Oil: Landscapes with William Alexander (Learn to Paint Step by Step) [Paperback]

William Alexander (Author)

Book Description

In this title, William Alexander invites you into his artistic world and shows you how to re-create a variety of beautiful landscapes in oil. After exploring tools and materials, he explores tips for various oil painting techniques as well as instructions for how to create special effects for landscape elements such as skies, trees, mountains, roads, clouds, and lakes. Following demonstrations that show how to develop an oil painting into a finished work of art using the unique Alexander Wet-on-Wet Technique, aspiring artists will discover how to create a beautiful finished painting in just one sitting. Best of all, you will find a wealth of beautiful landscape paintings to copy and admire!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Dear Art Enthusiast,

Today may be your fist time using a Walter Foster art book, or it may be the continuation of a long-term relationship with our products. Either way, this book will delight you.

Like all of our art books, this title was written with careful attention to detail. It includes detailed illustrations that will bring you a satisfying learning experience and hours of enjoyment. Walter Foster Publishing knows that artists are eager to learn, sharpen their skills and talents, and experience new artistic horizons. And while you may not be in a position to take private lessons, Walter Foster offers you the next best thing--step-by-step, do-it-yourself art instruction books that are entertaining and affordable.

Our books are authored by some of the best artists in America, and you can be sure our quality standards and color presentations are at the highest possible levels. For 80 years, Walter Foster Publishing has been providing instructional art books and products to million of enthusiastic artists who enjoy the rewards of learning to draw and paint. Most of all, we hope you have fun in the process!

About the Author

William Alexander, born in East Prussia in 1915, began his art career painting murals and decorating carriages for the German aristocracy. Except for a few formal lessons at an art school in Canada, Alexander was a self-taught artist.

Alexander's love and enjoyment of painting took him on the road at age 50. He traveled throughout the United State and Canada with his wife, Margarete, teaching art and painting. During this time, he modified traditional oil painting methods by developing his own thick, rich paints. These paints allowed him to layer colors over one another without waiting for the first layer to dry.

These paints, with his specially designed tools, established the Alexander Wet-on-Wet Technique and enabled artists to complete an oil painting in one sitting. After appearing on numerous public television shows, Alexander became known as the "Happy Painter." He later moved with his wife to the mountains of Canada, amid the beautiful landscape he enjoyed painting so much. Alexander passed away in 1997.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walter Foster (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929261607
• ISBN-13: 978-0929261607
• Product Dimensions: 13.6 x 10.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Painting
  • #64 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Art > Art History > Themes
  • #71 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Alexander Technique

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Draw & Paint: Secrets to the Magic of Oil Painting by, August 29, 2000

By 

sylvia yelland (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oil: Landscapes with William Alexander (Learn to Paint Step by Step) (Paperback)

This is an exact reproduction of an older version by William Alexander, titled: Secrets to the Magic of Oil Painting II. Excellent beginner's book for those interested in his wet-on-wet technique. This famous technique should be taken advantage of as it can enable you to produce the basic painting in very little time, after which you can elaborate as it suits you - more details, etc.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thorough review of the technique of wet-on-wet landscape painting, February 20, 2009

By 

L. M. Fuke (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Oil: Landscapes with William Alexander (Learn to Paint Step by Step) (Paperback)

I was pleasantly surprised to find a copy of this book on beginning landscape painting. It is a very comprehensive treatise on the basics of his wet-on-wet acrylic (although techniques are transferable to oils) techniques. The book format doesn't really give you an idea as to how quickly a show-off landscape can be created, though.

I really loved the public TV series, the "Art of William Alexander"; weekly, Bill Alexander would produce, from a blank canvas, a virtual masterpiece in a mere 22 minutes. Wet-on-wet means the application of a thinner wet coat over a previously applied thicker coat of paint.

I am retired now, and looking for a new hobby. I believe that Mr. Alexander's tutelage will be a welcome addition to my art aspirations. It is truly amazing what the man can accomplish using only a palette knife. (Hint: it will do so much more than applying spackle to cracks in your stucco.)

If you intend to get just one book on landscape painting direction, you can do no better than Bill Alexander. I just wish his old series on art of landscape painting would be carried on DVD; now that was real folksy
instruction and genuine inspiration, presented with Mr. Alexander's raw humor.

William Alexander is now in his nineties and still actively teaching. He can still be seen on the Visual Arts Network, on some cable networks. Catch him if you can. You won't regret it. He can be a hoot.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good tutor of oil painting, May 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Oil: Landscapes with William Alexander (Learn to Paint Step by Step) (Paperback)

The book, Secrets to the magic of oil painting is one of the books to be followed by students of oil painting. This book mainly deals with painting a variety of landscapes, with emphasis on mountains and a wide variety of trees. The author thoroughly explains the kind of brushes and other tools to be used to bring out the real-life effects and also the kind of colors to be used that are not quite obvious to a novice in oil painting. The only drawback about the book is that it could have included more number of paintings and a variety of other landscapes, in particular. However, it provides very good starting tips to any novice in oil painting. A sequel to this book, Secrets to the magic of oil painting - 1 written by the same author is one of the books that can be used by students wishing to master landscape paintings.