This book is great fun. I don't know how well it works if you've never picked up a paint brush before; I came in with some intermediate drawing experience, and 3 lessons in acrylics, so I wasn't starting completely from scratch. But this book has definitely help me build on my skills.
The 50 lessons are designed to ease you in, each one focusing on a specific skill or style of painting. The early lessons are very simple, but simple does not mean you won't enjoy them or the art that is produced.
To save on costs, I used a pad of watercolor paper, which an instructor recommended to me as a reasonable cheap option for acrylics. With each sheet I was able to cut out six 5"x5" squares, which is the recommended canvas size for these mini-paintings. The moisture does cause the paper to curl, but it flattens out as it dries. Much cheaper than getting 50 mini canvas boards, and if you want to display any of the pieces, the book tells you how to mount and hang them.
The paintings range from the very simple, to the fairly complex. There's nothing truly breath-taking here, but that's kind of the point. This book is supposed to take the fear away of an enormous blank canvas. At the end, you should feel more confident and more ready to tackle larger projects one piece at a time.
I can attest that it is a little challenging for beginners to work with very small canvases, since there's no hiding your mistakes. But because you do so many, the stakes feel low, and the ability to polish each one off in under half an hour leaves one with a real sense of accomplishment, and helps me find time to actually do them.
Some have complained that there isn't enough detail in the instructions. So far I haven't found that to be the case. It may depend on your experience. But at least in the first dozen paintings, the instructions do cover the basics well. The idea is to build on your skills, so later lessons may not repeat the same details that were taught earlier.
One small complaint is that there is a fairly large required paint list. This does require substantial investment. If you get one of those large beginner kits, you may sfind that you blow through some colors like Unbleached Titanium and Yellow Ochre quickly, while you rarely use some others. It would have been nice to get a list of "optional" colors with instructions on how to mix them from more common ones. It seems unnecessary to buy 5 shades of blue, when they can easily be mixed.
Bottom line: if you're new at this, and you want to build confidence, acquire skills, and find a program that lets you do a little at a time, this is a great option.
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From the Publisher
Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings: Pick up the skills * Put on the paint * Hang up your art
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Introduction to materials and techniquesBefore getting started on the 50 paintings, it is important to explore the options for materials as well as to consider essential principles about color and design. This chapter will introduce you to the basics of acrylic paint, brushes, surfaces, and the equipment you will need to complete the projects illustrated in this book. |
Getting to know acrylicsIn this chapter, you will be introduced to the primary techniques needed to paint in acrylics through a series of progressively challenging projects. You will start with basic paint application exercises and slowly add new skills with each project. By the end of this chapter, you will have acquired the fundamentals necessary for painting in acrylics. |
Beyond the basicsNow that you have a grasp on the fundamentals of acrylic painting, it is time to move on to more advanced projects. In this chapter you will be introduced to a series of design principles and brushstroke techniques as well as techniques for creating more expressive paintings. |
Rendering surface and formThe projects in this chapter will advance your skills in the rendering of a variety of surfaces and objects. You will learn to paint the effects of glass, metal, wood, marble, paper, flesh, and more. |
Projects from the book:
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Creating contrast with temperature: SunflowersWhen referring to color, the term “temperature” is used to describe its relative warmth or coolness. For example, orange is a “warm” color and blue is a “cool” color. These terms can also be applied to the relative temperature of a color when compared to another similar color. You may find a “warm green” and a “cool green” in the same painting. This exercise will focus on using contrasting temperatures to create dramatic effect. |
Warm light, cool shadow: Gift boxIn most cases, when painting objects, the color temperature of the light is warm, as it originates from a light bulb or the sun, and the color temperature of the shadow is cool, reflecting the surroundings. This exercise is similar to project 8 (pages 50–51), however, here you will be adding color to the box, a ribbon, and a cast shadow. You will notice that the gift box is essentially just a simple cube with a bow tied around it. In this painting, the light is coming from the right. |
Portrait in the classical style: Bearded manBefore the 19th century, the selection of colors available to the painter was rather limited. They essentially consisted of earth tones (Venetian Red, Yellow Ochre, Umbers, and Siennas) and a few vibrant blues and greens, which were very expensive. Because the artists of the time had access only to this limited palette, there is a common color-cast to all of the works from this period. For this exercise, you will be painting a portrait in the classical style, using a limited palette similar to that used by the Old Masters. |
Simple reflections: SailboatThe ability to convincingly paint the illusion of a reflection on water is a useful skill for any artist to learn. Rendering a reflection accurately in a painting imparts a sense of wonder to the viewer, often inviting the question, “How did you do that?” This project will break down the elements of a simple reflection; you will encounter more challenging approaches later in this book. In order to achieve the illusion, keep in mind that the water will mirror the colors and shapes above it. |
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Absolutely PERFECT for the beginner who's never painted!
I love the curriculum of this book. I am an absolute novice with zero knowledge about painting, brushes, techniques, mediums, etc. It starts out with very basic applications and as you progress through the course, you learn new aspects (such as mixing, layering, etc.) Every subsequent painting builds off of the previously learned techniques. As the paintings become more complex, you are introduced to the various styles that are out there.I've read the critical reviews and I feel the comments are unfair. I'll agree that there might be some paintings that could use some additional details (because it was either excluded or mis-written), but by the time you reach those, you should have already developed an understanding of what you are trying to accomplish and how to make corrections. I think this is good because it allows you to make embellishments according to your own taste.That being said, I have progress through 28 of the 50 paintings. I started out rushing through my own paintings and it showed. They looked as though a child had painted them. But by the time I was 8 paintings in, I really began to gain a real understanding and my renderings started to look much better. I started to take my time and more care in my brush strokes. I started to blend my paints much better and even deviated slightly because I wanted to use a different hue than what the author instructed. I also began to utilize more brushes than the one or two which he suggested. But I believe that's what Mark Daniel Nelson what expect from his students.I still have not stopped painting and I expect to finish all the paintings in another month. When I do finish, I will have learned enough about how the paint responds to the canvas and brush strokes, about mixing, about techniques, and even the rudiments of theory. After that, I expect to be able to have enough knowledge to paint some original images with confidence in my amateur ability.The book IS called "Learn to Paint in Acrylics..." and I feel it is perfect for the absolute beginner. Once you're done, then you should be primed to dive into more complex theory and practice.Ignore the poor reviews. I've bought several books on the subject and this is by far the best one if you're a beginner. If you're new and want to learn how to paint, this book is perfect!
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
I've read the critical reviews and I feel the comments are unfair. I'll agree that there might be some paintings that could use some additional details (because it was either excluded or mis-written), but by the time you reach those, you should have already developed an understanding of what you are trying to accomplish and how to make corrections. I think this is good because it allows you to make embellishments according to your own taste.
That being said, I have progress through 28 of the 50 paintings. I started out rushing through my own paintings and it showed. They looked as though a child had painted them. But by the time I was 8 paintings in, I really began to gain a real understanding and my renderings started to look much better. I started to take my time and more care in my brush strokes. I started to blend my paints much better and even deviated slightly because I wanted to use a different hue than what the author instructed. I also began to utilize more brushes than the one or two which he suggested. But I believe that's what Mark Daniel Nelson what expect from his students.
I still have not stopped painting and I expect to finish all the paintings in another month. When I do finish, I will have learned enough about how the paint responds to the canvas and brush strokes, about mixing, about techniques, and even the rudiments of theory. After that, I expect to be able to have enough knowledge to paint some original images with confidence in my amateur ability.
The book IS called "Learn to Paint in Acrylics..." and I feel it is perfect for the absolute beginner. Once you're done, then you should be primed to dive into more complex theory and practice.
Ignore the poor reviews. I've bought several books on the subject and this is by far the best one if you're a beginner. If you're new and want to learn how to paint, this book is perfect!
Absolutely PERFECT for the beginner who's never painted!
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
I love the curriculum of this book. I am an absolute novice with zero knowledge about painting, brushes, techniques, mediums, etc. It starts out with very basic applications and as you progress through the course, you learn new aspects (such as mixing, layering, etc.) Every subsequent painting builds off of the previously learned techniques. As the paintings become more complex, you are introduced to the various styles that are out there.Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
I've read the critical reviews and I feel the comments are unfair. I'll agree that there might be some paintings that could use some additional details (because it was either excluded or mis-written), but by the time you reach those, you should have already developed an understanding of what you are trying to accomplish and how to make corrections. I think this is good because it allows you to make embellishments according to your own taste.
That being said, I have progress through 28 of the 50 paintings. I started out rushing through my own paintings and it showed. They looked as though a child had painted them. But by the time I was 8 paintings in, I really began to gain a real understanding and my renderings started to look much better. I started to take my time and more care in my brush strokes. I started to blend my paints much better and even deviated slightly because I wanted to use a different hue than what the author instructed. I also began to utilize more brushes than the one or two which he suggested. But I believe that's what Mark Daniel Nelson what expect from his students.
I still have not stopped painting and I expect to finish all the paintings in another month. When I do finish, I will have learned enough about how the paint responds to the canvas and brush strokes, about mixing, about techniques, and even the rudiments of theory. After that, I expect to be able to have enough knowledge to paint some original images with confidence in my amateur ability.
The book IS called "Learn to Paint in Acrylics..." and I feel it is perfect for the absolute beginner. Once you're done, then you should be primed to dive into more complex theory and practice.
Ignore the poor reviews. I've bought several books on the subject and this is by far the best one if you're a beginner. If you're new and want to learn how to paint, this book is perfect!
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Top reviews from other countries
Batmandela
A hidden gem in the myriad of learning to paint books (but not quite for a true beginner)!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2020Cristian Tardin - Pintor de quadros a óleo
Muito bom para iniciantes
Reviewed in Brazil on August 18, 2018
