M8 Painting Books by Jan Matejak
M8 Painting Books by Jan Matejak
Oil painting books and tutorials for artists who want clearer color, stronger underpaintings, and a more reliable layered painting process.
If you came here from YouTube, this is the clean starting point. These books and tutorials come from the M8 studio practice and focus on practical painting problems: realism, color mixing, grisaille, light, and classical layering.
Start with Realistic Oil Painting on Amazon
Start With The Painting Problem You Want To Solve
Realistic Oil Painting
Learn the structure behind realistic oil painting: underpainting, layered technique, and direct painting methods.
Color Mixing Essentials
A practical guide to color theory and color mixing for painters who want cleaner, more intentional color decisions.
Old Masters Underpainting: Grisaille
A focused beginner-friendly guide to grisaille, underpainting, and the layered approach used in classical painting.
Painting Light
A compact tutorial on the 2 layer painting method and how to organize light in an oil painting.
Classical Still Life Tutorial
A step-by-step still life tutorial built around a 7 layer painting technique.
The Hidden Cost of Art
A personal book about what years in the studio can do to the body and mind, and how artists can think more honestly about long-term creative work.
Which One Should I Start With?
- If you want the main M8 method: start with Realistic Oil Painting.
- If color feels confusing: start with Color Mixing Essentials.
- If you want a classical layered entry point: start with Old Masters Underpainting: Grisaille.
- If you want a quick tutorial: start with Painting Light or Classical Still Life Tutorial.
- If you want the studio-life side of art: read The Hidden Cost of Art.
About M8
I am Jan Matejak, the artist behind M8. These books and tutorials come from years of painting, testing methods in the studio, and explaining the process to artists on YouTube. The goal is simple: make oil painting feel less random and more buildable.