Practical Encyclopedia of Acrylics, Oils and Gouache

This title mixes paint; brush strokes; gouache; masking out; glazing; wet-into-wet; drybrush painting; stretching canvas; painting with knives; and, light to dark. This is a comprehensive, fully illustrated step-by-step guide to three popular painting media, with over 750 colour photographs, including detailed step-by-step illustrations of all the techniques. Beginners can get started and achieve an enjoyable and fulfilling level of competence almost immediately and experienced painters will benefit from expert advice and guidance on advanced techniques. Practical exercises cover all the basics of each technique from mixing and learning about paints to teaching specific painting skills. There are over 20 intensive projects photographed step-by-step and accompanied by comprehensive instructions. This title explains how to approach a range of subjects and styles from landscapes in soft watercolour to vivid portraits and still lifes. Learning to paint using oils, acrylics and gouache requires training in specific painting skills. This practical encyclopedia is an ideal introduction to all three skills for beginners, as well as including exercises and projects to challenge more experienced artists. Getting Started discusses the materials and equipment required and suggests a starter palette for those about to invest in their first set of paints. This chapter clearly demonstrates how to use different painting tools, mix, blend and dilute different paints, and how to prepare a canvas. There are practical exercises that show how to apply paint such as wet into wet with gouache, impasto and scumbling with acrylics and glazing with oils. Painting Projects includes 20 beautiful artworks ranging from landscapes to representations of people, still lifes and abstract canvases that are truly inspirational. These projects are illustrated step by step, showing how the canvas should look at every stage of application. With gallery examples from professional artists, a range of styles of working and differing perspectives are included throughout.