Oil Painting instruction books

[Blenheim]

Hello
I am looking for a good book or 2 on oil painting.

I saw one on a site for books called
Oil Painting Techniques and Materials by Harold Speed.

I want a book that studies the clasical which I think this book does,



to the

Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting' by Richard Schmid.



thanks for looking Stew

[Freesail]

If you're going to buy Schmid's book buy it from his web site, it is much cheaper.

[Dana Design]

I have both books and I use them as my 'bibles'. The Speed book is in paperback and is all in black and white but the information in it is essential to learning to paint IMHO.

The Schmid book, well, it's probably the best out there.

[kevinwueste]

Those are both great books to have and understand. Especially Harold Speed's book ( in my opinion). i might suggest (1) "Color and Light" ( A guide for the Realist Painter) by James Gurney - it is a fantastic practical resource on painting, how color works and the influence of light on forms and the environment. (2) "60 Minutes to better painting" by Craig Nelson ( disclaimer, he is the director of fine art where I teach) - his book is straight forward and super useful - especially for alla prima painters. (3) "The Painterly Approach" By Bob Rohm - also a great resource in the same vein as the books above! (4); "Painting People" ( if that's an interest) by Burton Silverman - one of my other "bibles" for sure ! There are many more I use and found valuable but those are near the top of the list.

-Kevin

[josvanr]

You definitely need to get Richard Schmid's book !..........


Jos

[Blenheim]

Thanks all for your advise.
Have you every heard of
Oil Painting Secrets From a Master: 25Th Anniversary Edition by Linda Cateura? It has some good reviews.

this one is quite expensive "Timeless Techniques for Better Oil Paintings byTom Browning"
thanks Stew

[Ribera]

Stew,
Speed's Oil Painting Techniques and
Materials is certainly alright, how-
ever, despite your pointing out that the
instruction be "classical" (Many of the
other books suggested, while excel-
lent, ain't classical; the artists are
more fluenced by impressionism than
classicism.)
A superlative book is Hawthorne on
Painting, not by Charles Hawthorne,
who actually taught a lot, but never
authored a book, but by his students.
They pass on the many maxims he
espoused, and he emphasized work-
ing extremely painterly, essentially
almost ignoring the drawing, and I
realize that makes many nervous,
however, actually observe Haw-
thorne's work: Beautifully drawn
and painted.
In this book, a way of seeing is em-
phasized, more 'n techniques, al-
though better seeing will inevitably
improve your techniques.
r

[DaveGhmn]

The master in Cateura's book is David Leffel. Many people think he is indeed a master (I think he ranges from creepy to downright terrifying).

If you'd like an inexpensive yet fairly comprehensive survey of pigments and techniques, find a used copy of Techniques of the World's Greatest Painters, edited by Waldemar Januszczak, ISBN 0890093687.

It gives only a few pages (avg. about 4) on 50 master works from Giotto to Hockney, with at lease one actual size detail that shows paint surface and brush work. The Giotto segment shows the day-by-day progression of one of his frescos, for example, indicating how sections and colors were pre-planned to merge into a complete whole. (Fresco painting sessions had to be short, as you had to apply the colors while the plaster was still wet).

Right now, bookfinder.com shows 5 copies under $7 including shipping.

[sidbledsoe]

Craig Nelson...is the director of fine art where I teach

wow kevin that is way neat, i love all of his videos!

[DAK723]

All of the books mentioned are very good. However, buying a book without looking at it is always a big risk. What subjects interest you?, what style of painting?, what is your experience level?

I have no idea if you live near a good library system, but if so, I would check out their selection. You will save a lot of money - and get more opinions than if you just buy 1 or 2 books.

Don

[Blenheim]

Great suggestion Don

I will check out the library.

I have been away from art many years. I did go to art school but i never developed what I was taught as I got caught up with rasing a family. now I have the time.
My favout artist is the impressionists, but I want to explore classical painting as I like the idea of unerpainting and glazing in a realistic manner. will see where that takes me. Stew

[DAK723]

Not sure about the Nelson book - or the book about Leffel, but these aren't books about the classical painting method of underpainting and glazing. Most of these are more about direct painting.

Here are some that may be more classical in nature:

Classical Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice by Juliette Aristides

Portrait Painting Atelier: Old Master Techniques and Contemporary by Suzanne Brooker

Traditional Oil Painting: Advanced Techniques and Concepts from the Renaissance to the Present by Virgil Elliott

Don

[Carcharhinus]

I'm looking for a few good books too. Can anyone else vouch for the 3 in the post above mine and the Gurney book?

Not that I don't trust DAK732 and Kevin's opinions (I do greatly), but I'd like to know that they're useful to everyone rather than suiting a specific style. Although I imagine I'd learn something new from most books.

I'm also familiar with Gurney's work and I know he's a fantasy painter. Does the book cater specifically to that style, does it discuss universal techniques using his personal work as a point of example, or is it a more academic text with him referencing other painters?

Thanks guys.

Edit: I also checked out the Speed book briefly. Seems great, but the pictures are in black and white which seems ridiculous. My guess is that it's a 'classic' text of the oil painting genre and lazy publishers have printed the latest editions in B&W to keep raking in the profits at low cost without paying attention to the content.

[josvanr]

I'd certainly go for Speed and Schmid. Not too shure about Gurney. I have both Color&Light and Imaginative Realism but was a bit disappointed. Both books turned out to have one chapter per page !?! (or actually one chapter per 2 pages). So each time you turn a page there is a new topic. To my taste the info was a bit too concise, resemblin a blog...

[wagram]

I recommend Speed, he has a great conversational style and covers Velasquez, Reynolds etc. He studied under Waterhouse and other late 19th century UK artists, so has plenty to say that is worth knowing.

Look on line if you are lacking funds, Speeds book can be had for free. Others that are worth reading are R.A.M. Stephenson, Joy, Solomon J Solomon (all available free on the Internet, just google them in Books).

For Impressionism try "Painting Light" a book published in around 2009/10 it covers techniques, materials and studies individual paintings in much the same way as "Pre-Raphelite Painting Techniques" from the TATE.