Master the basic skills develop your style & expand your creativity with this ultimate guide to core drawing & painting techniques brought to you by renowned artist author & teacher Trudy Friend. Explore the essential techniques that Trudy has developed over the years from the key line & brush strokes that form the basis of her art to essential advice on observation composition lighting & adding colour to your work. Each technique is clearly explained with annotated exercises & step demonstrations. Complete the practical case studies to experiment with a wide range of media including pencil charcoal watercolour pastels gouache & acrylic. The book is divided into four distinct parts: Basic Mark-making
- many artists in particular beginners find it daunting to make the first marks on a fresh piece of paper but by using eight basic stroke applications as guided by Trudy you will find it easier to make a plan first of just how you will proceed choosing the marks that will fit your purpose helping you to make a confident start. Developing Your Skills
- with the eight basic strokes mastered you will be ready to move on to experiment with different subjects & media. In this section learning about line tone & texture & how to handle them in different media will set you on the path to make further experiments on your own to explore your developing skills. Problems & Solutions
- While you will learn from your own mistakes learning from someone else's will help you to avoid making many yourself. This chapter looks at common errors & will highlight the importance of faithful observation of the subject & how vital it is to make sketches first. Composition
- No matter how faithfully you represent a subject for a whole picture to work successfully you need to create a strong composition or design. In this section you will learn how to work with guidelines to help you to place the elements of your picture successfully & how to use the 'rule of thirds' to position your point of focus in the most pleasing area compositionally. Follow Trudy's indispensable advice for beginners & improvers to develop your own style & produce great representational art with complete confidence.