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Product Description
Product Description
James Gurney, New York Times best-selling author and artist of the Dinotopia series, follows Imaginative Realism with his second art-instruction book, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter. A researched study on two of art's most fundamental themes, Color and Light bridges the gap between abstract theory and practical knowledge. Beginning with a survey of underappreciated masters who perfected the use of color and light, the book examines how light reveals form, the properties of color and pigments, and the wide variety of atmospheric effects. Gurney cuts though the confusing and contradictory dogma about color, testing it in the light of science and observation. A glossary, pigment index, and bibliography complete what will ultimately become an indispensible tool for any artist.
This book is the second in a series based on his blog, gurneyjourney.com. His first in the series, Imaginative Realism, was widely acclaimed in the fantastical art world, and was ranked the #1 Bestseller on the Amazon list for art instruction.
"James Gurney's new book, Color and Light, cleverly bridges the gap between artistic observation and scientific explanation. Not only does he eloquently describe all the effects of color and light an artist might encounter, but he thrills us with his striking paintings in the process." --Armand Cabrera, Artist
About the Author
James Gurney’s unique blending of fact and fantasy has won Hugo, Chesley, Spectrum, and World Fantasy Awards. His work has been featured in one-man exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Delaware Art Museum, and the U.S. embassies in Switzerland and Yemen. He lives with his wife, Jeanette, in the Hudson Valley of New York State.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm a struggling digital artist, always looking forward for new tutorials and useful bits of info about color theory, since you never know enough about it. I bought this book after reading some other reviews and I'm really glad I did.
I wasn't familiar with James' blog, even though I'm a big fan of all his work for his Dinotopia series. His prolific contributions to this blog and, eminently, his teaching career, have given him the ability to explain everything clearly, with some of the most beautiful examples you could hope to have, all done by Mr. Gurney himself. There's a lot to like and learn from this book, everything is understandable and achievable, and his Gamut references are priceless. I have a modest collection of books and DVD's about color, but this work is, by far, the best I have ever read.
With this amazing print quality, all of the great advice and knowledge, and for this price, you really need this book, even if you are a classical or digital artist, or just like art for what it is!
I wasn't familiar with James' blog, even though I'm a big fan of all his work for his Dinotopia series. His prolific contributions to this blog and, eminently, his teaching career, have given him the ability to explain everything clearly, with some of the most beautiful examples you could hope to have, all done by Mr. Gurney himself. There's a lot to like and learn from this book, everything is understandable and achievable, and his Gamut references are priceless. I have a modest collection of books and DVD's about color, but this work is, by far, the best I have ever read.
With this amazing print quality, all of the great advice and knowledge, and for this price, you really need this book, even if you are a classical or digital artist, or just like art for what it is!
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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Length:
1:01
Mins
Color and Light is the latest book from James Gurney and it's fantastic. It is a very accessible guide that's filled with interesting and useful information on color and light. It's fortunate we have so many colors today at our disposable, and now with this book, something to help make sense of them.
The book talks about color in a very practical sense, as you would see them in life. The lessons are observations of light and colors from James Gurney's years of painting experience. He brings his points across with his own beautiful paintings as examples, clearly explaining why and how he uses colors. It amazes me the amount of work James Gurney has created over the years, and this book is filled with them, from his plein-air to Dinopedia paintings.
There are lessons on sources of light, light and form, understanding the color wheel, how light reacts with surfaces and other elements, and visual perception. You'll learn interesting things like why the moon looks blue, when happens to light when it travels through green canopy, tips on mixing colors, and a whole lot more. There are lots of tips and techniques included. The book is also well researched and I enjoy reading the history of color as they were used in the past by other artists.
It's really a no-brainer to pick this up if you're into creating art, or even if you just want to check out the beautiful paintings in the book.
Highly recommended reference. And you should also check out his other book Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist.
(There are some pictures of the book on my blog, just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
The book talks about color in a very practical sense, as you would see them in life. The lessons are observations of light and colors from James Gurney's years of painting experience. He brings his points across with his own beautiful paintings as examples, clearly explaining why and how he uses colors. It amazes me the amount of work James Gurney has created over the years, and this book is filled with them, from his plein-air to Dinopedia paintings.
There are lessons on sources of light, light and form, understanding the color wheel, how light reacts with surfaces and other elements, and visual perception. You'll learn interesting things like why the moon looks blue, when happens to light when it travels through green canopy, tips on mixing colors, and a whole lot more. There are lots of tips and techniques included. The book is also well researched and I enjoy reading the history of color as they were used in the past by other artists.
It's really a no-brainer to pick this up if you're into creating art, or even if you just want to check out the beautiful paintings in the book.
Highly recommended reference. And you should also check out his other book Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist.
(There are some pictures of the book on my blog, just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Color and Light" is a really good book and a better purchase. Result of the passion for research and thirty years of experience, it shows how the traditional artistic knowledge is the base of contemporary realistic illustration too.
With the same spirit with wich Leonardo da Vinci, in his "Tattato della Pittura", showed that the road to better represent reality, was the analysis of physical phenomena, rather than the simply copy of other painters' work, Gurney investigates with his distinctive scientific approach the light and visual perception phenomena, that bind the Color to the Light, between ancient and modern knowledges, describing how they can be used with success in the artistic profession.
Above all, Gurney demonstrates how the direct experience will lead to image more effectively than the use of photographs and virtual simulations.
Therefore, the book is recommended not only to the illustrators who use traditional techniques, but also to those who think that mastering the illustration is the result of practical only, while the theoretical knowledge is superfluous.
If I have to find small defects - that absolutely does not reduce the total value of the book - I can say that the structure of the edition, which devotes two pages to each topic, not always connecting the content to pages later, it is sometimes scattered, making the book is not only a practical manual or a collection of articles, nor a treaty. Therefore, I particularly liked the chapters more homogeneous, such those about the gamut and pigments, which I found really valuable, while the first chapter, about the representation of color and light in Old Masters' painting, it seemed to me a little hasty, almost a second introduction.
In conclusion, I thank James Gurney for giving us this book, which is a generous gift of his experience and his love for art to us all.
With the same spirit with wich Leonardo da Vinci, in his "Tattato della Pittura", showed that the road to better represent reality, was the analysis of physical phenomena, rather than the simply copy of other painters' work, Gurney investigates with his distinctive scientific approach the light and visual perception phenomena, that bind the Color to the Light, between ancient and modern knowledges, describing how they can be used with success in the artistic profession.
Above all, Gurney demonstrates how the direct experience will lead to image more effectively than the use of photographs and virtual simulations.
Therefore, the book is recommended not only to the illustrators who use traditional techniques, but also to those who think that mastering the illustration is the result of practical only, while the theoretical knowledge is superfluous.
If I have to find small defects - that absolutely does not reduce the total value of the book - I can say that the structure of the edition, which devotes two pages to each topic, not always connecting the content to pages later, it is sometimes scattered, making the book is not only a practical manual or a collection of articles, nor a treaty. Therefore, I particularly liked the chapters more homogeneous, such those about the gamut and pigments, which I found really valuable, while the first chapter, about the representation of color and light in Old Masters' painting, it seemed to me a little hasty, almost a second introduction.
In conclusion, I thank James Gurney for giving us this book, which is a generous gift of his experience and his love for art to us all.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Exelent Book
a must buy even if u know your light & color its a nice book to have, had helpful images that help explain and the price is its strong point to the book also
Published 17 days ago by Kristinn
Excellent
Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter
I ordered this book for my brother who is studying Computer Graphic design/art and he loves it. Read more
I ordered this book for my brother who is studying Computer Graphic design/art and he loves it. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Lily
not just for painters also animators.
Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter
this book is a must have if your a painter of any kind, am a student studying animation has really helped me allot on so... Read more
this book is a must have if your a painter of any kind, am a student studying animation has really helped me allot on so... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Djeef N
distinctly different winner.
Brilliantly useful book that doesn't skimp on the science, richly illustrated with the author's paintings including some stunning oil sketches and landscapes. Read more
Published 4 months ago by D. Vast
The book I wish i'd had at art college!
'Colour and Light' by James Gurney is well written and laid out. There are tips and tricks for beginners through to professionals in all fields of art. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Malteaser88
Color and Light
If you are serious about becoming a truly skilled artist, you have to own this book. I wish I had owned this book since I began drawing and painting in my youth. Read more
Published 6 months ago by renfield
art book
good book with in depth detial about light and colour fascinating facts presaented in a clear and easily understood manner would buy another by this author
Published 8 months ago by kenbo
A must for any observational artist
This is quite simply the best book on 'colour & light' I have ever read. Quite simply it has reinvigorated my artwork after years of drifting through the motions. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jimbo Jones
read and learn
This is an amazing book. It is writen in such a way that even I can benifit from the advice given. It is very readable, interesting, and so to the point. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Raymond Ovens
A 'must have' for the realist painter
This book is (for me) perfectly written (not too many words); clear and to the point. But most of all the concepts described are beautifully illustrated. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Peter J. Mayes
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