I have a number of Search Press publications for watercolour and have always found them easy to use and informative. The first few chapters as is usual go through materials required and more importantly I think techniques. It's always good to have a reminder!
The chapter studying flower shapes is particularly useful and interesting to both water colourists and gardeners alike.
It then goes on to describe in detail with clear drawings and explanations of numerous different flowers. Particularly useful are the clear instructions of what watercolour paints have been used. I was pleased to see that berries and leaves are given a section too. There are numerous easy to follow turorials through out. A thoroughly enjoyable book to use!
* Mary Levett *
A beautiful book from Search Press, it has the basics of any watercolour book, covering materials and techniques and what equipment to buy if your a beginner, the book tells you the best paint colours to use for flower painting, marking out the essential colours to start of with in your palette . This book has the added bonus of beautiful illustrations from a wide variety of artists throughout the book, giving you lots of inspiration and ideas of different ways to paint flowers. I particularly love the directory of flowers, giving you over 190 colour coded demonstrations of flowers, berries and leaves to paint, with colour charts for each flower. There is also a chapter on studying flower shapes which is very useful. the book also covers composing flower paintings. in all this is a very inspirational book and a must for any flower painter, beginner or advanced , it was something for everyone with 120 complete flower paintings you will not be short of ideas on what flowers to paint.I will be recommending it to my friends at my art class.
* Jill Birks *
This edited review refers to the new 2016 edition. This is a fabulous guide to painting a wide range of flowers. The illustrations and very good and the instructions are easy to follow. The finished paintings are an inspiration. It begins with all the practical information you need to paint watercolours. It gives tutorials so that you can master techniques, it looks at flower shapes and helps you to draw plants accurately. The main part of the book is a directory of flowers to paint, these are handsomely arranged by colour - the reds, oranges, yellows, blues, purples, berries and leaves that certainly appealed to my colour sense. Each subject is given a page or half page with instructions on how to draw and paint it. Using the techniques at the front of the book to aid your painting, you should be able to follow these instructions without any problems. H
* YarnsandFabrics.co.uk *
