Sept 12
This addition to this excellent series comes at the same time as Dogs & Puppies and, although the authors are different, the same comments can be applied. Cats are one of the hardest creatures to get right and are a complex series of curves and colours that it's all too easy to get wrong. Julie Nash manages to capture not just the anatomy of her subjects, but also their character and the sense that, even in repose they are ready to move instantly.
* Artbookreview.net *
Oct 12
This is part of the Ready to Paint series. It's so much more than a step-by-step. It provides beginner painters with the tools to get started. There are 6 reusable tracings of cats to use, and clear instructions for 5 paintings showing how to paint them with around 40 step by step instructions to each painting. It's like having the artist hold your hand. You'll find your favourite cats including an elegant white, arrogant Siamese, a tabby and playful black kittens. This book should give you the confidence you need even if you cannot draw.
* Karen Platt Yarnsandfabrics.co.uk/crafts *
Sept 12
Animals are always a tricky subject and, traditionally, it's horses that are reckoned to be the most difficult. However, if I had a pound for every unconvincing cat I've ever seen, I'd have more loose change than I can comfortably handle. The Ready to Paint series has gone from strength to strength and its pre-printed tracings that free you from the problem of the initial drawing have proved amazingly popular. In this volume, Julie Nash paints five different subjects (poses and colours) and every one of them is completely lifelike - these are the best cat pictures I've seen.
* Paint *
Nov 12
Would you love to be able to paint cats and kittens but find it hard to get their shapes and expressions right? Then this book is the perfect answer. Reuseable tracings are provided to help novice artists. Step by step demonstrations show how to create a selection of different types of cats including a ginger tabby, long haired Persian and elegant Orientals. Playful kittens raise a smile. Instructions are clear and very understandable even stating exactly which colour shades and paint brushes should be used at each stage to create the best effect. It makes it much easier for anyone with a bit of patience to create a painting of which they can be proud. Julie has done a very good job in turning a subject which can be quite difficult into straightforward, simple language which requires only a modicum of skill to follow.
* Monstersandcritics.com *
Feb 13
This is another in the Ready to Paint series, and the speed needed to capture such a mobile subject makes this format perfect for the artist who wants to jump straight in with painting their subject. Six reusable tracings are included, enabling you to transfer the drawing to your chosen support, for which full instructions are given, so that all you need to think about is the painting. Five easy-to-follow projects are illustrated with step-by-step demonstrations to show you exactly what to do and the colours to use.
* Leisure Painter, The *
