Rating: 
Summary: Excellent intro to oils for beginners & experienced artists
Review: - Sumptuous paintings, oh so inspirational! My style is more wild than the classical, Winslow Homeresque style of this guy, but I can definitely appreciate his incredibly well steeped knowledge and the way this translates into gorgeous paintings.- Very good introduction to oil painting techniques, which is more than you get in some college classes these days. - What is great, though, is that every "rule" comes with the disclaimer that you are free to break it ... to see what happens or to create your own unique style. - I was even inspired to try still life painting outside of the class room (where it was always kind of a *yawn* type experience) - My landscapes evolved: better use of color makes them more vivid nowadays (I stripped my palette to the basic tricolor, plus white) & use of foreground/background etc. gives them better depth, when I choose to give that effect ... (sometimes I opt for the "flatness a la gaugin", with more or less satisfactory results! ;) - If you are a landscape painter, this book will give you a good grounding in classic technique. If you are looking to paint stuff your aunt melda will like, buy the big book of oil painting and get a snap shot camera.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: After giving up art and oil painting in college, and switching my major from art to philosophy, I finally came back to art this summer, 22 years after graduating. At the time I wanted to be an "artist" creating paintings with "meaning." Well, its taken me that long to realize that's nonsense, and it's okay to just make beautiful paintings for myself. With 22 years wasted, I was looking for some instruction to get me kick-started and back in the game. I was first drawn to this book by the beautiful paintings and harmonious color: here, unlike it seems many how-to books by people who didn't know how to paint themselves, was a book by someone who could truly paint. If I could make a painting like that, I thought, I would be very happy with my work. I've read the whole book and return to it for inspiration and tips or techniques. I love it when he writes, "Every time you pick up a brush, you sould try to do the best painting you've ever done--but at the same time you shouldn't concern yourself with the possibility of doing a bad painting, or really even care. I'm convinced that if you focus only on your enjoyment of the process of painting, a good work will follow." This is exactly the advice, or permission, I need to hear as I take up brush and canvas after too many wasted years. I only regret I cannot take lessons from this teacher.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: After giving up art and oil painting in college, and switching my major from art to philosophy, I finally came back to art this summer, 22 years after graduating. At the time I wanted to be an "artist" creating paintings with "meaning." Well, its taken me that long to realize that's nonsense, and it's okay to just make beautiful paintings for myself. With 22 years wasted, I was looking for some instruction to get me kick-started and back in the game. I was first drawn to this book by the beautiful paintings and harmonious color: here, unlike it seems many how-to books by people who didn't know how to paint themselves, was a book by someone who could truly paint. If I could make a painting like that, I thought, I would be very happy with my work. I've read the whole book and return to it for inspiration and tips or techniques. I love it when he writes, "Every time you pick up a brush, you sould try to do the best painting you've ever done--but at the same time you shouldn't concern yourself with the possibility of doing a bad painting, or really even care. I'm convinced that if you focus only on your enjoyment of the process of painting, a good work will follow." This is exactly the advice, or permission, I need to hear as I take up brush and canvas after too many wasted years. I only regret I cannot take lessons from this teacher.
Rating:
Summary: Bright and Inspiring!
Review: Bright, inspirational, practical..."Oil Painting For the Serious Beginner" is all these. Author Allrich guides and instructs with thoughtful clear direction, provoking the reader/artist to think about painting in a new and inspiring way. I know several people who have read this book ( and recommended it to me ) who don't even paint themselves...yet! They wanted to learn more about what painting is, and to appreciate the process of oils. I do paint, and I have learned a tremendous amount from this great little book. Don't hesitate...if you love art/painting/creativity...Order it. You won't be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: Bright and Inspiring!
Review: Bright, inspirational, practical..."Oil Painting For the Serious Beginner" is all these. Author Allrich guides and instructs with thoughtful clear direction, provoking the reader/artist to think about painting in a new and inspiring way. I know several people who have read this book ( and recommended it to me ) who don't even paint themselves...yet! They wanted to learn more about what painting is, and to appreciate the process of oils. I do paint, and I have learned a tremendous amount from this great little book. Don't hesitate...if you love art/painting/creativity...Order it. You won't be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: This little book is one great art course!
Review: Don't be put off by the size of this book. There's a great deal packed into this little tomb - much more than I've found in the piles and piles of oil painting instructionals that I've perused or (sometimes to my dismay) purchased. Note the title, though. The less-than-serious beginner - but moreso the complete art novice - is going to flounder (as s/he will with most oil painting instructionals, frankly).
Steve Allrich is an exceptionally clear and thorough teacher. The chapters are set up logically, and flow easily, with just enough repitition of the important points. If you have a fair amount of drawing or painting background and have always longed to give oils a try, this is the book for you. And it's cheap! The small size is actually a plus: it's easy to keep at hand as you make your first forays into oil. My copy is already well paint-stained.
Rating: 
Summary: A small book, a big disappointment...
Review: Either the printing of this book is so bad that it makes the colors look dull, "orangy" and dark, or does Mr Allrich paints this way? Anyhow I am returning this book for lack of inspiring me or teaching me anything really valuable. The paintings as well as the writing are dull... It looks to me as if Mr Allrich had concocted a book to exhibit his work with here and there some information and tips. Very disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: If painting excites you get this book
Review: I bought this book for my mom as a gift; she has recently become very interested it painting, and has been practicing during any spare moment. She loved the book. Its rich paintings and richer writing make this book a wonderful present and, more importantly, a useful tool for the "serious beginniner", aka my mom.
Rating: 
Summary: A "MUST" read for the educated beginner
Review: I cannot belive there are bad reviews written for this book... This is a great book!.
Painting is a state of being, a perspective, a way of looking at nature. Paiting is for the Judgemental and the enlightened mind. Paining is not something that you can write clif-notes about, unless done as quick reference for the experienced.
This book will not provide you with deep insight and subject matter on color because the author wants you to experience color on your own.
Color is the trademark of the artist. Because of this all photgraphs of work created by the artist are shaded with yellow.
This book as been written with taste and purpose and gives you all that you need to embark on your quest as someone who is serioulsy thinking about painting in oils or on any medium.
Two thumbs up from me.
Rating:
Summary: Clear, insightful and inspiring!
Review: I highly recommend this book, "Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner". Having taken a painting workshop with the author/artist Steve Allrich, I can tell you that he writes with the same clarity, encouragement and thoughtfulness with which he teaches. This book is full of insight into the craft of painting, and prompts one to think about the process of painting with deeper understanding. The beautiful color illustrations of his work not only instruct by example, but truly inspire. I love this book, and have learned so much from it!
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