COOKBOOK FOR PAINTERS?

The Natural Paint

The Natural Paint Book by Lynn Edwards and Julia Lawless (Rodale, 2005) may be geared to home decoration, but the information on earth-friendly decorative solutions can be applied just as readily to crafts and fine art. The first half of the 192-page how-to book is devoted to 20-plus recipes for mixing natural paints and finishes (such as casein, oil paint, and egg paint) using natural ingredients. The second half deals with application of the paint to various surfaces using simple tools—sponges, paint rollers, newspaper, and so on—to create effects such as color washing, marbling, and stippling. At the end of the book is a valuable list of suppliers.