Flowers in the Landscape (Watercolour Tips & Techniques) [Paperback]

This is a useful guide to flowers as an element within a larger painting rather than as a subject in themselves. Given that flowers feature in many landscapes this is timely, although there are a couple of demonstrations where the surrounding landscape rather seems to have disappeared and the flowers are, perhaps, more prominent than you might at first think. This isn't necessarily a let-down, but if you were expecting less defined shapes and blocks of colour in place of quite a lot of botanical details, let's say you might be surprised. If it's the former you're looking for, then you might find that Terry Harrison's Watercolour Flowers fits the bill rather better.-Artbookreview.net This book includes how to's and techniques for effects in watercolour such as Using Masking Fluid and a useful section on colour and colour mixing. This book offers instructions to paint a number of floral scenes such as a sunny group of daffodils or a bluebell wood. It also gives many examples of finished paintings to spur you on to become an accomplished painter. Ann has a beautiful light touch with her brush and her watercolours are inspiring. This 96 page book will help any artist to portray nature realistically.-KarenPlatt.co.uk There are lots of books on painting flowers, but most of these show the blooms by themselves. But flowers are part of a landscape and here they are shown in their element. They grow just about everywhere so there is a variety of different locations in here to inspire you to capture them in watercolors. I like the double-page spread showing the palette of colors needed for painting flowers - all the daubs of paint are flower shaped! It gives their names and a bit about what they are used for and the daubs are large enough to get a good idea of the color. I also like the fact that you don't have to go outside and hunt for what you want to paint but can use photographs, something too many artists seem to think is not playing the game. There is even a pair of photographs of daffodils and a sketch combining the two which is helpful, and this extends to a sketch in marker pen so you can hear the crack of rules being broken which is invariably a good sign. This progresses through a wash to a staged project of daffodils which shows beautifully and directly how a good painting can come from a couple of photographs. This theme continues and there are chapters on scaling up from a photograph using a grid, some nicely illustrated perspective and discussions of a couple of finished paintings detailing how they were created. Staged projects include a doorway with flowers, daisies on a table, a letterbox with hollyhocks beside it, hellebores and my favorite bluebell wood. Each project also shows several photographs that inspired it, and I personally found it a very useful tool that enhances my own work. It is mainly aimed at intermediate painters, although anybody who knows the basics and fancies having a go at floral studies will find it very user-friendly too.-Myshelf.com Ann shows you how to incorporate a wide and suitable variety of flower types and colours that will populate your landscapes, brighten them and make them look entirely natural. This is not a guide to painting flowers by, or for themselves, but rather how to exploit shapes and colours for a naturalistic effect.-The Artist This starts with introductory information for beginners, including advice on what paints, paper and brushes to choose, and how to select a palette. Ann also provides technical guidance, showing how to create lively mixes, apply washes, and how to use masking fluid effectively. The book moves forward to assist readers in deciding what to paint, and goes on to show them how to use a grid to scale up an image. Since Ann is dealing with landscape, she demonstrates how to handle both linear and aerial perspective, and offers tips for painting trees and foliage. Everything comes together in five detailed step-by-step demonstrations which form the bulk of the book. Ann develops a number of her images by combining information from several photographs, to create the most interesting composition. This book offers ideas and guidance to develop the skills of less confident painters, and with each demonstration augmented by a series of images on similar themes, it provides further inspiration for the intermediate reader.-Leisure Painter

Flowers are indeed hard to ignore. They brighten our lives and our surroundings, and I can think of no better medium to use to paint them than watercolour because it is such a lively and dynamic medium. Learning to control it - or should I say to not control it too much - is a challenge. It is, however, all the more fun for being so. "Watercolour" reveals its secrets gradually to anyone who is prepared to give it a go. As a medium it can be surprising or exasperating, but it is always fascinating and ultimately rewarding.