CATHY JOHNSON

Silken strands of hair. Water tumbling over rocks. Blinding reflections in glass or metal.Cathy Johnson shows you how to create realistic textures like these and make your watercolor paintings come alive.Youll find practical, easy-to-follow guidelines inside for creating 83 wonderful textures for fruits, vegetables, hair, glass, metal, fabric, flowers, fur, skin and much, much more.Johnsons beautiful watercolor sketches - complete with helpful captions - demonstrate each of these techniques and their many variations. Youll learn how to accurately recreate any texture you see and create lovely watercolor paintings that almost seem to breathe.Cathy Johnsons expertise will show you how to expand your own artistic vision and discover a world of textures - a world you can capture with your brush.

Add life, color, texture and individuality to your work! If youre ready to go beyond the basics, and see what watercolor can really do, this is the book for you! Inside, a wealth of "creative departures" will take you out of your comfort zone, making the difference between pigment on paper and original, expressive works of art. Updated and better than ever, this edition of Watercolor Tricks & Techniques features: 30+ new watercolor materials and applications along with fresh insights on many tried-and-true techniques 15 step-by-step demonstrations showing techniques in action for beautiful finished paintings 3 possibility-packed sectionsLiquid Aids, Dry Helpers and Indispensable Toolsexploring the possibilities of powdered pigments, granulating mediums, liquid mask, Yupo paper and much more Whether youre an advanced beginner ready to add a little zing to your repertoire or a seasoned painter looking to push your watercolor boundaries, this book will make the journey as exciting as the final destination.

Breathe fresh air into your watercolors! Capture the wonders of nature!From crashing waves to sculptured deserts, from grand sunsets to humble wildflowers, from backyard discoveries to exotic getaways, the natural world offers inspiration enough for a lifetime! In this book, one of todays premier nature artists shows you how to make the most of it. Within an inviting, sketchbook-style format, youll learn how to capture natures treasures using watercolor pencils and paint.Inside youll find: A chapter-by-chapter exploration of five diverse landscape themes: forests, water, meadows, mountains and deserts. 37 step-by-step demonstrations from two of Johnsons most beloved books, Creating Nature in Watercolor and Watercolor Pencil Magic. Johnsons favorite tips for capturing a variety of textures and subjects, including plants, trees, water, wildlife, rock formations, seasonal variations and more. A wealth of expert advice on gathering reference materials, assembling your own field kit, painting people in nature, and much more. Embark on a creative adventure as you experiment with new techniques, discover fresh subjects, and hone your powers of observation. Your resulting paintings and sketches will transport you to cherished moments and places worth remembering.

Make your first steps in watercolor fun and rewarding!Watercolors vivid colors and fresh, direct brush strokes make it the most exciting way to paint. "But," you think, "Learning to paint must be hard and frustrating." Not with Cathy Johnson as your teacher! Here, she makes learning to paint in watercolor funeven easy!With Painting Watercolors, youll learn to paint by picking up a brush and paintingnot by reading about a bunch of confusing theories.Cathy tells you everything you need to beginincluding: Which tools and materials you should buy to get off to a good, affordable start When, what, even where to paint Explanations of watercolor terms (such as "washes" and "puddles") Easy and useful painting trickssuch as glazing and drybrush.Exercises help you loosen up and learn the ins and outs of putting paint on paper. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions show you how to paint water, believable skies, a variety of trees in different seasons and other popular elements. Plus, a dozen demonstrations show you how paintings come together, from initial sketch to final brushstrokes.With Cathys help, you can start painting right away!

This new book in the bestselling No Experience Required series includes 6 step-by-step demonstrations and 10 exercises to show you how to depict a variety of animals in a full range of mediums. Perfect for beginners, the exercises in this easy-to-follow guide are designed to yield immediate improvement in your work. Youll learn to use the most popular mediums including watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, and colored pencil to create a range of appealing animal subjects including cats, dogs, wild birds, horses and farm animals.

Grab your pen and seize the day! Make art a part of your everyday life, and everyday life a part of your art. Vast opportunities and great joy await you as you learn sketching "on the spot"--be it in your own backyard, amid the bustle of a busy market, on a hike or wherever you happen to find yourself. Cathy Johnson leads you on this thrilling expedition as you explore ways to turn everyday sights and experiences into a cache of visual memories. She and other artists have opened their sketchbooks to share their favorite subjects, ranging from natures paraphernalia to aging buildings, crashing waves and beloved pets. You will travel the world through sketches and stories, through deserts and deep woods, cities and small towns. Along the way, youll pick up helpful tips and clever, on-location improvisations for making your sketching sessions pleasurable, safe and productive. Chapters focus on sketching subjects close to home, on travels, in nature, in urban settings and from everyday life. 10+ artists share favorite sketches, tips and techniques. 15+ demos reveal on-the-spot sketches as they come together. Includes expert advice on getting the best results from a range of mediums, including graphite, ink, colored pencil, watercolor and gouache.The Artists Sketchbook is pure delight, full of passion and possibility, ideas and inspirations. Youll learn ways to be prepared, simplify, still your inner critic, embrace the here and now, and in doing so, discover wonders you never thought to look for.