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Expressing
the natural world with acrylics, watercolour and mixed media
Waltraud Nawratil
Search Press
25 August 2016/ ISBN 9781782212386
How-To Books/Art
Reviewed
by Rachel A Hyde
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Inside this book is a liberating, freer approach to depicting
nature that draws upon abstract styles and makes use of a lot
more than just paint. Using acrylics, watercolors and mixed
media, the artist shows you how to produce bold, imaginative
work that brings the natural world to vibrant life.
This is not a book aimed at the beginning artist, but to those
with experience who want to try something fresh and new. The
artist uses a wide variety of materials beyond just the standard
paints and brushes including stencils, pressed bark and found
objects. Not only acrylics and watercolors are used either;
airbrush paints, marble powder, pastes, binders and more are
made use of, so anybody attempting this type of work might be
advised to stock up on more than just the basics. Following
on from this is a section on using the various media with plenty
of examples and inspiration. The rest of the book contains twenty-two
projects, not the usual Search Press type, with lots of photographic
stages but briefer. These are organized in seasons, with each
project covering two pages. There is a page-sized photograph
of the finished piece, plus a list of what you need and step
by step instructions in five to six written stages. Subjects
include flowers such as dandelions, ferns, daisies, poppies
(several of these), trees, a pond, meadow scene and more. Describing
them as abstract stretches the term somewhat as it is easy to
see what the paintings depict; rather they are a freer, looser
style which gives a vigorous outdoor appearance suitable to
the subjects. At the back is a gallery where the author suggests
people utilize the pictures as inspiration for their own, concluding
a refreshingly different approach to painting nature.
If you cannot find a good range of art materials locally,
try www.searchpress.com
for a list of suppliers. |
| UK Reviewer: Rachel
Hyde's work can be found in Sewing World, Sew Hip, Popular
Crafts and other magazines. |
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