Customer Reviews

The Big Book of Decorative Painting: How to Paint If You Don't Know How and How to Improve If You Do

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This is one of the best books I have seen on how to paint for the inexperienced but eager artist. It features an endless variety of terrific projects to suit anyone's taste. The wonderfully explicit, easy to follow and well illustrated directions make creating the projects a breeze with designs for all levels.

The book starts with a list of both basic and "wish list" supplies. It then helps you choose the right brushes and gives some great tips on caring for them. Then there is advice on choosing paint, keeping it fresh and how to tell when it is dry. There is a large section on mixing color and color schemes as well.

The essentials of brush loading, basic brushstrokes and blending are next. The author guides you through each step with detailed illustrations including the best section on creating basic brushstrokes I have ever seen. I found the learning from your mistakes section invaluable in helping me refine my technique. Practical advice and great tips here abound here. Surface preparation is also discussed here giving details on preparing wood, tinware, paper and glass.

A wide variety of projects follow including brushstroke designs, leaves, ribbons, water drops, fruit, vegetables, flowers, lettering, faux finishes and Trompe l'oeil. There are even techniques for working with patterns and information on giving your projects great finishing touches. The instructions are excellent; they are both written and illustrated step-by-step. There is also a large full-color picture of each finished project. In many cases there are also several versions of a project, such as beginner, intermediate and advanced versions of making an apple. I also love that the projects show swatches of each color used and that brand names are not listed for the colors. This makes choosing matching color easier and it saves money because you don't have to buy a certain brand of paint to do the project. Some of my favorite projects include a daisy tray, forget-me-not candle holder, pear saltbox and mushroom sign.

There are helpful template patterns for all the projects as well as a list of suppliers. Whether you're starting out or have experience with decorative painting this is the book for you.

We used this book as a course guide in an Adult Ed painting class--it is very well done, easy to understand and contains many wonderful projects to copy or adapt to your own taste. By using a piece of acetate over the "stroke" photographs, or preferably using a xerox copy of the stroke pages (so you don't ruin your book), you can easily perfect a stroke or "teach yourself" with this book. I have several other books in my decorative painting library, but this is the one I refer to the most often. I recommend it highly.

I have ordered several decorative painting books and this is by far the best. It builds the skills and confidence of a beginner with attractive projects and still challenges an advanced painter. Step by step instructions are given for each new skill with great pictures. It is comprehensive, well written and Jackie's personality and love for painting comes through on every page. Well worth every penny.

You can learn about all basic subjects from paints and brushes, to color choice and surface preparation. This books teaches all fruit, vegetable and floral designs with leaves and ribbons with shades and highlights,etc. There are a lot of projects with each you can start.Each project is handled in three ways, such as "quick and easy apples", "intermediate apples", "advanced apples" as if you are taking courses. The most importrant I think are the pages including the palette so that you know which colors you would have and the step-by-step instructions with excellent photos. Besides you will be able to learn a lot of faux finishing tecniques.What else?

I am just beginning to venture into decorative painting. This wonderful book answers every question I had. It is beautifully illustrated and covers every aspect of this subject in a manner easily understandable to painters new to this craft. One doesn't need to spend money on many different books, each only covering a few aspects of this topic. This book has it all, as far as I'm concerned. What a treat!!!

Jackie Shaw does an excellent job of showcasing all that is possible in decorative painting. Her examples of stroke work apply across the board for any kind of painting. But, what makes this book work is the way she breaks down each stroke into its individual parts to show how to form them properly. Along the way she imparts words of encouragment and motivation to get you going!

She also gives excellent lessons to practice by and keep you stimulated. It is part of the book's progressive learning curve so that as you advance with one part, there is more to learn in the next section as you move from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced.

I rarely write review of books, but as I pulled out this book once again today to reference, I felt compelled to give Ms. Shaw her props! Thanks Jackie!

I have been painting and teaching art for many years and consider myself to be a competant artist. This book is a fantastic resource for new and exprienced painters alike. It shows a variety of techniques which range from easy to difficult and stylised to realistic. The user can choose a technique which suits his or her level of expertise. It is a wonderful book and Ms Shaw is a inspired artist. I thank her for sharing her beautiful work with us.

The Big Book is one of the few in the market place that "grows" with the painter as he/she develops more skill and ability. If you had no access to a teacher, you could develop into a competent tole and decorative painter thanks to Shaw's clear cut how to's. She takes you from prepping a piece of wood to selecting brushes, learning basics of strokework, on up to the achievent of complex designs. If you buy no other book on the subject of decorative art - buy this one.

Pat Spooner

I have a ceramics business and got tired of plain ol painting and wanted to expand when I found this book. It has taught me so much and my sales are way up! The techniques are explained in precise detail and are easy to follow. It even has practice strokes which I found to be very helpful. There is not a more informative book about painting out there from taking care of your brushes to a beautiful array of advanced technique. This is just a plain wonderful book and I could not say enough good about it!

This book allows the user to progress at his or her own pace. Explanations are clear and thorough, progressing from novice through to expert. Those impatient to jump ahead may do so but can easily refer back to intermediate steps involved if they get into difficulty. It is my one and only Decorative Painting book!