The Practice of Oil Painting and of Drawing as Associated With It

by Solomon J. Solomon

This book is primarily intended for the use of Art Students, but it may also be found helpful to Art Teachers who have not yet reduced their teaching to a system. I have rarely in my ex perience found drawing systematically taught. The master corrects the student's errors, but does not show him with suficient cleamess how he might discover them for himself, and so become in time, as he must aim at becoming, independent of assistance.

Genres: Art, Drawing, Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2012

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the course of reading for my current Masters’ thesis, I came across an interesting paper comparing medical teachers with music teachers. (And the fact that there’s an interesting paper in the realm of medical education is a novel event in and of itself.) Musicians separate performance from teaching in a way doctors do not, so that skill in teaching is distinct from, and not considered necessary for, skill in performing. I’m not sure the same can be said for academic art teachers, so much as that the academic art world is so small these days, and teachers so few and far between, that what work you produce is almost irrelevant, once you’re able to demonstrate the method in a sensible way.

Certainly Solomon J Solomon never achieved any soaring success in his artworks, and even this book had to be rescued from oblivion by the great champion of realism, James Gurney. However, he enlarges upon the work of Harold Speed in a very helpful way; I would highly recommend art students to read them simultaneously, as I have done. Solomon is perhaps a little more straightforward and also provides more in the way of exercises and structures, which again is super helpful. I also felt immediately guilty for attempting a still life in colour, which was only worsened by the fact that I foolishly placed a white jar against a white background. This rookie error cost me a lot of mistake time. But then again, the only way to learn this method is through mistakes. Or as Solomon said:

‘Above all things, value your work in the making but lightly. Be bold to efface and renew, and take encouragement from the thought that you may learn more from honest failure than from mild success.’

And how’s this for a finisher? He jests, but my art friend and I used to end our agonising over our Bargues by remarking that by the time we were sixty we might be decent at drawing.

‘[...] and then perhaps, after an apprenticeship to such training and influence for about twenty years, you may arrive at what may be called an independent judgement. Meanwhile, look askance at the verdicts pronounced by the immature who, like yourself, are yet to pass through the stress and storm inseparable from intellectual growth.’

Some actionable tips:

‘When we would do serious drawing we must concentrate our attention not upon the outlines only, but upon the mass contained within these outlines.’

‘Remember that the ear is the axis of the head.
In proportion it is about the length of the nose, the top in a line with the brows and the end of the lobe opposite the nostrils.’

‘[...] the waves of surface are seen as it were to undulate from the head to the foot. The relative values of light and tone are entirely responsible for this appearance of advancing and retiring facets.’

‘Do not starve your palette.’

Amber/mastic varnish plus linseed oil ‘makes a very fat medium, and may render your silver objects more effective.’

Love that Rubens also called white ‘poison’!
Lay tints beside each other and blend them slightly with a brush.

Do a brown underpainting then paint over the whole with raw sienna. Interesting! (The Dutch School.)

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to really concentrate on this book. Written in 1911..it has words that I have never heard of describing art practices. It had some awesome color plates of the masters and explanations to go with them. I learned alot about what the masters did with their paintings. One reason they got so sick was they used their hands to blend. Pretty scary. We still use many of the techniques shown in this book. I would love to see some more of the real paintings someday. I am going to follow up with this book by researching the artists and paintings on-line so that I can see more closely what he was talking about!

[L.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Practice of Oil Painting and Drawing is an excellent book that has held up through the ages. Though perhaps excessively wordy for the modern era, it's not hard to read, perhaps due to Solomon's passionate personality, and it's still quite relevant for anyone who loves painting. From the very first chapter, Solomon gives grounded exercises and examples to try. I found it easy to read and recreate the exercises he gives. It's a book you can keep going back to and always find something new.

[trygg hamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

kopien min hadde forferdelig dårlige bilder, men ellers ganske god og ærlig skriving om representasjonell maling. i kort: begynn å lær gjennom monokrome portretter og mesterkopier

[William M. Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair but not art expected

Not a true art process book. Interesting history but application details lacking. Perhaps the author wanted to share a skill set that was not describable.

[Cameron Devoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

SJS focuses on objectivity, it's a technical oil painting manual but comb it for his process of thinking.

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good, basic book geared toward those starting out in art. Be advised that it teaches by narrative, not by demonstration. The drawback is that the author is a little pedantic and only really accepts one type of painting (grisaille underpainting with glazes).

[Chris Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice color reproductions inside. A fast read. I didn't agree with everything about Mr. Solomon's approach but appreciated his insights nonetheless. There are better and newer books which accomplish what he was aiming for - Juliette Aristides books come to mind.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible resource for the figurative artist and really any other type of artist who wants to understand some very rudimentary yet forgotten practices.

[Jason Cheeseman-meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a FANTASTIC reinforcing text, reminding artists of lessons they've half-learned or forgotten, and probably expanding their avenues and options for creating works of art.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book originally published in London in 1911, its language is written in the style of that time. It is great book for those wanting old school basics.

[Rumen]

super