Watercolor

I am happy to have added this book to my collection of art books. I really like the way the author writes, the book is very readable. Although the book was written some time ago, I found the information completely pertinent for today. There is a mixture of color and black and white plates in the book, I find this adds to the character of the book. There is loads of valuable information for the new, or experienced watercolor painter.

Very helpful for me. I am an amateur painter, needed extra guidance even though I have been painting for a number of years. Good discussion on opaque and transparent colors, how to get to a goal, and so many examples.

John Pike was a student of Charles Hawthorne from the "Cape Cod School." Pike spent time in the West Indies, and later did illustrations for magazines such as Colliers, Life, Fortune, and Readers Digest. His paintings, which remind me of a mix of Maxfield Parrish and Winslow Homer, take advantage of that gorgeous light of late afternoon or the weird mist of early morning, especially in New England and New York State. His art is found in many museums and permanent collections. His books sold many copies in the 1960's and inspired a lot of amateurs to try their hand at this expressive medium. This book is one of my favorites. Right from the start, the cover challenges the watercolorist to learn about light, economical use of brush strokes, and a surprisingly limited palette that excludes tricks and gimmicks. If you are serious about watercolor, this book is probably on your shelf or wants to be there. Frankly, I love this book for the cover alone, but the advice is timeless and worth learning.

I checked out this book from the library more times than I can count before discovering it was still in print. It is absolutely the best book I've found on watercolor technique (and I've checked out many of them) and the only one I own. John Pike's style of working and his discussion of technique and choice of materials helped alleviate my anxieties about getting started in watercolor. He keeps things simple. I particularly like his philosophy of using value sketches as a guide before starting any finished work, and the step-by-step color photographs showing a painting's evolution. His accompanying text is also very helpful. I've been painting in watercolor for 8 years and have many books on the subject. Mr. Pike's book is still the one I turn to consistently when I need help or inspiration.

I first got this book in the library and now must own it. Pike's insights have opened new doors for me as a relatively new watercolorist. His methods, techniques and explanations make this one of the few books on the subject that I want to have for ready reference rather than just an occassional read. This is the best artists book I have yet to come across!