A Painter's Guide to Design and Composition

This is a "must have" for Artists as a fundamental Reference Guide to every facet of painting. Whether you just want your paintings to have that extra something special, or you want to have a bird's eye view on what judges in competitions are looking for, then this book is for you! If you are a beginner or intermediate (and maybe even an experienced artist) you can be assured that you probably will learn something beneficial for the quality of your paintings. There are a variety of artists in this book, with radically different ways of approaching complex painting scenes (and subjects),as well as simple ones, with ease, dexterity and grace. Sylvia

One can never have too many books on design. In addition to containing timeless design principles, this book is full of beautiful images by well known artists with great demonstrations. I especially liked Richard McKinley's demo showing how he builds very translucent layers that achieve a lovely luminosity.

What a fantastic resource! We home school and my children and I are all very interested in painting. This book goes through the principles of design and composition in a clear, focused, logical and beautifully illustrated manner. It is an art education in a single volume. I bought copies for each of my children. (It also makes a lovely coffee table piece, for those who just want to look at the gorgeous paintings.) Thank you Margot Schulzke and North Light Books!

This is a wonderful book. It has great step-by-step demos with clear illustrations by top notch artists, an organized content, and is written in easy-to-understand language. I had been searching high and low for a comprehensive manual on composition and design. Leave it to Margo Schulzke to come up with such a great reference book for artists and art teachers. Her regular contributions in the "Pastel Journal" only served to whet my appetite for this book. I will refer to it and treasure it for years to come.

Design and composition are vague terms for many artists,some paint for years without getting the concepts. This author knows what she's talking about and is able to communicate more than just the "how to" of painting. The book instructs about the little nuances that make a painting great. Beautiful paintings from 26 master artists of our time and meaty demonstrations along with clear instructions make this a must-have reference book. In fact, teachers may be referencing this book for many years to come.