[.ca] The Painted Ceiling (ISBN 0821226894)

Worthy of ANY coffee table...:
If ever there was a book that completely thrilled my senses, this was it!! From the moment I received this book, I was so in awe of Grahams artwork and techniques. I really can't get enough of his books. I also have The Painted House which has become my most favorite reference book for my work. I am a muralist and decorative finish artist which is why I am always scouring the books for references at Amazon. Out of all books that I have ordered, Graham Rust is the best. I can't imagine anyone not falling in love with his works.

View from a professional:
As a professional mural painter, I found some of the ideas in this book to be inspiring. However much that was written in the book was useless information describing what you are seeing in the picture. This is not an instruction book. As for his artistic style, I really didn't care for it - his use of color seems rather Disney-esque. Everything is bright and vibrant without much richness and depth. While the creatures he paints look decent, his cherubs and people leave a lot to be desired. This book was usefull for me in the aspects of seeing how another artist does his layout, but if you're looking for a book to study murals and color use... study the paintings done by the real masters.

Inspiration:
If you are looking to be inspired, this is the book. I am a muralist who is looking for something extraordinary to aspire to. I found it here. This is not a how to book for the meek. If you can paint well already you can learn to improve your own work by careful study of the renderings but you won't find instructions.

For Graham Rust fans only:
I bought this book on the basis of some of the glowing reviews here but was very disappointed. Yes, his paintings are beautiful, BUT his advice is mainly on how he makes HIS work. There is a chapter entitled 'Practical Aspects', but it has only ONE page of actual text! The rest are more pictures of the same work. If angels, clouds, and birds are not what you aspire to paint exclusively, then stay away from this book. If you are buying a book solely for inspiration, as I was, a better choice is a book featuring the work of many artists such as 'Trompe L'loeil' by Lynette Wrigley. If your aim though is to paint like Graham Rust, this book is it.

Disappointed:
I bought this book to get ideas to paint my ceilings. Basically it was pretty much the same thing over and over again, with slight variations. Not at all what I was looking for!