Unlock the Possibilities of Acrylic: Mastering Innovative Tricks and Techniques with the World's Most Adaptable Art Medium

Sandra Disher: It will be helpful to me because I am painting mainly with acrylic paints .

Canada on Jun 06, 2023

Bethyoung: Simple instructions easy to follow. Even for experienced artists it helps you decide whether a particular technique would enhance your painting and reminds you of some you may have forgotten about.

United Kingdom on Jan 24, 2023

good egg: The media could not be loaded.  This book is great and just what I was looking for to have as a reference for all the different techniques and products that I might wish to use acrylic painting. There are only two things I don’t like and one of them only applies to the spiral-bound: it is squeaky! I’ve never experienced this before. I tend to be sensory sensitive so maybe it would not bother most people but it’s incredibly distracting while flipping through the book to the point where I am not enjoying it. The other thing is that I was hoping there would be a section on incising into the paint layer and then staining those incisions but I have not found this so far. I will look on her website.

United States on Sep 17, 2022

Evan Griffith: My wife is a professional artist who recently switched to acrylics after being away from them for many years. I purchased this book for her because she loves sifting randomly through reference materials -- for inspiration and techniques.

Lo! When I handed it to her, she laughed. She already owned it. Even better -- Out of her entire art reference library, there are a handful of books she goes back to repeatedly, and this one by Nancy Reyner is one of those special few!

Not only that, she brought it out of her studio to show me -- it's plastered with notes because she used it so much when she worked in acrylics years ago. Now that she's returned to the medium, Acrylic Revolution is her art Bible.

I don't think you can get a better recommendation than that -- from a professional artist : -)

United States on Apr 03, 2021

Arleen: Where do I start?!? Nancy Reyner writes easy to understand and follow art instructions that even a beginner can learn to paint archival quality paintings in no time. Although I really wanted her books based on seeing her work on YouTube, I was expecting long, boring, textbook-type books that I would have to sift through to get the information I wanted. Nope! Her books are very well written, concise, easy to read and understand step-by-step instructional techniques with many tips and visual examples. Her books make you feel like she is in the room with you providing private art lessons. I ordered her books for specific ideas on one type of painting technique, but since her books are so easy to follow - and because she is an excellent professional artist who’s styles I admire very much - I decided I want to try every one of her techniques over time until I developed my own style. She even includes boxes that list the materials needed for each technique so you can be sure to be prepared before starting. The books offer so many different ideas and techniques that I believe every artist, beginner to pro, will find what they are looking for and so much more. If you are a visual...

United States on Dec 05, 2017

Amazon Customer: I love this book. It is beautifully made, bright and vibrant and easy to follow. There are lots of wonderful ideas for a huge variety of ways to work with acrylics. The instructions are easy to follow and the quality of the cover and the pages is excellent, making it a beautiful book to hold, own....and wipe down!

Several reviewers complained about the use of "Golden" products but I don't mind this at all. Golden products are pricey and I cannot afford them often so I understand why people object a bit to this but you can substitute easily enough. Liquitex is a really good substitute brand (which I use) and although you cannot get everything Golden make, you can get a lot. I have a few Golden products and have to say they are worth every penny but otherwise just mix and match and enjoy this wonderful book. Personally I love it and am glad I eventually decided to treat myself!

United Kingdom on Jul 24, 2013

VoiceofReason: Acrylics is a versatile medium that ranges from the thinnest of watercolor on paper to the heaviest oils on canvas. The problem is, it really isn't watercolor or heavy oil. It almost behaves that way but now and again it sorta does its own thing that is unique to acrylics. This book is an excellent guide to making acrylics do what you want it to do ... to help you gain control. It sparks creative ideas in the process. It's a great Idea Book. It's also a very pretty book. It shows you how you can get the effect you are going for and how to set yourself up for what most artists refer to as "happy accidents". I love this book. I find something new each time I pick it up. Beginner to expert, I wager you'll find something that will take you in a new direction. It's one of those books that makes you want to experiment. It makes it fun. Nancy Reyner is really good.

United States on Dec 28, 2010

A. R. Schmit: I just love this book! Acrylics are a very versatile medium and this book just about covers the whole range of effects that you can get with them and provides a load of ideas which you can take on and experiment with. I do a lot of mixed media work and it is in this sphere, not just in pure acrylic painting, that I find this book inspirational. What this book is not is a sort of 'how to paint' instruction book for those stating out and wanting to know absolute basics of composition, colour mixing, etc. But it is an absolutely comprehensive survey of how to handle acrylic paints and mediums. It gives some, but not a huge number of examples of artists using these techniques, but that's OK - you really need to think how you could use the methods to create your own style.I don't really go along with some of the previous reviews - I don't think the ideal audience would be absolute beginners, and I think that many experienced artists would learn at least something new from this book. As for the focus on the use of 'Golden' products, this company produce a greater variety of acrylic media than any other, and certain techniques need a medium that may be unique to Golden (e.g. I don't...

United Kingdom on Oct 23, 2010

Ilona: This book has wonderful illustrations and many useful techniques to try. However, I found on using some of them that explanatory steps were missing.
For example: Technique 33, layering textures to create depth: putting down a half inch of soft gel is a lot of gel, these tubs are not cheap. Once I applied the gel I found that a lot of ridges were created from the knife. Were these ridges part of the picture or was there a way to smooth them out? When applying the paint on top of the gel I found that the brush became glooped with loads of gel, making it difficult to paint. Was the gel supposed to dry to a semi wet state or was the paint application to happen right after I applied the gel? These are questions I had no answer to. I have since tried this my own way without most of the gel and painting on a semi dry surface and it worked very well.

The author supposes that very experienced painters are reading her instructions and will know what to do. However, I am an intermediate painter and I need these missing instructions and steps.

I also noticed that only Golden Paints were shown in the illustrations. Now, Golden Paints are excellent and I use them mostly myself,...

Canada on Jan 14, 2009

Sheilah. Bockett: Have you ever looked at an acrylic painting and wondered, "How on earth did they get that effect?" You may well find your answer in "Acrylic Revolution" by Nancy Reyner. This book is the best I've seen on acrylic technique, not only for its generous supply of photographs, but for its set-out and its excellent cross referencing.

There are 104 techniques and tips in the book, each taking up a full page that is set out with a short explanation of the technique, a list of materials, and four or five photographs showing the step by step process, with explanatory captions. There is also an ideas box giving extra tips.

What I like especially is the gallery: artwork by other artists as well as Reyner are cross-referenced to specific techniques. For example, an abstract by Patricia Brady has references (by number) to ten of the techniques in the book.

The 104 techniques are divided into ten sections that include spatial effects, texture, transfers, collage/mixed media, innovative stenciling /line work, and simulating other mediums. In other sections Reyner covers just about every question you might have about the acrylic medium and its applications. Two creative...

United States on Jun 06, 2007