For keeping track of my artwork, I use Artwork Archive. This online software allows you to catalog your art pieces with pictures and details, indicate which shows or locations your pieces are currently at, who purchased your work, and many other features.
To find out more, click here: Artwork Archive
Nicholas Hilliard was one of the preeminent miniaturists of the Elizabethan period, and completed portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and other prominent people of his time. This manuscript, written by Hilliard himself, discusses his process for the creation of portrait miniatures.
Original Treatises on the Arts of Painting, by Mary Merrifield, is a series of translations of medieval painting manuscripts, including dozens of original recipes for pigment production and other studio practices. Many of the translations include the original text in Latin or Italian on the opposite page, so the reader may refer to the original language if desired.
Below is a link to the print version of this book; it is also available as a Google E-book in 2 volumes.
https://books.google.com/books/about/Original_Treatises_Dating_from_the_XIIth.html?id=2xgGAAAAQAAJ
https://books.google.com/books?id=-xgGAAAAQAAJ&source=gbs_book_other_versions
A few years ago, I was frequenting the Cleveland Museum of Art Library to visit a book. I was researching construction of historical panel paintings and “Let the Material Talk” was one of the most thoroughly researched and detailed analyses of a specific set of paintings from the Cologne region. I did finally purchase this book, and continue to refer to it frequently.
These two books, by Dinotopia author James Gurney, are a wonderful resource for the realist painter. Formerly an illustrator for National Geographic, Gurney discusses a wide range of painting techniques to create imagined realms, from the utilization of maquettes, to the physics of light and its interaction with objects at different times of the day. I am including links to these books above – check them out!
Every so often, I’ll post some links to products I like, with a short description of each. Here’s the first.
Ampersand Gessobord:
Anyone who has talked to me about painting knows I love these panels and have used them for over 10 years. These are pre-gessoed masonite, with a slightly textured surface. Much smoother than canvas, they allow me to get a lot of detail into my miniature paintings, without being so slick that the paint slides around. For framing, they are thin, so you can actually use regular store-bought frames with these, and just pop out the glass and pop in the panel.
