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.




American Painters on Technique


Book Description

"How paintings were made--in the most literal sense--is an important but largely unknown aspect of the story of American art. This book, like the authors' previous volume on American painting techniques from the colonial period to 1860, is based on descriptions of the materials and methods that painters used, as found in artists' notebooks, painting manuals, magazines, suppliers' catalogues, letters, diaries, books, and interviews. In interpreting this evidence, the authors have made use of their experience as conservators who have treated many important American paintings."--Book jacket.




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




American Painters on Technique


Book Description

A study of an important but anonymous part of the history of American art: the materials and techniques used by American painters. Based on research including artists' recipe books, letters, journals, and painting manuals, it includes topics such as the quest for the 'secrets' of the Old Masters; the application of 'toning' layers; and more.




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.




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.




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.




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.




Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques


Book Description

Filled with inspirational artwork and solid instruction, this guide will delight loyal acrylic painters and encourage artists from other mediums to cross over. Greer's instruction capitalizes on the brilliant colors available in acrylics and shows artists how to paint with them using proven "watercolor" and "oil" techniques. Starting with 16 mini-demos, artists are encouraged to: *Jump right in and follow step-by-step instructions for mastering techniques such as masking, splattering, underpainting, washes and more *Learn tips and tricks for rendering many elements of landscape including trees, flowers, roads and reflections The second section of the book features four complete painting demonstrations that challenge artists to exercise their new painting techniques through a variety of landscape subjects. Two demonstrations show artists how to use acrylics as an effective base for other mediums.