Acrylic, watercolours, oil, and pastel colours are the four classical means of artistic expression in painting. With this practice-oriented introduction readers can learn about them by trying their own hand at painting and perfecting their skills step-by-step. The book provides an overview of the artist's tools and the various types of painting. The wealth of illustrative information ranges from simple everyday objects to still life and landscapes, the human body and portrait painting. Examples of each genre demonstrate the various stages of painting a picture. This enables learners to improve their technique from the very first sketch to the most complex composition: Mastering the Art of Painting is the ideal introduction for the prospective artist!
With its combination of valuable tips, techniques, and engaging step-by-step painting lessons, Mastering Oil Painting is an ideal resource for aspiring artists who desire to work in oil.
Create Better Compositions by Design The path to better painting begins with Mastering Composition. This effective guide blends clear, visual instruction with 5 step-by-step demonstrations to show you how to plan and paint your best work yet. Composition is the key, and here you'll learn to design paintings with new skill and confidence. It all begins with the armature or structure of the picture plane. Every great painting has one, and you'll see through several famous examples exactly how the Old Masters used armatures to create movement, narrative, harmony and fluidity. Based on these examples, you'll practice what you've learned following a series of hands-on demonstrations. Once you understand the basic principles of design, you'll be amazed at how quickly and effectively your compositions come together. Soon you will be painting more boldly and confidently than ever before with less reworking and overworking. Whether you're a beginner looking for basic instruction or a more advanced painter troubleshooting a specific problem, the proven methods in this book will work for you. Ideal for all mediums, Mastering Composition gives you the knowledge you need to create powerful paintings out of every subject.
"Many painters enjoy working outdoors when the weather is good (and they need to know how to deal with it when the weather changes)! This book includes the best instruction on the special challenges of painting landscapes outdoors from a variety of the best plein-air artists working today in all major media-oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic and gouache. - Materials, site selection and practical tips - Values, shapes, composition, color and elements of landscape painting - Bringing outdoor studies back into the studio - Complete start-to-finish demonstrations - Hundreds of gorgeous images"--
Ideal for beginning and intermediate artists seeking to develop their acrylic painting skills, Painting inAcrylic features a range of techniques and valuable instruction for working with this classic medium and painting a variety of subjects. Beginning with detailed information for using acrylic tools and materials, Painting in Acrylic introduces artists to the basics, including brushes, supports, acrylic mediums, color palettes, and other essentials for using this fast-drying paint. Artists will learn about color theory, the color wheel, and such basic techniques as impasto, stippling, glazing, drybrushing, washes, and creating an underpainting. Aspiring artists will explore value, perspective, light, shadow, and form, as well as how to effectively render a variety of textures, including wood, foliage, glass, metal, water, rock, and more. Engaging, approachable step-by-step projects appeal to artists of all skill levels and cover a range of subject matter, including still lifes, animals, tabletop compositions, landscapes, flowers, trees, and more, from start to finish. A professional acrylic painter provides easy-to-follow, comprehensive instruction and inspiration so artists can put their newfound skills to practical use as they discover the secrets to mastering this lightweight, versatile, and easy-to-use medium. Perfect for first-time acrylic painters, as well as experienced artists looking to refine their technique, Painting in Acrylic inspires creativity, provides suggestions for overcoming technical obstacles, and includes plenty of useful tips and encouragement. With comprehensive, valuable information; stunning artwork; and a fresh take on a traditional medium, Painting in Acrylic is the perfect addition to any artist’s library.
There’s nothing more important to the future of your artwork than to educate and nurture the unique talent you were born to share with the world. The Canon of Design represents artistic integrity, and enables you to leave your mark on this earth as one of the most talented visual communicators ever known. Learn the language of design to stand with the great masters and reflect the beauty prominently found in nature. This field manual is written to you, for you, and will help shorten your journey to achieving artistic excellence!
Watercolor is a magical and often challenging medium. Once mastered, it will reward you with the pleasure of creating striking works of art of infinite variety. This book is a culmination of many years of teaching. Through it, I set out to clear up widespread misconceptions about painting with watercolors. These common confusions hold watercolor artists back from achieving their full potential. Full of practical advice and techniques, my aim is to simplify watercolor painting to assist you in your personal watercolor adventure. Enjoy the journey!