This beautiful book shows how easy it is to depict folk art's quaint, picturesque scenery on everything from boxes to picnic baskets.

Quaint villages and old, interesting buildings are what interest Catherine Holman as an artist. In a series of projects she shows how to decorate a range of objects with acrylic paint to create nostalgic and beautiful pieces.'

Here is the long awaited update of research on the Rufus Porter Landscape Mural School, greatly expanding the knowledge and understanding of this uniquely American folk art field of the 1820s to 1840s. The text provides detailed documentation never seen before in print. The book takes the reader on a virtual tour of Porter School murals in the New England states, presenting and analyzing more than 400 colorful images, which will provide inspiration for historians, researchers, designers, and painters alike. It offers evidence regarding the attribution of these mostly unsigned works, and encourages readers to apply that evidence in reaching their own conclusions. In addition, there is a section concerning the preservation of historic murals and various challenges and threats to such preservation. Finally, the book offers a "how-to" section that interprets Porter's original published mural painting instructions in terms of modern equipment, materials, and supplies.

Paint Your Way through the Year! Paint something happy and heartwarming for every holiday and season. Painting Heartwarming Holidays by Jamie Mills-Price gives you all the inspiration and guidance you need. From designs that celebrate every major holiday to lovely landscapes highlighting the beauty of each season, you'll delight in these 12 charming projects in acrylics. Whether you're a beginning painter or a more experienced artist looking for new challenges, you'll find this book has plenty to offer. Each design gives instruction that not only covers the simplest strokes in colorful detail, but also provides ideas and techniques for pushing your creative potential to new heights. You'll find: Whimsical designs for celebrating Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, plus all four seasons Traceable patterns, color mixing information and complete materials lists Instructions for preparing and painting on all kinds of surfaces, including wood, metal, ceramic bisque, glass and paper A special section on designing that shows you how to "build" your own unique compositions You can follow the step-by-step instructions to recreate Jamie's playful designs exactly as they're shown or change the colors and elements to match your own d?cor and creative spirit. Either way, you'll find Painting Heartwarming Holidays to be instantly gratifying. Why wait? Begin a yearlong celebration in painting today!

Folk art still influences everyday art in some surprising ways. Folk Art Fusion shows you how to blend classic subjects with new techniques to create a lovely work of art that is completely unique. Folk Art Fusion explores the colorful combination of art styles and presents them in modern folk art paintings. This is your chance to learn how traditional folk art continues to influence today's painters, and to discover how to create contemporary folk-art paintings yourself! Even if you're new to creating art, Folk Art Fusion makes creating your own works approachable with step-by-step projects. The projects are as varied as they are colorful. You will enjoy painting classic subjects painted with creative techniques and in popular styles, including flower fields, Frida Kahlo, the Tree of Life, a cat, a quaint English cottage, and much more. Colorful, contemporary, and inspirational, Folk Art Fusion allows artists of all skill levels to quickly discover the joy of creating modern, global-inspiredart in this time-treasured genre.

Decorative painters love the charming country landscapes found in the art of American masters Grant Wood, Rufus Porter and Charles Wysocki. Their simplified styles celebrate rural America through paintings of rolling hills and farmlands dotted with sheep or old-fashioned farm houses.Now, anyone can paint these nostalgic scenes with the easy instructions found in Painting Americana. In this book, readers learn:* Simple techniques for painting hills, farm animals, trees, barns and more that even beginners can master* How to achieve rustic effects on wood and metal surfaces* 10 unique step-by-step projects, including a Pennsylvania Dutch design on a door crown and French country chickens on a bentwood boxStunning finished pieces make perfect gifts and family keepsakes.

Best known for her graceful roses and loved by thousands of student painters for her clear and enthusiastic style of teaching, Priscilla Hauser has earned a reputation as "America's First Lady of Decorative Painting." &break;&break;In this complete guide, Priscilla shows you how to paint your own beautiful roses - along with daises, lilacs, violets, poppies, irises, tulips and other lovely flowers. &break;&break;You'll find everything you need to get started: &break;Supplies. A handy guide to all the supplies you'll need for a decorative painting in oils and acrylics, including which brushes to use and how to care for them. &break;Surface Preparations and Finishes. Learn how to properly prepare wood, metal, fabric and other surfaces for your decorative painting. Plus, you'll find easy techniques for creating fabulous finishes such as antiquing and crackling. &break;The Basics. Practice these fundamental skills - from basic brushstrokes to blending - and you'll be painting flowers in no time! &break;&break;Watch your brushstrokes bloom in 22 flower painting projects! Starting with simple patterns and techniques and progressing to more challenging ones, these projects will show you how to paint an assortment of leaves and flowers. Priscilla includes paint-along worksheets for practice; patterns for you to copy; step-by-step photos and instructions; photos of the finishes pieces' and lots of ideas for using your painted flowers to decorate an endless variety of surfaces. &break;&break;Whether you're a total beginner or an experienced painting, Priscilla's techniques and patters will help you fill your home (and friends' homes!) with the ever-fresh beauty of painted flowers.