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Splash 11 - New Directions: The Best of Watercolor
 
 
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Splash 11 - New Directions: The Best of Watercolor [Hardcover]

Rachel Rubin Wolf (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)


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Book Description

June 21, 2010 Splash (Book 11)
When life, or the spirit of experimentation, or the whim of watercolor itself leads artists outside their comfort zone, conditions are favorable for something new and wonderful to happen. Splash 11: New Directions features 126 such somethings, representing the best watercolor work being created today.





As intriguing as the paintings themselves, the artists talk about what inspired these new directions - anything from a trip around the world to a bowl of apples passed by a hundred times before. Find out how a workshop, a new brush, or a new perspective (like painting into the sun) injected these works with fresh energy, emotion and inner reflection.





In true Splash tradition, the sheer diversity of work within is stunning - from thick, dark and dramatic to light, loose and washy ? in some cases all in the same piece. You'll find work from favorite Splash watercolorists, along with quite a few new artists never before seen in print.





Anyone who has a passion for art will appreciate the thrill of discovery and freshness of technique that fills these pages. For painters who aspire to keep their own art lives fresh and exciting, this work - and the stories behind it - offer powerful inspiration to change it up, stand in a new place, and paint that painting you think you can't.



Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rachel Rubin Wolf is a freelance writer, editor and artist. She has edited many books for North Light, including all of those in the Splash: The Best of Watercolor series. She is also the author of many painting books. Wolf studied painting and drawing at the Philadelphia College of Art and the Kansas City Art Institute, and she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Temple University in Philadelphia. Wolf resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, and continues to paint in both watercolor and oils.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 144 pages
  • Publisher: North Light Books (June 21, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1600613438
  • ISBN-13: 978-1600613432
  • Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Small splash, little sparkle, July 15, 2010
This review is from: Splash 11 - New Directions: The Best of Watercolor (Hardcover)
I've been with this wonderful watercolor series since book one in 1991 (reviewed and uploaded spreads from eight onwards) but I feel this will be the last edition I'll buy. Eleven, confirms for me at least, that the magic has evaporated. What I loved about the early books (certainly up to eight) was turning the pages and coming across paintings that just stopped me turning. You never knew what would be over the next page, the brush techniques and compositions were just so wonderful and imaginative. There really was a 'Wow' factor and Rachel Rubin Wolf knew how to deliver it book after book.

I noticed a slight change, though in book nine, the exuberance, sheer fun and delight of so many works was missing in my view and this carried on into book ten. Eleven confirms it having looked through it several times and at the same time comparing it to ealier books.

Of course there are some gorgeous watercolors in this book, a few that grabbed me are Nancy Grisby's 'Chop chop' on page fifty-six, a fun still-life with a fresh feel to it; 'Trademark Handshake' by Heidi Parrinello, on page sixty-four, makes glass come alive and on the opposite page Vivian Thierfelder has created a complex still-life composition that I poured over. 'Hannah' by Bev Jozwiak on page 106 captures the essence of that great artist Charles Reid (even down to the signature style). There are other great paintings but not that many and oddly I came across several works that I was surprised to see included. They displayed rather unimaginative brush techniques, color use and bland compositions that seemed definitely out of place.

The 126 paintings are presented as previous books: one to a page with useful thoughts from the artists. A couple of annoyances: the overprinting of pull-quotes from the artists and placed on their paintings, this occurs six times throughout the book and really seems unnecessary considering the amount of empty page space; somebody forgot to include the page numbers with the contributors name and address list in the back pages.

The Splash series overall has shown me so many stunning watercolors and I'll be looking through them for a long time to come. It's a pity this latest book just doesn't deliver the passion, for me. If you are new to the Splash books I suggest you check out prices of earlier volumes, I think they are definitely better.

***SEE SOME INSIDE SPREADS by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Refreshing New Watercolor Compilation, June 13, 2010
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This review is from: Splash 11 - New Directions: The Best of Watercolor (Hardcover)
First of all, I need to make a disclaimer. One of my watercolor paintings appears in this book. As a watercolor painter and teacher for over 30 years, I love to collect show catalogs, annuals, and "Best of" compilations that I can share with my students. I want them to be familiar with lots of styles, techniques, and solutions and be exposed to the work of many artists, both famous and unknown. "Splash 11" continues the tradition Rachel Rubin Wolf started many years ago of creating an annual around a theme, allowing each artist to describe his or her methods, techniques, and approach. This book follows the theme "New Directions" and as you might expect each artist reached out in new and different ways using watermedia as the tool of communication. I enjoyed reading the artists' comments and quotes as much as I liked looking at the paintings. And I appreciated the inclusion of skilled, but lesser-known artists as well as the more venerable, but sometimes predictable professionals whose work we've seen time and again. Refreshing.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Needs tighter selection, February 28, 2011
This review is from: Splash 11 - New Directions: The Best of Watercolor (Hardcover)
Length:: 0:57 Mins

This is already volume 11 and it seems that previous volumes are already quite difficult to find. This volume features over 120 paintings from 111 artists. The subjects painted includes the nature, still life, places, people, animals and imaginative pieces. The artworks are printed pretty big.

However, the quality of work varies. The inclusion of some pieces are dubious, mainly because of the composition, and sometimes the finesse (or lack of). Of course, there are very beautiful pieces of work as well.

I like the short commentary under each piece that talks a bit about the artists and the work. However, some of their quotes are taken and printed over the artwork, like in a magazine, which is unnecessary. It dilutes the beauty of the art.

This is still a decent collection but the selection could be tighter and text on artwork needs to go.

Probably 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)
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