This great big gorgeous book is an intermediate artist's candy box. I devoured the gigantic hardback in one sitting. The lessons are delivered in step by step projects increasing in difficulty, taking you through the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels for all three mediums-- watercolours, acrylics, and oils. The projects mostly lean towards landscapes, but there are plenty of people, market scenes, florals, and still life. The book is such a deep dive into each medium that I would have easily paid twice the cover price for each one separately.
I don't paint in oils, but it was fascinating to read the sections on oil painting techniques. Much of it is just good painterly knowledge and can be applied to my work in watercolours and acrylics.
This is not a pure basic beginner's book. Basic steps are covered, including color theory and color mixing for each medium. But you might seek a beginner's book if you're intimidated by the instruction "apply a light wash with a blend of yellow ochre and a bit of burnt umber".
Specific product requirements are not provided (a "shopping list" like most beginner books) but the photos and color names in the watercolour section indicates the author's preference for Winsor & Newton products, especially the WN Cotman line. Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours I personally feel are excellent quality watercolours, often dismissed as "student grade". They're quite good paints made with top notch pigments, and easier to dilute to the proper consistency than higher grade paints such as Daniel Smith wartercolours. I adore Daniel Smith and my collection has about 190 DS colours, but they tend to lay down intense colour and can be difficult to dilute enough for transparency.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
$30.00
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
From the brand
From the Publisher
Acrylics
'Optical color mixing exploits the full potential of color theory to scintillating effect'.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Leading the EyeCombining loose, broad areas of brushwork with areas of focused detail will help balance the composition and flow of a painting. Use more detailed brushstrokes to anchor the point of interest, and catch the viewer's eye with a streak of color or area of contrast. |
Oils'Impasto is the perfect technique for creating bold artworks that allow your method of working to show through'. |
Hard and Soft OutlinesControlling the hardness or softness of edges is the main way to focus the eye on an object or shape. Hard edges are crisp and well defined, and draw the eye in, whereas soft edges blend into one another and seem to disappear. |
Reworking Areas of Paint
'Reevaluating is part of the painting process; correcting mistakes will improve your work'.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Surfaces and ReflectionsYou can create the effect of a rippled surface by painting bands of softened color. With rougher water, colors will become more subdued, and the horizontal bands will become increasingly fragmented. |
Showcase PaintingThis sunny scene of Bruges, in Belgium demonstrates several techniques from the advanced section. |
Applying Gradated ColorA gradated wash fades smoothly from a strong tone to a weak tone. It is achieved by adding water to your wash little by little as you paint. |
Acrylics
'Paint around the buildings carefully but not too neatly to keep a sense of spontaneity'.
Reviews with images
Good Concepts for All Levels
This is a substantial primer by professional artists that covers three major painting media: Watercolors, Acrylics, and Oils, and provides Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced techniques in each media. There is also a Basics section at the start of the book, which covers related ideas including observational skills, perspectives and composition, choosing a medium, choosing and holding your brush, and mounting and displaying your work, among other foundational concepts. The information in this book is presented clearly and with many beautiful examples of various techniques used in completed projects, as well as how to accomplish subsets of your desired work, such as painting rain or fur, or accomplishing various skin tones.As written on the cover, these lessons are presented as if in a class workshop, with a logical progression. Even so, the book is also arranged in an organized way, so that you can easily find a specific technique you may want to practice, or skip ahead to your skill level or interest. Every page includes a wealth of information in easy-to-grasp ideas and pictures. My 12 yo daughter is very interested in art, and is a beginner who has had no formal training. She immediately took to this book and was able to follow the basics of watercolor, using those grade-school paint sets and some random brushes I had, to create some still life pictures presented as lessons in the beginner techniques watercolor section (see pics). She really likes this book, and I think there is quite a bit of good information here for all levels.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2023
Top reviews from other countries
diego
Empieza excelente. Cae el nivel de atención y detalle.
Reviewed in Mexico on November 16, 2022Liz Rozenberg
An amazing book, I bought it as a gift for ...
Reviewed in Canada on February 6, 2018