Rating: 
Summary: gorgeous inspiration for the imagination
Review: What a beautiful, imaginative book. After carefully examining the photos, my partner and I are 95% sure that the cats are only "painted" in Photoshop ... nonetheless, the imagery is startling and highly original. The faux highbrow art-world approach is a bonus, in my opinion, adding to the gentle humor. If you give this book as a gift (which I also recommend), you may want to mention to the recipient that it is probably a spoof.
Rating:
Summary: Keep this book away from children!
Review: With a couple of minor reservations, I recommend this book as an excellent introduction to the subject of cat-painting. While the text is a little over-serious at times, the superb full-page photos make the book well worth its price. In fact I know of no other book which so lavishly illustrates so many different styles of this specialized art form. However, in some ways the book could be deleterious to the cat-painting fraternity by over-popularizing this rather arcane subject and encouraging ill-equipped amateurs to try their hands; definitely keep this book away from children. As a veterinarian, I am concerned that the authors did not place enough emphasis on the use of special non-toxic dyes and bleaches. Paint in the conventional sense should never be used and could definitely prove harmful, partly because of the cat's grooming habits, partly because cats are especially susceptible to the toxic effects of paint-removers like turpentine. Even the low-toxicity paints sold for use by children should be avoided. A little more history of the subject would be welcome; perhaps this is planned for a second edition. As so often with the cat fancy, no mention is made of the dog-world. [Supposedly, the original inspiration for cat-painting came from those dalmatian breeders who paint extra spots on their dogs before shows.] Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Keep this book away from children!
Review: With a couple of minor reservations, I recommend this book as an excellent introduction to the subject of cat-painting. While the text is a little over-serious at times, the superb full-page photos make the book well worth its price. In fact I know of no other book which so lavishly illustrates so many different styles of this specialized art form. However, in some ways the book could be deleterious to the cat-painting fraternity by over-popularizing this rather arcane subject and encouraging ill-equipped amateurs to try their hands; definitely keep this book away from children. As a veterinarian, I am concerned that the authors did not place enough emphasis on the use of special non-toxic dyes and bleaches. Paint in the conventional sense should never be used and could definitely prove harmful, partly because of the cat's grooming habits, partly because cats are especially susceptible to the toxic effects of paint-removers like turpentine. Even the low-toxicity paints sold for use by children should be avoided. A little more history of the subject would be welcome; perhaps this is planned for a second edition. As so often with the cat fancy, no mention is made of the dog-world. [Supposedly, the original inspiration for cat-painting came from those dalmatian breeders who paint extra spots on their dogs before shows.] Highly recommended!
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