Customer Reviews

Pre-Raphaelite Painting Techniques

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

 

 

This book is a complete waste of money if you actually want to know how to do any of this type of work. It is a treatise on x-raying old paintings, to tell you that the artists used poisonous materials. It certainly is of no assistance if you want to emulate this form of work and needless to say there are hardly any of the well known pre-raphaelite paintings in it - certainly not the most famous proponents of the time. BLAH - a total disappointment in dragging it all the way to New Zealand at huge expense. If you're a conservator this yawn-inducing volume would probably be of interest, for the rest of us.....BLAH again!

No, this is not a "How to paint like the Pre-Raphaelites" book. It is an indepth examination of some of their paintings. The reproductions are fantastic and there are lots of close up shots. As a painter I found it very interesting and if you look closely you can actually figure out some ways to put their techniques into your own work. I highly recommend it for anyone who is a painter or really really likes the PreRaphs.

First of all, the 1 star review below is quite unfair. THIS IS NOT AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL! It is a study of Pre-Raphaelite painting techniques. And though there is a lot of information about x-raying and infrared and such, it is by no means a dry account. Interspersed are annecdotal bits that make this book very readable, and I think that a painter would find much useful here in testing out some of the movements' methods. That said, I can't imagine anyone other than a conservator or an artist maintaining interest through the entire length of the book. This is because there is such a wealth of detailed information, it would become tiresome. For those of us that are artists, it is pure gold! Contained are account ledgers from art suppliers which list materials purchased by individual artists, comprehensive lists of pigments/mediums/varnishes used in individual paintings, x-ray views of works that reveal the extent of drawing under the paint, and lots and lots of beautiful closeups! For those relatively new to the period and the movement, there are a few essays that precede the nitty gritty info. I can't thank Tate enough for publishing this valuable book.