Botanical Illustration Course: With the Eden Project

Book Description

This is simply the best and most complete course in botanical illustration ever produced, with each chapter a perfectly constructed and self-contained class. Created in conjunction with the internationally renowned Eden Project—home of the only jungle in captivity—it’s put together by two leading figures in the Project’s famed art school, and uses many beautiful works from its students. Artists and plant lovers will find a wealth of practical information, with easy-to-follow exercises and case studies. The priceless advice encompasses everything from honing observational skills and plant dissection procedures to color mixing and applying watercolor. Adding highlights, producing a pleasing composition, and developing a personal style—all the building blocks for achieving excellence are here.

Customer Reviews:

Botanical illustration.......2007-05-12

This is an in depth clear book about the process of botanical illustration. Well written and great pictures. Recommend highly!

The Big Book of Painting Nature in Watercolor (Practical Art Books)

Average customer rating:

Painting Nature in Watercolor
Watercolor painting
Watercolor Painting for the Beginning Artist
Good variety and information for various angles
Numerous step-by-step watercolor techniques

The Big Book of Painting Nature in Watercolor (Practical Art Books)
Ferdinand Petrie , and John Shaw
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Landscape Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Watercolor
Watercolor for the Serious Beginner: Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Painter (Serious Beginner)
The Watercolor Flower Painter's A to Z: An Illustrated Directory of Techniques for Painting 50 Popular Flowers
Painting Water (Watercolour Tips and Techniques)
Creating Textures in Watercolor: A Guide to Painting 83 Textures from Grass to Glass to Tree Bark to Fur

ASIN: 0823004996

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.

Average customer rating:

Nice book to buy but

Fine book to learn from, if you will practice.

Beginner or advanced, if you paint you NEED this book!

Excellent for beginners and all

The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook: Landscapes

The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook: Landscapes
Gordon MacKenzie
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Landscape Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Landscape | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Still Life | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Themes | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Watercolorists Essential Notebook

How to Paint Watercolor Landscapes: From Photograph to Sketch to Your Very Own Masterpiece in 6 Easy Steps

Creating Textures in Watercolor: A Guide to Painting 83 Textures from Grass to Glass to Tree Bark to Fur

Painting Water (Watercolour Tips and Techniques)

The Watercolor Bible

ASIN: 1581806604

Book Description

This inspiring guide provides artists with the knowledge they need to paint watercolor landscapes. It features easy-to-follow exercises illustrated in an accessible format that invites readers to jump in and begin painting right away. Artists of all skill levels will learn from:

-30 step-by-step demonstrations

-Chapters that focus on basic landscape elements, such as land, water and sky

-Special mini demos for capturing important details, including trees, mountains, waves, clouds, sunsets and more.

Most importantly, this guide's instruction teaches artists the foundations of strong composition and encourages them to pursue their own individual style to create landscapes that are compelling and unique.

Customer Reviews:

Nice book to buy but .......2007-08-23

Its a nice book but if you already have the other book from Gordon Mackenzie, I wouldn't recommend it. Basically half the book almost has the same things.

If you don't have any book from him.... its a nice buy. you will enjoy reading it.

Fine book to learn from, if you will practice........2007-08-09

I bought the "Watercolorist's Essential Notebook"(WEN) and this "WEN - Landscapes," fearing they would be the same with a few different illustrations. (I was specifically looking for ideas on mountains). I was surprised that the first 20 pages contained the same material, but presented with landscapes theme. The rest of the book had many ideas and suggestions, not just rehashed WEN. There was enough new material to warrant this purchase. I should keep trying the presented techniques, but there was enough to satisfy my desire. For less than the cost of a lesson (I consider shipping/handling the same as using my vehicle to drive to the lesson) I have hours of experimenting ahead of me. The illustrations of the effects of each technique are very good, and the "step by step" illustrations aren't cookie cutter recipes, but suggestions for your own experiments. As a "new watercolorist" (meaning I haven't sold anything yet, but I am at the point of feeling I now could), I was surprised at how well I took to, and how much I learned from, both WEN books. I would say suitable from the start for beginners, and advanced students to working.

Beginner or advanced, if you paint you NEED this book!.......2007-07-13

I was so pleased with this book that I bought the author's previous one, "The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook" and was just as happy with it! I learned so much from this book, and still continue to learn from it. I consider myself a beginner as I have only been studying watercolor for less than a year, but I took it to class and showed it to my instructor. She was so impressed by it that she bought it to use in her classes. Even with an MFA, she found information that was new to her. The author has a wonderful, playful style that makes learning exciting and fun. Whatever your skill level, you owe it to yourself to own this book!

Excellent for beginners and all.......2007-07-12

Mr. MacKenzie shows techniques which all can utilize. I have been doing watercolor paintings for about two and half years with some success. I find his suggestions a great help. He is precise and forthright in his endeavor to share his artistic techniques with each reader. It's a great book.

The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook: Landscapes.......2007-05-09

Excellent review of ways to do landscapes. Good techniques and interresting form.

Zoltan Szabo Paints Landscapes: Advanced Techniques in Watercolor

Average customer rating:

Zoltan Szabo Paints Landscapes: Advanced Techniques in Watercolor
Zoltan Szabo
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Creative Watercolor Techniques
Landscape Painting in Watercolor
Zoltan Szabo's Color-by-Color Guide to Watercolor
Painting Nature's Hidden Treasures
Painting Little Landscapes

ASIN: 0823059804

North Light's Big Book of Painting Watercolor Flowers

Average customer rating:

North Light's Big Book of Painting watercolor flowers
nice book

North Light's Big Book of Painting Watercolor Flowers

Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Landscape Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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The Watercolor Flower Painter's A to Z: An Illustrated Directory of Techniques for Painting 50 Popular Flowers
Paint Watercolors That Dance With Light
Flowers: Wonders of Nature in Watercolor
Glorious Garden Flowers in Watercolor
Basic Flower Painting Techniques in Watercolor: Techniques in Watercolor (Basic Techniques Series)

ASIN: 1581806256

Book Description

This giant treasury of watercolor florals brings together a popular medium with a popular subject matter. With North Light's Big Book of Painting Watercolor Flowers, readers can:

* Paint all their favorite flowers in watercolor--everything from wild daffodils and gladiola to hollyhock and mums

* Brush up on the basics, including composition, wet-into-wet washes, mixing color and stretching watercolor paper

* Create finished pieces in no time with easy step-by-step demonstrations

Page after page of gorgeous artwork and clear instruction make this the perfect choice for artists of all levels. Painting flowers has never been easier!

Customer Reviews:

North Light's Big Book of Painting watercolor flowers.......2005-08-23

Very nice book,looked like a new book

nice book.......2005-04-15

Very instructive. Many different styles of painting demonstrated in a way easy to follow. Very well worth the money.

Average customer rating:

Highly instructive
Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques
Gained knowledge from the first page on
Wonderful technique!
Somewhat Lacking

Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques
Hugh Greer
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Landscape Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Acrylic Painter's Book of Styles & Techniques
Discover the Joy of Acrylic Painting
The North Light Book of Acrylic Painting Techniques
Acrylics: The Watercolor Alternative
Brush with Acrylics: Painting the Easy Way

ASIN: 1581806388

Book Description

Filled with inspirational artwork and solid instruction, this guide will delight loyal acrylic painters and encourage artists from other mediums to cross over. Greer's instruction capitalizes on the brilliant colors available in acrylics and shows artists how to paint with them using proven "watercolor" and "oil" techniques.

Starting with 16 mini-demos, artists are encouraged to:

*Jump right in and follow step-by-step instructions for mastering techniques such as masking, splattering, underpainting, washes and more

*Learn tips and tricks for rendering many elements of landscape including trees, flowers, roads and reflections

The second section of the book features four complete painting demonstrations that challenge artists to exercise their new painting techniques through a variety of landscape subjects. Two demonstrations show artists how to use acrylics as an effective base for other mediums.

Customer Reviews:

Highly instructive.......2007-02-15

Hugh Greer is a master of landscape and architectural painting. His innovative techniques are unique; the result of his former career as an architectural renderer. I can't recommend this book enough...

Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques.......2006-07-31

I like the book. I like the way Hugh Greer paints and I would like to go out and do likewise. The beginning starts out with full explanation - then he gives you ways to use what he wants to teach you - but he does it with very complicated examples and not much explanation. He skips a lot of steps. I am still trying some of his ideas and hope that I can learn them because I really like his results. This book is much, much more helpful if you get his DVDs, he has three -first is very basic, but the next two go a long way to explaining some of the steps he left out.

Gained knowledge from the first page on.......2004-07-02

I appreciate the complexity of nature and the way this book relates to the observing and using your inner feelings to paint. Thank you for such a good book to paint from and use often.

Wonderful technique!.......2004-07-02

HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THE GREAT TECHNIQUES IN THIS BOOK. i RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.

Somewhat Lacking.......2003-03-03

I bought this book hoping it would give me basic information on color mixing, brush technique and composition. It did not. The book has some beautiful examples of the author's art but gives very little information as to how he got there. It is not a step-by-step instruction book. Mr. Greer does not tell how to handle the acrylic medium as for as how to mix and apply the paint to get various results. If you are a beginning landscape painter looking for basic instruction in acrylic painting techniques, buy another book. If you have the basics down pretty well then this book may be for you. The author is a good landscape painter but not the greatest teacher.

Robert Wade's Watercolor Workshop Handbook

Average customer rating:

Good advice, well organized
Extraordinary watercolor, great teacher
Understanding Watercolor
I wish I discovered this earlier!
My favorite watercolor book

Robert Wade's Watercolor Workshop Handbook
Robert Wade
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Art of Designing Watercolors
Simplifying Complex Scenes in Watercolor
Charles Reids Watercolor Secrets
How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects
Watercolor: Simple, Fast and Focused (Practical Art Books)

ASIN: 1929834152

Book Description

Using inspiring visual examples, this handbook simplifies the complexities of watercolor painting, so artists of all levels can build their skills and achieve better results.

Presented in an easy-to-reference format that covers everything from materials to marketing, this guide provides artists with simple, direct instruction for: using tonal values to create a better painting; creating attractive pen and watercolor drawings; using glazes to create atmosphere and mood; directing the viewer's eye by controlling focus and edges; painting subjects every artist must master.

Wade includes trouble-shooting tips, self-critique questionnaires and helpful hints artists can quickly absorb and apply. With its unique, interactive approach to teaching, this guide is the next best thing to attending a one-on-one workshop.

Customer Reviews:

Good advice, well organized.......2007-05-03

I was very impressed with this book. The side tabs make it easy to go directly to the section you want. Advice was excellent and well presented.

Extraordinary watercolor, great teacher.......2007-01-03

A beautifully printed hard cover book by an extraordinary watercolor artist. The book is filled with outstanding examples of landscapes, cityscapes from all over the world. In addition to being an inspired World class watercolor artist, Robert Wade is also a great teacher, the book is filled with practical advise and hands on lessons on color mixing, painting people,skies,glazing,location painting and many other subjects.Just to be able to look at his outstanding paintings would easily justify buying this book.

Understanding Watercolor.......2006-11-04

Excellent handbook for the serious watercolorist. Robert Wade has a great approach to some of the more difficult aspects of painting with watercolor. He is brief, to the point, yet his explanations make sense! Enjoyable reading and a great reference tool.

I wish I discovered this earlier!.......2006-08-13

What a wonderful book with terrific instructions and insights. Replaces 20 books in my collection which don't come close to the wisdom this book provides.

My favorite watercolor book.......2006-06-25

I have a library of over 60 watercolor books, and this is by far my favorite. I also own all of Wades's tapes, and his new CD. I find them to be an extension of the book. I took a workshop from a famous watercolor teacher who had us doing wash on top of wash. She must have gotten the idea from Wade as he has a section on just that topic. He covers washes on top of finished paintings that changes the character of the painting completely. A fasinating book that I return to over and over again.

Fill Your Watercolors With Nature's Light

Average customer rating:

Fill Your Watercolor With Natures Light
Great Service
Nice loose painting
These techniques are nothing short of fantastic!
A power tool for watercolorists

Fill Your Watercolors With Nature's Light
Roland Roycraft
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Landscape Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Watercolor | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Fill Your Watercolors With Light and Color
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Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines: A Positive Approach to Negative Painting
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Pouring Light: Layering Transparent Watercolor

ASIN: 1581800398

Book Description

Anyone can learn these simple and fun methods for producing outstanding watercolor landscapes and flowers. One of the reasons that Roland's first book has been so popular (Fill Your Watercolors with Light & Color--over 65,000 copies sold) is that his techniques make watercolor fun and successful for a great number of otherwise frustrated artists.

Roland has a gift for simplifying the process of painting into a few readily understood steps. In this book, he expands the teaching of his pouring technique and goes into the underlying structure of a painting. He presents a unique way of teaching composition that will delight the reader. He then presents his three-step process of painting a landscape--masking to preserve the lights, pouring on the atmosphere and spattering the textures. Next, he shows two great techniques for painting flowers, a subject that does not appear in his first book. Also included is a chapter of fun experimental techniques that readers are sure to enjoy and another chapter that answers some frequently asked questions.

* Enables any artist to produce landscapes and flowers, two of the most popular painting subjects
* This author has a proven sales track record

Customer Reviews:

Fill Your Watercolor With Natures Light.......2007-05-25

Helpful well put together book, which encouraged trying new techniques

Great Service.......2006-08-10

It was a surprise when the book was delivered in a couple days, I had expected a week. It is in superb condition. Impressive seller and delivery.

Nice loose painting.......2003-08-19

This is a nice book for soft landscapes. However, I don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would. Check out the authors style first, and if you really like it...then the book is for you. I use some techniques, but the subject matter is a little soft for me. I didn't stay interested enought to use the lessons, but I did read it through and apply concepts to some of my own work.

These techniques are nothing short of fantastic!.......2001-12-24

I love these books by Roycraft. If you love painting landscape or natural subjects, you cannot go wrong reading this book. Roycraft's techniques look simple (a lot of splashing going on) but they are controlled and well thought out. If you love floral painting you should not miss his examples here of a peony and an iris. JUST Breathtaking. I picked up so many ideas from this book.

Not only are Roycraft's paintings beautiful to see, he knows how to communicate his techniques incredibly well. I'm glad I found this watercolor artist's books.

A power tool for watercolorists.......2001-08-09

Having read "enough" art technique books, I have learned that until one gets "down and dirty" trying out what is discussed in the book, then one does not actually spend the money wisely (on the book).

The same for this book. Beautiful artwork by the author. Did I say beautiful? No, BREATHTAKING, rather. However, to be able to generate beautiful artworks, the readers will need the following:

- An ability to SEE (light, dark, positive and negative space)

- Follow instructions from the book (which is PROBABLY the easy part, since it is rather well-written)

- A decent craftsmanship to finesse the final painting after the "mask and pour paints" phase of the process.

Briefly, I would think this is a power tool for watercolorists. How great the final products turn out to be will depend on the aforementioned factors.

Book Description

With this book's no-clutter approach, artists will be tackling two of their favorite subjects--watercolor and landscapes--in minutes.

Reid's quick-start guide gives beginners a basic overview of materials, terms and exercises to get them off on the right foot. Then it's on to tackling more than 25 step-by-step demonstrations that cover all the basic landscape techniques. Readers will learn to paint essential elements, such as water, mountains, buildings and skies, one at a time. These easy-to-follow exercises arm artists with a set of tools, techniques and principles to enrich all their future landscapes.

Book Description

Learn how to paint exquisite flower portraits in watercolour, following Billy Showell's highly detailed, step-by-step instructions. Packed with stunning pictures and technical advice, this book is truly inspirational. Billy Showell's exquisite and technically brilliant watercolour flower portraits are beautifully presented in this highly informative, lavishly illustrated book. Packed with information on drawing and painting techniques, colour mixing and composition, it is an invaluable source of ideas and inspiration for anyone who wants to develop their flower painting skills, whether or not they have any previous experience.

Customer Reviews:

Surprise for Painter wife.......2007-04-11

My wife was thrilled with this book that was added to her resources. She has used it already.

It's all in the details.......2006-10-05

This book improves on many previous painting books by giving very specific step-by-step instructions. Each step is beautifully photographed and carefully explained. This makes it a must have for both the beginner and painter.

Billy's paintings bring a contemporary feel to botanical art. Her work is meticulous and detailed. The Artist's talks about all aspects of creating a painting including choosing paints, brushes and paper for the execution of your work. Her comments about composition and her approach to painting help guide you to develop your own approach.

I highly recommend this lovely book.

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