Book Description
Artist and teacher Jan Kunz reveals her secrets for painting luminous watercolor compositions inspired by photographs.
Complete with more than 200 full-color pictures and eight thorough demonstrations, artists will learn a variety of techniques as they practice painting compositions which include people, flowers, animals, scenery and more.
Jan Kunz has worked as a full-time watercolor artist and instructor since 1978. She is the author of 3 additional North Light Books including Painting Watercolor Florals that Glow, Painting Watercolor Portraits that Glow and Watercolor Basics: Color. She lives in Newport, Oregon.
Customer Reviews:
A great tool for the watercolorist.......2005-08-03
Jan teaches us step by step how to transform pictures to paintings with simple insights and all the facts needed.
She shares years of experience with all levels of painters.
Each page takes us further along the path to being a better painter.
This is one of my favorite books in my art library.
Painting beautiful watercolors from photographs by Jan Kunz.......2002-06-09
It has a lot of information, but was not what I thought it would be....not enough detail
Simplifies the Painting Process with Remarkable Results.......2000-12-20
The best way to describe how valuable this book has been to me is this: when I pick up my brush, Ms. Kunz book is open and waiting within arm's reach.
She covers many techniques including collaging, proportional enlargements, and even tips for how to take photos for your subject matter. It also has many step by step demonstrations with each technique-building lesson. The book even has a chapter on most asked questions including how to paint teeth!
Don't worry about having pictures to get started because she includes a few in the back of the book and in each lesson.
Artist Motivates Me To Begin Watercolor Painting!.......2000-08-19
This book is a great guide for any level of artist! After checking this book out of the library several times and paying overdue book fines, I decided I couldn't live without it! I just purchased this book online.
What a great instruction book from Jan Kunz on set-up, photography hints, transferring and enlargements, combining photos, painting techniques and handling problems. This book has it all. She even includes sample photographs to get you started.
I'm just a beginner, but this book gave me the motivation to get started.
A Wonderful Reference Book.......1998-08-24
I love books that have lots of tit-bits of information, and this is one of those books. Although, some of the information has been incorporated from her other books, it's still worth getting. I find Jan to be very generous, and it shows in this book.
Book Description
Through clear, illuminating exercises, this best-selling book stimulates new ways to think about color, generating responses that unlock personal creativity and allow artists to express themselves with paint as never before. Readers are shown how the interplay of complementary hues can trigger vibrations; how the push and pull of warm and cool colors can create a feeling of space; how to disguise one color in a scene to accent another; and many more tidbits of colorful advice.
Customer Reviews:
Covers so much.......2007-09-04
This book covers so many types of paintings from traditional to some abstracts. The examples are well done and very helpful. Might be a bit too involved for a new artist to understand. Lots of information.
Making Color Sing by Jeanne Dobie.......2007-08-08
This is a terrific book. Not only is it beautiful and inspiring, it contains alot of information about how to use color in watercolor painting. The material is presented in a very clear and understandable way. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested is learning about how to use color in watercolor painting.
Making Color Sing by Jeanne Dobie.......2007-07-13
This book is a jewel. After spending a lot of time with the David Dewey book The Watercolor Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artists, and doing a lot of watercolor "experiments", I was ready for more advanced concepts. Jeanne Dobie does not waste your time with the review of the basic skills. Instead, she refines and perfects your understanding of watercolors. A world opened up for me as I studied the chapter titled, "Mouse Power". Other gems include explanations of how to mix luminous darks and maintain sparkling whites. Jeanne Dobie inspires you towards higher levels learning. This is not a book for beginners, but for those looking to advance their basic skills. I highly recommend this book!!
Okay book, but..........2007-06-13
The book cover is misleading. It gives the impression that this book is geared towards painting wet on wet. But its really a mixture of wet on wet and painting positive/negative. Which is okay if that's your style of painting. I think the artist is very talented, however, the biggest flaw for anyone is to make assumptions. I agree with Nigel (Austin)...What's with the 5 stars !!!
Making Watercolors Sing, Dobie.......2007-03-15
Receiving this book promptly in the mail made it seem like Christmas Day. I am absorbing the materials in great gulps and already my painting has improved. Thank you Jeane Dobie.
Customer Reviews:
A fantastic reference..........2007-08-23
A great book about creating "accidental" watercolor effects. Even if I only manage to utilize a small percentage of what Nita Engle teaches here, it will be a big help to me in my attempts to paint.
How to Make Watercolor Paint Itself.......2007-08-22
I like this book. I mislaid my first copy and had to reorder!
Nita most graciously has shared a lot of information.
Beginners may find the techniques difficult.
I personally seldom use Paynes gray pigment for the reason of the darkness it creates in my paintings. Note: I do mix my own darks.
I found Nita's textures and experiments most rewarding.
I highly recommend her book. BJ Cook Spokane Valley, WA
how to make a Watercolor paint itself.......2007-08-15
This book is in itself a great overall benefit to amatuers like myself who are basically self taught,I have found it very useful in the mixing and flowing of various colours,but experiment is the key word.Thank you Nita.
Great but, what a headache.......2007-03-20
I'm kinda novice in watercolor,and like a lot of people I'm impressed by
Mrs. Nita Engle's work. But this book discouraged me to even try.
I'll come back to it eventually in a few more year.
This is not the book for serious artists. .......2007-01-12
I was disappointed in this book. The art and techniques illustrated are of the type one might expect to see on a TV Craft Show. I would instead recomment Robert Wade's watercolor book.
Customer Reviews:
Best watercolor book for beginners.......2007-05-20
When I decided to take up watercolors I ended up purchasing a library of books - almost twenty - but the best one of them all for a beginner is this book by Jack Reid. He not only takes you through all the technical details of watercolors - materials, washes, techniques but, before confusing the beginner with mixing and using colors, he first ensures that you have a solid understanding of values. The most brilliant colors in the world will not help a picture where the values are wrong or non-existant. Jack Reid starts the student with monochrome landscapes through most of the book until you really understand and can produce an excellent piece of art using only color in all of its tones and values. Then you reproduce the same picture using one, then two, and working up to five colors. By the time he takes you through a full painting - a step that most watercolor books jumped into at the start - you have a much better mastery of your medium, of planning your landscapes, of being able to work wet into dry or wet into wet. By the time I completed his work I was able to go back to some of the earlier books and now successfully complete their exercises. I could concentrate on the best use of color because I clearly understood how to the apply the tones and shades and values of those colors to enhance the picture. This is an outstanding book for beginners and one I highly recommend.Watercolor Basics: Let's Get Started (Watercolor Basics)
excellent book.......2007-05-13
This book is really really good for the beginner artist learning watercolors..Its easy to follow and understand. I would recommend this book to anyone, even if you already are dabbling in watercolors and want a couple of lessons in it, this is also a great book to help you out.
Great for begners.......2007-02-19
I got this for my nephew. He has really enjoyed it.
Watercolor basics/Let's get started.......2006-03-09
By far the best beginner book I have ever picked up. I have used some of the ideas in this book to teach workshops and have had tremendous success with people that have never picked up a brush. You can"t go wrong
Good, but video instruction is perhaps better.......2006-03-05
I've purchased quite a few instructional books on both watercolors and oils. While I found this one easy to follow for the absolute beginner, in practice, I found the exercises to be a bit stilted. What I mean by that is in attempting to reproduce his paintings, step by step, I found that it took away the wonder and spontenaity one might experience while sketching and painting a simple still life set up. I understand the theory behind the book, and the value studies are interesting, but I think that simply practicing washes, and also practicing with simple still lifes might be more rewarding. I've watched a few videos on watercolor painting which have been more helpful than any book.
Customer Reviews:
expanding the knowlege of watercolor technique.......2007-05-13
This is a good book to learn a variety of techniques in watercolor painting. This was for my teenage daughter who enjoys watercolor painting, so she can expand her level of techniques. She sat for hours going through the book to learn and study what it had to teach her.
Basic Lessons in Becomming a Good Painter.......2007-05-07
Was a welcomed Book in my collection and is extremely helpful in applying new techniques in a new student of watercolor.
LEARNING ABOUT WATERCOLOR PAINTING.......2007-02-25
This makes me want to take my supplies and park myself somewhere beautiful to sketch and paint.
very usefull book.......2006-07-24
I am an adult beginner exploring watercolor painting. This book has really good information about getting started. I especially liked the information on paint characteristics, perspective, color value, and focal point. I have purchased booklets from my local hobbie shop chain that are much more expensive and give less comprehensive explanations. I found this book very helpful.
watercolor.......2005-09-23
I purchased this book based on previous reviews. The book is good, however it's a lot of information for a "beginner." The book is compact, could be a little bigger for better illustration.
Book Description
This is the only title on the market that gives readers a comprehensive look at negative painting. Linda Kemp shows beginning and advanced artists how to harness the power of these often overlooked areas around a painting's focal point.
The book is brimming with easy-to-follow, interactive elements, including:
*Step-by-step techniques, exercises and projects
*Do-it-yourself tests and worksheets
*Troubleshooting suggestions and secrets
*Straightforward diagrams for color and design
Whether they want to paint florals, landscapes or patterns in nature, readers will come away with the skills they need to make their next work more striking than ever!
Customer Reviews:
colorful approach to composition.......2007-07-20
some author/artists have a unique ability to provide the right image and word picture to illustrate a concept. This artist & this book demonstrate that particular talent. It is an inspiring book that will cause your palms to itch with anticipation for an opportunity to try the ideas for yourself.
Wonderful way to paint!.......2007-07-12
At first I was afraid of negative painting, but now, it is so relaxing and the outcoming is always delightfully surprising!
Really good information!.......2007-05-13
This book has helped me learn to use more paint, more water, loosen up my paintings, and go back in and paint around "found" interesting things.... I love it!
Great addition .......2007-01-15
I love Linda Kemp's concepts and have enjoyed trying new techniques. Good pictures and easy guidelines to follow to see your own styles emerge.
Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines: A Positive Approach to Negative Painting.......2007-01-03
Quite helpful. Am just starting to use this book.
Customer Reviews:
Great reference, excellent history & materials section.......2001-06-16
This is a wonderful reference book for the watercolor painter. It contains all kinds of useful information to help you understand the medium and improve your knowledge and skills.
The first 40 pages provide a great history of watercolor painting, so often overlooked in the overall scheme of art history. Then all the aspects of setting up a work area and studio are covered followed by a very thorough materials and tools section. There are example pictures and descriptions of everything from easels to paper and brushes to paint. There is also a paper stretching demo and a watercolor color chart.
A section on the principles of drawing follows. This includes instructions on making simple shapes, creating perspective, Plato's rule, golden sections, drawing a quick sketch and more. Then various watercolor techniques such as creating washes, erasing with a dry brush and achieving texture with salt and turpentine are covered. Next, there are two chapters on color theory and mixing explaining warm, cool and broken colors as well as color schemes and values. A nice demo of painting a watercolor with three colors is included.
The last chapters deal with techniques, skills and actually beginning the painting process. Here you find information and advice on painting the human figure, skies, clouds, trees, landscapes, illustrations and seascapes. There are no real projects here and no reference photos. Rather the focus is on general advice for painting various subjects with example demonstrations. A helpful glossary is included in the back. This is certainly one of the most thorough, useful and entertaining books I have seen for the beginning watercolorist.
Book Description
While most can only imagine the lavish living quarters filled with fine china, dramatic drapery, and regal furniture that lie behind the iron-clad gates of the most exclusive addresses in America, Jeremiah Goodman has had the rare opportunity to enter and paint his impressions of the residences of the rich and famous for the past 54 years. Goodman's expressive watercolors not only act an archive of interior design for the second half of the 20th century, but also provide a glimpse into the artist's unique ability to infuse a depiction of domestic space with a sense of drama and emotion second only to being there. In addition to making art based on the interiors, Goodman also painted studies for rooms-to-be, creating the beautiful plans on which the rooms themselves would be based. JEREMIAH: A ROMANTIC VISION is a 210-page retrospective of Goodman's career, with over 80 plates of Goodman's work, photos and ephemera from his life, and reflections from Goodman himself. Over the span of his career, Goodman has made renderings of the homes of such influential icons as President Ronald and First Lady Nancy Reagan; legendary theatre personas Mary Martin, Sir John Gielgud, and Richard Rodgers; Baron and Baroness Philippe de Rothschild; jewelery designer Elsa Peretti; Greta Garbo; Cecil Beaton; Betsy Bloomingdale; the Duchess of Windsor; fashion designers Elsa Schiaparelli and Bill Blass; Vogue editor-in-chief and fashion icon Diana Vreeland; interior designers Billy Baldwin and Mario Buatta; and famed photographer Bruce Weber; in addition to illustrating rooms for House and Garden, The New York Times Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and Interior Design, a publication for which Goodman illustrated each month's cover for 15 years. With an introduction by playwright Edward Albee, JEREMIAH: A ROMANTIC VISION offers a rare look at a true life of grandeur.
Customer Reviews:
ELEGANT GRANDEUR.......2007-08-03
Mr. Goodman's remarkable talent to interpret any interior as lush, dramatic, grander than grand was clearly sought after by a legion of society's prominant names. Like the american painter John Singer Sargeant, Mr. Goodman's confident handling of paints thrust the viewer into the a world of impossible glamour. Environments that boasted the highest ceilings, polished marble floors, heavy gold frames,crystal ornaments, rare fabrics covering many museum worthy pieces of furniture, forests of exotic plants all bathed in the most dramatically dappled sunlight easily transports the viewer to a dreamy never never land.We're talking rooms dressed to impress and then some! Rooms belonging to the likes of Garbo and Bruce Weber. There's a history lesson here of decorating styles thru the mid 20th century whether the space was public or private. But the strength of the book is really the spectacular painting technique and the rich, romantically luxurious point of view of the artist. In a world mostly devoid of any masterful illustrations in the popular press, to see so much wonderful work is a special treat indeed.
Amazon.com
Award-winning artist Charles Reid wants his students to concentrate on three basic themes in his book Painting Flowers in Watercolor: "Keep it small. Keep it simple. Avoid overwashes." Economy is stressed throughout, as when Reid writes, "The fewer the strokes and the smaller the amount of color mixing, the fresher the painting." He explains how to get started with brushes, mixing paint, and the basics of composition and contour drawing, and provides exercises in these fundamentals. Reid then guides the watercolorist in painting fruit, vegetables, leaves, and flowers. He offers mini-demonstrations here, such as how to paint a bunch of carrots, an avocado, or slender leaf forms, and finishes with advanced, step-by-step demonstrations in composing still lifes with flowers. Experienced and beginning watercolorists will appreciate the wisdom in Reid's philosophy of "less is better." Somehow he manages to invest a bowl of yellow tulips and mixed flowers with a splashy, vibrant expressionism while expertly exploiting the blurry and translucent delicacy of the medium itself. --Mary Ribesky
Customer Reviews:
Patricia O.......2006-07-02
Looks great, haven't had time to read, but is similar to one he wrote (currently out of print) loaned to me by my art teacher.
Watercolour at its Best.......2005-07-20
I first met Charles Reid and his wife Judy in 1988 and it was the beginning of an endless learning process ever since. I have learnt so much about watercolour from his books over the years since then. Charles' books are amazing in that he holds nothing back and just discloses all his knowledge in a wonderful style that is easy to learn from. Invariably there are step by step demonstrations to illustrate his methods. Even if the reader doesn't particularly like his style but would rather paint in a more classic sense with lots of glazes and so forth you will still learn so much about how the colours interact with water and on the paper. Charles' workshops are a great delight and if you are fortunate to attend one you will find that he is a friendly man of great warmth and charm which is reflected in his books.
Fun and Skill-Improvement Are Possible!.......2001-12-25
I discovered Charles Reid at my local library and was smitten with his loose, colorful, gorgeous pictures. This book is a clear, helpful guide to making juicy watercolors of still lifes that sing with color. He has practical tips on brushwork, contour drawing and composition that are easy to follow and clearly explained. He also has step-by-step instructions for several of his pictures that show you how he goes about making his own pictures (often from everyday objects and flowers on his kitchen counter). I'm fairly new to watercolors and I found this book invaluable to improving my pictures and getting me to loosen up and feel creative and find beauty in simple objects.
Indispensable to the serious watercolorist.......2001-06-27
I wish I had had this book years ago. It contains exercises to enable the reader/student to experience and learn direct painting techniques that bring freshness, spontaneity, bright vivid color and realism to one's paintings--inspite of an "untidy" style. If you're serious about watercolor, Reid can take you where you really should go. Reid embodies the principles of the best of watercolor and painting teaching of the past (particularly Hawthorne, Henri, Manet). He puts it all together into what I call a meditative painting style (stroke on color and pause to consider, then soften, add other color wet-in-wet, and so on. Doing the exercises in this book can revolutionize your painting and will, at the very least, bring immediate and important improvements to your technique and approach to watercolor. If you like Reid's paintings--flower, figures, portraits, etc., do yourself a favor--get the book and the two corresponding videos.
Great book to help you "loosen up" in your painting style!.......2001-06-07
I have just purchased this book, as well as 2 instructional videos by Charles Reid. I would highly recommend the set to anyone who needs to "loosen up" his or her painting style. He shows you how to get the color right with a minimal amount of strokes, and how to keep from overworking a painting. He is an excellent instructor and author. You won't be disappointed!
Customer Reviews:
Painting Nature in Watercolor.......2007-08-23
This book provided step by step progessions and explanations that were easy to follow. Great for beginner or intermediate painter.
Watercolor painting.......2007-06-28
Great book for learing to paint. Good examples and explanations for techniques. I recommend it.
Watercolor Painting for the Beginning Artist.......2005-04-25
By profession I am a scientist, but I have always had an interest in the visual arts. Only in the last few years have I had much time to devote to such endeavors and even then it has been rather catch as catch can. My main interest in art is in the capture of natural images (I took scientific illustration in college), but I appreciate the fact that art and stark realism may express somewhat different truths about the subject. As a rank amateur in watercolor art I also appreciate deeply such roadmap-like guide books as Ferdinand Petrie's "The Big Book of Painting Nature in Watercolor." At first the title turned me off, but in perusing a copy (and later acquiring it) I found it to be an excellent guide to capturing the essence of a natural scene in one of the most difficult of all media- watercolor (only pen and ink may be more demanding from my experience!)
The coupling of Petrie's step by step paintings and the exquisite photographs of John Shaw has produced a book that is both visually beautiful and informative. Using the techniques described and with one's own reference photos in hand (or under an open sky direct from nature) a novice painter can slowly gain the knowledge and skill necessary to succeed in producing credible paintings.
A while back a scientist colleague of mine asked me why make a painting or drawing when you can photograph any subject with clarity. As a person who takes my own reference photos and enjoys doing so I can say he has a point, but reality does not necessarily come only from an exact replication of a scene. In the process of painting from nature (or from a reference photograph) you often notice more complex details, even in apparently simple subjects, then you would ordinarily notice in a photograph by itself. Petrie has emphasized the observation of these complex details and their interpretation in watercolor. If nothing else the instructions that point the artist toward this close observation of complexity in nature are worth the price of the book.
Good variety and information for various angles.......2005-01-23
This book is one to read through to learn -- not just do the practice paintings. Being a newbie to watercolor, this book has really helped me to view nature through a different set of eyes. He helps you see the "what do I want this picture to focus on" instead of microdetailing every possible detail in view. I am now finding myself looking at nature figuring out the details and what would I want to paint as the focus. I think this book goes very well with Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Watercolor by Marian Appellof -- good pair with minimal redundancy.
Numerous step-by-step watercolor techniques.......2004-03-04
As a beginning artist, I tend to accumulate technique books. "The Big Book of Painting Nature in Watercolor" has been one of my most useful watercolor books. It is, in fact, the book that my watercolor instructor uses for reference material for her students.
The book covers a wide variety of techniques, each in the context of a short, complete, step-by-step project which results in a good-looking painting (I occasionally frame one). Techniques covered include seeing colors, mixing, washes, underpaintings, tilting paper, dry brush, use of wet vs. damp vs. dry paper, various uses and methods for lifting, reflections, lighting, contrast, and many, many more techniques, settings, and approaches to challenging scenes. I learn something different from each project.
One implicitly learns the art of simplification and watercolor expression by comparing each projects' nature scene photograph with its respective final painting. That mindset, plus the book's setting-specific techniques, carries over to painting similar scenes outside of the book. It is important to supplement the cookbook nature of the book by applying the same techniques to one's own photo references, and to painting live in nature.
Books:
- Painting Beautiful Watercolors from Photographs
- Painting Flowers in Watercolor With Charles Reid
- Painting People: Figure Painting Today
- Painting Sharp Focus Still Lifes: Trompe L'Oeil Oil Techniques
- Painting the Impressionist Landscape: Lessons in Interpreting Light and Color
- Perspectives on Argument (5th Edition)
- Plane Image: A Brice Marden Retrospective
- Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship
- Pretty Little Things: Collage Jewelry, Trinkets, Keepsakes
- Raw Colour with Pastels
Books Index
Books Home
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- Breast Health the Natural Way: The Women's Natural Health Series
- Hilla Rebay: In Search of the Spirit in Art
- Anthony Quinn's Eye: A Lifetime of Creating and Collecting Art
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General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Painting Watercolor Florals That Glow
Painting Watercolor Portraits That Glow
Watercolor Basics Color: Color (Watercolor Basics)
Paint Watercolors That Dance With Light
Glorious Garden Flowers in Watercolor
