An Essential Handbook for the Classical Painter

Lessons in Classical Painting by Juliette Aristides is a beautifully designed book targeted for an audience interested in upping their color use and application in mainly the oil medium.  The content definitely is applicable to other mediums but here the topics strictly focuses on oil paint.  

I feel the strongpoint of the book is the beautiful overall design of the book.  Holding the book and reading through it are wonderful quotes by artists and exceptional full page reproductions of artworks to illustrate concepts Aristides demonstrates in the book. As for content, there are four main chapters broken into value pattern, form painting, temperature, and color.  She builds on the idea of understanding value first and then adding dimension through form.  Her chapter on temperature was complete and thought provoking.  I will have to go back through that chapter again and study and practice her lessons she lays out to advance your knowledge of the topic.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the art of classical painting to view this book for an insightful and well articulated look at color and its application and for the beautifully designed book which is a delight to have in my art library.