Customer Reviews

Brushstroke Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Decorative Painting Brushstrokes

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I already do one stroke painting and found this book a great addition to what I already know. For the beginner who's never done Decorative painting, a few hands on classes and this book and you're good to go. For the artist who's already familiar with painting and strokes (although this book teaches you strokes) it's a wonderful addition full of ideas and techniques.

This beautifully illustrated book covers the basics such as materials and brush loading etc (Maureen paints with two colours on the brush). She covers round and flat brushes and shows the brushstrokes in detail and how they can be used. There is a section showing some common mistakes and how to avoid these, as well as sections on borders and floral compositions (with patterns). I liked the clear text, illustrations and the spiral binding of the book which allowed it to lay flat while working through the "lessons". The book is a good guide for those with some painting experience and is an excellent reference book.

Painters who want a quick, photo-filled guide to brush strokes and their results will want to keep THE BRUSHSTROKE HANDBOOK: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DECORATIVE PAINTING WITH BRUSHSTROKES close at hand. It covers different strokes, effects, placement of colors, rounds on brushes, and combinations which provide special results. Step-by-step directions tell how to recreate the clear color examples. An outstanding presentation indeed.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

This book has more information on brushstrokes and liner details than the last four acrylic painting books I've read put together.

As a long time bumbling hobbyist graced with absolutely no talent, and also as a long time educator more than capable of spotting good teaching tools; I think my background is more than sufficient to evaluate this book........and it is a 100% winner!
The mysteries of blending colors and brushstrokes have always amazed me and my hopeless attempts at any type of artistic brushwork have been such monumental failures that about the only thing I would attempt to paint were my nails.
I picked up this book automatically figuring it to be one more half baked attempt at instruction that was too hard to understand for the beginner, and too boring for the advanced who had "been there, done that". I was wrong on both counts.
Maureen McNaughton has put together one of those rare books that can truly teach the beginner from the ground up as well as offer tricks of the trade to the more accomplished.
I had always assumed that all artists were born with technique already programmed into their brains and for the most part, this is probably true. However there are certain techniques and finer points that simply have to be learned; and for the naturally talented as well as for those who have no such programming, such as I, this book fills the bill.
Directions are clear and precise and there are excellent illustrations and photographs that demonstrate each step. Most helpful is an introduction describing various types of brushes and how to load them. Prior to this I had thought brushes fell into three categories: little, medium, and big and as for "loading" a brush, I had assumed all one had to do was dip it in the desired color...........WRONG.
Following this are many lessons on how to use each brush to accomplish basic strokes, starting with the easiest to the most advanced.
The book doesn't stop there. It's loaded with projects that make use of what has been so clearly explained and even supplies patterns to trace and copy at the end.
I was amazed at the clarity of the instructions presented in this book. They were so easy to follow because they were so well written. A good table of contents at the beginning is complemented and supplemented by a very complete index at the end.
For those individuals who have always wanted to paint something pretty as well as those who would like to add to their techniques, this book is wonderful.
One last thought..........the concentration in this book is on painting decorative designs such as flowers and scrolls with a few birds and bees thrown in; so if your forte is painting monsters and the like, you might want to try another book of instruction.

She has many techniques that Donna Dewberry does not cover in the books of hers that I own. Some beautiful strokes using other brushes. I really like the tole painting look that this book demonstrates.

This book is just wonderful for round and flat brush stroke designs. It is also very well written and illustrated. For a beginner it is just great to see results almost instantaneously achieved. A Great work of art!!

I just received my book, and was absolutely thrilled with it. Maureen explains the use of different brush sizes, along with the most common brush mistakes made, and then, shows us how to correct them. Her step-by-step illustrations and instructions are very easy to follow. A must have for just about anyone who paints. Great pictures and patterns. From now on, anytime I paint, this book will be next to me.

I have not done tole painting in a long time, I find that this book is going to help me review and practice all of the strokes that I will need to start tole painting again.

The book is very well illistrated and instructions are very clear.

This book is wonderful. I am using it for scrapbooking. Instead of sticker I paint. I do not classify myself as an artist. But this book helps me look like, I just might be one.