Discover a world of innovation beyond pure watercolour with over 60 exciting approaches and exercises from the master of watercolour landscapes, David Bellamy. ‘In this book I aim to illustrate ways in which to make your watercolours glow with excitement, offer you new methods of working, and at the same time make the whole experience great fun!’ David Bellamy David Bellamy is a successful and long-standing authority on the landscape in watercolour. Throughout this book he shares his extensive knowledge and experience and encourages confident artists to explore the boundaries of watercolour and forge new creative paths for themselves through experimentation. Alongside over 100 inspiring examples of David’s work there are more than 60 innovative approaches and exercises, with tips, visual examples and step-by-step technique, throughout the following sections: Starting traditional (exploring pure watercolour): Approach the basics in a new way – gain experience using just one colour, work with a limited palette, then tackle the striking results you can achieve with harmonious colours. Developing your style: Through short step-by-step techniques and plenty of finished, fully detailed examples, learn how to combine watercolour with gouache and use additives, inks, collage, pastels, stamping, gesso, watercolour ground, different surfaces, and found materials to create atmospheric, innovative results, for example for suggesting distant rain or creating dramatic sunlight effects. Interpreting and altering your subjects: Discover how to change the light or colours in a finished painting, introduce features that are not present or emphasise those that are, exaggerate perspective, or turn part of the composition into abstraction. Discover also how to alter, rescue and improve a painting where you may have a problem, or decide to change a passage on a whim. Taking it further: The final section is devoted to projects which you might like to consider – or what to do with your painting skills: personal projects that may relate to your family, your holidays, volunteer work, or perhaps involving the local community or a special cause. Watercolour and Beyond is an innovative, practical book, aimed at equipping landscape artists of all abilities with exciting new ideas and techniques.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 6 Foundations: Exploring watercolour 10 Simplicity What to paint 12 Technique: Washes 14 The power of monochromes 16 Texture 18 Working with harmonious colours 20 Moving into full colour 22 Technique: Wet-in-wet watercolour 24 Technique: Dropping in 26 Colour mixing 28 Technique: Glazing 30 Sketching and reference 32 Sketching in colour 34 Working outside 36 Composition 38 Technique: Using masking fluid 40 The artist explorer: Developing your painting style 42 Finding new approaches Working on different papers 44 Technique: Pouring watercolour 46 Mixing media: Ink with watercolour 48 Technique: Sponging 52 Technique: Stamping 54 Improving your composition Simple devices to enhance your compositions 56 Drama and energy in composition 60 Injecting atmosphere and drama 62 Light and space Technique: Pulling out colour 64 Abstract shadow 65 Colour, tone and space 66 Technique: Negative painting 68 Creating highlights in the sky 70 Technique: Softening edges and strong lines 72 Water Rivers 74 Gouache Mixing media: Using gouache 80 Using gouache with watercolour 82 Figures Character 84 Figures in context 86 Masking Knifework 89 Depicting scree 90 Technique: Scumbling 92 Visual texture Contrast in texture 95 Mixing media: Texture with Inktense watercolour pencil 96 Mixing media: Plastic food wrap 98 Technique: Super-granulations with granulation medium 102 Creative granulating 106 Physical texture Mixing media: Aquapasto 108 Mixing media: Gesso 110 Mixing media: Watercolour ground 112 Watercolour ground with added objects 118 Collage 120 Tissue paper as a base 122 Fresh Directions: Interpretation and alteration 124 Creative interpretation Pushing gouache to the fore 126 Ghosting background features 128 Creating a slightly looser approach 129 Creating patterns with found materials 130 Realistic features with watercolour ground 132 Altering the lighting 134 Shafts of sunlight and texture 136 Bringing techniques together 138 Alteration and rescue How to: Create a completely new foreground 142 How to: Change the perspective 143 How to: Fix problems caused by wax resist 144 How to: Get rid of a prominent eyesore 146 How to: Make good from a disaster 148 New Routes: Beyond wall art 150 Illustrating family events Boer Battles 152 Journal sketching Bavarian Sunshine 154 Enhanced sketchbooks 156 Re-creating history Steam at Aberedw 158 Index 160