Tate Watercolour Manual – Tony Smibert, Joyce Townsend

A classic medium, watercolor is practiced by many but mastered by few. This accessible and clear workbook is both a practical guide and an informative history. Beginning with a ''1-day course," the chapters cover technique, equipment, general theory, painting plein air, and conservation. The authors also examine the work of watercolor masters, among them Claude Lorrain, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable, J. M. W. Turner, and John Ruskin. Each chapter includes photographs and helpful examples of works in progress, explanations of methods, and how-to demonstra­tions. Designed for those who have not picked up a paintbrush since high-school art class as well as more seasoned practitioners, this guide is a must-have for anyone who wants to start out in watercolors, become a more assured and better artist, or simply gain a new understanding of the great watercolorists.