A book written by an erudite art critic of his experiences sitting for a portrait by Lucian Freud. Months of conversation digested into a narrative that tells much about the artist: his working practice, his personality and approach to life, his models and family. If you enjoy Freud's portrait painting or learning about the artist behind famous paintings, it's a must-read.
This book was published for the 125th anniversary of this famous French art materials company. It's packed, both historical and contemporary, telling the history of the company and its products, plus profiles of artists who use them. It's a visual treasure trove, artistic eye-candy.
Collage, Colour and Texture in Painting by Mike Bernard
A book that explains through examples, showing how simplifying detail to create an image that implies rather than states can be extremely powerful. It's about adding visual interest, layer on layer, to keep viewer's looking, to pull them in and make them engage with a painting. Don't expect page after page of step-by-steps; while the text explains concepts, the images are mostly finished examples that you 'unpack' as you read the text.
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