This in depth painting demonstration explains a practical way of achieving sfumato effects with modern art materials when painting Leonardo da Vinci's the Mona Lisa. Featured also in Skin Tones in Oil: 10 Step by Step Guides from Old Masters, this painting project has proved to be sufficiently lengthy to warrant a book in its own right. The chief section of this book comprises step by step images and text that gives instructions on how the Mona Lisa was completed via 5 stages. Preparatory sections, a troubleshooting guide and glossary are also included. Find extra features on managing tonal balances, rendering subtle shadows, working in glazes, dry brushing and using simple art materials. Completing such a momentous project has been broken down into manageable pieces, creating an invaluable experience for any portraitist. This book's aim is to make painting the Mona Lisa inclusive. Contemporary art materials and modified art techniques have therefore been used. However, this book offers a way of achieving great sfumato effects in the style of Leonardo. Book's dimensions: 8x10in and 45 pages. Colour illustrations throughout.

This book was not so much written as constructed, somewhat like a painting. It is a collection of teaching notes from nearly thirty years, each note created in the crucible of an art class. A comment from one of his readers: Ryno Swart has written a book as magical as the most successful painting . . . it says what needs to be said-no more, no less. It gets to the heart of the matter and is peppered with pithy and relevant notes such as "Half the skill of painting is leaving it alone." "You can't make a painting work; you can only allow it to work." "A painting must be conducted like a military campaign; planned and organised and strategised." This is a book that should not lie on a coffee table or grace a bookshelf. This is a book that should be propped up in your studio or wherever you work and should soon become spotted and splashed with paint.