Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Review of DVD by Robert Liberace "Vol III: The Classic Portrait"

I was so excited to find the New DVD on Classical Painting by Robert Liberace in my mailbox today . It did not disappoint. Definitely for the advanced portrait artist, but, anyone with an interest in classical painting or aspiring to be a portrait artist would learn a  great deal from watching this DVD. Rob Liberace shares his vast knowledge of history, painting styles, master artists' materials and techniques in this 4 hour demonstration. He worked in lead-based classical paints by Rublev and Daniel Greene and explained in detail the materials he uses for this painting. He begins with a loosely rendered grisaille on day one, then day two proceeds with glazing on of the color. Watching a master such as Rob was inspiring! Seeing up close how he models ever nuance in light and shadow and mixing his colors I know will help me with any painting I do, not just portraiture. I saw Rob give a 2 hour demonstration at the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale a couple of years ago and was mesmerized by his skill and charisma as an instructor. Getting to one of his workshops has not been possible. But, this DVD is a great option and an excellent learning tool for me, since I learn best by observing. The DVD is worth every penny of the $85 cost. I highly recommend it to any artist at any level. I also plan to purchase his figure drawing DVD.