Combining the best of Eastern philosophy with the best of Western technique, this book is the first in a three-part series that offers inspiring and empowering advice for artists and creators of all levels. 100 color illustrations.

By the author ofThe Tao of Watercolor, this book, the second in her "Path of Painting" series, offers creative artists of all levels empowering guidance based on Zen principles.

Award-winning artist Qu Lei Lei offers an inspirational view of art from the Chinese perspective. Instead of looking at the sketch as an end in itself, he focuses on the work as personal fulfillment for the artist and as a valued meditation. All the essential techniques are here--from choosing and using materials to mixing the ink to mastering brushstrokes. With the natural world as his subject, Lei Lei pulls out key features--water, trees, landscapes--and focuses on practical ways of depicting their different varieties. A master class covers techniques for capturing pets at play, and for conveying the spirit of all living creatures

Shirley Trevena is a well-known and successful watercolourist, with a huge international fan base. Throughout her career she has pushed the boundaries of watercolour and is regarded as one of Britain's most innovative artists in that medium. Shirley's watercolours are visually inspiring, vibrant in colour and strong in composition This, her third book, shows how she achieves her stunning results by pushing the medium to its limits. Shirley takes the reader through 10 paintings in great detail and shares all her professional tips and painting secrets. In addition, each painting has large close-up details so the reader can really see all the brushstrokes. Shirley breaks the conventional rules of watercolour in many different ways: through her compositions, strange perspectives, fascinating textures and, above all, the strength and vibrancy of her colour combinations. In Breaking the Rules of Watercolour, Shirley explains all her painting decisions and demonstrates her techniques at every stage. In this way, she encourages all watercolourists, whatever their level, to experiment with the medium and produce exciting and challenging work of their own.

For artists and painters who wish to create not only projects of beauty, but ones that also reflect inner spirituality,Making Pearlsis the ultimate primer for expanding creativity and spirituality in every area of art and life. Filled with dozens of lush, reflective paintings,Making Pearlstakes the reader, step by step, through the seven stages of the creative cycle: Waiting, Opening, Closing, Holding, Releasing, Emptying, and Sitting. Within each chapter are several evocative essays and inspirational exercises that demonstrate how each of these creative stages affects the mind, body, and spirit. Chapters also include meditative exercises, as well as an evolving painting project for the readers that serves as a microcosm of the full creative process. This reflective, inspirational guide demonstrates the essential process and purpose of creativity: to make pearls of meaning and beauty of our selves and our lives. For the new-age artist on the path to spiritual awareness,Making Pearlsis the ultimate resource for living a totally creative life, body and soul.

Restless, protean, fluid, evanescent—despite being a challenge to represent visually, water has gained a striking significance in the art of the twentieth century. This may be due to the fact that it allows for a range of metaphorical meanings, many of which are particularly appropriate to the modern age. Water is not merely a subject of contemporary art, but also a material increasingly used in art-making, giving it a distinct dual presence. Water and Art probes the ways in which water has gained an unprecedented prominence in modern Western art and seeks to draw connections to its depiction in earlier art forms. David Clarke looks across cultures, finding parallels within contemporary Chinese art, which draws on a cultural tradition in which water has an essential presence and is used as both a subject and a medium. The book features a wealth of images by artists from East and West, including Fu Baoshi, Shi Tao, Wei Zixi, Fang Rending, Leonardo da Vinci, Bernini, Turner, Gericault, Klee, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, Mondrian, and Kandinsky. Fast-paced, accessible, and comprehensive, Water and Art will appeal to the specialist and the general reader alike, offering fresh perspectives on familiar artists as well as an introduction to others who are less well-known.