Contemporary Landscapes in Mixed Media

Soraya, has accomplished so much in her newest book. This is my favorite mixed media landscape book to date and I have a lot of mixed media books. I would have said that this book is geared more for the experienced artist, but artists who are learning about technique would do well to have this book to grow into because of the brilliant way Soraya covers subjects. Some of the subjects she covers are, composition. the elements of art, lost and found edges, negative shapes, underpainting, texture effects, and of course multiple mediums. Soraya also is very encouraging in that as artists we are not limited by just one medium, there is so much information and art materials out there and to only use what you feel comfortable with. I couldn't agree with her more, as a self taught artist myself, its taken me a few years and a few different mediums to get to the point where I feel comfortable using different materials. Mixed media is about using your intuition, taking chances and playing, its all so exciting.

I Purchased this book to experience the acrylic medium and to find a way to make my paintings more loose in the contemporary style for landscapes. This book full filled all my expectations. I have painted for years in oil and wanted to experience acrylic. Although the steps are not given, for me as an experienced painter I was able to create paintings with the directions she provided. These methods have increased my repertoire for how to paint using different techniques and ideas. I can take this new knowledge and apply many of them to oil painting which is still my medium of choice. I’m throughly enjoying this book and may buy another by this author.

Soraya French is not just skillful, she's lifted in a way most of us are not. Don't expect to reproduce what she can achieve. She is obviously working as an influencer for the manufacturers she promotes in the text, which creates the impression that various products are the secret behind her success. She leaves out a considerable amount of essential information about supports and actual methods. Gaining proficiency in so many media takes years of practice and experimentation and a large financial investment. The real value of this book is in what it reveals about her aesthetic, which departs from the Western emphasis on focal point and narrative in favor of rhythm, texture, and coloristic effects. She can turn an English hedgerow into an exciting picture. Her dilapidated barn literally disintegrates into the landscape. Detail is added not to describe the scene but to excite the eye.

I love Soranya French's paintings and the whole book is an inspiration to me. As a self taught artist of many years, this book gave me a fresh look at new ideas and ways of seeing things. She went through the use of different materials she uses (pastels were new for me), many techniques she uses as well as all the color schemes she uses for different seasons. A very well thought out book and worth every penny!

I like the wild color compositions; the book has lots of examples to practice included, along with a wealth of suggestions on materials to try.

The photo on the cover is just one example of the many beautiful pieces of art that were included in the book. I was amazed to see how many unbelievably gorgeous works of art were included. The image quality was very good. The artist included detailed descriptions of materials and process for every piece. This outstanding book inspired me and helped me understand how to create colorful, emotionally charged mixed media landscapes.

French makes beautiful paintings and there are plenty of images to demonstrate this. The book primarily has text about materials used for acrylics that you can easily on an acrylic paint manufacturers site. I returned it.

Beautiful cover caught my attention immediately and the inside images were of excellent quality. The author gives much advice on painting abstracts and the instructions for achieving results with various materials is well worth the cost of the book. Highly recommend.