Providing 135 lessons from three previous volumes by this artist-photographer team - "The Watercolourist's Guide to Painting Water", "The Watercolourist's Guide to Painting Trees", and "The Watercolourist's Guide to Painting Skies". A new introductory chapter has been added on materials and tools, as well as such basic techniques as mixing colours, laying in washes, and lifting colour. Each lesson is based on photography by John Shaw, one of America's leading nature photographers, and centres on a specific technique, from such basics as masking out or stippling to special effects like painting ice or capturing backlighting. Step-by-step demonstrations enhance the instruction, and assignments throughout the book encourage the reader to apply the lessons to other painting situations. Ferdinand Petrie is also the author of "Drawing Landscapes in Pencil" (Watson-Guptill). John Shaw is the author of "The Nature Photographer's Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques" and "John Shaw's Closeups in Nature" (Amphoto).