Almost …but not quite, September 9, 2006

By 

Robin Benson –

  

With this ninth book in the remarkable Splash series I was rather disappointed. To me the strength of the previous eight books has been the remarkable diversity of painting styles. Even though each had a rather loose theme you could turn the pages and not really know what to expect apart from the fact that every picture was a watercolor. So many of the paintings just make you stop and look and look and frequently wonder how an artist achieved that painting. Luckily part of the editorial format in each book allowed artists to reveal their creative thoughts or techniques in words next to the picture.

All of this is true of book nine but I just didn’t feel it had the excitement of the other books. Many of the paintings seem rather casual, the range of subject matter and composition perhaps too ordinary, safe and predictable and plenty seem to have sombre dominant colors, like the front cover for instance. Essentially I think that I’ve seen better versions of so many of these paintings in the previous eight titles.

Still there is plenty to enjoy though. Three from Laurin McCracken caught my eye, she likes to make things difficult by creating still life compositions with crystal glass and silverware. Equally interesting is how she works: with a digital camera and pc to improve the composition even before lifting a brush. Paul Sullivan creates some almost photo-realist paintings of everyday scenes from Milan, Rome and Sienna. His exterior detail of a church in Milan is amazing. Diane Maxey does wonders with flowers, so much so that her Poppy Parade looks just like an oil painting.

I’ve just looked through Splash 1/America’s Best Contemporary Watercolors, which came out in 1991 and what an amazing start to the series and it does rather overpower this latest book. I’m hoping book ten will continue the magic so evident in the previous eight books.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click ‘customer images’ under the cover.

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Splash Again, May 13, 2008

By 

Terri J. Rice “ricepaper” (WA United States) –

  

  

Sometimes Rachel Rubin Wolf”s Splash books all seem to be one and the same. But each one really does have a different flavor to it.

This one is heavy on the still lifes: fruits, flowers, plants.

I am always inspired by Wolf’s books. There are some paintings that are so well done that attaining that level seems impossible. Others seem easy and friendly enough to maybe attempt to do something similar and excel.

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