How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects: Amazon.ca: Nita Engle: Books

Product Description

A bold approach to watercolor shows readers how to combine spontaneity and control to produce lively paintings by spraying, sprinkling, pouring, or stamping paint.

About the Author

Nita Engle, whose work appears in national magazines, is the subject of a PBS documentary, Wilderness Palette: Nita Engle in Michigan. She lives in Marquette, Michigan. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Customer Reviews

30 Reviews

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
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Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars misleading title, Dec 6 2001

By

B. J. Steinmetz "silvernutmegbjs" (Durham, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects (Hardcover)

The artist does beautiful work and I'm sure her techniques are helpful and inspiring to more advanced watercolorists. However, for a beginner such as myself, this book is little help. There are many examples of Ms. Engle's work, but very few step by step photos to illustrate the text. The author should have realized that we beginners are not in a workshop to actually see the techniques of which she is writing and that detailed photos would be necessary for us. The title gives the impression that a beginner could follow along. My suggestions: a change of title or more detailed step by step photos. I'll keep my copy in the hope that someday I'll have enough of the basics down for me to use this.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not For Beginners, Dec 11 2001

By

hamsterdance (TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects (Hardcover)

This book is definitely not for a beginning watercolorist and I don't think the author and publishers intended it to be. If you are just beginning to paint in watercolor in a realistic style I recommend starting with books aimed for beginners first. That said, for high-intermediate to advanced watercolorists who want to learn new ways to add life to their paintings this is one of the best books out there using the pouring process as the primary means vs. painting with a brush. That doesn't mean Ms. Engle doesn't use brushes, it's just that they are only one of several techniques at her disposal.

I got this book after having read Creative Discoveries in Watermedia. So I understand why the title says 'Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects'. Many of the same techniques from the Creative Discoveries book are used here as well. Everything from squirt bottles to pouring the paints and tipping the board to let the paint run where it will to textural techniqes for added interest. All the chapters introduce fun methods for paiting but I'm glad design (aka composition) has a chapter of its own. All the techniques in the world won't save a painting with a poor design (that's when you just crop it and make it a mixed media experimental painting!) :)

My favorite chapter is the last one. It discusses experimental techiques, mediums, methods, etc. This is the only watercolor book I've ever seen that mentions W&N's Aquapasto medium, a product I love for adding texture elements to some of my more experimental paintings. If you're an intermediate to advanced watercolorist looking for new ideas you'll find plenty of them here.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "How to Make Watercolor Paint Itself" by Nita Engle, April 27 2005

By

Georgina Jones (Sarnia, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects (Hardcover)

I've given this book a 5 star rating because I feel it's terrific value for the money. The information is mind boggling and takes painting to another level.
Having said that, I feel this is a book for experienced painters, although, if you enjoy a challenge it could be what you are looking for.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Can a watercolor paint itself?
Although a watercolour will definitely not paint itself, the experimental techniques shown will help those who are able to imagine landscapes or seascapes based on the way paint... Read more

Published 22 months ago by D. McGee

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorate
I've got this book about a year ago. Still read and re read it.
Nita Engle gives you an unusual, fantastic and very fresh look at the world. Read more

Published on April 6 2004