This book was not so much written as constructed, somewhat like a painting. It is a collection of teaching notes from nearly thirty years, each note created in the crucible of an art class. A comment from one of his readers: Ryno Swart has written a book as magical as the most successful painting . . . it says what needs to be said-no more, no less. It gets to the heart of the matter and is peppered with pithy and relevant notes such as "Half the skill of painting is leaving it alone." "You can't make a painting work; you can only allow it to work." "A painting must be conducted like a military campaign; planned and organised and strategised." This is a book that should not lie on a coffee table or grace a bookshelf. This is a book that should be propped up in your studio or wherever you work and should soon become spotted and splashed with paint.