The Urban Sketching Handbook Working with Color: Techniques for Using Watercolor and Color Media on the Go

by Shari Blaukopf

Learn to express yourself through color while painting on location with the in-depth tips and techniques of Working with Color, the fifth volume in the Urban Sketching Handbook series.

Expert watercolorist, illustrator, instructor, and co-founder of Urban Sketchers Montreal Shari Blaukopf shares her essential color tips about color-water ratio, achieving bold color, avoiding muddy washes, painting in layers, and using wet-in-wet techniques.

This essential handbook covers:

supplies and materials sample color palettes color mixing using limited palettes monochrome sketches the power of complementary colors using evocative, expressive color

With a focus on using watercolor with greater confidence and knowledge, the book also delves into pencil and ink and water-soluble pencils.
 
The instructional text is enhanced with stunning watercolor illustrations by the author and other expert urban sketchers from beautiful locations around the globe. The illustrations include examples of color swatches showing value; mixing; illustrations of complementary, analogous, and neutral color schemes; and sample galleries.

Working with Color is an indispensable guide for on-location artists looking to expand and strengthen their expressive use of color.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Drawing, Reference

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2019

About the author

Shari Blaukopf is a sketcher, watercolor painter, college teacher, and art blogger. A signature member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, she has works in corporate, government, and private collections around the world. Correspondent with UrbanSketchers.org and co-founder of Urban Sketchers Montreal, Shari gives workshops throughout Europe and North America, and has taught at Urban Sketchers Symposia as well as through the Urban Sketchers Workshop Program. Shari grew up and still lives in Montreal, where she continues to discover new neighborhoods in her quest to find the most evocative streets and back alleys to sketch. Her online courses can be found at Craftsy.com, and you can follow her sketches at www.shariblaukopf.com, www.blaukopfwatercolours.com, and on Instagram @sharisketcher.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, all I did was skim through this book after purchasing it, reading little, about 1/3 of the book, but looking a lot.

It’s exactly what I wanted, a bit of instructions and a lot of ideas.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Shari Blaukopf's style of sketching and painting than any other artists that I have come across so far. Her painting style isn't too loose which is how I like them. Her classes were wonderful so I am happy to have read and loved this book about colors.

[Jennifer Bernardini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. It has so many pictures and illustrations that you don't have to guess what the author is trying to tell you. Some instructional books leave a lot to be desired. This one does not.

[Henrique Vogado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um pequeno manual muito útil para quem quer desenhar e aguarelar.
A Shari é uma sketcher e pintora que faz belos quadros e uma mestre em aguarelas.
As paisagens de neve são as minhas preferidas dela, embora as pinturas com as cores outonais também me impressionam.
Um livro da colecção "The Urban Sketching Handbook" que é de releitura constante especialmente nas técnicas de mix de cores e jogos de tons com cores primárias. Excelente para ter na mochila em viagem.
Recomendo a compra.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know your watercolor basics (but hey, ipad + procreate is a popular option too) and want to sketch outdoors, but struggle to get things looking nice, like “why can’t I get perspective right?”, “how can I draw people?”, “it doesn’t have the same mood” etc, then I would recommend you to check out The Urban Sketching Handbook series. They have several books focusing on different aspects of urban sketching and, in this case, color.

First chapters have brief explanations on materials, how to choose your colors, watercolor techniques (washes, glazing, wet on wet, splattering, dry brush), skies, mixing greens for trees and shrubs and mixing darks and shadows.

The following chapters explore color and value, limited colors (1 or 3 color palettes), color relationships (how to express moods with color/ color temperature), neutral colors, how to catch the mood and atmosphere of a place, using expressive colors and using other media (like pens, gouache, pastel or even ipad). Each chapter consists of inspiring watercolor artworks by different artists + their personal tips related to the chapter in question.

At the end of the handbook, there’s a nice art challenge list to get you started and experimenting. What I loved the most about this book, is that it’s mainly filled with tips from different artists. It’s inspirational and specially useful for intermediate artists.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Urban Sketching Handbook: Working with Color is both instructional and inspirational. The book teaches how to use color to convey mood and emotions in urban sketches and should appeal to anyone looking for guidance and fresh ideas.

The book is packed with wonderful artworks and would be good to keep at hand just for the inspiration they provide. Author Shari Blaukopf does a thorough job of discussing how to pick, create and use palettes and gets into the specifics of mixing colors to create proper tone and feeling.

Working with Color (digital galley, Quarry Books) does not, however, dive into the basic techniques of sketching and drawing. There are other Urban Sketching Handbooks for that. This book is best suited to those who consider themselves to be beyond the absolute beginner level who are interested in improving their use of color.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed several Urban Sketching books in the past and this one was no exception. This book sits at the intersection of useful and inspiring. There are two major sections. The first one covers key areas around color like pigments & mixing, color & value, color relationships, etc. And then the "galleries" section covers things like mood & atmosphere, light & shadow, etc.

The author does a fantastic job of covering the basics without dragging it out. If you know absolutely nothing at all about color, this book doesn't really do a step-by-step. It's more structured as: introduce a concept, give an example on how it's used, and then encourage practice with an idea or challenge. It's intended to be practical and not super instructional.

For me, it was the perfect mix of enough instruction and inspiration. I especially liked learning some new-to-me things like what a local color is and then the specific examples the author showed when she used several techniques in one drawing. Once I saw her break it down, it helped clarify the concepts for me. I immediately used some of her ideas in my next sketch (especially the ones on how to paint a sky.)

And finally, the variety of sketches, both by the author and by other sketchers, is the best part of this book. There's a huge range and you are guaranteed to find something that inspires you.

Overall, this is another winner from The Urban Sketching series.

With gratitude to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

[Arantxa Orig · Rating 4 out of 5]

While most of the advice written in this handbook was quite useful (objectively speaking), I personally didn't find a lot of new tips to improve my watercolor techniques 😅😅😅 This was still a good read, as Blaukopf reaffirmed most of my color knowledge I've accumulated through the years as a watercolor and gouache painter 👍👍👍 If this book failed to scratch your itch, I highly recommend watching In Liquid Color on Youtube and checking out handprint.com for a deep dive on color theory for watercolor painting 🤗🤗🤗

[Timothy Neesam · Rating 5 out of 5]

To put it mildly, colour theory is not my forte. But Shari Blaukopf's most excellent handbook helps make sense of how colour blends and how they can make an image more impactful when used together. Highly practical, and straightforward, with lots of wonderful examples of colour at work in images, this book is the sort of thing one might (and did) carry around while looking at the world through a different lense. Colour me impressed and delighted. 5 stars.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great for basics of colour theory (primary, secondary, complementary, etc.) but, even better, it included paint combinations to achieve the corresponding painting examples.
I loved how Shari breaks down these are the 2 or 3 colours you mix to get this stormy sky, or if you want a sunset, this is what you should do. How to get variations on the same colour (ie. green) if the majority of your scene is foliage.

Really helpful handbook that I’m sure I’ll go back and refer to!

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 4 out of 5]

I put this book on my Wish List because I had previously taken two classes with Ms. Blaukopf at Craftsy.com (now Bluprint.com.) I occasionally follow her blog https://shariblaukopf.com/

There are 25 Challenges at the end of the book that provide ideas for practice.

I consider this book an Aspirational Read because many of the ideas for practice are above my beginner skill level and many artists provided their art for different ways of using similar techniques.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning illustrations make The Urban Sketching Handbook Working with Color a MUST HAVE!


Expert watercolourist, illustrator, and instructor shows us her color tips about color-water ratio, achieving bold color, avoiding muddy washes, painting in layers, and using wet-in-wet techniques. She also shares supplies you will need to achieve beautiful illustrations.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a fun read, even though I sometimes have a different belief or style with urban sketching. It's nice to read other people's perception with how they color their sketches, I will definitely apply some tips to my work.

[Beth Virgil · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great way to get you to look at watercolor & color in particular differently. From drawing the viewers eye to the focal point of the painting, creating harmony using analogous colors or a limited palette. Ideas of color mixes, and the magic of watercolor in one fun book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to know how to mix a variety of greys. This book answered that question and many others I had about colour. The example sketches for each tip really add to the written explanations and are very inspiring.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips and inspiration

[Miloš · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read...

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good examples of urban sketches and key methods used.

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips for utilizing color in urban sketches.

[Eduardo Lima Águila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pensé que iba a ser un libro más cargado a teoría del color, pero es más bien uno lleno de tips y ejemplos prácticos para buscar inspiración. Cumple con lo que promete.

[Adhoc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat useful

[NMc.Arch Chau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small pocket-sized book for urban sketchers. It inspires me with other alternative styles and colour pallette. I use it to refresh my mind.

[Naradja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to see how she uses color, but not much useful information.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short work on using color for urban sketches, the cover shows a typical artwork of this style. Covers a little bit on basics and materials and then it launches into using color palettes. Sketches from assorted artists are used as examples, it can tough to separate out personal style from changes in colors used. A decent book on the subject for those who are urban sketchers.

Mixing colors is not covered in depth, I recommend Color: A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors if you need more on that subject.

[coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I've been meaning to get into urban sketching for some time now and am super happy I stumbled upon this book! It contains super helpful tips and exercises relating to basic color theory but also challenges us by making us think about color in relation to our surroundings and composition. While the exercises aren't many, they are enough to last us...well, a long time. It's all about practice!

Definitely, recommend this book to anyone who wants to work on color techniques and to anyone in need of ideas to fill their sketchbook. Not ideal for someone looking for a beginning drawing book

[Criss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because I like very much the colors in the author's sketches. I found beautiful examples inside, by various artists, a source of inspiration for anyone.
Also, it has great tips about choosing and mixing colors but, unfortunately, descriptions are very brief and some information are missing. It's not a book like Stephanie Bower's "Understanding Perspective" (from the same series) who teaches you everything you would need about the subject. So, if you want to learn to paint better, you may want to look elsewhere.

[Anang Prayogo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended

Shari in one of my favorite watercolor artist. The content is balance between galleries and tutorials. I like the way she convey her experience and skill to every watercolor painting enthusiasts.

[Tuesdayschild · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one art handbook I'd really like to own, just the artwork in it is lovely, and then add the technique helps and instructions ....

I'm keen to give some of the challenges a try (there are 25 in total).

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This doesn't provide much help with technique or technical instruction, but isn't meant to. That's OK because it is certainly inspirational and the example art is simply fantastic. Great job by the author of curating. Definitely recommended for aspiring artists or maybe best for current artists focusing on color.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best watercolour handbook I have read, with plenty of information, simply explained and chapters that pertain to working with colour. The book is divided into chapters, the first being the basic, which is all about your kit, colour and the importance of sketching. The following chapters break down both colour and technique much further with Pigment and Colour Mixing, Colour and Value, Limited Colour, Colour Relationship and Neutral Colour. My favourite chapter is working with limited colour to start with, one simple colour can say so much.
The second part of the book deals with Mood & Atmosphere, Light & Shadow, Expression Colour and lastly other media such as pastels, gauche etc. At the end of each chapter there are student challenges which are detailed at the end of the book.
This is a very colourful book that just makes you want to pick up a brush and paint.