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.
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.
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.
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.
Customer Reviews:
Wow!.......2007-09-27
I have changed my entire approach to watercolors because I read this book. Yes, I enjoyed painting, yes, I love watercolors, but this book helped me free my vision and use of colors in self expression. I honestly felt that painting started to become a chore because of some unspoken expectation (in myself). I paint more freely and expressively with the help of Jeanne and I actually enjoy it even more. New vision and inspiration...
Contains 30+ pages of interesting combinations of wash techniques..........2007-06-14
...and a handful of very nicely executed paintings. The "tao" part of the book, however, has little to do with watercolor per se, and some of prose is a little fuzzy: "Whichever paper you choose, get to know it well. Allow your paper to speak to you. It will tell you when it's ready to fulfill your desire."
The emphasis is on wet-in-wet techniques, and applied to forested landscapes - in Ms. Cabonetti's talented hands - they often produce stunning results. This approach doesn't work quite as well with most of her other illustrative examples, though. The general wash terms and techniques are better described in other watercolor books, so I would recommend this one mainly for its very innovative and easy to learn approach to forested landscapes.
A Must for Watercolorists!.......2007-03-29
Jeanne Carbonetti has a beautiful refreshing style. She gives us wonderful instructions that are inspiring to all watercolor painters. A truly wonderful book.
Beautiful!.......2007-02-05
A friend of mine who is an artist showed me this book, and I instantly fell in love with the beautiful illustrations in it. I plan to try most of the water color techniques in the book--They look like great fun as well as creating wonderful results. The book arrived in excellent condition.
Fauvist Watercolor Wash.......2006-05-07
If you have read the other reviews, then you realize that this book is about painting watercolor washes. It's a welcome book for those of us who cannot draw well, as the author's technique almost completely eschews drawing. Rarely is even an outline drawing done prior to the painting. Basically, the paper is first covered with a very wet wash of two or three colors suggesting only the most general shape, if any. When that first wash has dried, it is covered with a second wash that vaguely suggests some kind of form... perhaps of flowers in a vase. In order to refine that form into something recognizable, some of the color of the second wash is tinted with additional water, or supplemented by dropping in concentrated pigment, all while the second wash is still damp. There is also the possibility of adding color glazes atop the painting or some portion of the painting after the washes have dried. The author also recommends a separate wash... or even several separate washes... for the purpose of adding both diffuse spatter and opaque, harder-edge spatter. There doesn't seem to be anything uncommon about this wash technique, and I have read it explained more articulately in a book titled "Acrylic Watercolor Painting" by Wendon Blake. So I conclude that The Tao of Watercolor's subtitle "A Revolutionary Approach to the Practice of Painting" is not appropriate. But while Mr. Blake's book is very instructive, the heartbreaker is that only 16 of its 115 images are in color. Ms. Carbonetti's book also presents many images, all of them in intense color, and many of them filling the entire page. There are about a dozen startlingly lovely paintings among them, but it is also clear that Ms. Carbonetti's technique is pretty much restricted to abstract landscapes and the occasional still life with flowers. It is unfortunately evident that portraiture is not particularly well suited to this technique. I don't recommend this book to someone new to watercolor painting, as there is some terminology (such as the phrase "pull out the edges") whose meaning is not self-evident. Although I have yet to read them, there is at least one book on watercolor wash per se, and at least one book on watercolor glazing per se. You might want to look through those before investing your money in this book. That is especially recommended in the event that you are not particularly interested in Eastern philosophy, as the author tries mightily to relate her painting technique to ancient Chinese proverbs. That works for some readers, and not for others.
Book Description
Every truly great watercolor painting hinges on the qualities of light and texture. In this concise guide, James Toogood shows readers exactly how to use these elements to add more drama, depth and believability to their work. Beginning and advanced artists will appreciate the wealth of instruction, including: - Clear explanations of natural and artificial light, as well as how light influences texture - Complete step-by-step demonstrations that show how a whole painting comes together - Basic color theory and pigment lessons to help artists get the most from their materials - Mini demonstrations with close-up views of techniques for light and texture - Drawing and composition basics to build a strong foundation for any piece of artwork
It's never been easier for painters to enrich their work with breathtaking light and texture!
Customer Reviews:
Warning.......2007-08-04
This is a good book for those who want to paint watercolour copies of photographs. Unfortunately, Mr Toogood doesn't show that part of his working method involved in tracing the photographs he copies. If you're looking for more expressive styles, study the work of Winslow Homer or John Singer Sargent. If you want a good instructional book on watercolour, check out Mastering Atmosphere and Mood in Watercolor by Joseph Zbukvic.
Incredible, Mr. Toogood!.......2007-03-27
Initially I bought this book for its beautiful and inspiring watercolors. Is there nothing this man can't paint? Breathtaking clouds, the wettest water I've ever seen in paint. You wouldn't know it from the cover, but the book also contains a chapter on portrait painting, step by step. He is as proficient in portrait painting as he is in landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes. I teach a "portraits in watercolor" class and I recommend this book to every student of the medium who is searching for an artist they can admire, who is willing to part with his "secrets".
Great Art, Great Instruction.......2007-01-25
There are watercolor books with great artwork, and then there are watercolor books with great instruction. This book combines both. Toogood's realistic style is gorgeous. His instructions are very clear and concise. I am a professional artist and own over a hundred books on painting, yet I was able to learn get quite a few tips from this author--expecially about painting water. An alltogether excellent book.
Incredible Light and Color in Water Color.......2006-08-22
This was not what I was looking for in watercolor books. I did not like the realism that he taught, but it may well be that for those looking for intense realism this may be a good book.
Had to own this one!.......2005-10-03
I checked this book out from my local library 3 times. When my husband saw it sitting on my table again he said, "Why don't you just buy it for yourself." I did. James Toogood has an incredible way of using watercolor to portray texture. His examples are clear and easy to follow. His paintings which are reprinted in the book are marvelously detailed and clear. I also recommend getting his demo DVD in which he shows several of the paintings in the book step-by-step. I learned so much from him.
Customer Reviews:
Nice book.......2007-08-23
I like this book because it not only provides you with lots of knowledge but also encourages you to go away from conventional suggestions and create your own style. Its flow is very nice. Its material has been organized properly and I not only gained knowledge but also enjoyed reading it.
Perfect companion for the watercolor artist!.......2007-07-13
This is THE book that every beginning to intermediate watercolorist must have. I have been studying watercolor for several months, and I learned more from this book than I did in all of my classes combined. The author has a lovely sense of humor, making for a fun read while sharing so many of the tips and tricks he learned from decades of painting and teaching. There are detailed pictures demonstrating his techniques, as well as tips on how to choose paints, paper, and brushes. If you can only afford one book this month, it should be this one! And after you have read this one, check out his other book: "The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook: Landscapes". Yet another fantastic book by this gifted artist and instructor!
MacKenzie's the Man.......2007-07-12
A great book for the beginners. I really appreciate his sharing techniques which he has utilized for many years. Each day every artist should seek to find a new way to do what they do. Mackenzie gives one good ideas and foundational principles. I enjoy reading and utilizing both of his books.
Most informative Book for Watercolor.......2006-11-05
The Watercolorists Essntial Notebook is the finest work on "how-to" that I have ever read. The examples are wonderful and enhance the narrative to the extent that I understood just what to do. The book is well written. I would recommend this book to beginners and experienced watercolor artists alike.
The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook.......2006-08-07
This has to be one of the best books ever for the serious beginner in watercolor. It is divided into three parts: tools, techniques, and composition. I primarily bought the book because it has a chart comparing the paint quality of different manufacturers and lists the numbers of fugitive pigments. Many books warn about avoiding colors that are not lightfast, but this book actually identifies them. This is just one small example of the helpful information provided for beginners who want to become serious painters.
Book Description
The definitive, buyers guide to watercolor paints, Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints, will SAVE YOU MONEY because you will avoid buying duplicate paints. The Guide will enable you to buy the best paints possible for your individual needs and budget. The Guide rates each paint according to the "Ten Desirable Paint Qualities" including lightfastness with visual samples of nearly 1, 500 paints from the following brands: Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Fragonard Pebeo, Rowney, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Old Holland, Sennelier, Grumbacher, Blockx, M.C. Graham, Academy, Impellist Sakura, Da Vinci, Shiva, Georgian, Cotman, Maimeri, and Koi Sakura; plus brief information on Yarka, Pelican, Lukas, Pentel, Linel, and Niji. A comprehensive Master Triangle of paints and pigments serves as a key to the book and the complete manufacturer's paint index makes the Guide very user friendly. Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints also provides "Convenience Lists" that tabulate staining, textural, transparent, opaque and two-tone paints together with suggested palettes. The Guide gives useful information on pigments including toxicity, the latest ASTM ratings and reflectance curves for quantifiable color information. The illustrated, historical background makes for entertaining and informative reading. As an added bonus the Guide now comes with regular Updates at the Hilary Page website - This address is given at the front of each book. The update covers paints that have been upgraded or introduced since publication, from the following brands: American Journey, Cotman (17 paints), Holbein (24 paints) MaimeriBlu, and Venezia. You can store the Updates within the covers of the Guide
Customer Reviews:
Review of Hilary Page's Guide to Watercolor Paints.......2007-01-14
I recently purchased Page's Guide and I'm delighted that I did. Firstly, the book came autographed and with several appended additions to information. Page's dedication to accuracy and clarity is impressive. Secondly, the book has a remarkable amount of information about all the brands of watercolor paint available in the U.S. relating to lightfastness, transparency, granularity, opacity, and so on, and the colors are actually shown in the book. Unlike other writers of watercolor paint guides, she uses all the colors in her book, which makes it sigificantly more interesting to review and read. Lastly, I take painting lessons from a nationally-known artist who has also published books relating to watercolor painting and color, and she recommends Page's book over others. I had already purchased Page's book, so I was thrilled to hear another expert give it praise.
I rate Page's Guide with four stars because I believe there is always more we can know about art, and Page may decide there's a more detailed edition she needs to publish, and also because actual publication printing inks are not as accurate in depicting colors as seeing the actual watercolor paint on watercolor paper. But for anyone contemplating purchasing Page's Guide, I highly recommend it.
AWESOME RESOURCE.......2006-02-25
I've read dozens of books on watercolor pigments. This is by FAR the best out there. Complete and unbiased information on all the leading manufactures pigments. This is the only book I keep on my studio desk with me at all times.
A Necessary Resource for the Watercolorist.......2005-11-19
"Hilary Page's Guide to Water Color Paints" is a necessary book for anyone doing watercolor. Her coverage is very through and she also has a web page for updating the information. She compares every well-known brand of artists' watercolors from Holbein to Winsor and Newton and her observations will save the artist, whether professional or rank amateur, both frustration and money. What's more, she tested every one herself! I liked the index, which first lists the company and under each company the colors sold. It makes it very easy to check up on the paints that interest you. Her short introduction on pigments and paints is also quite informative. If you work with watercolor you simply cannot afford to be without this book!
By the way my copy was given to me by my daughter for my birthday and was autographed by the author. The author had also neatly written a correction inside the book. This is a dedicated person and her work is much appreciated!
A must-have book for every serious painter.......2005-08-11
This was the first, and is still the definitive book on the chemistry of watercolor paints. Hilary Page is a fine watercolorist, but her main contribution to the industry has been her copious analysis of the characteristics of various manufacturers, brands, and qualities of watercolor paints. I became interested in the stability of paint in the early 80's while trying to find the most fade-proof pigments available for my own watercolor paintings. I did many of the same tests Hilary did, but no where near as complete. When her book came out much later, I purchased a copy and still use it today. My copy is marked up with notes that I refer to constantly. I feel this book should be on the shelf of any serious student of watermedia.
Compares with M Wilcox book.......2004-02-06
Helpful, providing definitive information on the behavior of the paint, accurate color photos, and information in disagreement with Wilcox's book--i.e. the color Opera by Holbien as a "permanent" color. (Color rec. by E. John Robinson). Useful when picking between different manufacturers, especially with online shopping.
Books:
- Painting Sharp Focus Still Lifes: Trompe L'Oeil Oil Techniques
- Painting Sharp Focus Still Lifes: Trompe L'Oeil Oil Techniques
- Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
- Pictures of Nothing: Abstract Art since Pollock (A.W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts)
- Pieter Bruegel
- Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
- Public Cowboy No. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry
- Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming
- Scenes of Subjection: Terror, Slavery, and Self-Making in Nineteenth-Century America (Race and American Culture)
- Science in Seconds for Kids: Over 100 Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Marc Chagall
- History: Fiction or Science
- Asymmetric Synthetic Methodology
- But Come Ye Back: A Novel in Stories
- Evil And the Justice of God
- History: Fiction or Science
- Fight Back and Win: My Thirty-year Fight Against Injustice--and How You Can Win Your Own Battles
- Minimal Art: A Critical Anthology
- Art for the Fun of It: A Guide for Teaching Young Children
- Peterson First Guide to Trees
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
