The silk painting workshop Painting, marbling and batik for beginners

It's refreshing to peruse a how-to book geared strictly to beginners that reassures them at every step. Is the painted background blotchy? Use a bit of alcohol to dilute, and you will achieve a more even effect. Does the dye continue to seep after steaming the silk? There was probably too much color added initially. British designer Venables demystifies batik, marbling, and just plain painting on silk through plenty of color photographs, black-and-white illustrations, and a jargon-free narrative. Included, of course, are the conventional chapters on equipment, tech~niques, and the color wheel, punctuated by more than 25 sample projects. ~--Barbara Jacobs