Had borrowed this book and many other painting books from library. Found this one to be the most helpful. Usually use acrylics & am just starting to practice with the oils

What can I say! I am an experienced painter & this nook has been staring at me for 13 days cause I have the swine flu & cannot paint at the moment. But the book was not just worth every penny, it gives the beginner a way to help them in moves they don't know how it's done on their own. I am a sponge & absorbed as much as I could without getting a worse headache by reading ;-) in all kidding & seriousness aside, this book is the best in every way for you for me and for the ones that just need help! Take it from an artist who went to the greatest school in the 70 's of all time, SVA, & even my art professors would give this book 5 stars!

I love it! I love the lessons! I love the simplicity of it as well as the need to even help the experienced artist! All in all this is the best art book I've ever invested in for some time now ;-)
Donna McGuinness

This book details all that you'd want to know about the basics of painting. The book is titled for "Oil Painting course" but covers all phases and basic princibles of all painting techniques. I've taken several of Kathleen Staiger's oil painting courses at the Vero Beach Museum and found the book to be a great great help and reference when you need to get back to the basics of painting.

The ideal instructional book for me and probably for you if you are a beginner like myself and possibly an experienced artist who never had any formal art training or simply needs a refresher course. Just as the title states, "The Oil Painting Course You've Always Wanted" For me, I knew nothing about oil painting and was interested in Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop. Each computer program has a auto effects mode in which a non artist can simulate oil paintings, drawings etc., however I felt with some painting instruction I would be able to use all effects manually and manipulate a photo in many mediums and create something special and unique. I enrolled in a "Painting with the Old masters" college course. I now enjoy painting with oils, but due to my lack of basic knowledge in the arts (I knew nothing) it became at times very frustrating. I already own many books on the subject, but very few had what I was looking for or explained it in a manner in which it kept my interest and appealled to me like this one has. I actually looked for add'l books by this author after purchasing this one. My only regret is I could have saved $$$ if I had purchased it though Amazon. This book had everything that I was looking for, from color mixing, proper use and techniques of the brush, color,composition and material use. Landscape,Portrait and Still Life painting as well as basic drawing, light etc... A perfect addition to whatever I may take on next. This book by author Kathleen Lochen Staiger is one that is always near by and not sitting on the bookshelf like many others. I'm very happy with my purchase of this book.

I learned to paint 2 years ago and knew very little about oil painting. I purchased this and other books along with taking many workshops and this is the only book I now use for reference in a somewhat advanced stage. As I learned more about painting I also went back and re-read this book and did the suggested practices from front to back (as I did the first time)and everything became much clearer. I hope you get as much knowledge and enjoy this book as much as I have!