Much more than just another guide to artists’ materials, The Painter’s Handbook is an amazingly useful resource, with information on everything from the canvas up: the canvas itself, plus paper, sizes and grounds, pigments and binders, solvents and thinners, varnishes and preservatives. Dozens of step-by-step recipes for make-it-yourself paints, pastels, varnishes, gessoes, sizes, supports, and equipment take this indispensable guide way beyond the competition. Authoritatively written by Mark David Gottsegen, chair of the federal government’s ASTM committee on artist’s materials, the revised Painter’s Handbook considers the enormous changes in the art-materials world since the first edition was published in 1993. New materials, new health issues, new information on outmoded and even harmful supplies and practices mean that every painter needs a copy of The Painter’s Handbook.

The essential reference for amateur and professional alike, The Handbook of Painted Decoration is the first book to cover the whole spectrum of trompe l'oeil decorative painting, from classic marbling and wood graining to ancient techniques of decorative painting that have been nearly forgotten.

The only how-to guide dedicated to mastering the technique of digital matte painting! Matte painting affords seamless integration between an artist’s painting with live action film footage and allows for greater flexibility and creative input in the appearance of movie settings. This unique book reveals a variety of tools and techniques that are both industry and classroom tested and will enhance your existing skill set. Veteran author and instructor David Mattingly walks you through the process of creating a matte painting, starting with rough concept sketches, working out the perspective drawing, adding light and shadow, and texturing all of the elements in the painting. You’ll gradually upgrade to using Adobe After Effects and Autodesk Maya in order to fulfill your matte painting vision. Escorts you through the process of creating a matte painting, starting with the initial concept sketch, adding light and shadow, texturing elements, and incorporating motion and depth Author is an experienced matte artist and teacher and shares a plethora of unique industry- and classroom-tested tools and techniques Features helpful step-by-step instructions accompanied by screen shots and photos to illustrate the process of creating a matte painting Whether you’re creating a background for a studio production, independent film, TV commercial, or YouTube video, The Digital Matte Painting Handbook helps you successfully complete your project. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Pick up your pencil or brush and start creating with this go-to resource for artists of all skill levels, covering drawing, painting, and mixed media. A refreshing, accessible compendium of art materials and techniques, The Everything Art Handbook is the perfect all-inclusive resource for beginning artists wanting to experiment and play with a variety of art mediums and techniques. The Everything Art Handbook is divided into sections focusing on different types of mediums and art concepts. Each section includes a basic overview of the topic, instructions for selecting and working with the right tools and materials, step-by-step sample artwork, and helpful sidebars with advice from professional artists. Expand and refresh your artistic skills with such topics as: Getting started, including how to set up a studio and where to find inspiration Art fundamentals, such as value and light, perspective, and composition Color basics, including complementary colors, primaries, secondaries, and neutrals Drawing techniques for working with graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, pastel, pen and ink, and more Painting techniques for working with oil, acrylic, and watercolor Mixed media tools and techniques, including stamping, encaustics, and textures Using clear, informative explanations for achieving the best results, The Everything Art Handbook is an approachable reference guide for contemporary artists of any skill level.

An Authoritative, Comprehensive Guide for Contemporary Figurative Artists At a time when renewed interest in figurative art is surging throughout the art world, author Robert Zeller presents The Figurative Artist’s Handbook—the first comprehensive guide to figure drawing and painting to appear in decades. Illustrated with Zeller’s own exquisite drawings and paintings as well as works by nearly 100 historical and contemporary figurative art masters, the handbook is also a treasure trove of the finest figurative art of the past and the present day. Included are Michelangelo, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Gustav Klimt, Edward Hopper, Andrew Loomis, Andrew Wyeth, Lucian Freud, Odd Nerdrum, Eric Fischl, Bo Bartlett, Steven Assael, John Currin, and many others. Original and thoroughly modern in his approach, Zeller brings together three figure-drawing methods long thought to be at odds, synthesizing these seemingly incompatible techniques to achieve a cohesive and complete understanding of the human figure. Although all three methods underlie contemporary fine-arts practice and education, no artist’s handbook has ever combined them before: The Study of Gesture (Disegno): Rooted in the Italian Mannerist style of the 16th and 17th centuries, the gestural method emphasizes life, rhythm, and movement in the human body. The Structural Approach: A mainstay of 20th- and 21st-century art instruction, this method applies an architectural perspective to the body, using a block conception for anatomically sound, solid figures. The Atelier Method: Based on the training provided by 18th- and 19th-century art academies, the atelier approach creates sensual, smooth renderings based on meticulous study of the figure’s surface morphology in light and shadow. Covering all the basics as well as many advanced techniques, The Figurative Artist’s Handbook is aimed at both students and experienced artists. A practical, how-to guide, it provides in-depth step-by-step instruction and—rare among figure-drawing books—features sections on composition, portraiture, and painting. Chapters on creativity and on using a sketchbook help readers hone their artistic vision and evolve ideas from the initial inspiration to the fully developed work. Also included is an extensive section highlighting the great movements in figurative art throughout history—from ancient Egypt and Greece to the present.

Accompanying CD-ROM contains sample plans listed in Appendix A, drawn to scale.

The whys and hows of the various aspects of landscape painting: angles and consequent values, perspective, painting of trees, more. 34 black-and-white reproductions of paintings by Carlson. 58 explanatory diagrams.

He also addresses the phenomenon of art critiques as a microcosm for teaching art as a whole and dissects real-life critiques, highlighting presuppositions and dynamics that make them confusing and suggesting ways to make them more helpful. Elkins's no-nonsense approach clears away the assumptions about art instruction that are not borne out by classroom practice. For example, he notes that despite much talk about instilling visual acuity and teaching technique, in practice neither teachers nor students behave as if those were their principal goals. He addresses the absurdity of pretending that sexual issues are absent from life-drawing classes and questions the practice of holding up great masters and masterpieces as models for students capable of producing only mediocre art. He also discusses types of art--including art that takes time to complete and art that isn't serious--that cannot be learned in studio art classes.

"The Landscape Painter's Workbook takes a modern approach to the time-honored techniques and essential elements of landscape painting, from accomplished artist, veteran art instructor, and established author Mitchell Albala"--

Practical visual guidance to 45 painting techniques.