The Art of Watercolor Painting offers a fresh take on a beloved classic art medium. This comprehensive how-to-paint book opens with a thorough introduction to the essential watercolor tools and materials artists need to get started, including paintbrushes, watercolor paints, sketchbooks, papers, and supports. Next, readers will learn about the fundamentals of watercolor, as well as a variety of painting techniques, including creating washes, mixing colors, preserving the white of the paper, painting soft blends, rendering realistic reflections, and working wet into wet, among others. Following this helpful introduction, four expert watercolorists show artists how to put their painting skills to use through simple step-by-step lessons, starting with initial sketches and culminating in final works of art. With subject matter that ranges from the whimsical to the traditional, including flowers, fairies, oceans, birds, and horses, The Art of Watercolor Painting features projects to suit artists of all tastes and skill levels. Also included are techniques specific to painting lifelike portraits, as well as tips for painting seascapes, including waves, ripples, foam, rocks, sand, boats, sunsets, and clouds. A section on Chinese brush painting features step-by-step painting lessons of a number of traditional subjects using time-honored painting techniques. With inspiration, instruction, and professional tips and tricks on virtually every page, The Art of Watercolor Painting is nothing short of an all-inclusive resource for both beginning and experienced watercolor artists alike. A handy index complements this reference guide, making this gorgeous full-color book the perfect addition to any artist's library.