Susan Dorothea White Bibliography

MASTERING THE ESSENTIALS
The first two titles in Cassell's new Masterclass series sound full of promise says Jacky Wood Draw like Da Vinci? Paint Like Monet? Yes please! Unfortunately it's not that easy, and those who aspire to be Great Masters may find that these books merely scratch the surface of their ambition.

For Da Vinci, Susan White has certainly done her homework. Exhaustive (not to say exhausting) detail is shared on every aspect of his technique and tools. Fortunately the modern equivalents are also described: toothpaste and PVC substituting nicely for rendered chicken bones and saliva as a ground for metalpoint.

Since Renaissance drawing was never conceived as pure art, the generously illustrated examples are mainly sketches, doodles, anatomical studies and detail drawings by both artists (White is an exhibiting Australian artist). Practical exercises offer a chance to test the techniques, though two are based on downloading a computer image of Da Vinci works without clear source references.

James Heard's 'Monet' has a lighter approach, with less reading and more doing. Discussion of Monet's career and oil techniques accompany exercises based on seven of his best-known works. They may fall short of the originals, but these are accessible step-by-steps (though an instruction for 'The Magpie' "to mix...a dull orange...to paint the pale orange roof" is curious when the roof is manifestly blue). That's the Impressionists for you!

Carping aside, if you fancy your chances as a Great Master, these reasonably priced books could set you on the right road.