Customer Reviews

Light Up Your Watercolors Layer by Layer

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The artist is a master a lighting up watercolors. Easy to follow instructions, informative and enlightening. Suggested great reading for the novice watercolorist and exceptional reading for the master.

It is very important to me as a serious artist to be able to understand thru detail of how am image is painted. Why buy and spend the money for a book unless it is completely useful. I can look at pictures all day and try to figure out how to paint it but if I buy a book to show me, I expect to learn a lot.

I've only recently been introduced to the breathtaking work of Linda Stevens Moyer. When I found out that she used a multi-layered glazing technique, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book. As a professional illustrator I have used such techniques with acrylics and oils but never dreamed the luminous results she achieves were possible to this extent with watercolors. After receiving the book, I was disappointed to find out there is only one chapter at the back of the book dedicated to this amazing technique, which I would categorize as an advanced and difficult technique to master. Well worth the effort to learn given the right instruction, however the one chapter devoted to the technique only scratches the surface. What further disappointed me was that the rest of the book was devoted to very basic and common watercolor instruction the likes of which you can find in 100's of books on the subject. Topics such as basic brush strokes, how to create a wash, how to stretch paper, color theory, perspective, texturing techniques, using photo reference, etc.

Buy the book if you're in the market for a step by step, basic instruction book of commonly used watercolor techniques. However, don't be fooled by the title and back jacket description which seem to imply that the book will teach you her layering approach in depth. The one plus to the book is that it is illuminated throughout by her beautiful work.

I've bought a LOT of art books through the decades. Light Up Your Watercolors is understandable, well written with very good descriptions of steps to create the techniques depicted. I found the specifics on the colors the author uses allowed me to duplicate the techniques. I felt confident that I had learned the techniques so I was a better watercolor painter having truly gone through this book page by page and practicing each of the techniques. This book was used in a college art class I took. The teacher saved us a lot of money by chosing this book and recommending Amazon to purchase it. If you buy it, I say USE IT! The artist who wrote it has her own unique artistic talent so your work will elevated by using her insight.

This may not be the best book for a beginner, but I think they could still get something out of it. Good step by step pictures and directions. Lots of pictures. Inspiring and I never fail to get something out of it when I pick it up...and I pick it up often.

This book has given me many ideas about approaching a floral painting using glazing. I hadn't considered the effect of warm versus cool colors- actually using both in a painting. I was able to practice following the steps in the book. This is a great book!

I am learning so much about painting with transparent paints from this wonderful book that I went out and bought a set of t. paints. This book will teach me so many things, and I am very grateful to the artists and writer for this opportunity to learn. I love the book. Thanks so much!

Nancy