Book Description

The whys and hows of the various aspects of landscape painting: angles and consequent values, aerial and linear perspective, painting of trees, emotional properties of line and mass in composition, light, unity of tone, plus information on canvas, palette, brushes and other materials and techniques. 34 reproductions of paintings by John Carlson. 58 explanatory diagrams. Index.
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Reviews (12)

Terrific book that answers questions for landscape painters!
The author seems to have gone out of his way to write a book covering every aspect of landscape painting and has done it well. He starts with his ideas on how to approach painting as a whole, continues with the mechanics of painting wherein he discusses the tools necessary, and covering subjects such as angles and values, design, perspective,light and color. An informative book for the landscape painting enthusiast. I recommend it highly!

Worthwhile, but a little old-fashioned
This book covers a lot of important landscape painting topics that are often not covered adequately or well in other books. Although very conscientiously written, Carlson's prose at times can be old-fashioned and very difficult to read. Also, it is unfortunate that the illustrations for this book on painting are presented in black and white.

These negative observations made, I found the book to be very worthwhile reading. Carlson speaks to both the craft and art of landscape painting with a master's knowledge and the intent of an experienced teacher. His chapters cover value, light, aerial and linear perspective, color, trees, clouds and composition and contain much valuable information and tips for the painter.

A classic! A bit outdated but still useful
The book is old, but it's still popular because the advice contained given by Carlson is timeless. Unfortunately the pictures are b&w. One thing I liked is Carlson gives guidelines which help to make realistic landscapes. A teacher such as Hawthorne (highly recommend his book) would say to forget rules and just get the color right. But I find that's not easy to do. Carlson's guidelines, especially comparing values between foreground, trees, mountains, and sky are very helpful. I read his book on the beach while on vacation and I was able to see for myself a lot of the things he claims, especially about clouds. This book is so cheap there's no excuse for not reading it at least once!

Okay, but not great
I was expecting much more from this book after reading the other reviews. The images are black and white, and I personally don't like his style. Sloppy is pretty good description of his work, and I really do admire other painters with a loose style. Maybe his focus was more on color than accurate drawing (like Monet) but if so I didn't get to see it because it was in black and white. Some of the content was moderately informative, but a lot of it was filler. The all-time greatest painting book I own is Richard Schmid's Alla Prima with beautiful color masterpieces that I want to emulate, and it has much more practical and useful information. Save your money for that one.

A Waste of money
This book is terrible. It doesn't have much text in it, but what there is is awful. This book is filled mostly with emotional and philosophical ramblings instead of useful and practical information that teaches you to paint landscapes. The author says painting must be learned by practice and can't be taught. Then why did he write a book? Carlson's own paintings and drawings are of poor quality. They are crude and sloppy. I don't think such a poor artist is worth learning from. I wouldn't want to paint as poorly as he did. This is a stupidly written, uninformative book, a waste of money. There must be MUCH better books than this one about landscape painting. I was terribly misled by the other reviews of this book! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

"Painting the Impressionist Landscape"
If you want to advance your understanding of color theory; if you want to improve your ability to see and render the effects of light on your subjects; and if you want to create better paintings, then Lois Griffel's book, "Painting the Impressionist Landscape", is just what the art-doctor ordered. For me, Lois Griffel opened the door to new ways of perceiving the world before me, and through her instruction, I discovered more sensitive and rewarding ways to express myself through my painting.

In this book "the subject is Light"; and it serves to unlock some of the mystery of the sophisticated manipulation of color by revered Impressionist Painters (like Monet). Ms. Griffel, herself a master painter and gifted teacher, presents a methodical series of lessons to guide student-artists to a heightened awareness of light, and a more effective use of color in their own painting. Each lesson is appropriately illustrated with examples of paintings in various stages of development for further understanding of the advanced ideas set forth in each chapter.

"Painting the Impressionist Landscape" is not so much a "how to paint" book, as it is a "how to see color/light, understand it, and paint it" book. It is not a book for easy reading. It is a workbook for those who want to work at seeing and painting better. This book is a masterpiece and a must for advanced artists and serious beginners alike.

Closer to Seeing the Light
Artists are always striving to increase their understanding of light and the way it affects color.In her book, Lois Griffel presents straightforward and concise ways to do this. Following her directions for painting studies of colored blocks in different lighting conditions, I learned more about seeing color than I ever possibly could have on my own. Seeing the way she and others who studied with Henry Hensche at the Cape Cod School of Art bring their work to brilliant life helps me to see more and more of the light possibilities in my own work.As I go outdoors to paint the landscape now, I think back to my studies from this book, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to absorb these teachings. Thank you, Ms. Griffel!!!!!!

A Great Book.
This is a wonderful book. Lois Griffel is a gifted artist and teacher. Every page in this book is a feast of beauty for the eye and a feast of knowledge and understanding for your mind. For anyone who wants to learn to paint in the impressionist style this is the book to own. You will study it over and over, as I have. If you are a beginner or a seasoned painter this book has much to offer. It will teach you how to see and paint light which is the great gift to the world of art from the impressionist.

Painting the Impressionists Landscape
Painting the Impressionists Landscape is a must for any painter who wants to learn to see color.Lois teaches you to see and I feel this is of upmost importance in growing as a painter.Lois guides you through the exercises. I normally just let books sit on the shelf after reading them but I have USED this book. I have done the exercises and have seen the progress in my work.I refer back to it often and feel it would be an asset to any painter who is still open and wants to learn.Thanks to Lois for sharing her talent and knowledge so freely.

Lushious Landscape explained
This is a most revealing book about how-to paint landscape. Griffel holds nothing back in describing how to go about what she makes appear so simple. It is the ultimate read for those who seek clarification about color, light, texture, temperature and value. ... Read more

Book Description

When it comes to capturing the beauty of the great outdoors, it's the composition that really makes or breaks a landscape painting. Accomplished artist Barbara Nuss takes all the guesswork out of the equation with this indispensable guide.

She shows artists how to simplify, arrange and refine what they see in the natural world to create a truly great painting. The book is divided into 14 chapters to cover each of the core design formats for landscape paintings.

Within each section, readers will find easy-to-follow exercises, thumbnail sketches, photos and other helpful tools. Many of the composition topics are accompanied by complete painting demonstrations. Readers will come away with all the knowledge they need to link real-world nature scenes with these 14 essential compositions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Must-Have for Landscape Artists!
"Formulas" is such an unfortunate word to put on anything creative. Disregard it. This book is a treasure!

NOT ONLY does it break composition down into 14 loose suggestions that will help you organize your paintings and bring your viewers into them, BUT it also tells you what to pack for plein air sketching, how to photograph the setting once you're there, and how to simplify, simplify, simplify and rearrange what it is you see so it will translate onto the canvas.

Landscape painting isn't about painting what you see. That's why God created cameras. A painting instructor once told me: "You don't paint a tree; you paint a symbol of a tree." Therein lies all the difference in the world, and Barbara goes into the same thing from a slightly different direction here. LIGHTBULB MOMENTS ABOUND!

In addition, there's Barbara's paintings on display. Though she paints more realistically than I do, I would still turn the pages and say, "Oh!" because it's gorgeous stuff.

And she shows you how you can do gorgeous stuff, too. Thank you, Barbara Nuss!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

From the best artists working in the world today comes an instructive and inspirational new series-How Did You Paint That? Covering a spectrum of popular topics, this series provides beginning and advanced artist of all mediums with detailed examples of the myriad ways in which to portray the featured subject.

Each title includes 100 different interpretations of the topic, and each interpretation is accompanied by valuable firsthand feedback from the artist, including the colors and brushes used, along with the artist's methodology, challenges, and motivation. Readers will also find suggestions and exercises from the painters, allowing them to apply the lessons of masters to their own masterpieces. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Numerous step-by-step watercolor techniques
As a beginning artist, I tend to accumulate technique books. "The Big Book of Painting Nature in Watercolor" has been one of my most useful watercolor books. It is, in fact, the book that my watercolor instructor uses for reference material for her students.

The book covers a wide variety of techniques, each in the context of a short, complete, step-by-step project which results in a good-looking painting (I occasionally frame one). Techniques covered include seeing colors, mixing, washes, underpaintings, tilting paper, dry brush, use of wet vs. damp vs. dry paper, various uses and methods for lifting, reflections, lighting, contrast, and many, many more techniques, settings, and approaches to challenging scenes. I learn something different from each project.

One implicitly learns the art of simplification and watercolor expression by comparing each projects' nature scene photograph with its respective final painting. That mindset, plus the book's setting-specific techniques, carries over to painting similar scenes outside of the book. It is important to supplement the cookbook nature of the book by applying the same techniques to one's own photo references, and to painting live in nature.

Nice for all levels
This book is a nice tutorial for different levels of painters looking for activities. Not super loose and not super overworked, the activities are a good primer for more complex paintings down the road. Good color pictures that are not too small. A good skill builder.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
I have been doing watercolors for a while now and there were certain things about painting nature that I didn't know how to approach. Buying this book, really helped me. It shows you how to paint skies, water, trees and so much more at various times of the day and in different seasons. This book has helped me gained more confidence in landscape painting. It has taught me so much. This book is THE ONE for watercolur landscapes,it is COMPREHENSIVE and COMPLETE and if you buy it you will never be sorry. I'm glad for the day I got a copy.

Fantastic, easily crate a vast arry of beautiful scenes
This is a fantastic book that shows you how to create a vast array of beautiful nature scenes and landscapes seamlessly. It is a must have for anyone wanting to paint nature in all its glory.

The book starts out with a discussion of tools and materials. It then explains color and its characteristics. A list of all the colors used in the book is provided here. The basic watercolor techniques are covering including laying washes, working wet-in-wet, using a dry brush, masking, creating highlights with an eraser, stippling and more.

The book is packed with over 130 lessons that teach you to paint trees, leaves, skies and water. Some projects include painting a delicate tree in a cloud-filled landscape, simplifying a close-up lacy crystal pattern, sorting out a maze or snow-covered branches, paining rapidly flowing water, capturing dripping rain and rendering water reflections.

Each lesson deals with a particular subject taken directly from a photograph and a specific problem such as capturing a stormy dawn with mostly dark color but making a thin reddish band look unforced. It then offers a basic solution and provides a step-by-step demonstration of how to go about painting the scene.

The wide variety of subjects and the consistent and detailed format of teaching in this book have really helped me improve my painting. The author has a great knack for breaking complex subjects into simple steps and focusing on what is important in making the painting a success.

A Cookbook for Beginning Landscape Watercolorists
This is a "Joy of Cooking" of nature watercolor images and recipes. The book has hundreds of photo-watercolor pairs to help a watercolorist who might be struggling with a particular problem in representing a scene in nature in watercolor.

There are pages on basic techniques and what they look like.

There are very specific examples. I had to chuckle at the sheer number of pages and pages of different kinds of cloud formations, for example.

The reason why I give it 4 and not 5 stars is that some of the examples were flat and the descriptions too pat. The best advice to give a budding landscape artist is to go LOOK at the world and (as Frida Kahlo said) paint what you see. The examples were a little too cookbook and there is the danger of the student spending too much time at the feet of the master and not enough time at the feet of Mother Nature.

So, go look at a nature scene, take a crack at painting what you see, maybe take your own photos of it for draftsmanship later, and then refer to Petrie's book if you get stuck. Or just enjoy it over a cuppa tea when relaxing at home. ... Read more

Book Description

Known for his use of luminous color, Albert Handell, whose lush landscapes light up these pages, provides lucid instructions to help first-time pastelists achieve impressive results as soon as they begin working with the medium.

After reviewing pastel supplies, the author discusses landscape composition and how to establish large shapes first, abstract certain areas, develop a focal point, work from dark to light, and capture the illusion of reality through color. Stepped demonstrations isolate specific landscape aspects, showing how the pastelist depicts skies, trees, buildings, water, rocks, woods, snow, and light. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very Lightweight
I am a beginner to the art of pastel painting/drawing. This book is below the level of a beginner. It is long on talk about color, hues, values, and lots of things that a beginner doesn't really care about. When it comes to ACTUAL TECHNIQUE, HOW TO PUT PASTEL ON PAPER AND MAKE IT LOOK THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO, THIS BOOK IS VIRTUALLY SILENT! I have recently checked a book out of my university library that is the best book I have seen yet (the author's name escapes me now). It has about 10 demonstration paintings where the author goes through the various steps of creating a pastel painting. In contrast, Painting the Landscape had 1 or 2 such demonstrations and only about a page of nitty gritty on technique (actually applying pastel to paper).

Stay away from this book. It isn't worth your time.

Painting the landscape in pastels-Albert Handell
I am a professional portrait artist who specializes in pastels so I am familiar with Albert Handell through several pastel magazines. He is a master at the western (ie:New Mexico, Arizona, etc.) landscapes with his remarkable color pallette of those regions! I don't think any pastelist paints rocks and trees better than this man. The writing style is a little elementary but the information is refreshingly straightforward, informative and easily understood. You won't find vague, ethereal wanderings from this guy! The many photos are clear and beautiful. His "step by step" sequences actually show the reader something useful and attainable.:-). This is a must have addition for the library of any pastel artist....

Another Winner from a Master!
Albert Handell with Anita West has written the difinitive book on location painting in pastel. A visual masterpiece, each painting reproduced will excite anyone to get out on location and get to work. The text is informative and very straight forward. All of his books are keepers and this one is as well. He is the master of the medium and we should all be grateful he shares so much. Thank you Albert and Anita.

A wonderful Must Have for All Pastelists!
Mr. Handell generously shares his great knowlege & know how. He simplifies & organizes the pastel palette, its so easy to be a plein air painter. I strongly reccomend this book as a bible for all pastelists. ... Read more

Book Description

All in color! "Look over the shoulder" of Trevor Chamberlain and find out how an award-winning watercolorist interprets the fleeting effects of weather, light, and atmosphere in his work. See superb reproductions of landscape, marine and coastal, townscape, figure, and interior paintings, and understand the artist's approach to painting them. It's almost as if you're watching Chamberlain in action as you learn by example. A Selection of F&W's North Light Book Club

. Trim size: 8 1/2 x 11 1/4. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great
This book is more like reading an illustrated autobiography than a how to book. This is fine with me. Chamberlain is a master of the traditional British style landscape. With a limited palette of earth tones and simplified brush work he creates muted, moody landscapes that to my mind are more compelling than the brightly colored items in most watercolor instruction books. Its a matter of taste, but Chamberlain's work really speaks to me. He's more concerned with communicating the beauty of the world than his own artistic cleverness.

beautiful style
I like this book for the illustrations. Chamberlain has a fresh spontaneous style and draws well. The paintings illustrated are representational, easy to like, well composed and very attractive. I haven't paid much attention to the text...no criticism, I'm just burnt out long ago on how-to painting books. But this is worth while for the quality of the paintings.

Very inspiring
This is an awesome book. It has inspired me to paint on-site more and has given me some invaluable additions to my palette. His style is attractive to me because it's more masculine and similar to my own. His narrative is very inspirational and instructive. Reading it and viewing his work will get you out painting every time.

An enormously attractive plein-aire painter.
Trevor Chamberlain is one of the most authentic outdoor painters working today. He is a "painter's painter," and anyone who has ever picked up a brush wishes in his or her heart of hearts that Chamberlain's style could be his or her own. His books make this dream almost seem a reality. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Comprehensive survey
The most comprehensive survey of the work of plein air painters who worked in California. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An excellent book!
I was not sure how I would like this book but found it to be excellent! Covers aspects of landscape painting that could be overlooked. I believe this book has improved my painting skills!

It is a good reference book on painting landscapes.
I was rather careful when rating this book to be fair and, honestly, I had tried to read it over to be sure of my opinion. This was because other reviewers have such high opinions about it.

I ponder the reasons others give such good comments about this book are because:

1) The book is thorough. It covers materials, techniques, color theory, meanings of brushstrokes (for instance, each type of brush stroke carries a certain mood), and apparently a lot of how-to's and do's-dont's.

2) The work done by the author is in photographic style. She uses vivid colors in most of her paintings. Also, a lot of details were rendered in her work; one of the reasons may be because most (if not all) of her work were done from reference photos (single or combination thereof).

From an en plein air and alla prima painter's point of view, unfortunately, I find the book a little dull with full of rules and do's and dont's. Perhaps it is just a very personal thing, but when out there painting "en plein air", a lot of "vibes" and "moods" rendered onto the paintings come from the fact of "being out there with nature", not with pre-defined rules. That is also the reason that photographic style from photos is not my favorite.

Respectfully, I consider this a good reference book on painting landscapes, especially if the readers decide to use photos for his/her work. Therefore, it is given the rating above (4-star).

Paintings seem to come to life with color!
I had the honor of taking a workshop from Margaret Kessler in Joseph, Oregon. My eyes were opened to color as never before in my painting career. I purchased two books because I 'used' my first one until it was almost unreadable and I didn't want to be without. I teach painting and find her instructions so easy to pass to my students and easy to see when they finally 'get it'. As someone else said, if you get the book, don't loan it because you won't get it back. It is the best book to learn from, in my opinion. I only wish that she would do another book.

Landscape painting at it's best
I bought this book about 10 years ago and although I have dozens more on landscaping, none can compare with Ms. Kesslers style, colors and textures. I had the privilege of participating in one of Ms. Kessler's seminars at Pocono Pines Pennsylvania several years ago--what a treat! I wish she would write another book.

The best landscape painting book I've seen.
This book is the best I've found for landscape painting. Kessler goes through all the important aspects of good painting including sound composition, depth and atmospheric perspective, color and mood, and many others. Just as importantly, I found the numerous paintings included in the book to be very inspirational. The book is well-written, enjoyable to read, and I would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in landscape painting. ... Read more

Book Description

Every artist can capture the stunning beauty of the seasons with Tim Deibler at their side. He teaches readers how to understand light and truly see their subjects in step-by-step lessons that include:

* Ideas and exercises for mastering the four keys to any successful painting--shape, value, color and edges

* Side-by-side comparisons of the same scene painted in all four seasons

* Tip boxes in every section that provide quick and useful bites of information

* Five practical, hands-on strategies for starting any painting

It's never been easier for beginning and advanced landscape painters to make their work more captivating! ... Read more

Book Description

From the best artists working in the world today comes an instructive and inspirational new series-How Did You Paint That? Covering a spectrum of popular topics, this series provides beginning and advanced artist of all mediums with detailed examples of the myriad ways in which to portray the featured subject.

Each title includes 100 different interpretations of the topic, and each interpretation is accompanied by valuable firsthand feedback from the artist, including the colors and brushes used, along with the artist's methodology, challenges, and motivation. Readers will also find suggestions and exercises from the painters, allowing them to apply the lessons of masters to their own masterpieces. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

soft focus
The original focus of this book was said to be art selected from the annual Arts for the Parks contest in Jackson, Wyoming, but that idea got lost somewhere since some paintings are not from national parks and paintings from parks have no notation to tell you which park is depicted. I have been following the Arts for the Parks for a couple of years and I find some of the omissions pretty glaring. Why do we get six paintings by Jim McVicker and not one by Ronnie Barnes? Three David Tutwilers and no Shirley Cleary. Three Dempwolfs and no Lanford Munroe. There are many beautiful paintings in the book and the artists comments are interesting and informative. The picture cropping at times is brutish and the desciption of one painting is obviously of another.A good book in spite of the editing.31/2 stars for the art and 1/2 a star for the publisher.

Tantilize your eyes with this beautiful book.
What a beautiful collection of art work form the years of the Art of the Parks contests. No matter what style the paintings are, the compositions are outstanding. Nice picture reproduction with a short relevant text with each entry. ... Read more

Book Description

Giving meticulous detail to each compelling chapter, E. John Robinson guides artists to the heart of creating breathtaking scenes of the shore and water.

Clear instructions and step-by-step demonstrations ensure that readers have all the essential information they need to pick up a brush and produce a gorgeous painting every time.They'll also find advice for capturing translucent water, sea spray, lace effects, surface patterns, rocks, beaches and headlands. ... Read more

Book Description

Between April 1996 and April 1998, artist Diana Wege visited 24 national lands and Nature Conservancy properties across the United States, from Alaska to Florida, Vermont to New Mexico. Her intent was to celebrate the rich landscapes that have been preserved, and to convey the American love of wild places.

Land America Leaves Wild reproduces 18 four-panel paintings created by Wege in lavish full color facing gatefold reproductions. Her paintings help us to see these places with freshness, excitement, and awe. Wege's artistic power communicates not only the inherent aesthetic appeal of these places, but also the power nature holds over our emotions and imagination. The result is not just a celebration of the stunning diversity of wild lands, but also a tribute to Americans for the esteem in which they hold their wilderness. Proceeds from the sale of Land America Leaves Wild will help support the Wilderness Society. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Stunningly unique
A stunningly unique, beautiful book!Wege's glorious paintings are printed on fold-outs 40" wide (perfect to prop open on a sofa) so one can relish the vibrant matte colors throughout the day.She passionately grasps the essence of the changing seasons, the diverse locations, with colors and brushstrokes to astound you.Don't miss this very special book about the soul of our land and a very important concept:leaving wilderness alone. ... Read more

Book Description

Filled with inspirational artwork and solid instruction, this guide will delight loyal acrylic painters and encourage artists from other mediums to cross over. Greer's instruction capitalizes on the brilliant colors available in acrylics and shows artists how to paint with them using proven "watercolor" and "oil" techniques. Starting with 16 mini-demos, artists are encouraged to jump right in and follow step-by-step instructions for mastering techniques such as masking, splattering, underpainting, washes and more. They will also learn tips and tricks for rendering many elements of landscape including trees, flowers, roads and reflections. The second section of this book features four complete painting demonstrations that challenge artists to exercise their new painting techniques through a variety of landscape subjects. Two demonstrations also show artists how to use acrylics as an effective base for other mediums. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Gained knowledge from the first page on
I appreciate the complexity of nature and the way this book relates to the observing and using your inner feelings to paint. Thank you for such a good book to paint from and use often.

Wonderful technique!
HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THE GREAT TECHNIQUES IN THIS BOOK. i RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.

Somewhat Lacking
I bought this book hoping it would give me basic information on color mixing, brush technique and composition. It did not. The book has some beautiful examples of the author's art but gives very little information as to how he got there. It is not a step-by-step instruction book. Mr. Greer does not tell how to handle the acrylic medium as for as how to mix and apply the paint to get various results. If you are a beginning landscape painter looking for basic instruction in acrylic painting techniques, buy another book. If you have the basics down pretty well then this book may be for you. The author is a good landscape painter but not the greatest teacher.

Disappointment!
I am a beginner and I was looking for some supplementary instruction to my classwork. This book was unable to give me much help unless I wanted to paint a picture just as the author paints. There was little color mixing or actual technique explained here, and not much on basic brush usage. Perhaps this was meant for a more experienced painter. It has little to offer us beginners.

A good reference book on acrylics landscape painting.
In painting, I am an experimentalist. What it translates into is that I inadvertently keep my checking account on a diet plan! (Hope you get my joke!) Although being a die-hard oil painter (en plein air landscapes and figure painting), I am also using acrylics in figure painting (and other media such as watercolor, charcoal, and ink occasionally). I find this book a good one to own.

Acrylics, "the medium of the 20th century" (or so I'm told), combined with landscape painting, "the mind-opener to artists", are the subject of the book.

As the title stated, the readers will have a chance to enjoy a broad spectrum of knowledge on light, color, and texture using acrylics. The fact of the matter is "light, color, and texture" are ALL one needs in painting. Well, someone may argue with me that, "What about value, hue, edge, and so on?" Value is light, hue is color, and edge is no stranger to texture. (The legendary realist artist Burton Silverman is not even a big fan of "edge", so I digress.) The bottom line is this book covers the most fundamentals of painting (landscape in particular) in acrylics.

More specifically speaking, the readers will learn from this book:

- using value and light to create an aerial perspective (nearness, farness), as well as time and weather effects

- using a limited palette to create a wide range of colors

- using acrylics in different techniques, such as those in watercolor and oil, to create a variety of effects. These techniques include, but not limited to, washes, glazes, splattering, and others

- All of the above, IN ACRYLICS

This is a good reference book on acrylics landscape painting, although the techniques discussed in the book (with respect to acrylics, that is) can be used in painting other subject matters as well. Before seeing the book, I had had a chance to experiment on how to paint figures to make them look as if they were painted in watercolor, then in oil, and (of course) in acrylics (!). It is a valuable repertoire in my art endeavor. This book is not only an ego-booster (for me only, since I had tried some of the techniques before reading it), but it also widens my knowledge of this medium in painting landscapes. (I only paint landscapes in oil.)

Speaking of painting landscapes, "too much information" is what Mother Nature is so generous of giving to the artists. It is like an ample portion of a delicious meal. The trick is to know how to choose what fits one's appetite most. That "something", or as we all know it as "a center of interest", and how to develop it, is also discussed by the author.

All in all, this is a good reference book on acrylics landscape painting to own! ... Read more

Book Description

Anyone can learn these simple and fun methods for producing outstanding watercolor landscapes and flowers. One of the reasons that Roland's first book has been so popular (Fill Your Watercolors with Light & Color--over 65,000 copies sold) is that his techniques make watercolor fun and successful for a great number of otherwise frustrated artists.

Roland has a gift for simplifying the process of painting into a few readily understood steps. In this book, he expands the teaching of his pouring technique and goes into the underlying structure of a painting. He presents a unique way of teaching composition that will delight the reader. He then presents his three-step process of painting a landscape--masking to preserve the lights, pouring on the atmosphere and spattering the textures. Next, he shows two great techniques for painting flowers, a subject that does not appear in his first book. Also included is a chapter of fun experimental techniques that readers are sure to enjoy and another chapter that answers some frequently asked questions.

* Enables any artist to produce landscapes and flowers, two of the most popularpainting subjects
* This author has a proven sales track record ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nice loose painting
This is a nice book for soft landscapes. However, I don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would. Check out the authors style first, and if you really like it...then the book is for you. I use some techniques, but the subject matter is a little soft for me. I didn't stay interested enought to use the lessons, but I did read it through and apply concepts to some of my own work.

These techniques are nothing short of fantastic!
I love these books by Roycraft. If you love painting landscape or natural subjects, you cannot go wrong reading this book. Roycraft's techniques look simple (a lot of splashing going on) but they are controlled and well thought out. If you love floral painting you should not miss his examples here of a peony and an iris. JUST Breathtaking. I picked up so many ideas from this book.

Not only are Roycraft's paintings beautiful to see, he knows how to communicate his techniques incredibly well. I'm glad I found this watercolor artist's books.

A power tool for watercolorists
Having read "enough" art technique books, I have learned that until one gets "down and dirty" trying out what is discussed in the book, then one does not actually spend the money wisely (on the book).

The same for this book. Beautiful artwork by the author. Did I say beautiful? No, BREATHTAKING, rather. However, to be able to generate beautiful artworks, the readers will need the following:

- An ability to SEE (light, dark, positive and negative space)

- Follow instructions from the book (which is PROBABLY the easy part, since it is rather well-written)

- A decent craftsmanship to finesse the final painting after the "mask and pour paints" phase of the process.

Briefly, I would think this is a power tool for watercolorists. How great the final products turn out to be will depend on the aforementioned factors.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Am I Reviewing the SAME BOOK?????
Okay, I stopped here and took a quick look at the reviews written on this book- PAINT RED HOT LANDSCAPES THAT SELL by Mike SVOB.

After reading the glowing 5star reviews on this book, I seriously stopped and scratched my head. Could these reviews be talking about the SAME BOOK that I have?

I ran and got my book again just to be sure.

Yes. It is the very same book.

Hmmm.

Well, in short, I can not stand this book. I have a myriad of various art books and myself am an artist who loves brilliant color and interesting composition. In fact, I am known for my use of color in paintings that make people who love color react positively.

I thought for sure that I would love this book when ordering it online. I was wrong.

This book is among the select few art books that I own that are almost a complete waste of time. (I try to learn something from EVERY book, no matter how horrible).

The paintings in this book are obnoxious to me. The book's set up is disjointed and hard to follow. Kind of like instructions for toy assembly with every other sentence missing.

There are precious few things I like about this book- one of which is his explanation of using cool and hot colors. Pretty basic. Tonal value maps and basic tonal sketches before color selection, again basic, but still useful to a degree.

That being said, I seriously can not stand his paintings, there is precious little about this book that I enjoyed. I read it from cover to cover, as difficult as that was to force myself. Illustrations of sketching are like chicken scratches. Explanations are minimal and incomplete.

It is one of the very few art books I have purchased that I have considered to be almost a complete waste of money.

I would suggest that you get this book from a library if you can to view it first, if you are fortunate enough to have access to a good one, like I do not. If you like this kind of art, then you can choose to purchase. But, if like me, you are annoyed, you can save yourself some money.

Highly Recommended By This Professional Artist!
As a full time painter I can tell you that this is the best book I have read on the subject to date. Mike Svob is brilliant not only in his compelling work, but in his explanations and methods as well. He emphasizes what needed to be stated, and is often overlooked in other books... how to know from the first few minutes of your painting process if you will have a success. By making sure you know what inspired you and focusing on conveying that to the viewer, by making a 3-tone thumbnail sketch, and by blocking in with good basic drawing skills your shapes and values all BEFORE you even think about the impact of color, your work will surely be at it's best.

Mike has made it very clear to me that while color can be your trademark, and is often what the buyer notices most, it is the last element in the process of a successful painting. Only through good design, believable, dynamic values and an interesting message behind the work, can color be the final touch to capture the viewer. As an artist, Mike shows me that the elements the buyer doesn't notice or think about (such as compositional balance, hard & soft edges, dark-light value range) are what the artist must focus on intensely if the painting is to succeed, and in the end color just gives a little extra "zing" to an already well made painting.

Great words of wisdom, intuitively simple and yet a little surprising from an artist known for his colors. I am grateful that Mike has decided to share his many wonderful step by step painting methods with us, and that an artist with such a wonderful grasp of what makes a painting great is adding his beauty to the world.

Thank-you Mike Svob!

PS - I see that one reviewer decided to trash this book because apparently they didn't like Mikes style of painting ... and said that his work was "obnoxious." Lets keep in mind that we are not reviewing an artists work, but the lessons in this book - which were both CLEAR and COMPLETE. I personally love Mikes stuff, and since he shows his work in many galleries and has been a professional artist for over 20 years then it's safe to say that a lot of people agree with me, and his work is beautiful. I have heard a lot of reviews on this book that state they would buy it just for the full color paintings inside and leave it on the coffee table!

Best book out there!
One of the best books I've come across. The painting instructions/tips are one of a kind. Everytime I look at them, I can't stop smiling. The book is worth the price for the artist's gallery itself. I recommend any of you who haven't picked up a copy to get one.

Exciting!
Exercises that make you want to rush to your easel, plus dozens of eye-catching paintings make this a primo book. I wish it had more narrative about selling, more "must have" qualities for a painting that begs to be bought, etc., and that an editor had paid more attention when they were finalizing the book. The text skips here and there, but it's nothing that you can't make sense of after doubling back.

Of particular interest is the emphasis on values. If you, like me, need to concentrate more on putting interesting patterns of value in your paintings, YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

Love the work displayed -- it's quite inspiring. (I'd buy it!) I wonder at the reproduction, as the text sometimes names a color and when you look at the painting, it doesn't quite look like that (like a green that looks quite blue). Even so, there are lots of new ideas and ways of approaching painting. Don't know about you, but I'm working on exercise #2 right now!

he tells it like it is...
This is one great book. Have been painting for about 4 years and have given away paintings to friends and family members rather than selling them. I did not buy this book for advice on selling but rather because the cover caught my eye. His style is semi-abstract and very graffic. His colours are bright, bright, bright and this suits me just fine. Have been using his paintings as start-off points and then veering off into my own interpretation of them. Mike Svob tells it like it is. There is no pussyfooting around here. I love his straitforward way of thinking and the fact that he does not pull his punches. At the moment it has become a bit of a bible for me and am really loving working with this book. Can highly recommend it to artists of bright, graffic work. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great for beginner up to advanced students
This is a great book with simple steps to follow. I'm an oil painter "trying" out acrylic painting. This was my very first acrylic book. I was not disappointed (except I paid (more) at the bookstore for mine)... This is a good book for any beginner to begin with.

Great starter book. Step by Step
Yarnell makes it easy. He covers everything including materials and terminology. The step by step leasons are easy to follow and provide a wealth of information from which you can build your own skills and learn the basics to experiment on your own. I would also suggest Yarnell's videos, one in particular covering techniques so that you can actually see what is going on.

Great first painting book!
I have always had some artistic skill but I never painted a picture before picking up this book. I am amazed at the results. For the first two projects I bought cheaper canvas board instead of pre-stretched canvas because I assumed the first few paintings would be hit-or-miss at best. But the very first lesson I did from the book got scooped up by a brother-in-law and is framed and hanging on his wall! I've got more requests than I can fill now and some are hanging in a local restaurant (for sale!) A big thanks to Jerry and a hearty recommendation to anyone who wants to try painting in acrylics. He will walk you through everything from tools to paint to finishing touches. One dissapointment was no seascapes! I've had two requests for them. I recommend this book over Bob Ross'. There are no knives or tricks used here and the effects are more artistic.

For Any Experience Level
I've painted on and off for several years. Until yesterday, my mom had never picked up a paintbrush in her life. We put this book in between us and neither one of us had any trouble following the instruction.

Jerry Yarnell uses acrylic paints but we use oils and still found this book to be very helpful. He guides you step-by-step in everything from sketching your scene onto the canvas to adding the last highlight. He even tells you what paints to mix, brushes to get and strokes to use.

The pictures in this book are incredible and you can paint houses, snow, landscape...even cows! I've truly found this book to be more useful than the professional painting class I'm currently in!

Excellent step-by-step instruction for landscape painting
If you are familiar with Jerry Yarnell from his PBS series, you will most likely enjoy this book. If you are a rank beginner, it might not be the best book, because you do not get to see a demonstration of just how it all works, but if you've seen even a couple of his TV shows or ever painted before at all, you can gain excellent insight into the basics of landscape painting. It is full of step by step instructions for painting a good variety of landscapes, from woods and water to deserts and stormy skies. It is short on words, big on pictures, telling you what to objects to paint, in what order, which brushes and techniques to use, with several excellent photographs per painting of each step involoved to produce each painting. I would hightly recommend this book to anyone interesting in landscape painting. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

More than "heart"
I thoroughly enjoy this book and would recommend this to anyone who likes to paint in watermedia. Barbara Nechis provides an approach to creativity in painting that is both thought provoking and pragmatic--a very difficult combination. I particularly like the humor in her tips about the "don't" myths of watercolor painting. There is also frankness in how she takes advantage of "mistakes" that actually illustrates her approach to creativity. She is generous with the techniques that she shares--I have tried them and they really work!
So far what she has proposed as approaches to painting background are the most helpful to me--and other budding artists who are struggling with the balance of painting the subject and the background. Other books talk about planning the whole painting and working on the background first, Barbara gives you enough approaches and techniques for you to try with some confidence for success. I paid full price from a bookstore--still think it is worth every penny. Buy it.

A Truly inspirational book on how to become creative
I have read and re-reread this book many times, and each time I learn something new.

I marvel at how Barbara Nechis lets the watercolor itself do the painting, and how we, the artist can aid in its completion, from our hearts and subconscious. I enjoy reading books like this which encourage departing from the 'rules' and letting the imagination take over.

a beautiful creative approach to watercolor painting
Barbara Nechis is not only a gifted painter (a real original artist) but an excellent teacher, if this book is a way to judge her. Her techniques and explanations are as good as her beautiful impressionistic and very original painting style. A book to treasure and to learn from. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Illuminated Landscape by Peter Poskas
The Illuminated landscape by Peter Poskas is one of the better art publications I've ever purchased.Poskas makes his creative process easily understood by his duscussions on specific works, all of which are beautifly displayed throughtout the book.I read a page every night while viewing each painting, learning values, light, seasons atmospheric changes which he's a master at doing.I purchased the book in 1988 and I am hoping he will publish another one of these great books with more of his great works. ... Read more