The Acrylic Painter's Book of Styles & Techniques (Hardcover)

by Rachel Rubin Wolf (Author), Rachel Wolf (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Acrylic paints are the chameleons of media. Straight from the tube, acrylics can look like oils; thinned with water, they are used like traditional watercolors. To illustrate her point, editor Wolf wisely chooses seven master artists, each of whom uses a different technique to portray everything from still lifes to outdoor scenes to expressive abstracts. This approach is uniquely appropriate to the medium and makes this work even more useful than Earl and Leah Killeen's The North Light Book of Acrylic Painting Techniques (North Light, 1995).
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Acrylics are famous for their versatility. They can be used straight from the tube to look like oil paints. They can be thinned with water or painting medium and used like traditional watercolors. Or they can be used with techniques unique to acrylics.

On these pages, seven top acrylic painters illustrate the versatility and creative excitement of acrylics. In 28 step-by-step demonstrations they show new techniques for mastering acrylic's many faces--from the look of highly controlled transparent watercolor, to abstract expressionism, and everything in between.

This book is a creative testament to the growing popularity of this medium and the perfect invitation for any artist who wants to explore it further. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; 1st edition (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891347445
• ISBN-13: 978-0891347446
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #167,938 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

91 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a "must" for the acrylic painter's library!, May 11, 2000

By A Customer

The painting techniques of seven master artists, whose styles are quite diverse, are highlighted in as many chapters of this book. Textural techniques, flat opaque colors, ultra-realism, impasto, luminosity through thin glazes and experimental abstracts are all carefully described and illustrated on the pages. Not only do the artists take the reader through step-by-step demonstrations on one representative work, but they also showcase a gallery selection of other work that has been created through the same technique. My favorites were the incredibly dramatic, ultra realistic studies of still-life flowers by Barbara Buer. The technique of Michael Nevin, in his urban paintings shows an intense atmosphere of light and dark, reminiscent of Hopper. Although these are basic techniques, there is much to learn from the examples and the demonstrations are clearly described. Now, after reading the book, I am anxious to try this out for myself.

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars conprehensive, interseting, well worth the purchase, May 11, 2000

By A Customer

The book covers everything a beginner or intermediate artist would want to know about a variety of styles, techniques, and media.The illustrations are excellent and the text is easy to understand and well written.I found this book to be an outstanding learning tool.

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now that you've learned the basics...., April 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Acrylic Painter’s Book of Styles and Techniques (Paperback)

and your staring at the canvas waiting for something, anything to inspire you...

This book is excellent for taking your painting to the next level. Although the styles represented in the book are not my own, i took away several techniques after reading this book. The best thing about this book is it shows you HOW, so many books show the effect without the steps. Not this one, it's all laid out in an easy to understand and non-intimidating fashion.