Does anyone have these books or borrowed them before

Chrissy D · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 1053 Location: Queensland

Hey guys,

On my quest for acrylic books with demos, I have come across a few I like. I am bracing myself to buy them off Amazon as I am a internet buyer virgin.

Just wanting to know if you have these books or borrowed the before from the library, and what do you think?

Acrylic Painting with Lee Hammond
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581807090/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

First Steps Painting Acrylics (First Step Series) by Vicki Lord
http://www.amazon.com/First-Steps-Painting-Acrylics-Step/dp/0891346686/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Acrylic Painting: Project Book for Beginners by Joan Hansen (Author), William F Powell (Author) (REEVES)
http://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Painting-Project-Book-Beginners/dp/1560107375

Cheers
Chrissy

eejot · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 150 Location: South Korea

If you're worried about buying online, you could give Borders (or another large chain) a go. They usually do special orders and/or delivery.

sunday · Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 3995 Location: Victoria

Hi Chrissy,
Also have a look at the book depository. I buy regularly from them and often find them cheaper than Amazon; they also deliver world wide for free and my orders generally arrive within a week.
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/search.php?key=Acrylic+Painting&by=title&Button1.x=13&Button1.y=12

Annee · Joined: 28 Jun 2007 Posts: 109

Hi Chrissy,
I have bought many secondhand artbooks from here:
http://www.abebooks.com/

They have a huge stable of bookshops under their banner, mostly USA & England, but also Australian bookshops. Secondhand books also means remaindered, unused, etc. I've never had any problems with the books or the postage/packaging.

Cheers, Annee

Chrissy D · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 1053 Location: Queensland

Well I ended up buying the first book, Acrylic Painting With Lee Hammond, I like it...it is good. Probably give it a 3.5 out of 5 as it is more aimed at helping the beginner...but also a good reference for the beginner to intermediate painter.

I like how Hammond shows the stages of the paintings. She breaks them up into
1. Drawing/Grid and/or Blocking in the underpainting
2. The "Awkward" stage
3. Finished painting

I particularly like how she shows the "awkward" stage as I feel sometimes this is where my vision gets stuck.

The book shows a number of demos (is full of demos and not theory) on:
Still lifes
Landscapes
Flowers
Animals
People

and she goes through the basics of materials and understanding colour

I think this book would be a great gift for someone starting out who is a beginner or in between beginner and intermediate.

I feel for me I am already passed this level but it doesn't hurt to reflect on how-tos and step-by-step paintings if you haven't tackled a subject matter before. A little bit disappointed with the level/standard of some of her finished paintings e.g. preferred more detail and sophistication however on the other hand, some of her paintings have that too, so she has a balance of level.