Rating: 
Summary: Book
Review: Excellent book! ~the things they didn't teach you in art school. This book is mandatory for anybody who ever REALLY wanted to know how to paint. • It covers variations of the masters. • Life drawing skills are a must. It doesn't really touch on "alla prima" well... which is good because these master techniques are better to start with and use before moving to more immediate techniques. It is not to say this book isn't advanced, it is. The author goes step by step and shows you how forgiving and versatile the master's methods are. It helped me move from being stuck on underpaintings for ten years to finished pieces with consistency and confidence.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book - Not for beginners
Review: First off, this is a good book - but if you're painting for the
1st time, try some other subjects first. I don't recommend this
for the beginners.
Don't expect to paint like DaVinci your 1st week.
Even if a seasoned veteran understand this takes practice. I would have liked to seem more techniques on how he painted.
The materials used area was very good and quite interesting.
If you're a seasoned painter, who wants to paint like they
did in the days of old, I highly recommend this book. Trying these techniques gave me even a larger respect for "the old masters". I always loved their art, because it takes you
back to a time where really good art required really good talent & skill. Practice & maybe we'll see your "Mona Lisa". Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: Critical Information for Realistic Painters
Review: How To Paint Like The Old Masters is a must have book for any serious artist. Mr. Sheppard covers the greatest artist of all time and gives both a verbal and pictorial description of how it was done. He is especially good at showing the importance of mediums and glazing in painting. He also gives reasonable time estimates of how long it takes to create such a painting.
What he doesn't do is show how impressionist, and other modern, painting is done. He is showing how to paint realistic pictures and there is next to nothing on more modern painting methods. When he says Old Masters he means Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens, et al.
The cover shows how some of the Old Masters did it. They started with a very detailed under painting in grey tones and then advanced to color. This book illustrates that kind of technique - for the most part.
Some say this book isn't for beginners. Perhaps a person brand new to painting would find the text difficult; however, for anyone who has been painting for any length of time I think this book would be helpful IF you want to try for realistic paintings in the style of the old masters. If your style is more impressionistic or if you feel you must advance away from the realism of Direr, and others, then this book would not be worth the money. I will say without reservation that the under painting in grey tones will immediately improve your paintings. It takes a LOT more time, but the results are hard excellent.
For the artist looking for realism and trying to depict the world as the old masters did this book is a wonderful find.
Rating: 
Summary: A well meaning author offers an introduction...
Review: I bought this book two years ago when I was studying for my B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in painting. Fascinated with the Old Masters, as well as Odd Nerdrum's contemporary work that echoes the likes of Caravaggio and Rembrandt, I sought information beyond what my Professors could offer on the Master's techniques. I was disappointed to find that Sheppard's book was, literally, the only one I found that even addressed painting in a classical manner. While Sheppard doesn't come close to answering the mysteries of the Masters, he demonstrates his virtuosity with paint in every example. His instructions, while NOT for the beginning painter, are not difficult for the careful student to follow. I found the advice practical and useful. I recommend this book to any painter with ambitions to develop richly colored paintings in the manner of the Masters. The Old Masters are best studied in museums in person. I also suggest a great book like Ernst Van de Wetering's "Rembrandt: The Painter at Work", which includes stunning close-ups to study.
Rating:
Summary: A well meaning author offers an introduction...
Review: I bought this book two years ago when I was studying for my B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in painting. Fascinated with the Old Masters, as well as Odd Nerdrum's contemporary work that echoes the likes of Caravaggio and Rembrandt, I sought information beyond what my Professors could offer on the Master's techniques. I was disappointed to find that Sheppard's book was, literally, the only one I found that even addressed painting in a classical manner. While Sheppard doesn't come close to answering the mysteries of the Masters, he demonstrates his virtuosity with paint in every example. His instructions, while NOT for the beginning painter, are not difficult for the careful student to follow. I found the advice practical and useful. I recommend this book to any painter with ambitions to develop richly colored paintings in the manner of the Masters. The Old Masters are best studied in museums in person. I also suggest a great book like Ernst Van de Wetering's "Rembrandt: The Painter at Work", which includes stunning close-ups to study.
Rating:
Summary: Don't kid yourself. This is a GREAT book!
Review: I first saw this book at my local bookstore a few years ago. The paintings presented in this book consolidated my love of classic fine arts (AKA the Old Masters' works). At the time, I did not have enough facilities to pursue oil painting, I simply admired beautiful works by Mr. Sheppard and put the book back to the shelf. Briefly, my conclusion of his work at the time was "unreachable". I recently bought a copy of this book for myself and in fact have painted, as a practice, some paintings, using the techniques of Titian (both portraiture and nude) described in the book. I fall in love with the techniques of this Old Master simply because the choice of colors and every steps were done in oil (personally, I don't like to use charcoal or other materials in underpainting; they tend to smear and cause a mess). The following are my humble opinions about this book, based on my own experience using it: 1) Don't kid yourself, this is a profound book. Objectively speaking, with only 143+ pages, the author covers the following topics: - Materials and Formulas - Techniques of Durer, Titian, Veronese, Caravaggio, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer Due to space limit, expect some details that may need more in-depth discussions. However, the book does include a reference citation for further reading. 2) This book does not make you a "Master", but it helps to "try out" these techniques. In my humble opinion, to fully benefit this book, the reader should have the following skills before trying the techniques described in the book: - Good craftmanship. Don't expect to create a masterpiece without a decent drawing skill to start with. Be honest with yourself, if you think you have a problem looking at an object (either live or from a photo) and render it on a canvas, you are not ready for this book yet. - A reasonably decent ability in recognition of shade, light, and halftone; and a considerable knowledge of color mixing in oil. If you have never mixed oil colors, the book does provide, to some extent, what colors to use. However, in reality, variations occurred, due to different brands of colors or medium used. In any event, you might be able to get by. 3) Practice makes perfect. Do a few paintings using the techniques of your choice. You will eventually find out that no matter how strictly do you follow the techniques described in the book, YOUR WAY of painting will end up different. This is exactly what makes every artist unique. As long as your final work is good, it is a masterpiece of its own right. Who cares whether you tried to be a Titian or Rembrandt and failed. After all, that is even not a good idea, in my opinion. In closing, I am happy to have purchased this book and tried out some paintings for myself. It surely is a great reference every time I plan to do a portraiture in the Old Master's way (but then again, when the painting is done, it becomes "my" way). In a few words, "Strongly recommended".
Rating:
Summary: Great for advanced artists!
Review: I found this book to be very helpful in paint choices, mediums, setting up your canvas, etc... but I would not recommend it for beginners. It does not teach you blending techniques in depth enough or drawing which I believe are the cornerstones of a fine painting. If you want to paint like the old masters and have mastered the technique of blending get this book. Otherwise start with a beginner oil painting book. It is NOT necessary to make your own paint. Paints today are made very well and you do not need to go that far to create a fine painting. You can if you want but it is not necessary. Joseph Sheppard merely puts the info on blending your own mediums in the book should you choose to do so.
:-)
Rating:
Summary: the masters painted more than just the figure
Review: I purchased this book looking for more information on the painting techniques of the older masters. Mr. sheppard certainly has some interesting knowledge, however the book contains only figurative work, so if you are looking for a more expansive application of the techniques of the masters this book may not be for you. Although informative I still found much of the depth and genius of the likes of rembrandt, goya and titian much better instructors about the art of painting. What mr. sheppard does do is show one how to apply certain mediums in an old world way. For those who dont want to make their own maroger medium try some of the big name art supply houses. Then get Max Doeners book on artists materials and go to a great museum; you will have a much better source than this good but schloky introduction to the old masters.
Rating:
Summary: painting like the old masters
Review: If you are an artist and would like to have your paintings come alive is suggest reading and using Joseph Sheppard's How to paint like the Old Masters. I have found this book invaluable to the growth of my painting ability. Of the many books I have on painting this is the one I always go to when I start an important work. Beginners and advanced painters both will find this book useful.
Rating:
Summary: For the Expreienced
Review: Oil painting has many levels of difficulty, This book provides information for the highest level. For the experienced painter: a great lesson; for the inexperienced, it is, in my oppinion, too advanced. Overall a great book; well worth the money.
| 
