This book, written by American impressionist landscape artist John F Carlson, covers the essentials of landscape oil painting. As Carlson lived in the late 1800s to mid 1900s, some material is rather dated (such as references to lead in paint), but contains a wealth of useful information on composition, linear perspective, value, color, and how nature behaves. In addition, he emphasizes the importance of conveying emotion and feeling, rather than purely technical mastery. I would love to see this book republished with color photos of his artwork. ( )