Rating: 
Summary: 'Making Colors Sing' - Excellent!!!
Review: 'Making Colors Sing' by Jeanne Dobie is a reference book every watercolorist should own. This book is a helpful resource that can be read over and over again to examine color theory in depth. For anyone who would like to reach new levels in their paintings using color, Jeanne Dobie takes you on an adventure in color techniques and beyond with each exciting chapter. Her pictures are absolutely beautiful and she successfully achieves her goal in 'Making Colors Sing'. I only wish this book was available in hardcover because I am wearing my paperback version out! I look forward to the next book Jeanne may write on watercolor or art technique. This book was very helpful. Thanks a million.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the Best
Review: After buying a large library of watercolor books, I've found that there are a precious few that are clearly above the others. This is in the top three I recommend to my students, because of Jeanne Dobie's great way of logically teaching a medium with lots of room for mistakes as well as glory. A great learning tool for beginners or advanced painters, not just a "slosharound" book.
Rating: 
Summary: Hopelessly outdated
Review: All of the colors Dobie recommends are fugitive (they fade) and are not recommended by serious artists. Her big secret to make colors "sing" is to paint in shades of gray and brown and introduce a few brights that sing. Now you know, so avoid the book. (What I can't for the life of me get is why so many people praise this book.)
2 star for a few nice paintings within, otherwise one star.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST for beginning watercolor students.
Review: As a beginning watercolor student I took several classes and was always disappointed with my results. My last class used MAKING COLOR SING as the reference book. I'm finally starting to make progress. Jeanne Dobie's book is one of the best books on how to paint with watercolor I've read.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on WaterColor
Review: Certaily THE best book on waterclor, practice, learning, and Color! Thanks for the Author. Good traduction in french. Martine Boubet-Var-France
Rating:
Summary: outstandingly clear
Review: I am a learning watercolor artist and I read many books on the subject. This is one of a handful that I find to be particularly informative. While most art instruction books tell you what to do and how to do it, Jeanne Dobie patiently explains why. In other words, she tells you what is behind the magic. For example, she says that you cannot get a good green by mixing any yellow and any blue, because, a yellow such as cadmium yellow contains some red and a blue such as ultramarine also contains some red, and the presence of red in green (the hoped-for color), which are complements on the color wheel, yields gray. Thus the resulting green is very muted. Explanations such as this are invaluable to me, because the underlying reasons she gives completely convinces me that she is right and the knowledge is extensible to other color combinations. There are many such gems of knowledge in this book. Jeanne Dobie teaches you how to create not just contrast, but a "singing" combination of colors, and how to mix your own blacks and your own whites to achieve much more nuanced presentations. And there is much more. Admittedly, some artists do not feel bound by these "rules" of color and can still produce very good art. Charles Reid comes to mind. For the rest of us, the wisdoms Jeanne Dobie shares in this book are an important part of an artist's knowledge base.
Rating:
Summary: She Tells You What's Behind The Magic
Review: I am a learning watercolor artist and I read many books on the subject. This is one of a handful that I find to be particularly informative. While most art instruction books tell you what to do and how to do it, Jeanne Dobie patiently explains why. In other words, she tells you what is behind the magic. For example, she says that you cannot get a good green by mixing any yellow and any blue, because, a yellow such as cadmium yellow contains some red and a blue such as ultramarine also contains some red, and the presence of red in green (the hoped-for color), which are complements on the color wheel, yields gray. Thus the resulting green is very muted. Explanations such as this are invaluable to me, because the underlying reasons she gives completely convinces me that she is right and the knowledge is extensible to other color combinations. There are many such gems of knowledge in this book. Jeanne Dobie teaches you how to create not just contrast, but a "singing" combination of colors, and how to mix your own blacks and your own whites to achieve much more nuanced presentations. And there is much more. Admittedly, some artists do not feel bound by these "rules" of color and can still produce very good art. Charles Reid comes to mind. For the rest of us, the wisdoms Jeanne Dobie shares in this book are an important part of an artist's knowledge base.
Rating:
Summary: Jeanne. Where's your next book? Making Color Sing rocks!
Review: I concur with the sentiments of most of the reviews mentioned here. Jeanne Dobie's book is fabulous. Her emphasis on limited pallette and how to make colors 'vibrate', how to make your own neutral (but vibrating) colors, how to create fabulous browns and blacks....invaluable stuff. I'm ready for another book by Jeanne, where she shows more examples of her work and explains how she achieves effects. Her abstract landscapes are dreamy and beautiful. She's a goddess of watercolor painting.
Rating:
Summary: The Bible of watercolor books
Review: I have a library full of books on watercolor. Dobie's book is the one I read over and over and carry with me where ever I go. If I get stuck in a painting, a key to the answer is always in this book. This is a book to read several times. Each time I read it, I take my painting to a higher level. My copy is so dog-eared, I will soon need another one. If you know a watercolorist, this book would make a great gift. I call it "The Bible" of watercolor books.
Rating: 
Summary: too difficult for beginners
Review: I'll probably be the Devil's advocate, but this book is far too difficult for beginners. It's a wonderful book, though, but you have to be used to watercolour painting when you take Mrs. Dobie's book. It has lots of interesting advice on how to work with colours and make them sing, after you have had a few classes where the bases of watercolour have been explained in an easier way. Once that step has been taken, Jeane Dobie's book is definitely a must, but if this is the first time you take brushes and colours, good luck to you ! it could easily discourage you like it almost did to me
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