Frank Covino

[swissmexmsartist]

P.S. I found both of his books (currently out-of-print) for $45 each on Amazon. Some fellow artists paid up to $100 for copies which were falling apart. Mine were in good condition, it is a matter of continual searching online.
BTW- he explains in detail how to create a grey(grisaille) or green (verdaccio) value chart consisting of 9 values, as well as color charts for any color I use with my models or landscapes. At last, I know how to re-create a consistent flesh palette based on my model's complexion as well as how to capture and paint anything I see or take a picture of. Can you tell, I am a Frank Covino groupie! Just kidding. Buy the books, they ARE priceless.

[swissmexmsartist]

Ooops! Frank Covino teaches painting the way FRANK REILLY from the Art Student's League of New York taught. You couldn't ask for any higher qualifications. Sorry, it was late I mixed up the names

[Junier]

I truly recommend not only his books like Controlled Painting specially but also his video tutorials. I have learn more stuff with him than the painting courses in my university. There is not shortcut, the techniques he teachs needs a lot of time, Patience and commitment. A lot of contemporary artists don't use this technique because the 3 requirement above mention. Said that as Covino said it, that is only one way to paint. For me it is the most play safe once you are skilled in this one you can combine it with a more impressionistic approach like A la Prima, Expressionism, Action Painting, Plain Air, etc, Thanks to artists like Frank Covino and Alexei Antonov we can dig into the Renaissance's and Blemish's Old Master old craft.

[Keith Russell]

Originally Posted by dhonegger

Mr. Covino lives and teaches about an hour's drive from me. I have not studied with him. A comment made in the description of his book, Controlled Painting, really turned me off: "Covino's books speak to serious artists who wish to vie with the Masters (that part doesn't bother me); they will not appeal to dilettantes who is looking for quick art of shallow dimension." (that's a direct quote, bad English and all; the tone of this part bothered me). That pretty much convinced me that what local artists say about him might very well be true: that he takes a very dim view of plein air and other more modern painting techniques such as those used by the Impressionists, claiming that anything other than his technique is worthless and not real art (quoted from rumor).

Ive never been terribly impressed with either the Impressionists, or alla prima. "Modern" doesn't always mean "better" and in the case of "Modern" with a capital "m", it usually means the opposite, IMO.

As for grammatical errors on visual artists' websites, c'mon...I doubt he wrote that copy himself (and if he did, he's a painter, not an editor!)

Not that what he does isn't good--it is VERY good--but he dismisses all other techniques as invalid and is very vocal about it in class. However, If you want a good strong grounding in an old masters technique, he is the one to provide it, if you can withstand the attitude (rumor has it). I don't know of any other artist, independant of an art school, who is currently teaching the old masters style.

His book(s) will probably be very informative (I value ALL books), but there are others out there on the same technique (glazing over a tone/monochrome underpainting) that are less expensive: "Traditional Oil Painting, Advanced Techniques and Concepts from the Renaissance to the Present" by Virgil Elliott ($44), and "Classical Painting Atelier, A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice" by Juliette Aristides ($40) are two that I own that I could immediately lay my hands on at the moment. You might even be able to get really good condition used at Amazon. I have another about painting like the old masters that guides you through making samples of various old masters paintings, but I can't think of the name of it at the moment (and can't find it right now--you know how that is ). I bought these, used, through Amazon, so I paid less than the cover prices I quoted above.

Hope this information helps you make a decision.

Diane

[Keith Russell]

I just ordered Controlled Painting from Amazon, $24.00, used but in "good" condition. It should arrive in a week or so, and I'll try to write a review of it, on Amazon's site, once I've had the chance to familiarize myself with Mr. Covino's ideas.

[Yellow Ogre]

IHis style is very "classical": firm grasp of drawing principles, grisaille with setting out of all the anticpated pigments and tints ("controlled painting"). His was the 2nd book I stumbled across on Grisaaile (Paint like the Old Masters being the other)

I liked his books enough to buy three of them. There are newer books out there that cover the same turf but I liked his personal take-no-prisoners vision on art.

[a_orion]

I cannot recommend Frank Covino highly enough. At one year of painting, I was producing classical paintings of pretty high calibre. Frank is a third generation artist and classically trained by his grandfather. I use his teachings daily, in one form or another, although I have branched into alla prima, plein aire and other methods as well. I don't believe any artist needs to remain one dimensional in their training.

As for Frank and his books and video's, if you can find them at reasonable cost, get them! Some libraries still carry the books. The previous quote: "they will not appeal to dilettantes who is looking for quick art of shallow dimension" refers to the casual artist who just wants to "paint a pretty picture" and does not reflect on any genre or method of painting.

Frank teaches an intensive old master method to serious artists who wish to pursue that style. I took 8 of Frank's master classes and learned at each one. I own both books and have the value controlled palette. I also mixed and tubed all the flesh tones...still using them in formal portraits today.

Anyone who wishes to pursue this method would do well to explore Frank's teaching methods, although it is intense.

[Junier]

Totally agree with a_orion.
This is my second painting (is WIP on a Dead Layer stage) using his teaching from his book. You can see on the picture my big pear palette with the controlled 11 values, but sometimes I when to 21 values. Under that palette is my self-made controlled palette made of thick glass. I do the mixing on the dark pear palette because it give more control on the hue and saturation and value buy before start painting I check my color values with the grayscale controlled palette and with grayscale and if they match I start putting color on the linen. I you can see I used Covino process (check the little relief on some of the elements and the use of marble dust primer on some textures) but adjusted a bit my way. I wish he can come to Holland to give a workshop. Now I feel more confident to start throwing my own things and techniques from other masters on top of what I have learned from him. Believe if you paint for sometime you will memorize the 9 gray values and how the also look in color and that is when you don't need the controlled palette anymore and cut the rope and let the wild horse go free.

[jwt53]

His book Controlled Painting is useful. It advocates a verdaccio underpainting. The book on portraiture speaks mainly to the venetian method of wiping out wet value 3 umber layer to create the lighter values in underpainting. The harder you wipe the higher the values.
I like the emphasis on values.
I have bought 5 of his DVDs and found them to be very limited in their usefulness. The one on painting flesh over verdaccio just shows him putting color over a very detailed underpainting. It looks reminiscent of watching someone color by numbers. Seeing the underpainting created would have been much more useful. Same with Coloring the High Keyed portrait. His Painting in the Manner of Rembrant does the same thing. He starts with a completed underpainting and puts on color. His painting like a Rennaisance master gives you a brief view of students working on underpaintings. But not doing anything original. Just copies of master paintings.
I think the underpainting is the most important part of his technique. Doing the color is very simple comparatively. Getting that underpainting so absolutely correct is what he should be doing DVDs on. But I suspect that would be more difficult as a production.

[Tito A]

Frank Covino teaches one early technique for painting with oils. The one using a closed grisaille or underpainting. However, Great Masters used many different techniques. If you are interested in the closed grisaille way of painting, Frank Covino is the best person to learn from. He has a web site.

[Tito A]

Oil painting is a skill of seeing that needs years to develop in an appropriate setting. Technique alone is insufficient for becoming a painter.