I was required to take an art appreciation class in college to graduate--and I loved it! It brought back my earlier days when I used to love to draw (and even won second prize in an inter-school city-wide art contest.) So next I took a course on painting at the university--only to be bitterly disappointed. We weren't taught technique. No siree. We were told to paint a banana, then our teacher went around and when she got to me told me I should use purple or something! Use my imagination! This is why you can go to museums and see paint splatters hung up as art. So then I went out and bought this--and this I was pleased with. Because it covers all sorts of tools, materials and techniques not dreamed of by high school (and it seems college) art teachers: Drawing, Perspective, Watercolor, Oil Painting, Acrylics, Mixed Media. Sure, this lends itself to both traditional and modern styles--but if you're going to make your banana purple, at least you'll better know your options! ( )

This has good coverage of many different types of art media but it is very general. For beginners or people who want to experiment with a different type of art media it can be interesting and useful. ( )