Recharge your creative spirit and rediscover the magic that is watercolor!

Every watercolorist needs a creative kick in the pants now and then--to keep seeking inspiration when feeling uninspired, to keep going when a painting has stalled, to keep trying when a technique isn't easy to master...sometimes just to keep painting, period.

When your artistic well has run dry, you must replenish it. Whether you have spent decades painting in watercolor or are just beginning, the tips and secrets shared by best-selling author and artist Gordon MacKenzie provide the perfect guide when the going gets tough. Get excited about watercolor again as he shows you how to:

- Find better approaches to a tired composition

- Engage viewers more fully with color, value and well-placed "wee people"

- Reinvent a scene that outshines your reference photographs

- Dramatize a landscape by focusing on the weather

- Nurture your own growth by sharing what you know with others

"You don't have to paint the way you paint now. You don't have to paint what you paint now." --Gordon MacKenzie

Abstract painting and abstraction can be a daunting and frustrating genre of art. How should you approach a surface? How can you use colour effectively? How can you make better, more expressive paintings? This inspiring book answers these questions and many more. Through a thorough analysis of his own work, Emyr Williams covers practical, theoretical and historical issues of abstract art and explains a wide range of working methods to help develop more demanding personal approaches to the making of abstract painting. He emphasizes the relationship of colour to surface and the importance of seeking a profound connection with your art. Further topics cover: the difference between abstract and abstraction; how an artist has developed expressive art in many different ways; maximize your studio effectiveness and manage your time better; discover how colour can be approached more effectively; learn about other possibilities for making abstract art - such as the role of technology and finally, be more demanding of your painting and make better abstract paintings.

*An exciting approach to botanical illustration featuring exotic and extraordinary plant specimens. *Striking plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables provide new challenges in colour, texture and form. *Stunning finished paintings accompany simple instructions and step-by-step projects for a beautiful book that both guides and inspires.Strange and unusual specimens have never been more accessible - as more and more exotic fruit and vegetables appear regularly in our shopping baskets and our florists fill with flowers from every corner of the globe, this practical and beautiful guide to capturing strange and striking plants on paper has never been more timely. There is something for beginners and more experienced botanical illustrators alike, whether you wish to paint more familiar bananas, pineapples and other exotic fruits that are now widely available, or more complex orchids and even carnivorous plants.Acclaimed artists Rosie Martin and Meriel Thurstan (authors of the bestselling Contemporary Botanical Illustration and Botanical Illustration Course) run the popular botanical painting course at the Eden Project and are thus uniquely placed for this exciting take on the genre.The unusual colours and complex textures of exotic plants present a new challenge to the botanical artist, but this book guides you through each stage of the painting process with plenty of exercises and step-by-step projects. Fantastically illustrated with worksheets, colour swatches, sketches and stunning finished paintings this practical and inspirational guide is a must-have for botanical artists of all levels.

In The Urban Sketching Handbook: Panoramas and Vertical Vistas, urban sketcher and art educator Mario Linhares gives a guided tour on how to explore and capture cityscapes, landscapes, and more in drawings from unique points of view. In this thorough yet accessible book, you'll learn how to: Improve your drawing skills and selectively translate what you see for maximum impact Fearlessly use your sketchbook as a laboratory for experimenting with various points of view and perspectives Consider the many options for visual approaches with work contributed by a wide variety of experienced sketchers Featuring eight special gatefold pages that showcase outsized images, The Urban Sketching Handbook: Panoramas and Vertical Vistas will show you how to heighten the visual drama of every subject. The Urban Sketching Handbook series offers location artists expert instruction on creative techniques, on-location tips and advice, and an abundance of visual inspiration. These handy references come in a compact, easy-to-carry format-perfect to toss in your backpack or artist's tote.