101 Textures in Oil and Acrylic: Practical techniques for rendering a variety of surfaces

This book sets out the steps taken by one accomplished artist on how to paint every kind of realist image, ranging from the skin and hair of a human body to that of animals, alongside wood and brick surfaces, raindrops and water surfaces. With each demonstration, Tanonatti presents each tutorial in four stages. Typically, a work begins with an underpaint to set the scene, then the darker shadows are added, while stages three and four (all illustrated with pictures) show how each surface or image is then lightened and refined. Tavonatti's paintings typically are layered a great deal, while the beginning of the book sets out which painting techniques might work best for each stage: should these involve wiping away, scumbling, or applying paint either with a palette knife or a specific kind of a brush, for example? And what colour paints should be mixed for each stage? The last pages show specific paintings where all these techniques are used within the one painting. This book should especially please those who prefer more realistic approaches than otherwise, though this book should offer new ideas to any artist, newbie or more experienced, on how to paint as true to the real thing as possible

Nice simple descriptions/recipes laid out in easy to follow manner, succinct

These particular books are above all the other books I have read. If you dont like reading the examples are clear enough to copy. They give such a good variety of the techniques covering items you will come across on a day to day basis. Aswell as this I would suggest first trying the 101 Graphite (pencil drawings).