Splash 13: Alternative Approaches

by Rachel Rubin Wolf (Editor)

A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but the less expected routes are what more often lead artists from inspiration to great paintings. "Splash 13" explores the paths less traveled...real solutions and alternative approaches from 100 of today's masters of the medium.

Pulsing with the spirit of play and experimentation, over 100 paintings are accompanied by insight from the artists revealing how they pushed the limits of color, blurred the boundary between realism and abstraction, embraced accidents, and did away with expectations, traditional thinking...and sometimes even brushes!

Filled with stunning paintings, fresh inspiration and ground-breaking innovation, "Splash 13: Alternative Approaches" is a must-have showcase for artists and art-lovers alike.

Genres: Art

144 pages, Hardcover

First published August 16, 2012

Reviews

[Farhan Khalid · Rating 4 out of 5]

To find an alternative approach I paint with my mind’s eye

I selected subjects that were perhaps more moody than my usual ones

I searched for a story

I simplify to achieve unity

I try to create visual tension in the composition

I tried something as simple as pushing the limits of color

Sometimes an alternative approach is born of the uniqueness of the subject and
the electricity of the moment

To find an alternative approach, I let the relationship between the characters determine the design of the composition

I look for the surprising element to arrest the viewer’s attention

I sketch my subject freely and loosely

I keep an open mind about how to paint with watercolors

I test myself to find the most unique design or composition at any location

I simplified the complexity of the background by layering opaque neutrals over transparent brights

I no longer wanted my paintings to whisper to the viewer. I wanted them to shout, ‘Look at me!

I imagine scenes as I wish them to be, not as they actually are

If I increase density, I create materiality. If I dematerialize, I create spirituality

I paint with my imagination—a great experiment that goes until it makes me happy with light, mood and composition

I pour transparent watercolors rather than use a brush in the initial stage, and emerging shapes suggest a subject to me

splash inks randomly to create a work of imagination, or I control the splashing when I know where the subject is leading me

I focused on shapes and shadows until the close-up view became almost an abstraction

I let my emotions dictate how to approach a painting, using a wide variety of tools and techniques

I look for alternative approaches in everything I do

I started with a fascination

I tried to come up with ways to depict a warm, cheery rainy day

I ask my painting to stir senses in the viewer other than sight

Howard Pyle: Throw your heart into the picture and then jump in after it

I search the world that is just at my fingertips

To find an alternative approach, I looked up

[Tim Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book that I have read in the splash series. The reason for this is that you get many of the same artists painting pretty much the same paintings year after year. I think Ted Nuttal is the best example of this. He can paint very well but essentially does the same painting in each issue.
Because the theme is 'alternative approaches' you get much more variety and creativity than normal. Most issues are full of nice, pretty, standard paintings but this one is just a bit more wild.

[Donlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as other watercolor Splash books.