Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book filled with great advice.
Review: This book is a very nice volume of advice on painting, nothing groundreaking, but full of tips we've all learned and then forgotten. The reproductions are excellent as well. I recommend it as a premier book of instruction, easily as good as 'The Art Spirit', but with great illustrations of the text.

Rating:
Summary: Less expensive from the source
Review: This great resource is available in hardcover and soft cover
from: http://www.richardschmid.com/book.html
The prices are less than currently listed here.
Also check out the vedio and DVD titles.

Rating:
Summary: A book of uncommon beauty from the great painter of our age
Review: This is a book for skilled painters. It is not a book for art critics and essayists or for New York cognoscenti. To my thinking, no master in the history of painting has produced a more consistently poetic life's work than Richard Schmid. Unlike current thinkers, I believe the graphic arts are a special craft in the repertoire of human skill; no more, no less. To me, a painting that requires verbal interpretation is either inadequate or cynical or opportunistic. Painting is an intelligent, not an intellectual pursuit. And this is how Schmid approaches the basics once again of his craft through beautiful reproductions and well written good sense.

Rating:
Summary: Expensive book, and worth three times as much!
Review: This is by far the best book I have ever seen on the subject of oil painting. Not only do you get to admire many lucious images of a modern master's work, Richard Schmid generously shares his knowlege with humour, clarity and detail. A long look at both the technical and emotional aspects of painting, written with great commitment and depth. Though the price is daunting, consider it a worthy indulgence. You could buy ten other books on this subject and still not obtain such a complete reference source as this one book. On top of the excellent content, the book is beautifully made to last a lifetime (and more!), and printed on top quality paper. Splurge on this; you won't be disapointed!

Rating:
Summary: The Definitive Book About Painting
Review: With this book in hand, I could throw out all 4 dozen or so books on painting I've purchased in the past. Schmid clearly describes the factors necessary to paint well as well as his suggestions on tools with which to do it. His chapters on edges and values alone are indispensible to artists, beginners or professional.
His writing style is very easy to read and understand and there are more than a few laughs laced throughout. It's a keeper and I'll be going back and rereading until the pages are tattered and worn.