How I Paint: Secrets of a Sunday Painter

by Thomas S. Buechner and Athena Dixon

Book Overview

Painter/museum director Thomas S. Buechner combines clear how-to instruction with striking insights to help us look at pictures in a wholly new way. Subsidiary rights: Selected by North Light Book Club.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810941538
• ISBN13: 9780810941533
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 127 Pages
• Weight: 2.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 8.9" x 10.8"
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Most inspiring art book I own

This is the best art book I've bought. I love it. Inspiring and informative, it goes through many techniques such as glazing and scumbling in a helpful and achievable way. For the serious art student, I can't recommend it enough. The author presents his material in a clear and easy to understand manner and his writing is encouraging and helpful. I always put off portrait painting because it seemed so difficult but this book changed my whole perspective. I would recommend it to any struggling or hesitant portrait painter. It's gotten me a lot more serious about my art.I also have to say that I found the writing style clear and easy the follow. The author doesn't pontificate or put himself on a pedestle and for such a good artist to want to share his learning after a life time of painting, is one of the things that makes this book so good. Some books you read and give away and others you keep and continue going back too. This is a keeper. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

It's More Inspiration and Soul Than Techniques

I had been referred to this book by a female artist friend of mine a week before I wrote this review when she left to attend a workshop by the author in New York. I got my hand on this book a few days later and finished it (not in one sitting) in about two days. This is more of an inspiration than techniques book. A very enjoyable book, indeed!Although the author does cover the WHAT's and HOW's (along with the WHY he paints) in his book, his techniques are presented in a way that, perhaps, is more appreciated by professional artists than starters. Specifically, the author briefly presents his techniques in just one page/painting in average. Several technique demos are presented, and they are very good. If one needs to be spoonfed on every technique in oil painting, this is NOT the book to look for them. A lot of techniques he mentioned in the book can be found elsewhere. The author does provide a (long) reference citation for further reading.What is so good about this book, instead, is the inspiration and humbleness that I feel when reading his book. Born in 1926, only began painting full time in 1987 (at 61 years of age) even though having done most "art-related" jobs since 1945, and still painting, his book is simply a natural outcome of this lifelong artist.

Secrets of a Sunday, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat Painter

Don't let Tom Buechner fool you. He paints EVERY day. I know because I have the great fortune of taking Tom's portrait painting class on Friday nights. I get to experience first-hand Tom's enthusiasm, skill and knowledge as a painter and as a teacher. If you can not take one of his workshops, you must buy his book. It is written with the same wit, charm and wisdom that Tom shares with his class. As he does in his paintings, Tom's book presents his philosophy and work simply and elegantly. He shares the 'secrets' that he's discovered from over 60 years of painting. You should know that this isn't a 1st grade paint-by-number, step-by-step how-to book on painting. It is a succinctly written and beautifully illustrated book that explains with great insight how, why, where and what this talented artist and teacher paints. After suffering a 15 year drought, I want to paint every day of the week and I have Tom and his book to thank for it.

Not Just For Painters

I highly recommend this book if your producing visual imagery of any kind. Far from a densely texted "How-to" volume, this book is just as the title states- a succinct and direct exploration/explanation of how and why he creates his imagery and then what is done with it. In fact, after reading it, I was suprised at just how sparse the text is; however, since no words are extra what the reader comes to do is gain an understanding of an artistic process (for those that admire) which can be adapted within your own work methods (if you also create visual imagery.) That process of understanding is the book's strength and this artist's accomplishment and it is all done with a light and enthusiastic voice. This book was one of the very few that I could not put down until I had finished reading it.

simple, engaging and masterful

this books works on many levels for the amatuer, the collector, the art historian and the art lover: but for the painter, realist or not, it is an absolute must. By the time I had finished the first 60 pages I had come to understand my craft and its potential more clearly than the some twenty odd years of schooling and lectures and yes even painting to date has taught me. Mr. Buechner's genius lies in the simple and elegant, almost childlike way he destroys the fearful mystery of creatng depth on a canvas with paint. This knoweldge is not only the outcome of many paintings but of being aware of what each painting was teaching him. His marvelous description of how he learned about making a form come forward while he was painting a nose of one of Rembrandts paintings is a tour de force of a complex visual experience finally rendered understandable. If I seem overly impressed;well I am. I have been searching for a contemporary painter to explain some of the old master's techniques for years. In this book Mr. Buechner does so with warmth, humility and panache, but above all with wisdom grounded in practice and not wordy intellectual theories. Realist painters, run don't walk to buy this book. Anyone who has ever wondered why anyone is still fascinated with painting realist art the above goes for you also. This book is a treasure Thank-you Mr.Buechner