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Oil Painting Secrets from a Master: Prominent Artist / Teacher David A. Leffel Shares His Secrets for Making Professional-Quality Paintings
Watson-Guptill Publications, 1984, hardcover, large format, illustrated, index, 144 pages, condition: new.
In Oil Painting Secrets from a Master, prominent artist and teacher David A. Leffel shares core principles and techniques culled from years of workshop critiques. His approach, often compared to the style of Rembrandt or Chardin, focuses on chiaroscurothe interplay of light and shadowto create form and drama. Leffel teaches that painting is about "how it works" rather than rigid formulas. His "secrets" revolve around these fundamental relationships. Start by quickly establishing dark shadow areas to provide structure. Darks serve as a reference point for all other areas, while lights are saved for the final stages. Edges are critical for directing the viewers eye and establishing texture. Professional quality comes from balancing soft and hard edges to create depth and focus.
Use a variety of thick and thin paint applications. Leffel emphasizes that the speed and direction of brushstrokes are the "lifeblood" of a painting, providing textural quality and economy of effort. Before a painting is a portrait or still life, it is an arrangement of abstract shapes, colors, and values. Leffel urges students to "paint the visual idea" first, allowing technique to naturally follow the intent.
Alla Prima Technique: He often employs a direct, "all-in-one-go" method that combines old master aesthetics with contemporary efficiency. Leffels teaching is rooted in a "Zen-like" perspective on the artistic journey:
"Paint to Learn": Do not wait until you know how to paint; the act of painting is how you gain knowledge.
Step Over "Dead" Paintings: Accept that flawed paintings are inevitable. Do not get stuck on them; finish them as best as you can and move forward to gain "brush mileage".
Simplification: Professional results often come from what you choose to leave out of a painting as much as what you put in.
Detailed examples of these principles in actionincluding step-by-step demonstrations for still lifes and portraitsare available in the 25th-anniversary edition of his book on Amazon or through his educational platform, Bright Light Fine Art.
