Customer Reviews

DK Art School: An Introduction to Art Techniques (DK Art School)

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4 star:		(6)
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I've been drawing for years, but hit a ceiling of sorts where I wasn't able to teach myself anything new. I've had negative experiences with the strictures of drawing classes. (I confess-I am one of those who have to look at the paper when I draw.)

Then I was lucky enough to come across this book while literally holding "DK Art School: An Introduction To Oil Painting" in my hand. I sat in the store and compared them side to side, page by page. The chapter on oil painting was exactly the same as the book on oil painting. It seems that DK decided to make this a compilation of their other art books. This edition includes:
An Introduction to Drawing
An Introduction to Perspective
An Introduction to Watercolor
An Introduction to Pastels
An Introduction to Oil Painting
An Introduction to Acrylics
An Introduction to Mixed Media

Don't let the price turn you off because you are actually buying seven volumes. Each one sells separately for around half the price of this one. Included are history, materials and technique for each medium described. The only drawback is that you're getting one hulk of a book.

For people like me who have not taken classes, it will prove indispensable. The pictures are great and there are plenty of tips and step by step examples for practice. Not for in-depth study, but a high quality overview. This edition is a great value for any amateur artist and useful for those more experienced as well. Beautiful.

I have been a painter and drawer for many years. At my relatively young age of 25, having earned a BFA in painting and painting professionally for several years, I still fall back on this book for new ideas or refreshening on old ideas.

My mother bought this book for me in high school. For many years, I rarely opened it. However I have found that I still reference the techniques presented in this user-friendly book quite regularly. It is a wonderful reference to have on hand.

The reason I am writing this review is because I am going to buy this book for a beginning artist friend who has had very little formal art education. I recommend this book for experienced artists as well as beginners.

Hope this helps someone out there!
Enjoy! Ciao.

This book is great if you are looking for a single source of information on a wide variety of art techniques. It covers the basics and history of drawing, perspective, watercolors, pastels, oils, acrylics and mixed media and is lavishly illustrated with examples, instructions and types of materials used to create each. While it is not particularily useful if you are looking for an indepth guide to any of these areas, it is an excellent (if pricey) choice if what you want is a good, solid, comprehensive overview.

like all dk books, the illustrations are beautiful. the layout very attractive without being too busy. straight forward information some of which i was not aware of altho i am an artist! i never read "clean brushes in cold water" anywhere. i guess it's something the brush companies keep to themselvea to boost sales - it was NEVER printed on the back of any packages of brushes - many of which were very expensive. that info alone paid the book.

only minus is that is very heavy and one must stay stationary as opposed to being able to easily cart it around.

I have wanted to learn more about art techniques for many years so that I could begin painting although I have no instinctual skills. This book provides step-by-step instruction with very good illustrations. For me, someone who could only draw stick men as art, can now paint something that I would hang on a wall. It was a wonderful investment for me and provides so much information that it will be quite some time before I will feel the need to buy another book to take me further - if ever. I hope that if you purchase this book that you will enjoy it as much as I do.

I am nearly done reading this book and find it excellent, wonderful. I haven't painted in years and am looking forward to starting again. This book is very detailed in explanations of materials and techniques. Perfect for the beginner or intermediate painter. I think an experienced artist would already be aware of these techniques and would have done a great deal of experimentation already, but this is great for the rest of us!

This book has it all. It shows what types of materials are needed along with basic techniques. From drawing to mixed media, types of brushes, papers and art history - you can find it in here. A great volume for beginners. Loaded with information and lots of how to pictures.

As a beginning artist, I did not have a clue on how to paint, draw, etc. (You could say that I was clueless.) However, once I purchased this book, I began to master the art of perspective drawing, overlaying, and I began painting with ease with watercolor, oils, pastels, acrylics and mixed media. Before I purchased this book I would say, "What is watercolor?" but now I have a whole new perspective on different art and media. Bacically, I became an artist overnight because of THIS book! It features step by step instructions on how do ANYTHING that is art oriented! I strongly recommend this book for artists ranging from clueless to professional.

We bought this for our 14-year-old nephew, who is just starting to exhibit an interest in art. It is truly a great introduction to drawing and perspective, painting (oil, watercolor, acrylics), and even mixed media. Don't expect great depth in any one area, but its easy to read and use, heavily illustrated to keep kids' attentions, has a nice glossary. All in all, a really really great value and a book that is exactly what its title says it is.

I have always wanted to paint & draw but never knew or learned the techniques. This book has everything. What brushes to use what kind of paper, what kind of pencils to use, how to make your own frames, how to use color pencils, etc. The book is paperback as indicated above, and it has great pictures and is enough depth for a beginner (like myself.) Highly recommended!