Book Description

In watercolor paintings it is the masterful use of washes that creates depth, spontaneity and atmosphere. In Mastering the Watercolor Wash, Joe Garcia provides clear, simple step-by-step instructions that teach the four basic washes: flat, gradated, wet-into-wet and streaked.Painters will find plenty of guidelines and 33 demonstrations that combine these techniques to create light and shadow effects, as well as a variety of textures for popular subjects including rocks, clouds and sand.

They'll also learn how to develop unique textures and special effects using salt, a palette knife, masking fluid, sponges, dry brushes, spattering and lifting techniques. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Very Useful Book...............
There are many books on watercolor techniques so why should you buy this one? You should buy this book because it an excellent reference book to help you learn the "nuts & bolts" of painting watercolors.As an example I refer to pages 44&45, "The Gradated Wash".Here artist Joe Garcia gives you a clear definition of the technique followed by very direct instructions and clear photos on how to proceed.He then gives you a tip at the end to get the best results.While this book seems at first glance to be more of an introduction to basic techniques more advanced artists will find this book to be very useful as a reference resource.The book like all North Light books is well designed with many photos and illustrations.When I first saw this book I figured do I really need this one? The answer is yes for the reasons I have mentioned.The author also explains his preference for materials and using watercolor boards which he makes himself. Now that it is available in a paperback edition there is no reason not to consider buying it.

Mastering the Watercolor Wash
This is a must have book for anyone wishing to improve their watercolor painting. The instructions are easy to follow and understand. Your work will improve with every page you
read.

good one
this is a wonderful, informative book.there are several things to practice, demos, good descriptive book.I will use this book alot! ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive, popular guide by renowned artist and teacher presents a full course of watercolor painting, from basics to creating landscapes; painting portraits and figures; drawing; following design principles; and matting, framing, and selling completed works. Two 16-page full-color sections show the steps involved in creating seven of the author's own watercolors. 37 color illustrations. Over 100 illustrations.
... Read more

Reviews (7)

Fundamentals of graphic design as applied tp watercolor
I wish publishers would stop calling their books "Complete Guides" to a subject. No guide to watercolor-or anything else-can possibly be complete. This raises unrealistic hopes that the reader will soon find are unfounded. However, I love this book, and recommend it to serious students of painting, despite the unfortunate and rather bogus title.

A better, though more cumbersome title, might have been "Introducing the Fundamentals of Graphic Design as Applied to Watercolor Painting."

While this book does not offer every possible bit of information you will ever need to paint in watercolor, it can teach you how to design your paintings thoughtfully and well. The author understood the fundamentals of design, and explained them clearly and logically. Many of his own paintings are included as instructional examples. I found them very helpful, although the black and white reproductions are not always easy to "read".

Some people like to paint intuitively and emotionally with no conscious cosideration of design. If this is your preference, and you have no wish to consider other approaches, this is not the book for you. This is also not the best book for someone looking for in-depth lessons in color theory. There is some discussion of the general working methods and materials of traditional watercolor painting, but that alone would not make me recommend the book. Much of this information can be found in the many introductory watercolor books on the market today. These often have great visual appeal, with lush color reproductions, lots of sparkling white space. But looks can be deceiving. While this rather plain-looking book will not win a beauty contest, get to know it well and you will find that it has hidden charms.

What makes this book so valuable to me is its emphasis on drawing and composition as the foundation of painting. If you share the authors faith in this foundation, but have not been able to master these subjects through your own efforts, this book can be an excellent (though not complete) guide.

so-so
I know I am not a traditional watercolor painter but I thought I could learn something from this book - given the glowing reviews I had read. Well.... right off the bat, the paintings Whitney uses for his examples, are horrible! its really hard to learn from a painting teacher when you don't like their paintings. He writes pretty well and poetically and seems to really love watercolor. Its just you do not see him putting his words into practice with his work and that makes it really hard to get into what the guy is saying.

The basics of producing fine watercolors
Edgar Whitney's Complete Guide To Watercolor Painting comes from a watercolor painter/teacher who provides beginners with the basics of producing fine watercolors, from landscapes to portraits. Black and white and a few color illustrations round out his advice in this reprint.

A review of basics as presented byWhitney, one of the best!
I own the original. Great book for those that don't have access to the original.

overrated but still worth having
edgar whitney was perhaps the most influential american watercolor instructor of the 20th century, and this book (first published in the 1960's) is the popular and definitive statement of his painting principles. be warned: this is actually a book on visual design, with emphasis on the "six pattern schemes," the "rule of good form," the seven principles and eight elements of design, and so forth; technical advice is limited to wet in wet and texturing methods, and a fine chapter on drawing, the "foundation of all visual art." whitney's paintings -- which strike me as crass and histrionic -- may warn you about the level that "art" can sink to when it's based on simple formulas. but whitney is inspiring as a teacher, not as an artist, and his teaching is animated by a belief in the high purposes of art, the importance of craft, practice and scholarship, and by a disarming attitude of honesty and earnestness in everything he says. personally, i think the watercolor volume by skip lawrence (a whitney student) provides a better design introduction, but whitney's book is a classic -- fun to read, invaluable to refer to, and it may even improve your painting style. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

somewhat helpbut, but also annoying
Although the book provides some useful information about color, composition, and difficult subjects, the author's premise throughout the book--that if you follow her advice, you will make beautiful paintings--is misleading. The book shows "problem" paintings followed by "solution" paintings. Unfortunately, many of the "problem" painting are purposely painted to look they were done by a 12 year old, while the "solution" paintings are painted by talented artists. Simply following the author's advice will not change the problem paintings into works of art. It would have been helpful if the author HAD demonstrated just what it is that separates amatuerish paintings from good ones. Her book doesn't do that. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Sumi-e Sense for Beginners
I highly recommend Yolanda Mayhall's book for those who want to ease into bamboo ink painting for pleasure. I had heard that learning how to paint the "four gentlemen" (bamboo, chrysanthemum, plum blossom, and orchid) would give me the strokes I need to do any painting. As a beginner, I didn't fully realize the meaning of this until I discovered Mayhall's book. She has specific, simple instructions on doing the basic strokes. Then she has "Related Strokes" sections in her book. There she shows how these simple strokes can be used to paint a variety of subjects from dragons to squirrels to people. My brush is freer and my range of subjects wider sense discovering her book.

Practical book for beginning sumi-e painters
This is a very practical book for the beginning student of Chinese or Japanese brush painting. Clear, simple and precise illustrations show how to execute the traditional"four gentlemen"- bamboo, orchid, chrysanthemum, and plum. Students will learn such important concepts as how to achieve depth by double dipping the brush into a darker tone of ink, how to achieve movement by varying the pressure on the brush and how to achieve texture by varying the amount of moisture in the brush. The bonuses of this book are the examples of other forms one can make using related strokes. For example, after mastering the bamboo leaves one can easily paint a bird, lizard, or butterfly. After mastering the orchid leaves one can use the same strokes to paint fish, underwater grasses, and water lilies. Once students gain confidence they can naturally go on to master tiger lilies, rocks, mountains, and pine trees, all beautifully illustrated in this book.

...

"as clear as a mountain brook "
In all honesty, Sumi-E is best learned from a teacher in a live workshop. The combination of exacting brushstrokes, meditative attitude & free, almost unconscious, expression is difficult to take out of a book alone. Sumi-E has an intimate connection to Zen practices. But that said, in the absence of a teacher, Yolanda Mayhall's book is the best I've seen. Her purpose here is to get you started on the right path - & in Sumi-E, the right path means everything.

The "Four Gentleman" brushstrokes & their basic variations are the substance of The Sumi-E Book. Bamboo, Wild Orchid, Chrysanthemum & Plum Branch represent "all the forms in the universe." One could endlessly write haiku on those four natural forms, so why not paintings, too?

This book is as clear as a mountain brook & as gentle as a breeze. Successfully achieving a bamboo branch & leaf (& you will succeed) is enough to draw you onward down that right path. Even children can grasp the basics of these strokes using inexpensive brushes & watercolors, & they will wonder at the simplicity of it.

Just as poets return again & again to haiku in order to sharpen their observation skills & sense of economy, all artists will reap large benefits from the spare, mono-chromatic beauty of Sumi-E that will enrich your other mediums & quiet your mind as well.

Highly recommended.

Bob Rixon

A book that is a work of art in itself.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to start doing Japanese Sumi-e Painting. I had to learn all by myself, and I must say that this book in particular has made my journey a little more easier. I found the Authores-Painter very professional in the way that she always tries,with her step by step method, to make it easy for the beginner to get along. It is so well explained, that you just can't go wrong. On the other hand, I also think that this beautiful book is in itself a Work Of Art, due to that the paintings you find inside are unique, very personal, and not a patterned copy. I heartily thank the friend who gave it to me, and have always wished it had a second part.

Excellent book for learning Ink Painting
I have always loved the wonderful pictures created from the simple brush strokes of Japanese ink painting. This book is filled with illustrations and step-by-step instructions for the novice and the advanced painter. The author has presented the material in an easy to read manner and will be a useful tool for teaching this fine art. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It makes me en'light'en.
As a new watercolorist, I have a very serious problem about seeing light and shadow. No matter how my instructor tried to point them out. I hardly see and paint. After reading this book, my eyes are just opened and bring me to a new way of seeing light and shadow. I now understand what to look for and how to improve my rather 'flat' painting.

The explanation, samples, and instruction in this book are very useful, easy to follow, and practical. I would definitely, highly recommend this book to whom has problem of seeing or understanding nature of LIGHT.

Light in the Watercolor World
I read the book from start to end as soon as I got it in the mail and then again a couple of days later. It was so informative and has some excellent examples of what the author is describing verbally. The exercises are easy to follow and you learn so much from doing the exercises. I am enjoying the book very much and am looking for more from this author. Easy to read and understand but each time that I read it, I discovered more tidbits of knowledge. I probably would not recommend this book to advanced watercolorists but it was just PERFECT for my needs since I only just started the conversion from oil to watercolor. ... Read more

Book Description

This new title in the Watercolor Basics series provides artists with all the step-by-step guidance they need to bring people and portraits to life through the beauty of watercolor. From achieving proper proportion to rendering skin tones, author Butch Krieger makes mastering the basics--value, shape, line and color--a snap. Seventeen complete demonstrations and thirteen mini demos take readers through every step, everything from selecting materials and mixing colors to creating effects. Whether the reader is an absolute beginner striving to paint people realistically, or a more advanced artist looking to improve a specific technique, Watercolor Basics: People will make a noticeable difference in the quality of their work. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book
This book is a great step-by-step guide for portrait painting in watercolor. The importance of value is well illustrated. A wonderful book for the beginner and experienced watercolor painter. ... Read more

Book Description

In this complete guide for beginners, Anne Elsworth shows you all you need to know to discover the joys of successful watercolor painting. A complete painting course in 10 easy-to-follow lessons. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

You can do better
This is a nice book and it may allow a beginner to paint a pretty picture. It briefly discusses the basics -- paper, brushes, paints, some brush and masking methods. The problem lays in that the pictures will come out looking mechanically made (much like a child's watercolor) and the book provides no real basis for artistic growth after completing it.
I am an absolute beginner: new to watercolor, new to painting, new to drawing and new to art. I need all the help I can get. This was the first watercolor book I brought. I put it aside to read another, and upon returning I was dismayed by how limited and dead-ended this book was. In fact, I now consider it a bit of a trap. I recommend choosing a more advanced beginner book -- you will go further faster, and still have room to grow.

I've learned so much from this one...
Although I'm not exactly a beginner (more of an intermediate watercolor enthusiast), I learned qute a bit from this book, which is relatively small in size but rich in instruction. I thought I knew quite a bit about mixing colors but found the lessons here to be worth reviewing. The author also lists basic palettes for those interested in drawing flowers and landscapes and guides readers through basic flower shapes with explanations of how to paint them. I spent many hours practicing the various flowers and was richly rewarded with some clear, non-muddy pictures. Although the title "A Complete Course" may be a bit misleading (I'm not sure there is ever a COMPLETE course in watercolor painting), this would certainly fill the bill for any beginning watercolor painter and I found the results even better than many beginning or intermediate watercolor courses I'd taken - and certainly less expensive.

Watercolor Workbook
I wanted to learn to paint watercolors...I knew nothing....It was great....You know its a good book when you complete all lessons cover to cover.

My favorite watercolor book so far. Buy it!
I use this a lot. I like the artist's original work, the clear format, and the description of the work of a few famous watercolorists. I refer to this book often, and enjoy just looking through it too. A very good book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

All the usual suspects and a few surprises too
A good over view of how watercolor caught on in America and rose to the standard of English work in that medium. Worth getting for the chapter on William Trost Richards, who really ought to be part of an American Watercolor Triumverate, along with Homer and Sargent. There are out of print monographs on Richards but this seems to be the best place to see examples of his work if you can't get your hands on them. ... Read more

Book Description

Seven Keys to Great Paintings puts the fun back into painting with lighthearted, down-to-earth instruction that also reveals the core elements of painting design.

* Each of the seven chapters begins with a poem verse to help readers remember the message behind the concepts

* The emphasis on watercolor will appeal to painting's largest audience, as well as general painters

* Creative, game-like instruction echoes bestsellers like Watercolorist's Essential Notebook

* Full-page charts and 8 well-illustrated step-by-step demos make the concepts easy to understand and apply

The author's friendly, personal tone and extensive workshop experience are sure to charm and encourage painters of all levels. ... Read more

Book Description

Best-selling author and artist Claudia Nice shows readers how to create incredible art in watercolor, pen and ink. She makes it easy by covering all the drawing and painting basics--from materials and texture techniques to color theory and special effects. It's a one-of-a-kind course in makingextraordinary art.

Nice provides guidelines, advice and techniques for rendering hundreds of favorite places, environments and animals with incredible detail, including:

-Transparent images such as glass, eyes and water -Silver, brass, gold, copper, bronze and rusted metal -Earth and stone textures, including soil, sand and gravel -Skies and weather -Fields, flowers, trees, forests and wood grain patterns -Tide pools, tropical reefs, fish and animals -Deserts, ponds, swamps, marshes and mountains

It's no exaggeration to say that this incredible volume--a compilation collecting some of the finest instruction from Nice's other best-selling books--contains enough instruction, inspiration and gorgeous art to keep readers drawing, painting and enjoying the outdoors for years to come. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Terrific book!
I really like this book because it gives so many ideas and specific instructions on how to achieve the many effects. It introduced me to technical pens, which I was not aware of eons ago when I worked with pen & ink. I think Ms. Nice is a very gifted instructor.

Great book! But be careful if you own previous books...
This book is excellent! Very nice graphics and instructions.

However, if you own "Painting Nature in Pen & Ink and Watercolor" and "Creating Textures in Pen & INk and Watercolor" then DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. This book is a consolidated book of the aformentioned books.

Emphasis on detail and texture
This is a great book if your looking for ways to add texture and details to your watercolors. It includes subjects such as polished silver, water, wood, glass, fur, feathers, rocks, flowers and aquatic life. Techniques include masking, pen & ink, dry-brush, wet-on-wet, blotting, impression, salt, alcohol, spatter and stamping. The artwork is lovely but tends to look more like illustration than fine art. Most of the content is a repeat of 2 previous books on the subject (Creating Textures in Pen & Ink with Watercolor, and Painting Nature) so be forewarned if you already own either book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great stuff, even though I hate Roman numerals.
Excellent scholarly work that explains and shows what Audubon did, and how he did it. As a collector of original Audubon Havell prints, I found the introductory chapters to be informative, readable and very helpful. Wonderful explanations of his technique. About eighty of the plates are rendered nearly full size in this large book. The other 390 are included in an index as full-color 3 X 4 prints. All of the 435 original "Birds of America" images are in this book as well as quite a few other Audubon watercolors that were never syndicated for printing. There are several appendices including one that lists the actual size of each watercolor. Very helpful to a collector. I especially enjoy comparing Audubon's original watercolor paintings depicted in this book, with the large, excellent renderings of the Havell prints in "Audubon Birds of America" by Tim Parmentor, also available from Amazon. My one tiny complaint is that all of the color images are designated by the Roman numerals that Audubon assigned to them. Pain in the neck. Great gift book for both art students and birdwatchers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Inspiring and Informative
I found Alex's encouragement to find you own style and a very insightful analysis of his style to be quite informative. I enjoyed his descriptions of how his pictures were designed and more importantly what worked and didn't work. The principles that he discussed on simplicity, value, color, movement, paper-doll and silhouette relatioships, design approaches, etc. were very helpful in trying to understand and improve my own crude attempts at painting. Alex must be a very fine teacher, as his narrative was concise and very on topic through out the book.

Brilliant!
This book is one of the indispensable ones - you have got to have it! Don't let the painting on the cover put you off (I think it is one of the weakest paintings!) Between the covers, where it counts, this book is great.

Powers has the incredible ability to paint something perfectly while making it look like it took him a few minutes. His vision is unique. To some, his work may appear messy or unfinished, but for me this is a genius at work. His paintings look simple, but it's what he leaves out that often makes his work utterly remarkable.

His concise and easy-to-understand notes on facial proportions and his analysis of elements of his technique, such as composition, design, colour, line, and shape, make for fascinating reading. Seeing the mark of the artist has always been compelling for me. Here I see it in every painting. I often refer to Powers' methods to teach my art workshops for adult students.

This is my desert island book - the book with which I would choose to be marooned. If there were a six-star rating, this book would get it. Why are you still reading? BUY IT! NOW!

The power behind portrait techniques
This is such an immensely informative book with an incredible range of effective techniques and written in such an inspirational way. The next step must be to attend an Alex Powers workshop - anybody out there that can help me?

Alex Powers, MY HERO
I have been reading and re-reading this book since December 1997. I have always had the desire to paint but never picked up a paintbrush because realistic painting did not leave me inspired to follow. The painting style that Alex Powers has in his work is what I have been searching for all my life. In writing about his personal style he encourages his readers to find their own style. I picked this book up several different times over a two week period before I finally bought it. I would love to attend a class that he teaches. ... 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

Book Description

Water-soluble colored pencils are portable, versatile and much more forgiving than traditional watercolors, yet many artists have only just begun to tap into this medium's creative potential. This book explores the amazing possibilities of watercolor pencils, providing artists with basic instruction for taking full advantage of them in their artwork. Beginning with an overview of necessary materials and basic techniques, artists will learn from simple mini demos how to mix colors, create washes, layer colors and more.Artists will then see how these painting techniques are employed to capture a variety of popular subjects, including landscapes, flowers, animals, water, people, skies, trees, bridges and buildings. The last chapter of the book demonstrates how to mix watercolor pencils with other mediums to create all kinds of new and interesting effects. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It's nice, informative but...
I liked the book, but I wish it had more information or more examples, either by the author or by other artists in the medium. In order for me to really learn about the medium, I have had to buy not only this book but others about the same subject as well... It is not a problem with this book in particular, but a problem with ALL colored pencil books. All of them show a "part" of the what the medium has to offer. I wish there was a "compendium" of several authors about the subject, so we, aspiring artists, would have some sort of "big book" or "bible" about this.

A Must for Anyone Working in the Medium!
When I first recieved a box of watercolor pencils as a gift, I had no idea what to make of them... I do passing fair work with colored pencils, but watercolors have always been beyond me. I muddled along, experimenting and tossing the miserable results, until I found this book. Oh, the joy! Finally, information on how to get the most out of my creations! How to balance the use of dry and wet, how to work the pencils to their best use, how to work in multimedia (which I do). This is most certainly a bible of sorts for the watercolor pencil artist! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

OUTSTANDING INFORMATION!!
This book contains so much valuable information for artists!! No matter what medium you paint in, you will find the step by step help you need to paint with great techniques!!

A book crammed with helpful guidance
Wonderful book!!!I collect watercolors and have one of Skip's.His is clearly my favorite of all of my many watercolors, aside from one by my son.I was especially excited to find and to read Skip's book.What a great teacher he is!The book is clear and easy to follow and apply.Incidentally, I have it as one of my coffee-table books, and find myself regularly re-thumbing through it.Many of its illustrations are very pleasing to the eye, and capture the essence of points he makes so well in the text.Oh, to have just a small fraction of his watercolor talent!!!!

Inspiring, essential!
Whether you're a painter who has worked for years, or a 'newbie' you will appreciate and be inspired by Skip Lawrence's fresh and candid approach to more powerful painting via the tools of light and shadow. This is not a 'paint-like-I-do" guide, it's an intelligent conversation with examples of his and other terrific artists, to show how color and light and design all work together to create compelling and meaningful art that truly expresses your vision as an artist. This is a most essential and useful addition to any painter's resources, and it's valuable for both watercolorists and painters of other media as well.

Recommended
This book is much different than the usual technique books because it clearly stays with one goal - light.Everything in the book is organised around achieving the perception of light and shadow in your paintings.Itis a wonderfully elegant and logical approach.

Great Teacher
Concise use of Paintings to convey clear thought ... Read more

Reviews (4)

College Level Instruction Without the College Textbook Price
There are two things about this book I think make it a great book for any watercolorist's library. One is the sheer variety of paintings shown and the other is the numerous 'assignments' at the end of each chapter.

As another reviewer stated this book does not show you only one or a few artist's techniques. Rather it covers a broad range of techniques, art styles and artists and shows a diverse array of watercolor paintings. Everything from traditional representational paintings to contemporary and experimental works are shown. And all are used to illustrate that chapter's main point that they appear in. Works from famous artists to current living ones are displayed.

Each chapter ends with exercises designed to let you practice principles, techniques or styles the preceding pages discussed. Now some people don't like or need such 'assignments'. But other people, like me, enjoy them as a challenge and as a way to see that they've not only read the chapter but can practice till they've learned it. If you don't care for such things it's easy to skip over them. But I actually found some of these projects fun to do.

I have a sketchbook of watercolor paper that I use strictly for trying out projects from my various watercolor or other painting books. It is separate from my other sketchbooks or paintings and its sole purpose is strictly to practice, even copy, the demo projects and assignments. Even the greatest art masters learned first by copying the masters before them. There is so much to learn from this book. Not only how to paint in watercolor but also some art history as well. Definitely a recommended buy.

One of the Best
This is one of the best books on watercolor I have read and I have read a bunch. Many watercolor books give demonstrations and descriptions of a limited range of techniques used by that particular author. The authors' focus is primarily on showing you how they painted particular sample paintings. You learn, but mostly how to paint the sample paintings and a little about the author's technique but not much else.

Mr. Le Clair provides the kind of instruction I would expect from a college watercolor class. He covers much more than just the basics but, nevertheless, the book could well serve as an introduction to watercolor. If I had to choose one instructional watercolor book this would be it. The second book I would choose is "The Watorcolorist's Essential Notebook" by Gordon MacKenzie, but it needs to be supplemented with a more basic book.

Insightful
Perhaps the strongest effort I have read to date for instruction on watercolor technique.(David Dewey's book is also outstanding!) This book is for the advanced watercolorist, as well as the intermediate student. It offers art history, studies in color, tips on still life, specialty items such as how to flatten a buckled paper, and more! Although I have been a watercolorist for many years, Le Clair has brought new insight into working with and teaching the medium.

VERY INFORMATIVE
Perhaps the strongest effort I have read to date for instruction on watercolor technique.(David Dewey's book is also outstanding!) This book is for the advanced watercolorist, as well as the intermediate student. It offers art history, studies in color, tips on still life, specialty items such as how to flatten a buckled paper, and more! Although I have been a watercolorist for many years, Le Clair has brought new insight into working with and teaching the medium. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A great basic book!!!
This book is a essential collection of tricks and techniques, you will not find complicated and very advanced techniques. It will not teach you how to paint with watercolor, but it will help you on the way.
The book is beautifully illustrated with some of the author's works and besides the tricks and painting techniques there are also lots of explanations on composition, colors and color composition and tools (how to choose your brushes, paper, palettes, paints, etc.)
There are several exercises and some watercolor problems and solutions.
It's a basic book for any watercolorist, with some tricks that one could only learn with the experience of years painting. This is the notebook I wish I had when I was learning to paint.

If You Can Only Have ONE Watercolor Reference Book.....
If I were to reduce my not-inconsiderable watercolor reference library to just one book, this would be that book. It blew me away! Gordon MacKenzie covers everything from which brushes to use for what and how to select your paints based on ingredients (a matter of growing importance) to compositional principles. I've had the book less than a week and, honestly, have referred to it practically every day for one thing or another related to painting. The book is laid out in an orderly and progressive format which made things easy to find when I went back. It is filled with photos of his work and delightful illustrations and sketches. The writing style is comfortable and enjoyable. I particularly liked that the captions on his paintings told how he achieved various effects, both in technique and composition. The only thing I found missing was a section on portraits, my particular area of interest. However, the principles and information Mr. MacKenzie shares applies equally well to all subject matter. The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook is well named and likely to become my standard gift to painter friends, if my enthusiasm hasn't persuaded them to buy it for themselves!

A Big Help
This book was great. Clearly based on years of experience and teaching, it contained valuable fundamental information -particularly on painting landscapes. I only wish he had more information on handling the paint and mixing colors. This is a very good book for beginners.

The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook
A very gifted watercolor artist, Gordon MacKenzie's talents as a teacher really come through in his book. He has saved the watercolor artist from many pitfalls, with his in depth guide to paint characteristics and qualities of different paints by brand. The book contains many helpful tips on techniques, as well as "how to" lessons. The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook contains many examples of Mr. MacKenzie's own work.

Major dissappointment
Simply a big dissappointment. Could perhaps be considered a good introduction to the media for an absolute beginner, but lacks depth for any serious practitioner. Too American for my taste as well. Avoid. ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive, buyers guide to watercolor paints, Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints, will SAVE YOU MONEY because you will avoid buying duplicate paints. The Guide will enable you to buy the best paints possible for your individual needs and budget. The Guide rates each paint according to the "Ten Desirable Paint Qualities" including lightfastness with visual samples of nearly 1, 500 paints from the following brands: Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Fragonard Pebeo, Rowney, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Old Holland, Sennelier, Grumbacher, Blockx, M.C. Graham, Academy, Impellist Sakura, Da Vinci, Shiva, Georgian, Cotman, Maimeri, and Koi Sakura;plus brief information on Yarka, Pelican, Lukas, Pentel, Linel, and Niji. A comprehensive Master Triangle of paints and pigments serves as a key to the book and the complete manufacturer's paint index makes the Guide very user friendly.Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints also provides "Convenience Lists" that tabulate staining, textural, transparent, opaque and two-tone paints together with suggested palettes. The Guide gives useful information on pigments including toxicity, the latest ASTM ratings and reflectance curves for quantifiable color information. The illustrated, historical background makes for entertaining and informative reading.As an added bonus the Guide now comes with regular Updates at the Hilary Page website- This address is given at the front of each book. The update covers paints that have been upgraded or introduced since publication, from the following brands: American Journey, Cotman (17 paints), Holbein (24 paints) MaimeriBlu, and Venezia. You can store the Updates within the covers of the Guide ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Compares with M Wilcox book
Helpful, providing definitive information on the behavior of the paint, accurate color photos, and information in disagreement with Wilcox's book--i.e. the color Opera by Holbien as a "permanent" color. (Color rec. by E. John Robinson). Useful when picking between different manufacturers, especially with online shopping.

Excellent investment for watercolorists
This book is great! It explains everything you want to know about the nature and behavior of pigments. Hilary does a superb job of rating the quality of each paint manufacturer's products. Her information is accurate and very useful. I now understand a great deal more about the paints I'm using. After buying this book I changed my pallet to single pigment paints and no longer mix mud. I no longer waste money on dissapointing tubes of color.
Of all the books on watercolor I've read and own, this one has become my bible!

very good for the artist to save money
As I am interested in the scientific end of things when studying color, I bought this book with a view to study what the author had to say about it. Being the medium is watercolor, a paste ready for painting with a brush mixed with water, the colors are indeed going to be different from that of other mediums. The author has done a tremendous job by detailing the different brands and rating them in terms of their lightfastness, whether they "stain" (have staying power for color in a painting) or not. I would term this book the "Consumer's Report of Watercolor Colors". So often, most books on color theory concentrate on one aspect of color, such as graphics on film or web graphics, and forget that different mediums mix color differently. For instance, someone involved with oil painting would need a different book on mixing color, as that is a different medium altogether. Also, there is no standardization of color among the various manufacturers of paints, and it makes it very difficult for the artist to know just what to buy. "Amber green" from one manufacturer could be very different from an "amber green" from another manufacturer, and vice versa, the same color could have different names from different manufacturers. The reason I am not giving it five stars, is that this point about color standardization is driven home better by an John Wilcox, another author on color and watercolor. Otherwise, this is a very good book for the discerning watercolorist.

Hilary's Guide to WC Paints has saved me hundreds of dollars
This book was the best money I have ever spent on art related books and supplies combined. It pays for itself many many times over in the savings you will reap from learning the good paints from the trash paints. I wouldn't think of buying a tube of paint without first referencing this book. I think of it as an artists' "bible" because of all the frustration, dissapointment, and heartache it has saved me as well! It's a must for the beginner and professional alike.

If you paint watercolors, you need this book...
It will save you mucho money. A complete, comprehensive test of colors from a wide range of major manufacturers of watercolor, this book lists the lightfastness and handling characteristics of each color. But that's not all. You get reflectance curves, mixing potential, transparency, lifting, staining, granularity and other properties of pigments. (But it is fun to read, as the information is presented in a very accessible form)

Never buy a horrid tube of chalky, weak, miscolored, fugitive paint again. Plenty more in this book, including history and even chemistry. Hilary Page is a fantastic author, teacher and painter. Get this book! ... Read more

Book Description

It's hard to resist the beauty and simplicity of Jean Uhl Spicer's gorgeous floral paintings. In this book, she shares her secrets for clean, transparent color with the methods she's perfected during 15 years of teaching workshops.

Both beginning and intermediate painters will appreciate all the tips, tricks and techniques, including: -Color-mixing charts for clean, bright colors-Strategies for developing a great composition -Fun exercises for mastering shapes and negative painting -Complete step-by-step demonstrations for bright, bold florals -On every page, there's a strong emphasis on having fun. Readers are encouraged to get loose and creative within the good design boundaries set forth in the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best explanation of "pick up your brush and paint"!!!
Research in a bookstore with a coffee bar and big comfortable chairs, trying to choose the books I would order from Amazon, led me to this book. As I glanced through the first chapter, I realized it was just what I needed in that the authors did not assume I already knew basic watercolor technique. I have painted in acrylics for years, and trying to shift to watercolor is like trying to learn to walk again. Bud Biggs has a way of explaning technique that makes you feel like you've been painting all your life. Check this one out if you have found other technique books leaving a gap between you and your paints. ... Read more