On Becoming a Painter [Anglais] [Relié]

Cover Story. Entire chapter reproduced with images

"...No matter what level of skill you now possess as a painter, Johnson's book will teach you greater creativity."

The paintings of Robert Johnson evoke a newfound appreciation for the elegance and power of works done in the classical tradition. The principles underlying this approach to art have been passed along for the last five centuries from master to apprentice, from teacher to student, and from painter to painter.

In "On Becoming a Painter" Robert Johnson answers some of the most persistant questions in the minds of aspiring artists, including "What in fact is color harmony, and how can I achieve it?" and "How can I capture the 'Old Master' brushwork quality I admire in museums in my own paintings?"

"On Becomong a Painter" includes an extensive exploration of drawing as the foundation of good painting, with numerous illustrations that show how good draftsmanship can make paintings come alive.

Robert Johnson writes with human understanding and acute awareness of the attitudes which can propel an artists' work forward or hold it back. It includes the chapter "Changing Your Life," which is directed at painters who wish to seriously consider becoming full-time artists.

Lavishly illustrated with over 100 full-color plates, "On Becoming a Painter" is an essential book not only for the up-and-coming artist, but also for the collector, the connoisseur,and the art lover-in short, for anyone who cares about good painting.

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RobertJohnson received his training in panting annd drawing at the Art Students' League of New York as well as receiving individual instruction from the master painter Lajos Markos. He has taughtr figure drawing and anatomy at the Art Students League in New York and currently teaches at the Scottsdale[AZ] Artists' School and other private workshops. He has received numerous awards for his work including first prize for still life in "The Artist Magazine" national competetion and the top award from the Salmagundi Club{N.Y.] national competition. He has had twelve one man shows at private galleries. He is a life member of the Art Students' League of New York, and a signature member of the Oil Painters of America and Allied Artists. His works are exibited in galleries in Santa Fe [NM],Park City[UT],Scottsdale[AZ], Carmel[CA] and Washington,D.C. In May,2002, he received and honorary doctorate from Schiller International University in London, England for his accomplishments in the field of art.

How does a person become a painter-areal painter like those whose works hang in museums and the best galleries and whose work has withstood the test of time? What makes a painting good? In this book, I have tried to answer these questions which have fascinated, perplexed, driven and at times exasperated me for years.

The two questions are inextricably linked. How a painter develops, his depth of understanding of the principles of painting, and what he brings from his life history and emotions are merged with the image that appears on the canvas. At a certain level every painting is a unique self portrait of the painter with all of his talent, understanding, and emotions registered in the individual brush strokes left on the canvas at that point of the painter's life. For me, the two questions fuse and blend like the dark forms and murky shadows in a Rembrandt portrait. As W.B. Yeats observed, "How do we know the dancer from the dance?"

The answers to these questions will no doubt vary from individual to individual. For me, the foundation of any attempt at an answer begins with an understanding of the bedrock principoles of painting which have been developed and refined by painters over the last five centuries of Western art...These principles must be understood by the artist to create solid and enduring work and must comprehended by the collectors and critics to pass respected judgements on the value and significance of an artist's work. This book represents my attempt to explore these foundation principles of painting.

Since the images in books were a great pleasure and aid to me in learning to paint and draw, I have attempted to emphasize the visual images--especially the details of the paintings to communicate my answers as a painter to these fumdamental questions. There is indeed a language of paint that is purely visual and emotional that can touch us deeply but can never be captured in the written or spoken word no matter how hard we try....