Reviews (1)

Amazing
This book has not only wonderful pictures but also incredible biography of Verdura -- highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Jewelry    4. Rich & Famous    5. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    6. Antiques & Collectibles / Jewelry   

Reviews (4)

Enjoyable
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
I've just started oil painting, and this book proved invaluable inhelping 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
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. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Color Theory    4. Color in art    5. Colors    6. Reference    7. Technique    8. Techniques - General    9. Techniques - Painting   

Reviews (2)

not for an advanced artist
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
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:Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Artists' materials    4. Oil Painting    5. Pastel    6. Pastel drawing    7. Technique    8. Techniques - Oil Painting    9. Art techniques & materials    10. Oils   

Reviews (3)

Best of the "Best" so far
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
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.
This book is superb !
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. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Pastel    4. Pastel drawing    5. Technique    6. Techniques - General    7. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    8. Art techniques & principles    9. Crayon & pastel drawing   

Reviews (4)

Now This is Inspiring Art
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
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
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. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1927-    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Contemporary Art    5. Individual Artist    6. Kahn, Wolf,    7. Landscape in art    8. Pastel    9. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    10. Art / General    11. Crayon & pastel drawing    12. Individual artists    13. Kahn, Wolf   

Reviews (11)

Great Book
I must admit I didn't read close enough when I looked at the book on here,
Bad title
This book should have a different title. Someone got it for me as a gift because I paint wildlife, but it's not about painting, its about using hard and soft pastels. Totally different from painting with acrylic or oil or goache, etc. but the title is misleading. If you are looking for a book about painting, this is not it. This is a book on how to use pastels to achieve a photograph-like image using photo reference of animals. Luckily we kept the reciept.

Beautiful
I only wish she had spent more time on horses and how to create their colors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals in art    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Pastel drawing    5. Technique    6. Techniques - General    7. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    8. Art techniques & principles    9. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (6)

Academic painting.
Far too academic.Fails to consider the sponteneity this media evokes and the inherent emtionality of each individual.

Handell has the best ever pastels
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

Very Lightweight
I am a beginner to the art of pastel painting/drawing.This book is below the level of a beginner.It is long on talk about color, hues, values, and lots of things that a beginner doesn't really care about.When it comes to ACTUAL TECHNIQUE, HOW TO PUT PASTEL ON PAPER AND MAKE IT LOOK THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO, THIS BOOK IS VIRTUALLY SILENT!I have recently checked a book out of my university library that is the best book I have seen yet (the author's name escapes me now).It has about 10 demonstration paintings where the author goes through the various steps of creating a pastel painting.In contrast, Painting the Landscape had 1 or 2 such demonstrations and only about a page of nitty gritty on technique (actually applying pastel to paper).Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Landscape    4. Landscape Painting    5. Landscape drawing    6. Pastel drawing    7. Technique    8. Techniques - Painting - Specific Subjects    9. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    10. Crayon & pastel drawing    11. Nature in art, still life, landscapes & seascapes   

Reviews (5)

Inspiring ideas off the beaten path
This book is chock-full of ideas for colored pencil that depart from the standard blending and sketching methods. If you are an ultra-realist, there is a demonstration (or at least an example) of a cat sitting in sunlight that will knock your socks off.
Great Inspirations for Colored Pencil Use
Expands the repertoire of colored pencils by including their use with other media. The result is mixed media at its best. This is not a book for people who need a paint by numbers approach, but it should not be shunned by beginners. There are many demonstrations in the book which take the artist (or would-be artist) by the hand and show how the subject was created, down to a precise list of what materials were use, including brand names of pencils and other media. The book utilized the works of several artists and explained their techniques in very clear language. Yes, some of the techniques are advanced, but this should provide inspiration for a beginner, not discouragement.
Not a practical book
This is a book which explores the combination of colored pencil with a myriad of other techniques. This is a book for the advanced colored pencil artist wishing to expand their horizons. Definitely not a how to book- not very practical. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Colored pencil drawing    4. Technique    5. Techniques - Drawing    6. Techniques - Drawing - Colored Pencil    7. Techniques - General    8. Art techniques & materials    9. Crayon & pastel drawing    10. Pencil & charcoal drawing   

Reviews (4)

PRINT QUALITY IS FINE.THOSE ARE PHOTOS OF CONSTRUCTION
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
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 !!
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. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Pastel    4. Pastel drawing    5. Seasons in art    6. Technique    7. Techniques - General    8. Techniques - Painting - Specific Subjects    9. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    10. Art techniques & materials    11. Crayon & pastel drawing    12. Nature in art, still life, landscapes & seascapes   

Reviews (20)

A fabulous book
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!
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).

It's good, but things are missing...
First of all, the book is good in a way. It has a lot of useful explanations and even has drawings that you can copy to practice what they teach you. But the authors concentrate exclusively on still lifes, which makes the book rather limited for other subjects. For example, it doesn't cover animals or animal "textures" such as fur, scales or feathers. Landscapes are not even mentioned, or natural textures such as tree barks, leaves, rocks, wood, water, etc. Portraits or people are not included either. So no skin types, hair or clothing are present in the book. Flowers are very briefly covered. The book has gorgeous illustrations, and it was carefully done, but incomplete. It should have been called "Still Life Colored Pencil Solution Book", in order to be really true to its contents. To "fill the gaps" left by this book, I had to buy other colored pencil books: "Creating Textures in Colored Pencil" by Gary Greene which is very comprehensive,"Creating Radiant Flowers in Colored Pencils" also by Gary Greene, "Colored Pencil Portraits, step by step" by Ann Kullberg and "The big book of Drawing" by Lee Hammond. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing In Specific Media    4. Techniques - Drawing    5. Techniques - Pencil Drawing    6. Art techniques & principles    7. Crayon & pastel drawing   

Reviews (5)

Neat book
It had many techniques to get me started on discovering new ones of my own.

Good book for beginner..
I am an absolute beginner in pastels and have bought some books which I intend to review. This is a good one with lots of beautiful work and step by steps, The only thing that kept it from 5 stars is it is poorly organized and kind of jumps around.

all inclusive
As far as a pastel technique book goes this one is all inclusive. It has the latest techniques including the mixing of pastel with other elements like water and alcohol and so on. Pastel line, color mixing, blending. The strong point of the book is that it gives an example of how to paint in pastel almost any subject like skies, rooftops, water, water in motion, vegetation, fruit, skin, portraits, fur, feathers, metal, drapery, and more. You name it. I did not see another book around that has so many different types of examples. I should know because I just published an art book myself --Creative Painting For The Young Artist. So this is a book I will now use in teaching my students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing In Specific Media    4. Pastel drawing    5. Technique    6. Techniques - Drawing    7. Techniques - General    8. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    9. Art / Pastel   

Reviews (4)

A Waste of money and time
There are many other books available on this subject and they are all better than this one.There is nothing to be gained from reading this book. Forget it!

Stunning Examples
The illustrations for the techniques are Kutch's own colored pencil artwork.Her flowers are stunning and if I ever achieve a drawing on the level of her poppies or the morning glories, I'll be very happy.
Be Advised it is much to do about Watersoluble Pencils....
This is a wonderful book, don't get me wrong, however I expected it to relate more to colored pencils by themselves.The first section does, then it goes on to a much larger section on watersoluble pencils and the final section is devoted to using them in tandem.If you are interested in using them in tandem then by all means, this book should be on your shelf!The text is precise and easy to follow, the artwork is wonderful, to say the least. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Colored pencil drawing    4. Drawing In Specific Media    5. Painting Of Specific Subjects    6. Technique    7. Techniques - Drawing    8. Techniques - Pencil Drawing    9. Water-soluble colored pencils    10. Watercolor painting    11. Crayon & pastel drawing   

Reviews (8)

Good Start for Pastel Artists
Lots of good information and tips for using pastels.The illustrations and step by step activities were very helpful.The beginning information on supplies is very valuable.
useless
From reading the other rewievs it seems like the best book in the world, but somehow this book was of no help for me. I do not particularly like his artwork, neither is the text any help for me. I've had it for about half a year and tried many times to study it, but I keep finding it most frustrating. I am not able to pinpoint what is wrong. Maybe it is something to do with the style of painting and teaching.

One of the Best Books for Beginners on the Market
I have used this book now for 2 years and have found it a great help.My first really wonderful painting I did was from this book.I found this book great because it had beautiful paintings that I would want to copy and for the beginner copying others work is usually where you start.The fundamentals on how to use the pastels for different backgrounds is also very good.I hilly recommend this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Pastel    4. Pastel drawing    5. Technique    6. Techniques - General    7. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    8. Art techniques & materials    9. Crayon & pastel drawing   

Reviews (7)

good introduction to oil pastels
The author is a pioneer and talented artist in oil pastel.He gives very valuable info about this medium--a long forgotten and underrated, even though promoted by Pablo Picasso...The book ,however, is 'sketchy' in details and techniques.The illustrations and art work are excellent, but somewhat repetitive...A good introductory book for enthusiasts of oil pastels and beginners, till a better book is written by someone else---after this medium becomes better used and established in the fine art world.Soft pastels have been with us for many decades, thanks to Degas and Mary Cassatt...Oil pastels are still to be pushed by great masters....Fortunately oil pastels are available at various price ranges for students and professionals...One learns more by trying different brands rather that sticking to just a few brands---Holbein or Sennelier...
Good if you are already an artist
If you are a painter or illustrator who is looking to move from another medium into oil pastels, then this is the book for you. Mr. Elliot is a really talented artist and knows his subject. You will gain a lot from this book.
fussy but fair
This book is a very good book expressly devoted to oil pastels-but that said, in comparison with the only other book on the subject that I know of, it is a distant second. (There are a couple other obscure ones which I haven't seen) My favorite is "Oil Pastel: Materials & Techniques For Today's Artist", by Kenneth Leslie, 1990, Watson-Guptill Pub.Because it is out of print & only available second hand at inflated prices, unless Amazon can bring it back in print, or you are prepared to pay inflated prices (for something you cannot see & evaluate for yourselfin advance), we are left with the book by Elliot.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Painting    4. Pastel drawing    5. Study & Teaching    6. Technique    7. Techniques - General    8. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    9. Art techniques & materials    10. Crayon & pastel drawing    11. Oils   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Drawing In Specific Media    4. Pastel    5. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    6. Art / Pastel    7. Art techniques & materials    8. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB    9. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (2)

A Different Concept for Backgrounds
I found Borgeson's handling of background very interesting and different from all the other colored pencil artists' books.Her use of spot layering and single layer color juxtaposition helps to make the large areas go quickly.She also presents other methods to speed up colored pencil application.Of course, she covers all the basics, too.A good book for any colored pencil artist.

No idea where to start? pick this one.
I always liked to draw using colored pencil. Nevertheless, I never found any interesting book that would deal with several approaches to the colored pencil medium. After reading about Mrs. Borgeson work, I decided to try and never got disapointed. Her books (all of them) give you several differentpoints of view about the colored pencil and teaches you (step by step) howto apply the techiniques to solve apparently simple problems. Layering,lifting, color interactions, error corrections, light and much more. A nicebook to have and enjoy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Colored pencil drawing    4. Drawing In Specific Media    5. Pencil drawing    6. Technique    7. Techniques - General    8. Techniques - Pencil Drawing    9. Art techniques & materials    10. Crayon & pastel drawing   

Reviews (2)

Excellent in every way on Plein Air Pastel painting
The paintings, text, color schemes in this beautiful book are exactly to my taste, as are his other books. I even bought his great american pastel set to go along and am fired up to go paint- not easy to get me motivated but I am now!

Review of "On Location: Plein air Painting in Pastel"-Deborah Chapin
As beautifully written as painted, this book "On Location" makes me want to paint in pastel even though I am a die hard oil painter of 25 years.Richard McDaniel will undoubtedly be recognized as one of the leading painters working on location in this era of plein air painting. As a painter he brings to the art world well composed, drawn, and executed works of art and yet never loses his sense of artistic touch in the delicate balance between bold color, subtle nuance and overlay upon this sound structure. What is all the more remarkable is his sense of paint, his touch and "brushwork" is as fresh, creamy and alive as any oil painter using the alla prima technique.
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Painting In Specific Media    4. Techniques - General    5. Techniques - Painting   

Reviews (2)

Gives us a bass
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.
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.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Color In Art Media    4. Drawing    5. Pastel    6. Techniques - Drawing    7. Techniques - General    8. Techniques - Pastel Drawing   

Reviews (3)

Recommended
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
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
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 runningto your drawing tables, with book in hand. The reproductions are beautifulfull page color drawings representing countless styles all beautifullyexecuted. Can't wait to see, "The Best of Pastel 3". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Catalogs    5. Pastel    6. Pastel drawing    7. Pastel drawing, American    8. Techniques - Pastel Drawing    9. Crayon & pastel drawing    10. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (22)

Painting Beautiful Skin Tones a must for the portrait painter
This book is excellent. Well written, easy to follow. An abundance of information. Good color information and color wheels. I refer to this book in the planning stage of each portrait.

Saper's Book is a MUST HAVE!
Painting Beautiful Skin tones with Color & Light has been my constant companion since its purchase.Ms. Saper's book has guided me from my "rookie" year up to the present and I continue to learn from it.It delivers its promise of teaching its readers how to paint beautiful skin tones.
I give this book 5 stars!!!!!
The theory on source lighting and shadows is invaluable.I also liked how she would start with two colors: the lightest color and the darkest color, then mix the shades inbetween before even starting the painting.Just understanding these processes has made a great leap in my paintings!
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Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Color Theory    4. Human skin color in art    5. Portrait painting    6. Technique    7. Techniques - General    8. Techniques - Painting - Specific Subjects