Oil Pastel: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist

I ordered a hardcover version of the book. The seller sent me a tattered one which was sad. Apart from that the content in the book is excellent for beginners and and also the advanced artists to handle one of the messier mediums of art: the oil pastel. The book is full of colorful illustrations and techniques are explained lucidly. The print quality of the pages is also good. Overall a good buy for someone interested in widening their knowledge about the Oil Pastel medium. I would recommend a paperback version, as the sellers probably do not have good quality hardcover versions in stock.

I can't rate this book highly enough. I'm new to this medium and got two other books to help me get the most out of the medium. Although they were fairly helpful, I wanted something a bit more in-depth and stumbled on mention of this work in an Amazon review. It's a bit pricey, so I researched on the web and given favourable mentions decided to take a punt. I'm so glad I did. Illustrated with excellent pastel image examples from various artists and various styles, the author takes one through well written sections on the oil pastle medium, use of colour, use of different surfaces, handling techniques (tools, application techinques, correcting mistakes etc.), experimental approaches (collage, combining with other mediums, printmaking etc.) and directions for still life, landscape, abstraction etc. This is just what I needed, for it's more than just a book about pastels, it's a book about the artistic process itself. Alas my skill with art will perhaps never live up to my aspirations but somehow Ken makes that OK, there's enough here to make one want to try to express oneself, to play and learn by doing so. It's not a huge volume, 140 pages but I've already found it valuable. For example, knowing that different brands are "different tools" with hard or soft, greasy or waxy characteristics and that layering different types together needs some thought has enabled me to avoid frustrating mistakes and get good results. For me, if I only had one pastel book, this would be it. In fact, if I only had one art book, this would probably be it...I just wish I could create images with the same deftness that the author showed in writing this book.That said, it IS pricey, I consider it worth it but consider how much you want to get into oil pastles. If you're just dipping your tie in the water, there are other books that will be just as good to try out and at much lower cost.

This book is the one to buy before you tackle oil pastels. It gives a lot of information and tips on various ways to use oil pastels. I have wasted many hours struggling with this media, and If I had bought this book earlier I would have saved myself a lot of hassle! I am sure if the book had been cheaper many people would have bought it, and oil pastels would now be level with oil as one of the most used media. It is a wonderful media and once one has learnt how to work with it it can be an equal to painting with oils, acrylic, etc. Buy it and experiment and enjoy!

They are loving it, finding it useful...

Oil pastel is a new media for me, and in this book I found lots of professional advice which really opened the versatility of this media. I also liked the easy going professional attitude of the writer who approached his readers as equals.

exactly what Iwanted