How to Paint Fast, Loose and Bold: Simple Techniques for Expressive Painting

Excellent book. I paint with pastels, not the oils or acrylic paints that are the focus of this book. But I found this very informative and applicable regardless of the medium one works in. The information provided in understanding values and color schemes is so clearly explained with fantastic visual examples. This will be a go to reference book for me as I continue to developed my skills with pastel painting. Well worth the purchase.

I have tons of art books and this one so far is my favorite! Why? It's VERY easy to read, well laid out, lessons are easily understood. I know it's title is "learn to paint fast and Loose", but this book is WAY more than that. It is the very FOUNDATION of painting easily explained. She puts great emphasis on creating value drawings first, before you ever think about lifting up a brush and then she explains the importance of color as it relates to value. I am a completely self taught artist, have read tons of books and watched Ytube video's to find my way. I havet always felt very frustrated with my work, couldn't put my finger on why it didn't "read" properly and I just couldn't "nail it" or get that "awe" out of my painting. What she teaches in this book is the "why" it's not working. Like me I'm sure you've looked at tons of visual art in your life, some of them pop out at you and others are mediocre at best. These lessons are what will separate you from the novice painter. Once you get what's she's trying to tell you, it's a true "ah ha" moment! I'm now off to spend as much time as I possibly can just drawing value sketches until I can do it without thinking. Buy this book, it's so much more than it's title, believe me!

This book is pretty good i would recommend to anyone that what to understand color theory and value stuff, it has many easy and clear examples

I have been trying to get back into painting again after many years. I ordered this book as I want to try to develop an impressionist style. This book is written from a more technical viewpoint than I realized. I have learned some things from it and will continue to read it. The techniques described are well presented.

I’m an artist, but have only been painting for a couple of years. I can’t really afford art lessons, and the only ones near me are very expensive and only use oils. I’m 71 years old. I don’t have time to let oils dry! And I love acrylics! I downloaded a sample of this book to my Kindle Paperwhite. Wow. Good information, but the pictures were in black and white! So I ordered a real copy of the book. The first thing I did was to take it to my Fedex store and they put a lattice spiral binding it! I can open it and it is flat! The information on colors was better than anything I have found, or learned before!! But it isn’t just about color! It covers values, composition, etc!! If you are learning to paint, with any medium, or want to improve your painting, I cannot recommend a better book!!

One of my favorite “how-to” paint books. Especially if you’re interested in experimenting with color. Brushwork, mixing, value, all explained and illustrated with vibrant painting by Patti. Highly recommend the well designed and to the point book.

Excellent book for new or experienced artist. The Author covers everything that I've forgotten from art school. A great refresher on the importance of having a plan and using the principles of art and elements of design to create a emotional experience for the viewer.

I am a watercolor artist trying to learn how to paint in acrylic. This has been difficult and frustrating. Then I saw a video by Patti Mollica and got her AMAZING book. This is not a how to paint this flower or that tree book. This book explains foundations and how to make your paintings consistently successful. I thought I understood value and color theory, ha! NOW I understand it much much better than I did and just painted my first successful acrylic painting by applying her simple explanations. I love her style but mine is a little different. No matter, her book is not about painting clones of her work but applying simple but very important ideas to your work.

I love this book! It's full of practical and useful information, illustrated with the fantastic art of Patti Mollica. After reading this book, I feel I have an arts degree! Patti is extremely generous with the readers sharing valuable information explained easily with many illustrated examples. I now feel more confident approaching my compositions and using my "artistic license" (you'll know what I mean once you've read the book); I feel honored to have Patti Mollica as my teacher through the pages of this book!

If I could have only two books on painting, this would be one of them. I originally bought the Kindle edition, thinking it would be of limited use and therefore not worth spending much on. After reading and re-reading it, I ordered the hardcopy. All Mollica’s paintings are in acrylics and most of her paint-specific advice concerns acrylics, but the vast majority of what she has to say is applicable to any medium. This book is excellent on colour, including theory and pointers I haven’t seen elsewhere (such as the ‘mother colour’ palette). It’s really, really good on value and the significance of value for simplifying compositions, and although it doesn't go into detail on some aspects of composition (such as avoiding kissing edges), Mollica has some advice that I haven’t seen elsewhere. There are demonstrations and exercises, but unlike the books that just do a step-by-step how-to, Mollica explains the theory behind what she’s doing and what she’s suggesting you do, so that you’re equipped to do something other than just copy her. I don’t paint with acrylics and doubt I ever will, but I learnt more that’s applicable to oils from this book than I have from a pile of books on oils I own. Just about everything she has to say is applicable to watercolour, as well.

Great reference

Un livre tres utile, les differents chapitres abordent les notions essentielles. Son analyse de la couleur est pertinente. Les etapes clairement detaillees. J'en suis ravie.

Beautiful book. I'm looking forward to painting along through all the chapters.