From the serenity of a color-streaked evening sky to the breaking light of a new day to the misty grayness after a rain shower, the ever changing sky dictates the whole mood and feeling of landscape painting. Master watercolorist Ron Ranson demonstrates how to capture the sky and improve the quality of your paintings, using a palette of only seven colors. He explains how to use a camera as a tool and photographs as a source to keep your work fresh, immediate, and spontaneous. A colorful gallery of finished paintings illustrates the results of the various techniques, and Ranson's constant enthusiasm provides plenty of encouragement. From clouds to sunlight to weather conditions, by successfully interpreting the beauty of the sky you will create more effective paintings every time you put brush to paper. A Selection of F&W's North Light Book Club. Studio Vista 128 pages (all in color), 8 3/4 x 10 7/8.

Using the Japanese hake brush, obtainable from most art and craft shops, Ron Ranson demonstrates how, because of its nature and size, it forces the watercolourist to simplify the subject matter and thus distil the essence of a scene. He also discusses the dissecting and dramatizing of the subject.

In examining 14 watercolour impressionists, this book treats their work and influence in an historical context.

Hundreds of photos reveal Ron Ranson's approach to watercolor.

Renowned artist Ron Ranson shows how to pare a subject down to its key elements and use large brushes and a limited palette to paint beautiful pictures with the purity and simplicity that's essential to a good watercolor.

This best-selling title will be relaunched in September 04 with a fresh new cover design. Ron Ranson has a huge following among amateur painters and skies are a fundamental element of any landscape painting, essential in creating atmosphere. Learning how to paint impressive skies can enable artists to produce landscape paintings that are full of vitality and atmosphere. In Learn to Paint Skies in Watercolour experienced teacher Ron Ranson provides plenty of practical advice on how to achieve this. He gives guidelines on techniques, colour and aspects of composition, as well as tips on working on location and in the studio. Contents include: * guidelines on choosing materials and equipment; descriptions of basic cloud formations; simple sky exercises; advice on creating atmosphere; using a camera to provide good reference; stage-by-stage demonstration painting

Fifteen students of the late watercolor teacher Edgar Whitney share the principles and techniques they learned from him