Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Mini Plein Air Painting with Remington Robinson is a well written and illustrated tutorial and technique guide for miniature oil painting by Remington Robinson. Due out 31st July 2024 from Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is an unusually complete technique guide to mini-painting on the go with accessible takeaways for painters of all levels and experience. Painting on smaller surfaces is less intimidating than full size canvases, the materials are *much* more transportable in a self-contained metal tin (like Altoids), and less paint is used, allowing students to use better quality materials with richer, more saturated pigments, giving better results, encouraging more practice.
The author has a calm and inclusive voice in the tutorials, giving a good background on his own artistic process, inspiration, materials, setup, working techniques, and composition. The second part of the book (~78%) is taken up by the step-by-step tutorials, 12 in all.
The subjects are varied and include both architectural and natural/landscape projects. They cover a variety of lighting and various perspective studies. It's a mixed bag and there are lessons for beginners to professional painters which can also be expanded to full size subjects.
The danger is that this book will be dismissed in some areas as "niche" because of the miniature size and paint box setup; there is really good info and technique here for oil painters of all types and worth a look.
Five stars. It would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition, home studio, gift giving, and for painting and activity groups. Very good guide (not just for miniature painting).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Reviewed by annieb123 on
Reading updates
- 17 May, 2024: Started reading
- 17 May, 2024: Finished reading
- 17 May, 2024: Reviewed