Learn to capture the beauty and drama of the sky. A good sky is the essence of successful landscape and seascape paintings, and this practical book covers everything you will need to know to paint a sky that captures the mood and atmosphere of a scene. With over 200 paintings, it explains techniques, demonstrates the painting process including step-by-step instruction on painting in oils with the alla prima technique. Advice is given on using alternative colours and creative intepretations and ideas offered to inspire and develop skills and a personal style. Includes detailed instruction on equipment, tone, composition and perspective, and practical advice on painting en plein air and travelling light. Of interest to all artists particularly oil painters, and superbly illustrated with 218 colour paintings.

The ultimate, accessible, no-nonsense guide to painting watercolor skies There are some areas of watercolor painting that beginners often have trouble with, and one of these is skies. In Stephen’s characteristic style, he approaches the subject in a no-fuss, technique-led way that aims to demystify sky painting so that you, the novice watercolorist will be able to approach it with confidence. Beginning with advice on key tools and materials, how to prepare your palette and achieve the right consistency of paint, Stephen takes you through seven common skies, ordered by difficulty: from simple plain blue skies and white cloudy skies to sunsets and storms. Every sky includes invaluable guidance on how to plan your sky, dozens of handy tips and clear step-by-step instructions and numerous examples. This is an essential book for watercolur artists starting out, as well as the more experienced looking to hone their landscape painting skills.

JMW Turner is one of the greatest artists Britain has ever produced. His watercolours, with their extraordinary effects of shifting light and dramatic skyscapes, are especially highly regarded. For the first time, the secrets of Turner's technique are revealed, allowing present-day watercolourists to learn from his achievements.This book combines unrivalled knowledge of Turner's working methods from Tate curators and conservators with practical advice from some of the world's most respected watercolour experts. Twenty-two thematic exercises are illustrated with Turner's works. Expert contemporary watercolourists explain, step-by-step, how to paint a similar composition, learning from Turner's techniques. Packed with invaluable information, from the materials Turner used to achieve the masterpieces we know and love today, to the modern materials the twenty-first-century watercolour artist will need.Backed by the authority of Tate, the world centre for Turner scholarship, with a glossary of technical terms, this is an invaluable resource both for lovers of Turner's art and of watercolour painting.

Practice the Art of Watercolor with this Beginner’s Guide to Picturesque Mountains, Lakes, Sunrises and More From a striking Desert Sunset Silhouette to a majestic Icelandic Waterfall to an eye-catching Magical Snowy Forest, watercolor artist Kolbie Blume’s wilderness scenes are the perfect introduction to watercolor painting. Kolbie’s step-by-step instructions make it easy to paint stunning landscapes featuring all of the key elements of wilderness painting and teach you beginner-friendly techniques for colorful skies, mountains, trees, wildflowers, oceans, lakes, and more. Each chapter teaches progressively more advanced elements, allowing you to build upon your skills as you work through the projects. And the final chapter combines all of the elements in breathtaking scenes—like a Glassy Milky Way and an Aurora Glacier Lagoon—that you’ll be proud to hang on your wall or gift to a friend or family member. With all the tips, tricks, and techniques you need to master the basics of watercolor painting and instructions on how to paint every element of nature, this collection of wilderness landscapes is the go-to guide for both beginner painters and more experienced artists looking for new subjects to paint.

Eric Sloane always asserted that "Drawing clouds and sky is an important part of art study," pointing out that nearly every great picture features sky space. With this intelligent and insightful primer, he sets out to help art students master the art of painting the heavens. One of the first books of its kind, Sloane's guide to drawing clouds and sunsets does much more than teach you how to draw. Before the sketching even begins, he describes various kinds of clouds — cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and other formations — and offers homespun techniques that add texture and realism to cloud illustrations. Also discussed and illustrated are skies as accessories and basic subject matter within a sketch, the shape and anatomy of clouds, moods and shadows in cloud formations, and incorporating clouds within a sunset.

One of the most popular painters of all time, J.M.W. Turner created a remarkable collection of sketchbooks over the course of his career. The 'Skies' sketchbook takes its name from its many richly coloured sky studies. Most of the sketches in the book were presumably observed in England, but a few many have been seen in Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. The dramatic consequence of the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815m darkening skies and reddening sunsets around the world, surely caught his attention. Turner's more intensely-coloured studies may document these effects which lasted for over a year. This edition of the sketchbook reproduces all these beautiful drawings in near-facsimile.

The sea and sky have captured the attention of artists for centuries. Their energy and drama, or their tranquility and beauty, can be portrayed powerfully and magnificently in a painting. This encouraging and user-friendly book gives practical advice on how to set about sea and sky painting, and explains what to look for in capturing space and movement, colour and light. Includes a guide to the tools, materials and techniques; practical instruction on coloured inks, acrylics, pastels, watercolours and oils; step-by-step painting sequences; inspiration and ideas from leading artists. A practical and inspirational guide to painting seas and skies, this book will be of great interest to marine, landscape, coastal and naval artists.