The Science and Practice of Oil Painting

A comprehensive treatise on oil painting from one of England's greatest portrait painters.

First published in 1924, and meant to complement his book "The Practice and Science of Drawing," Harold Speed's classic book on oil painting explains the traditional materials and techniques of oil painting while extending the course of study to include the new vision given by the impressionist movement.

Harold Speed (1872–1957) was an English portrait painter. He studied architecture at the Royal College of Art, but after discovering a passion for painting, completed his education in the fine arts at the Royal Academy. He was a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and is best known for his figurative work in oil and red chalk. His technical and theoretical writings continue to inspire a new generation of artists.