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Pop Painting: Inspiration and Techniques from the Pop Surrealism Art Phenomenon
A unique behind-the-scenes guide to the painting process of one of the most popular artists working in the growing, underground art scene of Pop Surrealism.Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at the painting tools, methods, and inspirations of one of the top artists working in the growing field of Pop Surrealism. For the first time, beloved best-selling author and artist Camilla d’Errico pulls back the curtain to give you exclusive insights on topics from the paints and brushes she uses and her ideal studio setup, to the dreams, notions, and pop culture icons that fuel the creation of her hauntingly beautiful Pop Surrealist paintings. With step-by-step examples covering major subject areas such as humans, animals, melting effects, and twisting reality (essential for Pop Surrealism!), Pop Painting gives you the sensation of sitting by Camilla’s side as she takes her paintings from idea to finished work. This front row seat reveals how a leading artist dreams, paints, and creates a successful body of work. For fans of Camilla and the underground art scene, aspiring artists looking to express their ideals in paint, and experienced artists wanting to incorporate the Pop Surrealist style into their work, Pop Painting is a one-of-a-kind, must-have guide.
- GenresArtNonfictionReference
586 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2016
37 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Camilla d'Errico
52 books100 followersCamilla d’Errico is a product of her split heritage, Italian and Canadian rolled into one: Italian fiestiness, Canadian politeness, and an early addiction to Saturday morning cartoons, comics and manga. Growing up she was more often doodling sexy damsels and dragons on her textbooks than reading them. In 1998 when Camilla first attended her first San Diego Comic Con she realised that a 9–5 day job would kill her and this was what she wanted to do. Thanks to her relentless energy, dedication, and just enough sleep deprivation, she has followed her dream of working creatively for a living.
Camilla’s unique style continues to be in demand and her client list includes Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Random House, Tokyopop, Hasbro, Disney, Sanrio, Neil Gaiman and she also works with video game and movie companies on character development. Her own characters and properties, Tanpopo and Helmetgirls, are loved by fans and followers and now inspire Cosplay costumes. She has successfully merchandised and licensed her beautiful artwork across a variety of categories: clothing, stationery and gift, accessories, art prints, etc. and continues to expand her licensing program. Her emotive and eloquent paintings have propelled her to the top of the ranks of the New Contemporary art movement, and she is represented by Opera Gallery of New York.
Camilla can’t live without Holbein’s “DUO” water-soluble oils, green tea lattes, Hello Kitty merchandise, and her daily fix of manga and anime.
“Its about expressing what they feel and feeling what they express”
= http://www.camilladerrico.com/blog/bio/
Camilla’s unique style continues to be in demand and her client list includes Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Random House, Tokyopop, Hasbro, Disney, Sanrio, Neil Gaiman and she also works with video game and movie companies on character development. Her own characters and properties, Tanpopo and Helmetgirls, are loved by fans and followers and now inspire Cosplay costumes. She has successfully merchandised and licensed her beautiful artwork across a variety of categories: clothing, stationery and gift, accessories, art prints, etc. and continues to expand her licensing program. Her emotive and eloquent paintings have propelled her to the top of the ranks of the New Contemporary art movement, and she is represented by Opera Gallery of New York.
Camilla can’t live without Holbein’s “DUO” water-soluble oils, green tea lattes, Hello Kitty merchandise, and her daily fix of manga and anime.
“Its about expressing what they feel and feeling what they express”
= http://www.camilladerrico.com/blog/bio/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 7, 2016
Camilla d'Errico's pop paintings have captivated me from the first second I discovered
them a couple of years ago.
She is a pop surrealist painter, illustrator, character creator and comic artist from
Vancouver. Her art is amazing. I had read through books I could find of hers -in stock -in different book stores the past couple of years. "Tanpopo", "Sparrow", and
"Femina Fauna", were a few of the books I viewed. Her creations are colorful fascinating beautiful women - playful - exotic- many with animal companions.
At first glance, I was reminded of Margaret Keane, the painter famous for drawing 'big eyed waifs' of children and women. I was a fan of 'Keane eyes' as a child.
Camilla d'Errico's work also reminds me of another painter I love passionately --our older daughter. She has painted hundreds of big eyed... big hair stick drawings...of trapped sad women showing signs of freeing themselves. They are on her website ..but I'm not here to review my daughters work. (I'm the mom)!...
However, "PopPainting", ...."Inspiration and Techniques from the Pop Surrealism Art Phenomenon", is the first book I special ordered about 6 months ago. ( the day Netgalley declined my request to read it)... which was just as well, because I absolutely
love my 'physical' copy. I'm not ready to give this book away to my daughter yet...
but in time, it will land in her hands too.
This book is gorgeous...I mean GORGEOUS!!!!
Emotions and beauty is what I see ....but this lovely book is not only packed-filled with
her paintings...but I was able to imagine Camilla's speaking voice as she describes the steps she takes to finish a painting....(examples of eyes, lips, hair, skin, depth)
Step 1...start with the basic outline.
Step 2...she paints basic layers for shadows
Step 3...continue darker colors
Step 4...establish her background ... etc.
One of my favorite paintings in this book is called 'Skin'. Vibrant colors of pink, red hue, coral red, light magenta, etc. ...
Many people have asked Camilla how she paints perfect porcelain skin. Our artist has a darling, humble personality..."she cheats" she says. "Well, okay, maybe it's not
cheating to use premixed skin tones by Holbein, but it was a no-no according to my
teachers in college."
I like Camilla d'Errico's "no-no's". I like her! Adore her work!
Wonderful gift book for people with a childlike spirit...for all ages...artistic skills at any level.
Unique powerful art!
them a couple of years ago.
She is a pop surrealist painter, illustrator, character creator and comic artist from
Vancouver. Her art is amazing. I had read through books I could find of hers -in stock -in different book stores the past couple of years. "Tanpopo", "Sparrow", and
"Femina Fauna", were a few of the books I viewed. Her creations are colorful fascinating beautiful women - playful - exotic- many with animal companions.
At first glance, I was reminded of Margaret Keane, the painter famous for drawing 'big eyed waifs' of children and women. I was a fan of 'Keane eyes' as a child.
Camilla d'Errico's work also reminds me of another painter I love passionately --our older daughter. She has painted hundreds of big eyed... big hair stick drawings...of trapped sad women showing signs of freeing themselves. They are on her website ..but I'm not here to review my daughters work. (I'm the mom)!...
However, "PopPainting", ...."Inspiration and Techniques from the Pop Surrealism Art Phenomenon", is the first book I special ordered about 6 months ago. ( the day Netgalley declined my request to read it)... which was just as well, because I absolutely
love my 'physical' copy. I'm not ready to give this book away to my daughter yet...
but in time, it will land in her hands too.
This book is gorgeous...I mean GORGEOUS!!!!
Emotions and beauty is what I see ....but this lovely book is not only packed-filled with
her paintings...but I was able to imagine Camilla's speaking voice as she describes the steps she takes to finish a painting....(examples of eyes, lips, hair, skin, depth)
Step 1...start with the basic outline.
Step 2...she paints basic layers for shadows
Step 3...continue darker colors
Step 4...establish her background ... etc.
One of my favorite paintings in this book is called 'Skin'. Vibrant colors of pink, red hue, coral red, light magenta, etc. ...
Many people have asked Camilla how she paints perfect porcelain skin. Our artist has a darling, humble personality..."she cheats" she says. "Well, okay, maybe it's not
cheating to use premixed skin tones by Holbein, but it was a no-no according to my
teachers in college."
I like Camilla d'Errico's "no-no's". I like her! Adore her work!
Wonderful gift book for people with a childlike spirit...for all ages...artistic skills at any level.
Unique powerful art!
February 8, 2016
I was so excited when I was approved for a free review copy of this book (thanks Penguin Random House!). I love looking at art, I love doing art, I love thinking about and reading about art... I spend lots of times in my university library's art folio stacks.
The quality of this book is great, and the artwork inside is beautiful and reproduced very well. In the first section of the book (the first ten chapters or so), Camilla d'Errico talks about what pop surrealism is, what inspires her, how she handles creative blocks, finding a style, composition, complacency, colors and emotions, the tools she uses, and one of her favorite techniques, blending. None of it is super in depth but she does have some good tips I'd never heard before and it's always interesting to hear an artist talk about their work.
The second part of the book is the step-by-step tutorials. I did not try these (I wanted to get the Holbein Duo paints she talks about) but I did take a look at them. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they are more thorough than other step-by-step tutorials in art books I have. Of course, they do assume you already have some level of drawing skill. This fact should be understood when looking into almost any painting "how to" book--after all, many schools won't let you take even an intro painting until you've taken at least a semester and sometimes a year of drawing first. Nonetheless I feel like this bears pointing out since sometimes reviews on art technique books reveal that the reviewer thought the book would somehow magically make them great artists: if you don't have some drawing skill, you will still able to put her techniques (shadowing, definition, texture, color mixing) into practice, but if you have never drawn anything or do not have any aptitude for it, your pieces probably will not look polished like d'Errico's work (I'm sure they would have a charm all their own though--in fact sometimes I prefer art by "non-artists"). Also, there's no substitute for practice. That said, the tutorials are informative, helpful, and thorough (she tells you what kind of brush she's using, how she's shading, where she's adding colors to complement different elements, etc.--things that make a painting look great that you might not think about automatically).
All in all I think this is a really fun book to look through and I am excited to try out some of her tutorials.
The quality of this book is great, and the artwork inside is beautiful and reproduced very well. In the first section of the book (the first ten chapters or so), Camilla d'Errico talks about what pop surrealism is, what inspires her, how she handles creative blocks, finding a style, composition, complacency, colors and emotions, the tools she uses, and one of her favorite techniques, blending. None of it is super in depth but she does have some good tips I'd never heard before and it's always interesting to hear an artist talk about their work.
The second part of the book is the step-by-step tutorials. I did not try these (I wanted to get the Holbein Duo paints she talks about) but I did take a look at them. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they are more thorough than other step-by-step tutorials in art books I have. Of course, they do assume you already have some level of drawing skill. This fact should be understood when looking into almost any painting "how to" book--after all, many schools won't let you take even an intro painting until you've taken at least a semester and sometimes a year of drawing first. Nonetheless I feel like this bears pointing out since sometimes reviews on art technique books reveal that the reviewer thought the book would somehow magically make them great artists: if you don't have some drawing skill, you will still able to put her techniques (shadowing, definition, texture, color mixing) into practice, but if you have never drawn anything or do not have any aptitude for it, your pieces probably will not look polished like d'Errico's work (I'm sure they would have a charm all their own though--in fact sometimes I prefer art by "non-artists"). Also, there's no substitute for practice. That said, the tutorials are informative, helpful, and thorough (she tells you what kind of brush she's using, how she's shading, where she's adding colors to complement different elements, etc.--things that make a painting look great that you might not think about automatically).
All in all I think this is a really fun book to look through and I am excited to try out some of her tutorials.
October 12, 2015
This is a wonderful book. Not only is it beautiful, but it is actually going to be helpful to artists. Full of how-to's and vibrant, full-page images, D'Errico's Pop Painting is a must for anyone who loves and wants to learn this flashy, interesting style of art. I think the most helpful resource that this book provides is the question and answer portion at the end where most commonly encountered problems are tackled and solved.
February 9, 2016
Though Camilla d'Errico's art is vastly different from what I make, I found this an interesting book, with good suggestions that I intend to try. The panels showing her process were fascinating. I've been wanting to try birch panels, and after finishing the book, went out and got a few to give it a whirl.
Thanks to Blogging for Books for sending me my copy. It's a keeper!
Thanks to Blogging for Books for sending me my copy. It's a keeper!
November 30, 2021
Ms. d'Errico presents some of her works in pop surrealism, showing those curious her techniques as she worked from a rough idea to a finished painting. Not quite as handy as her Pop Manga: How to Draw the Coolest, Cutest Characters, Animals, Mascots and More.
April 6, 2016
Congratulations, you have just enrolled in Pop Surrealism 101. What is Pop Surrealism? Where did it come from? How does Pop Surrealism compare to other styles? In Pop Painting, Camilla d’Errico describes the path that led her to the pop surrealist style and the techniques, materials, and tricks she uses to complete her works. d’Errico leaves no stone unturned; covering inspiration, sketching, brushes, wood panels, composition, and more, she breaks down tips for conquering each step like a pro. Got your sketchbook? Check! Now, it’s time to take some notes and make some doodles!
Along with all the expert information, d’Errico also provides tons and tons of process photos! I personally love process photos regardless of style or medium. Being able to see how an artist turns an idea into a finished piece is inspiring. d’Errico uses many of the process photos to show how to tackle specific elements like texture and facial features. As most of her paintings feature girls and animals, d’Errico masterfully achieves different animal textures and exaggerated facial features.
This book would make an excellent addition to any artist’s or art enthusiast’s collection. All the basic information pertaining to materials, sketching, texture and composition would be great for beginners, students, and hobbyists; though, a more advanced painter might find this information a bit redundant. The process photos and the images of finished paintings are enough to inspire beginners and advanced painters alike. Anyone who enjoys fantasy and surrealism can appreciate the beautiful and amazing paintings showcased in this wonderful collection.
Now go create your next masterpiece!
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review
Along with all the expert information, d’Errico also provides tons and tons of process photos! I personally love process photos regardless of style or medium. Being able to see how an artist turns an idea into a finished piece is inspiring. d’Errico uses many of the process photos to show how to tackle specific elements like texture and facial features. As most of her paintings feature girls and animals, d’Errico masterfully achieves different animal textures and exaggerated facial features.
This book would make an excellent addition to any artist’s or art enthusiast’s collection. All the basic information pertaining to materials, sketching, texture and composition would be great for beginners, students, and hobbyists; though, a more advanced painter might find this information a bit redundant. The process photos and the images of finished paintings are enough to inspire beginners and advanced painters alike. Anyone who enjoys fantasy and surrealism can appreciate the beautiful and amazing paintings showcased in this wonderful collection.
Now go create your next masterpiece!
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review
February 25, 2016
I didn't know anything about Camilla d'Errico when I asked to receive a copy of her book Pop Painting for review. The promise of conversation about current Pop Surrealism truly thrillled me. I imagined the book to be full of vibrant colors and interesting backstories behind each of the pieces highlighted by d'Errico. Not only were my expectations met, but completely blown out of the water.
The beautiful colors of the cover were a surprise from the moment I opened the box. That doesn't even begin to touch on the gorgeous hues that fill each of the pages from start to finish. The largest surprise for me was the deep, detailed conversations that Camilla d'Errico holds about her process (down to her techniques in sketching and applying color to pieces).
I was much more fascinated by the first half of the book that covered Camilla d'Errico's process from inspiration to her favorite creative tools to the materials she uses for her works. There's something about access to the intimate details of an artist's process that is mesmerizing. The second half of the book contains detailed how tos for some of Camilla d'Errico's pieces and, while they are interesting and helpful, I didn't find myself desiring to follow along.
** I received this review from Blogging for Books. All opinions are my own. **
The beautiful colors of the cover were a surprise from the moment I opened the box. That doesn't even begin to touch on the gorgeous hues that fill each of the pages from start to finish. The largest surprise for me was the deep, detailed conversations that Camilla d'Errico holds about her process (down to her techniques in sketching and applying color to pieces).
I was much more fascinated by the first half of the book that covered Camilla d'Errico's process from inspiration to her favorite creative tools to the materials she uses for her works. There's something about access to the intimate details of an artist's process that is mesmerizing. The second half of the book contains detailed how tos for some of Camilla d'Errico's pieces and, while they are interesting and helpful, I didn't find myself desiring to follow along.
** I received this review from Blogging for Books. All opinions are my own. **
March 19, 2016
Pop Painting
By: Camilla d'Errico
ISBN: 9781607748076
Trade Paperback
Category: Art-Painting
Retails $21.99
ABOUT:
Camilla d'Errico is an Italian-Canadian comic illustrator and fine arts painter. She uses manga and pop surrealism as her inspiration for her works. Her book Pop Painting is a guide-book that takes you behind the scenes to cover the techniques and steps taken to bring to life Camilla's vision through her different inspirations.
IMPRESSION:
From cover to cover, this book is filled with vibrant and beautiful colorful works of art. The cover art is absolutely beautiful as is all of the paintings throughout. Inside will learn how to not only find and make use of your inspirations, you will learn how to move past your failures, and push boundaries.
You will also find all of her techniques, from how to achieve depth, to how to deal with rejection.
What I loved the most was the step-by-step examples of several pieces. She was very detailed and even included photographic steps to show how she brought her work to life past her sketches.
This is a great book for all contemporary artists to have in their collections.
I recommend this to everybody. This also makes a fantastic table top book.
By: Camilla d'Errico
ISBN: 9781607748076
Trade Paperback
Category: Art-Painting
Retails $21.99
ABOUT:
Camilla d'Errico is an Italian-Canadian comic illustrator and fine arts painter. She uses manga and pop surrealism as her inspiration for her works. Her book Pop Painting is a guide-book that takes you behind the scenes to cover the techniques and steps taken to bring to life Camilla's vision through her different inspirations.
IMPRESSION:
From cover to cover, this book is filled with vibrant and beautiful colorful works of art. The cover art is absolutely beautiful as is all of the paintings throughout. Inside will learn how to not only find and make use of your inspirations, you will learn how to move past your failures, and push boundaries.
You will also find all of her techniques, from how to achieve depth, to how to deal with rejection.
What I loved the most was the step-by-step examples of several pieces. She was very detailed and even included photographic steps to show how she brought her work to life past her sketches.
This is a great book for all contemporary artists to have in their collections.
I recommend this to everybody. This also makes a fantastic table top book.
June 10, 2018
I'd never heard of pop art before, although I'd seen Audrey Kawasaki's paintings, and I'm not a fan of most manga, but nonetheless, the richly colored, solidly composed cover drew me in at Michaels. The book is filled with vivid photographs of the artist's paintings, and introduces the reader to some unusual media, like water-soluble oils. But the thing I remember most about picking this book up and reading through it was the simple, direct feeling of happiness that the paintings and their descriptions inspired. The artist knows her style well and speaks about it in a very lucid, but relaxed and informal manner.
December 19, 2015
Camilla lets us in on all her secrets from paint styles, blending techniques, drawing and everything an experience painter and beginner can learn form.
Camilla has beautiful artwork from butterflies, octopuses and many other creatures take on her magna style ladies with very interesting hair-dos. Another one of her tricks is rainbows. Some of her ladies bleed them or are sinking/merged into a river of rainbow colors.
Her artwork is extreme and I think some of this art should be displayed in hair saloons. The world needs some better hair-styles then these strange bobs going around.
Camilla has beautiful artwork from butterflies, octopuses and many other creatures take on her magna style ladies with very interesting hair-dos. Another one of her tricks is rainbows. Some of her ladies bleed them or are sinking/merged into a river of rainbow colors.
Her artwork is extreme and I think some of this art should be displayed in hair saloons. The world needs some better hair-styles then these strange bobs going around.
February 9, 2017
Another beautifully stunning book from Camilla. I love seeing her thought process and techniques she uses to paint. A wonderful book for aspiring artists, patrons of art, and anyone who wants to learn more about pop surrealism. This is a permanent fixture in my library but also makes a wonderful coffee table book and conversation starter as well.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
December 18, 2025
This is great book to learn about Pop Manga; d'Errico does a fantastic job of breaking things down so that the readers can understand her processes and techniques before practicing them themselves. Throughout the book, she explains the tools she uses, why she uses the mediums she does, where she gets her inspiration, how she developed her style, and even some of the things she experienced when she first started out as a professional artist. Furthermore, this book is full of some of the beautiful pieces she has created over the years.
Two things I would say I did not like was the repetition of "acrylic glazing medium (AGM)" and giving credit to the universe. Typically in writing, when an acronym in parenthesis is following what the acronym means, the meaning is no longer given and the acronym is used instead throughout the rest of the piece. Unfortunately, "acrylic glazing medium (AGM)" was given as a whole each and every time it was mentioned. Granted, this could have been an editing error, but due to my pet peeve of unnecessary repetition, it was irritating to read. The other aspect was a couple of times d'Errico gave credit to the universe for helping her. I understand we all have our own beliefs, but giving credit to the universe for helping with a painting is like me giving credit to Michelangelo's David for helping me draw an anatomically correct character when I should have given the credit to Michelangelo who shared his work with the world so I could study it and learn from him. God created the universe; the universe does not have a mind of its own. However, God does enjoy helping people in their work when they are responsible in it and enjoy what they are doing.
As a whole, though, I enjoyed every minute of reading and learning from d'Errico. I admire her art tremendously and cannot wait to put some of these techniques into practice. I was sketching out concepts for my own future - possibly pop manga - pieces as I went through the book. I would highly recommend this to any artist who is interested in learning a new style or who loves manga/anime art.
Two things I would say I did not like was the repetition of "acrylic glazing medium (AGM)" and giving credit to the universe. Typically in writing, when an acronym in parenthesis is following what the acronym means, the meaning is no longer given and the acronym is used instead throughout the rest of the piece. Unfortunately, "acrylic glazing medium (AGM)" was given as a whole each and every time it was mentioned. Granted, this could have been an editing error, but due to my pet peeve of unnecessary repetition, it was irritating to read. The other aspect was a couple of times d'Errico gave credit to the universe for helping her. I understand we all have our own beliefs, but giving credit to the universe for helping with a painting is like me giving credit to Michelangelo's David for helping me draw an anatomically correct character when I should have given the credit to Michelangelo who shared his work with the world so I could study it and learn from him. God created the universe; the universe does not have a mind of its own. However, God does enjoy helping people in their work when they are responsible in it and enjoy what they are doing.
As a whole, though, I enjoyed every minute of reading and learning from d'Errico. I admire her art tremendously and cannot wait to put some of these techniques into practice. I was sketching out concepts for my own future - possibly pop manga - pieces as I went through the book. I would highly recommend this to any artist who is interested in learning a new style or who loves manga/anime art.
June 18, 2022
I'm a writer and not a painter, yet I love reading books about the creative process and the arts. I had a remaindered copy of this book, and both the chance to learn more about Pop Surrealist art and the painting on the cover invited me into the book.
This artist is incredibly generous in sharing numerous elements of her artistic process, from what inspires her, how she chooses titles for her paintings, how she chooses colors intuitively, and what tools she uses. There are many step-by-step descriptions later in the book of various paintings she makes and lush, full-color photos of the paintings in progress.
Her prose is descriptive yet also instructional, hitting a great sweet spot for artists who want to try their own hands at creating Pop Surrealist paintings or other types of paintings as well as those readers (like me) who are artistic but don't work within the medium but are interested in learning more. Many of the reflections she offers resonated with me as a writer and photographer and made me think of my own creative process.
The chapters about her artist's studio and composition are particularly interesting (at least to me) and I also savored the chapter "Evoking Emotions," which includes the emotions of the artist while creating a work and motivating oneself to create when not in the mood to do so. She gives great tips for sketching and then painting people and also has wonderful tips about painting animals that look fluffy or furry.
I enjoyed my time spent with this book.
This artist is incredibly generous in sharing numerous elements of her artistic process, from what inspires her, how she chooses titles for her paintings, how she chooses colors intuitively, and what tools she uses. There are many step-by-step descriptions later in the book of various paintings she makes and lush, full-color photos of the paintings in progress.
Her prose is descriptive yet also instructional, hitting a great sweet spot for artists who want to try their own hands at creating Pop Surrealist paintings or other types of paintings as well as those readers (like me) who are artistic but don't work within the medium but are interested in learning more. Many of the reflections she offers resonated with me as a writer and photographer and made me think of my own creative process.
The chapters about her artist's studio and composition are particularly interesting (at least to me) and I also savored the chapter "Evoking Emotions," which includes the emotions of the artist while creating a work and motivating oneself to create when not in the mood to do so. She gives great tips for sketching and then painting people and also has wonderful tips about painting animals that look fluffy or furry.
I enjoyed my time spent with this book.
June 1, 2020
Camilla d'Errico is a well-know pop surrealist painter largely focussed on blending manga and surrealism. Lots of fantasy type girls mixed with unusual creatures (often, literally "mixed" with them where they share limbs or characteristics) and wonderful color palettes. This book has a delightful mix of her work, her spirit, and pretty practical approaches to painting that have worked for her. The size and quality of the art reproductions are great and when she breaks down in writing how she applies paint, the text is paired well with the various related stages of the painting (four to a page, with up to sixteen start-to-finish images in total, so you can see how the layering changes details, high/low lights, coloring, etc.). The playful manner in which this is written makes it both approachable and reflective of the artist and her work.
Inspiring and fun to read or skim.
I believe I first came across her (and many other amazing artists) in Hi-Fructose Magazine.
January 5, 2017
A fun and inspiring book. I love reading about the work-flows and materials used by other artists, so enjoyed learning about Camilla's setup and approach to painting. The tutorials were helpful and I will definitely revisit them for tips in the future. She comes across as a very sweet and fun person who genuinely enjoys sharing her talents with others.
November 26, 2017
I actually checked this out at my library and got to look through it to see the pictures. It was wonderful, but I haven't had a chance to read it. As soon I went to renew it, someone else had made a request for it, so I did not get a chance. Well, I guess that tells you how popular the book is. The pictures are definitely high quality and beautiful.
February 14, 2021
Highly recommended if you are a serious painter, because there's a lot of really specific technique tips. I picked it up because the art is gorgeous & it's really cool to see how a painting comes together bit by bit, to watch the artist's mind conceiving the idea, then the technical step-by-step as their vision comes together.
April 8, 2020
Camilla works has been so captivating and mesmerizing throughout the book!
she teaches from the most fundamental- which is about the material and mental preparations. It's rare to find artist that talks about her thoughts and how to build up emotions into painting, so proud of her for writing it!!
The painting tips and tutorials are intriguing too! Definitely must read!
My favorite remark from the book:
"For an artist, that artwork is part of you—it’s your soul. It’s a picture of who you are."
"the truth is that no one else can validate you, only you can. Don’t seek someone else’s approval. Create art that speaks to you and it will speak to others."
she teaches from the most fundamental- which is about the material and mental preparations. It's rare to find artist that talks about her thoughts and how to build up emotions into painting, so proud of her for writing it!!
The painting tips and tutorials are intriguing too! Definitely must read!
My favorite remark from the book:
"For an artist, that artwork is part of you—it’s your soul. It’s a picture of who you are."
"the truth is that no one else can validate you, only you can. Don’t seek someone else’s approval. Create art that speaks to you and it will speak to others."
May 14, 2021
Camilla goes in depth about her oil painting techniques as well as where her inspirations come from. As an artist I found this book extremely useful and I was able to adapt some of her techniques into my own practice.
July 20, 2017
Very good book full of beautiful surrealism pictures. An excellent book for someone who wants to learn the craft. Highly recommend.
March 26, 2018
This book made me want to start painting with oils :) 4.5 stars
May 4, 2019
Three words: enlightening, generous, detailed.
August 27, 2019
This was the first mention of acrylic glazing medium that I ever encountered, and caused me to explore it a couple of years ago. It has since become indispensable to my practice.
December 2, 2019
Good for inspiration and ideas.
November 7, 2021
Really pretty art
April 30, 2016
Pop artist Errico shares the secrets of her paintings, from the paints she uses to step by step instructions on certain elements that appear in her art.
I really liked d'Errico's approach to talking about art. It's casual and fun, never too serious. She talks in a positive way, never disparaging. Her paintings are bright and interesting. She's not afraid to share that sometimes things just don't work out or that it's hard to get to work sometimes. The step by steps were fairly thorough, but I think I would have understood better if I was actually being show in really time.
The biggest problems I had with it were editorial. D'Errico would frequently make reference to an acrylic glazing medium, putting (AGM) afterwards as if to show that that would be how she would refer to it later. Several times throughout the book, she would do this every time she talked about the medium--sometimes two or more times on the same page! I would have rather that she just called it "acrylic glazing medium" instead of "acrylic glazing medium (AGM)" several times, as I got frustrated that the initials were never used as such. I understand that it may have to be restated in a new section, but within sections it should be shortened.
I also wished that the paintings shared in the book were labeled by name, since d'Errico mentions them by name.
If anything, great coffee table book.
I really liked d'Errico's approach to talking about art. It's casual and fun, never too serious. She talks in a positive way, never disparaging. Her paintings are bright and interesting. She's not afraid to share that sometimes things just don't work out or that it's hard to get to work sometimes. The step by steps were fairly thorough, but I think I would have understood better if I was actually being show in really time.
The biggest problems I had with it were editorial. D'Errico would frequently make reference to an acrylic glazing medium, putting (AGM) afterwards as if to show that that would be how she would refer to it later. Several times throughout the book, she would do this every time she talked about the medium--sometimes two or more times on the same page! I would have rather that she just called it "acrylic glazing medium" instead of "acrylic glazing medium (AGM)" several times, as I got frustrated that the initials were never used as such. I understand that it may have to be restated in a new section, but within sections it should be shortened.
I also wished that the paintings shared in the book were labeled by name, since d'Errico mentions them by name.
If anything, great coffee table book.
December 17, 2016
'Pop Painting: Inspiration and Techniques from the Pop Surrealism Art Phenomenon' by Camilla d'Errico is an inspirational work for those looking to kickstart their art, either professionally or just for creativity's sake.
I have seen Camilla D'Errico's art displayed at comic conventions. It's not completely my cup of tea, but there is always a lot of interest in her booth, so I wanted to learn more. This book includes a lot of her art, but focuses mainly on all kinds of technique. With topics on how to find inspiration, to picking out the right tools, to setting up an artist's studio, it's all very encouraging. Then the book goes in to detail with step by step examples on eyes, lips, hair, fur, baby animals, rainbow tigers and more.
The author comes across as serious about her work, but friendly enough to reach out to give advice. Her art is part of the pop surrealism movement. The subjects are mostly young girls with big, bright eyes. They have paint dripping down off of them, or birds in their hair or tentacles. Her technique is very good, and her advice to be patient and be your own person is welcome.
I'm not ready to pick up a brush yet, but I've certainly read less interesting art books.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Ten Speed Press, Watson-Guptill, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
I have seen Camilla D'Errico's art displayed at comic conventions. It's not completely my cup of tea, but there is always a lot of interest in her booth, so I wanted to learn more. This book includes a lot of her art, but focuses mainly on all kinds of technique. With topics on how to find inspiration, to picking out the right tools, to setting up an artist's studio, it's all very encouraging. Then the book goes in to detail with step by step examples on eyes, lips, hair, fur, baby animals, rainbow tigers and more.
The author comes across as serious about her work, but friendly enough to reach out to give advice. Her art is part of the pop surrealism movement. The subjects are mostly young girls with big, bright eyes. They have paint dripping down off of them, or birds in their hair or tentacles. Her technique is very good, and her advice to be patient and be your own person is welcome.
I'm not ready to pick up a brush yet, but I've certainly read less interesting art books.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Ten Speed Press, Watson-Guptill, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
March 14, 2016
This art book is pretty explanatory if you look into it. (I will post a few pictures of the inside so you can understand what i mean) This artist is one of my favorites! I just love the adorable little girls and animals she paints. I wish I had enough money just to spend on one of her products. I believe I would buy one of the animal prints, because they are kind of kawaii looking to me and of course they are adorably cute! I was so excited to receive this book to review. One reason I needed/wanted her book is she gives you tips and shows steps on how she draws and paints the certain images she chose for this book. The second reason is so I can stare at her artwork in my own hands. If you are into learning this style of drawing and painting, it is one of the best books to grab. I love the colors she uses in her paintings also. I believe most of them are watercolor, and I just enjoy watercolor. If you are an artist looking for new ideas and inspiration on doing your own artwork, hurry up and grab this book! I believe it will be worth it.
Disclosure: I received Pop Painting: Inspiration and Techniques from the Pop Surrealism Art Phenomenon by Camilla d'Errico complimentary from Blogging For Books. Provided I give an honest review.
Disclosure: I received Pop Painting: Inspiration and Techniques from the Pop Surrealism Art Phenomenon by Camilla d'Errico complimentary from Blogging For Books. Provided I give an honest review.
June 27, 2016
I don't usually go for books that look at a type of painting I'm not really into, but the cover of this book was so beautiful and interesting that I simply had to give it a read. What I discovered was that this book is actually a really personable and friendly look at how to be an artist - no matter what your method is. Camilla writes in a really fun style with her little cartoon sidekick for added humour. She's also really encouraging. I particularly enjoyed how the book is split into sections or projects, giving a step-by-step guide on how she approached each concept and technique. It was fascinating to learn more about the medium of water-soluble oils; something I'm now keen to try. Camilla doesn't shy away from sharing all her arty secrets with us, and I picked up some fab tips on creating the illusion of fur, a dripping or swirling effect, colouring eyes effectively, and I was really impressed by her tip on drawing hair (to think of it like a liquid in order to create an effective draping effect).
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC. Will definitely be looking more into books of varied artists and styles in the future!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC. Will definitely be looking more into books of varied artists and styles in the future!
February 8, 2016
Camilla d'Errico's book, Pop Painting, really gives you some insight on how to make your art even more surreal and beautiful. I learned lots of new tips and tricks to improve thanks to her easy to follow and funny guide. I feel like I really got to see into Ms. d'Errico's creative mind and witness her thought process in creating her masterpieces.
All of her paintings are so unique and colorful, I couldn't choose a favorite. But, I will say that one of my absolutely favorite things about how she draws is how she does the hair! It's always so flowy and graceful and I love it so much. Especially that cool rainbow drippy hair.
Overall, I loved this book! It's very helpful and insightful, and I would highly recommend it to people wanting to experiment more with their art styles.
I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books, for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
All of her paintings are so unique and colorful, I couldn't choose a favorite. But, I will say that one of my absolutely favorite things about how she draws is how she does the hair! It's always so flowy and graceful and I love it so much. Especially that cool rainbow drippy hair.
Overall, I loved this book! It's very helpful and insightful, and I would highly recommend it to people wanting to experiment more with their art styles.
I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books, for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
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