Sun-Painting/Sonnenmalerei by Paul Konrad Hoenich (review)

342 Books with cement and epoxy mortar. There are numerous black and white illustrations together with some colour plates, mainly of works by one of the co-authors. But this is a confusing book, because it does not give the reader a logical outline of the many techniques described. I find it sad that the authors could not refer to works of a higher aesthetic quality than many of those illustrated. The colour illustrations do not give an impression of the physical qualities of the glasses used; the feeling that an artist is actually able to work in coloured light is lost. The text does cover the technical points of the techniques, but these are confused by a constant over-emphasis, which I found tiring. It is a pity that no mention is made of the gas-heated soldering iron, which can give better results than the electric iron. The statement that ‘there is nothing really creative about installing a window’ and the advice to keep away from the problems of site sizes and installation problems shows a surprising attitude in a book describing the design and production of panels, some of which are to be used in architectural settings. Artists in this field must be well aware of site problems before, during and after a work is made. Limitations of lighting, sizes and fitting pose critical problems that must be resolved. The second book is a clear statement and description of the copper-foil technique and it has a section on colour with colour illustrations that set a good standard for beginners. The text is straightforward and brief, the line drawings and black and white illustrations are very good. I particularly liked the design approach of the author, which is based on rectangular and circular shapes. Novices are provided with a firm design foundation from which individual approaches can be developed. There is a detailed description for making ‘Tiffany’-style lamps. My only criticism here is that the method of developing the individual section shapes from the scale drawings could lead to some confusion, as the usual ‘technical drawing’ methods of development of a true shape from a plan and elevation have not been followed and the written description is quite involved. A draughtsman could perhaps have suggested the method in a few simple drawings with a minimum of text. My advice to beginners would be to buy the first and third books to gain a general background in the two main stained-glass techniques, before progressing on to other more detailed publications. Creative Watercolor Techniques. Zoltan Szabo. WatsonGuptill , New York, 1974. 174pp., illus. $15.95. Reviewed by Arthur Lucas’ Szabo’s book may not give a good first impression to some people, as the illustations may appear rather too slick. As one would expect, the author, who has lived in Canada since an early age, is influenced by the country in which he lives. His paintings are as clear and sharp as the winter snowy landscapes. He has been influenced by Canadian painters, such as Krieghoff, to paint in a precise, fresh representational style. He has illustrated his book with his paintings and provided a number of details to demonstrate how he achieves different effects. The book is divided into 30 chapters , which describe elementary techniques, how to choose materials and tools and how to handle them. For example, a thick watercolour paper is saturated with water, a stroke of colour is put on with a well-loaded brush so that the colour runs down and bleeds away into soft edges, then dabs are made with a sponge so as to lift off some of the colour or a knife is used to make lines representing grass blowing in the wind. One may think that some of the techniques described are only smart tricks, but most of them have been used by recognized masters. Some people wish to make watercolours, especially when they are older and have more leisure time, but they give up because they do not persist in developing the required skills. Watercolour painting is a difficult medium. One needs some *The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, England. instruction and plenty of patience before...