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How to Paint Like the Old Masters
Generations of artists have learned from How to Paint Like the Old Masters, the classic volume that explores the techniques used by the great artists of the 16th and 17th centuries. Now Watson-Guptill proudly presents the 25th Anniversary Edition. Each chapter is devoted to a different Old Master—Dürer, Titian, Veronese, Caravaggio, Vermeer, Hals, Rubens, and Rembrandt—and is divided into two sections. The first part describes the artist’s techniques and discusses how artists can incorporate these methods within their own personal style. The second part is a full-color demonstration. Author Joseph Sheppard traces the artist’s working sequence, colors and mediums, surfaces and tools, as he creates a new painting. With today’s resurgence of interest in Old Master techniques, this unique, practical, and inspiring book is sure to teach countless artists exactly How to Paint Like the Old Masters.
- GenresArtNonfictionHow To
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 8, 2022
This is easy to use with some useful information on painting. You do not really get that much about painting like old masters though, but especially glazing is explained and shown quite nicely. In more than one way this is more about showing amateurs how to use some techniques of former times and maybe help improve their skills with it. 4 out of 5 stars
May 25, 2012
I was never a very good painter.
This book was in no way to blame.
If anything, it enabled me to elevate my meager talent to a slightly higher rung of hell.
This book was in no way to blame.
If anything, it enabled me to elevate my meager talent to a slightly higher rung of hell.
June 30, 2012
I give it three stars for interesting. Sheppard knows how to work the styles and mediums, but this book is mostly geared for the oil painter, and the examples are oddly...seventies extreme. Still excellent pieces and fun, but you feel like you're looking at photos of Rembrandt or Rubens paint to the soundtrack of SHAFT or maybe Bee Gees....definitely 'the hustle' would be appropriate music for these paintings.
December 25, 2016
This is a really excellent book on Old Master oil painting techniques. It even has a section on making/mixing your own mediums, and chapters with step by step illustrations of how to use the techniques of artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals. I treasure this book, and am trying to put its lessons to use in my own work.
March 23, 2009
Very good step by step for glazing color over black and white portraits.
May 7, 2013
I've read this book at least four times through. It's a very good explanation of classical, layered, indirect painting (aka "glazing") painting.
August 7, 2019
excellent read for artists who love the work of the Old Masters. Detailed instructions.
April 5, 2023
Utterly fascinating to a painter, gibberish to anyone else. This isn't really a book one _reads_ so much as studies, slowly, with a lot of head scratching and WTF moments.
Basically I am not an oil painter. I have messed around with oil paints on occasion, but I am concerned that the turpentine and related paint thinners are bad for my health.
This book includes how-to steps for kitchen chemistry involving Lead Oxide (PbO) to recreate oil painting mediums similar in function and painting quality to the Old Masters alluded to. I value my health far too much to try this at present, but again it is a fascinating look at the level of work needed to have mastery over the medium. Sheppard himself is a terrific painter, IMO, and I learned a fair amount about technique just from reading.
As he puts it, many books will tell you how the old masters did it... very few will _Show_ you. Youtube hasn't really fixed this problem... so far I've found people who in part A) show you different additives and mixes and in part B) show you a finished painting. If any of you know of step by step youtube instructions for how to, for example, paint like Rembrandt... please leave a comment! Thanks and happy painting
Basically I am not an oil painter. I have messed around with oil paints on occasion, but I am concerned that the turpentine and related paint thinners are bad for my health.
This book includes how-to steps for kitchen chemistry involving Lead Oxide (PbO) to recreate oil painting mediums similar in function and painting quality to the Old Masters alluded to. I value my health far too much to try this at present, but again it is a fascinating look at the level of work needed to have mastery over the medium. Sheppard himself is a terrific painter, IMO, and I learned a fair amount about technique just from reading.
As he puts it, many books will tell you how the old masters did it... very few will _Show_ you. Youtube hasn't really fixed this problem... so far I've found people who in part A) show you different additives and mixes and in part B) show you a finished painting. If any of you know of step by step youtube instructions for how to, for example, paint like Rembrandt... please leave a comment! Thanks and happy painting
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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