Painting Master Landscapes in Oil (Odd Nerdrum Style) Review

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Painting Master Landscapes in Oil (Odd Nerdrum Style) ReviewI found this short book to be pretty straightforward in its steps. The most interesting part was that the author/painter uses fine sandpaper to "blur" the background painted strokes to make it more atmospheric. He uses a fan brush almost completely for both paintings. He also uses a trick of blocking in thickly the rocks, then glazing black over that, and wiping the glaze out to create a realistic texture in the foreground. The idea of constantly juxtaposing warm and cool colors in the landscape has helped my own paintings.Painting Master Landscapes in Oil (Odd Nerdrum Style) Overview

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Land & Light Workshop - Capturing the Seasons in Oils Review

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Land & Light Workshop - Capturing the Seasons in Oils ReviewOK so a lot of books by this publisher are kind of lightweight but this is a nice exception. Tim Deibler has a lot of painting and color knowledge and shares it in this book.
His palette is spare but he gets miles out of it. He really knows how to mix color and he brings a freshness to each work. He's not one of those painters that keeps repeating the same color formula.
This is a well done book with exceptional color reproductions.Land & Light Workshop - Capturing the Seasons in Oils Overview

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How to Draw and Paint Oil & Acrylic: Clouds & Skyscapes: Explore techniques for creating splendid skies Review

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How to Draw and Paint Oil & Acrylic: Clouds & Skyscapes: Explore techniques for creating splendid skies ReviewThis book talks about materials, basic techniques and offers tips too. It helps you set up a colour palette for this dramatic subject. It also talks about different cloud formations and observing clouds in the field. In fact three pages of this 32 page book are dedicated to this. Since understanding your subject is of prime importance, Alan then looks at individual types of skies for you to paint. Each painting is presented as a step by step. I liked Clouds at Sunset best as I found the other paintings rather dark. Twilight in the Wilderness is a close second. This book is perhaps not for the complete beginner but the improver, who understands basic techniques and the use of paint and colour and just wants ideas about what to paint. This review first appeared on Karen Platt's yarns and fabrics blog.How to Draw and Paint Oil & Acrylic: Clouds & Skyscapes: Explore techniques for creating splendid skies Overview

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Oil: The Ocean (HT244) Review

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Oil: The Ocean (HT244) ReviewI should have realized this was elementary but tried anyway. It had many many pics of the authors stuff--great. But really not much MEAT about HOW TO. Good as a starting point. I was disappointed that there was not more text as to the techniques though! Cheap enough to not squabble over it; I got a couple pointers out of it!Oil: The Ocean (HT244) Overview

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Robert Warren's Guide to Painting Water Scenes Review

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Robert Warren's Guide to Painting Water Scenes ReviewRobert Warren has outdone himself in composing this wonderful instructional book on oil painting-it is very well explained-this book is for intermediate to advance skill level.Robert Warren's Guide to Painting Water Scenes Overview

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Painting Do-It-Yourself For Dummies Review

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Painting Do-It-Yourself For Dummies ReviewPainting Do-It-Yourself For Dummies by Katharine Kay McMillan, PhD and Patricia Hart McMillan is one of those books that you probably look at and say, "I already know how to paint a wall!." But if you're anything like me (and I hope not for your sake), your skill in doing more than slopping paint around is not all it could be. This book uses the traditional Dummies style to show both the basics and a number of techniques you may never have considered in your decorating plans. My wife and I will be trying some of these out this summer as we gear up for some bigger redecorating chores.
Contents:
Part 1 - Preparing for Your Painting Project: Gathering What You Need; Readying Your Room and Surface; Making Necessary Wall Repairs; Brushing Up on Painting Basics
Part 2 - Painting Walls Like a Pro: Faux Finishes with Shapes and Patterns; Faux Finishes Using Glaze; More Fun Decorative Techniques
Part 3 - Covering Other Areas of Your Home: Coating Ceilings and Floors; Turning Your Brush to Trim, Windows, and Doors
Part 4 - The Part of Tens: Ten Tips for a Practically Perfect Paint Job; Ten Tips for Picking the Best Color
Index
The first part covers all those things about painting that seems to take all the time and are no fun at all... the prep work. Tools are explained, as well as how to properly prepare the surfaces for painting and how to make the necessary repairs involving those gouges and cracks that tend to occur over time. Even though you've done all these things before if you've painted, it's a good refresher on just why it's important and what you gain by doing it correctly. Then it's on to the fun stuff... actually putting paint on the wall! The authors show you, complete with plenty of pictures, how to try some of the things that you usually only see in houses that have decorators on hand. There's horizontal and vertical striping, clouds, color blocking, and tone-on-tone checkerboarding. They are very striking techniques, and obviously would not work in every room in every house. Still, it'll give you ideas you may have never had the courage to contemplate before. Personally, I was most excited about the glaze and texture ideas. If I can talk my wife into it, I'd really like to try the painted tissue wallpaper. Texture for the wall, coverage for the lathe/plaster cracks and irregularities, and something really "different". The part on covering other surfaces is not quite as long or perhaps exciting, but again you'll get the proper technique for doing things so that the results come out looking professional.
This is one of the few books I sat my wife down and went through with her. While we might not agree on actual colors and styles, we at least had a shared perspective that was more than her giving ideas and me saying "whatever". I look forward to actually painting a room or two this year (did I actually write that?), and this book will help me improve the outcome dramatically.Painting Do-It-Yourself For Dummies Overview

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All About Techniques in Oil Review

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All About Techniques in Oil ReviewAlthough starters may find "new" things more often than professional artists when reading this book, I give this book a 5-star rating as a reference book. The book covers from material, tools, to brushstroke and other techniques in oil. In brief, readers can learn what to buy to prepare painting in oil, how to put material together (canvas, priming canvas, etc...), and how to achieve painting effects that help express ideas in oil.
How much better someone's painting gets after using this book may vary from individual to individual, but this book is definitely a must-have for any oil artist.All About Techniques in Oil Overview

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How to Paint Living Portraits (North Light Classics) Review

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How to Paint Living Portraits (North Light Classics) ReviewA workshop guided by a master painter of portraits. Robert Carter Clark sets out here to teach you thoroughly from her professional experience, without cutting corners or resorting to caricature. Fully one-half of this fine book is given to draftsmanship. She begins with proportions of the head (male, female & infant) in Chapter One, then moves on to drawing features -- with special attention given to the windows of the soul, the eyes. Chapter Three is dedicated to drawing the body. In Chapter Four, Ms. Clark presents the difficult skill of capturing fabric folds. Chapter Five covers lighting for four different views. Charcoal portraiture comes next, then using color, stepping through hue, value, intensity, & flesh & hair tones.
Finally, she devotes chapters to painting portraits from life in oils & in watercolors. Oil techniques include wet-into-wet, monotone, & glazing.
"How to Paint Living Portraits" is a standout, user-friendly instructional book within a genre glutted with volumes that can be too light or too dense, or promise too much, too quickly. Roberta Carter Clark cooked this one right. She's an excellent teacher.
Bob Rixon, Pearl Art & CraftsHow to Paint Living Portraits (North Light Classics) Overview

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Roy Lang's Sea & Sky in Oils: Painting the Atmosphere & Majesty of the Sea Review

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Roy Lang's Sea & Sky in Oils: Painting the Atmosphere & Majesty of the Sea ReviewI have always been confused when trying to paint sand. A wonderful example of this is explained.
The waves in this book are painted and a great explaination follows.Roy Lang's Sea & Sky in Oils: Painting the Atmosphere & Majesty of the Sea Overview

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Oil Painting Step by Step (Artist's Library Series) Review

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Oil Painting Step by Step (Artist's Library Series) ReviewI wanted to start learning oil painting and techniques and I got more information in this book than I would have hoped from one purchase! Excellent details and product information as well as techniques from different artists on different subjects!Oil Painting Step by Step (Artist's Library Series) Overview

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The Encyclopedia of Oil Painting Techniques: A Unique Step-by-Step Visual Directory of All the Key Oil-Painting Techniques, Plus an Inspirational Gallery Showing How They Can Be Put into Practice Review

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The Encyclopedia of Oil Painting Techniques: A Unique Step-by-Step Visual Directory of All the Key Oil-Painting Techniques, Plus an Inspirational Gallery Showing How They Can Be Put into Practice ReviewThis book is a very complete introduction to painting and the many various ways paint can be applied to a surface. The thing I liked best about this book is that it uses more then one artist to illustrate the different painting applications. I have had this book for years and it is my favorite reference book.The Encyclopedia of Oil Painting Techniques: A Unique Step-by-Step Visual Directory of All the Key Oil-Painting Techniques, Plus an Inspirational Gallery Showing How They Can Be Put into Practice Overview

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Oil Painting - The Workshop Experience Review

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Oil Painting - The Workshop Experience ReviewI am using this book (along with Kevin Macpherson's "Fill Your Oil Paintings with Light and Color" and Charles Sovek's "Oil Painting -Develop Your Natural Ability") as a foundation for my self-directed study in oil painting.
Goershner's understanding of design and color, and his enthusiasm and clarity of teaching makes him a must-read for serious students of painting. My hope is to become as masterful as he is in his paintings: he manages to intrigue the viewer immediately, and uses superb compositional and color methods to elate and inspire, and leave the viewer wanting more.
Through step by step examples in the book, he explains why his paintings work so well, and how you can develop the same competence. I particularly enjoyed his critiques of 12 student paintings which he then improves and explains why they now look so much better. What a superb way to learn!
I've definitely become a Goershner fan and will be working with this book often.Oil Painting - The Workshop Experience Overview

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Traditional Oil Painting: Advanced Techniques and Concepts from the Renaissance to the Present Review

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Traditional Oil Painting: Advanced Techniques and Concepts from the Renaissance to the Present ReviewFor artists pursuing high quality art this is for you.
This book is technically correct, fully researched and invaluable in a genre where a lot of the books are light on information.
Virgil Elliott manages to communicate the real methods used by masters - past and present. Not an easy feat. He has disseminated quality knowledge with brevity. There is a no nonsense handling in his voice that is packed with experience which makes easy reading for anyone with an inclination for the brush.
What I particularly like about the book is its' detailed and straightforward information backed by visual demonstration. You won't find much irrelvant information here. This man knows what he's talking about and communicates so, par excellence.
The picture quality and choice of selection is revealing and appropriate making them relevant to his discussions.
If there can be any fault found and I don't think this is incredibly bad, the author just doesn't tell you how to paint an apple, or a jug or flower, which if you've come this far in your quest for artistic quality-you probably don't need to be told again.
Really this book is a classic and is destined to become an essential resource for students and professional painters alike. Virgil Elliot's years of experience and practical reasoning are apparent in the quality of writing. I thoroughly recommend it. It is a MUST have.
To add, for fans of the great William Bourguereau there is also a section and demonstration of his method-a GREAT credit to the author for this - I have never come across this generosity before.
Virgil Elliott has stripped away the layers and given it all to you here.
Well done.
[...]Traditional Oil Painting: Advanced Techniques and Concepts from the Renaissance to the Present Overview

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Vibrant Children's Portraits: Painting Beautiful Hair and Skin Tones with Oils Review

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Vibrant Children's Portraits: Painting Beautiful Hair and Skin Tones with Oils ReviewThis is a very good book for people who want to paint portraits of children. Some of the things I found most helpful were the color mixing charts for skin tones, and the tips on painting hair. There are also lots of little helpful tips scattered throughout the book that could only come from an artist with years of experience, both as a teacher and an artist. Highly recommended.Vibrant Children's Portraits: Painting Beautiful Hair and Skin Tones with Oils Overview

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Still Life Painting Atelier: An Introduction to Oil Painting Review

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Still Life Painting Atelier: An Introduction to Oil Painting ReviewThe main problem with this book is that it mimics the style and title of Juliette Aristedes two "Atelier" books (Classical Drawing Atelier and Classical Painting Atelier) but is not even in the same ball park as them in terms of depth of thought and insight.
The first half of the book is spent reviewing the most rudimentary of rudiments, at least for anyone with any experience painting. That's fine I guess... let's assume that we're trying to reach beginners. And I don't even mind reading basic material, because sometimes there is novel insight contained in someone elses review of it. Unfortunately, there was nothing beyond the most basic rudiments... there was NO take-away for the more experienced.
The second half of the book covers limited and full palettes, alla prima painting, and using glazes. This part seems solid and basic as well, and there were some good insights into technique. This second half works, then, for both beginners and experienced painters.
However, the author never strays from simply demonstrating a step by step guide to various lessons. Again, this is good for the beginner, but I was really hoping for some insights into the "WHY" that lies behind the "HOW".
For instance, the author demonstrates limited palettes of Orange/Blue, Yellow/Violet, and Red/Green... yet he never explains WHY these palettes are relevant. After all, you could construct palettes all day, using and endless variety of hues. What makes these palettes significant? In other words, what is the IDEA behind the palette? What is the theory of it? The author doesn't seem to have any. I suspect that he simply uses a collection of palettes that he has grown accustomed to through experience.
The strength of the aforementioned Aristedes "atelier" books was how she was able to delve into the ideas behind the practice. This author just demonstrates practice. For beginners, or those who are in love with step-by-step approaches, this is fine. But for anyone looking to think deeper about what is going on, you are out of luck here.
Overall, I just thought the book was decent. I wasn't angry at the book, or sorry that I bought it, because it isn't terrible. I was hoping that it would be on the level of the Aristedes books, but I kind-a suspected it wouldn't be. Unfortunately, I was right.Still Life Painting Atelier: An Introduction to Oil Painting Overview

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Painter's Handbook: Revised and Expanded Review

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Painter's Handbook: Revised and Expanded ReviewAs a painter, this book has been a reliable and useful reference for just about everything to do with oil painting along with recipes for a large variety of paints and means of methods of framing, matting, crating, varnishing, and other practical matters. This said, painters not primarily interested in oil, might be able to find a book better suited to them elsewhere, but, for oil painters, this book is an asset.
A final note, the person who claimed this book to be too dry and without illustrations should be disregarded, this is not a picture book for the entertainment of children but a comprehensive handbook for serious painters.Painter's Handbook: Revised and Expanded Overview

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Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter Review

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Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter ReviewThis is a great little book! It is not a "How-to Guide" in the strictest, pedantic sense. It's an honest book by a serious artist intended for those new to oil painting, just as the title suggests. That's not to say, however, that it would not be useful to more advanced artists.
Those features that the book lacks are among its greatest qualities-there are no "10 Commandments" that are usually found in books of this genre. Most artists approached to write a book of this nature feel obligated to forbid X and insist on Y (with some justification, perhaps) but this book is just a well-considered, sincere, very personal discussion of one person's approach to his art and all the craft that it entails.
Allrich's strength as a writer comes from his balanced, encouraging, honest approach to his topic. Basically, in this book, he says what he does and why he does it. He is never condescending when he discusses the techniques that "many other artists" employ. It's more as if he is inviting his readers to see things his way, if they are so inclined, (and to pick up some of his tricks) or to go the way that the Muse takes them.
I'd strongly recommend this book for art students, would-be writers, people interested in the art and craft of oil painting and, of course, to anyone who wishes to "become a good (or better) painter". I'll re-read this book dozens of times!Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter Overview

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Experimental Painting: Inspirational Approaches for Mixed Media Art Review

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Experimental Painting: Inspirational Approaches for Mixed Media Art ReviewThis book is largely an account of Lisa Cyr's journey into the meaning of personal art making and creativity. Cyr describes the development of her own creative philosophy - a large part of the text - sharing some of her artistic discoveries on the way. (At times, the text reads almost like a soliloquy.)
Yes, there are ample examples of her creative use of mixed media, some of which are new and exciting. Cyr also makes innovative use of tools and mediums, the rich illustrations focusing on her melding of near classical realism with impressionistic backgrounds and the use of symbolism through found objects. About one third of the book is given to innovative techniques using explanatory photographs that are accompanied by brief sub-texts. However, if you are wanting a detailed map telling you how to approach your own experimentation(as you find, for example, with Dean Nimmer's 'Art From Intuition') you will not find this approach here.
I give the book 4 stars only because the print font is so small (.8 Ariel at a guess.) Apart from this, I like the book very much, and already find it having a significant influence on my thinking about my own art making. However, it is not possible to do justice to the abstract ideas and concepts in the text in one reading. Cyr goes deep, in a way that other books on paint effects do not. The painting techniques, while innovative, are presented more as artistic metaphor than as a visual end in themselves, as Cyr explains.
The author assumes that the reader already knows basic painting techniques at least. It will also help to have already experimented with different media yourself and to have some idea of your own artistic voice. Cyr herself has a unique signature and style, which is certainly not meant to be replicated. She clearly expects us to think - and imagine - for ourselves.Experimental Painting: Inspirational Approaches for Mixed Media Art Overview

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The Oil Painting Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist (Watson-Guptill Materials and Techniques) Review

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The Oil Painting Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist (Watson-Guptill Materials and Techniques) ReviewOK, so the format of this page only allows you to give one rating, indiscriminating of what kind of readers the book is aiming towards. I'd like more details, as the following:
1) 5-star for self-taught and beginning oil painters.
2) About 3.5 -> 4-star for intermediate oil painters.
3) Nice to own as a reference book for advanced and accomplished. No rating necessary.
So, there you had it. If you are new to oil painting, this book is a nice and PRACTICAL guideline on presently commercially available materials (including oil paints of different brands, oil sticks, oil mediums, solvents, varnishes, supports, brushes, tools, etc.. - you know, "oil materials").
This book is also a good coverage of "basic" oil techniques. These include the process of going from drawing to painting using charcoal, pastel, conte' crayon; as well as "basic" oil painting techniques such as sketching, alla prima, wet-on-wet, etc... Perhaps the most talked-about feature of the book is the chapter about glazing and scumbling. Yep, those "Old Master's techniques". To be fair, this is not the only book that covers the Old Master's techniques. However, it does provide the readers with detailed demonstrations on creating paintings using glazing techniques. In addition, a discussion on presently available TRANSPARENT oil paints (necessary for glazing) is about the most charming thing in the book.
Finally, a chapter about alkyds, oil sticks, and water-miscible oils sums up this book for readers who enjoy alternative media; along with a list of suppliers for practical purposes.
For advanced painters who enjoy more thorough discussions on oil materials and painting techniques, I suggest that they go for a more thorough (and less pictorial) title, such as "The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques" by Ralph Mayer, from which some information in this book is derived.
As for the comments about "poor" drawings and paintings in the book, I hate to admit that there is some truth to them. In my opinion, the author mainly focussed on the technique (rather than presentation) side of the issue. As a result, some of the final paintings look like "child's play". Ironically, readers sometimes see "how great the book is" just by "how great the paintings in the book are".
In terms of "the bottom line", you may "go no wrong" owning this book. If this is the first oil technique book you consider owning, then go for it. For others, it serves well as an additional title to your art library, although some may live just fine without it.The Oil Painting Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist (Watson-Guptill Materials and Techniques) Overview

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Classic Still Life Painting: A Contemporary Master Shows How to Achieve Old Master Effects Using Today's Art Materials Review

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Classic Still Life Painting: A Contemporary Master Shows How to Achieve Old Master Effects Using Today's Art Materials ReviewI've spent a lot of time at book stores paging through books to find one that had actual tutorials for the beginning oil painter. Most were either books that talked about types of brushes, mediums, techniques, etc. without any actual demonstrating, or they were more theory or about composition. While those more advanced ideas are crucial to creating good paintings, as a beginner, I was looking for a book that would get me started actually painting. Something to give me a feel for what the techniques are, and not just describing them.
This book covers everything from the color palette and preparing your surface, to the actual steps the author uses during the painting process. The text is not too wordy, but is in depth enough to give a clear understanding of what you are doing and why.
If you'd like to learn to paint with layers and glazes, this is a perfect starter book.Classic Still Life Painting: A Contemporary Master Shows How to Achieve Old Master Effects Using Today's Art Materials Overview

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