Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, Great Teacher
Review: I purchased this book and liked it so much, I looked up where the author was giving a workshop and then took the class. Kevin spends a lot of time in both book and workshop on the 'right color' and the art of seeing. He feels that if you can isolate in your subject the correct color for the brushstroke you are about to paint, you cannot help but jump one of the biggest hurdles to having your painting look like the subject. The book is filled with his beautiful paintings, and lots of tips and techniques. I've been following his work since I purchased the book and going to the workshop, and my biggest mistake was not purchasing one of his paintings. And although the paintings in the book are more than first rate, Kevin has become even more talented in the past few years. You'll love having this book for inspiration and reference. Grade A, from the horizontal paint stroke club.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite painting books and the best for plein air
Review: I've read a lot of painting books and this is one of my favorites. I've read it front to back several times, and I've read through different chapters numerous times. He uses a very limited palette: cad yellow light, alizarin crimson, ultramarine, and phthalo green. I've been using a limited palette since I read his book, although I often alter the colors a bit. People say the palette is too limited but once you master it you can easily change the colors and add others as required. I found they're seldom required.He has a challenge to do 100 starts which is great. I'm current doing this with a group of artists at WetCanvas (search Google). He also has another challenge to paint a 6x8 plein air in one hour every day for 3 months. I'm quite confident that after painting 100 starts and 90 paintings I'll be a much better plein air painter. I also like his suggestion of using a black marker to make a b&w sketch before painting. This helps to see the light/shadow patterns. Overall this book is great. Although it's for oil, his technique will work for any opaque medium. MacPherson also gives workshops and from what I've heard they're very good. The material in the book is what he presents in the workshop!
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite painting books and the best for plein air
Review: I've read a lot of painting books and this is one of my favorites. I've read it front to back several times, and I've read through different chapters numerous times. He uses a very limited palette: cad yellow light, alizarin crimson, ultramarine, and phthalo green. I've been using a limited palette since I read his book, although I often alter the colors a bit. People say the palette is too limited but once you master it you can easily change the colors and add others as required. I found they're seldom required. He has a challenge to do 100 starts which is great. I'm current doing this with a group of artists at WetCanvas (search Google). He also has another challenge to paint a 6x8 plein air in one hour every day for 3 months. I'm quite confident that after painting 100 starts and 90 paintings I'll be a much better plein air painter. I also like his suggestion of using a black marker to make a b&w sketch before painting. This helps to see the light/shadow patterns. Overall this book is great. Although it's for oil, his technique will work for any opaque medium. MacPherson also gives workshops and from what I've heard they're very good. The material in the book is what he presents in the workshop!
Rating:
Summary: The essential plein air painting book
Review: If you only own one book on painting, this is it. There really has been no reason to produce another book on the subject after Kevin's work. Macpherson is a great individual, educator, and painter: he keeps no secrets to himself and offers them all in this thoughtful and beautiful publication. If you practice what Kevin teaches you will become a skilled and thoughtful painter.
Rating:
Summary: The art of painting outdoors
Review: Kevin Macpherson is an accomplished artist, but most importantly he has successfully conveyed his passion for painting outdoors.
Few books encourage studio artists to leave behind the conveniences and comforts of painting indoors and experience painting nature first hand, en plein air. Pochade boxes, easels, supports, equipment, and techniques are thoroughly discussed and demonstrated. The use of a limited palette teaches color harmony.
This is a valuable reference for all who paint nature.
Rating:
Summary: It's Great!
Review: Kevin Macpherson's use of color is inspiring to any painter
Rating: 
Summary: Did I miss the color and light references?
Review: Let me preface my review by saying that I am very new to painting. Having tackled a few Bob Ross paintings using the wet on wet technique, I was looking to learn more - so I got this book. I found that the first 45 pages were really the only pages that appealed to me. Discussions on color combinations, a limited palette and ways of discerning color were good pieces of instruction. However, Kevin talked quite a lot about detail in pictures when his paintings are anything but detail. His paintings tend to be a blurred vision. Nothing really in focus and nothing crisp. So after I got his book, I realized I didn't like his style of artistry. My advice is that before you buy this book, make sure you like the artist's paintings.
Rating:
Summary: Logical & informative approach to oil painting
Review: Macpherson's logical step by step approach to oil painting is an excellent guide for a beginner and still filled with much valuable information to inspire an experienced artist. "Fill Your Oil Paintings with Light & Color" inspired me to return to oil painting.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for beginners and experienced artists.
Review: This is a great book. Macpherson covers everything you need to know about oil painting from the beginning and on. He discusses materials, gives plenty of step-by-step demonstrations. I particularly like his emphasis on composition. He covers painting in the field, quick studies, painting in the studio, what to include and what to leave out. I also like his use of the pochade box which forces the artist to do quick studies. There aren't too many art books that even mention a pochade box. Although he initially suggests a limited palette, as noted by a prior reviewer, later you can see that his own palette is much broader. I would definitely recommend this book to any aspiring oil painter.
Rating:
Summary: Great book on painting ...
Review: This is the best "how to" book on oil painting I have found yet. Although he focuses on outdoor landscape painting, his techniques could be applied to any subject. There are many books that cover the basics and can get you started with oil painting, but this book will also help take you to the next level. If anyone knows of any painting workshops taught by Kevin MacPherson, I would appreciate information on them.
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