Painting People in Watercolor

I happen to like paintings that are not completely realistic and that take advantage of techniques such as using unpainted white paper as highlights. I also like artwork that has lots of lost edges, for example a leg blending into the background and your mind has to fill in the line of the leg. I don't care for 100% realism (take a photo), but I am not a fan of completely abstract paintings either. The point is that I already know what I like and don't like, and you too probably have some idea as to what you like and don't like. Alex Powers breaks down the different design components of art and shows how he emphasizes the components of value and line to create his art work. However, he encourages you not to just copy his style but to find those components of art (line, color, value, edges, shape, etc.) that appeal to you and make your own artwork by emphasizing them. It is his discussion of the these different components and their relationship to one another that makes this book invaluable. For example, if you want to emphasize the use of value then you should deemphasize color. In this book Alex Powers explains why and covers many other similar design considerations. The text of this book is fabulous and should appeal to any artist. However, I found the text to be a bonus, as the truth is that I bought the book because I liked the pictures (lost edges, etc.). Although, like a previous reviewer, I don't believe the cover is represtative of the work found inside.

No well stocked watercolor library should be without this important book by Alex Powers. From understanding the human form to a thorough knowledge of design, Powers impacts an artist's skill. The work in this book guides in how to take your portraits from sterile mug shots to emotional works of art, full of drama and motion.

This book is one of the indispensable ones - you have got to have it! Don't let the painting on the cover put you off (I think it is one of the weakest paintings!) Between the covers, where it counts, this book is great.Powers has the incredible ability to paint something perfectly while making it look like it took him a few minutes. His vision is unique. To some, his work may appear messy or unfinished, but for me this is a genius at work. His paintings look simple, but it's what he leaves out that often makes his work utterly remarkable.His concise and easy-to-understand notes on facial proportions and his analysis of elements of his technique, such as composition, design, colour, line, and shape, make for fascinating reading. Seeing the mark of the artist has always been compelling for me. Here I see it in every painting. I often refer to Powers' methods to teach my art workshops for adult students.This is my desert island book - the book with which I would choose to be marooned. If there were a six-star rating, this book would get it. Why are you still reading? BUY IT! NOW!

This is such an immensely informative book with an incredible range of effective techniques and written in such an inspirational way. The next step must be to attend an Alex Powers workshop - anybody out there that can help me?

I have been reading and re-reading this book since December 1997. I have always had the desire to paint but never picked up a paintbrush because realistic painting did not leave me inspired to follow. The painting style that Alex Powers has in his work is what I have been searching for all my life. In writing about his personal style he encourages his readers to find their own style. I picked this book up several different times over a two week period before I finally bought it. I would love to attend a class that he teaches.