5 comments about How to Paint Skin Tones.

1. I like this book. It's not the greatest, but it's not bad. If you're starting out painting and need some basic guidance for general skin colors it's probably ok. Where it's lacking is in most anything beyond the basic color of skin. There's no discussion of skin color in shadow, in the halftones where the skin turns away from the light, or where the skin blends into the hairline. Little about the affect of light, surroundings, or location (cheek, chin, forehead, etc.) on skin color either. Those things make or break portraits and some (me) just can't seem to mix the right colors to go with the basic skin tone of the model. I wish that had been addressed in this book... that would make it worth 5 stars (and maybe what people are asking for it these days).



2. This book is always on my workbench. As stated by another reviwer, the "Suggested Tonal Charts" section has been invaluable, and has inspired me to experiment with colors not on the list. By step-by-step examples, and by showing works of various artists, you really get a sense of color technique. I also recommend this book to model figure painters; after studying this book, the skin tones on my figures have started to look more natural instead of having that "exaggerated theatrical make-up" look!



3. This book is brilliant. Although it won't teach you how to paint, it will give you the greatest insight into how to mix colours for a near perfect image. Whether you are an amature or a professional, a book like this and at such a small cost is worth having on your shelf as an anytime reference.



4. I admit it: I bought this book for myself for a Christmas present, and it was well worth the price paid. Here is information I have never gotten in art school. Though it is probably entirely possible to learn to paint the face and figure by being presented with a model in a crowded and badly lit room, there has to be a better way, and I think this book is it. Through a clever system of charts using a palette of only 12 basic colors, author James Horton shows you how to create an infinite array of skin tones for people of pale, mid-tone and dark coloring. Specific modifications for pastellists are included, and though I'm just a beginner, I was amazed what I could do following his directions when I was only about a fourth of the way through the book. I recommend this very highly for all students, whether you're enrolled in an art course somewhere or just slugging it out on your own at home. I intend to finish every exercise in the book before I go back to art school at the end of January. Highly recommended!!!



5. This book, with its charts of sample mixes and color tones in various media, is a great asset if you are just begining to paint portraits or people. It will give you a good basic understanding of color mixing for skin tones. ( no need to buy premixed colors! Be able to paint the nuance of people, not reduce everyone to the same "skin tones.") In addition, it discussed the effects of shadow and reflected color. Nice illustrations, photos and color charts.

No comments about At Home and Abroad: The Transcendental Landscapes of Christopher Pearce Cranch (1813-1892).

No comments about Pulling Your Paintings Together.

5 comments about The Art and Technique of Sumi-e Japanese In As taught by Ukai Uchiyama.

1. Clear and straightforward. My students like. I have used it for a year. Works OK.



2. While this book was informative about Sumi-E it did not give detailed information regarding technique. It is more of a general overview rather than something an artist already skilled in the medium can use.



3. Any intelligent student of Japanese Brush Painting will recognize the importance of
   Kay Morrisey Thompson's stunning book "The Art and Techniques of Sumi-e" which
   has been in demand since 1960 and has been awarded the Good Design Award by the
   American Booksellers Association. Her text is beautifully written and clearly
   moves the student along from the basics into the impressionistic world of
   Sumi-e.
   One cannot "lump" Chinese art and Sumi-e(a Japanese style) together or they will have completely missed the inspiring philosophy and impressionistic link with
   Shodo ( Japanese calligraphy) as illustrated by the artist Sensei Uchiyama.All
   Dedicated Sumi-e students should realize that their goal is to first master and understand their
   basic strokes and then personalize this artform to reflect their individualizm. Although brush painting originated in China, the Japanese Zen Buddhist priests adapted it to their culture. Therefore, the word
   "Sumi-e-"is a Japanese word describing a Japanese style of painting. It's
   meaning "ink picture" is a very broad term which allows the student to be creative.
   To understand this very complex ancient art the student
   must read and explore as many available books as possible about brush painting to broaden his or her
   horizons. This book should definitely be on the student's "Must Have" list.



4. Any person hoping to learn the art of Sumi-e will be poorly served by this book.
   All the illustrations are hurried and rough.The author tries to explain this away by stating that the illustrations were hurried through for inclusion in the book.
   Absolute rubbish!!Any reasonable Sumi-e or Chinese painter can do a very quick but quite beautiful painting.
   If you want two very good examples of books to buy then look no further than "Chinese Painting Techniques" by Alison Stilwell Cameron, or "Chinese Painting Techniques for Exquisite Watercolors" by Lian Quan Zhen.
   Both these books are superb.
   I own all three of the titles here and can truly say that "The Art and Technique of Sumi-e.." is very poorly presented and I never use or read it.



5. This is an excellent book for any student of Japanese ink painting. The author's clear instructions focus on technique as well as the spiritual side of sumi-e. The illustrations are exceptionally beautiful & worth the price alone.

   The book starts out by discussing materials as well as a student's mindset. Line brush strokes, washes and calligraphy brushwork are then detailed & illustrated.

   The author then talks about the four gentlemen of Japan. They include the orchid, bamboo, plum & chrysanthemum. Because they are so varied, practicing these has really helped my paintings improve.

   Many other subject types are covered. Some include grass, flowers, trees, fruits, vegetables, birds, and animals. Landscape element techniques encompass rocks, clouds and mountains.

2 comments about Luminosity: The Paintings of Stephen Hannock.

1. Stephen Hannock is a master at work. He is different, with no rules. In our time we have the privelege to know and see history in the world of art being made before our eyes. This book shows the beauty of his work, but the true beauty can only be seen in the paintings (in their original size) as he does them. His works are mostly much much larger than what can be reproduced in a photograph. The detail in his work offers a uniqueness in that each time you look at a piece you will see different feelings and emotions of Stephens. It is as if you feel a part of the time in his life when he completed his piece. Stephen has several paintings displayed in museums worldwide - there are three (I believe) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Go see his work and buy this book - he is a beautiful and remarkable human being. You will look at the book over and over seeing and feeling something beautiful and different each time. Thank you Stephen for your work and your courage to dare to be different.



2. The painings shown in this book are clearly the work of a master at the height of his career. This book is a testament to this great talent. I am a collector of Hannock's paintings. Several are illustrated and I can attest to the acccuracy of the colors.Congratulations to Stephen and Chronicle Books for an extraordinary accomplishment.

No comments about The Arts of the North American Indian: Native Traditions in Evolution.

No comments about Peek-a-View Pin-up Gallery: Sexy Paintings From The '30s-'60s Vol 1.

2 comments about Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney.

1. America's artistic milieu is known for dismissing from its memory those artists whose works and lives are deemed trivial and not worthy of consideration. Such an attitude has denied younger generations of artists the experience of knowing some of the great artistic man and women of our time. Beauford Delaney was one of those artists relegated to the halls of obscurity.

   Amazing Grace is David Leemings biographical piece that examines Delaney's life and contributions to the art world. He looks at the forces which brought forth America's premiere modernist artist and shows how his gift impacted on the way one views life and art.

   Who is this man, Delaney? A superficial view of his life reveals him as an impoverished homosexual Black artist who is plagued by many demons as he struggles to find himself as an artist and at peace with his sexuality. James Baldwin called him his spiritual father who was a cross between Brer Rabbit and St. Francis of Asissi. Others knew him as the good negro or an eccentric gadfly. Whatever one may call him, Delaney's goal was to infuse the concept of love within his work that would bring him the wholeness that he failed to capture in his life.

   Plagued by paranoia, alcoholism and guilt over his homosexuality, Delaney failed to achieve intimacy in his relationships but poured out his inner struggle through his art. Like many artists, he went through several stages of development in his career which reached its climax in France. Unfortunately the demon of paranoia stripped him of his artistic ability in his later years.

   This book must be read to get a handle on the artistic struggles of African Americans and how they succeeded inspite of their alienation from the mainstream art world. Delaney also struggled with being homosexual which undoubtably alienated him from his family and Black colleagues. His struggle opens up a new chapter in examining how sexuality impacts on a minority artists life. Delaney was saved from obscurity through this view of his life. Whether he was saved by grace is a moot point for his demonic voices did him in.




2. James E. Coleman, Jr., writing in the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Review, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1999 notes: "Whether Leeming is as successful in taking on an artist's life as he had been with the literary life of [James] Baldwin, I am not certain. His knowledge of Baldwin's literary world is not quite matched by his savvy of the art world of the same period. Nevertheless, we have a fine introduction to an artist whose reputation is growing and who lived a fascinating life." That's high praise coming from Coleman, editor of The Encyclopedia Homophilica.

2 comments about The Light of Christ: Iconography of Gregory Kroug : Text and Photographs.

1. The extraordinary luminosity of Fr. Kroug's iconography is clear in the large color photos. The detail allows one to look at the layers in his tempera/fresco technique, as well as his unique manner of highlighting. His use of color, while within the canonical guidelines, is uniquely modern and is attuned to the 20-21st centuries. His icons, like the "Descent into Hades" contain the essence of spiritual meaning, speaking understandably to anyone who regards this icon, believer or not. He has been compared to Andrei Rublev as a uniquely gifted iconographer. The two are very different in style, but the same beauty, joy, and faith shine through their icons.

   I would recommend this book for anyone interested in general iconography, as well as for iconographers. It is very well done, and makes one hope more of Fr. Gregory's icons as well as his writings might become available in the future.




2. This book totally surprized me. The format is incredible. The images are reproduced on a large scale that lets you look at them for hours. The commentary is not preachy or dry. It is a unique look at a totally unique art. The more I read the more I wanted to read. It's that good. But honestly since this is a book on art the words should only enhance understanding of the images, they do. Each image tells a story, one that you will want to read again and again. If you want to experience art that is not ordinary, this book is an excellent breath of fresh air.

2 comments about THOMAS MORAN AND THE SURVEYING OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

1. A bit of a major disappointment for a book with good B/W illustrations, this is a book about one of the great colorist painters of landscape art. Disheartened.



2. This is one of the most extensive books on Thomas Moran's life. The Smithsonian recently published it (1992). It also has an excellent assortment of pictures of his works. For a complete overview of his work and life, this is the book to have.