Light Up Your Watercolors Layer by Layer [Hardcover]

Linda Moyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2003

Give your paintings more life - with light!

The best watercolor paintings have a certain radiance, a richness of light, color and detail.

You can bring these same effects to your own work with the help of award-winning painter Linda Stevens Moyer. With this book, you'll discover a layering formula for creating stunning watercolors that explode with light.

Even if you've struggled previously with layering colors, you can achieve the results you want through these easy-to-follow instructions. Moyer takes you step by step through the entire process, beginning with the most basic aspects of watercolor, including:

• Mixing and using color
• Creating form and representing space
• Saving and regaining the white of your paper
• Building realistic textures
• Using photographs to inspire and develop your painting
• Layering with transparent watercolor to portray light

Create paintings that dazzle. It's easier than you think.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Color theory and the depictions of light and texture comprise "the language of light," according to watercolorist Moyer, who uses the three main techniques of brush line, wash, and wet-into-wet applications with two systems of space representation in five minidemos. These practice steps allow readers to develop layering skills on simple projects before progressing to the three larger demos, all complete paintings rich with radiant luminosity--no small thing in a medium many feel is the most demanding and least forgiving of the two-dimensional plastic arts. Whitney Scott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Linda Stevens Moyer has been the recipient of many first place awards such as the Gold Medal of Honor from AWS, Allied Artists of America and Watercolor West. She has taught and exhibited her work throughout the United States. Her paintings have been published in Splash 1 and 2, The Artist's Magazine and American Artist.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; 1 edition (April 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581801890
• ISBN-13: 978-1581801897
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #806,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Intensive Layering Techniques, August 18, 2003

By 

"annesart" (Zephyrhills, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Light Up Your Watercolors Layer by Layer (Hardcover)

I used this book as a resource. Her techniques are very different from the relaxed teachings of my earlier days. I am more able to see the effects layering will have on my final results. I am able to better see the end effect of layering several colors over one another in my mind since completing these lessons. Much of it is admiring the beautiful and observing "mini lessons" which really do need to be full lessons. I would recommend at least some painting experience for this book.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous work but you won't be able to learn it from this, February 10, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Light Up Your Watercolors Layer by Layer (Hardcover)

I LOVE Moyer's work, unfortunately the mini lessons provided in the book, while useful, will not lead to a rendering of images anywhere close to those you'll drool over in this book.
I enjoy just looking at her work and aspiring to paint in this style, but this book is not in-depth enough or step-by-step enough to get you to this level of work.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A decent learning resource, March 13, 2005

By 

Clayfish "a klee fish" (TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Light Up Your Watercolors Layer by Layer (Hardcover)

Enamoured by the beautiful watercolor paintings in this book, i purchased it as a learning resource. The concepts of color theory & using color, & light, explained here are useful. However,instructions with more details would definitely have helped understand the artist' technique, as well as further my painting experience.