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Creating Textures in Watercolor
Silken strands of hair. Water tumbling over rocks. Blinding reflections in glass or metal. Cathy Johnson shows you how to create realistic textures like these and make your watercolor paintings come alive. You'll find practical, easy-to-follow guidelines inside for creating 83 wonderful textures for fruits, vegetables, hair, glass, metal, fabric, flowers, fur, skin and much, much more. Johnson's beautiful watercolor sketches - complete with helpful captions - demonstrate each of these techniques and their many variations. You'll learn how to accurately recreate any texture you see and create lovely watercolor paintings that almost seem to breathe. Cathy Johnson's expertise will show you how to expand your own artistic vision and discover a world of textures - a world you can capture with your brush.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 1992
39 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Johnson
35 books39 followersThere is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
sometimes known as Kate, has worked as a naturalist, writer, and freelance artist for the past 30 years, and was staff naturalist and contributing editor for Country Living magazine for 11 years. She is a contributing editor to the Artist’s Magazine and Watercolor Magic and has had a regular column in Personal Journaling magazine, where she wrote on a subject she feels passionately about -- realizing the importance of creativity in our lives. She has written and illustrated -- her own work and that of others -- for a number of national magazines, including Science Digest, Harrowsmith Country Life, Sports Afield, Country Journal, Muzzlelader, Women's History, Early American Life, Sketchbook, Woodworker, Woman’s Day, Threads, Mother Earth News, National Wildlife Magazine, Sierra and additional magazines listed on the writer page. Her writing and artwork has been included in a number of nature anthologies and art books.
(from http://cathyjohnson.info/biography.html)
sometimes known as Kate, has worked as a naturalist, writer, and freelance artist for the past 30 years, and was staff naturalist and contributing editor for Country Living magazine for 11 years. She is a contributing editor to the Artist’s Magazine and Watercolor Magic and has had a regular column in Personal Journaling magazine, where she wrote on a subject she feels passionately about -- realizing the importance of creativity in our lives. She has written and illustrated -- her own work and that of others -- for a number of national magazines, including Science Digest, Harrowsmith Country Life, Sports Afield, Country Journal, Muzzlelader, Women's History, Early American Life, Sketchbook, Woodworker, Woman’s Day, Threads, Mother Earth News, National Wildlife Magazine, Sierra and additional magazines listed on the writer page. Her writing and artwork has been included in a number of nature anthologies and art books.
(from http://cathyjohnson.info/biography.html)
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 27, 2019
Phenomenal detail!
I love watercolors, because you don't even need to be very detailed to actually LOOK like it has so much depth and work put into it!
I really like the section on moss and bark. It helped me so much in making my paintings look more professional, and I love this book.
I will be referring to it often!
I love watercolors, because you don't even need to be very detailed to actually LOOK like it has so much depth and work put into it!
I really like the section on moss and bark. It helped me so much in making my paintings look more professional, and I love this book.
I will be referring to it often!
April 28, 2025
Very Helpful & Educational!
I'm going to keep this book as a reference to go back & forth to. I learned a lot about water color painting from this book.
I'm going to keep this book as a reference to go back & forth to. I learned a lot about water color painting from this book.
March 4, 2009
Best book on watercolor texture.
October 29, 2017
Very glad that I stumbled across this book at my local library today! I've been stumbling blindly through learning how to paint with watercolors on my own this year, and this book had so many wonderful and easy to understand hints and guidelines to follow. This advice will definitely help me in the future and I fully recommend it to anyone who wants a more structured look at watercolor 101.
October 31, 2020
Fantastic!
A great reference of texture techniques for just about anything you want to paint! This is a must have book!
A great reference of texture techniques for just about anything you want to paint! This is a must have book!
March 25, 2022
This Cathy Johnson book is an excellent tool for wannabe watercolorists. She offers wonderful images and examples of techniques that will add life and vitality to any piece.
August 29, 2024
The author's expertise is apparent.
September 13, 2024
The chapters on fur, hair, and skin are very helpful!
February 22, 2015
نقاشی های خانم جانسون را چندان دوست نداشتم. توازن و هارمونی کافی در نقاشی ها نبود و انگار سوژه های هر نقاشی، به یکدیگر کولاژ شده اند.
روش های نقاشی آموخته شده در این کتاب هم گهگاه بیش از حد پیچیده هستند و می توان از روش هایی ساده تر و کاراتر به هدف رسید.
با این همه، بد نیست چنین کتابی خوانده شود و دم دست باشد، چون می تواند کمک کند که به بافت های فرعی در نقاشی، بیشتر توجه شود.
روش های نقاشی آموخته شده در این کتاب هم گهگاه بیش از حد پیچیده هستند و می توان از روش هایی ساده تر و کاراتر به هدف رسید.
با این همه، بد نیست چنین کتابی خوانده شود و دم دست باشد، چون می تواند کمک کند که به بافت های فرعی در نقاشی، بیشتر توجه شود.
June 21, 2014
Very nice book that shows how to manipulated watercolor to resemble various textures. Great for reference. I have already ordered my own copy.
July 20, 2010
Terrific exercises and tips for creating texture
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews