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 enlarge | Author: John Sanden
Publisher: North Light Books
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $12.15
You Save: $12.84 (51%)
New (31) Used (10) from $12.15
Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 60085
Media: Paperback
Pages: 144
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 1581805829
Dewey Decimal Number: 751.4542
EAN: 9781581805826
ASIN: 1581805829
Publication Date: February 15, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New book; ships next business day; 100% satisfaction guaranteed
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| Customer Reviews:
 Excellent Resource March 15, 2007
Brenda Reeves
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was already a portrait painter when I bought this book. I was not turned off by the offer to buy his products. As a matter of fact, I've thought of buying them to check out the quality of his oils. Since buying the book, it has gotten plenty of use. For those of you who gave it a low score, had you really delved into it, you would have seen that he does present a formula for mixing portrait colors. This is something that I found very valuable. The reality is that we can pull a little expertise from all art books and use it to paint like ourselves. This book has been well worth the money I spent. I did not buy it with the intention of painting like the author.
 Blatant plug December 18, 2006
Brian Asquith
4 out of 9 found this review helpful
I just glanced through this book at a local art store. Initially it looked to provide some useful information with 2 well laid out "how to paint a portrait" follow alongs. One was sufficiently interesting that I was thinking of buying the book. br /Then, alas, it all went wrong. A closer study of the text etc. revealed that the book is nothing more than a shameless plug for the author's own line of paints. And indeed there is nothing wrong with helping the painter out and provide them with the various tones they need pre-mixed. But I don't understand why I have to buy the book. Wouldn't it be better if the book was free or included a coupon for a set of the paints with the cost being the price of the paints MINUS the cost of the book. I cannot think of any scenario where I have to buy one item to then buy the sellers main item. Very poor marketing by Sanden and definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. Isn't this like one step up from "Painting by Numbers"? I will not be buying the book nor his paints. If you want to paint in the style of Sanden then by all means go ahead and buy the book and the paints. But in the long run you are probably doing yourself a great dis-service as your portrait technique will be locked in to a very narrow system. br /Get yourself a book on portrait painting that illustrates the tried and tested methods over the years, how to achieve the effects and learn how to mix colours in the process. Also buy your paints from an established manufacturer. You could be so locked in to Sanden's techniques and have a number of his paints. What happens if the company goes bust? - I don't know of any other manufacturer who sell paints labelled by tones. Work your way up the same learning curve that Rembrandt, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Ingres and all the other masters also had to climb. In the long run you'll be much better off for it. br /Do you even know what is in Sanden's paints? And how they will endure the tests of time. Stick with a reputable manufacturer whose reputation is founded upon being 100% up front with the artist. br /Avoid this book. 0 stars. br /I just noticed that North Light are the publishers. For the most part I find their range of books to be uninspiring. Makes me wonder why NL even agreed to publish this book in the first place.
 Portraits from life in 29 steps August 29, 2006
Marco Dias (Brasil)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I found it very practical. I felt almost like in a good live art class. br /I already improve my tecnique after a got this very good book.
Terrible January 26, 2006
B. Milliron
11 out of 17 found this review helpful
I am a serious artist but I've only recently started to paint. Having minimal training in this subject and been frustrated by my current approach I decided to get this book to try to understand a different combination of colors in hopes of gaining confidence and speed. The author/artist is shamelessly promoting his production materials. I had hoped to replicate the colors with the descriptions of the Promix colors. For example, their premixed "halftone 2" is a combo of white, yellow ochre, cad. red lt...ect. But in attempting to mix these colors it is almost impossible to recreate with the colors as listed. I discover as I begin working that the Halftone 2 color on one page is different than the same color on the next...and this error in printing continues throughout the book. And if this is to be a true instructional book it fails because descriptions of what colors to use in certain areas are ommited through various steps. br /He is no doubt a fantastic artist and I was hoping to try the approach of someone who has obviously been successful. You may still be able to appreciate the fantastic use of color and brushwork. But in reading this book front to back I found him to be a bit pretentious. How many times does he have to mention that he taught at the NY Student Art League? And what budding/struggling artist is going to be inspired by the descriptions of his ridiculous studio where there very expensive furniture and there is not a spot of paint anywhere. If you intend to get this book or have already gotten it just know that their are many ways to approach portraiture and still be successful. Put this book down, got to the library, and try to replicate the true masters. And do so knowing that they probably did were not able to do a portrait in one sitting. br /
Value is the Key to Portrait painting April 14, 2004
Meade Barrington (Fairfax, Virginia United States)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
The key value of the book I think is the explanation of the importance of Value and color mixing. The simplified explanation of the use of the Value scale is clear and the examples clarifies this clearly. Furthermore the basic characteristics of color--hue, value, intensity and temperature are well demonstrated with a clear guide to learning how to change and reduce intensity, value and temperature in painting a portrait. Also Sanden gives a convincing demonstration on building a portrait fron the foundation ------great book!
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