Super art book - especially if, like me, you love boats! I loved that there are tracing sheets to use if you don't fancy drawing the pictures! Easy to follow instructions and pictures. Lots of projects to enjoy (33!) and achieve!
-- Kathy Beddow * Customer review *
Waterside subjects are a perennial favourite for artists, partly because of the immense variety of challenges and opportunities they offer. However, if you find yourself struggling-and maybe spoiled for choice-the always-reliable Charles Evans is on hand to help.
There are no fewer than 33 projects here, each with its own pre-drawn tracing that gets the outline and composition right before you start. With that out of the way, you can concentrate on colour, washes, shading and all the detail that makes a successful painting.
You'll find just about everything you want here: still waters, rippling streams, waves beaches, crafts of all kinds, buildings, people, animals, the whole gamut. Some exercises concentrate on simple techniques or topics, while others introduce more complex scenes. There's plenty to get your teeth into and you can work in any order and at any pace that suits you. Need to go back and try again? No problem, you can repeat any part as often as you like.
I want to say this is a complete course, but it's so much more fun than is implied by that, and Charles is a confident and generous guide and tutor.
* Paint Magazine *
From the popular Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes series comes Charles Evan's Boats & Harbours in Watercolour. For anyone short of time, Charles has created 33 quick and easy postcard-size paintings as the basis of a course of exercises for you to work through. Detailed techniques and step-by-step projects cover all you need to know to paint boats and water, with interesting sections on depicting reflections and realistic spray. Tracings are included in the book so you can start painting straight away.
* Leisure Painter *
The re-imagining of the Ready to Paint series continues apace and continues to impress.
Charles Evans offers a good variety of subject matter and stylistic approaches through 33 step-by-step projects along with useful exercises, hints and tips. The book has a clear progression and feels busy without being confusing and there is an overall sense that you're getting a lot for your money.
-- Henry Malt * Art Book Review *
