The art books are going too!

I'm quite sure that Julian has an excellent library of art books - and I'm looking forward to reading some of them.  However on the journey down and while I'm there I want some of my comfort zone books with me.

Particularly since I'm Learning how to paint with oils in Provence.

I realised how long I've been planning to paint in oils when I took a look at my shelves to find the oil painting books.

Here's the books I've bought in the past - with particular reference to the ones I'm probably taking with me.  I'm including links to the websites of artists which is another way I buy books - because I ask the question "Do I like the art that the artist produces?"

General information / compendium

• The Oil Painting Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist by Bill Creevy (Watson Guptill 1994) A classic Bill Creevy book in relation to art materials and how to use them - and also how to mix them with other media.
• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Oil Painting - various authors - including David Leffel, Albert Handell and Charles Le Clair (Watson Guptill 1993)  A compendium of lots of different perspectives on various topics relating to painting with oils and subject matter

Single author - oil painting instruction

• A Light Touch: Successful Painting In Oils by David Curtis.  Not so much an art instruction book and more of a conversation in an essay format.  However he's very easy to read.
• Fill your Oil Paintings with Light & Color  by Kevin MacPherson (North Light Books 1996) Well structured and well written with lots of spot on, snappy and easy to remember points in "tip boxes"

Squinting eliminates the unnecessary

• Brushwork Essentials - by Mark Christopher Weber  (North Light Books 2002) This is a book which I bought on the basis of a recommendation in an earlier exercise about "best books" on this blog.  It's the only book I've ever come across which shows you which brush to use and how for which effect.   
• Colour and Light in Oils by Nicholas Verrall (Batsford 2004)  This is a painter who is very positive about the use of colour - particularly in countries around the Mediterranean.  His book also focuses on how to bring space, depth and light into oil painting.

I've also got quite a few books (understatement!) which focus on some of the greatest painters working in oils - such as John Constable and JMW Turner.

The ones I'm inclined to take with me are the books by Curtis, MacPherson and Verrall - and quite possibly the brushwork book too.

Over on Making A Mark today I have a post which poses the question Which are the best books about oil painting?  It asks for suggestions as to what are good books.