Customer Reviews

Ron Ranson On Skies: Techniques In Watercolour and Other Media

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

 

 

I was delighted to find a book devoted to my favorite subjects, skies. This book is one of a kind, as far as I know--and much needed. The techniques are presented clearly and with optimism; Ranson makes you want to go get your paints and brushes and try any of the beautiful skies presented. If I could keep only three or four of my watercolor books, this book would definitely be on the keep list.

As a teacher of transparent watercolors for the past 10 years,I've found that painting skies is the first and formost lesson that a student must learn. This book is a valuable must for any new student. Ron shows all the basics needed to learn how to paint all types of dramatic skies. I still refer to this book to keep sharp! Jack...

This is a superior book with great teaching techniques, telling what color paints are used to get certain effects. The pictures themselves are worth the book, but his teaching techniques are excellent, and his artistry awesome. I recommend it for beginners and for anfyone who wants to learn to paint skies.

This book covers only one topic, but it does it well. This is sound technical painting advice from a professional painter. If you are willing to practice with the tools and materials recommended in the book, you will learn a lot. The author paints in the traditional loose and atmospheric style of classic British watercolor. If you want to know how they do it, this book and the others in Ranson's series of instruction books, will be a good resource. Even if you don't choose to paint in this particular style, the book is worth a look because you can learn some painting skills that are applicabe to many other styles of painting.

Ron Ranson has commercialized far too much. This book appears to be written to meet a tight schedule on so and so many books a year.If You have read anything from Edgar Whitney you will recognise the thoughts behind the design parts in this book. A beginner might enjoy the photos but otherwise not get much help from viewing the sketches galore.(Close to 50 sketches are not even signed). I rate it to 1 star only, as Ranson certainly have done better before.I'll credit the author that it is not that easy trying to be a Guru all the time.

i suggest this book to all artists. The instruction is wonderful, but the paintings are awesome!

This is an excellent volume that clearly defines the methodology for producing colorful, exciting skies using the Ron Ranson big brush technique.

While a total beginner will learn much from this book, it is not going to inspire those who have already been painting for a little while. The teaching is typical Ranson, although verging on the patronising, but the Ranson examples of skies, to my taste, are not worth emulating. Stick to running classes, Ron, and give writing a break!

ron ranson's name was known to me thanks to some of his video cassettes which are sold in belgian artshops since I already had the book where he explains how to use photographs for your paintings, skies being one of my favourite subjects - and as a beginner watercolour "painter" - I bought this book with much enthusiasm. And I got the "soufflé" effect - this book unfortunately is not at all of the same standards as the other book offers the shown paintings are flat, sad, boring, and he definitely is very patronizing - I am so sorry I bought this However I keep offering the other book (the one about photographs) to my painting friends, because here in belgium we paint a lot inside, and it is quite a useful book

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