Watercolor Basics - Perspective Secrets

This book has been on my wish list for awhile. It’s always out of stock and now I know why! This is one of the best books in my collection of watercolor books. I’ve already read through it and was so happy I finally bought it. This book is the most detailed and easily understood in providing perspective in painting or any form of media. Every aspect of the different types of perspective are explained in a way that is understandable. There are painting references for each one, sometimes multiple. The author also shows the right way and the wrong way with the same painting. I totally understand perspective but sometimes putting it on paper, I don’t know what happens…… I just can’t do it. I over paint and ruin some of my paintings while losing some of the perspective in the meantime.

Perspective is a scary word for some artists. Mr. Metzler has you do simple exercises to show you that by putting the fence in front of the tree, or putting the tree in front of the fence is a simple way to show distance and perspective. He talks about one point, two point, and aerial perspective. He also shows with the picture displayed on the cover that the buildings don't have to have the same vanishing points. I learned a tremendous amount from this book.

Phil Metzger is the best instructor of perspective I know of. His methods are easy to use, don't require a math background, and enable an artist to sketch strong correct drawings for painting. He starts with simple shapes and ideas giving plenty of opportunities for the reader to recreate exercises that solidify the concepts. This was a great addition to my reference library.

I want to change the comments. It is definitely a good book for beginners.

If you are a student or a teacher of the arts, this book is a must. It is divided into sections and you can practice and teach yourself each lesson. Very easy to follow and understand.

I don't work in watercolors, I quilt, and I've found this book invaluable as a guide to understanding perspective.

North Light, the publishers of the Watercolor Basics series has hit paydirt once again with Phil Metzgers' Perspective Secrets. In direct simple and engaging language Metzger takes you through the many types of perspective without terrifying you with wordy rules and procedures. It is all covered in this handy and educational volume. You move through beautiful examples of putting space and the illusion of air in your paintings to the subtle issues of close-up perspective such as with bricks. There is also some information on perspective dealing with stairs and inclines all supported by Mr. Metzger's handsome paintings. As with other volumes in this series the subject matter is gone into both more deeply and with more approachable and beautiful artwork. This is a must have for any budding painter.