A complete resource for teens as well as a valuable reference for accomplished artists, The Artist's Manual is a hands-on guide to hundreds of techniques for painting and drawing. Wherever your studies take you, whatever new art materials and techniques come your way, this book will explain them and their use in fully illustrated detail. More than 100 artists lend their expertise and work to this step-by-step guide. On virtually every page, teens will encounter descriptive sidebars containing definitions, technical advice, and/or illustrations used to enhance the primary text. Equally helpful are the see also references that guide readers to related topics detailed elsewhere in the book. Health and safety issues, reading a paint tube, and a list of principal art-materials suppliers (including Web sites) are included.

This easy-to-use manual clearly explains the artist's essential tools and materials -- not only what they are, how to choose them and how to care for them...but how to use them in detailed, step-by-step instructions. The New Artist's Manual includes detailed instructions on working with media ranging from watercolor to acrylic and from pencil to pastels. Packed with information on myriad techniques, from color use and composition to subject choice, numerous tips from professional working artists, plus a whopping 1300 color photos and illustrations, The New Artist's Manual is everything young painters and illustrators need to begin, develop, and perfect their craft making it the definitive studio companion.

You can read an excerpt from this book at the Chronicle Books website....just a tiny portion in the drawing section discussing colored pencils...but it gives you a hint of the depth of Gair's knowledge. The reading level is for older kids - or for their teachers.

A huge book with 398 pages, 8.5 inches by 10 inches, it contains over 1300 Full-Color Photographs (including 200 original works of art as examples) and Color Drawings, this book is packed with information. It is one of the most comprehensive, inspirational, and affordable artists' instruction book available today.