Easy tips for buying and using materials, mixing colours, creating texture and correcting mistakes, as well as for painting skies, fields, trees, water, roofs, winter scenes and much more. Terry demystifies the painting process, reveals his secrets and shows how to produce perfect pictures every time.
Aug 08
Terry Harrison is a well known writer of watercolour books. This excellent little hardback is full of helpful tips on how to make artworks just that bit more interesting, using simple tips such as using a paper mask to paint hedgerows and a sponge to mask out tree blossom to scraping out grasses from wet paint. Further into the book the details are really helpful for composing new paintings. For instance Terry shows how to add interest to windows by adding shadows, curtains or shutters lifting them from an unimaginative painted rectangle to a window that makes you wonder just what is happening behind the scene. A similar treatment is given for walls, making them fall more interesting that a row of evenly coloured bricks, stiles and gates which instantly add impact to a country scene and simple ways to create winter scenes.
An excellent feature now appearing in many books is the ring bound function, meaning the book can be laid completely flat when copying and won't irritatingly close up on you.
Each tip is clearly illustrated in simple easy to follow steps and using them will transform a dull painting into an eye-catching artwork.
* JeannieZelos.com *July 08
Terry Harrison is a popular teacher and demonstrator and I don't think it's unfair to him to say that he has a polished act that comes across well. I don't mean that there is anything false; simply that demonstrating is a form of theatre and, if the performance (for want of a better word) is lacklustre, the audience's chances of learning anything are diminished. What you want is a speaker who can make important point clearly and simply, doesn't mumble and over-speak and, at the end, produces a painting that looks worth all the effort.
To achieve this requires two main aspects. The first is a painting that the artist can reproduce pretty much with their eyes shut, as painting and talking at the same time is not easy. The second is a clear script which enunciates the important points clearly and concisely so that you really can follow, understand and, above all, remember, that little trick they have with the sky.
So, to cut to the chase, the one thing a good demonstrator has is a block of tips that they can pepper throughout a demonstration, and I'm sure everyone there just wishes they'd write them down in a book. The fact that a lot of them don't is that they want you to have them back for more pearls of their wisdom. Write a book and haven't you just given everything away at once? Well, yes, so there has to be something more and my guess is that this little tome will probably get Terry more bookings than he'd have had without it. It should also be said that he's a generous teacher, which is one of the reasons he's so popular.
What you get here for less than a tenner is 140 tips (it says so on the cover) covering everything from techniques such as mixing colour, washes and wet-in-wet to subjects like flowers, boats and skies. There are plenty of step-by-step demonstrations and the book is spiral bound so that it lies flat and you can keep it open while both your hands are occupied with painting (or even cooking, cleaning or worming the whippet, if that's what takes your fancy). It's fair to say that this is not a book for the advanced painter, but it has much to say both to the raw beginner and the intermediate painter who may be starting to struggle with certain aspects of their technique. Terry is a great simplifier and this is a perfect way of cutting through any mystique that may have building up and stopping you seeing the wood (literally) for the trees.
* Artbookreview.net *Sept 08
Trying to learn a practical skill on your own is not easy - too many books assume at least some prior knowledge and it is easy to find that vital facts are glossed over and remain a mystery. Take watercolor painting for example. What really are the brushes you need to buy? What is wrong with student quality paints? How do you look after your pricey purchases?
I wish somebody had told me these things when I started painting! Here is a book that answers 140 questions. It helps if you are a specialist in landscapes and seascapes, as if you are into portraits or fantasy art many of the tips won't apply. Learn how to paint the various components of trees, clouds, water and more, make a wash and work from photographs properly and all sorts of other things. The book has a brief, snappy style with helpful illustrations and is very easy to understand. I found myself being surprised at how much I didn't know and even if you are not a beginner this book will have plenty to say that is interesting and illuminating. I also like the way it opens out flat - more practical books ought to be made this way as it is so much easier to work from.
* Myshelf.com *Terry Harrison grew up in Norfolk. His early art education was basic and he never dreamed that he would become an artist. At fifteen, Terry moved to Hampshire and was inspired by a brilliant art teacher. He took O and A levels in art, then won a place at Farnham Art School at the age of sixteen. He became a graphic artist, but continued to paint in his spare time. In 1984 Terry gave up his job to paint full time. He demonstrates to artists' groups and teaches on painting holidays. He has also developed a range of his own brushes and paints. He is the author of many best selling books on painting with acrylics and watercolours. Terry now lives in the Cotswolds.