Archives: Walter Foster Books
Color is a key component in art and painting and a crucial aspect of successfully completing an acrylic painting. Ideal for beginning and intermediate artists seeking to develop their acrylic painting skills, Color Mixing in Acrylic features a range of techniques and valuable instruction for working with and mixing color in this classic medium. With this comprehensive guide, artists will learn how to mix fresh, vibrant colors in acrylic for painting almost any subject. Beginning with detailed information for using acrylic mixing tools and materials, Color Mixing in Acrylic introduces artists to the basics, including supports, color palettes, painting knives, mediums, and other essentials designed to assist in effectively using this fast-drying paint. Artists will learn about color theory, the color wheel, and basic color-mixing concepts, in addition to learning about primary, secondary and tertiary colors; color complements; hue; value; and saturation. Also included is detailed information for learning to mix common acrylics in every major color group, including vibrant greens for landscapes; soft flesh neutrals for portraits; and tints, shades, and tones for every color in between. Information is packaged in a comprehensive, easy-to-follow format and includes plenty of inspiration, so that artists can put their newfound skills to practical use. With its breadth of detail and helpful instruction, Color Mixing in Acrylic is a must-have resource for any acrylic painter's reference library.
The Art of Painting in Acrylic is ideal for artists seeking to develop their acrylic painting skills. The book features a range of techniques and valuable step-by-step instruction for working with this classic medium.
From the days of the early Masters, oil painting has inspired and intrigued artists of all skill levels. In The Art of Basic Oil Painting, artists interested in learning how to work with this complex and multifaceted medium will find inspiration through clear, step-by-step painting lessons covering a variety of approachable subjects. First, artists will be guided through the tools and materials required for oil painting, including brushes, supports, mediums, palettes, and paint. This inclusive book also has sections on basic drawing techniques and color theory, as well as brief overviews of perspective, composition, lighting, and painting from photographs. Expert oil painters then guide artists along the way by outlining basic painting techniques, demonstrating how to work with various mediums, teaching the intricacies of color mixing, and much more in an easy-to-digest format. Artists will enjoy working their way through step-by-step projects spanning a wide range of appealing subjects–including portraits, landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and florals. Full of inspiring and beautiful works of art, The Art of Basic Oil Painting also features techniques for rendering light and shadow, creating textures, and achieving lifelike results. With its fresh approach and plethora of tips and techniques, this book provides contemporary instructions for rendering realistic works of art in a long-standing, timeless medium. Whether you are a beginning artist looking to get started in oil painting or an experienced painter looking to improve your breadth of knowledge, The Art of Basic Oil Painting offers a comprehensive guide that no fine oil artist should be without.
Whether you are an accomplished artist desiring to learn a new medium or a beginning artist simply wanting to play with this colorful art form, The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing features all of the basic information you need to get started in this versatile and approachable medium.
*Named One of the 54 Best Colored Pencil Drawing Books of All Time by BookAuthority*
From selecting and handling pencils and choosing paper and supports to understanding color theory, learning pencil strokes, and layering color to create depth and form, The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing is brimming with valuable instruction and helpful tips and techniques for mastering working with colored pencil. Discover uses for a variety of colored-pencil techniques, such as hatching, crosshatching, stippling, burnishing, and blending. Learn valuable tips and tricks for drawing from photographs, setting up balanced compositions, and working with light sources, as well as capturing the beauty of the natural world by creating realistic textures and expressing time of day and mood.
In The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing, artists Cynthia Knox, Eileen Sorg, and Debra Kauffman Yaun share their expertise and artistic insights for working with colored pencil to achieve lifelike results through inspiring subject matter and step-by-step demonstrations of still lifes, pets, wildlife, birds, garden and tropical flowers, landscapes, foliage, and more. In-depth, easy-to-follow instructions show aspiring artists how to develop and improve their drawing skills, guiding them from simple sketches to final flourishes.
Filled with gorgeous, colorful artwork, The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing is sure to be a valuable and welcome addition to any artist’s reference library.
Regardless of your medium, a solid understanding of color and its applications is essential. Petite in size but packed with information, this fresh, contemporary take on the subject of color features step-by-step projects and practical tips and techniques to put color knowledge to effective use.
From pigment characteristics and color mixing to color psychology, you’ll find all the insight you need to make dynamic, harmonious, and meaningful color choices in your own works of art.
You’ll find within: discussions and illustrations of the complexities of color and how to use it as a tool for communication; tips for creating vibrant mixes, lively blacks, realistic greens, and flesh tones; and an inspiring collection of fresh and contemporary artwork.
- Begin with an overview of color in the history of art and the science behind color.
- Then learn color basics: the color wheel; hue, saturation, and value; color and value; color temperature; color relativity; and color schemes.
- Everything you need to know about pigments and paints is detailed next.
- With these essentials covered, move on to integrate color with your compositions and painting style as a means of expression.
Harness the power of color in your painting with Color Theory!
How to Draw Manga Chibis & Cute Critters shows how to draw people and animals in the cutest chibi style using simple steps and easy-to-find art tools. Also included are tips and techniques for designing your own chibis!
The word chibis (pronounced “chee-bees”) means “little” in Japanese. Chibis are super cute caricatures of people or animals that have been shrunken and squashed into funny, childlike creatures with big heads, stubby proportions, and silly expressions. With this book, learn to draw chibi people of all ages, dogs, cats, birds, fantasy critters, and more! Also included are tips and techniques encouraging you to design your own chibi creations once you are comfortable with the art style. And templates you can use over and over are included in the back to make drawing easy! No complicated tools are needed; you can create your own chibi art using just a pencil, pen, markers, and paper.
The book opens with helpful sections on tools and materials, essential drawing techniques, color basics, and an examination of chibi faces and bodies. The step-by-step projects show you how to draw chibis of all kinds in any pose and from all angles. Tips and techniques for drawing chibi characters include:
- What makes a chibi?
- Chibi faces
- Chibi front, side, back, and 3/4 views
- Super-chibis
- Basic poses
- Action poses
- Chibi facial expressions
- Chibi hairstyles
- Chibis young and old
- Chibi animals
- Chibi fantasy critters
- Chibi accessories, including clothes and props
- Templates
Written and illustrated by Samantha Whitten and Jeannie Lee, How to Draw Manga Chibis & Cute Critters is perfect for beginning and intermediate artists, lovers of manga and anime, and more. You will love creating your own chibis!
The definitive color-mixing resource for oil, acrylic, and watercolor artists.
No more guessing at colors only to end up with a muddy mess and wasted paint! 1,500 Color Mixing Recipes for Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor takes the mystery and stress out of color mixing with just the right formula for just about any color.
Designed for use in the studio, this durable book features:
- A lay-flat spiral binding
- Easily wipeable glossy cardstock pages
- Two removable plastic color-mixing grids—one for oil or acrylic, and one for watercolor
Follow these four simple steps to mix more than 1,500 color combinations:
- Look in the Color Guidance Index for the subject you want to paint—for example, “Broccoli.”
- Find the Color Recipe with the subject’s recipe number (“81”) and a photo of the actual paint mixture.
- Use the Color Mixing Grid to measure each paint color.
- Mix the color.
It’s that easy! This comprehensive reference also includes foundational instruction on color theory and mixing, covering:
- Color theory
- Color value mixing
- Graying color naturally
- Mixing flesh and portrait colors
- Rendering skies and clouds
Whether you are a beginning or experienced artist, 1,500 Color Mixing Recipes for Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor is an essential tool for your workspace.
Walter Foster’s best-selling Color Mixing Recipes series also includes Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits, Color Mixing Recipes for Landscapes, and Color Mixing Recipes for Oil & Acrylic. These books contain hundreds of precise color mixing combinations for realistic results, as well as acetate grids for measuring paint units.
With instructions and step-by-step projects for creating an array of portaits, this all-inclusive book covers everything about portraiture in the most popular drawing and painting media. Ideal for beginning artists who would like to experiment with different media, The Art of Drawing & Painting Portraits teaches the artist how to create beautiful and realistic portraits in pencil, pastel, watercolor, oil, and acrylic.
Master mixes for an array of landscape colors in oil and acrylic, from skies and clouds to trees and mountains.
No more guessing at colors only to end up with a muddy mess and wasted paint! Color Mixing Recipes for Landscapes takes the mystery and stress out of color mixing with just the right formula for more than 400 color combinations, along with instruction on a variety of painting techniques. This comprehensive artist’s reference features a robust index of more than 1,500 landscape subjects that correspond to the featured color mixing swatches. Use the handy conversion chart for finding acrylic equivalents of oil paints and vice versa.
Designed for use in the studio, this durable book features:
- A lay-flat spiral binding
- Easily wipeable glossy cardstock pages
- A removable plastic color-mixing grid
Follow these four simple steps to mix more than 500 color combinations:
- Look in the Color Guidance Index for the subject you want to paint—for example, “Lilac, purplish.”
- Find the Color Recipe with the subject’s recipe number (“268”) and a photo of the actual paint mixture.
- Use the Color Mixing Grid to measure each paint color.
- Mix the color. It’s that easy!
Learn how to create the colors of these and more subjects in oil and acrylic paint:
- Numerous varieties of flowers
- Mountains, including their bases, shadows, highlights, and hazes
- Sands, clays, and gravels
- Sea, ocean, surf, foam, and fog
- Skies and clouds at various times of day and night
- Trees, including foliage and trunk colors for numerous broadleaf and coniferous varieties
- Many species of wildlife, animals, and birds
This useful book also discusses how color is influenced by the time of day, the angle of the sun, and changing seasons, making it a must-have in every oil and acrylic artist’s reference library.
Walter Foster’s best-selling Color Mixing Recipes series also includes Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits, 1,500 Color Mixing Recipes for Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor, and Color Mixing Recipes for Oil & Acrylic. These books contain hundreds of precise color mixing combinations for realistic results, as well as acetate grids for measuring paint units.