John Marx's watercolours, first published in the Architectural Review, are a captivating example of an architect's way of thinking. Subtle and quiet they are nonetheless compelling works in how they tackle a sense of place, of inhabiting space and time all the while resonating with the core of one's inner being. There is an existential quality to these watercolours that is rare to be found in this medium. Something akin to the psychologically piercing observational quality of artists like De Chirico or Hopper. As architects strive to communicate their ideas, it is interesting to explore the world of Marx's watercolours as an example of a humane approach to conveying emotional meaning in relation to our environment. Marx's subject matter read like"built landscape" heightening the role of the manmade yet wholly in balance with the natural world. This is a message and sentiment that is perhaps more important than ever to relay to audiences.

The painter Carl Haag (1820-1915) gained acclaim for his colorful scenes of the Orient and true-to-life portraits, in which Nubian slaves, Arabian camel drivers or Egyptian snake charmers enliven the visual topography. After attending art school in Nuremberg, the son of a baker advanced to become a sought-after portraitist in Munich, and later refined his art with watercolor painting in Brussels and London. As court painter to the duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, he worked for Britain's Queen Victoria. His watercolors that portray the life of the royal family in the Scottish Highlands are now part of the royal collection. Always searching for new motifs, Haag traveled extensively through Europe. In 1859 he headed to the Orient, visiting Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus, Palmyra and Baalbek. In this first biography about the painter, Walter Karbach conveys a vivid impression of society in the Victorian age, discussing Haag's artistic influences, personal preferences, as well as his artist friends and patrons. At the same time, he elicits enthusiasm for Haag's landscape sketches, portraits and drawings of ruins, which oscillate between documentary representations and romantic or idealized scenic views.

Even if you have never picked up a paintbrush before, Geoff Kersey shows you how to paint convincing seascapes in watercolour using just three brushes, three colours, a plastic palette and a watercolour pad. Only students' range watercolour paints are used, yet from these Geoff shows you how to paint nine realistic watercolour scenes. There is no off-putting colour theory or long-winded mixing information, but a practical absolute beginner's course that shows the three colours in action. You need only three affordable brushes: no. 10, no. 4 and no. 2 rounds in a synthetic range, to achieve all of the paintings shown. Let Geoff Kersey build your skills through nine easy exercises, starting from the simplest of scenes, resulting in seascapes you'll be proud of. With clear advice, step-by-step photographs showing simple techniques, how to trace and transfer a drawing, and finished paintings shown full size in the book for guidance, you will have everything you need to get painting. Colours used: ultramarine, candium yellow pale and light red. Brushes used: Round brushes no. 10 (Large), no.4 (Medium), and a no.2 (Small)

A guide to 20 glass painting projects inspired by artists of the period 1890 to 1930, this text explains basic tools, materials and techniques; features an extensive motif library, which provides design templates; and includes tips for adapting the motifs to suit any project.

* Easy-to-master techniques and achievable projects in a perennially popular medium* Expert instruction from one of the world's best-known watercolor artistsFor beginners, creating a finished watercolor painting can seem daunting. With Charles Evans' Watercolours in a Weekend, even the most inexperienced painter will find a clear and no-nonsense approach to painting beautiful and complete watercolors in the quickest time possible. Featuring eight timeless watercolor projects--a still life, sky, buildings, flowers, and more--this guide provides readers with essential materials lists, technique instruction, practice exercises, and project guidance. The end result? Vibrant finished paintings suitable for framing--in just a weekend!

A fun comprehensive course to painting animals in watercolor that focuses on the two key aspirations for novice animal artists: to paint subjects in a loose yet realistic style, and to capture the essence of animals characters. This book contains six complete lessons explore a range of subject areas to equip the reader with the skills required to paint all types of animals in a variety of situations. Each lesson is made up of exercises and step demonstrations, accompanied by practical instruction, beautiful illustrations and useful tip boxes. The mix of animals includes domestic pets, birds, zoo and safari animals, and young animals. Additionally, galleries of artwork throughout the book provide inspiration and illustrate the range of possibilities here

A no-nonsense trouble-shooting guide to improving watercolour and drawing techniques by artist, Trudy Friend. This book includes an introduction to essential techniques and materials that help to sharpen the skills of the aspiring artist. The unique problem-and-solution format is easy to follow and designed to help tackle any landscape subject with confidence.