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Product Description
Product Description
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.
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Over time, I've developed workable painting stations for indoor and outdoor use. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Over time, I've developed workable painting stations for indoor and outdoor use. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
71 of 72 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a rarity in the field of 'how-to' art books - and I speak as one who has shelves crammed with them! If you're tired of opening such books and being confronted by the same old colour wheel and rules of composition, treat yourself to a breath of fresh air (literally!) and invest in this. Macpherson is a founder of the American 'school' of plein air painting, and his work has a vivacity which instantly puts the book above the traditional demonstration mode and into a class of its own. I haven't painted for years and have lost a lot of confidence, but by the end of the first few pages I was itching to pick up a brush and have a go.
Text is readable - friendly and supportive, never patronising or bullying. It's full of practical suggestions which can instantly help - e.g. if you use a slide projector, put it out of focus to simplify big shapes and assess composition. Look at your picture in a mirror to get a fresh, unbiased view.
Apart from the obvious expertise and enthusiasm(and this book bursts at the seams with both), the particular strengths are:
*number and quality of stunning illustrations - you can see the brushwork, and the colours sing
*on almost every page there are 'idea boxes' with snippets of advice or exercises to try, which encourage participation!
*demonstrations of paintings built up in the studio after plein air sessions show how Macpherson develops/corrects his work
*it's a book which is equally valuable as bedside reading or propped up next to your easel
* a raw beginner would learn a lot from it; so would a seasoned professional artist (I think!)
Without doubt, this is the one art book I would take to the desert island with me! A close second, if you're interested, would be Steve Allrich's 'Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner'
Text is readable - friendly and supportive, never patronising or bullying. It's full of practical suggestions which can instantly help - e.g. if you use a slide projector, put it out of focus to simplify big shapes and assess composition. Look at your picture in a mirror to get a fresh, unbiased view.
Apart from the obvious expertise and enthusiasm(and this book bursts at the seams with both), the particular strengths are:
*number and quality of stunning illustrations - you can see the brushwork, and the colours sing
*on almost every page there are 'idea boxes' with snippets of advice or exercises to try, which encourage participation!
*demonstrations of paintings built up in the studio after plein air sessions show how Macpherson develops/corrects his work
*it's a book which is equally valuable as bedside reading or propped up next to your easel
* a raw beginner would learn a lot from it; so would a seasoned professional artist (I think!)
Without doubt, this is the one art book I would take to the desert island with me! A close second, if you're interested, would be Steve Allrich's 'Oil Painting for the Serious Beginner'
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I haven't finished this book yet, but am very pleased with what I've read and seen so far. I really like Kevin's style of painting, and he is very good at explaining his methods and teaching his approach to the plein air landscape. This book was recommended to me, and I am happy to recommend it to others!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was hooked by the cover picture. "I wish I had done that", I secretly thought. That first impression was strengthened by flipping through the book and looking at other paintings by the author.
Everyone else seemed to love his paintings, too, so I was very interested in what Kevin Macpherson had to say.
Luckily, Kevin describes a very simple method, very plainly. The method is restated in different ways so that everyone is sure to "click" with one way of explaining it. He gives many illustrated examples of producing a painting, and lots of concrete advice like using a card with a small hole in it to see the colour of something better.
The thrust of the book is simple. Paint the shapes you see, rather than the objects you see, in their real colours. The objects, such as cows or trees, and the feel of the scene, such as dusk or full sunlight or icy water, will automatically emerge from the shapes and colours, without you painting them as such.
Although the book describes painting with oil colours, the guts of it are easily adapted to other paints such as acylics.
Simplicity is the key note everywhere. For instance the author recommends a pallet of no more than five colours, including white. If you think that would give slightly dull colours, just look at his paintings and I am sure you will change your mind.
The one danger of the book is that Kevin's ideas are so powerful, and give such good results, that you have to watch out that they don't overwhelm your own ideas and turn you into a "Kevin Macpherson Copycat". This is not Kevin's aim. Unlike many art books, the tone of the book is that he is showing you *a* way of doing things, not *the only* way. I think he would be delighted if you incorporated his ideas into your own journey rather than viewed them as the journeys end.
Everyone else seemed to love his paintings, too, so I was very interested in what Kevin Macpherson had to say.
Luckily, Kevin describes a very simple method, very plainly. The method is restated in different ways so that everyone is sure to "click" with one way of explaining it. He gives many illustrated examples of producing a painting, and lots of concrete advice like using a card with a small hole in it to see the colour of something better.
The thrust of the book is simple. Paint the shapes you see, rather than the objects you see, in their real colours. The objects, such as cows or trees, and the feel of the scene, such as dusk or full sunlight or icy water, will automatically emerge from the shapes and colours, without you painting them as such.
Although the book describes painting with oil colours, the guts of it are easily adapted to other paints such as acylics.
Simplicity is the key note everywhere. For instance the author recommends a pallet of no more than five colours, including white. If you think that would give slightly dull colours, just look at his paintings and I am sure you will change your mind.
The one danger of the book is that Kevin's ideas are so powerful, and give such good results, that you have to watch out that they don't overwhelm your own ideas and turn you into a "Kevin Macpherson Copycat". This is not Kevin's aim. Unlike many art books, the tone of the book is that he is showing you *a* way of doing things, not *the only* way. I think he would be delighted if you incorporated his ideas into your own journey rather than viewed them as the journeys end.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Clear & concise
In this book, Kevin explains how to paint relatively simple, but effective impressionistic paintings in a clear step-by-step process. Read more
Published 4 months ago by And
Great book for any oil painter to own
I've had this book for years, and have been interested to see how much Kevin McPherson and his work have influenced American oil painters - GREATLY. Read more
Published 10 months ago by D. Antone
good book for new to oils folk
Wonderful illustrations. My only complaint is that although he gives lots of helpful info on mixing colours he doesn't tell you what colours he uses - admits he just uses whatever... Read more
Published 14 months ago by lizt
Excellent book for Oil painters
Informative, simple and has really good paintings. I am already seeing results just copying the paintings in the books. Very pleased with it
Published 18 months ago by mittux
My Thoughts
An excellent book with clear explanations and for once does not jump ahead in the demonstration details.
Well worth the money even at twice the price.
Well worth the money even at twice the price.
Published 18 months ago by Mr. Bryan J. Hammond
A very informative and enthusiastic book.
In short this is a great book. I have both books from the same author and while there is some duplication each stands alone. Read more
Published 20 months ago by M. Oliver
oil painting light and colour
this is the second volume i have bought by this author and i find it very helpful and full of good informatiom. the enthusiastic approach by kevin macpherson is very refreshing,
Published on 6 Mar 2010 by Mr. Donald Crabtree
Inspirational and informative.
This book is not just a run-of-the-mill "how to", it's more a trigger to make you "really want to". Beautifully produced and uncomplicated. One of the best.
Published on 24 Feb 2002
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