Acrylic Workbook: A Complete Course in Ten Lessons (Art Workbook Series) [Hardcover]

Jenny Rodwell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Art Workbook Series | Publication Date: August 1998

In the past, painters used acrylics only to imitate oils or watercolors -- but no more! Versatile and durable, acrylics have become the medium of choice for many artists. With just these ten easy lessons, you too can have all the technique and activity necessary to produce fabulous acrylic paintings. Sort through materials to find what's essential and hone your drawing skills on every project -- each one has outline drawings to use as a guide. Gain hands-on knowledge of mixing color, and lay out a palette at the start. Decide on your subject, use viewfinders to settle on proportions and composition, and paint mini-sketches. Experiment with textures by adding sand or other materials to your paint, or through brush takes and knife marks. Lay down washes; create the illusion of space and form on a fiat surface; vary paint applications for different effects; and paint still lifes, landscapes, figures, and collages. Informative sidebars contain each chapter's aims, and copious full-color illustrations will get you motivated!

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Acrylic is an extremely versatile, very popular medium. Rodwell points out that it can be used instead of watercolor, oil, or gouache, sharing many of their advantages but few of the drawbacks. She emphasizes, however, that acrylic is exciting in its own right. Here, Rodwell provides ten lessons, from basic colors, textures, still lifes, and landscapes to collage. Designed for the hesitant beginner, these lessons begin with an outline drawing to be used as a guide. Finished paintings are fairly rudimentary and approachable. This is a solid first book for work in acrylics and can be followed by Rachel Wolf's The Acrylic Painter Book of Styles & Techniques (LJ 7/98), which references the work of seven master artists.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Jenny Rodwell studied at St Martin's School of Art, the Royal Academy and the School of Visual Arts, New York. She regularly contributes to the leisure painting press, illustrates children's books and works on animated films. Jenny lives near Sheffield. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: David & Charles; Workbook edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0715307207
• ISBN-13: 978-0715307205
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 7.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,362,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great beginner's book, June 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Acrylic Workbook: A Complete Course in Ten Lessons (Art Workbook Series) (Hardcover)

This is the best book on beginning acrylic painting that I have run across so far. I've found the exercises challenging but not too difficult. The 10 lessons seem to give the beginner a good grounding in basic concepts of color selection, composition, building the painting, and special techniques. I would highly recommend this book to someone who is interested to beginning to paint but does not have time to take lessons.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty decent book for beginners, December 2, 2006

By 

Leslie Newman (Harriman, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Acrylic Workbook: A Complete Course in Ten Lessons (Paperback)

This was one of the first books I bought when I just started acrylic painting.

This book introduces the reader to different brushes, textures, effects,etc.

I actually did many of the exercises from this book and they came out pretty good. I enjoyed doing the exercises because a lot of the exercises were easy and precision wasn't really required, which let me just work on the basics of things (shadows,etc.)

I definately wouldn't call this a complete course, but it might be a complete course of the basics of acrylic painting (to get you started). I would recommend this book if you're just starting acrylic painting and want a book that's fairly easy to do the exercises for.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars NOT A COMPLETE COURSE!, March 12, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Acrylic Workbook: A Complete Course in Ten Lessons (Paperback)

Please don't name your book a complete course in 10 lessons if it is not. Only for beginners and remember not a complete course. Only if you don't know anything about painting, it gives very basic knowlege and it should say that is what it does.