help to me when I want give my dolls a face and personality...
What fun!.......2007-06-03
This is the first book I was included in as an artist and Pattis patterns are so inspirational! Her dolls are beautiful and creative and a joy to make. I got to do the collage version and after several days of planning, I gave up and just played! That was the ticket!
Patti is an amazing dollmaker and I am lucky enough to live in San Diego where we share a home town doll club. I recommend, in fact, I insist (!) that all of you creative doll creators go right out and buy it! You wont be disapointed!
Creative Cloth Doll Faces.......2007-05-15
Another must have book. Wow the faces you can make in there.It has patterns,hair ideas, clothes patterns,shoe patterns,3-d ideas,easy instructions for faces,my first doll is a hoot! I can"t wait to make more.
This book is filled with colored pictures and instructions. I wouldn"t sell My newly aquired doll books .LOve it LOve It!
LEARNING NEW TECHNIQUES.......2007-03-25
I loved this book for its overall view of face painting. I found it very helpful in learning and improving my skills. I would recommend this to anyone interested in making original dolls.
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
Pure color is pure inspiration for all artists. It celebrates the limitless possibilities of pastel through a showcase of more than 125 glowing works from the top pastel artists working today.
Artists will find:
-A diverse range of contemporary styles and subjects
-Insightful commentary from the artists themselves on their creative processes and techniques
-Oversized pages that reveal the rich color and striking detail of every piece
Customer Reviews:
Good presentation of other artists' work only.......2007-04-29
I was looking for a book that would show other artists' work AND also give me some insight into how they chose the colors they did and a little about how they composed the piece, at least if I want the book to keep in my own library. This is a beautiful book, but doesn't teach me anything about working with pastel colors or about composition. For that, look at "All About Pastels" and for hands-on practice, I loved the book "Pastel Workbook," which is coming out in paperback soon. I did enjoy looking at this book from the library, but don't see a need to own it.
Pure Color: The Best Of Pastel.......2007-01-07
This one is the most comprehensive book on pastel art I've seen. Beautifully presented, it's the ideal companion to my other art books. Carefully chosen artists show their work and describe the process involved in creating each masterpiece.
Best of the "Best" so far.......2006-03-19
This edition of Pastel Paintings is outstanding for the quality of the artwork. It goes beyond the usual predictable landscapes and still lifes. There is a variety of painting styles, many loose and free. The inclusion of a beautiful figure drawing among several portrait and figure paintings is refreshing. This is a wonderful book to add to your collection of pastel art. The color and style of these works are supremely exciting.
Cover Hype.......2006-03-09
I was challenged to buy book based on the cover review. Upon receiving the book, I was somewhat disapointed in the content within. I expected a higher caliber of colorists than illustrated.
Jim Gola, Sec
NW Oil Painters Guild
www.oilpantersguild.com
This book is superb !.......2006-01-30
I began collecting books this past year on successful pastel paintings. This particular collection is my latest and as someone who's always loved the medium of pastels, I think Pure Color is truly the finest and most inspirational book of its kind...makes me feel like happier than a kid in a candy shop! I also appreciate begin able to have access to the artists' contact information located at the end of the book; going to their web sites is like having an extension of the hardcover version of the book and makes the experience of reading the book exponentially better.
Book Description
Wolf Kahn is one of this country's best-loved contemporary artists. His brilliantly colored landscapes in oil have placed him at the forefront of American representational art. Many collectors equally prize his luminous pastels, the subject of this delightful new book.
With more than 100 colorplates illustrating his brief, breezy essays, Kahn reveals his distinctive approach to working in this medium. Offering a rare glimpse into the way an artist thinks and why he works the way he does, Kahn's musings about the creative process bring a number of key issues to life for artists, students, and art lovers, and make the book a valuable supplementary text for pastel classes. Including an introduction by noted art historian Barbara Novak, this book will be eagerly received by Kahn's devoted following.
WOLF KAHN, noted artist and teacher, has exhibited his work throughout the United States and abroad. He has taught at Cooper Union and at the National Academy of Design in New York; has been a guest lecturer at various art schools; and has written articles for such publications as Art in America and the Art Journal. He lives in New York City.
BARBARA NOVAK has published numerous books and articles on American art and art history. She is Altschul Professor of Art History Emerita at Barnard College and Columbia University, both in New York City.
100 illustrations in full color, 101/4 x 93/4"
Customer Reviews:
wolf kahn.......2007-03-13
If you are a beginner or a experienced artist, you will greatly appreciate wolf kahn. His book is inspiring as all of his works. I would highly recommend this book.
Wolf Kahn Pastels.......2006-11-04
If you are a fan of Wolf Khan, this is a must-have. Great book.
Now This is Inspiring Art.......2004-04-09
Very beautiful work. I love Kahn's minimalist approach, he is an exceptional colorist. I could look at this man's art all day long and not get bored.
Wolf Kahn Pastels Color Feast.......2003-11-13
Why does an artist do what (s)he does? Wolf Kahn gives insight into his thinking. He touches on composition, use of color, and elements of design. We know the colors, but we might not understand why they work. He helps us understand. Just out of curiosity I viewed the plates upsidedown, and they were very exciting viewed that way. Try it! The book has beautifully printed plates, but I found placement of some plates to the text somewhat inconvenient and perhaps a little confusing at times interrupting the continuity of reading and study. I would have wished for some of the smaller paintings to have been actual size. I would have learned and understood more. You may learn some new vocabulary and some words he has defined for his own usefulness. The cover and binding are confluent to the interior of the book. I consider this book to have worthwhile the purchase and the time spent reading it. What are my credentials you might ask? I am nearing graduation in master of arts in studio painting and have degrees in journalism and education.
Beautiful, Colorful Pastels.......2003-06-23
From the first time I saw Wolf Kahn's work, I knew I wanted this book. It is filled with his beautiful pastels and it is a very interesting read about how he came to create them.
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.
Customer Reviews:
Gives us a bass.......2001-07-06
I believe that Douglas Dawson is a sincere teacher, but I found this book to be a litany of rules, tricks, and gew-gaws for obtaining effects -- without a governing vision. (Contrast the similarly-named "Capturing Radiant Color in Oils" by Susan Sarback, which is above all a book about seeing and reporting what you see, and in spite of its title the most helpful book I have found for my approach to pastels.) Some of Dawson's rules are in the category of "duh!" and others make no sense. His points are usually illustrated by his own work, including landscapes (quite interesting), cityscapes (often dramatically lit but oddly unmoving), and portraits (sappy, sentimentalized, and including a few real bodice-rippers). The old saw says, "give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." Dawson gives us a bass, and not a very fresh one.
Pastel beginner from Dallas digs Doug's book........2000-10-09
The book starts with Dawson explaining the difference between the handling of lines--drawing--and the handling of shapes--painting. He then explains and illustrates two pastel painting techniques: working from big to small shapes and working from shape to shape. Then he combines drawing and painting to launch into ways of being creative with color and light. The book ends dealing with backgrounds, depth, and finding new ideas.
Appropriate to an art instruction book, there is an abundance of illustrated examples, step-by-step pictorial demonstrations, and very stunning completed paintings. The book was easy to read, and Dawson's thoughts, examples, and techniques are very easy to follow.
I like this book very much. The most valuable thing I learned from reading Dawson's book was how to turn my drawings and paintings into works of art.
Book Description
"*Provides more than 70 specialized answers for common colored pencil dilemmas *Step-by-step mini-demos illustrate techniques and help artists apply what they've learned
Few mediums can rival the range of effects achieved with colored pencils. This guide offers sound instruction from two highly respected artists. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience they provide answers to the most frequently asked questions. Chapters feature an easy-to-refence format covering crucial topics including setup, application, technique, color theory, texture and light."
Customer Reviews:
Great Basic Colored Pencil Book.......2007-05-24
This book has absolutely gorgeous drawings, something lacking in most of the other colored pencil books. It contains all the basics one would need to learn before picking up a colored pencil; everything from A to Z. The book is easy to read and fun. There are no lenghy discussions on the theories of the colored pencil medium: it gets right to the point. The second half of the book has detailed instructions on how to achieve certain textures, which I haven't seen in other books, such as glass, copper, silver, lace... all with absolutely jaw dropping examples. I bought it along with "Drawing for Right Side of the Brain", which makes a fantastic course on the mechanics of drawing itself. The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
A partial solution at best.......2007-05-17
A better title for this book would be Color Pencil Solution Book for Realistic Still Life Drawing. People and animals have merely one or two appearances each among the examples, and land- and seascapes have no representation at all. It would have been an excellent reference to showcase multiple styles also, but we see only the work of the two authors, whose styles are very similar. The topics that are presented are well presented, and if realistic still life is your thing, this book will be a good resource. But if your interest is in multiple styles and landscapes or portraits, you'll often be looking elsewhere for solutions.
Very helpful .......2007-03-08
There are so many ways to use colored pencil. I like Janie's work, she is so precise and accurate. This book helps you with various techniques. It's like a trouble shooter for your colored pencil art work.
A fabulous book.......2006-06-16
I have read many coloured pencil books, but this is the only one I have bought or kept. I refer to it often for ideas on how to combine colours or figure out a problem. Some might say that it isn't broad enough, but you have to be willing to take the basic ideas and develop your own solutions as well :-)
Better than the $175 workshop I just attended!.......2005-04-19
I just paid $175 to attend a colored pencil workshop by a woman that I thought was going to really help me with my work instead she said that this book was what got her started. I found that 99% of what this woman taught in the class was ALL from this book I already owned!! So save yourself money on workshops from so-called "famous" teachers & invest in this book!! You won't be sorry & it will teach you so much!!!! By the way, the reviewer who wants a less realistic approach to cp , there are too many cp books out there like that already (Bet Borgeson, Michael Warr, & 2 Walter Foster ones).
Books:
- What You Wear Can Change Your Life
- Wide Open: Inspiration & Techniques for Art Journaling on the Edge (Book & Card Kit)
- Wintersmith
- Writing Poems
- You, Inc.: The Art of Selling Yourself
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values
- Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks & Techniques for Working With the World's Most Versatile Medium
- Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks & Techniques for Working With the World's Most Versatile Medium
- Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and Iterative Development (3rd Edition)
- Art in China (Oxford History of Art)
Books Index
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Pastel
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