Through the keyhole for Jack fans
|
|
Sorry for gushing but I'm a real fan of Jack Vettriano's work - I love the story-telling within each piece and the glamorous world he paints. This book, I admit isn't all about the paintings - it is actually a look at the artist - how he creates the work and his inspirations. So you get to see into his house, his books and the models he paints. I'm quite nosy and this is a classy piece of "through the keyhole" work. You get to see the artist in his natural surroundings. Plus I love the new paintings.
|
|
Vettriano Disappoints
|
Vettriano Disappoints.
This book has been long awaited by Vettriano fans; it was due out last year. The question is, was it worth the wait and does it live up to expectations?
The sub title: Studio Life gives the content away. The book sets out to show Jack Vettriano in his studio with some of his many models. However, we are also given a tour around Vettrianos studio, all three of them, as well as his various apartments. Oddly, being a book on Studio Life, we are shown very little of Vettrianos working methods. In fact, all we are really shown are photographs of Vettriano taking photographs as well as some of the end results. Only one photograph shows us his work in progress and, as this is in the very early stages of that work, it will mean little to most.
Photographs there are plenty of, however, many are wasted space: just how many photographs of jack Vettrianos palette do we really need? How many close ups of his fag ends is the reader interested in? Is anyone really interested in a close up of Jack Vettrianos paint-spattered shirt?
Considering the fact that this is primarily an art book dedicated to one of Britains leading modern-day painters, it is disappointing to find only twenty-nine reproductions of his paintings and, of those, only about three are new. On this level, therefore, the book disappoints. If you are a died-in-the-wool Vettriano aficionados then you may be able to overlook the books shortcomings. If, as are many, you are looking for a book of Vettrianos paintings then you will be certainly disappointed. If, attracted by the sub title: Studio Life, you think you are going to have a feast of pictures showing Jack Vettrianos working methods then you too will be sadly disappointed. If you are new to Vettriano and have nothing else, then this may well whet your appetite.
|
|
|
United States | 
United Kingdom | 
Canada