Architecture in Watercolor [Paperback]

Thomas W. Schaller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0070580685 | ISBN-13: 978-0070580688 | Publication Date: November 30, 1998 | Edition: 1

Renowned architectural illustrator Thomas W. Schaller has revised and expanded his classic volume Architecture in Watercolor, now in paperback. Winner of the AIA's Citation for Excellence, Architecture in Watercolor is the acclaimed bestselling guide to the increasingly popular medium of watercolor, unparalleled in its drama, subtlety, and emotional power. With the addition of the thorough discussion of modern uses of watercolor, this book remains the preeminent authority in the field.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"The informative text, supported by the many marvelous illustrations, makes the reader aware of the careful preparation and experiential methods which are so essential to the creation of a first-rate perspective drawing.--Timothy Lingard, Royal Institute of British Architects Journal. Thomas Schaller, the foremost watercolorist in architecture in the world and winner of the prestigious Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize, has now revised and expanded his classic, award-winning Architecture in Watercolor for this paperback edition. Watercolor is enjoying a renaissance in architecture--because of its unsurpassed drama, emotion, and subtlety, and its marvelous painterly qualities. No medium excels watercolor's power to enhance competition entries and convey the qualities of unbuilt buildings. This uncommonly beautiful book takes you through basic and advanced watercolor techniques, illustrated by the works of some of the medium's modern masters. Highlights include: new, in-depth discussion of the modern materials and techniques; comparisons of the use of such essential tools as pastels and colored pencils, opaque inks and paints, and brushes and water; covers the fundamentals and value of color; describes the varies uses of architectural perspectives for detailing design for commercial presentations and competition submissions.

About the Author

Thomas Wells Schaller (New York, N.Y.) is the principal of Schaller Architectural Illustration with a prestigious international clientele, past president of the American Society of Architectural Perspectivists, recipient of six honors from that Society, and a registered architect and member of the AIA. His award-winning work has been exhibited throughout the world. Schaller has lectured at Harvard, the Japanese Architectural Rendering Association, and

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (November 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070580685
• ISBN-13: 978-0070580688
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,104,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Art and technique of architectural watercolor illustration., July 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Architecture in Watercolor (Paperback)

You don't have to be an architect to appreciate the architectural artwork included in Thos. Schaller's book, "Architecture in Watercolor." Albeit created for the practical purpose of visualizing architectural projects, the delicacy and skill with which they are executed, elevates many of these illustrations to fine art, reminiscent of Japanese woodblock prints in their beauty. With historic illustration references as well as those of his own creation, Mr. Schaller has created a handsome coffeetable book under the guise of a guide to technique.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning work. A treat for lovers of architecture, July 10, 2002

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Architecture in Watercolor (Paperback)

I bought this book thinking it was about rendering architectural subjects for watercolorists. It is not, so I was disappointed in that respect. But I was not disappointed in the artwork included in what is really a book intended for architects and admirerers of their work.

The drawings and paintings of buildings of all kinds can take your breath away. There are some projects of great magnificence (the proposed Arts and Cultural Center in Rome on the cover is one in particular.) There is a section on different mediums such as ink line and wash, pastel and charcoal, standard watercolor. There is a historical perspective section that includes classic paintings of John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer. In particular, there is a picture of Sargent's of a doorway on a canal in Venice that is familiar--yet set in this book it gives a new insight into how artists can show architecture for not only the features of a facade, but with style. The purely architectural works are more finely drawn and less "painterly" but they are amazing in their own right. My favorite is a picture of the addition to the Jewish Museum in New York, which combines artistic feeling with an informational slant, showing what a modern addition would look like added to the noble French Mansard style original building.

While this book wasn't what I needed for technique, I had a wonderful time drooling over the pages at some really wonderful architectural renderings in watercolor, ink and pencil. A real visual treat.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positively Sublime, June 10, 2000

By 

"mcgee22" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Architecture in Watercolor (Paperback)

Schaller's sublime style of rendering is reason enough to buy this book (and perhaps to clip the pages and insert the images into frames that once hosted pictures of your relatives!)

Watercolor is a difficult medium, and this guide, if it was intended to be such, does not serve the beginner well with introductory techniques. However, it does portray stellar examples of watercolor rendering, and a study of Schaller's work can reveal graphic composition/ and color techniques to complement any renderer's toolbelt.

His examples show artistic use of depth, composition, foreground-background balance, dynamism, and shadows.

I've always read the word "spellbinding" in reviews. After this book, I know what that means. I am surprised, after reviewing Schaller's work that he is not renowned as an artist outside the architectural sphere (at least to my knowledge).