Angela Gair

This practical step-by-step guide helps beginners quickly achieve immediate and impressive results. Thirty-eight step-by-step projects each illustrate a different painting technique, using watercolours, acrylics, or oils. Readers learn to paint landscapes, still life, people, flowers, animals, buildings and more. Covering the three most popular types of painting: watercolours, acrylics and oils, this comprehensive step-by-step guide provides basic information on materials and techniques as well as an exciting series of demonstrations aimed at complete beginners. The unique approach of this book is so simple that the reader can start immediately on original and exciting projects. Each section has practical information on materials and equipment and includes a gallery of work by various artists to inspire the beginner. Within each section the demonstrations provide instruction in a whole range of different techniques from the basic brushstrokes to using resist and painting with a knife. Practical advice on choosing the best materials and equipment to get the most out of your painting. Includes inspirational galleries and essential basic techniques sections to develop your artistic skills.

A stunningly illustrated, project-based book on drawing and painting for the beginner. Divided into three sections: drawing, watercolour, and oil painting, it includes more than 30 original projects for you to try, such as a vase of flowers in pencils, a stormy scene using watercolours, and a Tuscan terrace in oils. It presents practical and easy-to-follow text with over 475 step-by-step photographs clearly showing the creation of each picture.

This is a project-based handbook for the beginner on the different techniques involved in drawing. It includes 13 projects for you to try: using soft pencils to draw a vegetable basket; elephants on safari, drawn with erasers; beached boats, an exercise on cross-hatching; and using conte crayons to produce a baker's selection. It is a practical, easy-to-follow text with over 175 photographs clearly showing the development of each picture. Techniques covered include blending, line and wash, pastel pencils, charcoal and chalk, frottage and graphite sticks; with expert advice on choosing materials, such as pencils, charcoal, and pen and ink; plus paper and accessories. Building on these simple projects will give you confidence to create your own compositions with ease. This is the perfect introduction to drawing for anyone who enjoys creative crafts, whether for personal pleasure or professional reasons. Start by using soft pencils - a drawing tool you're already familiar with from writing. Then move on to drawing with conte crayons, charcoal, and graphite sticks, trying a variety of media to find the one that suits you the best. Learn to work with white to give a drawing light and air, and how to build up tone using a variety of drawing implements. Each part of the book gives detailed accounts of the types of paper and the implements you will require to create the projects. A project is suggested for each tool you learn to use so you can practise your new skill while creating accomplished drawings of elephants on safari, ballet pumps and a wild flower field. In no time at all, you will be producing attractive works of art.

This is a project-based book on painting with oils for beginners. Working your way through the 11 original projects you will practise a variety of painting techniques; subjects include spring flowers, a still life in blue and white, a delightful cat, and sky over the countryside. It is an expert and accessible text with over 185 detailed photographs clearly showing how to create each painting. It offers guidance on techniques and materials, including using paints, diluents and mediums; paint brushes and palettes; canvas, board and paper supports; and painting accessories. The simple projects encompass the infinite range of textures and effects that oil painting allows. This is a practical, easy-to-follow guidebook to the different techniques involved in oil painting, with over 80 pages of original projects designed for the novice. Practical, easy-to-follow text and step-by-step photographs clearly show the creation of each picture and offer expert guidance on the different techniques and materials required to produce each one. While many beginners see this medium as intimidating, you'll discover that it's an easy way of painting that can be manipulated freely and extensively to create an infinite range of textures and effects. You can try painting both lively scenes and still life, including children playing in water and autumn trees waving their branches in the wind. With helpful hints throughout and inspirational paintings on every page, this book is as indispensable as paints, brushes, and canvas in every artist's studio.

This is a project-based book on the techniques of watercolour painting for the beginner. It includes 12 projects for you to try, such as flowers in a blue jar, tropical fruit, sunset over the lagoon, and a canal in Amsterdam. You can learn how to use all the classic techniques - working light to dark, painting wet-in-wet, and using gum arabic. It offers expert guidance on using all the necessary materials, including working with tube, pan and gouache paints; selecting brushes and caring for them; and choosing papers, palettes, mediums, jellies and paints. It is a practical, easy-to-follow text with over 175 photographs clearly showing the development of each picture. You can discover your hidden artistic talents with this project-based course. It covers all the different techniques involved in painting with watercolour. This book will teach you how to produce accomplished and attractive works of art, using different techniques and combinations of tone to paint a variety of subjects from a peaceful beach scene to crashing waves. The 12 easy-to-follow projects are designed for the beginner, with photographs making each step crystal clear. Hints and tips throughout the book will guide and enrich your progress. To help you make the best choices when selecting what you need, there is a broad survey of the variety of equipment available, from paper, canvas and brushes to palettes, paints and thinners. This book introduces what is perhaps the most popular painting medium today, and it is essential reading for any artist.

Mastering the use of oil and acrylic paints with step-by-step techniques and projects, in 200 photographs. You can learn how to work with oils and acrylics with this simple step-by-step course in techniques and stylistic approaches. From getting started to achieving excellence - perfect for the beginner, as well as providing inspiration for more advanced artists. It is packed with useful advice on how to treat the classical subjects: still life, landscape, figures and portraits. More than 200 step-by-step photographs show clearly how different techniques are carried out, making it easy to achieve success. 18 inspirational and practical projects allow you to put your skills to use. Guidance to help you express your creative potential. The versatility of oils and acrylics guarantees their place as the most popular painting medium today. This book explores these media in a clear, detailed manner suitable for beginners, as well as providing ideas for artists at all stages of their craft. It forms a concise guide to all the materials, techniques and methods, and also contains a selection of projects to follow. The book covers the essentials: basic setting up and preparation, mixing the paints, and general techniques such as brushwork, knife painting, underpainting and glazing. Some specialized methods are also included, for more sophisticated effects. Throughout, lively works by contemporary artists illustrate the skills in action, and special 'focus' features cover popular subjects. The easy-to-use format makes this a handy book for any painter.