Which are the best books?

Hi everyone- I would really like to get some books. I have been doing everything intuitively until now-I would like to start studying technique to beef up my skill set. Books look good on line but I can't flip thru them. What are your favorites/ What helped you the most?

The new Illusion book is great! The Wolfe Books are nice also, but they really should add few more steps in each step by step.

Ahem...

You can check out my book here http://www.shannonfennell.com/mybook.html

It is written for beginners and covers sponge and brush techniques as well as step-by-step designs.

It is available from most retailers online.

The book that helped me the most when I was starting to face paint was "Making Faces" by Sian Ellis Thomas.

I agree, Shannon's book is one of the best I have seen for teaching techniques and step-by-step designs!

Marcela's books are great for inspiration too - Facepainting Book of Masks, Facepainting Book of Fairies, etc.

I also love Shannon's book!

I like the Illusions and Friends book (the first one as I haven't received the second one yet) and I also really like The Makeup Muse's Tribal Workbook.

I had a peak at the Masks book and I really liked it as well. It is also in with my next order.

I think that I could do w/o my Princesses book though- kind of a blah book.

~Michelle Heffner

The book of masks is definitely the best, with the butterflies and cats nearly as good. Princesses was not as good but still had some cute designs. She has an eye design book coming out sometime soon too.

Is it just me, but I really disliked that the step by steps were drawings rather than photos in the Murad books. Why was that even necessary? I was also REALLY dissapointed that the design on the cover of the princess book was not even in the book. I can't be too critical though, anyone that can come up with that many orginals deserves a medal.

Her cat's book though has lots of great designs. They were my nemisis for a long time and now cats, tigers, lions are my favorite to do.

I did notice that the step-by-steps were drawn and wondered about it, but it didn't really bother me. There's enough there to be able to tell what to do next, I thought. But everyone learns differently and I learned to paint by looking at finished designs on-line, so I have to remind myself to slow down and look at the step-by-steps.

Well that's a nice start. Thanks so much for your imput. I think I feel an order comming on and Shannon's book will definitely be included.

Thank you!

It could be the reason (from the standpoint of someone who does a lot of step-by-steps and photos) for the drawings of the steps is that there possibly isn't a "plan" of the design beforehand so that it is just painted, photographed, and then the steps are drawn to follow to re-create it. OR, possibly also could be the photographer's time commitment to take the photos of the step process is either to expensive or not possible.

I take all my own photos so find it easier to take the photos than to have to do all the artwork to go with it! You need to paint in a proper set-up with a backdrop to get the best results.

Have Shannon's book. Definitely pick it up for your personal library.

I would say get all three Wolfe Brothers books...if for nothing else, eye candy and for something to strive for! (I think I need the cool effects eye contacts too!) Like Rick says on another page...you need to know how to paint the basics already...the 4 steps are designed for people that already can paint most of the shapes and just need a reference for placement.

I just got the new Illusions and Friends book..and wow...some more eye candy. I was happy to see a Wolfe Brother design by each brother....I just have to do a white tiger now...furnny was planning on one soon..as I love the big cats! (ok, all cats)

I have the 'Eye Designs' book on pre order. That is always fun to look at.

I really want to get Shannon's book and I have 2 of the Murad books. I really liked the completed pictures for inspiration.... well like them now that I've mastered more strokes. But I bought them to get started and didn't like that the "step by step" was just the drawn photos. My complaint was the lack of written explanation but that's what type of learner I am.

I also have a kryolan book that I love!!! I'm not sure who the main artist is in it but it has great step by step explanations in words and good pictures. Some of the girls faces in it are overdone in my opinion but the inspiration is still great and I can add or remove detail depending on time.

I am dying to get some wolfe brothers books. I have to be a very good girl for a while and I'll treat myself.

We made a point in my book of having all photos of the steps AND written instructions with list of colours and tools used. And the front section is all about techniques - how to sponge and different brushes and strokes, etc. I insisted on that as from a beginner's standpoint I knew that the books that helped me the most were the ones with that demonstrated the basics.

I had never seen face painting before and when I picked up the book Making Faces by Sian Ellis-Thomas in a sale bin it was more "oh, look I could do this!" than the fact that I was looking for face painting information. Once I had the book and learned that you applied bases with large sponges, what type of sponge to use, what type of make-up to use, etc... that made all the difference.

Since Gary (Snazaroo USA Inc.) wanted the book to be for complete beginners it was necessary, I felt, to cover all the basics for someone who had no idea what to do in the front of the book.

I learned from books (pre-internet!!! ) and wanted to make sure that if someone picked up my book that they would be able to learn what I teach at a beginner workshop!

Remember the newest Wolfe Book is the prize for the latest challenge. Enter and you might just WIN it!