Thanks to overwhelmingly positive responses to the demonstrations in my first book "Mastering Watercolors - a practical guide," I've created this 124-page manual of how-to demos. Here you'll find twelve new step-by-step paintings with reference photos and plenty of images to guide you through each piece. I've also included a section on watercolor basics and materials (11 pages) similar to what was in my first book for people who have not read it. An additional chapter covers what to consider when working from photographs. An ideal follow-on from "Mastering Watercolors - a practical guide," this book is especially suited to people who can't attend regular classes with a professional tutor. Watercolor is wonderful and challenging medium which, like most creative pursuits, develops with regular practice. Happy painting! Joe Cartwright

This volume in a series of sixteen that features the more than two thousand works of art in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art focuses on American drawings and watercolors. -- Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

More Than a Likeness: The Enduring Art of Mary Whyte is the first comprehensive book on the life and work of one of today's most renowned watercolorists. From Whyte's earliest paintings in rural Ohio and Pennsylvania, to the riveting portraits of her southern neighbors, historian Martha R. Severens provides us with an intimate look into the artist's private world. With more than two hundred full-color images of Whyte's paintings and sketches, as well as comparison works by masters such as Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, and John Singer Sargent, Severens clearly illustrates how Whyte's art has been shaped and how the artist forged her own place in the world today. Though Whyte's academic training in Philadelphia was in oil painting, she learned the art of watercolor on her own—by studying masterworks in museums. Today Whyte's style of watercolor painting is a unique blend of classical realism and contemporary vision, as seen in her intimate portraits of Southern blue-collar workers and elderly African American women in the South Carolina lowcountry. "For me ideas are more plentiful than the hours to paint them, and I worry that I cannot get to all of my thoughts before they are forgotten or are pushed aside by more pressing concerns," explains Whyte. "Some works take time to evolve. Like small seeds the paintings might not come to fruition until several years later, after there has been ample time for germination." Using broad sweeping washes as well as miniscule brushstrokes, Whyte directs the viewer's attention to the areas in her paintings she deems most important. Murky passages of neutral colors often give way to areas of intense detail and color, giving the works a variety of edges and poetic focus. Several paintings included in the book are accompanied by enlarged areas of detail, showcasing Whyte's technical mastery. More Than a Likeness is replete with engaging artwork and inspiring text that mark the mid-point in Whyte's artistry. Of what she will paint in the future, the artist says, "I have always believed that as artists we don't choose our vocation, style, or subject matter. Art chooses us."

"Archaeologist Genevieve von Petzinger looks past the horses, bison, ibex, and faceless humans in the ancient paintings and instead focuses on the abstract geometric images that accompany them. She offers her research on the terse symbols that appear more often than any other kinds of figures--signs that have never really been studied or explained until now"--

Watercolor is a magical and often challenging medium. Once mastered, it will reward you with the pleasure of creating striking works of art of infinite variety. This book is a culmination of many years of teaching. Through it, I set out to clear up widespread misconceptions about painting with watercolors. These common confusions hold watercolor artists back from achieving their full potential. Full of practical advice and techniques, my aim is to simplify watercolor painting to assist you in your personal watercolor adventure. Enjoy the journey!