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MacPherson makes painting seem so easy. This book is excellent, particularly for the beginner oil painter, such as I am. The chapters are well laid out and easy to read. Of course, it isn't, but he sure breaks it down easily enough so that you feel reasonably competent. The book includes simple exercises and focuses on the main ingredients of a good painting - lights and darks, simple subjects and shapes, etc.
this is a great book to help beginners get started and those who have gotten 'stuck' get through some basic exercises to make it easy to start painting again. I like the clear instructions, humble tone, and great pictures as examples. A good substitute if you aren't going to lay down 1000USD for a workshop.
An important source of information on the process of oil painting and the planning for a successful process. The author is well known in America and the world, an accomplished figure in the fine art of very successful oil painting.
I have read many art books in various media and Kevin Macpherson's book is THE book to get to pull together the materials, technique, and philosophy of oil painting. Crazy isn't it. I misplaced my original copy and when I realized I couldn't find it, I bought two more copies so I would never be without this book again. I never tire of studying the information and return to it again and again for inspiration.Another valuable book for the absolute beginner is called "Plein Air Painting in Oil" by Frank Serrano and it is in the Walter Foster Artist's Library Series. But the series had the good judgment to have artist great Frank Serrano, a California Plein Aire Artist, write this guide. He finds his inspiration in such masters as Edgar Payne and Emile Gruppe.
Although I've been painting for a few years, I still found this book helpful. The author is very grounded and practical, and I like his back-to-basics, build a solid foundation approach. I had borrowed the book from an artist friend, and liked it well enough to purchase it. Good for when you're 1) wondering why you ever started painting, 2) worried that people who don't like your work are correct or 3) forgetting that you can do it.
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