Painting Horses in Oil, by Cindy Larimore

Painting Horses in Oil, by Cindy Larimore

I picked this up at a yard sale, as I can rarely pass up any Walter Foster books when I see them. I was pleased at how practical and useful this book is. There are a lot of beautiful paintings by the author of different breeds of horses and different poses, but even more than that, this book goes into a horse's anatomy, names the body parts, and shows muscular and skeletal views as well as differences in breeds, and particular things to look for in your subject. Horses were the first thing I learned to draw realistically in third grade, and I have painted horses a few times as an adult, but this book will definitely help me to understand the horse in order to paint it better.

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Draw 50 Animals, Lee J. Ames

Draw 50 Animals, by Lee J. Ames

This is a fun book to look through, gives step by step pictures for drawing animals starting with basic shapes. It's a basic book for learning by copying or mimicking, which honestly is where all people start out learning, as babies, mimicking those around us. It can help build confidence to move on to the next step of learning.

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Masters of Painting Their Works/ Their Lives/ Their Times by Bernadine Kielty

 

Masters of Painting, Bernadine Kielty, 1964 Doubleday

This large format book was published in 1964 and touches on art and artists from Byzantine times through Impressionism, and just slightly touching on modern art, as it was still relatively new in 1964. I have read a few art history books that are more comprehensive than this one, but I like that this volume tries to touch on the artists personally and give a little more insight into their lives. The one drawback to this book is that almost all the pictures are in black and white, rather than in color. 

I would like to share the last thought from this book by the author:

    "On the walls of the museums and galleries of the world hang pictures from all these centuries. Some of these pictures the gallery-walker likes, others he dislikes. But the final judgment as to which picture is truly great rests not on how many people like it, but on the personality of the artist who painted it. No way of painting is superior or inferior to another. It is a matter of whether or not the style expresses the painter. Old masters portrayed madonnas. The moderns portray apples. No matter what the period of time, no matter what the beauty or ugliness of his model, regardless of technique, the value of the painter's creation depends on the worthiness of his ideal, and the degree to which he has made that ideal clear in his finished picture. In today's art we may not always understand what the artist is saying, or recognize the object he is painting, but we sometimes can feel the urgent desire which prompted him, and we must look in his picture for its fulfillment. As a wise man Venturi said, "We must look with the eyes of the mind into the painter's soul."

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Basic Drawing Techniques edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf

 

I picked up this book at a yard sale this last summer for about a dollar, but the information inside is invaluable to any artist. It is Basic Drawing Techniques, edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf, from North Light Books. It covers the basics of drawing, from beginner to portraiture. 

I got a degree in drawing and painting from Academy of Art University, and a lot of what is in this book is in the foundation classes an art student would take there. If you are looking for a resource to brush up on your drawing, or even for how to teach others, this is the book for you. 

It begins with an overview of the supplies you will need, whether drawing with pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, or marker. It discussed the different types of papers available and how they work with different media. From there, you will learn about basic lines, shapes, forms, shading, perspective, quick sketching, animals, anatomy, figures, and portraits. 

This one is definitely going into my permanent library. I highly recommend it.

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2022 Books I Have Read

 JANUARY 2022

1 Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Book of Luke, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Basic Drawing Techniques edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf

Beadwork Basics, Ann Benson

Girl Scout Hand Book for the Intermediate Program, 1942 edition

Two-Hour Beaded Projects, Ann Benson

Old Stories of the East, James Baldwin

FEBRUARY

Bookbinding Basics, Paola Rosati

II Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Book of John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

China Dolls, Lisa See

Whole 30 Food Freedom Forever, Melissa Hartwig

Toots and Other Stories, Anna Adams Gordon

MARCH

1 Chronicles, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Masters of Painting: Their Works/Their Lives/Their Times by Bernadine Kielty

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents, Claire Berman

Acts, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk, by Kelli Estes

Painted Garden Art Anyone Can Do, Lin Wellford

APRIL

Romans, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Corinthians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 Corinthians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope

It Starts with Food, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig

Draw 50 Animals, Lee J. Ames

Creative Color for the Oil Painter, Wendon Blake

MAY

2 Chronicles, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Galatians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Ephesians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

One Glorious Ambition, Jane Kirkpatrick

Philippians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Natural Woman, Natural Menopause, Marcus Laux ND and Christine Conrad

Ezra, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Mom's Little Book of Photo Tips, Lisa Bearnson

Peony in Love, Lisa See

Colossians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Thessalonians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Growing Up with Dick and Jane, Carole Kismaric and Marvin Heiferman

2 Thessalonians, /Holman Christian Standard Bible

JUNE

1 Timothy, Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 Timothy, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Nehemiah, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Philemon, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson

JULY

Esther, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrews, Holman Christian Standard Bible

James, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Peter, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Priest's Graveyard, Ted Dekker

Thunder from Jerusalem, Bodie & Brock Thoene

AUGUST

2 Peter, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Children's Book of Games and Puzzles, Helen Jill Fletcher

Step by Step Beadcraft by Judith Glassman

1, 2, 3 John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Jude, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Job, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Falling Leaves, Adeline Yen Mah

SEPTEMBER

Revelation, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Blue Tattoo, The Life of Olive Oatman, by Margot Mifflin

Family Scrapbooks, Memory Makers

Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen

OCTOBER

Flower Net, Lisa See

Creating Art at the Speed of Life, Pam Carriker

NOVEMBER

Psalms, Holman Christian Standard Version

Her Mother's Hope, Francine Rivers

A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson

Proverbs, Holman Christian Standard Version

DECEMBER

Ecclesiastes, Holman Christian Standard Version

Song of Solomon, Holman Christian Standard Version

Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher

TOTAL not including books of the Bible: 36

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck