Painting Masterclass by Susie Hodge

Painting Masterclass by Susie Hodge ISBN-13: 9780711241251 Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: White Lion Publishing Released: May 28, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
This book examines 100 of the most fascinating paintings by the world’s greatest artists: the way they were made, what they do well, and how and what we can learn from them. With detailed analyses and instructive creative tips sections, you can learn how to convey movement like Degas, apply acrylic like Twombly, and command colour like Matisse.

The book explores the act of vision in each artwork, describing how the images were created and including practical tips and advice, allowing you to weave some of this magic into your own work. The paintings are organized into chapters which cover the important genres: nudes, figures, landscapes, still life, heads, fantasy, and abstraction. Selected masterpieces serve as perfect examples of a particular quality in painting; light and shade, rhythm, form, space, contour, and composition are all covered in detail. Perfect for students as well as professional painters, and with a broad historical and global reach, this book is an indispensable introduction to the rich history and practice of painting.


My Review:
Painting Masterclass looked at 100 paintings by 100 different artists, spanning the last 500 years. The paintings used different styles (from realism to abstraction) and different materials (watercolor, gouache, tempera, fresco, oils, acrylic, etc.). The author pointed out things an artist might learn and use from each of these different paintings, but this was more art history and appreciation than art instruction. You can pick up some new ideas (especially if you're a beginning artist), but we're only given a sentence or two of description on how a technique can be accomplished.

The author started with a short history of painting, including the major trends and the development of new materials and tools. She then looked at each of the selected paintings, loosely grouped together as 16 paintings of nudes, 21 of human figures, 14 landscapes, 10 still life, 15 portraits, 14 mythology and symbolism, and 10 abstraction. For each painting, we're given a brief biography of the artist and a description of the painting (these figures are these people doing this) and how it was received at the time it was made. Each painting had 1-3 side boxes with some brief tips about the techniques used in the painting under headings like: line, shape, pattern, texture, tone, composition, proportion, space, form, colors, materials, light, subject, or source. The paintings usually crossed the center of the page in a two-page spread. It was difficult to get the full impact of the painting's composition and such when read on a tablet, so this is probably best read as a physical book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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