The North Light Artist's Guide to Materials & Techniques [Hardcover]

Phil Metzger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996

The authoritative guide to buying and using art materials today...a must-have reference for every artist, regardless of medium or skill level.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Metzger (Enliven Your Paintings with Light, North Light, 1994) has produced a book that could benefit any artist working in any medium. A solid guide to every major medium from watercolor and oil to gouache and casein, it helps one make informed choices about paints, surfaces, and brushes, and offers techniques on stretching canvases, sizing paper, and preparing other surfaces. Metzger covers areas often overlooked even by pros, like permanence of materials, which brands can and can't be mixed, and potential health hazards. Though not quite as encyclopedic, this is more accessible than Ralph Mayer's The Artist Handbook of Materials and Techniques (Viking, 1991. 5th ed.). Recommended for all collections.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Phil Metzger is the author of Perspective Without Pain and Watercolor Basics: Perspective Secrets. He lives in Rockville, Maryland. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; 1st edition (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891346759
• ISBN-13: 978-0891346753
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,418,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting for True Beginners, June 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The North Light Artist's Guide to Materials & Techniques (Hardcover)

Since I had little to no background in art, I enjoyed this book because it gave me a brief summary of so many different media. The book includes wonderful shopping lists for each of the categories covered, so that the beginner need not make repeated trips back to the art store. Watercolor, Acrylic, Gouache, Oil, Pastels, Pen and Ink, Charcoal, Pencil, Egg Tempera are all covered.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great overview, January 23, 2010

By 

David Katz "silent d" (West Haven, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The North Light Artist's Guide to Materials & Techniques (Paperback)

An excellent survey of painting and drawing media. In each section, the author covers the basic tools, materials, and techniques for a particular medium, as well as some common pitfalls to avoid. As a mixed media artist with no formal art training, I found this book to be a valuable resource. The more I can expand my knowledge of materials and techniques, the wider my palette becomes. I first read this book when I checked it out of my local library, and liked it so much I purchased a copy (even though it was out of print).