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The Innovative Artist: Capturing Light

$29.95

Creating radiant landscapes in watercolour by Catherine Beale

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Book Description

Catherine Beale has developed an imaginative light-capturing technique that is both simple and effective. She calls this ‘gravity’ painting. In landscapes, where light is an essential element, this ‘loosen up’ method of flowing watercolour pigments is particularly effective. It can dramatically alter perspectives, veil or highlight details, create mood and atmosphere and imbue pictures with life and vitality. Catherine offers an exciting new technique for artists seeking new challenges and a different way of working.

Capturing Light is a must for artists who wish to investigate the subtle qualities of light with an emphasis on creating dramatic, imaginative landscapes.

Loving the fluidity of watercolours, Catherine has developed a painting technique by experimenting with, and exploring, modern watercolour pigments and the boundaries of the medium. The method uses lots of water on a sloping board which Catherine calls gravity painting, which creates a natural way of working, keeping colours luminous and mobile without any ‘muddying’.

The book starts with an explanation of the technique, the materials and colours used and the importance of capturing the essence of a landscape. There are numerous progressively challenging small exercises, demonstrations and inspirational finished pictures illustrating the alluring effects of reflections, mists and shadows and showing the dramatic effects of different skies. Developments of ideas for landscapes are introduced as the book progresses, plus nine projects exploring how to build up light-filled effects. Catherine’s method will free up your painting style, embolden your colour choices and show you how to create vibrant pictures full of dramatic light.

Introduction 6
My inspiration 12
Materials & tools 28
Colour 40
Light & shade 50
Techniques 62
More advanced techniques 94

Projects 110
Aerial Perspective 112, Mists 120, Clouds, Storms & Rain 128, Bleached by High Summer Sun 134, Blinding Sun & Hard Shadows 140, Dappled Woodland Light 146, Sparkling Light on the Sea 152, Sunset 158, Artificial Light 164

Index 176

About the Author

About Catherine Beale

Catherine Beale is known for her light-filled watercolours, the luminosity of which is influenced by years spent in Asia where light and colour pervaded every facet of her local daily life. During time spent there her clients included the British High Commission, the British Club and US Embassy in Singapore, organizations including BNP Paribas and Reuters, and the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary in Malaysia. Her work was also gifted to the British Royal Family and Singapore's President.

Catherine now works from her studio in Bath, UK painting commissions for private collectors including galleries, art shop owners and schools. Her pictures can be found in Bath’s Flamingo Gallery, Stourhead's First View Gallery and White Chalk in Devizes. She is often in the Bath Society of Artists Annual Exhibition and during the Wylye Valley and Bath's Open Studios. She exhibits annually with the Society of Women Artists at the Mall Galleries, and has exhibited with the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Institute of Painters. Catherine has contributed to The Artist Magazine (UK), and runs workshops for art groups and the Royal West of England Academy Bristol. See her website at catherinebeale.com

Reviews

Author of 'The Colour Mixing Companion'

Capturing Light is an inspiring book about Catherine Beales approach to her watercolour painting. Her work is radiant and bright and here she generously shares much advice on her working methods. A great book for any keen watercolourist and would appeal to beginners and intermediate painter.

The book is well laid out, with clear and practical information that the reader can use. This is very helpful and informative. The watercolour techniques and paintings are bright and fresh and will help the reader to keep their work clean and bright. It is an inspiring and accessible book and Im sure will encourage the reader not to over work their watercolours and let the paint do the work for them.

Author of 'Painting into the Light'

This book came at exactly the right time for me, as I was just off on travels with a box of brand new watercolours. I'm an oil painter, but I know nothing about this medium and I've always been scared of it! It was reassuring to read that the author was keen on intense colour and opacity, as reflected in her work. I'm not so interested in washy, formless landscapes - happily, the author's paintings glow with light and are a pleasure to look through.

There's a generous well of information on tools and technique in here, and I loved the chapter on colour with the innovative colour wheel. I was especially interested to see how a convincing illusion of light could be created without an opaque white. I learned a lot from the beautiful step by step paintings, on brushwork, masking, edges, lifting off - it's just packed with useful tips and info.

Customer Review

The Innovative Artist: Capturing Light by Catherine Beale is a great comprehensive book. It covers everything you will need to know about capturing light in your paintings. The book is set in chapters which then cover the different stages of each section whether it be observation and imagination, times of day, inspiration, camera and developing ones style.

The first chapter is about how Catherine gets her inspiration, then onto materials and tools then colour, and different ways of creating texture. After that she shares techniques and more advanced techniques. It then goes onto projects for you to try. Catherine paints in a mostly wet in wet style which is lovely. This book really does cover everything you will need to know about creating radiant landscapes in watercolour. Well worth getting for either beginners or more advanced artists. A book that you will be able to refer back to time and time again and learn something new each time.

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