Prelims 5
Introduction 4
Getting to Know Acrylics 70
The Techniques 68
Trade Secrets for Fame and Fortune 24
Resources 28
Glossary, Index, and Credits 38
Gill Barron is a lifelong professional painter whose virtuoso handling of acrylics has brought her many public and private commissions as a muralist, portrait-painter, and poster designer. Having explored the vast possibilities of this versatile medium by trial and error over the past 40 years, she is well placed to pass on the secrets of successful painting, as practiced by great painters down the ages.
Jan 14 Acrylics combine the versatility of oils with the
translucence of watercolors as well as being their own unique
medium. If you want to paint with them here is a guide on most
aspects of acrylics. Divided into three sections Setting Up,
Designing The Painting and Techniques this book is certainly a good
guide to the subject for the beginner onwards. After a useful page
on how to get the most out of the book you can discover why
painting with acrylics is a good idea. I like the parts about
economizing (quite a few of these), which include making your own
things such as a stay wet palette and painting supports. There are
lots of handy bite-sized bits of information on the pages which
make learning easy and fast, plus the author has a good grasp of
what beginners in a medium really want to know. This is not a book
on how to draw or paint for the total beginner in case you are
wondering, but a book on how to begin with acrylics. Expect plenty
about what colors to buy, brushes to choose, what to paint on, what
mediums do etc as well as advice about where to work and “choosing
a studio” which can be a shed. Tables in the corner of a room don’t
appear to figure, so this is truly a book for the dedicated
amateur/would-be professional. There are also sections on the
inevitable composition, what to paint, various techniques to try
etc including framing. There are no step-by-step projects to work
through, this is for those beyond all that. If this is you, then
expect a good basic grounding in the subject.
*Myshelf.com*
Jan 14 This is a fine compendium for all those who want to explore
acrylic painting techniques. With over 300 tips, techniques and
secrets, you should find everything you are looking for in this
book. The beginner will find it very useful, but even the seasoned
user of acrylics, might find this book handy. Acrylic is a
versatile medium and Gill explores it fully. Contents include
Setting Up; Designing the Painting and Techniques but the chapter
titles do not convey the wealth of material inside this book. This
book is packed with information and filled with excellent
photographs of works. There are step by step demonstrations too. An
excellent buy.
*Karen Platt Yarnsandfabrics.co.uk/crafts*
Feb 14 Gill Barron tells you all you need to know about the medium,
from choosing and mixing colours to making your own equipment and
setting up a studio space. Suitable for both beginners and more
experienced painters, there's something here for everyone.
Beginners can follow step-by-step exercises, while the more
experienced can dip in and out of sections to solve specific
problems. There are lots of professional secrets revealed and the
Try It and Fix It panels throughout the book give useful advice and
help for avoiding problems on the way.
*Leisure Painter, The*
July 14 The subtitle promises “300 tips, techniques and trade
secrets”. If I was being pedantic, I’d take issue with that last
bit – are there really any “trade secrets” left to acrylic
painting? I know, a list of three things looks better and the
alliteration is irresistible. And anyway, you do get 300 very good
ideas, some of which you’ll know, many of which may be new. This is
one of those portmanteau books that throws a lot of stuff into an
overnight bag and heads for a thoroughly good weekend away. It
packs for all weathers and occasions and is as happy tramping the
hills in a rainstorm as it is rocking it up in a ballgown at a five
star hotel in the evening. It might even shove in a little je ne
sais quoi in case it gets lucky. Some of the ideas are simple: Make
a mahl-stick; some more adventurous: Using tone in context – for
instance (I’ve given up on the travel metaphor now, let’s not milk
it). It’s one of those books to have on the shelf and pull down
when you just want something not too demanding to browse. Maybe you
don’t want to make a mahl-stick, maybe you’ve got glazing off to a
T, but there’s loads to ingest and enjoy, nothing’s too long (some
tips come four to a page) and there are bags of illustrations. You
might find something new, you might get some ideas or you might
simply find your creative juices refreshed. I can guarantee you
won’t be bored or disappointed, though.
*Artbookreview.net*
September 2014 Readers will probably not need to be told that the
word 'palette' can refer to both a set of colours and the things
they are laid out on. This compendious guide is about more than
triviality, however. It goes from the basic, such as the difference
between transparent and opaque colours, to the less obvious idea of
converting an urban landscape into a 'found still life'. I'm not
convinced by that one, either, but the fact that it made me think
counts in the book's favour. With 300 ideas condensed into short
paragraphs and arranged broadly into materials, subjects and
techniques, this is an all-embracing book. Not everything is for
everyone, but few will find nothing at all to inspire or divert
them.
*Artist, The*
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