Anyone Read Don Gonzales's Floral Design eBook?

[GatoGordo]

I like floral design but have no talent in drawing the designs so I am looking for a resource with which to learn. I really like Don Gonzales's videos on YouTube and see that he has an eBook Introduction to Floral Design. I was thinking of getting it but before purchasing I wanted to see if anyone here has already read the book and has any thoughts either good or bad.

Also, are there any other resources you can suggest that would be helpful in learning how to do floral designs. I would think that a resource with progressive exercises would be ideal.

[YinTx]

Interested in this as well.  I saw someone had Cary Schwartz' Floral Design DVD's for sale in the classifieds section, and I've heard these are good, but have never seen any excerpts or anything that would make me want to shell out the bucks.

YinTx

[JLSleather]

Talking  about that $20 thing on his web site?  $20 doesn't seem like a life-altering investment.  I did watch parts of a couple of his videos.  Seems like a decent fella, but the videos were a bit long-winded.  In fairness, that could be just an honest desire to make his point clear to his viewers.  Again, only way to really know would be to spend the $20 -- since it's instant download, fella would know soon enough.

https://dgsaddlery.com/product/introduction-leather-floral-design/

 

[ABHandmade]

I bought it a few weeks ago. Impressions are twofold. On the one hand, there is useful and interesting information, besides, in addition to the book, he gives several mini-lessons by e-mail. On the other hand, a somewhat peculiar presentation of material ... Although the latter can be my subjective opinion. In any case, I believe that its $ 20 it is probably worth it. At least I did not feel disappointed.

PS. This is really introduction. Do not expect a full course of study.

Edited September 6, 2018 by ABHandmade

[Mattsbagger]

1 hour ago, ABHandmade said:

I bought it a few weeks ago. Impressions are twofold. On the one hand, there is useful and interesting information, besides, in addition to the book, he gives several mini-lessons by e-mail. On the other hand, a somewhat peculiar presentation of material ... Although the latter can be my subjective opinion. In any case, I believe that its $ 20 it is probably worth it. At least I did not feel disappointed.

PS. This is really introduction. Do not expect a full course of study.

What do you mean by peculiar presentation of material?

[ABHandmade]

48 minutes ago, Mattsbagger said:

What do you mean by peculiar presentation of material?

Unaccustomed for me. So I wrote that this is my subjective opinion. 

Perhaps, "peculiar" has some negative meaning, but I do not know the nuances of the English language so well. If so, then I want to clarify that I did not mean "bad."

 

Edited September 6, 2018 by ABHandmade

[YinTx]

2 hours ago, JLSleather said:

Talking  about that $20 thing on his web site?  $20 doesn't seem like a life-altering investment.

For me, I was referring the the cost of Cary's DVD's, I think around $115 new.  Agree, $20 seems ok if you get some decent content.  It is frustrating to get nickel and dimed to death with inadequate content floating about the world, so I am always a bit reticent to spend.  I've bought my share of not so great stuff and not been so happy - low price and high price.  And I won't sell any of it on to someone else and make them feel the same way, so it sits on the shelf or goes in the bin.  I can understand why the OP is asking for some good references regardless of cost.  Unless it's that feller that sells em patterns on that there web place for holsters for that unreasonable price of a click.  Even that came with some decent recommendations, tho.

YinTx

[JLSleather]

20 minutes ago, YinTx said:

nickel and dimed to death with inadequate content

Agreed.. lots of poo out there with a pretty story attached to it   As for holster patterns, anybody not satisfied with the cost + shipping on those free designs is entitled to a full refund, plus 5% for your trouble. 

[battlemunky]

I have one of Don's freebie floral patterns and it is pretty good at illustrating flow. If his book is even close it'd be worth the $20 methinks. I'm a bit of a fanboy though, I really appreciate Don's YT channel and the way he teaches. I can see background because of that guy. That is a gift I picked up for free from watching his videos.

I'm similarly gun shy about paying for instruction online. There are few names I trust and I still like to try and glean what I can from their free stuff. It usually takes a good bit of interest on my part to pry the electrons from my paypal account.

[GatoGordo]

I may be cheap, but twenty dollars wasted does not make me happy. Since ABHandmade says it is worth the money, even it if is peculiar, I guess I will go ahead and give it a try.