Is anyone familiar with Frank Covino's methods? I'm sure someone here has opinions :-)
Norberto,
Yes, I've had his book for many years. His method is essentially the Frank Reilly method, with a chromatic palette. This is the method used by the illustrators of romance novel covers, among other things. He also teaches the use of grisaille and verdaccio underpainting, as in what has been called the Venetian Technique, more or less as practiced by many of the Old Masters, with some modern twists, most notably the use of photographic reference and acrylic primer. He gets good results with it, usually, with his own work, but I don't agree that it is good for students to work with photos before their eye, aesthetic sense, knowledge, and skills are fully developed. In his book, he shows students working from photos. That is the biggest bone of contention I have with his teaching. One can get very good results with the Frank Reilly Method, if one's eye and knowledge are already up to speed. I've seen some very well-executed pictures done with that method, on book covers and elsewhere.
Virgil
