Product Description

"Everything was alive, pulsing with light and color."
--Susan Sarback

This is more than a how-to-paint book. It's a how-to-see book ... specifically, how to tune in to nature's glorious subtleties of light and color.

Forget complex theories. "Full-Color Seeing" is based on direct observation. It's about overcoming preconceptions and perceiving true color based on the colors that surround it, the way light hits it, time of day, season, weather conditions, and too many other factors for a mere formula to incorporate. You'll learn to see your subject--any subject--just as life truly presents it to you. This is the secret to capturing the living, breathing sense of atmosphere so celebrated in the works of the Impressionist painters.

A revision of Susan Sarbacks' illuminating Capturing Radiant Color in Oils, this book offers twelve more years of fresh insights, new paintings and expanded coverage on soft pastels. The concepts explored here have been handed down through generations of artists: Sarback was taught "Full-Color Seeing" by master painter Henry Hensche, who learned it from Charles Hawthorne, a contemporary of Claude Monet. This step-by-step approach will add greater vitality to your artwork and forever change the way you see.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #109553 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781581809992
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Susan Sarback's unique and fresh approach to teaching color fills a void that seems to exist in most art schools. I have found a significant change in my own use and understanding of color after participating in several of her workshops. She is extremely articulate and has a gift for making what could be a complicated concept very clear and easy to apply." -- Julie Johnson Olson, Instructor, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

About the Author
Susan Sarback is the founder of the School of Light and Color in Fair Oaks, California. She has lectured about color at over 100 art schools, museums, universities and art associations and taught workshops throughout the United States and Europe. Her work has appeared in The Artist's Magazine and American Artist, as well as other publications.

Customer Reviews

A Must Have
Detailed teachings from a master painter -- can it get better? This is the absolutely best how-to book on painting in the Hensche/Hawthorne tradition that is out there right now. It is a bit surprising that it is called a revised edition, as, IMHO, it is a new and even better book. The method is explained clearly and logically, easy to follow. Many step-by-step demonstrations with clear explanations teach how one can see and paint one's own still-life or landscape.

Although, in honesty, a book can't beat studying with a master in person, I'm convinced that Sarback's new book is so clearly written that a beginner in this method can learn as much of it as is possible. For those who already paint with the light-and-colour method, it is invaluable, and can take you steps and leaps further on seeing and painting light.

My impression is that master painter Sarback does gives it all, and does not "keep secrets". The very best teachers encourage students to become even better than they are, and does not hold back on advice and teaching. This book is a cornucopia of principles, method, and practical advice. I will wear it out, as I progress as a painter of light-and-colour.

A serious book
In my opinion this book must be compared with "Painting the impressionist landscape", from Lois Griffel; the focus of both books is the same: explaining a simple step-by-step method to paint with full-spectrum color.

In Sarback's:
-The "block studies" (painting colored wood blocks) are not so well explained. Griffel gives a lot more insight in the selection of colors, and the cloudy day example is completely missing in Sarback's.
-There are more step-by-step "real landscape" demonstrations, but they are not so well explained as in Griffel's. Just 4 pictures of preliminary states of the painting. Nevertheless the final pictures of these demonstrations are much better in Sarback's.
-There is a comparison of different color approaches to painting that is interesting: expressionist, abstract, local, etc.
-She does not explain how to select colors (which warm? which cool?) or how to compare their values. There is nothing similar to Griffel's idea of a chart for comparing values.
-She gives tips about brushstrokes or using different types of edges. These subjects are not included in Griffel's.
-Portrait and figure paintings are not covered at all. Griffel's at least shows some beautiful paintings of this kind.
-The pages are almost full of text and beautiful paintings. There are no quasi-empty pages.
-The soft pastels coverage is minimal, but oils coverage is also lacking. The book talks about general principles: do not expect low-level (paint layering, I mean) advice.

A "must have" book? I am not sure, but I think that if you follow Sarback's tips, you will paint beautiful "masterpieces". If you are a beginner consider buying Sarback's DVD "The difference a day makes". The DVD is too short (30 min or so) and a bit dissapointing, but if you want to observe the way she paints wet-on-wet, may be it is cheaper than a trip to California to attend Sarback's workshops.

Capturing Radiant Light & Color in Oils and Soft Pastels
This book is excellent and very helpful. There are many tips and stages presented in a carefully thought out way. I have Susan Sarback's earlier book and this is a stellar update! She shares much of her immensely improved talent and knowledge. Although I am a beginner, I believe this to be helpful to artists of all experience. I highly recommend it.