Imaginative Realism

Gurney emphasizes imagination in art—how did he decide to make this the core theme of the book? I'm curious about what drives artists to create worlds beyond reality.

The detailed explanations of techniques and materials are impressive but also pretty dense. Did others find parts of it challenging to follow or apply?

The approach seems to encourage a balance between accurate rendering and imaginative concepts. I wonder how different artists interpret this balance in their work.