Handpainted Gifts for All Occasions
Trout, author of three other craft how-to's (includingDecorative Mini-Murals You Can Paint, 2002), emphasizes gifts, primarily employing professional tole-like techniques such as pulled leaf strokes and floating, with much  space devoted to both instructions and basics; Trout's philosophy is to "buy the best equipment you can afford and treat it well," whether brushes or paints. Designs are more complicated and intricate, such as a snowshoe hare or brontosaurus, but all are realistic and suitable for country or traditional home motifs. Directions call for specific brands of paints and brushes, a potential problem since no substitutes are offered. Almost every possible celebration is included, from a Valentine's Day candy dish to a Halloween scarecrow. For the most experienced painters.Barbara JacobsCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved