Watercolour painting with Karen Simons

Every painter needs to understand the importance of colour when painting outdoors. Karen Simmons explores its ever-changing effects on flowers and landscapes, and the ways in which good use of colour can add a new dimension to painting in watercolour. She shows how to overcome the difficulty of being faced with a blank sheet of paper by making tonal and compositional sketches before starting to paint. She discusses the materials and equipment needed for outdoor painting, suggests palettes for different subjects, and looks at the behaviour of various colours in water and at how they can be mixed to produce a range of exciting effects and textures. All these aspects are explored in relation to many different subjects, including landscapes, waterscapes, skies, flowers and the seasons, and are illustrated throughout with sketches and paintings. There are detailed descriptions of the colours and techniques used, and step-by-step demonstrations go into greater depth. Karen Simmons's easy-to-read text and superb paintings will provide inspiration to all artists. This book is full of good advice, both for the beginner and the more experienced artist.