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Surface Treatment Workshop: Explore 45 Mixed-Media Techniques Paperback – Illustrated, May 3, 2011
| Darlene Olivia McElroy (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
| Sandra Duran-Wilson (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
| Price | New from | Used from |
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Pondering how to begin a new piece of art? Surface Treatment Workshop has the answer! The authors of Image Transfer Workshop are back to show you 45 stepped-out mixed-media techniques that will add depth and texture to your artwork. These techniques are the perfect jump-off point for creating art you will love to look at, and, in some cases, touch!
In this comprehensive guide, youÆll find:
• 45 techniques. Exciting new applications such as the use of WonderUnder, pulled paper and plaster-dipped gauze will provide you with fresh ideas--many previously unpublished.
• Multiple variations. Each technique features swatches and descriptions to take the techniques in multiple directions with multiple mixed-media products.
• Inspirational style. Fully stepped-out projects from two artists will show you how to combine the techniques into finished works of art that can go in any artistic style.
Take Surface Treatment Workshop with you on your artistic journey for beautiful beginnings.
- Print length144 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherNorth Light Books
- Publication dateMay 3, 2011
- Dimensions8.26 x 0.33 x 10.91 inches
- ISBN-101440308241
- ISBN-13978-1440308246
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About the Author
Sandra Duran Wilson is a painter and mixed-media artist. Making her paints and paper from materials found in nature is a direct result of her passion for combining art and science. Her mixed-media pieces employ painting, printmaking, photography and collage. Sandra has degrees in both science and art from the University of New Mexico.
Product details
- Publisher : North Light Books; Illustrated edition (May 3, 2011)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 144 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1440308241
- ISBN-13 : 978-1440308246
- Item Weight : 1.27 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.26 x 0.33 x 10.91 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #434,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #257 in Mixed Media (Books)
- #304 in Mixed-Media Craft
- #1,351 in Creativity (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors

Darlene Olivia McElroy, Santa Fe artist, educator and author, creates highly textured and layered narrative art. Coming from an old New Mexico family of artist and storytellers, she inherited a love of the visual and written story. In her work you will often find the story that first appears upon further examination has a twist to it.
Her extensive travels around the world and this rich heritage has brightly colored and deeply influenced her life and art.
Darlene was accepted into her first juried show with her mixed media art at the age of 19, started teaching college art classes at 24, and spent most of her life as an illustrator both in the U.S. and Europe.
Currently, Darlene works as a web designer, teaches art classes and workshops internationally, and pushes paint to the extreme.

Sandra Duran Wilson is a fourth-generation artist. Her Mother's relatives were artists and come from Mexico, Spain, and Italy. Sandra's early years were spent on the border of Mexico where the people, animals, landscape, drama of the religious rituals, and stories of the curanderas shaped her reality.
Sandra's father and his relatives were physicians and scientists and they nurtured her love of science. Making her paints and paper from materials found in Nature is a direct result of this passion. She has degrees in both Fine Art and Science. "I have always loved to mix things up and this has nurtured my art explorations".
This combination of art and experimentation led to the creation of the first art technique book, Image Transfer Workshop. Surface Treatment Workshop, Mixed Media Revolution and Alternative Art Surfaces followed. Her fifth book, Acrylic Painting for Acrylic Effects has been widely embraced by both acrylic and encaustic painters. Her sixth book is due out in October 2018. She paints and lives in Santa Fe, NM and her art is in international public, corporate and private collections. She teaches workshops in the US and internationally.
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Top reviews from the United States
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I cannot agree with the other reviewer about the illustrations, though. At all. I LOVE the photos and work used as examples. I don't care if it came from class students or so-called "professionals" - I thoroughly enjoyed all of it and in my opinion, each piece pictured serves as inspirational reiteration of the projects/ideas/techniques presented. Beyond the Introduction and a short instructional on How to Use This Book, there are two major sections: Techniques and Inspirational Projects. The Technique section in broken into three sub-categories: Additives (Aluminum Foil, Drawing Grounds, Ventilation Tape, Faux Encaustics, just to name a few), Resists (Rubbing Alcohol, Petroleum Jelly, Salt, White Craft Glue, etc), and Subtractive or Combination (Painted Leaf, Rust, Sanding, Tyvek, etc). With the Inspirational Projects section containing 4 additional projects spanning ten pages, resources, and an index, this book is as thorough as it is fun to read and look at.
The photos clearly show how to use the suggested materials, as well as finished samples. Samples provide adequate examples of a technique, in my opinion. With all the parts I love about this book, advanced and experienced artists beware - I doubt you'll learn many (if any) new techniques. It's a great compilation of techniques, don't get me wrong. There just aren't any new-to-me techniques - although I always enjoy seeing new ways each technique can be presented and used. I like Surface Treatment Workshop because of the vast array of techniques it covers all in one place.
On a final note, it's been my experience that if there is something in the book you have questions about or don't understand, emailing Ms McElroy will produce a thorough response, quickly. I'm really glad I got this book - as much for the cool techniques as for the wonderful photographs.
It IS helpful in some ways in giving me ideas I can incorporate in some jewelry designs. But for the most part, this is designed for canvas based paint designs, using a range of techniques familiar mainly to someone who paints...someone who knows a gesso from resist.
The pictures are amazing. The artists create collages and prints that are indescribably beautiful. I'd love to learn some of the techniques if I branch out from jewelry. They also are reasonable about materials: they often incorporate household items like bleach pens, salt, aluminum foil, and even dishwasher rinse aids. If you're into creating depth and variety in a paint based style, this IS it. I loved browsing the pages, especially the ones of finished projects.
However, the artists are assuming some general knowledge of paint terms, mediums, etc. In the step by step instructions, it seems like the last few steps are missing from some...they get you started going but not to the completion of the project (assuming you know, I guess). But, in their favor, they give many variations on each technique. I think if you had the materials and the time, you could figure it out.
In all, for a paint artist wanting to experiment, this book would be perfect. I'm giving it four stars because it did knock me out and did inspire ideas, even though it's not exactly what I wanted. I hope you find this review helpful!
The lay out is very well considered and the instructions are superlative - perfectly illustrated with photos that relate directly to the image. I couldn't wait to begin experimenting! One of the things that intrigued me as I read through the book was a description of Venetian Plaster - something I had never heard of before - "...Venetian Plaster gives you a unique finish that cannot be replicated with any other medium....". A tall order in my opinion. I got some of this miraculous stuff though and experimented and now have a new favorite mixed media tool. You can see my experiment from using the instructions on my other blog - [...].
I can't wait to try more surface treatments from this book. It's a must have for the bookshelf of artists of all sorts - especially for fine arts, mixed media artists and visual journalers. You just can't go wrong by buying this book!
Top reviews from other countries
When I lost my copy in a move I HAD to reorder it.
Gary
positiv überrascht!! Das Porto (3€) war völlig ok und die Lieferung war in 5 Tagen da.
Damit liegen Bücher dieser Art preislich deutlich unter den hiesigen (wenn man so was hier überhaupt findet...).
Das Buch ist ein Paperback - sehr angenehm.
Nun zum Inhalt:
Auf 143 Seiten werden 45 verschiedene Verfahren zur Gestaltung der Bildoberfläche erläutert.
Sehr viele Fotos geben Beispiele und den Anleitungen ist leicht zu folgen.
Dieses Buch macht unheimlich Lust auf mehr davon!!! Man will sofort loslegen.
Nach ein paar Seiten vergisst man total, dass es auf englisch ist, denn die wesentlichen Vokabeln
wiederholen sich oft und man muss nicht viel nachblättern...
Also: keine Angst vor der Sprache (sooo viel Text ist nicht da..)
Zu jedem Verfahren wir in Bildern anschaulich erklärt, wie man vorgeht.
Es gibt eine Materialliste am Rand, Vorschläge, auf welchem Medium man das Ganze am besten probiert
(welche Art von Papier, Holz, Pappe, ect.) und jede Menge Tipps für Abwandlungen dieser Technik!!
Dann gibt es noch Hinweise zu Problemen, die dabei auftauchen können und wie man sie vermeidet.
Alles ist sehr übersichtlich aufgebaut und jeder Schritt ist mit Photos bebildert.
Man merkt, dass die Autoren wirklich alles selbst probiert haben und eine Menge Spass dabei hatten.
Zwischen den Kapiteln finden sich fertige Beispiele, die die ganze Bandbreite der Verfahren zeigen
und wirklich Lust machen, sofort alles auszuprobieren...
Das Schöne ist, dass zwar das Grundverfahren ausgiebig erklärt wird, aber dennoch viel Raum für Eigenes ist.
Man wird animiert, selber auszuprobieren, zu experimentieren und zu entdecken!!
Das Wichtigste natürlich: die Kombination der einzelnen Verfahren...
Seeeeeehr empfehlenswert!!! 5 Sternchen












