UK STAINED GLASS NEWS July 2006
and THE UK STAINED GLASS REGISTER

Books depicting Wildlife in Stained Glass

DEEP BLUE SEA
by Leslie Gibbs
published by CKE
ISBN 1-932327-07-X

This book by Leslie Gibbs, is a sequal to her TROPICAL WATERS reviewed by us previously. It contains numerous sea designs, simple to complex with quite a lot of narrow wavey pieces of glass to cut.

I like some of the example photographs where Leslie has shown how using textured glass gives a real look of the sea. This book is excellent for that. There is a good section showing clever techniques for decorating stained glass projectsby painting, etching or adding wire, etc.

It does have rather too many mermaids for my taste, so I cannot place it accurately in adult or children designs. Both, I guess.

Another plus is that the colour plates show actual projects completed from the book.

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	EASY TO INTERMEDIATE
	Quality of Paper & Print	# # # #
	Colour pictures	# # # #
	Line drawings (patterns)	# # # # #
	Pattern Interest	# # # #
	Overall	# # # #

Available from your stained glass merchant.

TROPICAL WATERS
by Leslie Gibbs
published by CKE
ISBN 0-935133-51-8

This is another book by Leslie Gibbs, again based on wild life. When I look at her pattern books I cannot help feeling that Leslie should be trying to wow us by now. I am sure that she and her publishers can afford to try letting her branch out and stretch herself.

That is not to say that this is not a great pattern book. It is, and it reaches out to Leslie's usual market. There are many sea life pictures, mostly designed for the young. As I have said with some of her other books, a little judicious work on the eyes and you can mature the designs easily.

Patterns include: Sea Horse, Manatee, Shark (very good) Marlin, Spinner Dolphin, Clownfish, French Angelfish, Sea Turtle, Sea shells, Mermaids,Dolphin and calf, Orca and calf, Blacktip Shark (also excellent), Spotfin Butterflyfish, and combinations and ideas using these.

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	EASY
	Quality of Paper & Print	# # # #
	Colour pictures	# # # #
	Line drawings (patterns)	# # # # #
	Pattern Interest	#
	Overall	# # # #

Available from your stained glass merchant.

TROPICAL BREEZES
by Leslie Gibbs
published by CKE
ISBN 0-935133-97-6

This book has just been sent to us by Leslie herself.

Another excellent book of tropical birds, animals and plants in Stained Glass. At least 30 full size patterns with colour photographs.

Excellent artwork, and useful notes on how to achieve good results are written alongside each design.

Another book that will make somebody a super Christmas present.

Patterns include: Flamingo. Tree Frog, Magnolia, Heliconia, Luna Moth, Lovebirds, Scarlet Macaw,Orchid, Pineapple, Plumerias, Green and Yellow Macaw, Hummingbird, Calla Lily, and combinations and ideas using these.

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	INTERMEDIATE
	Quality of Paper & Print	# # # # #
	Colour pictures	# # # # #
	Line drawings (patterns)	# # # # #
	Pattern Interest	# # #
	Overall	# # # #

Available from your stained glass merchant.

DOG SHOW II
by Bob Schneider
published by CKE.

This book is HOT off the press.
An excellent follow up to Bob's A Dog Show in Stained Glass reviewed here previously.

18 full size patterns with colour photographs.
Excellent artwork, and every dog clearly recognisable.

Each pattern has a few notes: a paragraph about the breed and a few construction tips. This book will make somebody a super Christmas present.

Patterns include: Afghan Hound, Airedale Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise (cross between a Maltese Poodle and a mop!), Boston Terrier, Chihuahua, Dachshund, Great Dane, Labrador, Old English Sheepdog, Papillon, Pointer, Poodle, Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, West Highland Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, and a Girl with two Chihuahuas.

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	EASY
	Quality of Paper & Print	# # # #
	Colour pictures	# # # #
	Line drawings (patterns)	# # # # #
	Pattern Interest	# # # # #
	Overall	# # # #

Available from Decorative Glass Supplies .

Animal Kingdom
by Leslie Gibbs
published by CKE Publications
ISBN 0-935133-67-4

Leslie Gibbs has written five stained glass pattern books for CKE.

In this book there are 22 wild animal patterns. The designs are pitched at hobbyists and are mostly children's designs. This is shown up by the tendency to have "humanised" faces with large eyes and smiles etc.

Nevertheless, many of the animal shapes are good, and the designs could be used for mature projects as well (with some artistic changes where required). The African Elephant and the White Tiger are two examples of this.

Although the author suggests the use of hobby paint to enhance the designs, there is no reason not to use more robust methods such as soldered foil, or even better, kiln fired paints. There are full instructions on how to achieve the required detail in these designs.

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	EASY	Other books by Leslie Gibbs include: Garden Art Butterflies, Bees etc., for garden spikes Wild and Free North American Wild Life
	Quality of Paper & Print	# # #
	Colour pictures	# # # # #
	Line drawings (patterns)	# # # #
	Pattern Interest	# # #
	Overall	# # # #

Available from stained glass merchants.
Reviewed 28th August 2001

A DOG SHOW IN STAINED GLASS
by Robert R. Schneider

This is a fantastic book. Not just for dog lovers either. The quality of the patterns is top notch. These dogs look like dogs, and look like the dogs they are meant to represent. I cannot praise the artwork enough.

Just look at the Boxer here, and the Greyhound (my favourite!). There are 24 full size patterns.

The author is also an accomplished stained glass technician and he has written a comprehensive how-to section in respect of making the eyes, and mounting the dogs on plinths etc.

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	Interm.
	Quality of Paper and Print	# # # # #
	Colour pictures	# # # # #
	Line drawings	# # # # #
	Pattern Interest	# # # # #
	Overall	# # # # #

Available from
Decorative Glass Supplies Limited
reviewed 8th November 2000

MORE BUSH BEAUTIES

This is another excellent book from the prolific Aussie Jillian Sawyer.  There is a wealth of wild life light catchers in this book.  The drawings are very detailed (just look at this close up of part of my favourite, the Roths Tree Frog on Page 15).

There are over forty designs, all shown with excellent line drawings.  Nineteen colour photographs give very good ideas for colours.  As an aside, these photographs can also inspire us to improve the quality of our work.  The lead work and finish of Jillian's work is beyond comparison.

You do have to like making light catchers to want this book.  There are lots of slim and difficult cuts to make so the projects will take time and effort.   But what a result! 

How do we rate this book?

	Degree of Difficulty	ADVANCED
	Quality of Paper & Print	# # # # #
	Colour pictures	# # # # #
	Line drawings (patterns)	# # # # #
	Pattern Interest	# # # # #
	Overall	# # # # #

Available from TEMPSFORD STAINED GLASS

If you are a UK supplier, or a book publisher, and have a book that you would like us to review, please send the book to us with appropriate permissions.  We reserve the right not to review all books sent.

We review a newly available book every few weeks.
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Books shown here are available from UK suppliers.

Books on How to work in Stained Glass
Lamp Shade Designs
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