American Artist Guide to Painting Techniques


Book Description

Grab your paintbrush and discover all the fundamentals of successful painting. A comprehensive overview, The American Artist Guide to Painting Techniques shows you all the techniques you need to know to paint in watercolor, oil, acrylic and pastel. From clear instruction to new painting ideas, this a four-in-one foundation book for every artist interested in improving fundamental painting skills. First, you'll learn 45 painting techniques step-by-step through photographs and valuable tips. Each technique includes specific details for use in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastels. Next, you'll discover how to apply the techniques to subjects of particular difficulty, including landscapes, animals, portraits, still lifes, and more. Beginning painters will love the specifics on the unique properties of each painting skill, while intermediate painters will rely on the tips and reference materials to produce outstanding results. An easy-to-navigate resource manual, The American Artist Guide to Painting Techniques provides clear instruction, new painting ideas, and inspiration in encyclopedic detail for any artist picking up a brush.




Botanical Art Techniques


Book Description

“This comprehensive work covers the gamut of techniques… will take students from beginner to expert.” —The English Garden This definitive guide is the most thorough how-to available on every major technique of botanical artistry. The experts at the American Society of Botanical Artists offer step-by-step projects that move from introductory to advanced—so any level of artist can build on acquired skills. Helpful tutorials cover watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, vellum, egg tempera, oils, pen and ink, and printmaking. Filled with more than 900 photographs and stunning examples of finished art by the best contemporary botanical artists, Botanical Art Techniques is the authoritative manual on this exquisite art form.




Fine Art Tips with Lori McNee


Book Description

Lessons of a lifetime. 24 modern-day masters share secrets to their success. Since 2009, thousands of artists have flocked to Lori McNee's FineArtTips.com for creative and professional advice. A social media guru as well as a professional artist, McNee has assembled a diverse and impressive group of today's most popular artists to create Fine Art Tips (the book!), an unprecedented master class in representational painting and art business advice. Fine Art Tips goes "behind the paintings" to show how 24 of today's top artists transform dabs of paint into incredible still lifes, landscapes, portraits and wildlife art. Along the way, they generously share practical, real-world tips on everything from evoking the illusion of sparkling water to professional networking. Plein air afficianado Ken Auster offers an unforgettable lesson on focal point. John Seerey Lester, a rock star in the world of wildlife painting, talks about the power of storytelling in paint. Joe Anna Arnett reveals her secret to painting white peonies, and Daniel Sprick discusses the foundations behind his classical portraits. The advice in these pages can be life-changing for artists, both aspiring and established. For art-lovers in general, Fine Art Tips is a brilliant showcase of today's top artists. Inspired by Lori McNee's art blog sensation, FineArtTips.com! • Illuminating tips, techniques and professional advice from 24 of today's most highly acclaimed artists • 26 step-by-step demonstrations in oil, acrylic and pastel • A thrilling range of signature styles and subjects




Mastering Oil Painting


Book Description

With its combination of valuable tips, techniques, and engaging step-by-step painting lessons, Mastering Oil Painting is an ideal resource for aspiring artists who desire to work in oil.




Historical Painting Techniques, Materials, and Studio Practice


Book Description

Bridging the fields of conservation, art history, and museum curating, this volume contains the principal papers from an international symposium titled "Historical Painting Techniques, Materials, and Studio Practice" at the University of Leiden in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from June 26 to 29, 1995. The symposium—designed for art historians, conservators, conservation scientists, and museum curators worldwide—was organized by the Department of Art History at the University of Leiden and the Art History Department of the Central Research Laboratory for Objects of Art and Science in Amsterdam. Twenty-five contributors representing museums and conservation institutions throughout the world provide recent research on historical painting techniques, including wall painting and polychrome sculpture. Topics cover the latest art historical research and scientific analyses of original techniques and materials, as well as historical sources, such as medieval treatises and descriptions of painting techniques in historical literature. Chapters include the painting methods of Rembrandt and Vermeer, Dutch 17th-century landscape painting, wall paintings in English churches, Chinese paintings on paper and canvas, and Tibetan thangkas. Color plates and black-and-white photographs illustrate works from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.




Painting in Acrylic


Book Description

Ideal for beginning and intermediate artists seeking to develop their acrylic painting skills, Painting inAcrylic features a range of techniques and valuable instruction for working with this classic medium and painting a variety of subjects. Beginning with detailed information for using acrylic tools and materials, Painting in Acrylic introduces artists to the basics, including brushes, supports, acrylic mediums, color palettes, and other essentials for using this fast-drying paint. Artists will learn about color theory, the color wheel, and such basic techniques as impasto, stippling, glazing, drybrushing, washes, and creating an underpainting. Aspiring artists will explore value, perspective, light, shadow, and form, as well as how to effectively render a variety of textures, including wood, foliage, glass, metal, water, rock, and more. Engaging, approachable step-by-step projects appeal to artists of all skill levels and cover a range of subject matter, including still lifes, animals, tabletop compositions, landscapes, flowers, trees, and more, from start to finish. A professional acrylic painter provides easy-to-follow, comprehensive instruction and inspiration so artists can put their newfound skills to practical use as they discover the secrets to mastering this lightweight, versatile, and easy-to-use medium. Perfect for first-time acrylic painters, as well as experienced artists looking to refine their technique, Painting in Acrylic inspires creativity, provides suggestions for overcoming technical obstacles, and includes plenty of useful tips and encouragement. With comprehensive, valuable information; stunning artwork; and a fresh take on a traditional medium, Painting in Acrylic is the perfect addition to any artist’s library.




Gruppé on Painting


Book Description

Dust jacket notes: "Vibrant, fresh, immediate! The direct oil painting technique is an intense reaction to nature, a race with time to capture the color, the light and shadow, the design and the spirit of a subject in a few short hours. And now, Emile Gruppe - master of the direct oil painting technique - shows how you can use the broad strokes and lively colors of this spontaneous approach to infuse your own paintings with vitality, vigor, and on-the-spot freshness. A firm believer in using the best materials for the best results, Gruppe begins with a quick review of his favorite brushes, colors, easels, and painting surfaces. Next, he covers the basics of good design, what to look for and how to orchestrate what you see: masses, lines, values, and relationships. Turning to color, a fundamental element of his painting technique, Gruppe discusses complements, color harmony, color vibration, local color, reflected color, and using color to create atmospheric perspective. He explains how color appears on various kinds of days - foggy, clear, cloudy - and under different lighting conditions - front lighting, backlighting, sidelighting. In subsequent chapters, the author focuses on composing seascapes and landscapes; he explains how to paint rocks, ocean, lighthouses, boats, piers, pilings, roads, trees, streams, snow, mountains, valleys. Then, in full-color step-by-step demonstrations, the author shows how he captures a subject in his unique, exuberant, on-the-spot style.




How to Paint


Book Description

Comprehensive step-by-step introduction for complete beginners Teaches how to master the basics of watercolors, acrylics, and oils. Readers learn to paint landscapes, still life, people, flowers, animals, and buildings 38 step-by-step projects each illustrate a different painting technique Beginners can quickly achieve immediate and impressive results More than 350 color photographs Practical information on materials and equipment Galleries of professional work inspire creativity




Artists Guide Painting Water in Watercol


Book Description

How to Paint Water! The secret to convincingly painting water is understanding why water appears as it does--it's all about the reflections! In this comprehensive book showcasing water in all its natural states, you'll learn how wind affects water as it goes from a dead calm to gale force winds. As you learn to use the reflections in the water to identify the perspective of the objects, you'll be able to move away from reference images and paint the water scenes you see in your imagination. With the expert instruction of renowned watercolor artist Ron Hazell, you'll find success as you paint water in every imaginable condition. From glittering lakes to calm harbor shores to foamy surf and turbulent waterfalls and rainy city streets to snow covered lawns and frozen ponds, you'll find the inspiration and techniques to guide you on a water-filled watercolor journey. 11 step-by-step demonstrations for painting puddles, streams, rivers, raging oceans, snow and more. 8 bonus demonstration videos to help you achieve realistic water paintings. More than 30 techniques for creating accurate shadow and light, reflections of objects and wave types.




The Art of Still Life


Book Description

A must-have reference book for today's artists and art students. Every artist needs to learn and master the still life. Written by a well-known artist and expert instructor, The Art of Still Life offers a comprehensive, contemporary approach to the subject that instructs artists on the foundation basics and advanced techniques they need for successful drawing and painting. In addition to Casey's stunning paintings, the work of over fifty past and present masters is included, so that the book will do double duty as a hardworking how-to manual and a visual treasure trove of some of the finest still life art throughout history and being created today.