How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters

How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters
Average customer rating:

excellent reference

Baroque

Fascinating read for any art lover!

Thought-provoking book on European Art Masterpieces

An amazing European art history course

How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters
Patrick De Rynck
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0810955768

Book Description

Clues to the meaning of many of the masterpieces of art history lie in a rich system of symbols, themes, and motifs that often eludes modern museum-goers. The intimate knowledge of Christian theology, Greek and Roman mythology, and folklore that was so vivid in the minds of viewers during the Renaissance is rarely part of the preparation the contemporary viewer brings to a painting. This insightful, anecdotal, portable book-with 1,000 gorgeous color illustrations-helps to fill in those gaps by decoding the imagery of more than 150 of the most influential and admired artworks of all time.

Covering the works of the Italian, Netherlandish, German, and Spanish Old Masters, from 1450 to 1750-paintings by artists such as Giotto, Botticelli, El Greco, Bruegel, Holbein, Rubens, and Vermeer, all held in public collections-How to Read a Painting not only helps the viewer to understand the significant details of a picture but also explains the relationship with similar imagery in other works. The guide to Old Master paintings that every art lover has always wanted, this indispensable museum companion will open the reader to a whole new experience of Western art's most praised and visited paintings.

Customer Reviews:

excellent reference.......2006-11-05

This book was hard to put down. Each painting was a new story that revealed information I would have never known. I started it as I was planning a trip to Rome and Florence and it opened up a world for me that I would otherwise have been ignorant of while visiting the museums where some of these paintings hung. My only critisism would be that it didn't go into much depth-just mostly basic symbolism.
Good for reference and also entertaining.

Baroque.......2006-11-02

Excellent book, the quality of the pictures if great and very useful content. It is one of the best book for your library.

Fascinating read for any art lover!.......2006-01-05

This book is a tremendous read. And you don't need to be an art historian or student to appreciate the information. Easy to understand, you will never look at those "boring old masters" the same way again.

Thought-provoking book on European Art Masterpieces.......2005-07-25

If you have never been particularly interested in art but want to start learning about the great European artists between the 14th century and the early 19th century, this is a great book to start with. And I am sure it has a lot to offer to advanced students of Art too.

The book offers comments on about 180 significant paintings painted over 500 years. The earliest painting in the book is Maestà (1308-11) by Duccio di Buoninsegna of Italy. The most modern is The Third of May, 1808 by Francisco de Goya of Spain. Every painting is dissected with numerous sub-illustrations and the various historical, artistic and social significances of it discussed in detail. Since all the paintings are European in nature, the originals are located mainly in English and European museums but a surprising number of paintings are located in American Museums too.

Here are the ones from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The Adoration of the Magi (1310) - Giotto
The Annunciation Triptych ("Merode Triptych") (1425-30) - Robert Campin
Diptych: The Crucifixion and The Last Judgement (1430s) - Jan Van Eyck
A Goldsmith in his Shop, Possibly St Eligius (1449) - Petrus Christus
The Opening of the Fifth Seal of the Apocalypse (1608-14) - El Greco
The Rape of the Sabine Women (1633-34) - Nicolas Poussin
The Preaching of St John the Baptist (1634) - Bartholomeus Breenbergh
The Death of Socrates (1787) - Jacques-Louis David

The majority of the paintings focus on Biblical topics, but there are a great number of secular and political paintings too especially in the later years. For example, there is a fascinating one called "An experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump" (1768) by Joseph Wright of Derby. It is a study of various peoples reactions to a scientific experiment in which a bird is suffocated to death in an air pump.

An amazing European art history course.......2005-05-27

This book is worth every cent, just for the 1,000 glossy photos of major European "Old Master" works!!

I wish I had read this book instead of struggling to stay awake in very boring art history classes!

Average customer rating:

One of the best books I've found on classical painting
The printing quality is so fun that i forgot to laugh
Written from class notes
Leffel At His Best
The Best

Oil Painting Secrets from a Master
Linda Cateura
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0823032795

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books I've found on classical painting.......2007-06-15

This book, along with the other one by Greg Kruetz on problem solving for oil painting, is absolutely a must for those looking to learn the real power of classical oil painting using form and lighting. It is excellent and covers classical principles of oil painting including lighting, composition, and use of muted color. It is richly illustrated and features David A Leffel's work and masterful style with still life, mainly table top items, and lots of portraits. There are no landscapes featured and atmospheric perspective and plein air is not covered. However, David can make even the most simplest of items appear rich and strikingly important. I love this book and refer to it often. Truly beautiful and classical and an absolute must for those looking for traditional classical principles in the Rembrandt genre where a limited color pallet and the power of cascading light is important. This is NOT a modern art book and although the brush strokes are stylized with the impressionists' flare, it visually has the realist and Rembrandt look to it.

The printing quality is so fun that i forgot to laugh.......2007-04-26

This book provides several great composition ideas for me, the paintings theirself are outstanding, but I can't grade it 4 stars or more because the printing quality is so BAD.
Some painting photos are fuzzy, I can't look for clear details.
It's ironic to see a realistic work lost its details, and not fair to the reader. If you are an art student who wants to learn skills from "eye-looking "as I am, I won't recommond this book.
Another painting book, Problem Solving for Oil Painter, by Cregg Kreutz, which is the original book I planned to buy, will be a much better choice for great works and printing quality.
I wish there is a word to describe how bad the printing can destroy masterpieces.

Written from class notes.......2007-03-09

David Leffel has been referred to as a "modern day Master" in the class of a Rembrandt. He has been painting and teaching for about 40 years years now, and this book is a compilation of class notes written by the author while in one of David's classes. And while there is much valuable information presented, some of these notes are disjointed and refer to illustrations not even included in the book. David has since written his own book entitled "An Artist Teaches" which, while much more expensive, is probably a better investment.
That being said, however, the illustrations of David's work are worth the price of this book, and I would buy it for that reason alone. If you are a careful reader, you can pick up some solid, useful information.

Leffel At His Best.......2007-01-11

In "Oil Painting Secrets From A Master," author/art student Linda Cateura shares her class notes from two years of studying under prominent artist/teacher David A. Leffel. New York based Leffel paints in the classic tradition of the early Dutch and Flemish such as Rembrandt and Chardin. His compositions are inspired by the human form and still life. The quality of light and its relationship to the objects under observation are most important to him. Known for his visual clarity, David encourages his students to paint from life in order to perceive each subject differently from the next. Well versed in technique, he transcends method painting in order to convey dimensionality, quality of surfaces and illumination.

From Cateura's point-of-view, Leffel has the ability to transform the temporary into the eternal. He is always able to find something in any subject to lift if our of the literal into the realm of poetic. "The functional use of light is one of the most distinctive qualities of a Leffel painting. His use of light leads the viewer through the painting toward the central image. When it reaches this focal point, the light is usually at its most intense...and enables the eye to come to rest there. The light does not just illuminate the scene - it is an active participant in the drama."

Leffel believes that an artist sees what is significant and a painter sees only what to paint. In "Oil Painting Secrets From A Master," Cateura, with Leffel's help as the teacher shows us how to move from the safety of being a painter to becoming an artist. Learning is the difference. The quality of our ambition and how much or how little we learn stems from our motivation - to be an artist? To be a great artist? Fame and fortune? Relaxation and fun? And real learning requires one to abandon security and take risks - new colors, new brushstrokes, and imaginative compositions.

"Oil Painting Secrets" is amply filled with Leffel's work and is organized into four basic sections:

Artistic Thinking (seeing, the concept)
The Painting Process (materials, brushstroke techniques, massing, chiaroscuro)
Basic Advice (light and shadow, values, edges, color, still life, portraits and figures, backgrounds)
General Observations (attitudes that can hold you back)

Cateura has created a useful for book for the beginner, intermediate, advanced, and professional. It will cause you to think and rethink the your entire approach to painting...not as painter but as an artist.

The Best.......2007-01-10

I am 67 years old and have been taking art lessons for 10 years.
Oil Paintings Secrets from a Master, is the best book I have read
about oil painting "ever" it explains a lot that I have not picked up in my painting class, or missed. I have recomended it to my fellow artist
and others. It is well written and the pictures makes you feel like you are right there in the artist studio.

John Fritter

Secret Knowledge (New and Expanded Edition): Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters

Average customer rating:

Not so Secret to Art Technicians
Hockney's Evidence is Thought-Provoking, Verifiable/Falsifiable
Another great book from Hockney's first rate mind
An Important And Original Work
'A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth' John Singer Sargent

Secret Knowledge (New and Expanded Edition): Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters
David Hockney
Manufacturer: Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142005126
Release Date: 2006-10-05

Amazon.com

British painter David Hockney, well known for his cool and lovely paintings of California pools, has taken on the new role of detective. For two years Hockney seriously investigated the painting techniques of the old masters, and like any admirable sleuth, compiled substantial evidence to support his revolutionary theory. Secret Knowledge is the fruit of this labor, an exhaustive treatise in pictures revealing clues that some of the world's most famous painters, Ingres, Velázquez, Caravaggio (just to mention a few) utilized optics and lenses in creating their masterpieces. Hockney's fascination with the subject is contagious, and the book feels almost like a game with each analysis a "How'd they do that?" instead of a whodunit. While some may find the technical revelation a disappointment in terms of the idea of genius, Hockney is quick to point out that the use of optics does not diminish the immensity of artistic achievement. He reminds the reader that a tool is just a tool, and it is still the artist's hand and creative vision that produce a work of art. (296 pages, 460 illustrations, 402 in color.) --J.P. Cohen

Book Description

David Hockney's controversial book, now revised in paperback with thirty-two new pages of evidence

Join one of the most influential artists of our time as he investigates the painting techniques of the Old Masters. Hockney's extensive research led him to conclude that artists such as Caravaggio, Velázquez, da Vinci, and other hyperrealists actually used optics and lenses to create their masterpieces.

In this passionate yet pithy book, Hockney takes readers on a journey of discovery as he builds a case that mirrors and lenses were used by the great masters to create their highly detailed and realistic paintings and drawings. Hundreds of the best-known and best-loved paintings are reproduced alongside his straightforward analysis. Hockney also includes his own photographs and drawings to illustrate techniques used to capture such accurate likenesses. Extracts from historical and modern documents and correspondence with experts from around the world further illuminate this thought-provoking book that will forever change how the world looks at art.

Secret Knowledge will open your eyes to how we perceive the world and how we choose to represent it.

Customer Reviews:

Not so Secret to Art Technicians.......2007-08-13

Nothing is revealed but much is speculative, add a dash of "evidence" and juggle well.....I must admit to being both a commercial artist and a so-called fine artist, sign painter, computer graphic artist, sculptor, teacher, ceramics artist, candlemaker, etc., who has embraced all the projectors, cameras, overhead projectors, slide projectors, computers, tv's and every imaginable device that I could manage on many occasions, to meet a deadline. I've been drawing for my entire life and am quite studied. But, I find Hockney's revealing text and SECRET ideas to be simply another "fashionable" and wearable piece of entertainment from the old salt. Sue me. Then sue Rembrandt. As for the nasty reviews, what's up with the this public's deluded needs that every so-called master MUST be a superb draftsman? SIMPLY SAVES SOME TIME AND ENERGY TO PROJECT A DRAWING OR SKETCH. Hockney's work is bright, bold and fashionable. Those artists to whom we entitle as "masters" were similarly inclined, all attempted to be supported by their productions!! Any artist knows that those fuzzy afterimages he sees in his sleep certainly won't sell, and even the abstractionists of every ilk, must strive for atmosphere, depth cues, etc. Art is about making an illusion, and to use a lens is no sin. Especially when for the most part, your painting must done by candle light or very limited daylight, most often in freezing cold ateliers, heated by a wood stove....Be quiet though, the public doesn't really want their opined bubble popped!

Hockney's Evidence is Thought-Provoking, Verifiable/Falsifiable.......2007-03-27

Critics and reviewers who have rated Hockney's Secret Knowledge low seem to me to overlooks some major points. Some of these I find more persuasive than the the issue of alleged perspective misjudgment which seem to attract the greatest heat.

1. H points out that a huge majority of portraits in the period show the model as left handed--some 80%. This is consistent with use of lenses and inconsistent with the frequency of left-handedness in the population. Now, here is a verifiable fact. Are H's numbers right--or are they not?

2. H is not claiming that everyone 1400-1650 was a poor draftsman. At least in what I've seen so far, he doesn't claim e.g. that Rembrandt used optics. Part of his evidence is however that some artists who were great painters were not great draftsmen--their painting exceeds in accuracy their draftsmanship. Now this appears to me again something that is verifiable by a third party. (The question of H's own draftsmanship abilities is totally irrlevant. I don't like his art much myself).

3. In a highly competitive art market, where realism counted, what is the likelihood that artists would >not < use devices that helped them both with accuracy and speed? Even if the great Ren artists could paint and draw realistically without optics (and their education certainly was thorough), throughput and competitive concerns surely would have pushed them in that direction.

4. To my knowledge, no one has responded to H's claim that the change in light to very strong with dark shadows from about 1400 (light is flat) to 1500 is very consistent with use of optics. Yes, that is not the only possible explanation. But from a philosophy of science perspective, this phenomenon and the phenomenon of increased accuracy need to be explained. H at least offers an explanation. The burden of an alternative explanation is on the critics. H's hypothesis could be falsified by showing that in fact strong lighting was used before this period and flat lighting afterwards.

5. Another phenomenon for which H has an explanation but for which I haven't seen alternatives is the fact that in many realistic paintings, depth of field is evident. An example is the famous Vermeer milk pitcher painting. H has an explanation of why the foreground breadbasket is out of focus, while the background basket is (oddly) in focus. If a critic doesn't like H's explanation, he/she should provide an alternative.

6. H shows that in some cases extremely precise scaling is evident--scaling that would be very difficult to do by hand. Prof Falco, the optics and superconducting physicist who collaborated with H., has done the math and claimed that obtaining such accuracy by hand is very difficult since the error is (as I remember) under 2%). Doing anything by hand with under 2% error is quite a feat--including reconciling bank statements :)-- never mind drawing. Here is another phenomenon in which either the factual statements by H and Falco can be easily verified/falsified or need an alternative explanation should be provided.

On an ad hominem note, I think it is worth pointing out that art historians have a built-in motive for rejecting H's hypothesis: They didn't find it! I took an amateur to notice the discrepancies. Finally, personal experience suggests that some people have a lot more difficult time with accuracy/obtaining a likeness than others. For H to be correct, he does not need to support the claim that everyone who was accurate used optics, only that some did and these raised the bar for the art community as a whole.

Thanks for reading.

Another great book from Hockney's first rate mind.......2007-01-12

I have spent years painting and teaching and drawing the figure. Its amazing how much a person still can learn after practicing it for so long. This is one of the joys of drawing. Every investigated mark is a learning experience. That is what I also love about Hockney. This man might not be the greatest shining star artist of our time, but it would be easy to defend him as the greatest thinker in the arts since Da Vinci.

'Secret Knowledge' is just a small chunk of Hockney's oeuvre. He has been writing books primarily through the interview form for decades. Each book has looked at aspects of art in different lights. This book only happens to be the most concise and stylized of his many efforts.

Basically, if your here reading this, I bet you have some idea what this book is about already. You know that Hockney is putting forth a thesis on how drawings were so precisely crafted by the masters two hundred years ago, while today as one of our societies foremost draftsmen, Hockney cant even come close to matching those abilities. Hockney goes into detail on how he can see characteristic pencil marks created by Warhol or other artists using over-head projectors and Ingres' drawings. This is pretty obvious if you have done both. Hockney then goes into precise detail on the drawbacks of using the camera lucidea and obscuras and how they were used.

I really find some qualms with the reviewer who says that Hockney's arguments are on par with a junior high school students and that they are not scientific. Quite the contrary. Hockney's arguments are precise and unfold in a step by step process. You can't really give scientific proof over how a drawing was created any other way than Hockney has done so. The more time you spend drawing the figure, the more you will realize what Hockney is saying, is right on.

I think that this book will go down as one of the benchmark art books of our era. Its well worth pondering over and I think that even though it does not have quite as much relevance in our post-modern era, it will be around for as long as people still want to understand art.

An Important And Original Work.......2007-01-10

An excellent read for those interested in the way artworks were produced. The book's inferences humanize Art History and will change the way you look at the works of past masters. Hockney's research is well documented, well presented and profound.

'A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth' John Singer Sargent.......2006-12-14

Reaction to David Hockney's original book SECRET KNOWLEDGE published in 2001 stirred a lot of controversy from artists, art historians, art collectors, and students: the responses ranged from resounding Bravos! to a clangorous 'Humbugs!' Now Hockney has produced a second expanded volume, partially in response to that outbreak of slander and partially to fill the voids left by his first set of observations. This newly expanded version retains the luxury of copious images of paintings from the early 15th century to the present and adds to that a fascinating series of historical quotations from across the centuries to support his theory. In other words, the book is still controversial - but now it is backed by researched documents from ancient and contemporary scholars.

His theory? Simply that artists from those following Giotto to the present used optics as a tool to create images. Hockney does not disparage this 'manipulation' as a foil to famous artists' integrity or talent: quite the opposite - he lauds the artists who had the intelligence to make use of yet another tool (like paint brushes, charcoal, paper, easels, etc) to hone their skills. Hockney gently and with respect explores the use of the camera obscura and camera lucida along with the use of concave and convex mirrors and lenses, offering the reader not only his ideas on the subject but also splendid examples of how the discovery of optics changed the quality of painting over a mere tow or three years of usage time with such luminaries as Velasquez and Caravaggio!

Whether or not the reader elects to accept Hockney's premise of the importance of optics in the development of art history will not prevent enjoying the fascinating excursion this well designed and produced book offers. Hockney intermingles his own portraits meticulously created with the use of the camera lucida to demonstrate how this technique was in no way a sign of laziness or 'copying' of a projected image on the part of the artists he discusses. Quite the contrary. By utilizing these techniques and sharing the inherent difficulties the use of optics creates in the technical aspects of painting and drawing he is able to speak with authority about his thesis.

Hockney's joy (which continues to this day) is exploring the 'How did they do that?' response to painting, not unlike the way most of us approach a canvas and as 'What does it mean?'. It is this kind of intellectual searching that makes this book such a treasure - that, and the fact that here is yet another superb art history book that the reader will actually READ instead of just perusing the pictures. Highly recommended on many levels. Grady Harp, December 06

The Materials of the Artist and Their Use in Painting: With Notes on the Techniques of the Old Masters, Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

Less Preachy than Mayer's Book...
Painting Methods
Doerner for art historical approach
Excellent but might not be the whole story
For artists

The Materials of the Artist and Their Use in Painting: With Notes on the Techniques of the Old Masters, Revised Edition
Max Doerner
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 015657716X

Book Description

The leading authority on the materials and techniques of painting. Index; illustrations. Translated and revised by Eugen Neuhaus.

Customer Reviews:

Less Preachy than Mayer's Book..........2007-06-08

I would not use this book primarily as a reference. The organization is not useful for the beginning painter. However, experienced artists will enjoy reading the book, like one would a collection of biographies about old friends. In this case though, the old fiends are pigments, oils and various resins. As an artist I found this book to be more interesting to read than Mayer's book and also a great deal less preachy. The text appears to rely on Eastlake's history with respect to which artist's what used what media, etc. These kinds of references are dated and are not supported by contemporary research. Fortunately, Doerner presents an accurate account of each material and lists both advantages and problems with each.

Painting Methods.......2007-05-24

I first came across this product in 1961 when I was exploring oil painting. It was one of the few books that gave any information about the techniques of the 'old masters' Most of the information in thsi book is unknown in art schools today and this makes it a particular valuable resource for anyone who is interested in painting like an 'old master'.

Doerner for art historical approach.......2007-04-11

Ralph Mayer's classic handbook of art materials has been revised in the fifth edition to include many modern pigments inclusing those of artistic value that come from other industries such as the automotive industry.
If you are looking for a comprehensive overview of the materials available to the artist, the Mayer manual is the ideal work.
Doerner's treatise, summed up from a series of lectures, is important as a historical work but is not as scientifically in-depth as Mayer's new edition for today's artist or conservationist. Indeed, many claims made by Doerner are not scientifically true just as in Goethe's Theory of Colors (another great book even when compared to the more scientifically accurate "Opticks" by Newton). The veracity of Doerner's approach is in question simply because many of the materials are now outdated, either for their toxicity or for the findings of the scientific community with respect to pigments (i.e. Minium, Vermilion, Naples Yellow, Whie Lead, etc. are now rare finds due to their toxicity). Although I am not necessarily a critic of Doerner, it is important to note that Doerner's importance lies in the realm of evaluative approaches with respect to the techniques of the old masters. If the work of the old masters interests you or if you are an artist, this English translation of Doerner is a worthy addition to your library.

Excellent but might not be the whole story.......2006-12-06

Max Doerner (1870-1939) taught at Academy of Fine Arts in Munich for 25+ years, and in his day an major expert on painting techniques. This book has played a major role in art history and research since the first day it was published. Do note the book was first published in 1934, and then translated from German, hence the writing style can be somewhat turbid. Perseverance pays with there being more information in here than you can shake a stick at.

My comment about being careful is a result of recent studies of old master paintings. The old masters would typically have a team of apprentices working alongside them, mixing paint, painting parts of the painting that the master was probably too bored to bother with (as well as good training for the apprentice) etc. The Master/Apprentice setup allowed for a continuous stream of knowledge being passed along the generations. However as oil paint technology advanced, in particular the ability to buy premixed paints off the shelf, the painter no longer needed a team of apprentices. He could pretty much get by on his own. Hence there was no longer anyone for the painter to pass on his knowledge to. This resulted in a considerable amount of technical knowledge being lost. (A good example is the recent theory promulgated by David Hockney that the old masters were able to paint such realistic paintings as they used rudimentary projection techniques to place a guide image on the canvas, overwhich they painted. No one knows if he is right or wrong).

From the 1800's on, technical experts such as Doerner and Charles Eastlake ("Methods and Materials of Painting") began to impart their wisdom on how the old master paintings were created. But the techniques thay had available were very rudimentary, more often than not being a case of the expert trying to reproduce a certain style and looking at the painting surface close up. The experts proferred their theories and techniques, often with much aplomb leaving no room for doubt. Unfortunately they were often quite off the mark - they could emulate a style somewhat but never 100%. There are too many variables involved even for a discerning eye. It has only been with recent advances in scientific analysis, usually chemistry based, that a truer understanding of the old master technique is finally being determined. Van Wettering's excellent "Rembrandt - the painter at work" book details the findings of extensive research carried out on a number of paintings considered to have been painted by Rembrandt. The book is 340 pages, and they still haven't got all the answers. But what they have done is to throw in to doubt the theories and techniques of the 19th/20th C experts.

There is a welter of information in this book, but if you are trying to perfectly replicate a certain old master painterly technique, and failing to do so, then be warned the experts might not be such experts afterall.

All said and done, I do recommend this book for the wealth of information it contains. Along with oil painting it addresses pastels, tempera and mural techniques. Even if you do take the techniques in here as verbatim for an old master then there is all likelihood that you'll create a great painting.

For artists.......2006-02-03

For the Artist who knows what he or she is at and its certainly not for the hobbiest who would be lost with this book.This for me is a great book as it has enrichened me....information is always good.I am delighted to have it. a worthy addition in any collection.

The Art of Flowers: A Celebration of Botanical Illustration, Its Masters and Methods

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Botanical illustrations shine

The Art of Flowers: A Celebration of Botanical Illustration, Its Masters and Methods
Jack Kramer
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0823003116

Book Description

A fascinating overview of the golden age of floral art! The Art of Flowers is a magnificent look into the very best in 19th century botanical illustration by such renowned artists as Pierre Joseph Redouté, George Brookshaw, Jane Loudon, Georg Ehret, James Andrews, Rogert Tyas, James Sowergy, and Clarissa Badger. Packed with scores of dazzling, full-color reproductions-many of them rarely seen before-this incredible book displays how the best artists of the era coaxed blossoms to flower on paper. The Art of Flowers begins by exploring how this artistic genre developed, discussing how some simple botany basics came to enhance the art of drawing flowers. It goes on to celebrate the wonderful passion for flowers that flourished in the Victorian era and discusses the beautiful botanical periodicals that swept through England and America. In fact, many of these periodicals are still popular with today's collectors for their dazzling illustrations. Next, readers will discover the intriguing phenomenon of language-of-flower books: charming and hugely popular references that assigned sentimental values to flora . . . and were often accompanied by poetry and delightful dashes of morality. These guides explained to gentle readers how to use flowers to send secret messages to lovers and admirers. Finally, The Art of Flowers provides a fascinating section of rare how-to-draw flower books from the 19th century, complete with ready-to-use templates for copying such flowers as anemone, clematis, dahlias, daisies, lilies, daffodils, pansies, roses, and more. Written by an esteemed authority, The Art of Flowers is a magnificent display of rare art and how-to instruction-the perfect addition to every art lover's library and a delightful gift for anyone who gardens, paints, or simply loves flowers.

Customer Reviews:

Botanical illustrations shine.......2006-03-09

This book is a compilation of several of the masters of botannical illustrations -- and even has a few how-to pointers. I found the stories about the painters interesting the the color plates irresistable. If you seriously like botannical illustration, this one is an excellent addition to your collection

How to Read a Modern Painting: Lessons from the Modern Masters

Average customer rating:

interesting details

How to Read a Modern Painting: Lessons from the Modern Masters
Jon Thompson
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Criticism | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Modern | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters
1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
Artists' Techniques and Materials (Guide to Imagery Series)
Symbols and Allegories in Art (Guide to Imagery Series)
Turner in His Time, Revised and Updated Edition

ASIN: 081094944X

Book Description

Modern art, filled with complex themes and subtle characteristics, is a wonder to view, but can be intimidating for the casual observer to comprehend. In this accessible, practical guide, author and instructor Jon Thompson explores more than 200 works, helping readers to unlock each painting's meaning.

Beginning with the Barbizon school and the Realist movement of the mid-19th century and continuing through the 1980s avant-garde, artists including Bonnard, Basquiat, Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Warhol, and Whistler are featured. Thompson describes each artist's use of media and symbolism and provides insightful biographical information. A natural companion to Abrams' How to Read a Painting, this book is a vibrant, informative trip through one of art history's most compelling periods.

Customer Reviews:

interesting details.......2007-05-21

this is a great resource for teachers of art and art history. Thompson digs out some great details that I havent come across elsewhere

Average customer rating:

Good for Antamoy References
Good book
Practice practice practice
Good book, but lacks in the following.
Excellent content

Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters
Robert Hale , Terence Coyle , and Robert Beverly Hale
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Study & Teaching | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Figure Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters: 100 Great Drawings Analyzed, Figure Drawing Fundamentals Defined
Master Class in Figure Drawing
Artistic Anatomy (Practical Art Books)
Michelangelo Life Drawings (Dover Art Library)
The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition

ASIN: 0823002810
Release Date: 2000-10-01

Amazon.com

Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters provides an anatomical counterpart to Robert Beverly Hale's classic reference book, Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters. Terence Coyle, who for several years assisted Hale at the Art Students League of New York, kept detailed notes of Hale's lectures and teaching methods. He combined these notes with 100 drawings to illustrate how the great masters portrayed specific parts of the human physique. As Hale points out, master artists such as Rembrandt, Leonardo, and Raphael "absorbed the technical details of anatomy so well that these details could be set down instinctively.... If an artist has to occupy his mind with the task of clumsily grouping the elemental facts of anatomy as he draws, there can be little room left for really important matters--such as the spirit of the drawing and the artist's expressive intent." Coyle provides several examples within the study of each anatomical area to illustrate the variety of styles and methods employed by the masters. The book treats, in order, the rib cage, the pelvis and thigh, the knee and lower leg, the foot, the shoulder girdle, the arm, the hand, and the neck and head. A complete series of anatomical reference plates by Dr. Paul Richer is included. By applying the timeless anatomical principles the great masters have handed down to us, any artist can begin to acquire the means by which to express the "really important matters." --Mary Ribesky

Book Description

This classic book, whose foremost author was one of the great artistic anatomy teachers of the twentieth century, is an invaluable instructor and reference guide for any professional, amateur, or student artist who depicts the human form. Revealing the drawing principles behind one hundred inspiring masterpieces, the book presents work by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rubens, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, and other greats. These superb portrayers of figures knew that the secret of drawing them was seeing how underlying bone and muscle structures mold the body's surface forms. Readers are shown how to learn from these great examples as the authors guide them through all the steps they would take in a life class or studio working with live models.

Customer Reviews:

Good for Antamoy References.......2007-05-13

I will just say that this is very helpful for reference to specific part of the human anatomy. Especially the skeletal and muscular diagrams at the back of the book.

Good book.......2006-11-23

for us amateaur artists who want inspiration to create great works of art. This book shows the details of the human body and how great artists drew from live and dead bodies as they create the greatest masterpieces in art history.

Practice practice practice.......2006-01-20

I took an art class at the junior college and the instructor suggested copying the masters to improve drawing skills. I bought this book and copied every picture. Not only did it familiarize me with many artists I had not heard of but, over time my drawing skills improved dramatically. I am now buying collections of drawings of other artists and copying. I highly recommend the book not only as a reference but also to be used to improve skills. I have an engineering background, not art and this helped immensely.

Good book, but lacks in the following........2004-01-07

Pick up this book if you are looking for a great artistic anatomy reference book. If you are looking for more than reference, however, you might want to look elsewhere. While this book is definitely good, it doesn't give the artist direction in how to draw or depict the illustrations. The text is pretty much straight-forward, usually only noting the parts of the bodies in the images. Second, this book lacks the poetic and great writing of Robert Beverly Hale.

Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters is more of an extra reference book or a supplement to Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters. In that book, Hale really teaches to the reader whats needed to depict anatomy, what steps the artist must take, gives tips on how to become a great or accomplished artist, why the artists of the past were so good, what mistakes beginners of figure drawing usually make, and sooooo much more. It's pretty much an incredible book to have even if you're not into figure drawing.

I think Anatomy Lessons would probably be more highly regarded in my eyes had Drawing Lessons been nonexistent. Anatomy Lessons is great for further reference, if thats what you're looking for though. I probably wouldn't recommend anyone to buy this book unless you already own or have thoroughly read and studied Drawing Lessons by the Great Masters.

Excellent content.......2002-09-29

An excellent book on artistic anatomy. Reading this one book has taught me more than some figure drawing classes. A systematic deconstruction of how the masters of artistic anatomy have integrated their knowledge into some of the greatest drawings of all time. The book goes through the drawings of famous artists, categorized by the region of the body on which the drawings are focused, and attempts to explain how extensive knowledge of anatomy has been effectively applied. It touches on how these artists could create drawings which are more powerful than merely a photographic rendering of the model through their use of anatomy.

Unfortunately, the book is very cheaply bound. Entire leaves have detached themselves from the spine, though I have treated the book very well. My copy has turned into a stack of paper and scotch tape, wrapped loosely in its former cover. Despite that fact, I still consider it worth the purchase.

I have both this book and "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters." Both are excellent books, but if you must only buy one, get this one. It is the better of the two.

Oil Painting Techniques: Learn How to Master Oil Painting Working Techniques to Create Your Own Successful Paintings (Artist's Painting Library)
Average customer rating:

not THAT bad...

Very Disappointed

Not much help for me

With not much to go on.

Don't even think about it

Oil Painting Techniques: Learn How to Master Oil Painting Working Techniques to Create Your Own Successful Paintings (Artist's Painting Library)
David Lewis
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Oil Painting | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Fill Your Oil Paintings With Light & Color

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

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Oil Painting

The Big Book of Painting Nature in Oil

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

ASIN: 0823032612

Customer Reviews:

not THAT bad..........2007-03-20

I'm pretty much a complete novice in any form of art, so this book was quite helpful to me. There are several parts I found useful-- how to hold and handle the brush to achieve different effects, comparisons of student paintings to similar professional works, separating 'value' from 'intensity,' etc. I can imagine this book being a waste of time for people who've been in relatively good art classes or who've already done enough painting to have learned all of this already, but if you would consider yourself to be an amateur, it can't hurt to give it a go.

Very Disappointed.......2006-02-04

I was rather disappointed with this book and do not recommend it. The only techniques in this book was useless bits of information like a simple color chart, how to hold a paintbrush, and what you should have in your paint-box. There were no techniques on how to oil paint. The book consisted of paintings by different artists being critiqued. The book should be titled something like, "Let's try to talk up eleven artists, ten if we subtract the writer". With the exception of a few pieces by Ken Davies, the art work in the book is very amateur looking itself. I guess that is why they put them into a book and tried to talk them up. It really deserves minus 2 stars.

Not much help for me.......2000-03-20

I have not painted in over 30 years, and hoped that this would bring me up to speed. It didn't. Probably the least useful book on painting on my bookshelf. I'm not sure what this book is supposed to do for the reader. It didn't help me in the least.

With not much to go on........1999-11-26

I don't have much to go on, but I quickly browsed this book in an art store and found it quite good as far as simplicity and "what the beginning artist should have." I would recommend it to the beginner without reservation.

Don't even think about it.......1999-11-03

Is it possible to give negative stars?

I'm so embarassed about buying this book.

My stupidity is the only explanation...

It's not about techniques. It wasn't even written by the artists. It's a running commentary on paintings. The average number of "intermediate" steps per painting is about 4-5. Each "step" is actually a different painting started from scratch, so there's no way to compare what changed between steps cause it all did. So much was skipped between enormous amounts of work they felt guilty and tried to make up for it with such sage advice as "Mr. Jones prefers to thin his paint with 1/3 damar, 1/3 turpentine, 1/3 linseed oil". Or "when sketching during sharp-focused-realism be precise". Or "shadows made it look 3 dimensional" I'm exaggerating but I think you get the point.

How to Paint Like the Old Masters: Watson-Guptill 25th Anniversary Edition
Average customer rating:

Shepard's Old Masters came from the 1970s

Excellent but might not be the whole story

You can do much better

Realistic painting for the beginners

same old stuff

How to Paint Like the Old Masters: Watson-Guptill 25th Anniversary Edition
Joseph Sheppard
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Study & Teaching | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Problem Solving for Oil Painters: Recognizing What's Gone Wrong and How to Make It Right

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Methods and Materials of Painting of the Great Schools and Masters

The Materials of the Artist and Their Use in Painting: With Notes on the Techniques of the Old Masters, Revised Edition

Oil Painting Techniques and Materials

ASIN: 082302671X

Customer Reviews:

Shepard's Old Masters came from the 1970s .......2007-03-17

Joseph Sheppard's How to Paint Like the Old Masters is a good visual reference book especially for procedural figure painting techniques used by historical painters. The book explains how to start from a tinted or warm background, and the correct layering of highlights and colors, etc. Unfortunately, the author's illustrative examples are mostly of 1970-esque nudes that give little inspiration for painters to aspire toward.

Excellent but might not be the whole story.......2006-12-06

The first thing that struck me as I browsed the book is the woeful quality of many of the images, with some being out of focus. This problem is also apparent in the other two books by Watson Guptill that I think compliment this one well. Kreutz "Problem Solving for Beginners" and Cateura "Oil Painting Secrets from a Master". If you are looking to paint in a realistic style in the vein of Caravaggio, Rembrandt etc. then you will find plenty of information in these three books.

However all three deal with technique and for me the ability to discern the brushstrokes is a critical part of the learning exercise i.e. is the artist using impasto or thinned paint? With these images it's impossible to tell. Hopefully WG will revisit each of these books and bring the images up to scratch.

Joseph Sheppard provides "how to's" allowing the reader to emulate the techniques of: Durer, Titian, Veronese, Caravaggio, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt and Vermeer. Information on how to create specific paint mediums used by that particular artist, mixing paints, painting surfaces etc. He makes no claims that any of the information offered is absolute. As well as conducting his own studies on how to achieve a certain painterly effect he has also drawn on technical information published by the various "art experts" (listed in the bibliography).

Results of recent studies of old master paintings indicating that the current thinking on techniques might be wrong. The old masters would typically have a team of apprentices working alongside them, mixing paint, painting parts of the painting that the master was probably too bored to bother with (as well as good training for the apprentice) etc. The Master/Apprentice setup allowed for a continuous stream of knowledge being passed along the generations. However as oil paint technology advanced, in particular the ability to buy premixed paints off the shelf, the painter no longer needed a team of apprentices. He could pretty much get by on his own. Hence there was no longer anyone for the painter to pass on his knowledge to. This resulted in a considerable amount of technical knowledge being lost. (A good example is the recent theory promulgated by David Hockney that the old masters were able to paint such realistic paintings as they used rudimentary projection techniques to place a guide image on the canvas, overwhich they painted. No one knows if he is right or wrong).

From the 1800's on, technical experts such as Charles Eastlake ("Methods and Materials of Painting") and Max Doerner ("The Materials of the Artist") began to impart their wisdom on how the old master paintings were created. But the techniques thay had available were very rudimentary, more often than not being a case of the expert trying to reproduce a certain style and looking at the painting surface close up. The experts proferred their theories and techniques, often with much aplomb leaving no room for doubt. Unfortunately they were often quite off the mark - they could emulate a style somewhat but never 100%. There are too many variables involved even for a discerning eye. It has only been with recent advances in scientific analysis, chemical and visual, that a truer understanding of the old master technique is finally being determined. Van Wettering's excellent "Rembrandt - the painter at work" book details the findings of extensive research carried out on a number of paintings considered to have been painted by Rembrandt. The book is 340 pages, and they still haven't got all the answers. But what they have done is to throw in to doubt the theories and techniques of the 19th/20th C experts.

There is a welter of information in this book, but if you are trying to perfectly replicate a certain old master painterly technique, and failing to do so, then be warned the experts might not be such experts afterall.

All said and done, I do recommend this book for the wealth of information it contains. Numerous recipes for mediums, varnishes, mixing paints, painting surface etc., along with a well presented demonstration of each painters technique. This book might not quite get you to a 100% replication of the desired technique but it will certainly get you close. And as science uncovers more knowledge about the "real" techniques they can be applied here accordingly.

It is not a book for beginners - a rudimentary understanding of the oil painting process is reqd at minimum. Beginners might want to check out Brian Gorst's "The Complete Oil Painters" also.

You can do much better.......2006-11-16

That aluminum woman on the front cover is ludicrous. What makes the author think any old master ever began that way?

You will do better if you look for a book by a painter whose own work does not appear amateurish.

Realistic painting for the beginners.......2006-11-06

I beg to defer from the other reviews. Having bought the book on the basis of the reviews, I am quite disappointed. This is book IS for beginners who are interested in the first steps of realistic painting. It takes you through various Old Masters' techniques (or rather what the author THINKS is the Old Master's technique) without much explanation. The author's comments, as he takes you through a handful of development snaps of his painting, are scanty and non-helpful. Don't dream that you could paint like anything vaguely like the Masters; and in fact, the authors own painting is a poor, if any, semblance of a Master's work unless you are looking through the eyes of a beginner.
The most interesting part of the book is the four stages on the cover, which is probably enough information without having to buy the book.

same old stuff.......2006-11-02

All the projects looked the same. it didn't go into a detailed description of the the techniques the different artists used.

Master Disaster: Five Ways to Rescue Desperate Watercolors

Average customer rating:

Master of Disaster
Master Disaster is a "must have!"
Excellent book!
Sensational!

Master Disaster: Five Ways to Rescue Desperate Watercolors
Susan Webb Tregay
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Artists Muse: Unlock the Door to Your Creativity

ASIN: 1581807953

Book Description

No more wimpy watercolors! Kill it or cure it!

The end. It happens to the best of artists ... that frustrating point in a painting where you don't know how to finish it up, when to stop, or where to go from here. Too often this is the very same stage where half-finished paintings get stacked in the corner and written-off as "hopeless."

This unique, workshop-style book will help you recognize these works not as "bad" or "failed" paintings, merely unfinished. What's more, you'll learn how to take these beautiful starts--that pale painting hiding in your closet or the bombs stashed under your bed--and turn them into finished, gutsy, exhibition-quality pieces.

Follow Susan Webb Tregay's five steps to more successful watercolors, and learn how to finish your painting your way--with polish and pizzazz! You'll discover clean and easy solutions to your painting's problems, debunking once and for all that old myth that watercolor is unforgiving. Fifteen step-by-step demonstrations and many before-and-after examples illustrate the incredible difference these simple techniques can make in your art.

With Master Disaster, you can stop dreading "the end," and start anticipating the big finish!

Customer Reviews:

Master of Disaster.......2007-07-05

I found the information in this book to be very helpful in figuring out ways to rescue a watercolor painting.

Master Disaster is a "must have!".......2007-05-06

Sue Webb Tregay's book, "Master Disaster", is one of the best art instruction books to come along in a very long time! As a professional artist for a number of years now, I was simply blown away by this book. I have never seen, in any other art book, such a widely diverse selection of artwork by ONE artist before! There is something for everyone here. Her ability to paint in many styles with widely divergent subject matter makes this book so unique. Couple that with her lively writing style, and "just do it" attitude, you'll want to race off to your studio to create your own masterpieces!
Simply put, a "must have!"

Excellent book!.......2007-04-03

Susan Webb Tregay presents logical, methodical, and imaginative approaches to "fixing" disastrous watercolor paintings that would benefit painters utilizing all water-media from the amateur to the more experienced. Her book, "Master Disaster" is loaded with great illustrations and explanations that are easy to understand. I particularly like her flexible approach to fixing a painting, and I'm now using many of her suggestions. Additionally, unlike other painting instructors, Tregay's approach enables students to retain their individual style while incorporating her ideas for mastery. Many other instruction books are practically "paint by number" in approach, where you use the author's compositions, color pallette, technique, etc. That approach isn't particularly effective because it produces painting clones of the author. Tregay's approach eliminates that possibility. I think this is a GREAT watermedia instruction book and highly recommend it to others.

Sensational!.......2007-04-02

This book is so easy to follow. It makes so much sense and to think it's the only one if it's kind that I've found. I love it and have used it already to "Master a Disaster".
Thanks Susan
Elaine Bailey

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