Using the Japanese hake brush, obtainable from most art and craft shops, Ron Ranson demonstrates how, because of its nature and size, it forces the watercolourist to simplify the subject matter and thus distil the essence of a scene. He also discusses the dissecting and dramatizing of the subject.

Among the women artists who came to prominence in the postwar era in New York, painter Nell Blaine had a uniquely hard-won career. In her mid-thirties, her horizons seemed limitless. Her shows received glowing reviews, ARTnews honored her with a lengthy feature article, and one of her paintings hung in the Whitney Museum. Then, on a trip to Greece, Blaine developed polio, rendering her a paraplegic. Angry at being told she would never paint again, she taught herself to hold a brush with her left hand and regained her skill. In Alive Still, author Cathy Curtis tells the story of Blaine's life and career for the first time by investigating the ways her experience of illness colored her personality and the evolving nature of her work, the importance of her Southern roots, and the influence of her bisexuality (and, in the latter part of her life, long term lesbian relationships) on her understanding of the world. Alive Still draws upon Blaine's unpublished diaries; her published writing; career-spanning interviews and reviews; and correspondence to and from family members, lovers, and the artists, poets, publishers, rescuers in Greece, and neighbors she knew. In addition, Curtis has conducted interviews with surviving artists and other individuals in Blaine's circle, including two of her longtime lovers. Featuring illustrations of Blaine's work and snapshots of family and friends, Alive Still is a compelling narrative of a leading, productive, and passionate woman artist who overcame the setbacks of disability.

In this beautifully produced book, artist and teacher David Webb shares his expertise to provide comprehensive guidance for anyone painting in watercolour, from beginners up. How-to techniques are at the heart of the book and feature detailed explanations and demonstrations that will get you progressing fast, with a real understanding of the medium. Included in this section are 'Help!' panels that focus on what can go wrong: the typical mistakes made and how you can avoid them. Readers will also discover the widest possible range of watercolour techniques thanks to our team of internationally recognised guest artists, who will be revealing some of their painting secrets in a series of 'life lessons' - how they appear to get the paint to really glow and their paintings to spring into life.

The sea reflects light and it is affected by weather. Skies change constantly from one minute to the next. Arnold Lowrey explores both subjects with enthusiasm and energy, showing how wonderful effects can be achieved with a range of watercolor techniques. Practical step-by-step demonstrations illustrate how to build up a painting, and inspirational paintings shows how the techniques can be adapted to create new pictures.

Artist Ann Blockley is renowned for her innovative approach to traditional subjects. Following the huge success of her previous book, Experimental Flowers in Watercolour, she now explores ways to interpret landscape. Packed with stunning examples of her colourful, expressive work, this book encourages you to experiment with the same techniques in your own watercolour painting to develop a personal style. Techniques covered include combining water-based paint and ink with other media such as gesso and collage to create dramatic effects; manipulating paint with materials such as plastic wrap (clingfilm); tearing, layering and reassembling paintings into watercolour collages; and developing textures and marks made using fabrics and other found objects. Throughout the book Ann offers her personal commentary on how her paintings were created, giving us a unique insight into the mind of the artist. Both practical and inspirational, this glorious book is the ideal companion for watercolour painters who want to take their work a step further.

In the work of Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) lies an impact akin to a sudden acquisition of sight. His landscapes and seascapes scorch the eye with such ravishing light and color, with such elemental force, it is as if the sun itself were gleaming out of the frame. Appropriately known as "the painter of light," Turner worked in print, watercolor, and oils to transform landscape from serene contemplative scenes to pictures pulsating with life. He anchored his work to the River Thames and to the sea, but in the historical context of the Industrial Revolution, also integrated boats, trains, and other markers of human activity, which juxtaposes the thrust of civilization against the forces of nature. This book covers Turner's illustrious, wide-ranging repertoire to introduce an artist who combined a traditional genre with a radical modernism. About the series Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions

This book is published in conjunction with Edward S. T. Ho's first solo exhibition of his watercolor paintings at the Exhibition Gallery of Hong Kong City Hall in March 2013. Entitled "Watercolour Journey," these images are mostly of far-off places in Ho's travels. He writes: "I have been fortunate to have a group of friends who like to travel with me to fairly exotic places, to Africa, the Middle East, South America, the Antarctic, and countries such as India, Iran, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. Images of these places have provided me with interesting subjects for my paintings and wonderful mementos of my journeys. I wish to share those memories with my friends once again and also with those who enjoy seeing new places and experiencing different cultures."

Jeremy Ford is a master-artist who will show you how to paint beautiful watercolour pictures, starting from initial sketches, through simple techniques to completed pictures, ready for display. A reissue of the best-selling How to Paint Water Colour, this book includes three comprehensive step-by-step demonstrations and covers a range of subjects from flower portraits to landscapes. Jeremy examines and breaks down the various essential materials needed, from selecting paper, paints and brushes through to other painting equipment. A simple colour theory section eliminates any mysteries about watercolour paint.

Kickstart your creativity and create a masterpiece with step-by-step workshops and advice from professional artists. Whether you want to try your hand at painting for the first time or brush up on your artistic skills, Artist's Painting Techniques is for you. Learn how to work with watercolours, oils, and acrylics and discover everything you need to know about tone, colour, pattern, brushwork, and composition with detailed advice for beginner, intermediate, and advanced painters. Fully illustrated, step-by-step workshops from professional artists guide you through more than 80 painting techniques including laying a flat wash, painting fur, and creating impasto sculptural effects. All techniques are accompanied by inspiring exercises and projects to try at home to help you develop your skills, discover your own style, and grow as an artist. Master every aspect of painting with this essential guide, from choosing a subject to mounting your first piece. Whatever your level of expertise, you can learn to paint with confidence - and perhaps create a masterpiece (or two) along the way.

Tempted to start painting but not sure where to start? Learn how to paint beautiful watercolour flowers using just 3 colours, 3 brushes, a plastic palette and a watercolour pad. This book will build your skills through easy exercises, starting from the simplest of tulips and working up to a stunning rose. Clear advice and step-by-step photography will show you exactly what to do at each stage. No drawing necessary - you can simply trace and transfer the basic drawings from the finished paintings, which are shown at full size. Colours used: cadmium yellow pale, ultramarine blue and permanent rose. Brushes used: Round brushes size 10 (Large), size 8 (Medium), and a size 4 (Small).

Rudolf Steiner's watercolour painting 'The Archetypal Human-Animal' presents us with the enigmatic image of a strange creature apparently swimming in water. It has a human profile, showing a clearly outlined nose and slightly-opened mouth, with a mysterious eye, almost concealed in its greenish hair. It has appendages similar to hands and feet, and dark-blue plant-like forms float about in the water beneath the creature's bright red and yellow body. Only the title provides us with a clue to its meaning: it is an 'archetypal human-animal' form. But even this is enigmatic. What is this strange, unusual creature - this archetypal human-animal? We are presented with a perplexing image and a puzzling description. In this original work, illustrated throughout with full-colour paintings and images - many by the author herself - Angela Lord takes us on a journey of discovery to realizing the meaning of Rudolf Steiner's painting. From Goethe's theory of metamorphosis in nature, we are introduced to Steiner's ideas of human evolution, from the primal beginnings of the archetypal human-animal on 'Ancient Moon'. Lord recounts myths and legends from many cultures that tell of human-animal forms, and reflects on the meaning of the fish in Christianity. She takes us through a series of 'colour sequences' for repainting Steiner's human-animal motif, and includes appendices that summarize evolutionary phases of the earth and humanity from a spiritual-scientific perspective. The Archetypal Human-Animal is both a valuable workbook for painters and a fascinating insight into hidden aspects of human evolution.

The first volume to appear in the Natural History series catalogues a group of spectacular drawings of citrus fruit in watercolour and gouache, most of which were commissioned to illustrate Giovanni Battista Ferrari's Hesperides, an ambitious attempt at a complete taxonomy and classification of the entire citrological world, which was published in Rome in 1646. Cassiano dal Pozzo played a fundamental role in this project: it was he who commissioned and supplied most of the drawings and then arranged for them to be engraved for Ferrari's projected work. The citrus drawings - grouped in the Catalogue under the headings of citrons, lemons, oranges, pummelos, hybrids, monstrosities and unidentified citrus fruit - are reproduced in full colour and are accompanied by a wealth of comparative material which includes the Hesperides engravings, additional drawings and photographs of actual specimens, mainly of the monstrous kind. In addition to detailed scientific descriptions of the specimens themselves, the catalogue also gives art historical information on watermarks, annotations, types of mount, provenance and literature. The introductory essays explain Cassiano's method of gathering information from a network of correspondents around Europe and consider the relationship between these drawings and other natural history subjects commissioned by Cassiano. The authors discuss the work of the artists involved in the project and assess the major contribution made the classification of citrus fruit by the collaborative efforts of Cassiano of Ferrari.

Learn how to use traditional watercolour techniques to produce beautiful, contemporary paintings that are full of light, colour and life. Packed with inspirational finished paintings and step-by-step projects, this engaging book teaches you how to use watercolours in their purest form, without the addition of any other media, to create art that has a radiancy and luminosity that cannot be achieved in any other way.

This comprehensive guide to painting landscapes in watercolour features the expert tuition of six renowned watercolour artists. It covers all aspects of painting, from materials and techniques through to planning a painting, sketching and perspective. Learn the techniques of wet into wet, spattering, dry brushing, lifting out and using salt to create texture and interest, and follow the step-by-step demonstrations to create realistic water, skies, reflections and buildings, as well as mood and atmosphere. With nine beautiful projects to try, and numerous examples of the authors' work to inspire you, this is the ideal introduction to landscape painting for artists of all abilities. This book includes material previously published in the highly successful Step-by-Step Leisure Arts series and the Watercolour Tips and Techniques series.

Fill your home with original, professional art - and learn to paint at the same time. This innovative new series is a poster book, an art pad and a step-by-step painting book all rolled into one! Each of the five posters is ready to pull out, frame and display. In addition, you can enjoy the calming pursuit of painting each of the pictures yourself using the pre-printed outlines - so no drawing required. The large, landscape format of the book allows each stage of painting to be clearly and comprehensively explained with innovative annotations. Simply pull out the stage-by-stage tutorial pages and pin them to your easel, then paint directly onto the watercolour outline for fantastic results. In this title, City Scenes, learn to paint iconic scenes of London, Paris and New York, and enjoy five masterclasses in painting from renowned artist Geoff Kersey.

Learn simple step-by-step techniques for drawing and embellishing the exciting, inspiring, and beautiful motifs of sacred geometry. In Creative Drawing: Symbols and Sacred Geometry, artist, instructor, and author Ana Victoria Calderon takes you on an inner voyage of creative discovery. Learn how sacred geometry has been practiced and celebrated by cultures all over the world and influenced artists throughout history, including Leonardo da Vinci Start with the essentials-compass drawing with graphite pencils on paper-then explore the featured mediums for embellishing, including colored pencils, watercolor, inks, and other easy-to-use mediums Take a step-by-step look at fundamental drawing techniques for a variety of universal motifs, starting with the simple circle and building to more complex motifs, including the Yin Yang symbol, the Tree of Life, the Torus, and the Vortex Learn to paint a variety of stunning effects and find great project ideas for creating amazing images The study and creation of sacred geometry inspires the imagination and provokes reflection. So grab your pencils and take a beautiful creative journey with drawing! Perfect for creative beginners, the books in the Art for Modern Makers series take a fun, practical approach to learning about and working with paints and other art mediums to create beautiful DIY projects and crafts.

Antarctica, that icy wasteland and extreme environment at the ends of the earth, was - at the beginning of the 20th century - the last frontier of Victorian imperialism, a territory subjected to heroic and sometimes desperate exploration. Now, at the start of the 21st century, Antarctica is the vulnerable landscape behind iconic images of climate change. In this genre-crossing narrative Gould takes us on a journey to the South Pole, through art and archive. Through the life and tragic death of Edward Wilson, polar explorer, doctor, scientist and artist, and his watercolours, and through the work of a pioneer of modern anthropology and opponent of scientific racism, Franz Boas, Gould exposes the legacies of colonialism and racial and gendered identities of the time. Antarctica, the White Continent, far from being a blank - and white - canvas, is revealed to be full of colour. Gould argues that the medium matters and that the practices of observation in art, anthropology and science determine how we see and what we know. Stories of exploration and open-air watercolour painting, of weather experiments and ethnographic collecting, of evolution and extinction, are interwoven to raise important questions for our times. Revisiting Antarctica through the archive becomes the urgent endeavour to imagine an inhabitable planetary future.

This is a project-based book on the techniques of watercolour painting for the beginner. It includes 12 projects for you to try, such as flowers in a blue jar, tropical fruit, sunset over the lagoon, and a canal in Amsterdam. You can learn how to use all the classic techniques - working light to dark, painting wet-in-wet, and using gum arabic. It offers expert guidance on using all the necessary materials, including working with tube, pan and gouache paints; selecting brushes and caring for them; and choosing papers, palettes, mediums, jellies and paints. It is a practical, easy-to-follow text with over 175 photographs clearly showing the development of each picture. You can discover your hidden artistic talents with this project-based course. It covers all the different techniques involved in painting with watercolour. This book will teach you how to produce accomplished and attractive works of art, using different techniques and combinations of tone to paint a variety of subjects from a peaceful beach scene to crashing waves. The 12 easy-to-follow projects are designed for the beginner, with photographs making each step crystal clear. Hints and tips throughout the book will guide and enrich your progress. To help you make the best choices when selecting what you need, there is a broad survey of the variety of equipment available, from paper, canvas and brushes to palettes, paints and thinners. This book introduces what is perhaps the most popular painting medium today, and it is essential reading for any artist.