Books Reviews

Water in Watercolour – Book Review

By Angela Youngman Feb 10, 2013, 16:21 GMT

Matching quality instruction with convenience, the Art Handbooks series presents the respected lessons by talented art professionals in a small and transportable format. These tutorials teach techniques for a wide spectrum of artistic endeavors, from pencil drawing to oil painting, through step-by-step instructions and ample imagery of what to expect from each stage and completed process. They also provide invaluable information about the materials as well as additional tips for ...more

Watercolour is a perfect medium for painting water, as it can create some very realistic effects.  This is only a small book but it is crammed full of ideas and step by step demonstrations making it an ideal reference book. A variety of techniques are covered including the use of splattering and laying washes.

He looks in detail at three of the most common types of water: a deep slow moving river, a fast moving stream and a shallow stretch of still water.  The step by step instructions are clear and easy to follow.  Yet, as he points out, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to painting water.

Each artist has to develop their own unique style and should experiment as much as possible to work out what is right for them.  This is a very useful book with lots of ideas and inspiration.