Customer Reviews

Color Mixing the Van Wyk Way: A Manual for Oil Painters

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This is a very practical reference book on oil colors, as I see it. The author covers briefly materials in oil painting, then goes straight to discussing colors on her palette, including (but not limited to) Thalo Yellow Green, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red, Burnt Umber, Sienna, etc... For each color, the author expresses her points using a step-by-step demo of painting subject matter. In addition, the author also throws in discussions on drapery, flesh colors, themes, colors of metals, etc... What a treat!

This is how I vision readers can benefit from this book:

1) For those who'd like to get their feet wet with certain colors, step-by-step demos will guide them through important steps to create realist excercise painting in the book.

2) For those who'd like to "break the rules" (if any), this book serves as excellent examples of what colors can be used for what materials (metals, earth, wood, etc...). Knowing all these, breaking the rules is even more fun and unique.

3) For the rest, it is a very practical reference on oil colors in terms of knowing what the "final colors" may look like in the context of a painting, even without getting "down and dirty" to try and mix them.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is a great manual for beginning and intermediate painters. It is arranged in a rather unusual way: by paint color. Within each chapter there are step-by-step paintings showing the color's usage. While I found the the organization odd at first, I quickly grew to appreciate it. There are colors I never would have thought to put in my palate, but seeing them in action was very valuable. Likewise, having a blended value scale for each paint was wonderful!

What I found most valuable as an beginner/ interm. painter was being able to see a variety of paintings in stages. And not just "one, two, three, boom its done" like many books, but really layer by layer. She touches on a couple of different styles, discussing glazing as well as her painterly approach.

This book also has valuable reference pages discussing (and displaying) color scales, color temperatures, earth tones, blending tricks, etc. It touches on portraits, backgrounds, and a variety of other related topics. I have read a number of other basic painting books, and this is my favorite. I have also seen (and own) other of Helen van Wyk's books, and while they are nice, this is by far the most valuable (and it includes some paintings and sections repeated in other books, i.e. portrait painting and color mixing bits).

I just received this book for Christmas 2002 and I have read it and re-read it! It has a wealth of information and is even a good reminder for those who might not have painted in a while. It helps you attain effects that you want and gives some step-by-step descriptions to help you understand what the author is talking about. I find that the information on casting shadows and the information on focal points most helpful. Helen Van Wyk also helps you to dimensionalize your art. Once you have read this book you will not look at colors in the same way. "The 4 Questions" will have you looking at art completely different. Don't paint without it!

Those who sincerely believe that their WRONG is the true RIGHT will always be with us.

The truth is that there are two color models and both are correct. Because of computers, the RGB (for red, green and blue) is the best known. Combine all three and, surprise, you have WHITE; but with a painting, if you combine those pigments, "white" is nowhere to be found.

The three primary colors for painters are RYB (for red, yellow and blue); plus black representing the absence of light and white tracing back to the source of light, the sun. True white is the combination of all colors.

The reason for the difference is that the RGB works for transmitted light (as with TV), not "reflected" light (RYB) that we see in a painting. Helen Van Wyk was a master with a world reputation. During her short life, she probably taught more people about painting through her TV lessons than anyone since. If she did not understand painting and color, we are all doomed.

Experienced painters understand that you paint with light. That means the light reflected from all surfaces results in what we actually see, whether it is in real life or in a painting. That reflected light is a combination of the quality of the transmitted light (determined by hue, intensity and value - but for engineers light is in degrees Kelvin) in combination with the hue and texture of the surface (smooth, shiny, rough, etc.) The better we understand that, the better we paint. Personally, I doubt this critical reviewer has a clue about any of that.

This book is an excellent book. I have just started art lessons and need a little help in knowing how to mix colors.
Helen Van Wyk books have all been excellent book. Easy to understand with great information and instructions.

This is a great book specially for beginner. Excellent reference book. I'll certainly read it several times.

All the theory in this book is dead wrong. There is little by way of practical advice. The book is mainly a collection of amateurish paintings by Ms. Van Wyk that are supposed to illustrate how to use various tubed colors. You should aspire to paint much better than Van Wyk ever did.

To date, there appears to be no good book on mixing color. Instead, see www.handprint.com. It's about watercolor, but the color theory and mixing sections apply equally to oil paint. Also give a look to www.wetcanvas.com