Book Description
Decorative Style is the most practical and innovative resource of decorating styles, techniques, and tools and materials ever created.
Using innovative, easy-to-master techniques and surprisingly inexpensive materials (paint, paper, fabric, replica molding -- even photocopies!), Kevin McCloud -- a brilliant young set designer turned interior decorator -- shows you everything you need to know to design and create your own stunning adaptations of today's most popular decorating styles.
There are forty styles in all -- from Santa Fe, Shaker, Miami Deco, and Caribbean to Bauhaus, Biedermeier, Mackintosh, and French Country (to name just a few) -- each designed and created especially by the author and stunningly photographed, with literally hundreds of styling options and color variations to choose from.
Each style is represented by a complete floor-to-ceiling "room slice" -- a unique device that allows you to see the total impact of a scheme while easily visualizing its possibilities for your own room. The decorative effects and other components of each style are analyzed, rephotographed with a full range of imaginative alternatives, and cross-referenced to all the techniques, tools, and materials needed to create each unique effect. Even the most inexperienced and budget-conscious of home owners will be inspired by Kevin McCloud's imaginative use of inexpensive, readily available materials and amazing timesaving techniques.
Whether you do the work yourself or hire it out, whether you're redoing an alcove or an entire house, Decorative Style will kindle your imagination and give you all the tools you need to create spectacular, one-of-a-kind interiors that will truly distinguish and enhance the value of your home.
Customer Reviews:
If Your World's a Stage.......2007-10-05
The rooms pictured in this book are very dramatic-- some might suggest over dramatic. But if you'd like some drama in your life look here. A Greco-Roman Bathroom with a claw-footed tub. There's a new plaster bas-relief panel that was given some treatment with shellac and lime. I would probably have pulled out books showing the frescoes of Pompeii and gone with some of their less racy scenes.
His French Empire study for some reason reminded me of one of my favorite Nintendo Entertainment System games-- Castlevania. I think it was the imperial purple walls, candelabra and wall scones with lit candles that brought that game to mind.
You definitely need high ceilings and lots of "stuff" laying around to try to copy any of his rooms, but I think the books works better as inspiration and frankly I enjoy looking at the many items in the rooms-- I have the coffee pot, cream, and sugar bowl that goes with the tea pot on the table in the Baushaus Study. It was made in West Germany after the 50's so it's not actually period.
Anyway, fun book.
Not Useful - Too Theme-y.......2005-11-17
This was a beautifully photographed book. I'm just not sure why I didn't like it very well. Maybe it was because I did not find much that was useful in a room that I decorate in my home.
The book was somewhat helpful in demonstrating some of the techniques used to get the wall treatment, but maybe I am a simpleton and needed more steps. The rooms also did not have a very realistic look. I did like the wall treatment in the tuscany style room but really didn't like the room. The Greek room was also kind of strange looking to me, maybe because the decor was so "fake" looking.
I was just thankful I checked it out of the library first before spending my hard-earned money. "-)
If you like a VERY themed room, you might like this book, but I think I prefer something a little more subtle and classy that does not SCREAM the theme.
Good, but not as your only decorating book.......2004-08-19
This is overall a good book that has an excellent section on faux painting techniques and a decent section on various periods of decorative style. The pictures can provide plenty of inspiration if you're going for a certain period of "look" but don't know what elements you need to get there. It also has a good description of artists paints and pigments and where they came from. IE, what exactly is burnt sienna?
I would give this book five stars except that a lot of his decorating techniques seem better suited to a theatre set where everything is built from the ground up and it only has to last a few months. I found a lot of his overall decorating suggestions to be ill-suited to my needs, where I already have quite a bit of furniture, want to integrate what I have into an overall "look", and want what I do to last until I decide to take it down or paint it over. There are other books that meet that need, and they make a good complement to this book.
This would not be the only decorating book I'd buy, but is a good part of a collection. This book is worth it for the descriptions of the elements in each style period and the faux finishes section.
A Beautiful Book, but not enough detail regarding techniques.......2004-03-22
This is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL book. Many styles are explored and techniques discussed, however, there is not enough detail regarding completing the techniques. I had high hopes when I purchased this book, but I think that if I try doing any of these techniques, I'll have to make it up as I go along.
Refer to it over and over again.......2003-02-14
This is one of the only "inspirational" decorative books that I have kept for years. Why? Because in addition in inspriring, it tells me what I need to do it. And it lets me feel that these finishes are within my grasp. Now all I really need is a house with rooms big enough to do much of this!
Book Description
Colette peters, the celebrated queen of the confectionary arts, unveils an inspiring resource for serious home bakers, professional chefs, and aficionados of Colette's incredible edible architecture. The ingenious cake decorator - whose miraculous and luscious concoctions have appeared everywhere from White House Christmases to royal weddings - presents a master class in cake design and decoration, alongside an all-new selection of her own cake designs. With Cakes to Dream On, Colette's inspired creations can now be rendered into show-stopping cakes of your own.
Cakes to Dream On reveals the secrets to fashioning gorgeous and utterly distinctive cakes for all occasions - whether it's an opulent marriage reception (the majestic Ivory Wedding Cake) or a fanciful children's party (the whimsical Homage to Dr. Seuss). Colette presents designs for cake architecture ranging from the imperial splendor of Dolce de Medici, to the elegant grace of Bride's Vintage Cameo, to the topsy-turvy daydream of Mad Tea Party.
Colette begins with the foundations: she illuminates step by step the process of constructing a multitiered cake, from determining serving sizes and choosing appropriate cake pans to making fillings, and ultimately stacking layers so they don't tumble off the table. Cakes to Dream On also discloses insider tricks of the trade: Colette's easy-to-follow instructions in techniques such as sugarwork, gumpaste, brush embroidery, and piping will help readers recreate the spectacular effects of this singular confectioner's toolbox.
Bakers - and their enthusiastic audiences - will discover that these sensual masterpieces tantalize the palate as much as they do the eye. Colette's cake recipes include the Coco-Loco Cake, an alluring marriage of coconut and coffee; the Meringue Buttercream and its luscious lemon, raspberry, and mocha variants; and the ambrosial caramel-tinged Heavenly White Cake.
As breathtaking as Colette's cake works appear, her clear explanations of technique are meant to stimulate readers' creative instincts and give them ideas for crafting their own distinctive confections. With more than 150 dazzling full-color photographs illustrating both processes and finished presentations, and more detailed instruction than ever before, Cakes to Dream On will inspire readers to create their own mouthwatering masterpieces. Colette's master class is truly a launchpad for cake lovers' own confectionary visions.
Customer Reviews:
Colette is wonderful.......2007-09-03
I love all of Colette's books. I have been successful in recreating many of her wonderful designs. If you are looking for a decent instructive book on how to recreate special event cakes, buy any of her books.
Cake catalog.......2007-08-17
When I bought this book,I knew it would be very advanced,but I was very wrong. This book is a cake catalog of the things that Colette Peters can do. The pictures are great,and there are a lot of ideas,but very little explaining and how-to photos. I thought I would learn how to make crooked cakes,but it turns out I learned more from a blog than this book.If you want ideas,it's great,if you want directions,search somewhere else.
Absolute fun!.......2007-07-17
This book was a lot of fun and I received some great ideas. Really a great compliment to to Vondre and Andreaetta at Sell Cakes Like Crazy on the internet.
Great Book!.......2007-07-17
This is a great book and is a wonderful compliment to Vondre and Andreaetta at Sell Cakes Like Crazy and the information they provide!
great cake ideas!.......2007-06-18
this is a really fun book.
if you are looking for something unique in a cake, you should start looking here.
it gives great instructions on how to make the cakes. it's fun to just look at the pictures and dream as well.
check it out!
Book Description
Clearly written and profusely illustrated, Patterns of Home brings the timeless lessons of residential design to homeowners who seek inspiration and direction in the design or remodel of their homes. Patterns of Home promises to become the "design bible" for homeowners and architects. The 10 patterns described in the book -- among them, "capturing light" and "the flow through rooms" -- are drawn from hundreds of principles and presented with clarity by the authors, renowned architects who have designed homes together for more than 30 years. Insightful tours of 33 homes also bring the essential design concepts to life. This book will jump-start the design process and make the difference between a home that satisfies material requirements -- and one that meets the personal needs of a home. "Patterns of Home gives us the tools to make our houses truly wonderful places to live." -- Sarah Susanka
Customer Reviews:
Take what you need, leave the rest.......2007-07-04
The architect authors have matured since they wrote "A Pattern Language" (APL), and have made a large effort to extract and apply just the essential rules from the hundred of rules of APL.
True, PoH is a large, posh book of large, posh homes. The cost of the homes are far outside the means of over 99 percent of American families. However, these large designs include truly practical concepts that can be translated into more realistic homes.
Each design is far more useful and welcoming that what you might find in a bool of hundreds of houseplans. We are going to build an energy efficient home under 2000 sq ft, and we will refer to PoH to stay on track with the few essential elements. No, it will not have 30 foot ceilings over a huge common room (just you try and paint it!), but it will show the roofline and include other elements.
valuable information .......2007-05-07
This book provides valuable informaion for those who want to pursue the perfectly built and positioned home. The concepts are fasinating and could be somewhat easy to put into pratice, however, the author uses large, VERY expensivly built homes leaving the impression that only the very wealthy can afford such superior design. This is unfortunate. I do believe that some the most basic concepts can be put into play in most homes it would just take some imagination and determination.
starts the gears turning.......2007-01-09
A good browsing book to get in the mindset of looking at homes with a keen eye. Not overwhelming in details (which is what I wanted at the moment,) it gave me a good basic set of tools to begin thinking about why I liked or disliked the places where i've lived, practical functionality, and alternative design. If you really want to delve headfirst into the subject of patterns of space, the book that this was based off of would be best. If it's just a little nudge towards inspiration, this is a good bet.
Great place to start!.......2007-01-09
This is a great overview for learning the basic principles of home design. We were able to look back at the various places we lived and understand why we loved or hated certain elements which gives us a better understanding of what to aim for in our next house.
Architecture in a nutshell.......2007-01-05
I bought this book while shopping for a house. It contains beautifuly distilled information, and illustrative photographs. There is so much information that it takes some dedication to read the whole book. I don't know if a textbook-educated architect would agree with the info, but it all makes great sense to me. Many of the examples describe homes on very large lots. Living in Los Angeles, I don't know many people with such large lots. I'm sure that in other parts of the country, the examples are more pertinent.
Book Description
• Exciting medium, new formulations: perfect for crafters at all skill levels
• Award-winning, best-selling author with great crafts credentials
• First book on resin that provides detailed techniques and varied super-appealing projects
Resin jewelry is made from liquid plastic that magically turns solid when a hardener is added. Pretty cool! The popularity of these resins for jewelry making has soared with the introduction of easy-to-mix, low-odor products, ideal for crafters. Now best-selling author Sherri Haab shows how to put the miracle of modern technology to work making necklaces, bangles, bracelets, pins, earrings, and rings. Projects range from simple to sophisticated, from Bakelite-style heart pins to faux amber earrings to glitter gem bracelets, from scrimshaw bracelets to cloisonné pins to transparent resin necklaces backed with gold leaf. Packed with tips on tools, supplies, finishing, and creating special effects, including ideas on combining resins with polymer clay, The Art of Resin Jewelry is a beautiful and practical introduction to an exciting craft.
Customer Reviews:
Safety first.......2007-09-21
You must use protective gear when using resin products but the precautions are worth the results. Sherri shows you how to use epoxy, polyurethane and polyester resins to imbed candy, flowers and found objects to make jewelry elements. You can make imitation amber by including bugs and vegetable matter in resins and make amber's "sun spangles" by mixing in gold or bronze leaf. It's pretty exciting to see how Sherri uses a combination of black polymer clay, very fine glitter, Pearl Ex(tm) powdered pigments and Envirotex Lite® epoxy to make a light-weight cabochon that looks just like dichroic glass.
When using resins, use NIOSH-approved protective gear (respirator and nitrile or butyl gloves) and keep away from food preparation areas. Always read the resin product's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) prior to using it. When drilling or sanding resin pieces, you must wear a dust mask. Other than standard beading tools and findings, an embossing gun will come in handy to get rid of air bubbles during the resin's drying process. You can use ready-made rubber molds or use Sherri's techniques to make your own molds from an existing piece or your original polymer clay sculpture.
If you already enjoy working with polymer clay, working with resins will expand your creativity and this book will help to get you (safely) started.
Choice of art pieces.......2007-09-09
This book is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in making resin jewlery. Its in depth and as always Sherri Haab explains in detail just "how to" do it. My disappointment is with the pieces of jewlery she chose to create. There are only a few that I would duplicate. That said if you are wanting to learn this medium then buy the book.
Great all-round resin jewellery book.......2007-02-10
I am really happy with this book. It has a great selection of projects and lots of different types of resin jewellery. Lots of pictures. I haven't made anything yet but it seems really easy to follow.
this book is great.......2007-01-10
Sherri Haab can always be relied to to produce great books with funky projects that you actually want to make. Can't fault this one at all - fantastic!
Great Book For Inspiring Artists.......2007-01-10
I am speaking on behalf of my company (Fibreglass & Resin Sales), we sell this book to many customers, although some of my staff have also purchased the book. It has great, handy ideas for those who love their crafts, and even those who are new in the craft world! If you interested in Resin Art, I would recommend this book to get you going!!!
Book Description
Jewelry making is one of the most popular craft trends, and its audience continues to grow. Few jewelry books on the market emphasize the importance of the design relationship between beads, wire, and jewelry findings—the “nuts and bolts” of any piece. This book will show not only how to design and build your own spectacular jewelry out of beads and wire but how to design and create your own findings as well.
Most jewelry making books are geared for the beginner and provide little information for intermediate to advanced jewelry makers.
Making Designer Bead and Wire Jewelry contains illustrated how-to techniques, full-color project photos, project instructions, and numerous tips that enhance the styles and skills presented. Intermediate and advanced jewelry makers will learn new techniques for creating signature elements for their designs, while beginners will get a handle on honing their skills.
Customer Reviews:
A good guide.......2007-07-25
I bought this book as a gift for my mother. She has found it useful, easy to understand. It is full of photographs and illustrations of all the procedures and so it is very "user friendly".
Dressed-up beginner's book ...'Bead on a Wire' recommended instead........2007-06-08
I was disappointed with this book because it had the same info with less design ideas, as 'Bead on a Wire' by Sharilyn Miller. To be fair, if I had bought this book first, instead of vice-a-versa, I might not have felt as let down as I was; but, I don't think so...
All the wire designs seem to be based on one theme--the two, three or four 'Loop Eye' headpin, and how to string beads.
The book should have BEGINNER'S somewhere on the front cover. If you have already have a book listing the basic tools & techniques, you don't need this one.
Fil from LYF Designs.......2007-06-02
This is an excellent book for beginners with beautiful but simple designs to inspire
nothing exicting.......2007-05-01
I enjoy reading beadwork books and have over 100 books. Most of them are Japanese, Korean and Chinese bead books, which mainly focus on stringing and are quite different from the beadwork in US. Then I was thinking to read more about wirework books and decided to get some from Amazon...
After reading the previous reviews, I thought this one might be good... But I must say that it is very disappointing... The instruction is OK and somewhat too simple and you can find similar info via internet...
The projects and the gallery are not exciting at all. (If you look closer at the pictures, the quality of some projects are really lousy.)... Many commercial online bead suppliers have much better design gallery... Another complaint is the instruction drawing. It seems there isn't a consistency to show the dominant hand and non-dominant hand ( which is important to use the tool , I think...)
If you are a very beginner, probably the best wirework book you should consider is "All wired up" by Mark Lareau. If you like step-by-step photography, I think "Getting Started Making Wire Jewelry and More " by Linda Chandler and Christine R. Ritchey is a good pick.
I would not purchase this book if I wasn't too lazy to check it out at a local Michael's.
Great book!!.......2007-02-10
Very good for anyone wanting to work with wire but might have been a little afraid. I am a beginner and it is awesome in its details and drawings for making findings and jewelry. I like all the practical jewelry pieces shown as well and have already made some of them.
Book Description
At Home with Art is about art lovers, their passion for art, and their seemingly unquenchable desire to bring home the works that have captured their hearts. Whether the artworks are Picassos or posters, these people want to acquire and live with the art they love. "I wake up in the morning and exercise where I can look at it," says John Robson about one of the paintings in his San Francisco townhouse. How these art lovers integrate their finds
into their living spaces, juxtaposing their paintings and sculpture with the artifacts of everyday life -- furniture, rugs, books, lamps, objets d'art -- is vividly illustrated here in more than fifty homes inhabited by people for whom living with art is as essential as breathing.
These homes are not mini-museums with art to be admired from a respectful distance. Nor have they been designed by interior decorators whose goal is to harmonize the upholstery with the pictures. Each home has been chosen for its very personal and inspired expression of art and decor, revealing a deep, even spiritual, relationship between the pictures on the walls and the people who place them there. From airy lofts and old farmhouses to sleek city apartments and cozy traditional houses, all are made special by the paintings and sculptures within.
A wide variety of people appear in these pages, from the president of MoMA to a young man in love with poster art, to the writer who has artist friends, to the young woman who inherited pieces from her mother, to the actress whose art travels with her wherever she goes. The kinds of art that speak to them and that they are impelled to acquire range from old masters to outsider art, from folk art to contemporary art, to prints, drawings, photographs, and sculpture. We learn about what sparked their interest in a particular genre, how they make their selections, how they meld them into their homes, and what living with their art means to them.
Though looking at these interiors proves there are no fixed rules about displaying a work of art, special sections on framing, hanging, lighting, and caring for art, from oil paintings to delicate works on paper, provide technical assistance. A directory includes framers, dealers, auction houses, and restorers in major American cities and in London.
Above all,
At Home with Art shows that there are all kinds of art to be loved and cherished, however grand or simple, and that living surrounded by art's beauty can bring boundless personal satisfaction.
Customer Reviews:
An invitation into the homes of collectors........2000-12-31
This book is inspiring because it shows us the homes of many collectors of paintings.It is well written, but there are not enough new ideas that can be incorporated by the reader. Some of the collectors have little idea on how to display their paintings in a way that is pleasing and justifies the works. Many of the dispalys are cluttered and claustrophobic. Yet, there are some splendid homes that incorporate paintings spectacularly. The article on Dorothy and Herbert Vogel is very moving. These extra-ordinary people deserve a book just on them.
A unique and personal view of collecting.......2000-01-12
This is an extraordinary book. Clearly not intended as a scholarly exercise, the authors take us up close and personal with outstanding collectors and their art. These are people I would be unlikely ever to meet, and their personal views and how they are expressed through the works they surround themselves with provide a glimpse into the collecting mind. Many of the homes are wealthy, though some are artists who have accumulated works from their friends. The photos are spectacular, and give many ideas of how art can be integrated into one's home.
At Home With Art Not Your Home.......2000-01-06
Diving into this book, as an avid art collector, one might expect to learn how different people work with the art they possess. This book though is really for those who are stricly ardent and almost excessive collectors who like to jam pack their residences with works galore. What is missing from this text is a careful presentation of how many different types of people display their art. There is too much focus on furniture, collecting passions and interest, and not enough focus on ideas. Overall, I found this book to be somewhat mono-dimensional in the concepts portrayed of how others live with their art. More a picture of what the authors had preconceived than a search for the spectrum of ideas.
Book Description
A fast-growing craft trend, handled by experts.
Choose an object—a cigar box, playing cards, an old album cover—and use it as a creative starting point to make beautiful and entirely new items to display and use: that’s “altered art,” and it’s the fastest-growing trend in the craft world today. Here is the first book to explore the full range of its possibilities, from turning a vintage board game into a nostalgic wall hanging to creating whimsical art dolls from children’s blocks. Take a look at the artistic traditions that inspired this movement, and see how to use the crafter’s familiar tools, materials, and processes in entirely new ways. Paint, collage, pierce, sew, and cut the pages of an old book. Change an ordinary candy tin into a charming decorative storage case with paper scraps, metal grommets, and paint. The possibilities are infinite. The author lives in Asheville, NC.
Customer Reviews:
Amazingly Beautiful...And helpful!.......2007-05-31
I browsed through this book at the local craft store at least three times over several visits before I finally decided to buy it. I sure am glad that I did! Not only is it visually appealing, filled with so many wonderful ideas, techniques, and creative springboards for one's own ideas, but it simply, yet clearly gives directions on so many different techniques. In fact, I think that the only technique that was mentioned but not fully covered was soldering.
Everything else was carefully explained, and beautifully detailed. It does cover: altered art (obviously), altered books, cards, jewelery, dolls, techniques, copyrights, history, and much much more.
I have been creating mixed-media collages and altered art for about 2 years now, so I'd consider myself, well, not a beginner but not as advanced as others. But I believe this book would be helpful to anyone, at any level. I highly recommend it and enjoy it each time I refer back to it.
Wonderful!.......2006-07-15
It is an absolutely beautiful book, filled with great projects and suggestions. For someone with creative aspirations but little direction, just flipping through the pages provides so much inspiration.
This book is full of .........2006-04-05
.. brilliance! You won't get through it in a day or two. I have never seen so many photographs in one book before. The projects are awesome and the author, Terry Taylor, has chosen some fantastic designers to display their work. Terry is brilliant and it is evident in his art. This is an extremely inspiring book.
An Altered Showcase.......2006-03-10
Altered Art showcases some of the most fun altered art out there today.
This field is expanding exponentially - it seems so accessible - and offers
a relief from the generally serious world we live in.
Not that altered art can't (and doesn't) have a serious side all its own. As illustration, compare the Nori Dress by Dee Fontans on page 140 with I'll Fly Away on page 128 by Betsy Reeves. They each speak to the same theme in two entirely different languages.
Terry Taylor has assembled an incredible array of talented artists, doing what they do best, altering the bits of our wonderful, wacky, crazy and sometimes sad world into a storytelling vision of art that transcends time.
Wonderful Surprise.......2006-02-05
I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book. I saw such high reviews on Amazon when I was scanning through scrapbooking and collage topics. The book covers various projects including altered books, boxes, tags, objects, games and more. In each section you are given some basics for working with the specific type of objects. This is followed by projects and a gallery of work featuring various artists' work.
My favorite chapter and the one I will try first was the Cards, Tags, and Games chapter. It contained some beautiful tags and games. The other chapters are equally as innovative and interesting. There is brief discussion of history of altered art, copyright issues/ethics, sources for imagery and some basic steps and supplies. The photography is great and the projects and gallery were fun and very different.
Definitely recommend this for anyone interested in altered art.
Book Description
Jewelry making is a captivating subject that allows even beginners to make objects of real beauty and lasting value. This guide blends more than 50 simple techniques with more sophisticated methods to enable readers to build on their skills at home or in a small workshop. Starting with pieces that focus on the basics, the projects progress into more complex, eye-catching designs. Detailed illustrations show how to master potentially challenging methods, including mitering and stone setting. Large color photos of finished pieces using an array of gorgeous metals and stones provide additional inspiration while showing the practical application of each technique. In-depth sections cover: * Tools, equipment, materials and chemicals * Weighing, measuring and cutting various metals and stones * Cutting, forming, soldering, casting and stone-setting * Decoration and assembly * Finishes and surface decoration * Fittings and findings
Customer Reviews:
MUST HAVE FOR JEWEL Y MAKING LIBRARY.......2006-11-08
This book is so inspirational--lots of ideas and pictures that will move you. It shows so many techniques and designs that you are only limited by your imagination. If you only have one book in your library, this is THE one to get.
Not for a beginner.......2006-03-26
This book is not for someone that has no background in jewelry/metalsmithing. Not for a beginner, or newbe. It is in the Quarto style form the publisher. It does cover what is promised. with short descriptive statements. Good photo's for somebody that has read a couple of beginner books. And has some knowledge of the techniques involved, they will not find the short descriptions to be a problem. I own it.
Good but not ...very good........2005-05-01
The first twenty pages are interesting because the author take the time to describe the tools and material needed for jewelry making.
But after the author try to describe the most jewelry techniques in a minimum of page: only one or two pages for each technique.
It is very insufficient.The photos are also to small.
Poetry in jewelry.......2003-02-09
I loved this book! It covers so many different kinds of jewelry making. There's enough detail to teach you with plenty of ideas to stretch your imagination. Definitely worth the money.
Real Jewelry Making Techniques Book.......2002-01-24
This is the book I looked for. It has large color photos and detailed step-by-step instructions. It is not only for beginners but also covers challenging techniques. Although the book concentrates on making techniques, it gives very nice examples to apply the techniques.
Book Description
Trompe l'oeil murals can turn even the most drab room into a beautiful work of art as enchanting as it is convincing and realistic. Now readers can learn how to capture that magic with The Art of Trompe l'oeil Murals.
Master muralist Yves Lanthier has decorated the homes of celebrities with his breathtakingly true-to-life paintings, but readers don't have to be rich or famous to benefit from his expertise. Step-by-step illustrations let readers watch as Lanthier's work comes alive, and will inspire them to create lush, highly sophisticated murals of their own using simple elements.
Seeing is believing, and this is one book readers won't want to take their eyes off of!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2006-07-03
I loved this book and although I would have liked more instruction on painting some of his illusions, I am quite happy with what the author did include. Great photos of his completed works.
Very inspiring.......2006-06-19
I found this to be a wonderful book and will give it often as gifts.
Just Okay.......2006-05-04
I mistakenly thought this was a Graham Rust book. I don't buy this type of book thinking I will be a grand muralist. I buy them for high-end decoupage images. I rip the book apart and use the images. This book did not meet my needs. I found the images bland. Again, I do not buy these books for the intended purpose so keep this in mind
Designer.......2006-04-14
This is a very nice coffee table book, and for a beginning art novice there are some "secrets". But, for artist with general high school level education this is little more than a nice picture book.
There is no discounting Yves Lanthier's skill or excellent creative ability but the few tips he gives are not for creating the Trompe L'oeil ceilings he exhibits in the book. Rather he shows simple stone / marble technique, a basic wall effect and basic light shading in the last fifteen pages of the book.
This is not a book the speaks to basic line and eye illusion of ceiling depth which I was looking for.
"to fool the eye or to fool yourself?.......2006-02-20
"To trick the eye" if that is your intention be objective ... this people do not" fool the eye"... they fool themselves, and you.
Book Description
This unique book is worth a second set of hands. It offers solo builders and do-it-yourselfers proven tips, techniques, and shortcuts for careful, precise, and safe construction.
There are many times when a helper would make a job easier, and in some cases doable at all, but with John Carroll's clever, expert tips, there's no need to wait for help. This book, the only one of its kind, offers ways to get by with not only one pair of hands but to work more efficiently as well. A perfect example is the problem of bringing a large sheet of plywood up a ladder. Even with a helper this is a difficult and dangerous task. But if a large C-clamp is fastened to one end of the plywood, it's easy to pull the sheet up the ladder from behind.
Professional builders and contractors who work alone or in small crews will find this book full of invaluable ways to keep the work moving, without costly delays or the need to hire additional helpers. Homeowners, who are often faced with working alone, will use these clever techniques to solve common problems safely.
Customer Reviews:
Want to save time and frustration? The Practical Advice In This Book Will Show the Way.......2007-08-08
I just sold a used copy of this book on Amazon as a favor for a friend. Before I shipped it out, I decided to read it. Because of time, I had to skim parts of it, but I found this book full of excellent insights and ideas for tackling home building or renovation--and I scanned off several pages to save for my own personal use before packing it.
The book contains lots of practical advice for how to approach several different kinds of basic construction tasks. It also contains plans for some excellent tools that can be built with scrap from the construction site. Besides all this, the author gives some excellent suggestions for approaches or tools that are contrary to that used by the average person--and I can see how these alternate suggestions could really save time and frustration to anyone who takes his advice. I highly recommend this book.
I worked in the construction biz for a couple of years and a significant part of that time I was a one-man team (besides numerous personal projects), so I know the some of the challenges. More importantly, I have a dream to build my own home in a few years and I will probably have to buy another copy of this book before that time comes!
Make your work EASIER.......2007-06-14
This book is full of useful tips that can help even veteran carpenters become more efficient and productive. Along with John's other bookMeasuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder's Guide it will provide you with simple techniques that just make the job go smoother and easier. A must read, for the apprentice on the job site.
Working Alone Review.......2007-06-08
"Working Alone" provides some very interesting and completely workable ideas for completing a project alone. It not only provided complete details of the process recommended, but also points out key planning steps prior to using the tip. It was worth the price.
some very handy hints.......2007-05-12
Even tho' I've worked alone on several projects I learned somethings from this book. A good buy.
Good stuff needed more.......2007-04-06
John Carroll's book working alone was a bit of a dissapointment in that I was expecting perhaps too much. When it arived I was expecting it to be a full sized book but instead it was a rather small 5 3/4" x 8 3/4" sized 148 page book. I personally thought that His other book Measuring, Marking & Layout was a better buy. If you work alone the tips and hints in this book could save you a lot of time & frustration.
Books:
- Designer Beadwork: Beaded Crochet Designs (Designer Beadwork)
- Draw 50 People: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Cavemen, Queens, Aztecs, Vikings, Clowns, Minutemen, and Many More... (Draw 50)
- Dream Sewing Spaces: Design & Organization for Spaces Large & Small
- Easy Origami
- Fabulous Origami Boxes
- Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 4)
- Friendship Bracelets (Klutz)
- Game of Life/Cards
- Got Tape?: Roll Out the Fun With Duct Tape!
- Graphic Guide to Frame Construction: Details for Builders and Designers (For Pros by Pros)
Books Index
Books Home
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- Fortune's Fool
- COMMON FOSSIL PLANTS W/I AM 2E PB
- Valuation Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises and Tests to Help You Master Valuation
- Work Pap/Sg Ch 1-20, C21 Acct: : Emp Spc Jr
- Serious As a Heart Attack: A Novel
Home Repair
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| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Kevin McClouds Complete Book of Paint and Decorative Techniques
Professional Painted Finishes: A Guide to the Art and Business of Decorative Painting (Whitney Library of Design)
Mastering Fine Decorative Paint Techniques
Choosing Colors: An Expert Choice of the Best Colors to Use in Your Home
The Art Of Trompe L'oeil Murals
