Hawthorne on Painting

by Charles W. Hawthorne

Look around and select a subject that you can see painted. That will paint itself. Do the obvious thing before you do the superhuman thing. It may have been accidental, but you knew enough to let this alone. The good painter is always making use of accidents. Never try to repeat a success. Swing a bigger brush — you don’t know what fun you are missing. For 31 years, Charles Hawthorne spoke in this manner to students of his famous Cape Cod School of Art. The essence of that instruction has been collected from students’ notes and captured in this book, retaining the personal feeling and the sense of on-the-spot inspiration of the original classroom. Even though Hawthorne is addressing himself to specific problems in specific paintings, his comments are so revealing that they will be found applicable a hundred times to your own work.The book is divided into sections on the outdoor model, still life, landscape, the indoor model, and watercolor. Each section begins with a concise essay and continues with comments on basic general character, color, form, seeing, posture, etc. It is in the matter of color that students will especially feel themselves in the presence of a master guide and critic. Hawthorne’s ability to see color and, more important, to make the student see color, is a lesson that will aid student painters and anyone else interested in any phase of art.Although it does not pretend to be a comprehensive or closely ordered course, this book does have much to offer. It also represents the artistic insight of one of the finest painter-teachers of the twentieth century."An excellent introduction for laymen and students alike." — Time"To read these notes and comments … is in itself an education. One cannot help but gain great help." — School Arts

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

91 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Pamela Allegretto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, insightful book. A great addition for painters of all mediums and techniques.

[Brigitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful little book filled with inspiration for how to paint! I discovered this by hearing the artist and art educator Marla Baggetta read a couple of the quotes during one of her painting live streams on YouTube. I’m so glad I bought it because it’ll stay next to my easel; I’ll pull it out to remind myself to just “put down spots of color and let the results take care of themselves.”

[Stephen M. Ehninger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not one image in thus book!

This book is all text! Not one image, detail, drawing or color page. The author claims the images were too large to show properly. Yet every art book that i have read manage to include numerous color images that correspond to the text. The text in this book is poorly written making this book even worse!
Pass on this book, get Carlson book on landscapes, its full of color images and great text that relates to images.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a must read for anyone painting- be it artist or amateur. Hawthorne in his remarks, written down by his painter wife, teaches here to THINK- and not necessarily 'how to' do this or that. To point out lack of illustrations is to miss the most important thing this book has to offer. This book is to painters what "The Photogapher's Playbook" is to photographers.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hawthorne on Painting

Great information on color and painting. Hawthorne feels leaning about color first is more important than drawing. Drawing comes next! Definitely a lot of great information. Color being the key to a great painting!!

[Linny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read again, short and not enough time to finish. Lots of short quips on students' work.