Painting People and Places

Adebanji Alade's new book, Painting People and Places, is an instruction manual for hobby artists in which he aims to make oil painting accessible to anyone. Opening with the basics, preparing and mixing oil paints and simple exercises and techniques, the book features six complete stage-by-stage projects from intimate portraits to urban landscapes and crowd scenes. Throughout, the artist offers advice and insights into all of the problems facing the oil painter. Whether it's changing light and weather, capturing scenes at speed or creating atmosphere, Adebanji is a master painter and a practiced tutor.  -- The Leisure Painter * Issue 647 * What, you might wonder, links these two apparently different subjects? The answer is that they both have character, and capturing that is what this book is about. We've met Adebanji Alade before as an often quite fast-working sketcher. It turns out that he's an oil painter of considerable skill as well. That he can also present his work with clarity makes this an absolute delight.  Sensibly, the book is divided into two distinct halves and there is no sleight of hand trying to connect studio portraits with outdoor work in all weathers. Both contain a wealth of practical advice about ways of working, use of colour and how to interact with people. Although there are urban landscapes here, it's the people on the streets that make the strongest connection between the two sections.  This is an enjoyable journey with a thoroughly likeable companion, enhanced by the superb quality of production.  -- Henry Malt * The Artist, March Issue *