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Capturing Radiant Light and Color in Oils and Soft Pastels by Susan Sarback
*Teaches how to see and paint like the Impressionists, one of the most popular and influential movements in art.*Understanding light and color are core topics for any oil or pastel painter looking to see relationships between objects and painting them on canvas or paper.
*Impressionism is a popular art form, yet one that is challenging to understand technically. People want to learn how to paint like the Impressionists, but good books on the topic are sparse.
Oil and pastel painters will learn new ways of seeing and painting light and color. Readers will expand their color perception and learn to bring this new awareness into their paintings. The author uses the full-color seeing method, a way to see and paint color as affected by the surrounding light. The book contains examples and demonstrations of landscapes and still lifes so readers will learn how to interpret this method of seeing to any subject.
*Impressionism is a popular art form, yet one that is challenging to understand technically. People want to learn how to paint like the Impressionists, but good books on the topic are sparse.
Oil and pastel painters will learn new ways of seeing and painting light and color. Readers will expand their color perception and learn to bring this new awareness into their paintings. The author uses the full-color seeing method, a way to see and paint color as affected by the surrounding light. The book contains examples and demonstrations of landscapes and still lifes so readers will learn how to interpret this method of seeing to any subject.
- GenresArtNonfiction
Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 16, 2025
WOW! I think this will be one of the most important art books in my library. So full of good information, I'm going to buy it to have on hand anytime I need a refresher on "seeing in full color."
I LOVE this book for many reasons:
First, I love her style of painting - impressionistic and full of color and light.
Second, she gives exercises in HOW to SEE in full color, including photo examples.
Third, this book isn't only helpful for oil and soft pastel painters. It is applicable to every art medium!
The author covers so many important components of creating GOOD paintings in this book. She supports her writing by showing photo examples of what she's teaching. This is unbelievably helpful! Sarbach explains the benefits of using soft pastels and oil paints and discusses palettes, surfaces, and supplies for each, even listing resources for each medium. There are demo exercises in oils and pastels, with each step shown with instructions and the corresponding photo.
She talks in depth about the 4 stages of painting, color temperature, value and chroma, edges, shadows and cast shadows, strong compositions, patterns and rhythms, plein air painting supplies, painting strokes, light keys, and so much more. And everything is backed up with picture examples and step by step demos. She demonstrates paintings painted in "full color seeing" and the same painting without it.
This book contains some of the most beautiful soft pastel and oil paintings I've seen. She is a master artist and many of the paintings shown are hers, but she also shows examples of other artists' works. Very inspiring.
Sadly, I must return this book to the library, since it was an interlibrary loan, but I've already ordered it for myself. I NEED this book ... and you may need it too! Check it out.
HIGHLY Recommend for artists - both new artists and experienced.
I LOVE this book for many reasons:
First, I love her style of painting - impressionistic and full of color and light.
Second, she gives exercises in HOW to SEE in full color, including photo examples.
Third, this book isn't only helpful for oil and soft pastel painters. It is applicable to every art medium!
The author covers so many important components of creating GOOD paintings in this book. She supports her writing by showing photo examples of what she's teaching. This is unbelievably helpful! Sarbach explains the benefits of using soft pastels and oil paints and discusses palettes, surfaces, and supplies for each, even listing resources for each medium. There are demo exercises in oils and pastels, with each step shown with instructions and the corresponding photo.
She talks in depth about the 4 stages of painting, color temperature, value and chroma, edges, shadows and cast shadows, strong compositions, patterns and rhythms, plein air painting supplies, painting strokes, light keys, and so much more. And everything is backed up with picture examples and step by step demos. She demonstrates paintings painted in "full color seeing" and the same painting without it.
This book contains some of the most beautiful soft pastel and oil paintings I've seen. She is a master artist and many of the paintings shown are hers, but she also shows examples of other artists' works. Very inspiring.
Sadly, I must return this book to the library, since it was an interlibrary loan, but I've already ordered it for myself. I NEED this book ... and you may need it too! Check it out.
HIGHLY Recommend for artists - both new artists and experienced.
March 10, 2022
This starts off with the tone of a born-again Christian sermon, but if you can get past that to where she begins to teach about painting, there are some insights to be had. I got pretty tired of reading the term "full-color seeing" as well.
Although there are pastels mentioned in the title, there are no examples until pretty much the last chapter. Also, it is a little strange to be introducing a brand new concept, Shibui, at the end of the book, when it is not mentioned anywhere else.
Although there are pastels mentioned in the title, there are no examples until pretty much the last chapter. Also, it is a little strange to be introducing a brand new concept, Shibui, at the end of the book, when it is not mentioned anywhere else.
October 18, 2011
having a hard time seeing the "full color" but trying my darndest. the results look neat-o!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews