An Artist’s Handbook by Margaret Krug
Author of this post: Tara MacKay | About Blog Authors »
Art supply stores are both inspiring and intimidating. Within every brush and tube of paint lies great potential, and yet, unless you’re able to skillfully wield these tools, you may quickly be discouraged.
Margaret Krug’s An Artist’s Handbook: Materials and Techniques wants to make the art supply store an exciting and encouraging place to be. It’s a surprisingly comprehensive little volume, in which a wide range of dry (drawing) and wet (painting) media are explored. Readers new to the fine arts will quickly discover that there is more in the artist’s toolbox than just paint and paintbrushes; Have you ever heard of Bologna chalk, or used a crow-quill pen?
The book contains the elements you’d hope to find in a guide to art materials. The descriptions of paints, pencils, chalks and pastels, and surfaces are abundant, and even unusual supplies that you may have been afraid to try, like egg tempera, are covered. These descriptions, and the logical arrangement of the chapters, make the book a handy reference, but really, it’s the content associated with the various materials that makes An Artist’s Handbook unique.
Each section is replete with inspiring historical examples, and high-quality photographs, by Pamelia Markwood, show the materials in action. Techniques associated with many of the supplies are clearly explained. These tutorials will help beginners get started and should provide even experienced artists with some food for thought. The book really is a bit more “classroom” than you might expect, in that it contains a range of project ideas meant to help you hone your skills. The exercises come complete with materials lists and logical instructions.
Many art books include photos of the materials themselves and a few steps in a process. While An Artist’s Handbook certainly has these, it’s the additional photographs that really make things easy. Simple images of the paint being mixed, or the subject being sketched, make even difficult techniques seem manageable.
In fact, “approachable” is probably the best way to describe this artist’s guide. Reference books are usually far from this, but Krug’s volume is friendly and should prove useful to any beginning or intermediate artist. From basic drawing to involved encaustic paintings and frescoes, it’s all there. Readers will develop a new appreciation for materials, techniques, and historical approaches without feeling overwhelmed by any one concept.
