Nobody ever said that oil painting was easy. But it gets much easier and a lot more fun when you follow a step-by-step approach that starts you off on the right foot, helps you build your skills one at a time, and gives you plenty of exercises to develop your craft. That's what you'll find in "Oil Painting For Dummies."

Completely free of arty jargon, this full-color guide has all the hands-on instruction you need to master the basics. You'll see how to plan a painting, build an image in layers, mix colors, and create stunning compositions. You'll also find everything you need to know about oil paints, solvents, and pigments; brushes, palettes, and painting surfaces; and how to keep costs down at the art supply store. Discover how to: Choose the right suppliesSet up your studio and care for your equipmentHandle your materials safelyDevelop your design and composition skillsMake practice sketches and studiesUse broken stroke, dry brush, glazing, scraffito and other brush strokesTry out different compositionsMix any color you wantSimplify tricky still-life subjectsPaint landscapes and common objects out doorsPaint portraits and the human form

Complete with handy color chart, basic materials list, and a very useful viewing square, "Oil Painting For Dummies" is the fun and easy way to discover your inner artist

A fully illustrated, comprehensive, and scholarly catalogue of the paintings in the Ashmolean Museum's collection by French artists born between 1775 and 1875 The only complete catalogue of French paintings of the period in the Ashmolean Museum, this comprehensive and scholarly study explores their rich collection of nineteenth-century French art. Continuing a convention set by earlier Ashmolean catalogues that mirrors the concept of the long nineteenth century, the book defines nineteenth-century French artists as those born between 1775 and 1875. Stretching into the twentieth century, it covers a fascinating range of paintings including works by Louis-Leopold Boilly, Camille, Lucien, and Fe lix Pissarro, Henri Fantin-Latour, Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Ce zanne, Claude Monet, and Henri Matisse. The catalogue was compiled by the late distinguished art historian Jon Whiteley. In each entry, Whiteley draws upon his encyclopaedic knowledge of French art and the Ashmolean holdings. Provenance, literature, and exhibition history are recorded as well as extensive technical notes and information on frames. The entries on each work are accompanied by new, high-quality photography and comparative images, resulting in a complete and thorough documentation of this important part of the Ashmolean collection of Western art, providing an informative contribution to existing scholarship. Distributed for Modern Art Press

Oils give a rich, majestic quality to a painting but may often be deemed too tricky or ambitious to try. This practical book puts the joy of painting with oils within reach of all who want to develop their skills. Examples of landscape, marine, nude and equestrian paintings will inspire and show the rich diversity, texture and depth that oil painting can achieve. Written by a professional painter, it encourages artists of all levels to experiment with the medium and to develop their art.

Rene Magritte (1898-1967) is the most famous Belgian artist of the twentieth century and a celebrated representative of the Surrealist movement. Much has been written about his practices, artistic community, and significance within the history of modernism, but little has been documented regarding his process. Though he was reluctant to discuss his techniques and materials, practical concerns over media and cost shaped his output and legacy. This volume examines fifty oil paintings made by Magritte between 1921 and 1967, now held at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. This technical study of his works using noninvasive scientific imaging and chemical analysis reveals the artist's painting materials, his habit of overpainting previous compositions, and the origins and mechanisms of surface and pigment degradation. Of interest to conservators, scientists, curators, and enthusiasts of twentieth-century art, this book expands our understanding of Magritte the artist and provides new and useful findings that will inform strategies for the future care of his works.

Oil paint is such a responsive and versatile medium that no two painters need use it in exactly the same way, and since its invention in Renaissance times it has never lost its popularity with artists. Amateurs also find it appealing, both because it is enjoyable to use and because mistakes can be so easily rectified. This compact book explains all the materials, techniques and different approaches to painting with oils. Step-by-step sequences show how to paint a range of themes, from still life to portraits and landscapes, with advice on more difficult subjects. There are also suggestions for presenting your finished paintings and how to go about getting your work seen and exhibited.

Landscape painting is one of the most popular subjects for painters working in the medium of oils - from classic masters to contemporary artists. In The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, established Watson-Guptill author and noted instructor/painter Suzanne Brooker presents the fundamentals necessary for mastering landscape oil painting, breaking landscapes down into component parts: sky, terrain, trees, and water. Each featured element builds off the previous, with additional lessons on the latest brushes, paints, and other tools used by artists. Key methods like observation, rendering, and colour mixing are supported by demonstration paintings and samples from a variety of the best landscape oil painters of all time. With The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting, oil painters looking to break into landscape painting or enhance their work will find all the necessary ingredients for success.

Some of the most popular art instruction books ever written have been based on student notes culled over the years from actual workshop sessions, with all their power and immediacy - and with practical, on-to-one contact between student and teacher. This is such a book. For more than two years, Linda Cateura has pursued teacher / artist David A. Leffel, notebook in hand, as he critiqued the work of students. Linda Cateura's succinct notes capture his insights, philosophy, painting hints, and general comments.
Leffel's classic, painterly, twentieth-century old master style, much in the manner of Rembrandt or Chardin, affords ample illustration of the ideas expressed - through his many paintings, details, demonstrations, and diagrams, almost all in color.
No matter what your level of ability, there is something here to apply to your own work, ideas that will cause you to rething your own ways of painting, hints to save you effort, or solutions to persistent painting problems.

These pages practically glow with Kevin Macpherson's rich and powerful paintings He shares his techniques for quickly capturing the mood of a scene in bold, direct brushstrokes, with step-by-step instructions that make it easy--simply a matter of painting the colors you see. Follow his lead and you too, can create landscapes and still lives in a vibrant, impressionistic style.

An essential guide demonstrating the universal oil painting techniques that allow artists to expand their horizons, break out of ruts, and master a variety of subjects, including figures, portraits, still life, landscapes, and interiors. Many painters limit themselves to a particular genre out of habit or fear, but art instructor Gregg Kreutz reveals how connected oil painting techniques are no matter what subject an artist tackles. Arranged by essential artistic focal points, each chapter reveals the challenges and rewards that painters face when covering specific genres. Through step-by-step lessons and examples from the works of oil painting masters past and present, Kreutz shows how artists can strengthen their skillset for one type of subject matter by painting in another area they may not be as familiar with. This comprehensive breakdown of oil painting provides all of the tools and encouragement painters need to successfully take on any type of oil painting.

Rob Wareing has built a formidable international reputation as a portrait artist. This is his first book, and here he draws on over 40 years' experience to provide a complete guide to painting portraits in oils. In Rob's view, the most effective way to capture character is by working from life rather than photographs, and to follow the alla prima method to create a painting in one sitting. Starting with a fascinating overview of the subject, Rob then guides the reader through the materials he uses, explains how to pose and light the sitter, and how to prepare the work area before starting to paint. This is followed by detailed coverage of design and composition, the importance of proportions, and the painting process itself - from colour mixing through to finishing a painting without over-working. With clear, step-by-step demonstrations and numerous examples of the author's work throughout, this book provides both an expert guide to portrait painting and a unique insight into the working methods of one of the world's leading portrait painters.

The Easy Way to Get Started with Oil Painting Craig Stephens has a simple motto for painting: With a brush, some paints and a willingness to learn, anyone can do it. With that mindset, Craig takes his most essential lessons, boils them down to their basics and teaches you everything you need to know to start oil painting, without any fuss or highbrow. Thanks to his experience teaching painting to high school students for over two decades, Craig is an expert at helping those with no experience pick up a brush and make beautiful art they are proud of. With his direction, you'll create dynamic, vivid paintings and learn to capture your world in ways you never thought possible. Each project in this book is designed to highlight the important elements of using oil paints, helping you to practice new skills and get comfortable with the medium. And thanks to Craig's helpful step-by-step directions that pair a picture with each stroke, you'll get great results. Hone your color-mixing eye as you blend the vibrant greens and subtle yellows in the Freshly Cut Avocado piece. Practice painting unique textures, like the small craters in the Simplified Strawberry or the glossy skin on the Smooth and Shiny Plum. Learn all the ways to capture natural light, like transparency in a glass of Refreshing Lemon Water or dazzling reflections on a Chrome Coffee Creamer. Oil painting is a timeless art form, and with Craig as your teacher, you'll create 22 beautiful pieces for your walls and learn all the foundational skills you need to enjoy this hobby for years to come.

This work introduces not only the techniques of oil painting but also the underlying principles of figure drawing. The book features 32 full-colour pages and an introduction by James Gurney.

Known for incorporating happy little clouds, mountains, and trees in paintings he would create in just 26 television minutes, Bob Ross had an encouraging and soothing demeanour that made his instructional television shows the most recognized and watched in television history. Ross created nearly 30,000 paintings in his lifetime, most using the wet-on-wet method employed by Caravaggio, Cezanne, and Monet. This fully authorized collection of more than 300 pieces of his art features his most famous quotes about painting and life, including And success with painting leads to success with many things. It carries over into every part of your life as well as techniques that will inspire readers to create their own art. Originally airing in 1982 on PBS in the United States and various outlets throughout Canada, Latin America, and Europe, the more than 400 episodes of Bob Ross s two series, The Joy of Painting and Beauty Is Everywhere are now available on YouTube and Netflix. He is a figure beloved by multiple generations and is seen as an icon rivalling, if not surpassing, any other modern-day painter in terms of the scope of his work, societal influence, and popularity.

Learning to paint using oils, acrylics and gouache requires training in specific painting skills. This practical guide is an ideal introduction to all three media for beginners, as well as including exercises and projects to challenge more experienced artists. The introduction details the materials and equipment necessary before demonstrating key techniques such as wet into wet with gouache, impasto with acrylics, and glazing with oils. There then follows 25 beautiful painting projects ranging from landscapes and portraits to still lifes and abstract canvases. Step-by-step photographs guide you through every stage, enabling you to paint with confidence. Discover the pleasures and practicalities of painting with this fully-illustrated artist’s manual. A how-to introduction to all aspects of painting with oils, acrylics and gouache, from beginners to intermediates, with full technical instruction. There is guidance on the most common paint techniques with small-scale practice exercises to try, including wet into wet, drybrush, alla prima, glazing, scumbling, impasto, and removing paint. The 25 original full-scale step-by-step projects cover a range of popular subjects and treatments, from a simple study of a young child and a sun-dappled woodland path to a sweeping beach landscape and a sleeping cat.

In the latest addition to the Color Mixing Recipes family of books, artist William F. Powell provides instruction on color mixing as it relates to landscape painting in oil and acrylic. Following the format of the other books in the series, Color Mixing Recipes for Landscapes offers a robust index of landscape subjects that correspond to the featured color mixing swatches. This useful book also discusses how color is influenced by the time of day, the angle of the sun, and changing seasons, making it a must-have in every oil and acrylic artist's reference library.

This new edition of a revered guide to the technical aspects of painting marks the 40th anniversary of its original publication. Fully revised by author Jack Faragasso, the highly sought-after but long-unavailable book features improved imagery, materials, and edits, including a new chapter on working in natural sunlight. The revisions are guided by extensive notes by Faragasso, an expert in the Frank J. Reilly method of understanding how color works in various realistic lighting conditions and how to make paint replicate those visual impressions.

A former Director of the Reilly School of Art and an instructor at the Art Students League, Faragasso offers a full treatment of the Reilly techniques in clear, coherent terms. His exposition of the principles of painting and color applies to all subject matter — including portraits, figures, and still life — and under any lighting conditions. Anyone wishing to paint effectively in a traditional manner will benefit from this volume, including serious beginners, intermediate to advanced students, and teachers of art and painting.

This is a glorious 25th anniversary reissue of this classic book. Illuminating & fascinating, it covers the classic art techniques perfected by 16th and 17th century masters. These include Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Titian & Reuben, all enhanced with full-colour demonstrations.This illuminating and fascinating book, reissued for the 25th anniversary of its publication, covers the techniques perfected by 16th and 17th century masters, studying protraits by Titian, Caravaggio, Reubens and Rembrandt and many more. In this unique book, Joseph Sheppard, a leading contemporary painter, shows you in detailed, full-colour demonstrations the variety of oil painting techniques perfected by the old masters. The techniques Sheppard describes cover the full spectrum from the direct painting (alla prima) of Rubens and Hals to the elaborate underpainting and glazing methods of Rembrandt and Titian. Each chapter is devoted to a different master covering his background, style and techniques.

Many an art student and BFA graduate arrive at the sorry state that despite all their classes and books on painting, they still don't understand the rudiments of oil painting - the basics of colour mixing and creating the illusion of form. That's where "The Oil Painting Course You've Always Wanted" comes in, an invaluable primer on oil painting that sets itself apart from other books on this subject. First, this book is a course - a composite of lessons that the author, Kathleen Staiger, has developed over many years of teaching. Structured so that each detailed lesson builds on the previous one, the book reinforces the learning process with fully explained diagrams, illustrations, exercises, and demonstrations. Second, there is a logical, workable method of sure-fire colour mixing. Third, the book is tailored to the insecurity of the beginner; skills are built slowly, with precise guidance and logical explanations. Staiger has been teaching this course for years with amazing results. Students who have never touched a paintbrush are now exhibiting and selling their paintings. Experienced painters find they learn something new in every lesson. This book is organized around a progressive set of lessons: Class 1: How to Create the Illusion of Three Dimension; Class 2: Making Your Brush Behave; Class 3: Foolproof Colour Mixing; Class 4: Putting It All Together Class 5: Still Life Painting; Class 6: Landscape Painting; and Class 7: Portrait Painting. The features include: a complete, foolproof primer; includes author's sure-fire method of colour mixing; and step-by-step lessons, complete with diagrams, exercises, and demonstrations.

Such are the observations that filter through the galleries during Tom Palmore's exhibitions in which animals steal the show.

Born in Ada and living in Oklahoma, Palmore emerged from the 1970s Photorealist movement as a maverick. His career includes more than a decade on the East Coast, where he refined his skills at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and exhibited in New York's prominent contemporary galleries. Palmore used his technical virtuosity to explore his passion for the animal kingdom. Then as today, his monumental paintings received critical acclaim, and his incongruous juxtapositions of realistic primates in silk-and-velvet interiors earned him the nickname Gorilla Man.

Palmore's fidelity to an animal's visage is intended to make it proud. However, the contexts in which he places them are pure Palmore, infused with his penchant for wit and the unexpected. His portrait of Oscar, the famed rodeo bull, is set against Palmore-designed wallpaper of cowboys catapulted into the air. A rooster surveys its Grant Wood countryside, and an imposing lion is oblivious to the diminutive monarch butterfly that shares its epithet. In all cases, Palmore's paintings loom large not only in scale but also in raised consciousness of the "earthlings with whom we share this planet," as he says.