Reviews for Big Art, Small Canvas: Paint Easier, Faster and Better with Small Oils

The average rating for Big Art, Small Canvas: Paint Easier, Faster and Better with Small Oils based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-07-17 00:00:00 Alex Kimble This book's contents didn't really match its title. Relatively little of Big Art, Small Canvas really focused on making small-scale oil paintings. The book would probably be more valuable to a beginner learning about the basics of color theory and composition than to readers who want to learn more about painting miniatures in oils. I wish I could give this 3 stars since it does remind me of how nice it is to paint and it makes me want to get back into painting, but there were too many editing mistakes (e.g., referring to the gold "case" in a painting instead of the gold "vase") and too many inane observations (e.g., "These roses either overlap each other or appear by themselves. This lends them a sense of realism - it's how roses actually look in a vase.") for me to say that I liked the book. The typo about the "case"" made me look all over the page spread, trying to figure out which painting had the "case" she was talking about! As for the roses, yes, real roses, - and all other things, for that matter - either overlap or appear by themselves. What is the alternative? There are some interesting tips in this book. I want to try her suggestions for simplifying flowers into cubes when blocking out the masses and values of a painting. Several times, the author mentions complementary palettes and brings up some novel spiritual and color-theory points about them, which I found interesting. 2 of the 5 chapters are focused on general color theory and composition instruction. While this would be valuable to readers who haven't learned about it elsewhere, the author doesn't really address any special concerns for painters working on small oil paintings. The first chapter is on materials, so it touches a little on oil painting, but half of the chapter is on setting up lighting and backdrops for still lifes. The last 2 chapters of the book cover techniques and examples for making the small paintings the book is supposed to be about.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-03-10 00:00:00 Jessica Damper Washor is an artist who prefers small canvases, and I mean tiny: 3" X 4". She truly does an amazing job explaining the process of how to paint small. Her process begins with color theory and how to select subjects for still life paintings. She even gives step by step instructions on how to set-up your own still life in your studio or work area. I have enjoyed this book so much, and I appreciate the practical advice. Washor even shares her best resources for framing! I have ordered some frames, and I look forward to receiving them and framing my tiny canvases. I will probably give these to Shanley for her apartment My only complaint is her paint. I use Gamblin paint exclusively, and she uses mostly Winsor & Newton. The colors' names are not the same, so I had to wing it. I do use Winsor & Newton brushes. They are my favorite!