Bridging the gap between formal study and fun, this book shows artists how to use their inborn talent to express themselves in their painting, whether decorating their homes or creating a beautiful greeting card.
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Bridging the gap between formal study and fun, this book shows artists how to use their inborn talent to express themselves in their painting, whether decorating their homes or creating a beautiful greeting card.
Read Less
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Seller's Description:
Good. Paperback This item shows wear from consistent use but remains in good readable condition. It may have marks on or in it, and may show other signs of previous use or shelf wear. May have minor creases or signs of wear on dust jacket. Packed with care, shipped promptly.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
This book is based on using acrylics and pastels. If you want to find creative sides to your painting style and release some inhibitions or fears of making mistakes, I think that this book will definitely help you. If you are tired of the same types of art how-to paint lessons that you see in many art instructional books, this book is definitely different. This book is not a book that will teach you to paint what the author paints, but a series of exercises that will help you learn to become a more relaxed and spontaneous and creative painter of your own design, and at the same time, learn more about colors and shapes and how to use them to your advantage.
After a chapter on basic materials, Chapter 2 begins, "LETS PLAY!"--- exercises such as painting a symetrical pictuer with two hands instead of one--focus on SHAPES and not exactly how the vase of flowers should look, always moving both hands at the same time,, then, after the basic drawing, adding colors (with both hands) . Next, making a "puzzle-piece drawing", and connecting each shape to the other and also connecting the shapes to the edge of the paper, next, painting that drawing--noticing how the colors "feel" and how they relate to each other, then, try a black and white painting of the same painting you just did.
Next, an exercise in creating a puzzle piece collage with colored paper and cutting out shapes. Next, using unusual materials to create a textured painting. Next , an exercise of varying the size and complexity of shapes, learning to manipulate shapes and gain experience with pastels, by tracing the shapes of different objects into a collage painting. Contrary to what many art how-to books might teach, this book encourages you to paint with your minds eye as a child might, and NOT try to paint exactly what is in front of you.
Chapter 3 is excellent for learning more about color mixing, warms and cools, color relationships, pushing colors, and understanding a color's impact based on the colors surrounding it.
Chapter 4: "Variation and Repetition"-- straight and curved lines--According to the author, "The way you arrange shapes and lines in your painting guides the perceptions of the viewer and sets the emotional tone of your painting. Learn to see the directioanl movement of parts of a painting and you can more easily comunicate your specific feelings to the viewer." NEXT, a demonstration on painting a juggling clown in pastels and paints, beginning with a base design layer, then progressing the drawing to one of 90% curved lines and 10% straight lines. In this exercise, the author teaches about color arrangements--35% warm, 65% cool, and staying "true to the ratio of curved vs straight line. NEXT, Large and small shapes--learning how varying the size of shapes and directional movement can affect a painting, NEXT, demonstration exercise on "how a painting takes shape (using pastels and acrylics) NEXT, smooth and textured surfaces, patterned and plain surfaces, soft and hard edges,
Chapter 5 is titled RHYTHM AND MOVEMENT, with subtitles such as, "If you can't see it, imagine it!" , "A series of possibilties can make a series", "More than one way to paint a picture."
Chapter 6: SHAPES AND SIZES--How varying the size of the shapes in your painting makes it more interesting, When More is Better--embellishing a painting with more shapes in a variety of shapes and sizes, When Enough is Enough--knowing when to stop, Geometric and Organic Shapes, How Does a Shape Take on Form?--"The decision of when to emphasize shape or form is different with every image and for every artist". Creating Form Using Values, A demonstration titled, Play With 2-D and 3-D in a Painting
Chapter 7-- COLOR AND VALUE BALANCE--how to "use color as a language"--to learn to specify the feeling you want to create in the painting--learning the "design elements of color" This chapter will focus on 1. saturated colors and tints 2. warm and cool colors 3. limited color schemes using monochromatic and analogous colors, with a demonstration titled, "Warming up a Painting." followed by a demonstration titled, "Cooling Down a Painting." You will also learn about using limited color schemes
Chapter 8 is, SPACE--flat space, space created with forms, deep space, ambiguous space.
The last part of the book, Part 3, is titled, " PAINT YOUR HOME HAPPY"---basically using the skills you have learned in the first two parts of this book to make original decorations for your home on such things as lamp shades, tiles, furniture, fabrics, walls, etc..
The title of this book is what this book is all about and more--it is a great teaching book for learning many facets of design and how shapes, sizes, lines, colors, edges, etc, and how these things interplay with each other to have certain effects. It also has wonderful lessons on teaching yourself to be spontaneous and more creative, use your imagination more in your paintings. I learned a lot in this book that I had had no background in and had not gained from other books. This is definitely a happy book to look at, read, and even do exercises from. GREAT FUN TEACHING BOOK!!!
