The Watercolourist’s Essential Notebook by Gordon MacKenzie, softback published by North Light Books in the USA. Available in the UK, ISBN 978-1-60061-201-5, price 12.99 from www.davidandcharles.co.uk
I like to dabble with watercolour, though I am far from proficient. I am, therefore, always on the lookout for books that will improve my technique. This book fits the bill. I found information in this book that I had not found elsewhere. The aim of the book is not to set rules but to open up the creative process.
This book gives advice on choosing materials, including useful sections on the characteristics of paint and the uses of different types of brush. Chapter two involves various exercises to get you used to the different affects achieved by using different brushes and techniques. That tricky subject of washes is dealt with in detail. The superb step by step instructions for painting using masking on several layers is fantastic for getting to grips with this aspect of painting. The chapters on composition, negative shapes and values are also good. Each chapter is illustrated by the author’s paintings. The examples on how to use the colour wheel and painting with colour are also highly recommended.
This is a good book to release the artist within you. The professional tricks of the trade will help you overcome your inhibitions and paint intuitively.