How can I capture a fleeting moment of time that keeps my interest as a painter? How can I later reproduce my impressions in beautiful pictures?
Novice painters often cannot capture what they see because they do not know how to start. The best way of gathering ideas and information is keeping a sketchbook.
The professional artist and teacher Wendy Jelbert never leaves home without a small sketchbook in her pocket. Of course, pencils, brushes and watercolour paints must not be missing. On the first pages Wendy Jelbert gives valuable tips about the equipment. Above all the material must be light and simple.
The next chapter covers the themes texture, tone, sketching with other media, details, the using of photographs, pen ink and water. Varied picture examples with many details and helpful tips are accompanied by easy to understand texts.
After experimenting with the basics, the next section of the book concentrates on broadening the painters skills. With a few helpful rules, you learn how things are placed in a painting to create cohesive compositions. Simplifying, composition, unusual formats are dealt with in detail. An often-neglected topic is the painting of figures. Human figures provide a fresh element in a scene. In this book, you can find a lot of examples of how to sketch them. You can follow the way of painting from photograph to the coloured sketch and the final painting.
The final section consists of three step-by-step painting projects. French window, farmyard and quiet harbour. Every topic takes up thus far learned. The way from reference photograph to finished watercolour painting is described in detail. For the beginner, it is very helpful to use the list of needed materials like paper, colours, brushes and other tools for various painting techniques. The selected motives impress with harmonious colours and through seamless work steps. A little story about the creation of the painting is amusing to read.
Conclusion:
From Sketch to watercolour painting is a recommendable book for beginners, but also for professional and serious amateurs. Impressive are the modern presentation, helpful tips, a lot of examples with exact details and easy to understand texts.
http://kreativreview.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/from-sketch-to-watercolour-painting.html
* Kreative Review *
We love the detail in this book, through a series of step-by-step projects, Wendy demonstrates how to develop your sketching skills and to transform a sketch into a finished painting. Everything is covered from capturing detail, composition and texture to making the most of your sketchboooks. Many of Wendy's beautiful finished paintings and the sketches that inspired them are included throughout the book.
* Hot Brands Cool Places *
Using pen line and wash, Wendy creates inspirational paintings for those who love to sketch and paint. She uses a loose, fresh technique that is ideal for both sketching and finished artworks. Discover a series of step-by-step projects that that will help you to develop your sketching skills and to transform them into artwork. Three of the projects are windows, two farmyards and one harbour. Yet the subject matter shown as finished paintings in the book is much wider, incorporating landscapes, people, bridges and buildings. Inject energy into your paintings with this technique. It covers sketching from life and photographs, building your skills and from sketch to painting. You'll find all you need to know about the subject and at the same time enjoy all the full colour images of superb sketches and paintings
* yarnsandfabrics.co.uk *
Have just received my copy of From Sketch to Watercolour Painting pen, line and wash, The cover of this book oozes so much energy, movement, vibrancy and sparkle it invites one to want to peek inside. And it doesn't disappoint! I am new to watercolour and pen and wash techniques; have tried it in the past and failed. This book is a great teaching tool however, as it guides one from the initial quick sketch to finished paintings in a very practical organised manner. Packed full of advice, tips, step by projects, Wendy shows the importance of creating good informative drawings which contain written notes on colour and tonal values of our subject. I particularly like Wendy's connotated instruction on technique employed throughout to achieve some of the finer detail in her paintings. I also love her use of other media such as oil pastel for example, which helps add the special vibrancy to sections of her work. Wendy is an inspirational artist and teacher who has put her heart and soul into this great publication. This is a book, not only geared towards the aspiring beginner but to those at all stages on their creative journey. Many instructional and sometimes costly art books out there have been ditched in frustration as dust collectors, on too many bookshelves. This is because they are merely show pieces for the authors artwork. Some may argue that the intention of these books are to offer inspiration. If I want 'inspiration' I will take a walk into the countryside. It is free
* Josie O'Donnell *
As an interested amateur, new to watercolour, I really enjoyed this book. It inspires you to go out into the big wide world and take your sketch pad with you. The book is beautifully illustrated and one you could dip into, or work through a project. Highly recommended for amateurs like me, but also a useful interesting read for more seasoned artists.
* Gill Stackhouse *
This isn't the first book about sketching but it is, as far as I'm aware, at least one of the first to cover the whole process right through. Yes, other books habitually include a chapter on working your sketchbook up into something grander, but this takes the logical step of following each subject from observation right through to the finished painting. And, of course, it's Wendy Jelbert, whose expertise in this field is second to none.
The structure of the book is familiar enough, with lessons, exercises, demonstrations and tips. This is good, as it means you're on solid ground right from the start. What you get initially are some basic lessons in seeing and observation - getting the essence of your subject. There are also useful hints on what to draw and what to annotate so that you have structure, shapes and colours at your fingertips when you get back home. There are also plenty of demonstrations that cover buildings, people, flowers and so on - typical Wendy subjects, in fact.
It's always going to feel a little odd working from someone else's sketches - they are, after all, intensely personal - but the way this is put together never feels intrusive. In fact, it's more like a sketching trip with an old friend, and all the better for that.
Since writing this, I've realised that this is in fact a re-working of a book that first appeared in 2003. (I should have - the back cover makes it clear!) As ever, Search Press's work is so good that it's by no means obvious and it felt new from the start. I don't think you can give that aspect of it higher praise.
* www.artbookreview.net *
Feb 2017
Wendy Jelbert's new book poses and answers the question, why sketch? Here, Wendy shows us how to capture special moments through our sketches and ideas into a finished painting. There's information on capturing detail, composition, texture, using watercolour and making the most of sketchbooks, as well as tips on pen, line and wash techniques - all given through a series of step-by-step projects. Wendy is an experienced and popular tutor who understands the needs of an amateur painter and how to get results.
* The Leisure Painter *
