Odd Nerdrum: The Drawings

Rating:
Summary: A rare treasure worth every penny ... if you can find one
Review: I am a painting student, and I bought this book in 1999 when it was still widely available at a reasonable price. It didn't occur to me until years later -- after buying several other books about Nerdrum's art -- that the reproductions in this volume are incredibly valuable, especially to those who wish to fully understand the completed paintings that Nerdrum creates. The volumes featuring his art in recent years, beautiful as they are, usually do not emphasize his drawing skills as this book does. This is truly a fascinating look at the creative process of a modern master -- secure yourself a copy, if you see one available!

Rating:
Summary: A rare treasure worth every penny ... if you can find one
Review: I am a painting student, and I bought this book in 1999 when it was still widely available at a reasonable price. It didn't occur to me until years later -- after buying several other books about Nerdrum's art -- that the reproductions in this volume are incredibly valuable, especially to those who wish to fully understand the completed paintings that Nerdrum creates. The volumes featuring his art in recent years, beautiful as they are, usually do not emphasize his drawing skills as this book does. This is truly a fascinating look at the creative process of a modern master -- secure yourself a copy, if you see one available!

Rating:
Summary: A collection of studies done pre-painting.
Review: These are the basis of every one of Nerdrum's paintings. One cannot tell if the painting was done from the drawing or if the drawing was done from the painting. This is an excellent illustration of the long planning and consideration some artists go through before beginning a painting. It shows just one of the many steps Nerdrum goes through, capturing one of the pieces which go into a piece of art which usually would go into the trash. The drawings are usually overlooked, and most beginning painters believe a painting can be started without preperation. This shows how much consideration to EVERY detail is given.

I would have liked to have seen more of the intermediate steps before the finalized drawing, and just more drawings in general. I thought the book was a bit on the short side, but otherwise, this is a fabulous book

Rating:
Summary: A collection of studies done pre-painting.
Review: These are the basis of every one of Nerdrum's paintings. One cannot tell if the painting was done from the drawing or if the drawing was done from the painting. This is an excellent illustration of the long planning and consideration some artists go through before beginning a painting. It shows just one of the many steps Nerdrum goes through, capturing one of the pieces which go into a piece of art which usually would go into the trash. The drawings are usually overlooked, and most beginning painters believe a painting can be started without preperation. This shows how much consideration to EVERY detail is given.

I would have liked to have seen more of the intermediate steps before the finalized drawing, and just more drawings in general. I thought the book was a bit on the short side, but otherwise, this is a fabulous book

Rating:
Summary: An ultra rare must have reference for artists/students
Review: This is an amazing book that gives insite to the painstaking process of painting in the classical manner. Nerdrum only completes about 7-8 painting a year, but his work is some of the most impressive art of this century. This book is a collection of drawings that were done as preliminary studies for paintings. It offers an incredible insight to the process of developing a brilliant work of art, from a modern master. The book was originally published as a catalog that accompanied a tour of these collected works. The museums that exhibited this collection were smaller(ie not nationally known)museums in the mid-west. The photo reproductions are so crisp that you can see every stroke and blend of the charcoal, as well as the lines where the pieces of paper were hinged together to complete these rather large scale drawings. This book is a must have reference for any serious art student who aspires to master the classical techniques of drawing/painting. It is an extremely rare find as according to the inside cover, only 2000 copies were printed. If you can find one, it is worth every penny. An amazing compilation of works from an amazing modern master artist.