Color Theory (Watson-Guptill Artist's Library)

Rating:
Summary: The Primary Color He Lists.....
Review: ...Are absolutely correct. The previous reviewer is
incorrect. Do a search on the web for primary colors
and you will see this is true.

And, I love the book.

Rating:
Summary: The Primary Color He Lists.....
Review: ...Are absolutely correct. The previous reviewer is
incorrect. Do a search on the web for primary colors
and you will see this is true.

And, I love the book.

Rating:
Summary: "Color Theory (Watson-Guptill Artist's Library)"
Review: An excellent resource for all wishing a better understanding of the nature of and relationship of colors. Parramon provides basic knowledge of how light breaks down into colors, in layman's terms, and then applies same to pigments. He then expands into contrasts, harmony, use and mis-use of black and white, a comprehensive discussion of artist colors, painting shadows and so on. Each topic is well addressed and supported visually.

Again, an excellent book which I'm delighted to have in my library, albeit covered with pastel and watercolor fingerprints.

Rating:
Summary: "Color Theory (Watson-Guptill Artist's Library)"
Review: An excellent resource for all wishing a better understanding of the nature of and relationship of colors. Parramon provides basic knowledge of how light breaks down into colors, in layman's terms, and then applies same to pigments. He then expands into contrasts, harmony, use and mis-use of black and white, a comprehensive discussion of artist colors, painting shadows and so on. Each topic is well addressed and supported visually.

Again, an excellent book which I'm delighted to have in my library, albeit covered with pastel and watercolor fingerprints.

Rating:
Summary: José is a FANTASTIC Art Teacher!
Review: I paint landscapes in oil for a hobby. The other day, while cleaning all my paint tubes, and while looking at the names of the colors, I began thinking about them. I then found I had José's wonderful book on my shelf for several years, still unread. I picked it up, and found I literally could not put it down. For an artist, this book reads like a "thriller!"

One of the things I liked best about the book is that it is not necessary to read it in order, from beginning to end. I turned first to the section on shadows, as shadows are an area I am currently having problems with. José explains EVERYTHING SO WELL, and CLEARLY. When he refers to matter already covered in an earlier section of the book, he clearly states the page number, where you can go back and refer to that section. His treatment of shadows is typical of how he addresses each subject in his little book.

José opens the chapter with a brief discussion of what Van Gogh once said about shadows, and discusses how artists currently view shadows as blue; whereas, at one time, they were viewed as similar to Van Dyck brown, or burnt umber. He explains how the post-impressionists discovered that the basic color of shadows is blue, and he devotes an entire lesson to actually showing us how that is so. Next, he devotes a second lesson to understanding the local color in darker tones, which he also points out is somewhat reminiscent of an old master's painting. In the first lesson, he gives us a sample still life painting, all in shades of blue. In the second lesson, we see the same still life painting, where the shadows are not made with blue, but only by using darker tones of the local colors. The third lesson deals with the complementary color of the local color. Here, we are given a third example of the still life, painted this time in complementary colors, which are used as shadows. José also points out that the still life now looks very much like the style of some paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, and especially Van Gogh, with the contrast originating from the juxtaposition of the most opposed colors, of highest contrast. He is not advising us to paint like this, only to help us understand. The fourth lesson in the chapter deals with the finished painting. We now see the same still life painted correctly, with proper use three types of colors in the shadows: blue, the local color in darker tones, and the complementary of the local color. As José carefullly guides our eye through each step of the process, we now really understand what he wants us to see!

I then read the other chapters, in order from the beginning. One of the best discussions dealt with looking at various landscape scenes (shown in photographs) and how each painter asks himself, "What color is it, actually?" He then takes us through a whole lesson, showing us his own thoughts (and sometimes, confusion) as he paints the landscape, trying to decide what color each thing is. This really helped me see that every painter is going throught the same thought processes, and having the same problems that I am.

I have several unfinished paintings I am still working on, and yet, after several years, was unable to determine, by looking, just what the problem was. After reading two-thirds of this book yesterday, I looked at my paintings this morning, and can see the solutions immediately! Now I finally know what to do. If only I had found this wonderful book sooner!

I was pleased to look on the back cover and find that José, himself, has written a number of other art books in this series, dealing with many other topics. So often in a series, each book is written by a different author. José is such a wonderful art teacher that I am delighted to see HE has written all of them. I intend to purchase several more of his books, as soon as I am able.

Rating:
Summary: José is a FANTASTIC Art Teacher!
Review: I paint landscapes in oil for a hobby. The other day, while cleaning all my paint tubes, and while looking at the names of the colors, I began thinking about them. I then found I had José's wonderful book on my shelf for several years, still unread. I picked it up, and found I literally could not put it down. For an artist, this book reads like a "thriller!"

One of the things I liked best about the book is that it is not necessary to read it in order, from beginning to end. I turned first to the section on shadows, as shadows are an area I am currently having problems with. José explains EVERYTHING SO WELL, and CLEARLY. When he refers to matter already covered in an earlier section of the book, he clearly states the page number, where you can go back and refer to that section. His treatment of shadows is typical of how he addresses each subject in his little book.

José opens the chapter with a brief discussion of what Van Gogh once said about shadows, and discusses how artists currently view shadows as blue; whereas, at one time, they were viewed as similar to Van Dyck brown, or burnt umber. He explains how the post-impressionists discovered that the basic color of shadows is blue, and he devotes an entire lesson to actually showing us how that is so. Next, he devotes a second lesson to understanding the local color in darker tones, which he also points out is somewhat reminiscent of an old master's painting. In the first lesson, he gives us a sample still life painting, all in shades of blue. In the second lesson, we see the same still life painting, where the shadows are not made with blue, but only by using darker tones of the local colors. The third lesson deals with the complementary color of the local color. Here, we are given a third example of the still life, painted this time in complementary colors, which are used as shadows. José also points out that the still life now looks very much like the style of some paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, and especially Van Gogh, with the contrast originating from the juxtaposition of the most opposed colors, of highest contrast. He is not advising us to paint like this, only to help us understand. The fourth lesson in the chapter deals with the finished painting. We now see the same still life painted correctly, with proper use three types of colors in the shadows: blue, the local color in darker tones, and the complementary of the local color. As José carefullly guides our eye through each step of the process, we now really understand what he wants us to see!

I then read the other chapters, in order from the beginning. One of the best discussions dealt with looking at various landscape scenes (shown in photographs) and how each painter asks himself, "What color is it, actually?" He then takes us through a whole lesson, showing us his own thoughts (and sometimes, confusion) as he paints the landscape, trying to decide what color each thing is. This really helped me see that every painter is going throught the same thought processes, and having the same problems that I am.

I have several unfinished paintings I am still working on, and yet, after several years, was unable to determine, by looking, just what the problem was. After reading two-thirds of this book yesterday, I looked at my paintings this morning, and can see the solutions immediately! Now I finally know what to do. If only I had found this wonderful book sooner!

I was pleased to look on the back cover and find that José, himself, has written a number of other art books in this series, dealing with many other topics. So often in a series, each book is written by a different author. José is such a wonderful art teacher that I am delighted to see HE has written all of them. I intend to purchase several more of his books, as soon as I am able.

Rating:
Summary: Sencillo
Review: Pocas veces se encuentra un libro sobre teor?a del color tan sencillo y pr?ctico como este, tiene la teor?a b?sica del color luz y color pigmento asi como la teor?a de los complementarios, y tambi?n ejemplos que pueden llegar a ser ejercicios de aplicaci?n.

Rating:
Summary: Sencillo
Review: Pocas veces se encuentra un libro sobre teoría del color tan sencillo y práctico como este, tiene la teoría básica del color luz y color pigmento asi como la teoría de los complementarios, y también ejemplos que pueden llegar a ser ejercicios de aplicación.

Rating:
Summary: Sencillo
Review: Pocas veces se encuentra un libro sobre teoría del color tan sencillo y práctico como este, tiene la teoría básica del color luz y color pigmento asi como la teoría de los complementarios, y también ejemplos que pueden llegar a ser ejercicios de aplicación.

Rating:
Summary: Be Careful before purchasing this book.
Review: This book states the principles of color theory correctly, as developed by Itten, The Bauhaus, and earlier artists. But the colors he starts with are completely incorrect! The Primary (subtractive) colors, for pigments are Red, Yellow, and Blue, NOT Magenta, Yellow, and Cyan Blue. Equally important, the Secondary colors are Green, Purple, and Orange, and NOT Red, Green, and Dark Blue. Based on these mistakes, a new student to art will become easily confused and misled. My recommendation is to read Itten's book, "The Elements of Color". He discusses the physics, principles, and causes of color, and is one of the long-standing and respected Masters of color theory.