"The art of portraiture approached its apex during the sixteenth century in Europe with the discovery of oil painting when the old masters developed and refined techniques that remain unsurpassed to this day. The ascendance of nonrepresentational art in the middle of the twentieth century displaced these venerable skills, especially in academic art circles. Fortunately for aspiring artists today who wish to learn the methods that allowed the Old Masters to achieve the luminous color and subtle tonalities so characteristic of their work, this knowledge has been preserved in hundreds of small traditional painting ateliers that persevered in the old ways in this country and throughout the world. Coming out of this dedicated movement, Portrait Painting Atelier is an essential resource for an art community still recovering from a time when solid instruction in art technique was unavailable in our schools.
"Of particular value here is a demonstration of the Old Masters' technique of layering paint over a toned-ground surface, a process that builds from the transparent dark areas to the more densely painted lights. This method unifies the entire painting, creating a beautiful glow that illuminates skin tones and softly blends all the color tones. Readers will also find valuable instruction in paint mediums from classic oil-based to alkyd-based, the interactive principles of composition and photograph-based composition and photograph-based composition, and the anatomy of the human face and the key relationships among its features."
This course has been designed to encourage amateur artists, who might otherwise regard oil painting as only for professionals, to discover the pleasure of oil painting.
"This volume was compiled from ... 'The Acrylic painting book' (1978), 'The Oil painting book' (1979), 'The Watercolor painting book' (1978), and 'The Portrait and figure painting book' (1980)."
"A comprehensive guide to oil painting practice and technique, this reference offers an informative A-to-Z section of valuable skills such as how to build up a painting and how to make brushwork describe forms and textures--as well as a wealth of stimulating ideas for the canvas, including combining oil paints with other media, mixing paint with sand and sawdust, and applying it with such tools as knives, rags, or even the fingers. The second half of the book shows all the techniques in context. Illustrated with a gallery of paintings by well-known artists and full of detailed, step-by-step demonstrations, the guide shows how each artist applies knowledge of oil painting techniques to the interpretation of a subject, whether landscape, portrait, or still life."
"The inventive, colorful, intricately detailed pages of this hand-painted, hand-lettered book exude the playful experimentation and imaginative spirit that are integral to creating art. Part art instruction and part art history lesson, The Joy of Art introduces the world of pigments, lines, landscapes, portraits, perspective, and much more. On each double-page spread, the authors' own original art is juxtaposed with reproductions of paintings by Rembrandt, Bosch, Michelangelo, Degas, Seurat, and Warhol, among others. Written to encourage people of all ages to pursue their creative impulses, this artists' book about how to make art -- the only book of its kind -- reveals the sheer joy of art on every enticing page."
Presents detailed discussion of materials and tools; basic oil techniques; glazing and scumbling; and alkyds, oil sticks, and water- miscible oils. Abundantly illustrated with the author's works, many shown both in-progress and completed.
"Painting instructor Staiger (Vero Beach Museum of Art, Florida) has been teaching a course in the fundamentals of oil painting for a number of years. This volume was developed from that course. Each of seven lessons features hands-on exercises and step-by-step demonstrations. Sample topics include capturing the illusion of three dimensions, mixing colors, and creating a landscape painting. Illustrated throughout with full color examples."
We must not think of learning as only what happens in schools. It is an extended part of life. The most readily available resource for all of life is our public library system.
