Customer Reviews

Inventing the Landscape: From Plein Air Study to Studio Painting

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book really isn't for "Sunday painters" or beginners. There's very little on technique and not a single trick for churning out cute landscapes. What it offers is image after image of suberbly crafted landscapes, images worth studying again and again. His handling of values, and the subtle variations of hue, temperature, and intensity within each value shape, are absolutely masterful. Clearly, he practices what he preaches: landscapes which blend artistic invention with an acute observation of what exists in the landscape. There's not a lot of text in this book, but like his landscapes, what he writes is succinct, intelligent, and well worth taking to heart. As I become a better painter, this book offers more valuable instruction, not less.

I am a Virginia landscape painter and have kept this book close at hand in my studio for many years. While I do not paint like Richard, I nonetheless pull this book out out several times a month, for inspiration or information or just to look at how he has handled various problems of light and color. As noted in another review, this is not a step-by-step book, but rather a beautiful record of the process of one dedicated painter that will inspire and encourage.

This plein aire artist does a great job of defining and demonstrating his craft. Very inspiring. Have recommended it to other artists.

First, I should clearly state that after reading Mr. Crozier's book, there is no doubt that he is a dedicated and talented plein air landscape artist. The book is filled with example after example of his artwork and if you like Crozier's style and approach towards landscape painting, this book will be a joy.

I, however, am not too happy with his choice of subjects. I'll explain. In the text there are numerous painting of fairly featureless hillsides, explorations of both man-created landscape and naturally occuring symmetrical landscapes, and quite a fair number of landscapes with palettes that seem somewhat dull (but mostly likely quite accurate). While many of these painting he pulls off nicely, too many of them are paintings only another artist could fully appreciate.