Customer Reviews

The Beader's Color Mixing Directory: 200 failsafe color schemes for beautiful beadwork

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I received the book, the cover is different than pictured. If I had seen only the new cover and nothing else, I might have hesitated about buying the book. I already have the 'Beader's Guide to Color' by Margie Deeb which focuses more on seed beads (including citing the Delica bead number). I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is organized differently. It has a good basic introduction (Chapter 1) to color theory, explaining the different color wheels, tonal values, tints, intensity, shades, finishes, etc. I expected this and Sandra Wallace did a good job of it, with lots of color photos of beads (not just flat color swatch) to illustrate. There are over 150 absolutely GORGEOUS beaded items in various color schemes/groupings in Chapter 2. Most of these items are done with seed beads. There are a handful of stringed designs with larger glass beads. I really like how it gives the proportion of colors using 20 color bars with each representing 5%. I can't wait to try some of these out. I was surprised to find that it has 10 projects at the end of the book with 6 different color schemes for each. Awesome. These are not for beginners expect for maybe 4 projects. You are expected to know how to do herringbone stitch, brick stitch, right angle weave, etc. There is NO general how to sections on the various beading technique but the instructions for the projects are well written and have good diagrams for those experienced with the stitch technique. I consider this book to be a MUST HAVE in all beaders' library. Although the book leaned heavier towards seedbead weavers, the color schemes in the book can definitely be used for larger glass beads as well as beads from organic material.

I've been beading for a few years, but always feel like I struggle with color choices. Recently I purchased Margie Deeb's book, but felt like I still wanted more information, so I also just bought Sandra Wallace's book. While they do cover some of the same information, they are a wonderful complement to each other, and I'm so glad that I now have both of them.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this book is divided into three sections. The first section talks about color theory and how to use a color wheel to create interesting color combinations. While Deeb's book uses the CYM color wheel, Wallace's book uses the standard color wheel.

In the second section of the book, Wallace provides over 150 examples of various projects from other bead artists that are grouped according to various color schemes (with titles like Volcano, Floral Fantasy, Faded Roses, etc.). It is in this second section of the book where Wallace provides the details about the percentage of beads used in each project. This section alone is worth the cost of the book! The samples are just wonderful, and Wallace explains how each one uses the color theory (analogous, complementary, etc.) she had discussed in Part 1. This section has such wonderful eye candy, and I know I will be going back to it many times in the future for inspiration.

The third section of the book has 10 sample projects, complete with instructions. Each of those 10 projects also has diagrams for how to make that project using other color combinations so you can really see how changing the color scheme affects the overall look of your piece.

All in all, this is a wonderful book, and I'm definitely glad I purchased it!

Glass beads are chameleons. They change color depending on their finish, the color of the bead next to them, and the percentage of that color bead in the work. They do not hold the color note.

This book helps you use color effectively with beads by showing all the color samples as beads and showing percentages of colors in the finished examples so you can approximate it yourself without using identical beads and designs.

The painted wooden beads for the color wheel and examples are hoaky. They are paint, not glass. They hold their color and are a different medium than glass. But the ideas are good, color mixing and the color wheel explanations are excellent.

Overall this is an inspirational book. There are few ugly pages, but on the whole, it is a great book. Highly recommended.

This is the most unique color book I have ever seen. And I have almost all of them...from Itten through Deeb, and I love them all. I am obsessed with color, and find that it is the first thing I consider in any of the art that I make. What Sandra has done for beaders is to go far beyond the basic info (which *is* included)and discuss moods and themes. I already know that I'm a sucker for an analogous scheme...but she shows me how to use what I already love to create pieces that evoke a mood.

I love this book.

Disclaimer ~ I have two pieces included in the book, and I couldn't be prouder!

I was very pleased with this book though I'll admit I am a bit jaded, having been a devotee of Margie Deeb's book[ASIN:0823004872 The Beader's Guide to Color]for several years. That being said, there are many reasons to suggest Ms Wallace's book. Her 30 page chapter on color theory covered nearly everything the average beader needs to know, short of a semester coarse of study. The vast array of innovative color themes are full of fresh and inspiring ideas. There are a fair number of projects included in the last chapter that demonstrate to the reader, through illustration, how each project would look in three of four different color combinations. Personally, however, I feel the best part of this book lies in the color scheme chapter. Here the author includes a useful graphic with each sample of beadwork, clearly showing the percentages of each color used.
As a beading teacher, I will refer my students over and over to this book for that simple addition alone! As a beader and designer, I'm sure I will find many reasons to choose Ms Wallace's book from my personal library shelves when I need help with a project.

This book does, in fact, have some nice color mixes, but the cover is misleading in that it looks like they use gemstones or large beads to illustrate. This is primarily a seed bead book. Had I had a better understanding of what it included, I would have passed on it. Now that I own it, I may look occasionally, but it will not have much impact on my color choices. Nicely presented material, but a color wheel is almost as useful.

I have been looking for something which would help me in designing with beads, and now I have it. It was the easiest book I have found to have the use of colors, to be pleasing to the eye. When I get into theory, I don't under stand it, or at least I guess I don't want to take the time to understand. Now I get it. Easier then ever. Great Book.

I bought this even thought I have Margie Deeb's "A Beader's Guide to Color" and I'm very glad I did. While Deeb's book concentrates a lot on theory Wallace's is packed with actual beadwork pieces of every style to demonstrate her color combinations. Every photo is broken down into the percent of each color used, making it easy to translate her color balances into your own designs.

If you're looking for a basic how-to book, this one's not for you. No beading instructions are given, only a brief mention of the stitch(es)use in the piece being discussed. However, those with some experience under their belt will find themseles returning again and again for a fresh look at using different color combinations. This book is a great source of inspiration.

This is the book I've been looking for forever! I love making things, but I have a terrible eye for color. Now I understand what does and doesn't work AND WHY. This book starts with the basics that many of us probably already know. The color wheel. If you're already familiar with the color wheel, just skip the first chapter. The rest of the book is still pure gold. It goes into color schemes, explaining in simple language, what works and why. It tells you how to get pleasing color combinations using few or many colors together. The truly unique aspect of this book is the information telling you what PROPORTIONS make these color schemes work. At the bottom of each page teaching a color scheme, there is a bar that is divided into sections. Each section shows how much of one color to use. It's a visual representation for the percentage of each color in the scheme. The info is also provided as a percentage number. Those who have difficulty working with percents will have no trouble understanding because percents are explained as it would apply to beading. For example it tells you that 10% of this bead means that if you have 100 beads, 10 of them would be this color, 24% of the second color would mean that 24 beads out of that 100 bead pile would be the second color, etc. Finally, the last section gives 10 projects, each using one of the schemes taught in the book. The projects use the color schemes but each also shows you how you can change it. For example, how to change the given color scheme from a predominately green project to a predominately purple one. The projects themselved aren't easily followed if you're a beginner, but again, the book is pure gold. All the photos and illustrations are very well done. I this book it to a class taught by a nationally known jewelry instructor and she was very impressed. Enough so that she wrote the title and author so that she could refer students to it! If color combinations are your issue this is the one and only book you need on the subject.

Unfortunately, the title is a misnomer IMHO, yet the jewelry designs and color combinations are striking. However, if you are a beader/jeweler focused on seed beads (or others types), I would recommend using Margie Deeb's book "The Beader's Guide to Color." This book really provides useful color combinations that one can adapt to their jewelry designs, seed beads or other gemstones (crystals, natural stones, etc.).

Wallace's book has some of the most beautiful uses of beads in appropriate colors that please the eye in more ways than color alone. One caveat though - you have to be an intermediate to advance beader/jeweler as there are little to no directions with the beaded designs demonstrating a color combination, except for a small section in the back of the book. A follow-up book by Wallace on step-by-step discussion on the earlier designs would be welcome addition.