 Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X by Deborah Davis Hardcover: 320 pages; Tarcher (Jul 24, 2003) Best Seller The story behind the legendary John Singer Sargent painting that propelled the artist to international renown but condemned his subject to a life of public ridicule. John Singer Sargent's Madame X is one of the world's best-known portraits. As the Metropolitan's most frequently requested painting for loans, it travels to museums around the globe. The image of "Madame X" decorates book and magazine covers, greeting cards and screen savers. She's even been immortalized as a Madame Alexander doll. Few people, though, know the fascinating story behind the painting. "Madame X" was actually a twenty-three-year-old New Orleans Creole, Virginie Gautreau, who moved to Paris and quickly became the "it girl" of her day. All the leading artists wanted to paint her, but it was Sargent, a relative nobody, who won the commission. Gautreau and Sargent must have recognized in each other a like-minded hunger for fame. Unveiled at the 1884 Paris Salon, Gautreau's portrait did generate the attention she craved-but it led to infamy rather than stardom. Sargent had painted one strap of Gautreau's dress dangling from her shoulder, suggesting, to outraged Parisian viewers, either the prelude or the aftermath of sex. Her reputation irreparably damaged, Gautreau retired from public life, destroying all the mirrors in her home so she would never have to look at herself again. Why had Sargent chosen to portray her in such a provoc-ative manner? Was the painting, with the scandal it generated, the machination of a sexually conflicted man who desired a woman and a lifestyle he could never possess? Drawing on documents from private collections and other previously unexamined materials and featuring a cast of characters including Oscar Wilde and Richard Wagner, Strapless is an enthralling tale of art and celebrity, obsession and betrayal.
 Drawing Atelier – The Figure: How to Draw in a Classical Style by Steve Huston – Hardcover: 176 pages; North Light Books (Mar 23, 2016) Best Seller Arguably the most challenging of subjects for the artist, the human figure also offers opportunities for works of incredible beauty and complexity. In this book, one of today's leading figurative artists shares techniques and approaches for drawing the human form. With a reverent grounding in the methods of the Old Masters and keen perspective developed over Jon DeMartin's 20+ years of making and teaching art, this comprehensive workshop focuses on the power of line and how it can be used to achieve a convincing sense of dimension and life.
 Making Color Sing by Jeanne Dobie – Paperback: 160 pages; Watson-Guptill; Anniversary, Reprint (Jan 11, 2011) Best Seller In the 25th anniversary edition of Making Color Sing, Jeanne Dobie teaches you new ways to think about color and make it work for you, through 31 clear, easy-to-follow exercises. No color exists in isolation; colors are always interacting with one another. As this nationally recognized author explains, understanding color relationships is the key to successful painting.
 Colored Pencil Portraits Step by Step by Ann Kullberg – Hardcover: 128 pages; North Light Books (Mar 1999) Best Seller From Library Journal: Kullberg is a born artist, self-taught and highly accomplished. In her first book, she proves to be a born teacher as well. She thoroughly and engagingly explores the details of the tools and techniques necessary for every element of creating portraits. Colored pencil is a medium that requires little money, no setup, no cleanup, and no health concerns...just as much hard work and talent as any other medium. With her fresh enthusiasm, Kullberg makes the work a pleasure. Collections that have Lee Hammond's similar Drawing Portraits in Colored Pencil from Photographs (North Light, 1997) may want to add this as well. In choosing between the two, Kullberg's personal approach edges out Hammond.
 The Artist's Complete Guide to Drawing the Head by William Maughan – Paperback: 160 pages; Watson-Guptill; 1st edition (Jan 1, 2004) Best Seller In this innovative guide, master art instructor William Maughan demonstrates how to create a realistic human likeness by using the classic and highly accurate modeling technique of chiaroscuro (Italian for “light and dark”) developed by Leonardo da Vinci during the High Renaissance.
 Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits by William F. Powell – Hardcover: 48 pages; Walter Foster (Nov 1, 2006) Best Seller From Caucasian to Latino and East Indian hues, this convenient book features master mixes for an arry of skin colors, plus recipes for hair, eye, and lip colors. The concealed wire-o bound book also includes a plastic color-mixing grid for measuring out paints, as well as a handy conversion chart for finding acrylic equivalents of oil paints and vice versa.
 Bouguereau by Fronia E. Wissman – 1st Edition, Paperback: 128 pages: Pomegranate, 1996 Best Seller Midwest Book Review: Fronia Wissman's Bouguereau offers astute and illuminating insights into his art, career, and family life of the French artist Adolphe-William Bouguereau (1825-1905) whose evocative visions of a better, purer time and place earned him a passionate following during his lifetime down through the present. 60 full color reproductions and 15 black & white illustrations perfectly exemplify Bouguereau's prodigious talent in creating works of sensual, emotional, and intellectual appeal.
 Sight & Insight: The Art of Burton Silverman by Burton Silverman, The Butler Institute of American Art, Robert L. McGrath, Phillip Saietta – Hardcover, 160 pages; 1st edition (2000) Best Seller Art Times, March 1999: "Silverman's work is fiercely and resolutely representational, holding to a traditional background and aesthetic that flies in the face of the adherents and champions of modernism. Intensely personal, always masterful, Silvermans work is included in such collections as the Brooklyn Museum, the Philadelphia museum of Art the National Museum of American Art and the National Portrait Gallery."
 Oil Painting Secrets from a Master by Linda Brandi Cateura, with David Leffel – Paperback: 144 pages; Watson-Guptill (Sep 1, 1995) Best Seller The insights, philosophy, painting hints, and general comments of David A. Leffel, a popular instructor at the Art Students League in New York.
 Oil Painting Techniques and Materials by Harold Speed – Paperback: 280 pages; Dover Publications (Feb 1988) Best Seller Reader review: This book is a treasure. I have checked it out of the library several times already and now have finally decided to buy it. I have yet to find a better guide to traditonal painting techniques. In a world of modern techniques based on 20th century aesthetics, this is the book for those of us who follow a different path. If you want to paint like Velasquez, Titian, or Nerdrum, this is the place to start.
|  Lessons in Classical Drawing: Essential Techniques from Inside the Atelier by Juliette Aristides – Hardcover: 208 pages; Watson-Guptill (Nov 15, 2011) Best Seller The practice of drawing…distilled to its essential elements. In this elegant and inspiring primer, master contemporary artist and author Juliette Aristides breaks down the drawing process into small, manageable lessons; introduces time-tested principles and techniques that are easily accessible; and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings. The companion DVD enclosed inside, beautifully filmed in Florence, Italy, provides real-time drawing lessons so that any gaps in the learning process are filled in with live instruction.
 The Art of Drawing & Painting Portraits by Tim Chambers, Ken Goldman, Peggi Habets, Lance Richlin – Paperback: 144 pages; Walter Foster Publishing; 1st edition (Sep 1, 2012) Best Seller With instructions and step-by-step projects for creating an array of portaits, this all-inclusive book covers everything about portraiture in the most popular drawing and painting media. Ideal for beginning artists who would like to experiment with different media, The Art of Drawing & Painting Portraits teaches the artist how to create beautiful and realistic portraits in pencil, pastel, watercolor, oil, and acrylic.
 The Art of Portrait Drawing by Joy Thomas – Hardcover: 144 pages; North Light Books (Jun 12, 2006) Best Seller Learn how to turn what you see into masterful, expressive art. With the practical instruction and advice in these pages, you can develop the skills necessary to draw fine portraits in the realist tradition.
In The Art of Portrait Drawing, skilled artist Joy Thomas passes on to you the lessons she has gathered from generations of the world’s greatest artists. Learn about the golden mean, the traditional three-color portrait, the secrets of proportion and more methods used by the Old Masters and today’s best artists alike!
Inside you’ll find: · An introduction to every commonly used drawing medium, including charcoal, Conté and graphite · An illustrated overview of the history of portrait drawing · Time-honored methods for drawing accurately · Insights on how to capture not only the likeness, but also the mood and essence of your subject · Advice on posing a subject, setting up lighting, choosing the right tools and composing effectively · 9 in-depth, step-by-step drawing demonstrations to develop your skills and your confidence Portraying the human face is the ultimate expression of art. Use The Art of Portrait Drawing as the road map for your artistic quest.
 Portrait Painting Atelier: Old Master Techniques and Contemporary Applications by Suzanne Brooker, Domenic Cretara (Foreword) – Hardcover: 208 pages; Watson-Guptill (Mar 9, 2010) Best Seller The art of portraiture approached its apex during the sixteenth century in Europe with the discovery of oil painting when the old masters developed and refined techniques that remain unsurpassed to this day. The ascendance of nonrepresentational art in the middle of the twentieth century displaced these venerable skills, especially in academic art circles. Fortunately for aspiring artists today who wish to learn the methods that allowed the Old Masters to achieve the luminous color and subtle tonalities so characteristic of their work, this knowledge has been preserved in hundreds of small traditional painting ateliers that persevered in the old ways in this country and throughout the world.
 Color Mixing Recipes for Landscapes by William F. Powell – Hardcover: 48 pages; Walter Foster Publishing (Apr 30, 2012) Best Seller In the latest addition to the Color Mixing Recipes family of books, artist William F. Powell provides instruction on color mixing as it relates to landscape painting in oil and acrylic.
 Painting Portraits and Figures in Watercolor by Mary Whyte – 160 pages; Watson-Guptill; original edition (Dec 6, 2011) Best Seller Using clear and concise language and in-depth, step-by-step demonstrations, author and renowned artist Mary Whyte guides beginning and intermediate watercolorists through the entire painting process, from selecting materials to fundamental techniques to working with models.
Lessons in Classical Drawing: Essential Techniques from Inside the Atelier by Juliette Aristides – Hardcover: 208 pages; Watson-Guptill (Nov 15, 2011) Best Seller The practice of drawing…distilled to its essential elements. In this elegant and inspiring primer, master contemporary artist and author Juliette Aristides breaks down the drawing process into small, manageable lessons; introduces time-tested principles and techniques that are easily accessible; and shares the language and context necessary to understand the artistic process and create superior, well-crafted drawings. The companion DVD enclosed inside, beautifully filmed in Florence, Italy, provides real-time drawing lessons so that any gaps in the learning process are filled in with live instruction.
 The Practice and Science of Drawing by Harold, Speed – Paperback: 296 pages; Dover Publications; 3rd edition (Sep 1980) Best Seller Classic approach to the dynamics of drawing by brilliant teacher with insights and practical advice on line drawing, mass drawing, visual memory, materials and much more. 84 plates and diagrams reinforce Speed’s clear presentation.
 Problem Solving for Oil Painters by Gregg Kreutz – Paperback: 144 pages; Watson-Guptill, 1997 Best Seller Reader review:I stumbled on this book by accident in an art store library. Upon browsing through it, I realized that I was looking at something very different than the bulk of "art instruction" books available. The author is exceptionally knowledgable about the medium of oils, as well as surfaces on which to paint, but most importantly, he shows many color photos of "bad" paintings and how to correct them. He discusses, composition, lighting, unifying color, shadow color,etc. It is an education in itself. An outstanding work.
 Brushwork Essentials: How to Render Expressive Form and Texture With Every Stroke by Mark Christopher Weber – Hardcover: 143 pages; North Light Books (May 2002) Best Seller This unique book deals exclusively with oil brushwork. Painters learn how to render expressive form and texture using the myriad shapes and types of brushes available. Mixing and loading paint, cleaning and shaping brushes for maximum control, and picking the right paint for specific types of strokes are all covered. As Weber writes, the book's purpose is to show "how to use your brushes to make that rascally oil paint do your bidding." Weber uses his own award-winning, highly refined paintings to illustrate the book. Recommended for large collections. — Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
 Painting Portraits by Everett Raymond Kinstler, Susan E. Meyer – Hardcover: 144 pages; Watson-Guptill; Revised edition (Nov 1987) Best Seller
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Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Master Reveals the Secrets of Drawing the Human Form
