Customer Reviews

Trompe L'Oeil Bible

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

 

 

In short - this book is fantastic. I am a novice painter with no art background or formal training, simply a passion to try my hand at murals and trompe l'oeil - and this is by far the best book I've found. It gives a good explanation of the materials needed and the basics of trompe l'oeil. Colors for each project are shown, along with how to mix them for the light, medium and shadow tones and how to use the color wheel to get realistic looking shadows for any color - and it works! There is a discussion of perspective and light and shadow, necessary to make your painting look real. If this in any way sounds complicated, it's not! The author makes it very clear and simple. I'm sure this book is not a definitive work on these subjects and I know people can spend years studying this, but it is plenty for a beginner like me to start getting cool results quickly. Sure my stuff doesn't look as awesome as the authors (yet!), but I'm pleased with the results so far. They're better than I'd ever expected in so short a time. My wine glass actually looks like a wine glass!

The other really great thing about the book is that one technique or element is shown and explained in detail and then the author gives lots and lots of variations to let your tastes and creativity take over. Specifically, this book shows great examples of how to do several variations of windows and doors, a stone rosette panel, columns, stone work, and dozens of other items like wine bottles, glasses, birds, vases, grapes, greenery, skies, trellis, door pediments and I could go on and on. It has tons of ideas, so many you can get really inspired to create. Tropical scenes, castles, classical gardens, ruins, Provencal countryside and seascapes are a few of the things shown in the book. I don't want to mislead anyone - not every one of the items I've mentioned has completely detailed step by step instructions, but there are more than enough that do so you will start to understand how it works and be able to apply the principles yourself in just about anything shown in the book. I love how this book has so many examples.

Many thanks to the author for writing this book and sharing his technique in a straightforward step by step style that is easy to follow, and including so many examples of his work. I really feel this book is intended to teach people, compared to some other books I have on trompe l'oeil where the authors seem more concerned about showcasing their important commissions than really teaching people. Not the case at all with Chris Westall! And I really appreciate that, I think you will too. I don't usually write reviews but I'm so impressed with this book I just had to! In my opinion, this really is THE Trompe L'Oeil Bible - a must have for all beginners. I have read through it several times, and each time I do I get more out of it. I really appreciate the abundance of material in this book. Overall, I highly recommend this book and the author's other book Trompe L'oeil Interiors for more inspiration, examples and techniques as well!

Good book but I have found a good site that offers free online tutorials for Trompe L'oeil at http://www.creativeevolution.net/school/howto.php

This book has a lot of useful information for the ordinary painter. All of the items shown are something that could be used in a lot of areas. Very satisfied.

If you want some trompe l'oeil tips along with photographs of finished work, this is a great book. Step by step instruction of many illusions.

The book lacks both technical details and inspirations. Contains several basic boreing projects so meticulously drawn line after line as for to be copied. The "trompe l'oeil" title is too ambitious either. Sorry to admit but very like other books offered.

This book is simply depicted. It should be enough for anyone to get started. It could have used more specifics but is well illustrated. If you are searching for something more technical, which is hard to find, this item only goes so deep. I will use this as a good reference piece.

I picked my first copy of this book up at a remaindered books sale. I thought I lost it and was beside myself til I bought this one on Amazon (and then found the first). It is my ideal book for a first time muralist. Westall goes over all the basics, including what colors you will need, what brushes, how to get images drawn onto your surface and necessary concepts such as achieving perspective. I have since bought other books on muralling and trompe l'oeil, but this is my favorite and my goto.