Watercolour is the ideal medium for painting flowers due to its wonderful translucency and in his new book, The Magic of Watercolour Flowers, Paul Riley shows readers how to paint colourful, vibrant flower paintings. He explains how to achieve exciting special effects in your flower compositions by using certain textural techniques, such as soft edges, and different light sources to make the most out of watercolour's natural translucency and create mood for your paintings. Paul Riley encourages readers to be more adventurous in their paintings by adding figures and still life objects to their compositions, which can lend character and personality to a painting. There are many step-by-step paintings and useful tips and techniques throughout with chapters on flower markets, flowers in the garden, flowers in the landscape and a fascinating section showing how to combine imaginative decorated still life objects with flowers. In addition, Paul Riley shows how to use collage to create exciting and unexpected compositions. Capturing the beauty of flowers in watercolour has been the aim of painters for centuries and in this book, Paul Riley, inspires and encourages readers to take their watercolour flower paintings a step further, to make the most of the medium's natural versatility.

This is an extraordinary book.' Review of Jean Haines' Atmospheric Watercolours in The Artist Magazine'It simply dazzles on the page and makes you want to grab your brushes and get going straight away.' Review of Jean Haines' Atmospheric Watercolours in The Leisure PainterJean Haines is arguably one of the world's most accomplished and inspirational artists, and in this, her fifth book, she explores one of her most beloved subjects - flowers. Taking inspiration from her own beautiful garden in the English countryside where she lives, Jean takes you on an artistic journey that not only teaches you how to create gorgeous paintings, but also shares with you the joy to be gained from the simple act of painting flowers.In this beautiful book, Jean explains with passion and enthusiasm how to loosen up your painting style and include just enough detail in your paintings to portray the essence of flowers, bringing them to life on the paper and infusing them with vibrancy and energy. She shares unreservedly the materials and techniques she uses, provides a wealth of expert tips and advice, and guides you step-by-step through numerous studies and projects. Throughout the book there are many glorious examples of Jean's paintings of a dazzling variety of flowers, providing an abundance of inspiration for artists of all abilities.Jean uses Daniel Smith materials in this book but other materials can be used to achieve similar results.

Mindful, achievable and satisfying, this book gives readers a unique way to interact with the natural world around them, whether that's drawing cut flowers in a vase, or wild flowers in their front garden. Start at the beginning of the book and get a back-to-basics guide to line drawing, then move on to accessible step-by-step tutorials for stunning projects such as bouquets, patterns, wreaths and other floral motifs. Artist and educator Chloe Wilson breaks down each flower into easy repeatable elements, and gives plenty of tips on overcoming the fear of the blank page. She also provides plenty of tips on choosing the right materials, finding inspiration and developing your own style, along with ideas for using your drawings to create personalized stationery and artwork to go on your walls, so you can immediately enjoy the benefits of your new hobby in your home.

Have you ever been amazed by watercolor paintings that seem to spring to life before your eyes? Would you love to be able to paint with watercolors? Now, you can. Watercolor Painting For Dummies shows you the fun and easy way to create breathtaking paintings so beautiful you won’t believe you made them yourself. This friendly, guide gives you hands-on instruction and easy-to-follow, step-by-step exercises to help you master the basics. Filled with full-color projects and sample paintings, it shows you how to work with color and texture, practice composition, and make smooth changes. You’ll find out how to select the best tools, materials, and supplies, practice basic brush strokes, and use the three best common techniques: flat wash, graded wash, and rough texture. Discover how to: Select the right brushes, pigments, and paper Mix colors and work with white Create backgrounds and foregrounds Transfer your drawings to watercolor Avoid common watercolor mistakes Experiment with texture using salt, sponges, plastic wrap, and more Find your way around the color wheel Practice the principles of design Plan compositions using thumbnails Work with one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective Paint fabrics, shiny surfaces, and organic textures Paint landscapes, seascapes, animals and more Complete with strategies for improving your painting immediately and marketing and selling your work, Watercolor Painting For Dummies, is the resource you need to make your creative dreams come true.

The only instructional book on watercolor you will ever need. Trying your hand at watercolor painting? Or looking to advance your range of artistic skills? Watercolor Techniques for Artists and Illustrators is for you. Beginning with the basics - such as honing your observational skills, choosing a subject, and learning about composition - the book then takes a comprehensive, in-depth look at techniques to expand your repertoire. With expert advice from artists and illustrators working in a range of styles - from classic to cutting-edge contemporary -this book will equip you with the skills and confidence to develop your own style and grow as an artist.

Outside the Magic Square considers issues of food security and offers solutions at the street, neighbourhood and global levels. Mixing gardening advice and food plot design with discussion of issues like global warming, dwindling oil supplies, the future for farmers and GM foods, Lolo Houbein challenges us to mobilise for food security.