Renaissance art didn’t emerge out of nowhere, like a solitary flower in the desert. It grew from a deep-rooted tradition of craftsmanship, building on techniques and knowledge passed down through generations. In much the same way, modern 2D and 3D visual design owes its foundations to the groundbreaking innovations of the Old Masters.
While rediscovering the aesthetic ideals and scientific knowledge of the ancient world, Renaissance painters also drew upon the practical skills and “tricks of the trade” of Medieval European and Byzantine artists. Refined over centuries, the method of egg tempera painting allowed painters to consistently produce artworks of the highest quality and exceptional durability.
This section of the website highlights the practical aspects of drawing and painting, offering insights that remain invaluable for artists, craftspeople and art historians today.
The young man should first learn perspective, then the proportions of all things, next, he should work after a good master so that he becomes accustomed to beautiful forms ; next, after nature, to confirm the principles he has learned ; he should then study the works of various masters for some time ; and finally he should learn to apply and put into practice his arts.
Leonardo on art and the artist by Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519, Dover Publications