Since 1940, when it was originally published, The Artist's Handbook
has been indispensable for thousands of practicing artists and art
students. The book has remained continuously in print through many
editions and has some more than a quarter of a million copies. It is, as
American Artist Magazine calls it, the artist's bible, an invaluable
reference for the painter, sculptor, and printmaker. During the past few
years, however, new art movements and new research have led to many
changes in the technology of artist's materials. With the assistance of
Mayer's widow, Bena, and his colleagues, Viking and Steven Sheehan,
Director of the Ralph Mayer Center at Yale University, have prepared
this latest revision of the book, which is now completely updated and
expanded.
The Handbook does retain its original, user-friendly format. Mayer
intended that this encyclopedic volume be referred to frequently, and he
therefore gave specific, practical advice on every aspect of his
subject. In addition, he compiled valuable lists for the artist: retail
sources for materials, a pigment catalog, a bibliography, and an
extensive appendix. And the detailed index makes all of this information
immediately accessible.