"Paint what you feel, not just what you see, and you'll begin to see the world in a different light." What if . . . instead of waiting for the "big idea," you begin a painting by dropping beautiful color onto your paper and seeing where it takes you?
What if . . . you paint with a leaf (or a sponge, or a string) instead of a brush?
What if . . . you start painting not on a blank sheet, but overtop an abstract acrylic background?
Exploring Watercolor is a book full of fresh perspectives, open doors, and creativity-expanding "what-ifs" to help take your work to the next level. Discover new ways to get expressive with color . . . ideas for using nature's patterns and motifs to inspire enticing designs . . . how to expand your repertoire and unleash your creativity by experimenting with freeform collages, found imagery and other innovative techniques.
Inside you'll find:
- 22 open-ended, step-by-step demonstrations designed so you can do them over and over again, using various combinations of colors, papers and techniques for a different result every time.
- 9 exercises illustrating expressive ways to put paint to paper
- A fun and inspiring sampler of texture-making techniques--including printing methods, resists, sprinkling, spattering, stencils and "paper torture"--for paintings that sing with vitality.
Wherever you are as an artist, this hands-on guide will help you master the watercolor medium, develop your individual style, and move beyond a literal rendering of your subject matter to a more meaningful and memorable interpretation that expresses your unique vision. So let go of your self-imposed limits, play with different ways of painting, and--above all--paint with passion and joy!
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Just excellent
If I had bought this book when I started watercolor I would have saved myself a lot of money by passing by many of those occupying my bookcase. This, along with Karlyn Holman's books would make a complete watercolor home course.
It is so thorough and compliments Holman's books which may be just a little bit more advanced. I keep this one beside me when painting and am going through the lessons for exercises and Holman's books for stirring the juices.
[Saturday, October 18, 2008]
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Watercolor technique instruction
The book features detailed instruction in three unique approaches to painting transparent watercolors. The spiral page format is convenient when following the exercises. All in all, it stimulates new creativity. I wouldn't say it is for the beginnner - more for one with some painting experience. I felt it was worth acquiring.
[Tuesday, September 23, 2008]
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Exploring, experimental
This is a great book , easy to read and follow...she does go into design,focal point,composition, etc., but does it in a very descriptive way that doesn't get bogged down and boring.
She also introduces quite a lot of different textures, which a lot of people like, bubble wrap, stamps, modeling clay, sponges, but it is not my thing....but at least her explainations and pictures make it easy to understand.
She has a few step by step demonstations, simple, easy to follow, but my favourite is her pages of colour combinations.
A book worth buying even if you are a beginner like me, and of course the more advanced artists should love this book.
[Friday, June 20, 2008]
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