[.ca] Art of Faux: The Complete Source of Decorative Painted ... (ISBN 0823008584)

From Amazon.com:
Aimed at professionals and dedicated amateurs, The Art of Faux is packed with gorgeous examples of faux finishes. Internationally acclaimed, award-winning decorative painter and instructor Pierre Finkelstein covers every aspect of the art form in tremendous detail, beginning with extensive specifics on all tools, materials, supplies, and planning, and including preparation and cleanup considerations. Each of the other 10 chapters concentrates on a wide variety of faux finishes in different categories: marble, semiprecious stone, limestone and sandstone, wood, patinas and textures, metals and gilding, tile, organic materials (such as ivory, leather, and mother-of-pearl), stenciling, and trompe l'oeil. There are even instructions for uncommon faux finishes, such as bamboo, Delft tile, snakeskin, and damask, that are not generally taught in other books on the subject. Every finish is presented as a complete recipe, and the list of ingredients includes not only paints, glazes, and tools, but also difficulty ratings and lists of preparatory exercises for techniques that are part of the complete finish. People seriously involved in any aspect of faux finishing--particularly people considering careers in the field--should invest in the information-packed The Art of Faux.

The Art of Fauz:
I don't have anything personal against this book.I have dabbled in faux finishes and wanted more ideas on how to do different techniques and this book was too technical for me. It was more to do with making your own glazes and customizing your paints and info on the many utensils etc. I needed something more basic.I just want to be able to go to the store buy my own premade glaze and paint colors and then do a finish.

Depth and Breadth for Serious Painters:
If you are really into painting this book is very cool. It gives you recipies and illustrations for many types of faux finishes. It doesn't just show you how to do wood. It explains the different cuts of wood, how they affect the grain patterns and then provides illustrated directions for about a dozen different exotic woods. Same with marble, semi-precious stone and many other materials. This is too much information for the beginner or the casual crafts person, but if you are the type of person who wants to know the difference between French and Italian faux finishes, this is the book. A comprehensive and in depth study. One of my painting bibles.

very detailed instruction:
This book has extremely detailed instructions on how to paint almost any type of faux finish. In addition, the author provides an itemized list of supplies needed for both oil and water based finishes. The book has step by step instructions as well as multitudinous photographs rather than illustrations of the products used or the techniques described. I'd refer to this as a textbook or a manual rather than a "how-to" book.

Useful and numerous illustrations:
There are numerous illustrations in this book. I will definitely use it frequently as a reference. This book will be particularly useful to anyone who wants to do finishes that are above average.

Fantastic How-To for all - beginners to expert:
If you are interested in a serious, professional faux effect, this is the place to start (and finish). Finkelstein lays a foundation (history of faux), provides the building blocks (tools, recipes, and techniques), and assembly instructions (detailed, well illustrated examples of each step). If you take the time to practice the techniques and follow the instructions, you can do marvelous work regardless of your experience level. I had never done wood graining, and I achieved an effect virtually indistinguishable from real mahogany on my first project. I originally borrowed a copy for a specific project (wood graining a doorway) and had to buy the book for future projects and reference.