How to Paint: Acrylics

Jan 09

This new series from Search Press concentrates on the absolute basics and assumes very little prior knowledge on the part of the reader. It's one stage on from those omnibus how to paint everything in every medium books that are - or claim to be - an even more elementary introduction for the general reader. Some of them are good, but a lot are aimed at people who know someone who wants to paint and assume that a fat, suspiciously inexpensive, tome is the way forward. That the recipient probably never gets further than the first 20 or so pages and one half-completed watercolour means that their real value is never really tested.

I'm sorry, we seem to have got a bit off-topic there and I should add there are some really quite good big fat introductions around that are the ideal starting point for someone who's reasonably serious but hasn't got as far as deciding which is their medium yet.

But, back to our sheep [revenons a nos moutons as they say sur le continent]. If you've got as far as browsing this series on the shelves, you've also got as far as making a decision on which medium you're going to pursue and that's the first rung up the ladder. So, we'll assume that you know what a brush is and what paints are, but that you don't really have much experience in using them. And this is where this series comes in. There's a very good section on materials and media that will show you the basics of colour mixing and brushstrokes and then 3 fairly straightforward demonstration paintings that will get you started.

64 pages isn't enough to offer an exhaustive study, but the point is not to bog you down, but to give you something to achieve reasonably quickly so that you can move on with something already under your belt.

Jan 09

Acrylics are surely one of the most versatile types of paint. You can use them like watercolors, or like oils; you can even paint on fabric with them (which is how I use mine). If art if more your bag than craft, read on...

Despite the author having worked in the textile industry, there is no mention of fabric painting in here. There is however plenty of information about how to use it to paint pictures, and make the most of its unique characteristics. Using primed hardboard and acrylic gesso as a base (it tells you how to do this) here are several lovely examples to work through, during the process of which you can get to grips with the nature of the beast. Other topics mentioned in chapters include composing your picture, working out of doors, working from photographs, sketching and perspective. Coming through all this is the author's love of the countryside, both in his former home of Sussex and now Somerset. The examples include landscapes and seascapes which show the beauty of these areas, and the stimulating though brief text is filled with descriptions of the author's sketching trips near his home. Accessible and inspiring.

Feb 09

Another excellent book from the how to paint series, this time about acrylics. Peter shows how to prepare surfaces ready for painting, what brushes to use, and - essential for acrylics - how to keep paints wet.

He goes on to demonstrate the techniques he uses in his paintings, beginning with drawing the scene in charcoal over a red tinted board, though to beginning to paint and building up in layers and finally bringing in fine detail to complete the work.

Peter explains the importance of sketching, and just how to use photographs as a valuable reference material.

The basics of painting in any medium such as composition, linear perspective and aerial perspective are covered briefly but clearly and are followed by four simple and easy to follow demonstrations putting together all the information that has been covered in this book.

An excellent book for anyone starting in watercolour.