Richard Schmid Paints Landscapes: Creative Techniques in Oil
Author: Richard Schmid
I listed this book here mainly for its historical and collectible aspects. It’s a work by Richard Schmid – published in the mid-1970s. It offers an interesting insight into Schmid’s landscape painting process when he was a much younger artist.
This book is scarce, and the used book market prices reflect that. If you are patient, you may eventually be able to find this book for as low as $40, as I did with the one pictured here. It’s not a must-have book since Schmid’s Alla Prima II is much more up-to-date and contains extensive information distilled from his many years of experience as a fine art artist. Nonetheless, it’s a fascinating book, and if you can find it, I recommend you snatching a copy. I doubt this book will ever be reprinted.
Artist and Author Richard Schmid (circa 1975)
Publisher Description:
“Once again, Richard Schmid reveals his virtuoso oil-painting techniques as he applies his brush to landscape in this companion volume to Richard Schmid Paints the Figure. Schmid captures the essence of a landscape with expressiveness and spontaneity entirely on his own, translating his methods into advanced professional instruction for the painter. The basic materials and tools necessary in landscape painting are discussed first: brushes, palette knives, grounds, paints, varnishes, and mediums, as well as suggestions for special outdoor equipment.
“Next, in a chapter on landscape elements and techniques, the author offers valuable information on color, composition, edges, values, optical aids, perspective, outdoor light, local phenomena, and subject matter. Then, in a series of eight fully illustrated step-by-step demonstrations, the author shows how to use the standard, impressionistic, opaque, and transparent block-in; how to handle a full-value and a simple monochrome wash; how to create a direct painting; and, finally, how to render a full-color transparent block-in.
“The book concludes with a gallery of Schmid's most impressive landscapes, illustrating the techniques explained in the demonstrations and accompanied by a detailed description of how each picture was completed. 144 pages. 8V4 x 11. 70 black and white illustrations. 28 full-color plates. Bibliography. Index.”
