Bringing Textures to Life

This is without a doubt the best book on the subject of illustrating textures and surfaces through paintings that I've come across. Sheppard is a master artist and he shares his methods and thinking in great detail. His compositions for this book are rather complex, a purposeful departure from some of his other books. These pieces were assembled to demonstrate techniques for an incredible range of natural and created textures from skin tones and hair; to flowers, fruits and vegetables; iridescent shells and feathers; fabrics, stone and ceramics, to wet and transparent objects - some 100 varied textures in all. When looking for a particular example, it's fairly simple to flip the pages or refer to the lists in the contents and index. He provides an average of 50 carefully explained and detailed photographs as each painting progresses from rough sketch to final realism. This is not an beginner's first guide to mixing colors, shading, and composition, but the topics are discussed relative to the particular pictures. Overall, it is an excellent guide for anyone who aspires to achieve greater realism in oil or acrylic paintings, and perhaps other media. The degree of skill that Sheppard demonstrates will not be attained without considerable experience. However, his illustrations are sufficiently detailed and plentiful that an observant artist should be able to grasp and apply his methods. I share the concerns of other reviewers who recommend substituting nontoxic replacements for for older lead and cadmium pigments, but must also admit that Sheppard's results are exceptional. Several of Sheppard's other books are also excellent. Those interested in portraits and figure drawing and painting may want to consider the following: How to Paint Like the Old Masters, Anatomy, and Drawing the Female Figure.

Before Modernism, oil painters were interested in developing their abilities to depict real or imagined images. In order to accomplish that goal, they needed 'technique'. Starting with the workshops of the Renaissance, young painters (e.g., Leonardo Da Vinci) learned how to represent the differing textures of objects (viz., silk fabric, satin, Persian carpets, shiny and dull metals, flowers, fruit ,vegetables, animal fur, human skin & hair). Only after gaining such facility in their painting technique were they allowed to join the guild of professional artists in their community. In this book Joseph Sheppard shows how to paint the textures one sees. This liberates the artist who is willing to put forth the effort. Also, Joseph Sheppard painstakingly illustrates the steps one goes through in building an oil painting, from beginning to end. We see his accomplished paintings being built up layer by layer. He shows the importance of blending and how to attain sfumato. Note: I disagree with his insistance, in the book's introduction, on the use of toxic lead white (e.g., I have found that Old Holland titanium white is both more opaque and lean than lead white). Sheppard starts with thumbnail sketches on paper to develop and optimize his composition. We are shown the various sketches he makes to reach a successful composition.Using a toned canvas or panel, Sheppard begins the iterative painting process that follows upon the heals of laying in the drawing (i.e., with burnt umber and turpentine).Joseph shppard is a comsumate teacher. This book is holds great potential value for the serious oil painter who wants to develop his or her painting skills to a high level.