Customer Reviews

Creative Watercolor: The Step-By-Step Guide and Showcase

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked this up as a toss out book from the library. It had hardly been used, but the information is invaluable. I have just completed my sixth college art class, and I am constantly looking for new ideas and new inspirations. Bechwith's selections are inspiring. The book is divided into three parts: Techniques inspired by nature, techniques inpired by materials, and techniques inpired by technology. It covers the realm of naturalistic forms in novel approaches to digital art processes. There are some beautiful ideas in these pages. There are actual step-by-step examples of complex techniques - an approach that makes sense, followed by "showcase" sections of really fine artists who use varied techniques.

The Ice crystal technique is a nature artist's dream! The images created by the cobweb technique was my favorite. It really brought the child out in me. This book will be appreciated by all watercolor artists, beginner and professional.

I recently purchased this book from a reseller, in excellent condition. It's a nice hard cover book, BUT...

It is long on showcase, and short on instructional techniques. If you are looking for information on Ms. Beckwith's technique (which is the reason I bought the book), just find her website. She shares all of her pages there, for free.

There are a few other techniques included in the book, but the photos are very small. I would liken it to a hard cover national show brochure, with photos of paintings by about 40 or more other artists. It just wasn't what I was expecting.

If I'd had the opportunity to view the book before purchase, I would have passed.

Having said that, if Ms. Beckwith publishes a book with just her paintings and techniques, I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

Loved this book - both times I purchased it! I bought it the first time when it was first published, and unfortunately I lost track of who I loaned it to over the years. So I bought it again - worth every penny I paid. Flipping through the pages, you feel your creativity wake up and you can't wait to get to the paper and get started! Beautiful examples of the work created with the various techniques - you can't go wrong with this book.