Paint Radiant Realism in Watercolor, Ink & Colored Pencil [Hardcover]

Sueellen Ross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 1999

Using a combination of drawing and painting, Sue Ellen Ross attracts artists to her classes to help watercolour artists draw better and pen and ink devotees enter the world of painting safely. This guide explains her unique techniques and styles.'

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sueellen Ross began drawing animals as soon as she could hold a pencil. She's still at it, after almost twenty years as a full-time professional artist. Especially known for her masterful and delightful cat and wildlife portraits, Sueellen combines her passion for making art with her love of animals to create works of strong design and subtle wit.

Sueellen's paintings, etchings, and other prints have been exhibited worldwide. She is a frequent contributor to the prestigious "Birds in Art" show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and the "Arts for the Parks" show sponsored by the National Park Foundation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Her work can be seen in The Best of Wildlife Painting and Painting Birds Step by Step, both published by North Light Books. Sueellen lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; 1st edition (August 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891349006
• ISBN-13: 978-0891349006
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Realism
  • #5 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Colored Pencil
  • #10 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Pen & Ink

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for intermediate to advanced artists, December 4, 2001

By 

"atelierk" (Clinton,, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paint Radiant Realism in Watercolor, Ink & Colored Pencil (Hardcover)

"Paint Radiant Realism..." is one of the best art instruction books I've purchased. If you already enjoy incorporating intricate detail into your work, you will probably love it. But if you are not naturally a "detail freak", Ross's approach will probably drive you crazy.

Beginners who still need step by step guidance in even the most fundamental aspects of the various media involved (pen & ink, watercolor and colored pencil) will probably not like this book. Only those who have a strong foundation in drawing, light and shade, and value contrast will be best able to fully comprehend and utilize Ross' mixed media techniques. The two demo pieces, "Sunspot" and "Daisy Faces" clearly outline Ross' step by step approach to building depth and realism with a combination of ink, watercolor and colored pencil.

Personally, I found her use of ink to establish the darkest values, as well as her technique of using white colored pencil as a resist to save whites to be the most valuable ideas to incorporate into my own work. This, after all, is the real purpose of art instruction books. One should not buy a book in the hopes of becoming a clone of the author; rather one looks for aspects of the author's knowledge and techniques that can be incorporated into ones' own work.

Excellent book and highly recommended for experienced artists.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book and start making money selling your paintings., August 19, 2001

By 

The Artist "The Artist" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paint Radiant Realism in Watercolor, Ink & Colored Pencil (Hardcover)

This book suits realist watercolorists whose style involves creating paintings that show meticulous details to the degree of perfection. If you have achieved a reasonably good drawing skill and enjoy painting with careful brushstrokes to render likeness (as in photographic likeness), this book is right for you.

The author starts out with covering materials, the process of developing ideas, and design elements for your paintings. Through well-executed step-by-step projects, the author impresses the readers with her ability to create breathtaking paintings using ink, watercolor, and color pencils; as well as with her rendering of color, light, shadow and painting themes. The projects include painting cozy interiors, pets, flowers, gardens, and wild animals and birds.

Buy this book and start making money selling your paintings, or else I shall.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

P.S. For folks that gave this book a poor review, perhaps this will help: This book is for realist watercolorists whose skills have gone beyond the doodling level of drawing. This book, in my opinion, is a real gem for intermediate artists who can even apply the presented approaches to start making and selling their paintings in mixed medium, not for beginners.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Radiant Realism is Really Radiant, March 9, 2000

By 

Ilene Skeen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paint Radiant Realism in Watercolor, Ink & Colored Pencil (Hardcover)

Radiant realism glows with good sense, well written prose, great examples. The paintings are delightful and the author's instructions are clear and easy to follow.

This book is not for beginners since it assumes that you know how to draw. Also, it does not cover all the genres, like landscape and portraits. However, if you are anything but a raw beginner, you should be able to figure out how to adapt Ross's techniques for your own genre and purposes. The book is very clearly and neatly put together.

I must have nearly every art book on the shelf, but this one is the one I'm refering to actively to create landscapes and other work. Even though the author doesn't cover those genre, her priciples come shining through. Enjoy!