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Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter (Volume 2) (James Gurney Art) Paperback – November 30, 2010

by James Gurney (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 4,945 ratings
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From New York Times best-selling author of the Dinotopia series, James Gurney, comes a carefully crafted and researched study on color and light in paintings. This art instruction book is the follow up to the acclaimed Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist.

James Gurney, New York Times best-selling author and artist of the Dinotopia series, follows Imaginative Realism with his second art-instruction book, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter. A researched study on two of art's most fundamental themes, Color and Light bridges the gap between abstract theory and practical knowledge. Beginning with a survey of underappreciated masters who perfected the use of color and light, the book examines how light reveals form, the properties of color and pigments, and the wide variety of atmospheric effects. Gurney cuts though the confusing and contradictory dogma about color, testing it in the light of science and observation. A glossary, pigment index, and bibliography complete what will ultimately become an indispensible tool for any artist.

"James Gurney's new book, Color and Light, cleverly bridges the gap between artistic observation and scientific explanation. Not only does he eloquently describe all the effects of color and light an artist might encounter, but he thrills us with his striking paintings in the process." --Armand Cabrera, Artist
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  1. Book 2 of 2
    James Gurney Art
  2. Print length
    224 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Andrews McMeel Publishing
  5. Publication date
    November 30, 2010
  6. Dimensions
    9 x 0.6 x 10.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0740797719
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0740797712
  9. See all details
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    Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist (Volume 1) (James Gurney Art)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

James Gurney's series of illustrated fantasy adventure stories, beginning with 1992's Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time, produced a generation raised on Gurney's highly realistic paintings of an entirely unreal subject.... Still it was no surprise to the author-artist-blogger and his long-time publisher Andrews McMeel when his recently released second volume of art instruction, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter, became a bestseller for AMP immediately  upon its release in December 2010, selling out its 10,000-copy run in just two months.  (Mark Schulz, Publishers Weekly)

Dinotopia author and plein-air painter Gurney offers a practical, well-organized, and informative handbook for artists of all levels.  (Chronogram Magazine)

This is a terrific book, highly recommended not only for young artists but anyone with an interest in traditional art technique.  (Karen Haber, Locus)

About the Author

 James Gurney's unique blending of fact and fantasy has won Hugo, Chesley, Spectrum, and World Fantasy Awards. His work has been featured in one-man exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Delaware Art Museum, and the U.S. embassies in Switzerland and Yemen. He lives with his wife, Jeanette, in the Hudson Valley of New York State.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Andrews McMeel Publishing; 56667th edition (November 30, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0740797719
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0740797712
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.6 x 10.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 4,945 ratings

About the author

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James Gurney

James Gurney

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James Gurney is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Dinotopia book series. He designed the World of Dinosaurs stamps for the U.S. Postal Service and has worked on over a dozen assignments for National Geographic magazine, painting reconstructions of Moche, Kushite, and Etruscan civilizations. He has won the Hugo, Chesley, Spectrum, and World Fantasy Awards. Solo exhibitions of his artwork have been presented at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and currently at the Lyman Allyn Museum of Art. He has recently been named a "Grand Master" by Spectrum Fantastic Arts and a "Living Master" by the Art Renewal Center. His most recent book, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter, was Amazon's #1 bestselling book on painting for over 100 weeks and is based on his daily blog gurneyjourney.blogspot.com. For more information, visit www.dinotopia.com or www.jamesgurney.com

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4,945 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book's content simple, topically organized, and beautifully illustrated. They also say it's informative and excellent for any artist.

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UsefulnessIllustrationsContentValue
289 customers mention "Usefulness"277 positive12 negative

Customers find the book very informative, and appreciate the author's generosity with his knowledge. They also say the book has multiple excellent examples on every page spread, and is very worthwhile to any artist. Readers also mention that the book helps expand their skill sets with an understanding of theory, technique, common sense, and science.

"...books over the years and this one is honestly the most useful in my entire collection. I think every artist should have this book...." Read more

"...Great contents." Read more

"Incredible amounts of quality information in this book. Lots of pictures and examples throughout...." Read more

"Great book, it gives a lot of insight on how to view light and it's effects on color when painting...." Read more

183 customers mention "Illustrations"179 positive4 negative

Customers find the book beautifully illustrated and jam-packed with information. They also appreciate the plethora of awesome paintings that are used to illustrate each subject. Readers also mention that the language is concise and to the point. They find the guide very accessible and interesting.

"...It's just so dang useful! It is written in a very approachable manner and broken down into two-page spreads for each subject...." Read more

"Excellent quiality of impression with beautiful photos and illustrations. Great contents." Read more

"...Lots of pictures and examples throughout...." Read more

"This is just brimming to overflowing with useful illustrations, explanations, examples. Pleasent read...." Read more

80 customers mention "Content"57 positive23 negative

Customers find the book's content simple, clear, and concise. They also appreciate the basic structures and organization. Readers say the book never uses 500 words when 100 and a picture will do.

"...Just really useful information laid out in an easy to reference guidebook. GET IT!" Read more

"This is just brimming to overflowing with useful illustrations, explanations, examples. Pleasent read...." Read more

"...Lots of pictures and examples throughout. It's not an instructional book, so if you're looking for step-by-step information, you'll have to look..." Read more

"...This book is easy to grasp, pithy and organized in such a way that you can go right to the area you are interested in without having to scan the..." Read more

24 customers mention "Value"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worth the price.

"...Again, this information alone is worth the price of the book!..." Read more

"...I highly recommend Colors and Light, and it's so affordable, too!..." Read more

"...There is much more in this book that is of great value to realist artists...." Read more

"...I bought this cause my class required it and it’s definitely worth the price. Definitely cheaper than at BN...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

MizNovember
5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Art Book
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
I have bought quite a few art related books over the years and this one is honestly the most useful in my entire collection. I think every artist should have this book. I think this should be given out as textbooks to art students. It's just so dang useful! It is written in a very approachable manner and broken down into two-page spreads for each subject. There is no pretentious lecturing or pontificating like some art books. Just really useful information laid out in an easy to reference guidebook. GET IT!
8 people found this helpful
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Javier Ovalle
5.0 out of 5 stars Every artist must have this lighting masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2024
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Excellent quiality of impression with beautiful photos and illustrations. Great contents.
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Protoslime
5.0 out of 5 stars Color Bible
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2024
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Incredible amounts of quality information in this book. Lots of pictures and examples throughout. It's not an instructional book, so if you're looking for step-by-step information, you'll have to look elsewhere. Its primary focus is on concepts and applications rather than instructional. Highly recommended for beginner or professional-level artists looking to understand color and light.
3 people found this helpful
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Daisy A Rodríguez
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, highly recommend
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2024
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Great book, it gives a lot of insight on how to view light and it's effects on color when painting. I look back to it as reference when working on my own pieces.
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SFP
5.0 out of 5 stars Its a light bible
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2024
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This is just brimming to overflowing with useful illustrations, explanations, examples. Pleasent read. Don't think you could find a better book on light if you triedl
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artniti
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book I have ever read
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2011
Verified Purchase
This book did not disappoint, in fact it is one of the best books I have ever read so far. Art is a subjective process where you rely more on a hunch and instinct to get things looking good. To find an artist who is conscious enough to explain all the workings of color and light is not easy since it is like putting a formula to emotions.

Chapter 1 Tradition
In the first chapter, the author wastes no time and delved right into how the great masters did it in their time with the limited pigments and how they made up for the limitations with skill.

Chapter 2 Sources of Light
In the second chapter, the quick basics of light is briefly explored from direct sunlight to window light. In the later part of the chapter, James Gurney gives accurate descriptions on rare occasions where there is a hidden light source or light sources that emits from objects.

Chapter 3 Light and Form
The third chapter covers all the lighting from each direction and all the various types of shadows.

Chapter 4 Elements of Color
This is where it gets interesting. There are some articles and books on Color that are either too technical or too brief. In this chapter, we are introduced to the basics of color and there is a sub-page on the history of color wheels that is very enlightening. You must be thinking, "Color Wheels again.." but I can assure you that most of your questions about how the wheel came to be and other variations of the wheel is all covered here.

Chapter 5 Paint and Pigments
After the introduction to color, we get right into traditional paint and pigments. Here, the techniques for color mixing and pallete arrangements are introduced. You can't help but feel that the author is being very generous with his knowledge really. He also briefly covered a warm underpainting in this chapter.

Chapter 6 Color Relationships
The 6th chapter is a prelude to the coming chapter. It is basically a demonstration that color information changes depending on the adjacent colors that is placed next to that color. It is all about color relationships and how the warm and cool colors differs from each pallete.

Chapter 7 Premixing
The core of the book lies in Chapter 7. It covers the all important color picking or in the traditional sense, premixing. It teaches the reader how to restrict their color pallete in order to create more harmony in a painting.

Chapter 7 Premixing
In this chapter, gamut mapping and masks is covered with examples of how it would look like in an actual painting.

Chapter 8 Visual Perception
Next, there are some exceptions when it comes to all the rules of colors and here it is covered in the Visual Perception chapter. Tricky situations like moonlight color and color constancy is covered in depth.

Chapter 9 Surfaces and Effects
The final chapters are filled with techniques to render all other forms of effects like scattering, hair, caustics, motion blur and highlights.

Chapter 10 Atmospheric Effects
Finally, the rest of the book covers all the atmospheric effects of sunlight and certain materials like snow, water, rivers and underwater. If you are expecting to be spoon fed with palletes and sure fire methods of handling color then you are mistaken. However, after going through this book, you will be armed with an understanding of color like never before

..more at [...]
54 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Too many dinosaurs
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2024
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It's a good book showing light, shade, the color wheel, perspective, etc. However, the constant drawings of dinosaurs was not entertaining. It was hokie, childish and boring.
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J. L. Powell
5.0 out of 5 stars I needed this 20 years ago
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2010
Verified Purchase
Here I am an artist with three art degrees... and I never learned most of this information! My main degree was in painting and Illustration!!!! Honestly the most I learned was about cool and warm color and value - that's IT!

This book is easy to grasp, pithy and organized in such a way that you can go right to the area you are interested in without having to scan the entire book. I learned more about how to use color and paint light in the hour I ravenously scanned through it than I did in all those years of college. If you wish to learn anything about painting you must have this book!

It may seem such a simple subject, but how to set up a palette is one of the MOST confusing things an artist learns. Many times you just pick up a palette that someone else used and wing it until you get comfortable with it. Mr. Gurney actually takes so much of the mystery out of how to choose your palette of colors and how to work with what you have in that palette. This section ALONE is worth the price of the book!

Also he explains how our vision works so we can be aware of it and make better choices in how we render color and light in our images - as well as how to pay attention to depth of field! I especially loved the comparison of a photograph and a painting from observation and how much you miss in the photo. Again, this information alone is worth the price of the book!

If you are and artist looking to learn how to render an image realistically and believably, this book MUST be in your library. Mr. Gurney has taken information from many divers sources that would take another person years to gather if you could even find these out of print books and information, and he has put it all in a well-organized and easily read book that is so deeply appreciated for its clarity.

Thank you, Mr. Gurney, for all your hard work. This book should become and textbook in any painting class!
313 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Thiago U
5.0 out of 5 stars Maravilhoso e muito didático!
Reviewed in Brazil on July 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
Chegou em perfeito estado e super rápido, de um dia pro outro já estava em mãos. Eu já possuía o Imaginative Realism do Gurney (livro também excepcional) e lendo agora o Color And Light fico com a recomendação pra que façam diferente de mim hahah O C&L é fundamental para um entendimento mais aprofundado do IR, sendo ele quase como uma DLC do C&L. Dito isso, recomendo demais as duas leituras, pontuando a prioridade do Color And Light na ordem para melhor entendimento.
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Felipe E B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Llegó en excelente estado, el libro muy completo en sus temas
Reviewed in Mexico on March 21, 2024
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 Me gustó que llegó en buenas condiciones, el libro está increíble. James Gurney abarca muchos temas sin abrumar al lector.

Comienza con un poco de historia del arte y va abordando cada tema por página. La parte de color me gustó mucho ya que siento yo es la más completa.
One person found this helpful
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sukhjot
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible.
Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2022
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If you're looking for books that'll help you grow as an artist, you've more than likely already heard of this book. Either just from its reputation or perhaps you've seen/heard/read other artists swear by this book. Surely it can't be that good, right?

It can and is.

James Gurney is an incredibly talented illustrator & a very great teacher so the contents of this book can be easily followed & applied to your own work.

Each page basically has its own technique that it teaches you (reflective light, bounce light etc) and each page is accompanied with one of Gurney's many illustrations that perfectly show of whatever he is teaching you. So this book is filled with great informative explanations AND with illustrations to help you visualize what Gurney is teaching you on that page.

I cannot recommend this book enough, for new artists and seasoned artists...you're guaranteed to come away with something you didn't know beforehand.
2 people found this helpful
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Salma Algamdi
3.0 out of 5 stars لااعرف ليس لي
Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on August 3, 2024
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اخترته كهديه لاعرف مواصفاته
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Montserrat
5.0 out of 5 stars Buena adquisción.
Reviewed in Spain on June 30, 2024
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Es un libro tirando a corto pero genial. Bien impreso y con un toque como a satén en las páginas.
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