Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes: Flowers in Watercolour

Having just had a handful of `beginners' watercolour lessons and finding them very challenging I was introduced to this book. Wow! I found it to be very exciting and inspiring. For people new to painting and to watercolour this is the book for you. You don't even need to be able to draw!

The book is full of ideas, tips and projects for you to work through. Each chapter leads on to new and interesting techniques to learn such as `spattering', `wax resist' and the use of salt. For those who find drawing difficult as I do tracings are provided of the flowers, leaves and seed heads featured so there is no excuse not to get started! Each `tracing' is carefully cross referenced to the relevant project and page where you will find step-by-step instructions to lead you through the painting techniques needed to complete your chosen project.

At the beginning of the book there is information about the basic equipment needed. A list of the paint colours used throughout is given but as well as their names there is also a colour chart. I found this a great help as it meant I could mix the colour I needed if I didn't have the particular paint mentioned.

As it is now autumn I decided to have a go at the leaf (see Pic 1). This involved painting `wet-in- wet'. I particularly enjoyed trying out the effect of `spatter spots'. Painting the `Anemone with shadows' picture (pic 2) introduced the idea of using `negative space' to keep areas white, and of using masking fluid to reserve areas of the paper from the paint in order to add a different colour at a later stage. The background to the flowers is achieved using the `wet-in-wet' method whereas to deepen the shadow and add detail required `wet-on-dry'. My most successful picture was achieved using wax resist to paint a picture of Honesty seed heads (see Pic 3). I was very happy with the result at just my first attempt!

If you love flowers and have always wanted to paint them then this book is for you.

https://notcompulsory.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/two-ready-to-paint-in-30-minutes.html

September 2017

The original Ready to Paint series sold well to more experienced artists who might have been expected to dismiss it as 'jumped up painting by numbers'. A complete re-think has produced this development which is a whole new departure. In place of complete paintings there are 30-odd half-hour exercises that concentrate on a single element -skies, shadows, trees, rosebuds, seed heads or leaves. There is also more emphasis on technique and therefore on the learning process. It's definitely worth a look.

September 2017

Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes is a brand new series from Search Press aimed specifically at the complete beginner. The focus is to provide quick and easy instruction for anyone short on time, as each exercise is designed to take no more than 30 minutes. The series kicks off with two titles - Street Scenes by Grahame Booth and Flowers in Watercolour by Ann Mortimer. Street Scenes is broken down into eight chapters covering tone, colour, perspective, the wash. edge control, brush strokes, adding details and putting it all togethe. There are 32 easy exercises for you to work on, each of which covers an element of street scenes, such as doorways or people. The time is limited to 20 minutes spent on each and the size is limited to postcard size, which make them ideal for an A6 watercolour pad. Three finished paintings are demonstrated at the end of the book and are accompanied by actual size tracings to make it easier for the complete novice to get started with their painting.

Ann Mortimer will be well known to Leisure Painter readers and in her 30 minute book she covers five main aspects of painting flowers in watercolour: working with watercolour, watercolour techniques, colour and tone, form and details, and finally, flowers in context. Once again the size and time is limited for each exercise and the final section, also accompanied by actual size tracings, demonstrates three paintings that combine all the techniques learnt.

This is genuinely exciting evolution of a popular series. You'll be guided through some simple exercises and on to complete painting, gaining valuable insights that will develop and improve your skills.

Ann is a professional watercolour artist and tutor. She started her working life as a French teacher having gained a degree in European Studies at UEA and a PGCE from Southampton University. She had always had a passion for drawing and painting and in 1990, with her children in Secondary school, she took up a study of watercolour painting and was soon selling her work and designs for greetings cards and mug wraps. She became a member of the Society of Floral Painters with whom she exhibited annually. Ann has demonstrated for art societies around the country, has held workshops in her garden studio at home and run painting holidays. She regularly designs greetings cards for Medici cards. Ann has written several articles for Leisure Painter and in 2014 produced a watercolour techniques video. She now continues to share her skills with watercolour demonstrations on her website blog, on social media and YouTube.

Ann's love of painting has always gone hand in hand with a love of flowers and gardening, each activity complementing the other. Ann has three grown up children and lives in Nottinghamshire with her husband.

For more information please visit www.annmortimerart.com