This is a fabulous book, especially for the beginning to intermediate watercolors! The 150 lessons are based on one illustration each...a cherry or panda bear, etc. I personally like this because it is something that can help me learn to draw and paint objects I sometimes struggle with. It also is nice "filler" time when I want to paint but dont have much time ir energy. I love her style. It is very illustrative, much like my own.
This would be a tad difficult for rank beginners. Techniques are loosely described and while she uses color swatches/suggestions for each illustration it is not indicated anywhere what brand she is using. I happened to recognize some of the odder color names and decided it must be the St. Petersburg White Nights line. You can get the palette of 36 colors on Amazon for less than $80. It is a FULL pan set and of artist quality. Russian manufacturer. I own it and it is well worth the money. Dont allow the cheap price make you think it is student grade. It is not. Bright, vivid beautiful! Anyway, just in case you want to use her color selections, you now know what to look for!
Newbies will get something from this but will definitely want another source for basic techniques.
My final analysis: worth every penny and then some.
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Watercolor Techniques
Learn over a dozen watercolor techniques and tips to help you create your best work!
- Dropping in color
- Glazing
- Backruns
- Granulation
- Masking fluid and white ink
- Salt
- ...and more!
Watercolor as Easy as 1-2-3-4
Anyone Can Be an Artist
The ultimate beginner's guide, Watercolor Success in Four Steps is the perfect starting point for any aspiring artist!
Inside this book, experienced artist Marina Bakasova walks you through 150 projects with tried and true techniques.
Whether you're just starting to paint or have some experience, this guide will help you master watercolors in just four simple steps!
- Easy 4-step watercolor painting technique
- 150 painting projects include food, fashion, flora, fauna, and more
- Beginner-friendly illustrated instructions
- Understand the basics of watercolor painting with tried-and-true techniques
Watercolor Success in Four Illustrated Steps
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Draw a Pencil SketchStart by making a pencil drawing of the project. A simple outline is all you need. You can sketch it freehand or trace the drawing provided, using tracing paper or a lightbox. Your drawing should be light and easy to erase, because watercolor paint is transparent. |
Apply the First WashTo apply a flat, even wash of color, dip your brush into the prepared color and spread it on the shape. Don’t try to cover the shape in one go; start with a medium-sized drop of paint, then while the paint is still wet, add more until you have covered the shape. |
Build Up the PictureA damp base allows watercolor to spread whereas a dry base contains it. Read through the whole project before you start, noting where you will need to work quickly when working on wet or half-wet. For example, you may need to move on to the final step while the paint is still wet. |
Apply DetailsApply the finishing touches to each watercolor painting using the techniques learned earlier in the book. Watch your art really pop as you paint the final details to your very own masterpiece! |
Getting Started in Watercolors
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TechniquesMost watercolor paintings use a combination of techniques. Learn how to draw a pencil sketch, locate the light source, choose the right brush, prepare your paints, work on wet or half-wet, drop in color, work on dry, glazing, and more! |
Tools and MaterialsApart from paints, brushes, and paper, you will only require a few additional bits and pieces, many of which you will probably have around the house already. You'll learn how to select the best tools, from watercolor paints and paper to drawing pencils and paintbrushes. |
ProjectsEach of the 150 projects offers a sample selection of palette colors alongside approachable, step-by-step painting instructions to complete each design. Use the handy project selector pages to see all of the projects pictured together, to help you choose which one to paint next. |
150 Watercolor Painting Projects
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Fruit, Vegetables, Food, & DrinksCreate watercolor paintings of a banana, chocolate eclair, macron, teapot, and more! |
Flowers, Plants, & the Natural WorldMake your own watercolor masterpieces of a sunflower, poppy, cactus, night sky, and other items from nature. |
Insects, Animals, Birds, & Sea LifeCreate watercolor paintings of a panda, frog, flamingo, seashell, dolphin, sea turtle, and more! |
Objects, Travel, & CelebrationsMake your own watercolor masterpieces of a sailboat, matryoshka doll, umbrella, hot-air balloon, and other fun objects. |
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Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon.com
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44 reviews
Rebecca R. Allinson
Absolutely wonderful!
11 March 2020 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
MyKindKristine
Excellent for beginners struggling with layering
13 March 2020 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
Excellent for beginners struggling with layering
Reviewed in the United States on 13 March 2020
Best book in my Beginners watercolor instruction collection. This book really helped me understand layering and the values of color—Something that I really struggle to understand. All of the paintings are cute and I look forward to working with this book
Reviewed in the United States on 13 March 2020
Images in this review
Yana Abakina
Beautiful artwork but didn't work as a beginner book for me
12 May 2020 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
Beautiful artwork but didn't work as a beginner book for me
Reviewed in the United States on 12 May 2020
Very pretty artwork and I like how the art is broken down by categories, and that each picture also has a ranking from easy-hard. You can methodically work through the book based on your topic of interest (flowers, fruits, desserts, plants, etc). I bought it as a beginners book for myself, but ended up having a little trouble because the instructions for each picture are very bare-bones, it doesn't tell you what size brush for each effect/stroke, doesn't give any clues about how to move your brush. My personal impression is that I think its not a book for absolute beginners because every artists way of painting is stylized to some degree and when you are copying a stylized version of something, you are copying someone else's representation of something, and it dilutes your result. I tried to follow the instructions for an easy broccoli and then just looked up a pic of a real brocolli and did it from a real picture. My real pic reference painting did not come out perfect but I understood the reason for the different colors, strokes, highlights, etc as opposed to guessing about what the stylized colors/marks represent for some of the pictures. This was just my experience getting this book as a complete beginner, and may be different for others. I think probably intermediate painters can use this to widen their stylization.
Reviewed in the United States on 12 May 2020
Images in this review
Krystal A.
This book does not teach you at all
25 August 2020 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Great mini projects to practice on.
28 May 2020 -
Published on Amazon.comVerified Purchase