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| Charles Reid's Watercolor Solutions: Learn To Solve The Most Common Painting Problems | 
 enlarge | Author: Charles Reid
Publisher: North Light Books
Category: Book
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $19.79
You Save: $10.20 (34%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (8 reviews)
Sales Rank: 13411
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 128
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.8
ISBN: 1581809913
Dewey Decimal Number: 751.422
EAN: 9781581809916
ASIN: 1581809913
Publication Date: July 30, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
As one of the most sought after workshop instructors, Charles Reid possesses certain skills that set him apart from his students. In Charles Reid's Watercolor Solutions, he shares that knowledge with readers, teaching them how to become better watercolorists. Through before and after photos of various paintings, the author clearly identifies the existing problems in the painting and provides a detailed action plan with solutions to rectify the issue. A variety of topics are covered such as still life, figures, landscapes and more. Readers will appreciate the clear step-by-step format, which makes the solutions easy to understand and implement.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Great artist somewhat overblown title November 30, 2008
I just happen to love the way Charles Reid paints and I would give my eye teeth to do likewise but, as an occasional late-arrived painter, I know I never will. But, hey, that's just like my golf game. I know I'm better than my performance and refuse to accept the evidence of my eyes. So I continue. And Reid is an inspiration. And there are a number of good tips here. However, I also have his "The Natural Way to Paint" (who picks these titles?) and much of what he says is already in that. Admittedly, he makes more of an effort to instruct in "Learn to Solve the Most Common Painting Problems" and his illustrations and text are helpful but the title is far too comprehensive not to disappoint. Why not call it "How to Paint like the Masters in a Week"?
Anyway, I shouldn't get hung up on the title. For me at least, I could have done with the steps broken down even further for a portrait and a landscape so that I might more easily reproduce an approximation of Reid's work. And OK I'll admit it I need all the help I can get and so no steps would be too small. But aren't there a lot of people out there like me? The trouble with many an instructive text is that the author is often too embarrassed to simplify beyond a certain point in case he's accused of speaking down to the students. You can never misjudge the ignorance of students, not at least in the first few chapters of instruction.
So Reid's work is wonderful, I enjoy the book a lot, I wish either he was a better teacher or I was a better student.
Charles Reid does it again! November 9, 2008
As always, Charles Reid's watercolors delight the eye with their freshness and life. I own most of his books just for the sheer pleasure of looking at his work, but he's a consummate teacher as well.
Another classic Charles Reid! October 12, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
If you want your watercolors to be loose, free and vibrant, you can't lose with Charles Reid's inspirational paintings and advice! Before I paint, I look through his books, especially this one, not so much to read the text (although it is clear, helpful and non-preachy)as to be inspired by his paintings. They are what I want mine to be!
Charles Reid's Watercolor Solutions September 5, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Another great colourful intelligent book from Charles Reid, who is willing to share all of his knowledge with fellow artists! It's hard to find a book for intermediate and advanced artists, most are for beginners, but this book is highly recommended for those painting over 2 years. Do the exercises! They really help. A must for watercolourists and for Reid fans.
Reid's best book yet? September 3, 2008
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
The problem I usually have with Reid's books is that his style is SO distinctive that I feel I don't want to follow his advice. This is because I don't paint in a style at all like his. But unlike many watercolor books, where you pick the book based on the style of painting (realism, abstract, impressionist, expressionist) here, you can follow Charles Reid's advice and APPLY it to how YOU paint.
For example, there is a wonderful section on lost and found edges--how you blend areas of similar intensity and value with soft edges and make hard edges where values (lights and darks) are very contrasty. This gives the effect of diffused light and sharp, angled light where needed.
There is also a very fun section on how to convert a photo to a portrait without it looking like a cartoon--for this example, Reid takes a famous photo of John Singer Sargent and paints it in not only HIS style but in an extremely clever homage to Sargent's characteristic watercolor figure style. This is absolutely outstanding work and when you see Sargent under his parasol, you'll remember his own beautiful "Simplon Pass: The Lesson" and "Reading". This is very clever, very wonderful work and gives you the feeling of double-vision; you're seeing a Reid painting AND a Sargent painting. Worth the price of the book alone for that.
One of the best things Reid can teach you is how to do a contour drawing. This art class exercise, where you don't take your eyes off the subject and you don't lift your pencil from the paper as you draw the outlines of forms seems almost irritating when you first learn it. You get a funny, squiggly drawing that doesn't look like a finished sketch. But Reid shows you how to use contour drawing to great advantage when composing a watercolor.
As always, there are abundant large photos of Reid's work, and also some works of other artists to give perspective on watercolor technique. If you admire how Reid paints, then this is just fun for visual eye-candy. But if you are serious about watercolor, the book has much to offer and is really an excellent extension to the books Reid has written in the past. Highly recommended--in fact, if you own just one of his books, I'd say this would be the one to have.
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