One of the attractions of painting outdoors is the challenge of capturing the spirit of a place – changing light, weather and transient conditions demand particular painting skills if they are to be interpreted effectively. Leading painter David Curtis works on location, in all weathers, observing and capturing the subtle effects of light and mood. Oil paint is as good for painting on site as it is for large-scale painting in the studio; it is remarkably responsive; can be applied in many different ways; and it allows time to assess and modify work in progress. In this fascinating book, David Curtis shows how he achieves such expressive and original results using drawings, paintings and stage-by-stage examples. He gives detailed explanations of his two main working methods – for plein-air paintings and for studio compositions – as well as plenty of helpful guidance and advice on choosing materials, exploring techniques, selecting ideas, composition, colour and tone and associated topics. Drawing skills and interpreting the qualities of light are other key issues that he deals with, while his wonderfully evocative landscapes, coastal scenes, interiors and figure compositions provide much inspiration.

This is not a book about the fundamentals of shutter speed or how your camera works; it is a book that will teach photographers of all levels how to work with their cameras to capture moments whether they are occurring quickly or unfolding over many hours. Capturing the Moment is about a gesture, an expression, a ball in the net, a whale breaching, like Marilyn Monroe’s skirt flying up or Alfred Eisenstaedt’s image of a kiss between a soldier and nurse in Times Square. Moments in all forms are the true core of photography, and this book will explain how to anticipate them, recognise them, choose them, and capture them, through the eyes and wisdom of award-winning photographer and celebrated author Michael Freeman.

There is renewed interest among art photographers in a number of historic printing techniques because of the remarkable effects they produce. The reader will discover how to create beautifully tinted mono- and polychromatic gum and oil images using the author's version of this 19th century technique. Step-by-step illustrated instructions with directions for further experimentation provide a perfect source for learning this new, yet old, printing technique. Gumoil printing involves contact-printing a positive transparency onto gum-coated paper. Oil paint is then applied and rubbed into nongummed areas of the print. With bleach etching, mono- and polychromatic variations are possible. A chapter on digital printing combines the new and the historic, making this technique even more accessible for the art photographer.

Giving an insight into how this inspiring and talented artist works, The Addictive Sketcher passes on Adebanji Alade's infectious enthusiasm and will have the reader reaching for a pencil or pen to have a go. Adebanji has a skill and a passion for speaking and motivating his audience in a fun and engaging way, and this is reflected in his writing style. Lively, stimulating and instructive, it is packed with numerous examples of the author’s sketches as well as examples of his vibrant finished paintings. Covering pencils, coloured pencils, charcoal and graphite, along with finished oil paintings, this book provides a fascinating insight into the author’s techniques. Adebanji’s work covers a broad range of subjects, including landscapes, portraits, crowd scenes, urban scenes and seascapes. He’s particularly well known for his portraits and working outdoors capturing the life of London where he lives. This book includes examples from a range of subject areas.

Paint with passion, purpose and pleasure What do you want your landscape painting to say about this place, this moment? How do you use the visual vocabulary - line, shape, value, color, edges - to say it? With this book, your conversation with nature will direct your brush. With an exhilarating, synergistic combination of indoor and outdoor painting, Kevin Macpherson shows you how to create personal, poetic landscapes that capture the feeling of being there. Learn how to: • Use a limited palette in a way that is more liberating than limiting • Experience nature to the fullest and capture its vibrancy back in the studio through photos, sketches and outdoor studies • Cope with the fleeting qualities of atmosphere and light by establishing a value plan early and sticking with it • Incorporate impressionistic touches of broken color to give your landscape a depth and vibrancy that enhances its realism • Approach painting as a layering and corrective process that encourages non-formulaic solutions Stimulating warm-up exercises in the studio prepare you for your adventures outside, while eight step-by-step demonstrations show you how to put these methods into action. Throughout, Macpherson's own light-filled landscapes illustrate the power of these techniques. Full of fresh air and fresh art, Landscape Painting Inside and Out will guide and encourage beginners while challenging more accomplished artists to bring greater vitality and a more natural, less formulaic finish to their paintings.

Become a Landscape Painter There's a world of difference between painting what you see and conveying what you feel. Expressive Oil Painting shows you how to create engaging landscapes that capture a sense of light, depth, movement and above all, your own unique impressions of the world around you. Within Expressive Oil Painting, discover: Fundamental concepts of oil painting—including supplies, work habits, drawing, color and composition—explained in a friendly, straightforward way A diverse sampling of ideas and approaches for painting landscape elements, capturing mood, painting en plein air, simplifying the complexity of nature and determining reference values Nine in-depth landscape painting demonstrations illustrating techniques from basic to advanced Whether you're working on location or from reference photos, this book will empower you to pain "light on your feet," improvising according to the needs of each particular subject and the conditions of the moment. With nature as your inspiration and this book as your guide, you'll find your way straight to the heart of landscape painting, bringing greater sensitivity, intuition and authenticity to your work.

Stunning watercolour title new in paperback. Leading watercolourist reveals the secrets behind his atmospheric, light-filled paintings. Watercolour is ideal for capturing the transient effects of light and, with compact and lightweight materials, is the perfect medium for plein-air painting. Leading watercolour painter David Curtis is a strong advocate of working on site, observing and capturing changing conditions and effects. In this beautifully illustrated book, he explains in detail his two main methods for working on location – for quick, loose studies and for more controlled and detailed paintings. He also shows how to collect reference material on the spot and develop this into resolved paintings back at the studio. He provides helpful instruction on interpreting light effects, with strong guidance on choosing materials, exploring techniques, composition, tone and colour and associated topics. This invaluable advice is complemented by a wealth of sketches, finished works and step-by-step demonstration paintings to illustrate different points and inspire further ideas. Reference Light and Mood in Watercolour hardback (9780713489552) Leading watercolourist reveals the secrets behind his light-filled paintings How to work en plein air to capture the transient effects of light How to collect reference material on location but paint in the studio Bestselling title new in paperback