Robin Capon

An approachable and clear drawing course, covering a range of techniques, specially for the beginner. Each double-page spread presents a set of stimulating exercises, both for leisure and for use as a basis for building up progressive drawing skills. It covers how to shade, use pen and wash, begin perspective drawing, mix different media and draw from life. Contents include media and equipment, lines, dots and shading, drawing shapes accurately, planning drawings and using a sketchbook, working from life, using your imagination and framing and presentation.

Drawing

David Curtis

David Curtis is one of the most successful and loved artists in the UK. His books are bestsellers and in his latest publication he talks about the secrets of producing paintings with impact. Although his work is not showy, they are powerful and are much-sought after. His secrets for painting with impact are the sensitive consideration of balance and contrast in tone, colour, handling qualities and compositional elements. Whether you’re working on location with a limited palette or in the studio with all the time and materials at your disposal, the author talks you through the ways to capture the essence of a subject matter and the mood or sense of the place, and always with a something that will grab the viewer. The key elements are covered: Selection – what to paint and if necessary how to simplify or dramatise those elements; Mood – creating a strong sense of mood through choice of medium, colour and painting technique; Colour – choosing the right colours to suit the intentions of the painting. The book discusses a range of inspiring locations, from marine subjects, beaches and harbours to city scenes, trees and the light of the Mediterranean.

Painting with Impact

Lucy Willis

Suitable for watercolour painters who love to travel - whether it's the English coast or India, this book provides the information useful for the painter to plan and enjoy painting. It covers equipment, including how to make the best use of a sketchbook.

Techniques for Painting Anywhere

Travels with Watercolour

Introducing Abstract Picture Making

John Hammond

It is not enough to learn just the techniques but to understand how to choose the right technique to express what you feel or how to interpret what you see. It is also important to paint the right element of what you see to give real impact.

Free Expression in Acrylics

David Curtis is one of the most successful and celebrated artists working in the UK today. His books are bestsellers and in his latest book he discusses and demonstrates his approach to painting outside on location. He paints on site whenever possible as he finds that working directly from the subject gives his work a sense of immediacy, dynamism, light and drama. Many artists are interested in painting outside but lack the confidence to successfully work in this way. Here David shows how to develop the necessary skills. He looks at every aspect, from preliminary planning to appropriate painting techniques and, above all, how to capture the essence of the scene in front of you. He includes location sketching as well as advice on essential equipment to take with you. With practical advice and inspirational paintings covering a wide variety of subjects, Painting on Location will prove valuable to all those who wish to paint outdoors, whether to make finished paintings in their own right on location, or to use the experience and information gathered as a basis for further work in the studio.

Robin Capon

Books

Your next favorite book is out there