Review by R. Garcia for Wonderful World of Watercolor: Learning and Loving Transparent Watercolor
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Book Reviewed by Marie L. Meegan, Salem, Massachusetts.

If I were to pick only one book as a reference for mastering the art and science of watercolor painting, it would be Mary Baumgartner’s Wonderful World of Watercolor. Besides being a technical masterpiece, it is a beautiful book, having many exquisite examples of watercolor painting. The author imparts her joy in the subject matter, as well as her delight in teaching – a winning combination.

The first section is devoted to color: choosing color, mixing color, and considering its warmth, or coolness, color values, transparency or opacity. The author provides sample charts for guidance, and in fact, insists her own students paint these charts so color mixing will not be a hit or miss experience.

There are chapters on supplies, work space and composition. Baumgartner carefully explains all the essentials for success, such as negative space, glazing, and lifting paint, to name a few. Drawing skills are handled in detail. Special advice for painting metallic objects, glass, water droplets, skies, clouds, foliage, and fur are covered in a chapter entitled “The Hard Stuff – Made Easy.”

She writes about using artistic license to arrange a painting to enhance the qualities of the scene she might be composing. She guarantees a clear center of interest, and paints with the light source in mind. She photographs scenes, objects, and people for future paintings. The author, while not lacking in intuitiveness, is convinced one must do the work to create paintings that captivate the viewer. In the chapter “Telling a Story,” Baumgartner quotes Edgar Degas as having said, “My art is in no way spontaneous – it is entirely contrived.” If you paint or teach watercolor painting you must have this book.

Review by L. Nelson for Wonderful World of Watercolor: Learning and Loving Transparent Watercolor
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I stumbled across this book at the library, and found it so full of helpful information for a watercolor beginner that I bought it right away.

Wonderful color mixing charts and a clear explanation of various techniques.

Review by Teresa A. Higgs for Wonderful World of Watercolor: Learning and Loving Transparent Watercolor
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It is difficult to take seriously an artist that uses and urges others to use fugitive colors. This artist palette contains 5 fugitive colors. In my opinion, there is absolutely no reason to use these colors when there are perfectly acceptable alternates. No where does the author mention that these colors will fade quickly even in a protected environment.For more info about this go to […]

In addition the paintings shown in the book seem over worked and lacking in spontaneity.

I wish I had previewed the book before buying.

Review by Joanna Daneman for Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines
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Linda Kemp’s work is luminous and seems to float off the pages. She recommends EVERYONE to use the technique of painting negative space to improve their art. Negative painting is going AROUND the outline of a subject, the way you might lay down a leaf on a white sheet of paper. Then dab paint around it. Lift off that leaf and you have a white leaf floating on a colored ground.The book has the following chapters:Basic Painting Supplies Underpaintings – laying the groundwork Getting into Shapes – become aware of negative shapes! Working with Glazes and Building Layers Building Nature’s Complex Shapes Picture Planning Made Easy Assembling the Pieces of the Puzzle The author says this technique applies to all media (certainly those who do charcoal or pastel are well aware of the importance of negative space, as are sculptors.) As a watercolorist, if you concentrate on line and wash, this will be quite revealing. In fact, this is probably a “must-have” on the technique bookshelf.

Review by M. alice Strom for Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines
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Many books that offer information to artists who wish to learn are a disappointment. Sometimes they promise more than they deliver. Not this book. It delivers more than it promises. I bought this book because I wished to learn about “negative painting,” an elusive technique (to me), but I discovered that it could teach me much about watercolor techniques composition, drawing, color, and more as well. What I like best about this book are the writer’s carefully worded and illustrated discriptions of technique. In my experience, the best ever. I have thought that this could be a book for a young person with no experience because it is so clear. I have a lot of experience, but I need this book. Mary Alice Strom