Watercolour Workshop: projects and interpretations

Another of this great Artist's books. I love her style. This book has hints and tips, demonstrations and lovely art to enjoy.

Ann Blockley's latest book is a wonderful addition to anyone's library. It is not only a delightful insight into her own approach to painting, but is a practical and exciting package of demonstrations - techniques, methods and projects - all aimed at encouraging the artist to see and interpret subjects in highly innovative and personal ways. I found the opening sections hugely refreshing, on interpreting subject matter and on 'ways of seeing' , and what follows in the rest of the book is sound and practical - and never boring! The approach to the projects themselves is flexible and helps to encourage a looser, more personal style. Her illustrations are stunning and are clearly the result of her own explorations and interpretation of her local landscape. The range of mark-making and textural devices to represent these landscape features she includes in each section again can be considered in a flexible manner, encouraging the artist in us to extend and experiment. This is a welcome companion to Ann's other books, notably 'Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour' and 'Watercolour Textures'. A truly inspirational book.

I like Ann Blockley's work but I find her work a bit wishy washy, I prefer more definition, this is still a useful and interesting book though.

Brilliant book, challenges me to think more expressively.

Though there are about 7 paint-along tutorials, it is intended that you adapt the many inspirational ideas from your own references and ideas. Attached, the flower is a tutorial, the other is my first attempt at adaption - bit of a mess. There are a great many mark-making techniques demonstrated, along with other practicalities like painting surfaces. You would make a number of interpretations of the same thing, varying colours, techniques and experimenting. Incidentally, the ragged outline to tree trunks is from spraying. Take a look at Ann Blockley's galleries on line to see if you would like to go in this direction. It all needs plenty of experimentation and PRACTICE. Good book.

As a traditional and conventional watercolour artist myself of many years, I approached this book with great interest looking for some new inspiration in watercolours. I was not disappointed! This book is fantastic and I found it’s contents inspiring and creative. The workshop guides are clear and simply but allow the reader a great starting platform to develop the style and techniques shown in the book. Lovely quality book with great illustrations in abundance. 128 pages of brilliant work! Highly recommended.

People of my generation could be forgiven for thinking that Ann simply followed her father John. Yes, she obviously gained much from his superb paintings but has added a dimension that is all her own. She uses textures that fill spaces between features with subtle interest but never allows texture to rule the composition. Her colours are both sublime and breathtaking and because she really understands ,through both natural ability and the desire to search , she achieves. I recommend this book to my students because it is an eye opener and a remover of limited thinking . The typography used in the text and the colour of it might be arty but has forgotten its purpose to the extent that those with less than perfect eyesight will struggle to read it . Not withstanding this the pictures alone make this a feast worth sitting down to

This book is the best art book I've ever purchased. It's not really suitable for a beginner, but if you have been painting for a little while and want to explore different techniques, and develop a 'looser' less 'painterly' style, it is brilliant. All the techniques are explained in a very clear way and the wonderful illustrations are really inspirational. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous book with all sorts of ideas to try

Beautiful book, full of inspiration. Watercolour artists of all levels will find something here.

In diesem Buch sind viele schöne Anregungen zu finden ohne die langweiligen und immer wiederkehrenden, langatmigen Einführungen in Farben, Pinsel und Papierlehre. Die gibt es zwar auch aber ein Hauch von Poesie begleitet die gestalteten Werke und anregenden Möglichkeiten der Gestaltung. Wirklich sehr schön gemacht.

Fabulous even just to look through, but great to use to expand your painting mind!

A great book, the more you read, the more you learn. Love her use of light.