Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting

Elucidates the basic techniques and elements of color and design, provides hints on framing and selling pictures, and features step-by-step demonstrations of the painting process

The author of this superb guide was not only a renowned watercolor painter but also a brilliant teacher with an unmatched talent for conveying to his students the techniques and aesthetic philosophy underlying great paintings. Years after becoming award-winning painters themselves, his students still quote his "Whitneyisms" to remind themselves of all that is most important in creating art. This fine guide, the distillation of Edgar Whitney's teaching, is one of the most useful, comprehensive, and popular watercolor painting books every published—almost a cult classic. Starting with the nuts-and-bolts basics—including choice of paper, colors, palette, and brushes—and with exercises to give the beginner experience in using washes on both dry and wet paper, the book presents a full course of watercolor painting. The author gives specific, detailed instructions for creating landscapes and for painting portraits and figures—instructions that come vividly to life in two 16-page full-color sections showing the steps involved in creatiang seven of his own watercolors. Other chapters focus on drawing; the principles and elements of design; and matting, framing, and selling completed works of art. Beautifully designed and illustrated, this invaluable book will be treasured by all watercolorists—from complete beginners to experienced painters looking for ways to improve their own paintings.
Dover (2001) unabridged republication of the enlarged second edition originally published by Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1974.