Based on the author’s successful courses and workshops, Painting for the Absolute and Utter Beginner really does start at the beginning, helping new painters find "what works" while providing information on all the necessary tools, tips, and techniques they’ll need to create a representational painting. The chapters follow a progressive sequence that teaches basic skills through practical, accessible exercises–how to handle a brush, achieve the right paint consistency, mix color, and create dimension–building a solid foundation that readers can rely on as painting projects grow more challenging. A special feature is the artwork and commentary of real students, which helps beginners set realistic goals and shows them how other artists at the same level of experience have worked through inevitable setbacks to achieve success.

The decision to learn to draw and paint invariably brings up a lot of questions for the beginner. "What medium should I try? What materials will I need? How do I make the first marks on a blank sheet of paper?" The most important question of all, of course, is: "Do I have any artistic talent?" In this book Mike Chaplin answers all those questions and more, ranging from basic markmaking with drawing tools, watercolors, pastels, and oils to tackling complicated subjects such as perspective in an easily comprehensible way. Which media you eventually decide you want to use the most will depend on your own temperament and your preferred style of working, but all have something special to bring to a subject and your art will greatly benefit from trying them all. Meanwhile, Mike's accessible style of teaching will demonstrate to you that you can indeed draw and paint through learning the necessary techniques in a simple and structured way. A member of the prestigious Royal Watercolour Society of Great Britain, Mike Chaplin combines a notable career in art with communicating his knowledge and enthusiasm to artists in workshops in the UK and internationally.

Learn the art of hand lettering with this comprehensive how-to book, full of beauty, knowledge, and inspiration! Pretty Simple Lettering is the perfect book for any hand letterer, whether you're new to the art or an experienced designer looking to expand your skill. In the book, you will learn the basics of creating alphabets in many different styles, how to develop those styles into one that is uniquely your own, and how to turn your lettering into beautiful pieces of art. Learning the basics of hand lettering can be pretty simple! Whitney breaks down 10 individual alphabets in various lettering styles, including upper and lower case, showing you how to form each letter, turn those letters into words, and turn those words into works of art! Discover the tools, techniques, and tricks of the trade from a seasoned lettering artist who has been in the business since 2014.In the final sections of this book, learn how Whitney approaches every design as she leads you through a step-by-step tutorial outlining her process of composition. The last section of the book is filled with project pages for you to create your own works of art to hang on your wall or gift to a friend! Every project is surrounded by gorgeous floral designs, adding a special touch of whimsy to your final creation!

Basic Acrylic Instruction—Amazing Results! This resource is packed with the best of Lee Hammond's lessons and tips on working with acrylics, including more than 80 step-by-step exercises and demonstrations that will have you creating amazing paintings in no time flat. Success is easy—just follow along with Lee! With just seven to nine pigments, you can paint anything. You'll learn how to add layers and details, one stroke at a time. Along the way, Lee 's friendly encouragement and quick tips will help you work past what she calls "the awkward stage," so you can complete your paintings with confidence. In addition to detailed information on selecting materials and mixing colors, you'll also get complete visual instruction for painting subjects of all kinds, including: • Still Life: Get proper proportions every time, using easy graphing techniques. You'll also find demonstrations for painting the tricky parts, such as glossy textures and reflective surfaces. • Landscapes: Lee shares proven tips for creating depth and realism in subjects ranging from forests and mountains to prairies and seascapes. She also shows how to paint realistic clouds, trees, water and more. • Animals: This chapter provides step-by-step guidance for painting all your favorite creatures. There's even extra instruction for getting the eyes, noses, fur and feathers just right. • People: Painting people can be especially challenging, but success is easy with basic steps and practical guidance. One feature at a time, you'll learn simple techniques for painting faces of all kinds—male or female, young or old. You'll also find in-depth guidance for creating realistic fleshtones, eye color, hair and more. This is a complete acrylic painting course right on your bookshelf. Follow along from beginning to end or refer to this guide when you need a quick lesson. Either way, after learning from a master like Lee Hammond, you won't be a beginner for long. Get started today!

This practical step-by-step guide helps beginners quickly achieve immediate and impressive results. Thirty-eight step-by-step projects each illustrate a different painting technique, using watercolors, acrylics, or oils. Readers learn to paint landscapes, still life, people, flowers, animals, buildings, and more.

Paint 16 scenes that conjure the romance of the sea Seagulls cawing, the meeting of sky and sea, the hypnotic ebb and flow of waves breaking on the shore—it's no wonder artists are drawn to the magic of the sea. Jacqueline Penney has lived near the water and been inspired by its many moods for over 30 years. In this book, she shares her favorite techniques and expert tricks for capturing the atmosphere and romance of the ocean in acrylics. • 16 gorgeous painting projects—from beautiful sunrises and a romantic walk along the beach, to scenes featuring lobster boats and lighthouses • Step-by-step instruction for painting a wide range of seascape elements including waves, skies, sand dunes, reflections, driftwood, grasses, rocks, sailboats, fishing shacks and more • Techniques for painting pebbly beaches, ocean spray, weather-worn rocks and other realistic textures • Creative variations to explore, including two-piece artworks, painting with a palette knife and moonlit scenes Complete with a gallery of finished paintings that deliver waves of inspiration to water-loving artists of every skill level.