Landscapes in Oil is the first-ever comprehensive guide to classical
landscape painting reinterpreted for the twenty-first century.
Drawing from the tradition established by American painters of the
Hudson River School - artists like Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, and
George Inness - author and painter Ken Salaz reveals great masters'
philosophy and methods, updating their approaches for the contemporary
landscape painter.
Beginning painters are given the basic tools and step-by-step
demonstrations, intermediate painters are challenged with unpublished
techniques that allow them to break through to the next level, and
advanced painters learn to apply their skills under unified theories.
Landscapes in Oil devotes a chapter to each of the fundamental elements
of landscape painting - drawing, value, color, composition, and light
quality - and offers critical advice on selecting tools and materials,
choosing colors, and structuring your palette for best results.
Emphasizing the necessity of plein air drawing and painting, Salaz
demonstrates how to translate small, quick studies made outdoors into
full-scale studio paintings.
He provides detailed step-by-step breakdowns of the creation of four of
his own paintings, focusing not only on application but also on the
ideas that underpin every decision a landscape painter must make.
The scores of landscape masterworks, past and present, that illustrate
this book have been carefully chosen for their aesthetic power and
because each embodies a specific aspect of the landscape painter's
craft. For Salaz, landscape painting is a noble pursuit, and the goal of
the landscape artist is not to paint "pretty pictures" but to create
compelling images that express human beings' profound connection to
nature in all its diversity and grandeur.
At a time when classical landscape is enjoying a renaissance in art
schools, ateliers, and galleries across North America, this book is an
essential resource for beginning and experienced painters alike.
