Creating With Paint: New Ways, New Materials

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous debut from a well-known art instructor
Review: Creating with Paint is a fabulous debut from an artist and popular workshop instructor who never seems to run out of ideas. Sherrill Kahn-a frequent contributor to Somerset Studio-has brought her amazing talents to fruition in this brand-new book. Introductory chapters on basic painting techniques are followed by chapters on sponge painting, washes, plastic-wrap patterns, rubber stamping, applicator-tipped paint techniques, paint resists, crayon batik, monoprints, bubble-wrap prints, a generous gallery of artwork, and much more. This book is packed with rubber stamping techniques as well as painting projects, and is suitable for artists at every level of experience, from beginner to advanced. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful to LOOK at
Review: I have always LOVED Sherrill Kahns work, so I couldn't wait for this book to come out. I was slightly disappointed with the book. ALthough it is beautiful to look at and the projects are wonderful it is not for the average stamper. I have been stamping and teaching for many years and found some of the projects and directions confusing.This is more of a paint book than a stamping book. Never the less the projects are beautiful and the book is wonderful to look at.

Rating:
Summary: This book is an incredible resource
Review: I was prepared to *like* this book. I absolutely love it. It is gorgeous, it has clear, easy-to-understand instructions for a multitude of projects, it is simply an inspiration. I am recommending it to every artist and crafter I know.

Rating:
Summary: Don't miss this innovative book
Review: When was the last time a "real" artist painted like this? Who else would have thought to use gel pens, dimensional fabric paints, regular fabric paints and dyes, and, best of all, rubber stamps in one painting that can be used in about a million ways? Kahn paints on muslin, but you really can't tell it's fabric. By the time I finished a couple of pieces, I couldn't tell I had painted on fabric either. I think this is a real plus because then you can stick your painting on anything, however rough it may be, and have a beautiful, interesting, and highly unusual piece of art. Don't deprive yourself of it.

Rating:
Summary: Glad I got it from the library....
Review: While this book does have some good ideas and techniques, I was put off by the repeated and blatant promotions of the author's line of stamps -- a little too self-serving. Also, since she used only her own stamps in the project examples -- as well as a very limited color palette -- there is a disappointing sameness to the look of the samples. Most books of this type show the work of multiple artists: More variety of styles and colors would have made Kahn's book much more interesting and inspiring.

So, while I did come away with some ideas that I will use, I'm very glad that I borrowed the book from the library, rather than paying for it.