Seeing the Light : An Artist's Guide

Library Journal

Paintings often succeed or fail according to how light is handled, and consequently several books address this perennial issue. A full-time artist and international teacher, Carr shares what she has learned about mastering light to create depth, form, mood, and atmosphere. She offers 12 step-by-step demonstrations, in both watercolors and oils, but the book covers much the same territory as similar titles. The Handells take a more comprehensive look at the subject, alternating between the theoretical and the spiritual. Four chapters cover "Seeing Light," "The Nature of Light," "Technical Considerations in Painting Light," and "Capturing the Illusion of Light." The book, which is illustrated largely with pastels, would have benefited from broader examples of media. Nonetheless, it's a better purchase than Carr's effort, as it brings creative excitement to the field. It also provides meaty, practical background information to complement portfolio volumes like Rachel Rubin Wolf's Splash 7: A Celebration of Light. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.