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If you are somebody who
has always wanted to have a go at painting but hasn’t
done any, it is not obvious where to start. Any art shop or
website is filled with a multitude of materials and an assistant
who is eager to sell you things, but this is rarely much help.
How much is it all going to cost?
Help is at hand with this book, and it is one that had me
cheering. A lot of books purport to be for “beginners,”
when they mean those with some basic knowledge who need a
nudge in the right direction and some extra skills. This truly
is for the beginner, and the canny person who is either on
a budget or does not want to buy up the store and discover
art is not for them. All you need to buy to paint the nine
pictures in this book are three colours, three brushes and
a pad of watercolor paper. This author has not forgotten what
it is like to want to start but to be unsure where to do it.
The book hits the ground running after a very brief introduction
explaining about preparing washes and using brushes with the
first simple painting. In true Search Press style, each project
is illustrated with plenty of photographic steps with short
helpful captions, and with each painting is a list of the
skills you learn, a great touch. Scattered throughout are
“Jargon Buster” points explaining terms and lots
of tips too. The pictures get more complex as you progress,
from very basic beginnings to a lovely summer wood, Glencoe
in the snow, a sleepy river and winter trees. At the back
is a page about transferring the outlines of the full sized
paintings using tracing paper, or you can draw them freehand.
I have reviewed a lot of books on painting for beginners but
this is the one I would recommend. Well done Geoff Kersey!
Reviews of other titles by Geoff Kersey
Watercolour
Landscapes (Take
Three Colours)
Mediterranean
Landscapes in Watercolour (Take Three Colours)
Watercolour
Seascapes (Take Three Colours)
Bluebell
Wood in Watercolour (Paint it)
New
York in Watercolor (Ready to Paint)
Trace
and Paint Watercolour (Ready to Paint)
Trees,
Woodlands and Forests in Watercolor (What to Paint)
If you cannot find a good range of watercolor painting materials
locally try www.searchpress.com
for a list of suppliers.
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