Classical Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice

The book is nicely designed and some of the drawings are well duplicated. I expected the book to have more practical information about drawing in the atelier. However, the instructions were very general, fit only for a top professional artist who only needs some refreshing of techniques. There are exercises but the explanations are too sketchy and general. In one of the exercises there were photos of the various drawing stages. But each photo is of a different drawing! It's difficult to follow the drawing process this way. The book is good only as a general guide to get an idea of the atelier method, but you won't get much practical information from it. All in all it's disappointing because I was expecting practical information. Good drawings to copy I can find over the Internet.

How the heck were great painters of old trained anyway? They were apprenticed in Ateliers. Reading this book is like trying to sip water from the fire hydrant of knowledge. Now I understand why they painted from plaster casts: if you can't paint in black and white from a white object holding still, how can you possibly hope to succeed with a live, flesh colored figure?

This book explains a lot, and then has exercises. The first exercise is to Di Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine", in black and white. Then you move up to doing studies in only warm and cool values. Why bother to apply color when the values aren't doing their job?

There are many gorgeous pictures, both of famous master paintings so you can examine their techniques, and student works, which are just as well done. If you want to paint realistically, get this book.

The Atelier method of art education is to take a master artist and have them instruct a student artist - the method has produced some of the greatest artists the world has ever seen and as such, some of the greatest works of art as well. "Classical Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice" is an attempt to emulate this artistic practice in book from as author and artist Juliette Aristides seeks to pass on her skill and wisdom to her readers by going over distinct techniques and practices lesson by lesson. A book of essential advice for any painter, "Classical Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice" is highly recommended to community library collections catering to art.

This book, along with the one on drawing is simply the truth about how to attain excellence in painting, not just a step-by-step or history based piece of literature. she has spent many years studying side by side with some of the greatest masters today including Jacob Collins and now she has attained a masterly level and runs her own atelier. the only way to understand these concepts better would be to learn it from the mouth of a master. i personally consider this book along with all the amazing visuals the prize of my library and a gigantic boost to my artistic endeavors.

Well it is better than possibly expected and so much better than the drawing previous volume, although that is an excellent book as well. It is well laid out and covers a big subject with elegance and great comphrension. The images from the artist Daniel Sprick are worth the books price and shows an exceptional contemporary realist artists work that is breathtakingly stunning. These plates are amazingly faithful to the originals.
It is a worthy and well written book, tons of beautiful illustrations. Everyone should buy a copy of this book to encourage the author to produce more. I would encourage everyone to buy now as this volume will certainly sell out very very soon. Simply wonderful! Helpful more than instructive but a seminal and much needed book to read, absorb, learn and have as a good reference. There is much to keep you inspired.
As I mentioned earlier, buy it if only for the paintings shown by the artist Daniel Sprick.
This is one artist worth watching....closely. Lovely, lovely book. Thanks.