Blooms And Brushstrokes

Blooms and Brushstrokes takes you on a unique journey through the history of Australian art, one flower at a time, examining the blooms depicted in still lifes, floral portraits, decorative interiors and botanical illustrations by a long line of Australian artists. Mother-and-daughter team Penelope and Tansy Curtin start this fascinating journey in the late eighteenth century, when the traditions adhering to the Western art canon were transplanted into the newly colonised Australia. They follow it through the rapidly developing artistic styles of the early twentieth century, to the new media of the contemporary period. These works of art also shine a light on the role and importance of plants and flowers in everyday life. They illustrate changing floral fashions, as well as highlighting flowers in their various forms - cut flowers, pot plants and gardens. And along the way you'll encounter many of Australia's most significant artists, including John Glover, Arthur Streeton, Margaret Preston, Grace Cossington Smith, John Brack and Margaret Olley, as well as some of Australia's most beautiful, and sometimes intriguing, native flora, such as the waratah and Sturt's desert pea, not to mention perennial garden favourites like roses, sweet peas and daisies. Spectacular, intimate, engaging and meticulously researched - and full of interesting and quirky facts about the flowers and the artists themselves, Blooms and Brushstrokes is a book for art, flower and history lovers alike.

In Expressive Flower Painting, artist Lynn Whipple presents a range of creative painting exercises that help beginners develop vibrant nature paintings.

Drawing and painting realistic flowers is achievable! Create a wide variety of blooms and greenery using an easy step-by-step method, then add watercolor for gorgeous effects. In Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers, discover how to draw flowers such as cosmos, hibiscus, canola, lily of the valley, hydrangea, foxglove, and more from various angles, and learn about perspective and shading. Once you have the skills to draw a single flower, learn how to draw groupings and wreaths. Mix in leaves and smaller flowers to create a variety of looks. Then, learn simple techniques to add luscious watercolor, using shading, blending, and gradient techniques for eye-catching results. Popular Instagram artist Kyehyun Park shares her secrets for capturing realistic flower, leaf, and plant shapes. Artists of all levels love drawing and painting nature, and with these techniques they’ll confidently render lifelike botanicals in an array of lovely palettes. The book also includes: Ideas and techniques for drawing and painting charming potted plants Instructions for drawing and painting smaller flowers, buds, and branches Watercolor techniques showing how to expertly blend colors, use brush strokes and brush pressure to create various shapes, and how to use color to shade and highlight Warm-up exercises that help develop skills Simple methods for understanding perspective and composition, making it effortless to draw flowers from different angles Add these striking florals to sketchbooks, stationery, journals, and more. With Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers, creating true-to-life florals and plants is within your reach!

The author's approach highlights common problems and simple solutions to create more effective drawings and paintings. Clearly annotated pictures and easy-to-follow technique demonstrations ensure that problems can be quickly corrected.

Traditional strokework blends with a realistic painting style for some of the 'freshest' looking fruits and flowers ever painted! Readers will learn how to paint these subjects stroke by stroke, then how to combine the strokes to create original designs to enhance virtually any decorative surface. The brushstroke lessons are incorporated into 12 projects so the reader can learn the techniques while creating beautiful finished pieces.

50 of Donna's favorite projects in one gorgeous book! Donna Dewberry flowers are beautiful to behold, and they are beautifully simple to create. You can achieve the same loveliness using her easy-to-master One-Stroke painting techniques. Inside, you'll see how--step by simple step. Pages are abloom with Donna's favorite flowers (soon to be your favorites, too!), fabulous landscapes, and garden projects to make your outside space a happier place. An intro chapter covers all the basics, from selecting your tools and loading your brush, to fundamental brushstrokes, palette knife painting techniques, and instructions for painting a variety of beautiful backgrounds. Then follow along step by step to create: • 38 flowers--cottage garden blooms, spring bulb flowers, wildflowers, herbs, exotics, floral motifs and more. • 7 beautiful outdoor projects, including an address sign, a trio of butterfly houses, and a patio clock. • 5 fast and fabulous landscapes, from wildflower fields to a tropical paradise. Assembled from three of Donna's top-selling books, this collection has everything you need to fill your every day with painted sunshine!

Packed with colour and style, this gorgeous and inspiring new book from Scottish artist Moy Mackay delves deep into the world of felt painting. The book includes an introduction to Moy's use of colour and texture, as well as a useful section detailing what inspires her and how she forms these initial ideas into a composition. There are 4 easy-to-follow but inspiring step-by-step projects, along with extensive galleries of Moy's vibrant work. Unlike the broad range of her previous book, the focus here is flowers - in still life, in the landscape and as botanical portraits - and the book includes an in-depth techniques section on creating a range of different flower and leaf shapes, so that the reader can go on to produce their own unique masterpieces. "e;Moy's passionate use of colour and the deep texture created by felting are what draw me to her work. I also like the way that she concentrates on her surroundings for her subject matter - her work is very free."e;-Kaffe Fassett

Painting pretty, prized flowers is easier than you think! Using an uncomplicated palette and simple techniques, Mary Backer shares the secrets behind her prize-winning watercolor flowers. From first strokes to final touches, you'll learn everything you need to know to paint brilliant orange poppies, plump peonies, graceful lotus blossoms, classic roses and other garden favorites.Features: • an exciting variety of flowers and compositions, from individual flower studies to more elaborate, mixed arrangements • 12 full-length demonstrations take you from first sketch to final brushstroke • Illustrates step-by-step watercolor techniques for achieving luscious color, complementary backgrounds and dramatic, up-close compositions • Plus a unique acrylic finishing technique that makes colors really pop Experienced and novice artists alike will revel in the inspiration and easy-to-follow instruction inside. Watercolor in Bloom makes painting flowers as pleasurable as a stroll through the garden!