The Modern Flower Painter: Creating vibrant botanical portraits in watercolour

A lovely book with lots of educational and interesting tips for Anna's techniques. In fact, she is very generous information-wise. I teach watercolour painting as a well known Art College, and I found the ideas innovative and enlarging to my repertoire of the types of projects I can set students. I do love Anna's big flower paintings, they are marvellous in theur own way. However, if you are a watercolourist rather than a botanical watercolourist, do be aware that the techniques of application are limited to a particular method, very controlled and neat. In particular, the method of applying paint, is more like 'drawing' with paint, rather than allowing the free flowing of colour to describe the form, colour is applied in short strokes which are gradually built up. The backgrounds are always white, in keeping with the style of botanical illustration and are rather like photographic iterations of flowers etc. However, I like the apparent simplicity of the technique and the method of applying a dark tone every now and then to allow the eye to see the mid tones.It is skillful. I really love this book, I like Anna and the fact she has presented and marketed her work so well. Just be aware that watercolour can also flow and run to describe form which is equally magical and maybe a bit more expressive. I teach both a tight method and a loose expressive style which is more my own. I find Anna's way is great for those times when you just want to lose yourself in a painting which you build up in layers... kind of mistake proof. However, I do skip on a bit and use stronger and bolder tints much earlier and mix some of the methods in with my own style. Also. I paint from life, rather than photos, I love painting from life and interacting with fruit or flowers, and I only use a photo if I really cannot finish in one sitting. I also paint shadows and backgrounds, I am not convinced that it is always better for a subject to float on white paper, although it does look very stylish and is totally in keeping with the botanical arts.

I have been drawing and painting for quite some time, but could never to grips with watercolour. I have a few books on this topic and this by far the best for me. I like to draw and paint in detail, but I do not have the ability to paint true botanical portraits. This book, however, provides the excellent method used by Anna, which has enabled me to get somewhere near. This book is designed as a stand alone product, or in my case, a visual extra to complete Anna's on-line video tutorials. I can recommend this book to any body interested in producing detailed watercolour paintings. Anna's method, as far as I am concerned, can be applied to many types of topics, ie., birds, butterflies, etc. This book is of an excellent quality production which is easy to follow. Keith

A thoughtful laid out book, with very clear step by step instructions. Flower diagrams already drawn out for the reader to copy, to enable you to get down to the joy of painting.Especially useful are the photos of paint consistency. Altogether an easy to follow guide, from materials, to how to take photos, and on to the clear instructions with photos of each stage of building up the painting. A very well thought out guide to botanical painting.

A very good book with lovely illustrations. Anna provides very clear instructions with regard to achieving tone and very precise instructions for her six flower projects. A lovely book to look at as well as being a very clear instructional guide to botanical watercolour painting.

I recently attended a one-day course presented by Anna at Cranleigh in Surrey. As well as being an outstanding artist she is an excellent teacher. This book provides a lot of information about her techniques - many of which are her own - as she is, amazingly, self-taught. I have a library of art books for water-colourists and I am sure that this will one that will be read numerous times and will be a constant resource and inspiration. I highly recommend it for all watercolour artists from beginners to experts. My congratulations to Anna on producing such a quality product in a unique and original format. I look forward to attending another one of your courses - and in the meantime enjoying re-reading your superb first book. Mike S

Excellent book! I love Anna's approach to photography and digital media being used as very versatile and useful tools, adding yet another level of creativity to the process of art. There is no end to the possibilities of composition, light/colour adjustment, macro shots of tiny details etc. using photo editor programs. Being a keen amateur photographer I would have liked a chapter (perhaps in a future book?) on taking high quality artist reference photos, which is not that easy.

A great help in positioning and placing on the page. The flowers looked real, not staged. A great help for when you sit with paper in front, brush in hand, and wonder where to start, and what with. I use digital photography, and was glad she included how to use it. I learned more . Setting up the work space can be a problem, and she gave some handy tips for placing "all that equipment." She had less to place, because she uses a palette of squares of paint in a finely enamelled tin. There would be less loose colour tubes sliding about getting lost, and dropping on the floor. She is really very good. Her style is very detailed, buy sometimes that is wanted included with less background figures.

This is a beautifully conceived and produced book which encourages and enables those who thought painting a flower or vegetable daunting. The step by step guidance is very clear and thorough and I am looking forward to getting my favourite plant pictures out to immortalise them. Thank you. Comment: If you think this is painting by numbers IT IS NOT! it is taking something which captures a moment in time and reproducing it without the subject withering and dying.

... und auch in der Druckversion ein Augenschmauß :-) Anna Masons Bilder sind unverwechselbar- Blumen, Früchte auf weißem Grund und ab und an auch ein Tier mit knalligen Farben und lebendigen Pinselstrichen. Das Spielerische daran entsteht bei ihr vor allem durch eine gute, ausgewogene Technik und nicht durch minutiös, perfekt ausgeführte Striche. Was dazu nötig ist, präsentiert sie detailliert in diesem Buch. Auch für Anfänger geeignet. Besonders gelungen: extrem große Bilder geben jedes Detail preis, viele erklärende Bilder, detaillierte Step-by-Step Demonstrationen, genaue Wiedergabe der Farben (!). Für die Demos gibt es passende Umriss-vorlagen zum nachmalen, aber keine Fotos. Im Idealfall sollten eigene Fotos/ Pflanzen verwendet werden. Das Kindle-Ebook ist in Form doppelseitiger Bilder, d.h. es ist keine Textauswahl möglich und es können auch keine Einzelseiten angezeigt werden. Dafür kann alles vergrößert werden, Notizen und Markierungen (Rahmen) sind möglich & es ist sehr schön gestaltet. Wer noch einfachere florale Übungen sucht: Adelene Fletcher - Blumenaquarelle Ähnliches Niveau, aber kontrollierterer Pinselstrich: Billy Showell (sämtliche Bücher sehr gelungen) Besonders malerisch: Susan Harrison-Tustain "Glorious Garden Flowers"

Bom livro de aquarela artística botânica com desenhos das flores em movimento.

if you have ever wanted to do fine watercoloring of flowers this is a book for you. I have always wanted to do this. I never had the skill. this delightful woman is so encouraging and a wonderful teacher (she gives wonderful advice on how to choose your paper and tools) i'm going into this slowly. I had started to do some watercoloring for a few years. I had started to improve, but it was a "hot mess" a lot of the time. it turns out, your paper and brushes and watercolors all make a huge difference in getting success. there are many styles of painting and this is just one of them. I have had very little training (except some online card classes and watching really good you tube videos - Sandy Allnock, Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, Debbie Hughes, Kathy Racoosin are some of my favorites (they are cardmakers, but you can use their techniques for other kinds of painting) Have fun and enjoy!

This book is great if someone is looking to make realistic flowers. I saw Anna's free youtube videos online and went for her book. I wanted to paint realistically in watercolour (which is v.hard) and this book helped me to achieve it mostly flowers-pink rose, clemantis,viola,cosmos,tulips,oriental poppy and dahlia with her detailed instructions.My painting has improved by following her method. However, leaves, dew-drops, stems are not discussed in this book..Her style is not fluid, but is perfect for building textures.

Rien à dire : envoi dans les temps et réception parfaite . Livre impeccable .