Introduction to Art Techniques

by Ray and James Horton Smith

A textbook for the Art student. Drawing; Perspective; Watercolor; Pastels; Oil Painting; Acrylics and Mixed Media with many sub-sections in each section.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Reference, Drawing, Visual Art, How To

463 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Mily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reference book on art techniques.
Especially good for painting - with photos on every page.
Really helps to understand all of the products associated with painting - glazes, brushes, etc.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my bible. anything that i need to know about a medium is in this book. The is the ultimate artist's companion. simple explanations, very easy to understand. well worth the money.

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME book!! Helped me tremendously in my art work, in college and just every day use! I recommend this book to ANYONE who loves art, creates art, reads about art or just has a general interest in art.

[Mary Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Intro to Art Techniques, from the DK Art School, is a massive tome I purchased years ago when I resumed painting. I didn’t realize I had not written a review and wanted to. I have moved twice since purchasing this book and it is one of the few books of art instructions that I kept. Though much of the information seems basic now, I still refer back to this book often for things I can’t store in my mind. Techniques in the use of color was what I needed to learn initially. Now I’ve learned much more from this all inclusive book. Considering my moves and constant referring back to the pages, this book has an incredibly sturdy cover that holds up well. After all these years, my book looks nearly new. Included are sections on most art mediums, about brushes and canvasses, paints, composition, and on and on. I can’t begin to mention all that is included in this big book. I recommend this thick volume of art instruction to both beginners or those seeking to refresh their knowledge with any art medium.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for perspective

[Jeiniell Mierasol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it super duper ❣️❣️❣️

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was required to take an art appreciation class in college to graduate--and I loved it! It brought back my earlier days when I used to love to draw (and even won second prize in an inter-school city-wide art contest.) So next I took a course on painting at the university--only to be bitterly disappointed. We weren't taught technique. No siree. We were told to paint a banana, then our teacher went around and when she got to me told me I should use purple or something! Use my imagination! This is why you can go to museums and see paint splatters hung up as art. So then I went out and bought this--and this I was pleased with. Because it covers all sorts of tools, materials and techniques not dreamed of by high school (and it seems college) art teachers: Drawing, Perspective, Watercolor, Oil Painting, Acrylics, Mixed Media. Sure, this lends itself to both traditional and modern styles--but if you're going to make your banana purple, at least you'll better know your options!

[John Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. First of all, it's simply beautiful in terms of the countless illustrations in it (mostly drawings, paintings, and technique photographs), all of them beautifully composed on the pages. (You have to see it to appreciate what I'm saying.) Second, the book really does introduce you to many, many techniques. Granted, most of us will never master any technique by reading a few pages or by looking at some illustrations, but this book introduces you to so many techniques and it gives you somewhere to start experimenting. Armed with a book like this, an aspiring artist (especially one capable of silencing her own inner critic) could really create some satisfying art.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was studying the application of acrylic painting mostly.

[Jucel Meneses · Rating 5 out of 5]

My go to book, easy and summarized info when I need to go back to basics

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

great for learning the basics of a bunch of different mediums

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this when I was younger. It was perfect for an intro into techniques that are not commonly taught. The book is well organized and very detailed.

[Jolie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great reference book of art techniques and projects.