Customer Reviews

Wet-on-Wet Watercolour Painting: A Complete Guide to Techniques and Materials

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

 

 

This is possibly the worst written book I have ever read. It is beautifully produced (particularly for the price), has wonderful illustrations, contains gorgeous paintings and is full of totally invaluable information for anyone wanting to learn wet-on-wet watercolor. The author is quite clearly a top exponent of the technique. Possibly the horrendously verbose and opaque writing is the fault of the translator, possibly not. It seems to have been originally written in Polish. This is not a book for a total beginner as you have to have some knowledge in order to decipher the jargon and puzzle out the obtuse sentences. I am still glad I bought it. It is a deal despite its short comings. If it was re-written in a clear and comprehensible style I would willingly fork out forty or forty-five bucks for it.

This is a wonderful book on a subject that all new watercolorists need to master. What I really liked about this book above all was the authors discussion on saturation and the different levels of it. It is very informative with plenty of pictures and information.

I just got this book and tried some of the exercises, and I see where the negative comments come from, but I don't think they are right. The author does a service in no other book I have so far (and I have 6 shelf-feet of watercolor books). I am teaching myself, as I live in a remote area and can't get a good class so far. I have for months wished someone could look over my shoulder and slap my hand when I have too much or too little paint (or water) on the brush or the paper is not primed right. Karpinska shows pictures of just what every move you make should look like, down to the exact shine on the paper. I don't see how anyone could have done a better job. These exercises are difficult, and this is not a beginning book. She won't teach one how to do a painting in 20 minutes (as some authors purport to do). But if you really want to work to improve your technique, she shows the right exercises to accomplish this. The illustrations are excellent, and reproductions of paintings (her own as well as other artists') show clearly where application of her methods can lead. It's my opinion that a lot of watercolor artists as well as students stay away from wet on wet technique because the results are so chancy. But Karpinska shows how to move the odds of success in the watercolorist's favor. I think after working with her book I will be able to achieve the results I want, so I am willing to put up with some difficulty in order to advance.

It covers the whole process of painting, you should know a good aquarellist. Illustrations and simple explanations and precise.

What a ripoff! I have Ms. Karpinska's first book (English Translation) that I bought from Amazon several years ago. I loved it and learned a lot. The problem is, this book is almost identical and has no new information and only a few new illustrations.
Just because it has a new cover doesn't give the publisher, in my opinion, the right to market it as new just to get people like me to buy it. I've been waiting for a new Ewa Karpinska book to come out. Too bad it's the same one I already have. What a disappointment.
Either write a new book and publish it or state clearly that it's the same one that's already out there!

When I grow up I want to be able to paint just like her! I loved her style of watercolor painting. I don't think I really "got" how to do these techniques myself. So in one sense I don't think the book was that great as far as the instruction but it was certainly inspiring. I think it just takes a lot of experimentation and time and the understanding of how to create incredible paintings will come somewhere down the road. It's a journey... learning to paint well.

I would definitely recommend this book even with its shortcomings.